The G Bees

The G Bees Knitted Toy

What is Being Made

The G Bees is a knitted toy design created by Vicki Stewart for Hillandbenz. This project involves constructing a bee-themed toy with multiple dimensional components including a body, head, face, wings, antennae, and wheels. The finished piece features decorative details such as shiny silver buttons for wheel hubs and embroidered embellishments.

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several specialized techniques to achieve its dimensional toy structure:

• I-cord – Used specifically for creating the antennae, this technique produces a tubular cord that adds textural interest and three-dimensional detail to the design
• Intarsia – Applied to create color patterns and design elements within the knitted fabric
• Chain stitch embroidery – Used for surface embellishment and detail work after the main knitting is complete
• Stocking stitch – The primary fabric construction method, created by alternating knit and purl rows to produce a smooth, classic knitted surface

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches and abbreviations including: K (Knit), P (Purl), St/s (stitch/stitches), Alt (alternate), St-st (stocking stitch), Tog (together), Patt (pattern), skpo (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over), and Incr (increase by knitting into the front and back of a stitch).

Materials Required

This toy is worked in 8ply yarn weight (also known as DK weight), which provides good stitch definition for a small toy project. The pattern requires:

• 30m of 8ply yarn in red
• 40m of 8ply yarn in navy
• 50m of 8ply yarn in ecru or white
• 60m of 8ply yarn in blue for head, back, antennae, and wheels
• 60m of 8ply yarn in white for face, front, bobble, and cross details
• 40m of 8ply yarn in red for head, cross, antennae, and wheels
• 80m of 8ply yarn in white for face, front, back, bobble, and wings

Needles required include straight needles for the main body components and double-pointed needles for working the i-cord antennae. The project also calls for 2 small to medium shiny silver buttons for wheel hubs and 2 small to medium white buttons for wheel hubs.

Project Notes

The gauge is noted as not essential for this toy project, allowing for flexibility in needle size and yarn tension. This intermediate-level design combines multiple knitting techniques and color work to create a charming, dimensional bee toy suitable for crafters with some knitting experience.