Baby Tulip Cardigan

I have been hard at work on this new knitting pattern, which I am calling Baby Tulip Cardigan. It has taken a lot of thought, and knitting. Cardigans just seem the best sort of garment for a baby, with none of that squeezing over the head of a jumper. The tulips are smaller than those on my Tulip Hat, but knitted in a very similar way. Each flower uses two separate lengths of yarn - one for the leaves and one for the flower, which are not carried between the flowers on the reverse of the work. I love the look of the raised flowers, but put them only on the front of the cardigan, as I felt they might be a bit bumpy on the back for a lying or sitting baby.

The pattern comes with instructions for four sizes (0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and 9-12 months). I have written sized patterns before, but this one was slightly more complicated, as the flowers had to be placed on each version. (The pattern contains a lot of brackets, and I hope will be fairly straightforward to follow.)

 

 

I have knitted Size 1, 2 and 4 - each one in a different DK wool that I had in my stash. Some of the places where I sell suggest that you will do better by recommending a specific brand of yarn, but I thought knitting with different yarns was a good way to test the pattern. The cardigan only takes 70g to 120g of main shade wool, depending on the size you knit, plus small amounts for the flowers, so it really is a good way to use up some yarn left over from another project. I used Stylecraft Sweet Dreams for Size 1, some North Ronaldsay DK for Size 2, and some Rowan Designer DK which I think came from my sister for Size 4. (Just looked this up, and apparantly it was discontinued in the 1980's, so that has been in my stash for a while!)

 

I like them all, and am rather fond of Size 4 - with each flower being a different colour, and the different coloured buttons at the front. Spent a lot of time in a haberdashery picking these out.

  

 

 

But what now to do with all these baby garments. I don't seem to know anyone with a baby, so apart from no baby models, I have ended up putting my samples in my Etsy Shop, along with my sample Tulip Hats.

The pattern is available on Ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting.

My resolve was to design more knitting this year, although I have been a little distracted by printing, walking, and now the gardening year is beginning! I have quite a few more ideas brewing, so time to start my next design.

More Wee Mouse Photos and Pattern

As promised here are a few more photos of my mice, this time with what is a bit more of a wedge of cheese. Hard to find a piece of cheese that was perfect. This bit is jarlsberg and had the shape but not quite the holes. But the emmental in the shop had lovely holes, but were all cut into cubes shapes. I have spent quite a lot of time recently looking at cheese!

So at last the pattern is published. Thank you to Jennifer, who proof checks for me, and is brilliant. However careful I think I have been she finds something!

As mentioned before this pattern is knitted with 4-ply or fingering wool, and takes a small amount, about 15g. Well it is a wee mouse. I thought of this idea partly because of To a Mouse poem by Robert Burns. It is Burn's Night on 25th January so I have roughly the right date to publish the pattern. My daughter is off to visit one of her friends in Cambridge today, and is going to a formal Burn's Night Supper, followed by a ceilidh. I don't think she has experienced either before, so it will be interesting to see what she thinks

So here are links to the pattern on Etsy, ravelry and LoveKnitting, and I hope anyone who buys it enjoys making some mice, and you don't find they are overrunning your kitchen.

Malstrøm Fisherman's Sweater

Some of you may wonder if I am still knitting, and indeed am I still writing knitting patterns? I have been a little distracted by walking, gardening and other crafts, and this latest project has taken me such a long time. I have been working on it most of this year, but thinking about it for even longer. But I am really pleased to have finally completed my first adult garment knitting pattern. It will be for sale shortly in all the ususal places: ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting.

A few years ago I knitted my husband an Icelandic sweater. Not from my own pattern, but a fairly vintage one from ravelry, and genuine Icelandic wool. Since then he has been asking me to make a Norweigan style fisherman's sweater. I tried to tempt his with other Norweigan sweaters, but he was very specific in what he would like. Fairly simple pattern over the whole garment, stripes on the rib sections, and reserved colours. I can see this style of sweater for sale, but could not find quite the right pattern.

So I decided to go for it, and write my own pattern. Having written it up for his size, I have graded it for other sizes. The pattern has eight sizes from 32-46 inch chest, so could be for men or women. It is knitted in DK, and I think would also look nice with navy, if you were going for a different traditional look. This has taken quite a long time, and a lot of maths. I am not bad at maths, but knitting maths is something quite specific, which needs not just maths but also knowledge of knitting.

He is very happy with the finished garment, and I persuaded him that we should go all out for the photos. He really is the best, as I am sure a lot of husbands would have refused to do this. It was quite a blustery day, so hopefully he looks like a swarthy Cornish (or even Norweigan) fisherman. Thankyou to whoever owns the fishing equipment that was on the beach at Bude!

Halloween Knits Special Offer

Getting close to Halloween, so I have decided to do a special offer. I have two spooky patterns, my knitted Bat and Little Pumpkins. My Bat pattern is one of my best sellers, throughout the whole year, and I love how on Ravelry so many knitters have linked their own projects.

 

So until October 31st I am running a special offer. If you buy both patterns which are normally £3 each on Ravelry, you will get a £2 discount if you use the code SPOOKY. This is the only platform that has the ability of set up discount codes, so go here rather than Etsy or LoveKnitting, where these pattern are also for sale.

I would love to see somebody make a Halloween garland with pumpkins and bats. Perhaps that's what I should do!

Special Starfish

I am pretty good at watching on Ravelry if someone has used one of my patterns and linked their project. On Etsy I sometimes forget, as comments and photos come at the bottom of the shop page. But every so often I do a catchup, and was delighted to see this beautiful make from my Starfish pattern.

Pat is from Canada, and has made it for her granddaughter, on Vancouver Island, who is having her bedroom decorated with a sea theme. I just love the wool she has used, the mixture of colours. The choice to line of the french knots is lovely, and these are made with yarn spun with merino wool and Samoyed dog hair. Just exquisite - I think her granddaughter is going to be very happy.

 

Turtle Project

Once in a while someone shows me a project made from one of my patterns which is really special, and they allow me to feature it here.

 

 

This was the case with Lori, from Louisiana, who contacted me a few weeks ago about the finished size of my Tortoise pattern. She had found this beautiful turtle shell in the woods, and decided the time had come to make a body for him. As you see the shell is stunning in itself, but now Cecil has a body too.

Lori had to slightly adapt the pattern for size, and as you can see has done a wonderful job. She has made a body, which she has carefully slid into the shell, which is one piece.

Doesn't Cecil have a wonderful expression on his face. Thank you Lori for letting me share your project here. 

I love to see when knitters have used my patterns, especially for an unusual project. It makes designing a pattern really worthwhile to see it being enjoyed.

Child's Foxy Jumper Pattern

I've been working on this childrens'  jumper pattern for quite a while. When I look back the first small version was knitted in August, so I realise I am not working at a very fast pace. But finally the pattern is complete and published on ravelry, Etsy and LoveKnitting. The photo below shows Age 1-2 years, and 2-3 years, and the pattern comes in two more sizes up to Age 7.

I really like the little fox border, although in the last week one of our lovely chickens has disappeared. I suspect perhaps a fox, my husband a stoat, and we have also wondered about a bird of prey. But there was no sign of feathers, so my neighbour, who also has chickens, says she may have got broody and be hiding, sitting on a nest of unfertilised eggs somewhere. That would be great, but I am not very hopeful. If it was a fox I know foxes just do what they have to do to live.

Apart from the fox border the jumper pattern is really quite simple. It is knitted in 4-ply, from the bottom up. It is seamed, and has raglan sleeves. The bottom and cuffs have a border of garter stitch, although this could be altered to rib if you prefer that, and the neck is a simple roll collar. You need a small amount of two additional colours for the foxes, and a tiny bit of black for their eyes and noses, which are embroidered on at the end.

 

 

I so love these little foxes I am thinking of knitting a bigger version for myself.

Christmas Sale Reminder

Just a little reminder about my Christmas Pattern Sale on ravelry. All of the patterns below are 50% off if you use the code GINXMAS22, which is valid until Christmas Day. Or if you want to make a Christmas Love Heart, that pattern is free.

Christmas Arctic Hare

Christmas Baby Penguin

Christmas Bird

Christmas Elephants

Christmas Polar Bear

Christmas Sand Dollar Decoration

Christmas Tree Decoration

Little Minnows

Scallop

Spiral Shells

Starfish

Tiny Clog Decoration

Christmas Sale is Open

 

The final patterns that will be included in my sale which opens today include my Christmas Bird pattern. You could make your birds fair isle, or with a sparkly wool, embroider on them, hang them or even make wire legs. There are just so many choices.

My Tiny Elf Clog pattern is one of my Christmas regulars. I used to hang these little shoes on the tree every year, but now because of my greedy dog, they have to be hung up somewhere a bit safer, as she would definitely go for the chocolate.

 

 

And the Christmas Elephant decoration. I am still backing elephants to be the new Christmas animal. Elephants are lucky, cheerful, and I really think Santa could do with a few elephants to help him with the sleigh. The pattern contains instructions for an adult and baby elephant to hang as decorations.

So just a reminder that you can purchase any of the patterns listed below at 50% off by using the code GINXMAS22. The sale runs up until Christmas Day. Just click on the names below to see the pattern, or you can look back through my posts of the last few days. The code will only work on ravelry, and once per customer, so remember to get all the patterns you need to make it a Woolly Happy Christmas!

Christmas Arctic Hare

Christmas Baby Penguin

Christmas Bird

Christmas Elephants

Christmas Polar Bear

Christmas Sand Dollar Decoration

Christmas Tree Decoration

Little Minnows

Scallop

Spiral Shells

Starfish

Tiny Clog Decoration

Christmas Sale Thursday

The next group of patterns that I am including in my Christmas sale are a little bit left field. The seaside themed Christmas tree decorations include - Scallop Shell, Sand Dollar, Starfish, Little Minnows, and I have included my Spiral Shell. 

It was 10 years ago that Mary Ann asked me to design a Christmas Sand Dollar pattern, to hang on her sister-in-law's ocean themed Christmas tree. I had a lot of fun with this design, which was helped by the real sand dollars that she sent me, which still decorate my bathroom. 

So while not completely traditional, why not have an ocean-themed tree? Tomorrow I will be showing the last group of Christmas decoration that are included in the 50% off sale, and publishing the discount code. The sale starts on Friday and continues until Christmas Day, and there will be a few more not very traditional decorations. 

Christmas Sale Wednesday

 

Some more patterns that will be included in my Christmas sale (which opens on Friday) are my three little Arctic animals: Arctic Hare, Baby Penguin and Polar Bear. 

What I enjoyed about the Baby Penguin and Arctic Hare was photographing them in the frozen world of "Fluffy Dressing Gown".

The full list of patterns and discount code will be listed on Friday 25th November!

Christmas Sale

I've decided to run a sale on some of my Christmas patterns, which will open on Friday 25th November, and run until Christmas. On Friday I will publish a discount code for use on Ravelry, which will give you a 50% discount on my Christmas patterns. Over the next few days I will be showing on my blog and Instagram the patterns that will be included in the sale. 

So you will have some days to see the Christmas patterns. The code can only be used once per customer, so do remember to include everything you might want to make, and to allow yourself enough time to make any decorations before Christmas.

One of patterns that will be included in the sale is Christmas Tree Decoration. This is one of my favourite patterns, because you can use any oddments you have left from other projects to make a really stylish hanging decoration. You can also use your imagination with the decoration. It is the only pattern I ever tried out with the most advanced knitter at the primary school knitting club I ran. (I wonder if Ron continued with his knitting? He was quite a tough kid, and would sit knitting in the playground, and got no grief from the other children.) So if you know a beginner knitter, (or are a beginner yourself), who is learning how to decrease, this is an ideal pattern.

I will be posting about some more patterns that will be included in the sale tomorrow.