SOLOMONS, Md. — It was a windy start to the day as community members made their way to the monthly Makers Market at Ann Marie Sculpture Garden and Art Center. One of the few vendors that decided to go despite the weather was Ellen Knight, creator and crafty schnoodle.

“I named my business The Crafty Schnoodle, and I give all the credit of the business name to my dog, Zoe,” said Knight.

Everything Knight and her husband had to offer at this month’s market was crocheted. She had scarfs, hats, and toy animals and dolls for all ages at her tent. 

On the table were little crochet animals, from owls, lions and monkeys to reindeer, snowmen and thanksgiving turkeys.

Her son gave her the idea to create the crocheted animals.

“He was in the Marines at the time and I was just making hats and scarfs when he suggested that I make Amigurumi. Which I’m pretty sure it’s Japanese for ‘crocheting in the round,’ because that’s all you do when you create these. The elephants are probably the easiest ones to make,” said Knight.

The amount of hours that go into the animal like creation vary on the pattern Knight uses.

“The octopus one are very easy to make, and boys really like the snakes. When I create them, I use a special pattern to give the material a twisting motion, so you can coil the snakes into little knots if you want to,” said Knight.

Also on the table were crocheted dolls that both boys and girls could love.

“The children really love these. They can customize the clothes on the doll, and every one of them gets a little backpack with accessories,” said Knight.

She pulled up one doll with a thick head of yarn hair, and pulled the hair off of the doll.

“I had the idea to create these Chemo dolls for children who may be in the hospital right now. There was one time I had set it out and a little girl had knocked the hair off the doll. She thought she had broken it, but I told her it was supposed to be that way,” said Knight.

Also available were hats shaped like animals, from puppies to sharks to one eyed monsters.

“One time we had a group of ladies purchase four of the puppy hats because they volunteered at their local animal shelter to walk dogs. So they all got one hat each they could wear together when they walk the dogs in colder weather,” said Knight.

For more information about The Crafty Schnoodle or the Ann Marie Makers Markets, check out their links.

Contact Jacqui Atkielski at j.atkielski@thebaynet.com.