Tundra Baby Vest

What has been going on with my knitting and blogging? I seem to have slowed down, and I am not one of those speedy knitters to begin with. It is a little to do with all the sock knitting that I have been doing. Socks are quite time consuming, but incredibly satisfying. 

Also I have been working quite hard on a new pattern for an baby garment. 

Here is a sneaky peek. I was inspired by once again becoming a great aunt, and also by this gorgeous wool. It is James C. Brett, DK Marble. I originally bought it with the idea that I could make myself a hat. (I'm not quite sure what happened to that idea.) I think it is a really good wool for a baby garment, as it comes in interesting colourways, and is washable. Knitted up this ball reminds me so much of a wintery sky and the northern lights.  

I think babies can look great in bright primaries or more unusual shades, and don't just have to wear white or pastel colours. But if you want to knit it in a paler shade there is also a range of James C. Brett Baby Marble DK.

My baby vest top is simple in structure, and I think it has a slightly Japanese feel. I had the same idea when I designed my Tundra and Wrap Around baby shoes. I hope that the simple shapes mean that the beautiful colours in the wool can spring to the fore. Unlike many knits the main sections are knitted in rib, which I think gives more thickness and some stretchiness as baby grows. The placket for the buttons or toggles is in garter stitch.

The pattern will be out soon, and will come in three different baby sizes. So just a bit more testing to do .... Off out to buy some more wool.

Easter Bunny Rabbits

Slightly distracted from my Teddy Bear (which is still slowly progressing), I've been knitting some little bunny rabbits for Easter. They are a fairly quick make, and a great way to use up any tiny scraps of wool you have left over. (Each rabbit takes less than 4g of wool.) Although I have stuck to quite realistic colours, it would also be fun to make some in really bright colours.

They are really, really very tiny (about 1 inch or 3 cms wide). 

So if you hate fiddly this is probably not for you. 
But if you like quick and cute then it is.

Did you know that a rabbit's tail is called a scut? 

My pattern tells you how to easily make a really tiny pom pom for a tail.

I have mainly been using 4ply, but this slightly thicker wool gave an even fluffier looking rabbit.

My husband looked at the growing collection on my work table, and said they really are living up to their name, and breeding like rabbits. If you want to make your own rabbits, the pattern is already on ravelry and Etsy, and will be available later today on LoveKnitting ...
 

Stashbuster Christmas Trees

If you want to make some extra decorations then my knitted Christmas Tree Pattern is incredibly versatile. As you can see they turn out great in all sorts of different colours, and you can have great fun with the decorations.
 

I have taken this pattern into school for my school knitting club, as it is fairly simple. Well that is what I thought, although you do need to be able to knit, purl, and know how to increase and decrease. It is a great way of using up any oddments of wool that you have left over.
 

It is also fun to add details with a bit of stitching. I love projects where the sewing up stitches are part of the design! There are photo tutorials for some of the stitches used here in my sidebar.

Spooky Stanley Spider

Since it is the time of year for spookiness and all things creepy, I just thought I would show you my Spooky Stanley Spider. Actually I think he is not really frightening, just a little glum.

He is very easy to make. He is knitted flat on two needles, with icord legs. His feet are black buttons, although I think beads also would work well. Link to the pattern on Craftsy is in my lefthand sidebar.

I used Rowan Fine Tweed (Pendle), and knitted two Stanleys from one 25g ball. I think other wools would work well, although you would need to adjust the needle size. I liked the rough bumpy texture of this brand. 

Tundra Baby Shoe

Baby shoes are my favourite knit. So relatively quick to make, and the end result is so pleasing. 

I had an idea for a new design, as two of my work colleagues are expecting. (In fact one of the babies has already arrived.) Although I love knitting my Baby Daisy Shoes and Baby Bee Shoes I thought it was about time for a change. I am sort of trying to work up the courage to design a baby garment, so these have been a welcome delaying tactic.

Those of you who know me are probably looking at this new design and thinking "why no embroidery?". Well I may add some later (I just can't resist) but for the pattern photos I wanted to show the simple shape of the shoes, and I thought that embroidery might be a distraction. 

I have put a lot of thought into the shape of these shoes. I had in my mind that they would be very simple. 

Just for once I can say that this is not a difficult knit. You do not even have to know how to purl. (I am usually so worried about people buying my patterns and finding them hard, that I think I exaggerate the difficulty.) But this pattern is all knit, and has only one technique that new knitters may not have come across. 

These were made with my last scraps of this wool. Unfortunately I don't know what it is as I would love to get some more. Any clues?

This is the wrap method to prevent holes in your knitting when you change direction mid-row. I explain this at the start of the pattern, and have put a photo tutorial on my blog to help more visual learners. (There is also a link to this in knitting tips in the right sidebar.) Once you have done this a few times you will see it is not hard. This gives the front upper of the shoe its very distinctive curves.

Knitted with James C. Brett Marble DK

The pattern just comes in one size, and the finished shoes are 8-9 cm long, so about the size for a newborn to 4 months. You need no more than 22g of wool. I am thinking of getting some chunky wool and trying to size it up to adult size, as I would quite like to pad about the house in a pair of these. 

Knitted from Jaeger Luxury Tweed (unfortunately this wool has been discontinued)

The shoe is made up of three pieces, and I have used doubleknit slightly fluffy wool to give them the look of a felted shoe, and to make them really cosy. So like my other shoe patterns you will find this a tight knit, but that is what helps give the shoes their structure. The pattern is available on ravelry and Etsy.

While knitting these I have had the idea for another baby shoe, which I am already working on. So expect even more baby shoes. 

P.S. I had lots of visitors here this week, mostly from South Africa. I can't quite work out if I have been featured somewhere, so I would be very grateful if anyone could let me know. 

Valentine Hearts - Free Pattern

If you fancy knitting a heart for someone you love, then I thought I would remind you of my Free Heart Pattern on ravelry. Ok it is called Christmas Love Heart, but it would suit Valentine's Day too. Here are a few hearts which you may have seen before.
 

The pattern has instructions for three sizes of heart, and as well as my Fair Isle charts there are also blank charts so you can work out your own Fair Isle design. Or if embroidery is more your thing, then there are some photo tutorials in Embroidery Corner in my righthand sidebar to remind you of the stitches you could use.

There is still time to make a few hearts.

Potato Chip Scarves

Just realised that I can now show photos of some of my Christmas gift knit. These were knitted from the Potato Chip Scarf pattern, so called as you really can't knit just one. I am gradually making one for all my relations. 

The pattern is fairly simple, so the fun is in finding an interesting wool to knit it in.
 

Mermaid's Purse

I've been thinking about this knitting project for a while now, but needed to find the real thing so I had something to work from. And so I was delighted that I stumbled across a mermaid's purse on the beach on holiday. I photographed it, and had a really good look at its shape. 

In case you didn't know, a mermaid's purse is the egg case that surrounds the fertilized eggs of some sharks, skates, and chimaeras. And although it is not strange to find one washed up on the shore, they are also not that common, at least on the beaches where I wander. I do think there is something rather delightful (and a bit magical) about finding a mermaid's purse. 

If you want to read a bit more about them there is a really good site here with advice on identification. And you can take part in a UK survey if you find one yourself, at The Shark's Trust MERMAID'S PURSE. I am going to send them my photo, though I think mine was a Spotted Ray case. I had not realized that there were so many types of mermaid purse until I found this site, so am now wondering if I should come out with a range of knitting patterns for different types. I am sort of joking, as I suspect there may not be a huge demand for this pattern, but sometimes you just have to do something because the spirit moves you.

This is not a long pattern, and contains some icord knitting to make the horns, and short rows to get the curved shape. To get its distinctive slightly deflated shape it is also important not to overstuff it.  

I have set up a Mermaid Purse Promotion. One might look rather nice with some of my other sea creatures.  I have a selection on a shelf in my bathroon, and they make a really nice display. So if you buy this pattern on ravelry in combination with any of my other beach patterns (Spiral Shell, Starfish, Sand Dollar, Scallop Shell, Sea Urchin or Little Minnow) you get a discount of £1. Remember to buy them in one transaction, otherwise this won't work, and email me if you have any problems.

And finally, although I have really tried to be realistic with my mermaid's purse,  my daughter suggested that if I added an eye I would have made Sheldon J. Plankton from SpongeBob Squarepants, which was not my intention at all, but I do see what she means.

Aran Leaf Cushion Pattern

You might think that because I like making things my house is beautifully furnished. It is not, because I imagine, like other people, life gets busy and things just get in the way. But I did decide this year to get to grips with sorting out a few of the more shabby areas.

So with that in mind I have made another cushion cover from my Aran Leaf Design. I picked this lovely blue, called denim, as I have plans to reupholster one of my armchairs, and I think this will look gorgeous on it. Quite a daunting project, but I am going to give it a go.

So you can find this Aran Leaf Cushion Pattern in ravelry. It is really quite an easy and quick knit. The wool is thick Aran, and it is knitted on 6mm needles. It may look a bit like cable, but is a combination of increasing and decreasing to make the leaves.

Here is the original cream version of the Leaf Cushion

I also had a lot of positive comments on my Tree Cushion and I am still working on making a chart for the pattern for this. And I have an idea for another cushion, though that is still just in my head.

Stanley Spider

Meet Stanley the Spider. Each year I try to make a toy mascot for the class that I have been working in at school. First there was Caterpillar Class, and they got a caterpillar and a butterfly. Next year was the rather daunting job of making a cricket for Cricket Class. And finally this year the delightful Spider Class. 

I was going to try to knit a really realistic tarantula, but I couldn't find the right wool. That may come later. So Stanley is just your average sort of spider. He is quite easy to make. The body is knitted on two needles and in one piece. I thought that buttons would make cute little feet, although you could use beads. He is hung on a long piece of elastic thread, which has a big black bead on the end. 

I was delighted that my one little ball of Rowan Fine Tweed wool (25g) was perfect to make two Stanleys, I haven't managed to take photographs of Stanley II yet, though he looks almost exactly the same.  Although I am sure other makes of wool would work well, I really liked the texture and bumpiness from using this brand.

Stanley is looking a little glum I know, and that is because he has found out that from next year the classes are going to all change and be named after biblical trees. Perhaps it is just as well, as the prospect of knitting a Firefly was worrying me. Spider Class will become Palm Class, and I will be in Olive Class. I'm not quite sure how that is going to work as far as knitting class mascots is concerned.

So farewell to my lovely Spiders, and if you want to make a similar toy you will be able to find the pattern in my shop later tonight.

Vintage Caravan Magazine

I was delighted to get an email from Anne in Australia, who had seen my caravan keyrings in Vintage Caravan Magazine. (Facebook Page is Here) One of them now holds the keys to her lovely vintage caravan, which was exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for. She sent me some photos too. Isn't it cute. I love the coordinated inside, as well as the silver and wood on the outside.

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And here is my own retro girl reading the magazine! You might also notice her new dress, which I am going to write about on a separate post. I have also been scanning the pages of Vintage Caravan Magazine and daydreaming of having my own little home on wheels one day.