see you later, alligator!

I made an alligator yesterday as a "big brother" present to go with a baby quilt I also made. the pattern is an old vintage one bought off ebay - the hippo (and friend) are from the same pattern envelope.



the pattern gave him two sad little teeth, so I ended up leaving off the teeth rather than drawing a full set of teeth on my own. only once completed did it dawn on me that I should have used the remainder of the jumbo rick rack used on the back. he might be a vegetarian alligator now.



but that doesn't stop him from trying to eat Jeero! poor Jeero.


his new owner Landon loved him. it was pretty adorable. his eyes lit up when he saw him, and once he had him in hand, he refused to relinquish him for the next three hours. he has been carrying a pumpkin bag around for a month, and even gave this up in favor of the gator. so the alligator rode in the wagon at the pumpkin patch, rode on the mini train, and sat on the table at the restaurant. did I mention that the alligator is about three foot long? so he wasn't much shorter than three year old Landon when carried. as Landon asserted about twelve times, "it's heavy." I feel a smidge bad for his parents about whether Landon will insist on permanently traveling with the gator over the longer term, but mostly I am just pleased that he enjoyed the present so much.