Goodbyes can be so difficult, but sometimes it helps to give a handmade personalized token to the people you are leaving. Something that helps them to still feel connected to you and comforted by you love for them no matter where you am.

For my most recent “goodbye,” I came up with these squeezable knit balls, patterned with the name I call each loved one. I wanted each ball to be small so that it could be carried anywhere, squeezed unobtrusively in the hand no matter where they were. When I presented my family members with their ball, my father had the idea that I add a string, so he could hang the ball on the bulletin board over his desk with a pushpin.

I wanted to share the pattern with you so you could make this little comforting gifts for a loved one or two in your life.

supplies
needles: size 3, straight
yarn: a little bit of fingering-weight in two, contrasting colors
finishing: a tapestry needle. a bit of polyfiber fill, or cotton balls or even old rags to stuff