Pattern Flashback

 

I was browsing through some of my old patterns,

looking for inspiration...

When I stumbled on this little gal!

Shelly the Colourful Sea Turtle

is an adorable knitted toy, which I designed back in 2013...

Much as I love the pattern,

I think the reason this one makes my heart skip a beat 

is the precious little munchkin holding the toy.

Struggling to accept that this little girl is now five and a half years old,

and starts Primary School in just a week or so.

They say time flies... and I'm really starting to feel it!

Shelly the Colourful Sea Turtle 

is available as a FREE PDF PATTERN

click here for more information

and to download

Super Dooper Looper

I'm taking a quick breather from all those quirky hats...

In my Ravelry group this month, we're looking at ideas for STASH BUSTING your leftovers...

You know all those little bits and bobs you end up with at the end of other projects? Not the super short tiny ends... but those quarter balls... not big enough for another project, but not small enough to throw away?

I promised that I would share some ideas with my friends there... and if you're a Ravelry member, you can check out the discussion here.

But here's the details for those of you not on Ravelry.

My all-time favourite knitting stitch for stashbusting:

I call it MOSS STITCH… but depending on where you hail from, you might know it as SEED STITCH.

It’s a simple stitch - but hugely effective.

You just K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1… over and over again… then on the next row or round, you do the opposite - and K all of your P stitches, and P all of your K ones.

But what I love is the way that it weaves your colours in together. You don’t end up with clearly defined rows or stripes, but instead have more of an overall meshing of colours… Which is an excellent way to blend your scraps together.



In this project, I’ve used an assortment of browns and creams… but don’t be afraid to throw together completely contrasting colours… IT STILL WORKS UP A TREAT.

Take a look at this cushion cover I made a few years back:

It uses a bunch of different colours - from greys to greens, reds to purples, and whites to blues…

There was NO PLAN with those colours, and NO DISCRIMINATION… I just grabbed what was lying around, and started knitting.

But this time I’ve made myself a SUPER DOOPER LOOPER...

 Pattern available as a free download: download now

Basically it’s a long looped scarf.

Mine can be loosely looped twice around the neck, or can be wrapped three times for a more snug scarf on those chillier days.

 
I wanted quite a bit of drape in the scarf, so I’ve gone up to a larger needle size.

My scraps are mostly 8 ply/DK weight - and I would generally knit those with 4mm needles. So for the scarf I’ve gone up and used 6mm needles.

I wanted a loop 185cm (73 inches) around. I did a quick swatch and learned that I had 11 sts per 10 cm. So I cast on 203 sts.

If you cast on an ODD number of stitches - then you will just need to K1, P1 eternally - and don’t need to pay any attention to where each round begins or ends.

Then I worked in the round for 36 rows (13 cm or 5 inches) before casting off loosely in moss/seed stitch.

(PS. One day I'd LOVE to make a blanket using this method... I don't have the time right now... but maybe you'd like to try one?)

But here’s the trick to keeping those colours moving: Don’t let your colours meet!

What do I mean by that???

Always change colours before you get to the end of the round, so that you don’t work one stitch on top of the other in the same yarn.

In fact, I like to stop about 10 stitches before my colours overlap.

Then I introduce the next colour…

Not all of my yarn scraps were long enough to work an entire round in - so I just added new colours as I needed or wanted to.

Here’s the trick for colour changes without pesky weaving in: 

  

Introduce your new colour before you finish with the old one.
Work with the two yarns together for the next 6 - 8 stitches, then snip the old yarn and continue with the new one.

That’s it. You’ve just woven in your ends!

When the project is finished, and you have washed and blocked it (if that’s part of your plan) then you just snip off all those loose tails. BUT NOT THE STARTING AND FINISHING TAILS. They will need to be woven in separately.

When you snip the tails, don’t cut them too close to the stitches. Leave about 3mm so that they don’t pull out of the stitch immediately, but they don’t stick out either.

Because of the loose stitches in this scarf, the odd tail might slip out. They do keep in place better when your gauge is tighter.

But don’t stress it! Just leave them out - or poke them back into place with your fingertip. Life’s too short to stress about that stuff…

And if you want a really scrappy look to your work - leave those tails at about 25 - 50mm (1 - 2 inches) and make them a feature.

 Pattern available as a free download: download now

A Wolf Skin Blanket...

Have you ever attempted to make something - and found that the end product didn't look at all like the picture you had in your head? I hope so, because it happens to me all the time!

It's not necessarily a bad thing actually. I mean you're the only one who knows how it was SUPPOSED to look... so no one else will be any the wiser.

Unless you tell them.

And I'm kind of confessing to you right now, that this one didn't come out as planned!

But I fell in love with him anyway.

In my mind, he looked more like a wolf (and less like a fox). Maybe a little fiercer. With a shorter, wider snout, I think...

But here's the thing:

I LOVE HIM JUST THE WAY HE IS.

He's cuddly and snuggly, and I love the simplicity of the garter stitch.

I especially love the fuzzy bits inside the ears...

He may not be the fierce wolf I was aiming for - but what child wants to snuggle something fierce?

 

 

Now, I've written the pattern for this blanket - and it's been fully tested.

So if you'd love to make your own wolf (or change the colours and make him a fox) then head on over here for all the pattern details, and the link to purchase the pattern.

Winner Announced!

I've chosen a winner for the Bearskin Rug challenge...

My absolute favourite was this snowy white delight - made by Katt!

Now the Clever Katt gets to tell me what to design for the next knitting challenge - time to put the thinking cap on...

I did have a couple of other favourites though.

Like this Intellectual Soul, knitted by Col:

And this unfortunate one named Lucky... who came to his tragic end when struck by a motorbike, courtesy of Julie:

And my dear friend Leah, who insists she can't knit - came up with this delight, which she's aptly named "Pimp My Bear"

It never ceases to amaze me, how many DIFFERENT looking projects can be born from the SAME pattern. People are immensely creative!

Bearskin Buddies

Just a quick reminder that today is the LAST DAY of July... 

So if you're participating in the Bearskin Rug Challenge, you need to post your finished photos today.

Meanwhile, I had a craft meet at my place today - and Daphne brought over her black bearskin rug.

Couldn't resist popping the two of them into a photo together...

Don't they look adorable? And so, so cuddly?

Finished Teddy!

I know that I'm biased - but how gorgeous is this little guy???

By the time I finish working on one of my toys, I have grown so attached to them... After all, I've watched them develop and come to life. I've worked every stitch of their existence. I've tweaked and turned and moulded them just right. Surely it would be strange NOT to feel some kind of attachment to them?

As you know by now, I usually I work from my own patterns... but I can't claim any credit for this one. I've raved about Jean Greenhowe many times before on this blog, but just in case you missed those earlier posts - you should know that I LOVE HER! Here is her website. I cannot recommend her patterns highly enough.

For those of you have been messaging me for more details about this project, the pattern is from this booklet here. It is not available online, nor is it free. But it is EXCELLENT! I have made every single project in the booklet - over and over again. It is my dream that one day my patterns will be as popular and as renowned as Jean's.

As for the yarn, this one was not one of my recycled gems. I've used Rainbow by Patons which is available locally at Lincraft stores. It's an 8 ply acrylic, soft and not at all splitty to knit with. This colourway is called "Rainforest" and as always, it was fun to watch the colours change with the variegated yarn.

Actually, it's inspiring me to try my hand at dyeing my own yarns...

Properly this time. Not just with the food dyes.

Not that there's anything wrong with that method. I've had lots of fun with it. I just want to step it up a level...

Now if only there were enough hours in the day for me to try my hand at EVERYTHING that takes my fancy.

As plain as the nose on your face...

I thought I was so clever...

Teddy was finished and no sign of the baby yet...

Something looked a little odd about the bear.

But I convinced myself that it was just the eyes...

All the other bears I have made from this pattern have had embroidered eyes - so these safety eyes make him look really different!

And then one of the kids announced:

Mummy. Why doesn't he have a nose???

Hmmmmmmm....

THAT'S why he looks odd!

Baby Gift Time

My next door neighbour is pregnant.

Really - Really - Really Pregnant!

Overwhelmingly Pregnant...

Like "due last week" kind of pregnant!

So I've gone back to my traditional baby gift teddy...

I've made so many of these guys over the years - at least 30 or more!

My book is almost in tatters from overuse.

I should probably know the pattern off by heart by now - but I don't.

Here's all my pieces - seamed and ready to stuff...

I wonder if I will finish before the baby arrives???

Inspiring...

What is it with cats?

They're so damn inquisitive that they won't leave you in peace to take a photo!

This work is NOT mine... but By Golly it's wonderful!

Don't you think?

I came across this magnificent Work In Progress over on Ravelry. 

It belongs to a Brilliantly Creative woman by the name of Colleen, who is designing a quilt to represent her native Canada... not by representing traditional icons, but using images which are personal to her.

 

I love the idea - and I'm inspired to create my own quilt, representing Australia!

If you're a member at Ravelry, you can check out Colleen's project page here. She talks in great detail about each square, and why it is significant to her. Well worth reading... 

And maybe you will be inspired too!

Rupert the 20 Pound Cat

So during my unplanned blogging break, I was still running those Monthly Challenges over in my Ravelry Group. January's was a knitting challenge, and the request was for me to design a giant 20 pound cat. Something I would never have dreamed of doing on my own... which is why I find these challenges so much fun!

Here he is with Little Miss Charlotte:

He's so huge... and so cuddly... the kiddies LOVE him!

I've left the ends of his whiskers free, so that their position can be changed on a whim...

And here he is with the boy who likes to be called Thunder Lizard:

Which just goes to prove that you're never too old for a cuddle toy!

 

 And of course I have to show you the winning entry from the challenge:

How brilliant is that!

I'm mesmerised by his eyes...

DawnKimMarch was a very deserving winner.

Now that my pattern has been fully tested, it is available for sale as a PDF for AU$4.50

And if you're wishing for a crochet version - my testers are working on the pattern right now!

I hate this monkey!

Did you ever have a project which you hated working on? 

Hated with absolute passion?

I did!

Don't let this monkey fool you by how adorable he looks...

I know he seems so innocent and unassuming - but that is not the case at all...

This monkey has been doing my head in. Actually, I shouldn't really blame the monkey. Mostly it was the pattern. It was one of those nightmare ones - you know the type. Where every piece is worked as awkwardly and as untidily as possible. And you kind of hope that it will all make sense when it comes to the assembly. But then those instructions make no sense whatsoever? And there was no clear photo to work with either.

So I ended up making it up. I kind of know what a monkey should look like, so I ditched the instructions and did my own thing.

Aarghhhhhhhh!

Honestly, if I was making it for myself...

Well - I just wouldn't!

If it was for me, I would have got five minutes into it and then tossed it aside and started something different. Unfortunately, I was given the pattern to make it up for someone else - so I had to persevere with it. 

And PERSEVERE I did!!

I wish I could say I did it without cursing... But I'm not that tough!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who had endured the project from Hell, and lived to tell the tale.

Winner Announced!

Golly there were some gorgeous turtles created this month...

I have to say a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the challenge - testing my pattern and helping to iron out the kinks - your turtle are quite simply AH-MAY-ZING!







My favourite one was made by Julie.



In addition to the knitted turtle, Julie has designed and crocheted her own baby turtle... and eggs...



I love that the photos were taken on a bed of sand, too...

And best of all - Julie has given me a FABULOUS design idea for our next knitting challenge, which will be held in July 2013.



Now if you missed out on the challenge, but would like to make your own turtle... the good news is that the pattern is now available for sale.

Fully tested and professionally written - You'll find it so easy to make your own gorgeous turtle!

The PDF pattern is available for AU$4.50

You could buy it right now, and start working on it this very afternoon...