Last week, we were driving through the countryside passing farms along the way with fields of fluffy sheep. The lambing season ended a few weeks ago and the ewes and lambs have been sent out to pasture, some of them only a few days old, but already romping in the grass and kicking up their heels the way only young animals do in the spring. SO adorable to see that.
There's always the odd black one too; hence the saying, "the black sheep of the family", an old colloquialism for being 'different'. Sheep can see in color (although not as well as humans), and have wide-
angled perception that allows them to watch for predators without turning their heads. In other words, hard to sneak up on one with a camera, as you can see!
Anyway, speaking of lambkins, I found this interesting pattern that someone had traced and had tucked inside a pattern envelope. I'm guessing this is as old as the pattern it was found with, which isn't dated; maybe 1940's or 50's maybe. It has the number 1218 written on it adding to the mystery. The pieces are full of pinholes as if it had been used many 
times. A clue to it's cuteness perhaps? I decided to see if I could make a doll from it using my wool blanket by omitting the seams and just hand-sewing the wool using a blanket stitch.
It turned out so cute! I now realize why the pattern has so many pin holes in it. I consequently drafted a new pattern and have uploaded it as a PDF to share, because I knew you would want one too. Click on the link and print: Little Lambkin
Happy Spring!
Love it! I love sheep too and all things sheep. (I stop at eating lamb.) Their fleece is so thick and wooly, I can feel the lanolin thru your pix. Your little one is so cute, with the flowers round his neck. They are all just too cute.
Posted by: Beth | April 11, 2006 at 09:28 AM
Very sweet Vicki! Please, please, please make the chick and the donkey next.
Posted by: Carol | April 11, 2006 at 09:33 AM
Your little lamb is so adorable!
And the pattern is wonderful!
Posted by: Mirre | April 11, 2006 at 11:49 AM
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I LOVE little lambs. I have been scouring ebay and antique stores lately looking for vintage little lambs, I have found 2 so far, and they are just precious....but so is this! I NEED to find one just like that! LOL Really, so cute, great job as always..and I too, would love to see if you make any of the others from that pattern!
Posted by: Cerri | April 11, 2006 at 11:49 AM
I love little sheep also. My oldest daughter's name means little lamb or ewe..and she collected lambs all while growing up. She had quite a few in her collection box when she married and left home..taking them all with her. So....I have a soft spot for lambs..
This lamb is sweet...BTW...but your creations always are just that..
sweet.
Posted by: Dawn | April 11, 2006 at 12:14 PM
I have that pattern in it's entirety! It looks like it is the lamb from the pattern- a version of the deer shown in the upper left corner of the package.(but I could be wrong. :>)
me: well that's what i thought at first too, because they do look similar, but the pattern is #1404 and the number written on the lamb is #1218.
Posted by: lk | April 11, 2006 at 12:16 PM
Would you be willing to scan and post the pattern pieces? I love that little guy.
me: sure! look for it on my patternbee website under "free stuff" in a few days.
Posted by: michelle | April 11, 2006 at 12:17 PM
Aw, new animals in the spring! It makes me want to run up and hug one of them. Too sweet. We have some sheep farms in Arizona, but they don't handle the heat well in Phoenix. The Native Americans raise beautiful flocks in the north. My neighbor even has a few I hear "baaa-ing" every now and then. I should sneak over there with my camera.
Posted by: kelli | April 11, 2006 at 01:08 PM
What a cutie!The rest of the pattern looks great aswell:)
Posted by: Kristy | April 11, 2006 at 01:56 PM
I so agree, lambs are gentle and sweet creatures, who couldn't love them. You did a wonderful job on the little soft lamb and what a great find with the old pattern. It would be a perfect time for the chick.
Posted by: Gina L | April 11, 2006 at 02:04 PM
So darn cute! The wool blanket project has scored yet another winner!! Mark's mom has raised sheep for many years so we're well aquainted with with all the cuteness of lambing season! We even lived next door to her farm for 3 years and often the little guys were right in our front yard.
Posted by: Toni | April 11, 2006 at 02:10 PM
That lamb is adorable.
The old patterns are great... I love the the little duck!
Posted by: Anna | April 11, 2006 at 04:15 PM
beautiful.. I've loved sheep and lambs since I was a little girl and my grandparents had a small flock. My grandmother knitted sweaters, mittens, socks, every year from the wool.
Your little lamb is adorable and I looked at all your other blanket projects - what a great idea!
Posted by: Melissa | April 11, 2006 at 04:58 PM
So sweet! I love lambs, and sheep. Thanks for the photos! Your lambkins is adorable!
Posted by: *jenny | April 11, 2006 at 05:07 PM
So, so charming, both the real babies and your lovely crafted one...this is my favorite wool blanket project yet!
Posted by: Mrs.Staggs | April 12, 2006 at 12:15 AM
Ohh my god, it's so wonderful. Congratulations again.
Posted by: laura | April 12, 2006 at 01:35 AM
How much talent can a turkey feather have? How many creative things can one person make out of a woolen blanket?
YOU AMAZE ME.
That must have been one big blanket, all those wonderful darling things!
If your blog recorded sound it would have heard me say this
Oh
Ah
Wow
Gasp
Mouth hitting floor
clapped hands
Oh la la
I want it I want it
Wonderful!
Like I said you amaze me!
Baaa eau IT Full!!
Posted by: Tongue in Cheek | April 12, 2006 at 12:31 PM
oh vicki! this post was so sweet for me to read. I grew up raising sheep all my life, until i went away to college. and i am definitely hoping that one day i'll be doing it again with my children.
and i love the story about how you found your sheep pattern. it was meant to fall into your hands, i guess!
i love it. brought back lots of wonderful memories for me.
Posted by: molly | April 12, 2006 at 12:45 PM
The real lambs are cute, but I like your lamb even more! Love the fact that it was "found" in the old patterns. Love the other patterns as well. Is that the duck that another blogger posted? Was it Wise Craft or Little Birds?
Posted by: nancy | April 12, 2006 at 07:52 PM
Neat pattern-love the little lamby-kins!
Posted by: Randi | April 13, 2006 at 06:33 AM
"...driving to Eugene", "...driving to Eugene". It's been a long time since I've heard those words, but oh, the glorious beauty that is Oregon is in my mind all the time. I sometimes take little trips in my day dreams to my home town. I miss Eugene immensely at times, although it has gotten larger than when I lived there. But, I can still picture the tree filled streets, Hendricks Park, Spencer's Butte, and the amazing beauty of a drive up Fall creek. Nothing compares. So many memories there, 23 years of life there has left so much in my brain.
Thanks for a warm reminder of the beauty there, from your photos Vicki.
Posted by: lauren | April 15, 2006 at 07:05 AM
Sigh....so wonderful! And thank you for the pictures of an Oregon countryside springtime. They did my heart good.
Posted by: luckybeans | April 19, 2006 at 11:25 PM
I'm so in love with these little lambs...so adorable!
Posted by: brit | April 20, 2006 at 05:40 PM
So sweet! Love all the things you've made from that blanket, too. Can't wait to see what else you make from it. I just realized you've posted the pattern for that lamb, too! Thank you so much! I'll have to go through my fabrics.
Posted by: Siri | April 22, 2006 at 02:20 PM
i've made a few sheeps myself but nothing like this.
maybe i'll try it out one day and show it off... -i'm gonna link ya if ya don't mind -
so far, i'm so in love with the ones i designed that i refuse to adore other sheep... don't tell them i lusted after yours, hihi.
*love*
Posted by: van | May 20, 2006 at 05:13 AM
This is the sweetest little lamb pattern I've ever seen!
Posted by: kirsty | May 23, 2006 at 09:07 PM
the lamb is from a 1945 pattern - McCall's 1218.
one is on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1945-McCALL-1218-CHILDS-TOY-ANIMALS-FOR-YOUNG-TODDLERS_W0QQitemZ6284564695QQihZ010QQcategoryZ38057QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Posted by: jenny | June 12, 2006 at 11:44 AM
Cute! Good Idea! I'm only 11 an I'm gana make one! (Even though it's 9:40 at night)
Posted by: | September 16, 2006 at 07:37 PM
I love lambs too. I invite you to see my first Lamby at my website. It's a stuffed linen body lamb completely encrusted with beadwork. I just LOVE your lamb pattern. I'm hoping to do another lamby soon.
Posted by: Debra Smith | December 21, 2006 at 11:21 AM
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh
Posted by: | January 10, 2007 at 02:31 PM
there sssssssssooooooooooo cute
Posted by: | January 10, 2007 at 02:32 PM
Love your personal challenge here with the blanket!!! I was just given a vintage chenille bedspread with the most wonderful pom-pon fringe all around the edge and i do believe i'm setting myself up for a similar challenge :-)
P.S. on your lamkin pattern...the 2 on the bottom of the pattern sleeve..are those the birdie/chicks i've seen so many others make adorably on their blogs? Do you know if the pattern is posted anywhere? I would love to make some for my nieces for Easter(example here: http://littlebirds.typepad.com/little_birds/sewing/index.html 0
Posted by: Sarah Dugan | January 16, 2007 at 06:24 PM
Does anyone here have any idea how to make the following soft toys
lion
donkey
sheep
wolf
Posted by: Jo | February 12, 2007 at 06:47 AM