Strawberry Shortcake Ornaments

In my ongoing determination to sew up all my panels of Christmas ornaments, I came across eight of Strawberry Shortcake ornaments, two in each of these four designs, already cut out and ready to sew up. Each design, as well as having a duplicate, had a mirror image of itself. My daughter, was a fan of Strawberry Shortcake in her childhood years. The selvage of the panel reads ©1980 American Greetings Corporation © Spring Mills Inc. Pattern 5714 so this panel had been in my stash for about four decades. Yikes! The iconic Christmas symbols are quite fitting: a wreath, a snowman, a candy cane, and a stocking.

Who is Strawberry Shortcake? Per a vintage Strawberry Shortcake site:

Strawberry Shortcake is a bright and energetic little girl with red hair and freckles with a big, adorable smile. Strawberry is kind, resourceful, and always ready to help a friend in need. With her pet cat named Custard normally by her side. She usually wears a sweet, red dress with a white pinafore, and a pink bonnet decorated with strawberries. In her earliest adventures, Strawberry's home was a shortcake surrounded by well-tended strawberry vines, in 1983 she moved into her "Berry Happy Home", a large and ornate home.

It took me three weeks to get an order of pink grosgrain ribbon from Amazon. I have become so spoiled by the normally quick turn around, so I suspect this order must have been from a second party seller.  I waited, impatiently, because pink just had to be the color of choice for the loops due to Strawberry's bonnet and her cat Custard. I suppose I could have used red or green ribbon but, nah. My stubborn streak held firm, and the loop had to be pink. Here are the eight ornaments with pink loops. I chose to put the mirror image on each back. Although she faces the same way in the photo, the cat in the stocking also has a mirror image on the back. I did not flip the ornament to the other side because I wasn't paying enough attention when I set up the photo.

A New York Times business article in 2008 commented that

The 1980s Strawberry Shortcake has been updated to spend her time chatting on a cell phone instead of brushing her calico cat, Custard. 

I captured this poster of the continuing evolution of Strawberry Shortcake from the UK blog Five Little Diamonds.

Interestingly, Strawberry Shortcake started out as an image from a Hallmark greeting card. In a Strawberry Shortcake fandom site, there are more details of Strawberry's evolution through the years.  Notice, I said evolution, not aging. Strawberry Shortcake still remains young. Only the interpretation and portrayal of "hip" continually changes to be contemporary or trendy. My favorite portrayal of Strawberry Shortcake is from the 1980's. What would she look like today if she really was in her 40s? Would she be slender and fit in her leggings and sports bra from her pilates and exercising? Or would she be pleasantly plump as a mother in her mom jeans from sampling and enjoying all her baking?

Crocheting Strawberry the Axolotl

One of my 2024 goals was to knit or crochet at least one item since, to my surprise, I had done neither of those crafts in 2023. Coincidentally my grandson had developed a liking for small amigurumi figures he had seen, so I decided to crochet him one, thus checking off my goal and making him happy. Per Wikipedia

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. The word is a compound of the Japanese words ami, meaning "crocheted or knitted", and kurumi, literally "wrapping", as in nuigurumi "(sewn) stuffed doll".  Amigurumi vary in size and there are no restrictions about size or look.

There is a popular line of kits called Woobles advertised as "learn to crochet kits for beginners". The Wooble figure Isaiah wanted was Strawberry the Axolotl. My preferred craft is knitting, but I do know how to crochet. Even so, I found the tutorial that came with this kit exceptional and I learned a few things and understand a lot of other things better. I thought the kit was overpriced but hey, it was for my grandson, and it really did come with absolutely everything I needed, and a learning experience to boot.  One thing I definitely did not know... what is an Axolotl?

An axolotl is an amphibian creature that never outgrows it tadpole stage of life. I tend to think of it as the Peter Pan of the animal kingdom since it never grows up. For more detail about the following facts, check out https://www.thefactsite.com/axolotl-facts/.

1. Axolotls are native to one place in the world.
2. They never show signs of aging!
3. Axolotls are carnivores.
4. This curious creature comes in a variety of colors.
5. Axolotls were first brought to Europe in 1864.
6. Finding a mate involves dancing.
7. Axolotls can regenerate new body parts.
8. The axolotl is the Aztec god of fire and lightning.
9. They are an endangered species.
10. Axolotls are banned as pets in some US States and Canadian Provinces.

The axolotl is of great value in medical research and the facts surrounding it are unique. Per the Wikipedia article Axolotl

Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs, gills and parts of their eyes and brains. Notably, their ability to regenerate declines with age, but it does not disappear. Axolotls keep modestly growing throughout their life and some consider this trait to be a direct contributor to their regenerative abilities. Further research has been conducted to examine their heart as a model of human single ventricle and excessive trabeculation (i.e. heart wall anomalies).

But I digress. Back to crocheting. Each Wooble comes with an instruction card and a log in site with password where directions are in written form, verbal form, as well as illustrated in great detail, step by step, in a series of short videos. Everything you need is in the kit: yarn (conveniently the non-splitting type), crochet hook, stitch markers, safety eyes, stuffing, and a yarn needle.

In the following three photos are my Axolotl body in stages 1) with eyes inserted and belly along side, 2) with belly and ears attached, and 3) finally with his happy smile embroidered.

In two sittings, I crocheted the pink body and stuffed it. In a third sitting I crocheted and attached the round white belly and the orange ears/gills. I took my time and enjoyed the process. I sure hope my grandson will like his axolotl.

Amigurami can be knitted or crocheted. I came across this interesting YouTube video, Differences in knitting and crocheting amigurami, that explained well the pros and cons of each technique. Now that I see the comparison, I wonder if I ever will get around to knitting the animals that are in these two books that I just had to buy! Those critters truly are cute but they are certainly much more work.