Swampy Summer with Purl Frogs!

 

We named these amiable amphibians Rosemarie and Hilaire, after the friendly neighbor who shared the pattern with us, and Hilaire Belloc, the author of the poem that accompanied the pattern:

The Frog

Be kind and tender to the Frog,
And do not call him names,
As "Slimy skin," or "Polly-wog,"
Or likewise "Ugly James,"
Or "Gap-a-grin," or "Toad-gone-wrong,"
Or "Bill Bandy-knees":
The Frog is justly sensitive
To epithets like these.

No animal will more repay
A treatment kind and fair,
At least so lonely people say
Who keep a frog (and by the way,
they are extremely rare).

 

 

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
The Purl Frog measures about 7 1/2 inches long.

 
PATTERN PIECES
Click here for The Purl Frog Pattern Pieces and a set of printable directions.

MATERIALS

one 1/2 yard Liberty of London Tana Lawn fabric

thread

patchwork pins 

3/4 cup of dried mung beans, lentils, or buckwheat

two beads for the eyes

1. Wash, dry, and press the fabric for the frog.
2. Using the Purl Frog Template, cut two Frog Bodies from the fabric.
3. Pin the two pattern pieces right sides together.
4. Stitch a 1/4 inch seam around the frog, beginning at the inseam of one leg and finishing at the inseam of the other, leaving a gap at the base of the body.  Remember to back stitch at the beginning and end of the seam.
5. Clip into the curves of the arms and legs to ease the fabric a bit, then turn the frog right side out.

1. Fill the frog about 85% full with dried beans.
2. With needle and thread, hand sew the hole closed. 

 

You may choose to embroider the eyes.  We chose green beads and sewed them on with closely matching thread. 

Sew the beads to the top of the head, toward the seams, to imitate a frog's wide-set eyes. 

Enjoy your new frog friend!  

Comments

[Siri]

I had one of these when I was little and, remembering it, made a whole pile of them when our son turned four and chose a "frog" birthday. The pattern I have has a little bit more pointy nose and comes from a vintage craft book.
Thanks for sharing your version.

[Octopus Knits]

Holy cow, those froggies are cute!

[Gaile]

I love frogs! I collect them (even have a froggie tattoo). These are adorable.

Thank you for the pattern, I'll definitely be making at least one!

[Lisa K.]

Oh, no! They're toooo cute!

*runs off to make one*

[Katie]

Wow! These are super-cute. There aren't nearly enough frogs in the world. Thanks for helping to fix that particular problem! :-)

[Kim]

Thanks so much for posting this adorable pattern. About 20 years ago while visiting England with my husband, I purchased a bean filled Liberty of London frog. He still graces a shelf in our home. I will have such fun making these and giving them to friends. I may even make a mate for my old English frog.

[cindy k]

they are so cute. thanks for the pattern. ribbit!

[Kathy Merrick]

These frogs are sweet and lovely.
I once had a similar grenouille that I bought in Avignon. It was filled with lavender which sent out its happy-inducing scent whenever you picked it up.

[purl bee]

Thanks everybody!

Mmmm ... lavendar seems like a nice substitute for dried beans.

[Lucette]

I recently made a frog puppet for my little nephew and he really liked it. Your frogs are very charming, and I have to hop over to the craft room to give this pattern a try.