It's Starting To Feel Like Spring

The weather has been so weird here. We've had warmer weather and some rain over the last week and today it even smells like spring to me. I guess it's not really surprising since it is almost time for the early flowers to start blooming. But it's reminding me that my son's birthday (and easter) are fast approaching. This year they're only one day apart.

So I made him a cute little bunny. Aside from the ears and tail, it is made from a square "swatch" of knitting. I'm pretty sure sewing it together took longer than the actual knitting of it. ;^)

Knitted Bunny, from Heartstrings FiberArts. I used a mohair blend lace yarn (Crystal Palace Kid Merino) held double. The tail is angora fibers, and the nose is some leftover cashmere from a recycled sweater.

Little Projects Finish Fast!

So of course, as I'm finishing things that have been on the needles a while, I reward myself by casting on more new things. But small ones, so they go quicker. I have two to show you but I'm going to put them in separate posts. :^)

This nifty ball is knit in motifs and then stitches are picked up from the side(s) of the last motif(s) to form part of the next one. It's a pain to knit silk noil yarn really tight (it feels like cotton), but I'm very happy that none of the stuffing shows!

Celestine Ball, by Norah Gaughan. I used my handdyed and handspun silk noil (with a wpi of about 12 wpi it would be considered DK weight, but it was very dense compared to other yarns of similar weight). I modified this pattern by casting on fewer stitches and knitting one less row between each decrease row b/c I wasn't sure I would have enough yarn and I was getting a larger gauge. Therefore, mine is less pointy than the original.


I made it for my boy. He likes it, and so do the cats. Hehe.







Pretty neat, huh? I'm contemplating making a few more, smaller and pointier and in a cheap shiny yarn, for ornaments. Later. Maybe.

I'm On A Roll.

I finished my handspun scarf. This is the handspun that won a couple of awards at the state fair.

I'm very happy with how it turned out, and it's nice and warm. The pattern is the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer.



I have woven in the ends since that picture.



Mmmmmmm, textural goodness.

One More Time.

What did I tell you? Another project done. :^D

I am so happy with this one. And it used just over 50 grams of yarn. Win-win all around!













The pattern is the Transparent Cardigan someone kindly shared on Craftster.

Precious Little Headband

*** Looking for the pattern? Scroll to the bottom! ***

I should be finishing some things up in the next few weeks. It's the upside of cast-on-itis. I keep casting on new things and have a ton of WIPs, and just work on them for ages... then all of a sudden they all seem to get finished at the same time!

Have a look at this one. I started this headband ages ago (as in well before Christmas), with only a vague idea of who it would be given to. I have a friend who just had her baby girl, and my cousin has a little girl who is right around 15 months. I think...

Well, I got to see my cousin over the holiday and her little cutie is just starting to get her hair. My friend's baby was born with a head full! Two weeks now and the newborn has hair halfway down the back of her neck.

So... I figured my cousin's little girl would get the most use out of it. :^)

I started with the idea of following another pattern, but I have altered it so completely that the only resemblance to the original pattern is the fact that it is a headband at all.





The little scrolls don't really show up this well in real life.






(Also makes a nice garter, hey? Hehe).

It can be worn with the flower in either position, although the butterfly might seem a little upside down. The butterfly is on the seam - I think I did a pretty good job with it.

The cable pattern for the band follows:

--------------------------- Headband Pattern ---------------------------

Gauge: Unimportant.
Yarn: Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Cotton, Size 10
Needles: US #2

Pattern:

CO 12 stitches with twisted cast-on.

1. Purl across.
2. K2, P1, K6, P1, K2.
3. Purl across.
4. K2, P1, 3x3 cable, P1, K2.

Knit in pattern until piece measures the circumference of the baby's head when stretched an appropriate amount. (Stretch the headband, not the baby's head). End on row 4 if at all possible, and keep your stitches live.

Seaming:
Cut about 6 inches or so of yarn and thread a tapestry needle. Start a kitchener stitch on your live stitches by inserting the needle through the last stitch knit-wise (the needle with your live stitches should be above with wrong side facing you, and your cast-on edge should be below with right side facing you). Insert the needle from the right outside edge and behind both bars of the right-most stitch below the cast-on edge. Continue with the kitchener on your knitting needle: insert the tapestry needle purl-wise through the stitch and drop it off, then insert the needle knit-wise into the next stitch. This time, insert your tapestry needle from the front and right side of the next stitch, pass beneath both bars of this stitch and bring the needle back to the front. You may notice that your seaming on the cast-on edge strongly resemble mattress stitch. Continue in this manner, occasionally tugging very gently to give this "row" similar tension to the rest of your knitting, until all stitches have been bound off. Weave in your ends on the back, and finish by tying the two ends in a tight square knot. Slick cotton is sneaky.

Now make some leaves, flowers, butterflies, bugs, etc and embellish to your heart's content. I used crochet but there are also knitted patterns for nature motifs. Embroidery is also pretty on this headband.

Copyright 2008 © Elizabeth Thomas
Free for personal use. Do not sell this pattern. Do not distribute this pattern (except by linking directly to it here). Do not sell items made from this pattern without my express written permission.