Oh how I love a good K.A.L

I love knit-a-longs (well, if it's something I want to KAL with, but sometimes it can encourage me to have a go knitting something that I otherwise wouldn't cast on)

Over on Rav in the Budding Designers Downunder group there is a monthly KAL. Last month it was for a little leafy shrug designed by Katherine

Originally I was simply watching this knit a long, I had a lot of little birthday presents to make and some custom knits to complete and so wasn't sure if participating was something I could do. But with merely days to go until the end of January I decided that I really wanted to knit this for Penny.

I cast on in some lovely soft undyed silver merino that has been neglected in my stash and within a couple of days I had cast off and blocked this wee beauty.

This months KAL is for a little vanilla soaker designed by Kelly. I've yet to cast it on as I've something cute on the needles already, but I've got my yarn picked out and a recipient and embellishment in mind.

Snakes & Adders

Snakes and Adders it is! Thanks for all the name ideas and feedback! There's a new competition coming and details about the last one.

This pattern came about when I needed some little extras to pop into some birthday pressies. We've got lot of birthdays on at the moment and all the presents I've purchased felt like they needed something a little more personal.

These are easy and quick to make as well as a good way to use lovely remnants that you just don't know what to do with - variegated look great with little stripes as do semi solid and plain colours. I actually haven't checked their useage, but I'd say about 5gms? (I'd be interested in any feedback including that)

(click to enlarge)

Requirements
Approx 3.25mm needle to magic loop with (DPN’s the same size would be handy later on if you have them) – gauge isn’t particularly important
DK or worsted weight yarn (4 ply can be used double stranded)
Pipecleaner
Darning needle
Buttons, felt, embroidery thread – whatever you’d like to use to decorate and embellish

Method

• Cast on 8 stitches, split 4 onto each end of the needle and join to knit in the round – no need to worry about stitch markers

• Knit approximately 5 rounds.

This is when I add my eyes so I can hide the ends in the inside of my snake. I have been using duplicate stitch in either yarn or embroidery thread – though buttons or googly eyes would also be great if you could ensure they were safe for the recipient.

If you used a long tail cast-on, you could pull your cast on tail through the little circle/hole from the initial cast on row using a crochet hook. This will be used to sew up the little hole later.

•  You are now going to reduce the 8 stitches to 6 for the snakes body, so on the next round knit 2, k2tog, k2, k2tog

• Then knit your 6 stitches in the round for the length of your pipecleaner (mine were 15cms long)

If you have DPN’s the right size, you could do this as an i-cord

Bend up a teeny bit of both ends of the pipecleaner so that no sharp edges poke out. This makes it easier to feed into your snake, as well as safer for the recipient.

• Feed pipecleaner into the centre tube of your snake

• You have 6 stitches that you've been working - you're going to reduce them so that you get a tapered snake tail by k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog

• Next round K2tog, k2tog

• Cast off
  

Finishing off
Add a little tongue – you could insert a little felt one into the circular hole at the head
Or
Using some embroidery thread on a needle, sew in and out of the snake at a position where the mouth would be and then knot together a couple of times, cut to the right length for a forked tongue. Sew up the little circular hole at the head with the cast on tail

Sew in the tail end

(click to enlarge)

Merry Knitmas!

I tried to make my Christmas presents to others this year

Firstly, there were the socks for my hubby...the first socks I've ever knit and this very basic ribbed (ie boring) pattern could've almost put me off knitting socks - almost, but I've already plans to knit myself some different ones in 2010.

Then, I knit Christmas pressies for some of the nieces and nephews

This is a size 2 Milo with the Owls cable for my nephew James

This versatile cabled vest was designed by tiKKi. This is a fabulous pattern, I luffs it and plan to knit it for my boy before winter (luckily though there's no hurry as the mother of the recipient of this actually knitted Tim a gorgeous wee vest also so he's got one to wear already!)

Then, there was the little skirty and shrug set for my little niece Amelia (4 1/2 months old)

I'm still yet to add the A-line skirt to my available to knit to custom items, but I can knit them for sale :) This little one was with 2 rows of the eyelet holes at the bottom for a lacy affect, and a picot cast off - but there are lots of options if you were interested. This one is a skirty, rather than a skirty soaker so that it can be worn with tights and leggings come winter.

And for my youngest wee niece - a 3 month size Kaia Babydoll

All I can say is thank goodness for Rachel's pattern! I was having a nightmare with another pattern that was turning out to be quite disastrous when I decided to 'hibernate' it and whip up a Kaia for Abigail. I knew it would turn out successful

It's interesting, I've read a few other blog entries like tiKKi and Ali lately where the authors have decided not to put themselves under the same pressure knitting Christmas presents late in December. This was something I thought I would do too - knitting them perhaps when custom orders are quiet and when the mood/pattern strikes me throughout the year, rather than put myself under the stress that I experienced this year.

We'll see how the reality of that idea goes for me though! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas

Need Photos?

It's so exciting when friends launch their own WAH (work at home) businesses.

A teaching buddy of mine Rachael has just launched her new photography business - check it out here, she's amazing.

I'm so excited about it too because not only does she take fabulous photos, but she approached me about knitting some hats for a newborn-infant photo shoot she is doing early in 2010. And as I don't have the permissions/licenses to knit all the hats she'd like, she's part-paying me with a photo shoot for my family.

How exciting is that! So watch this space to
a) see the photos of the finished hats - some of which are new ones that will be added to my custom knitting list
b) see the family/kids shots courtesy of Rach
and c) find out how I'm going to lose 20kgs (yeah right!) before I get my photo taken

All the best for your venture Rach!

Talk About Quick and Painless

I've been meaning to cast on this test knit for the talented Rachel since she's further perfecting the pattern for her Kaia Babydoll (Rachel also designed the Spring Butterfly I knit a couple of months ago). I've loved seeing friends knit them up but hadn't got around to knitting one myself. I saw a gap in the 'to do list' and so took the opportunity to cast this on. 3 days later and a size 3 Kaia Babydoll came off the needles.

My friend Kelly had sent me a ball of hand-dyed merino earlier this year...back when I hadn't discovered luxury yarn...or the pull it would have on me! So the 'Parisian Girl' hand dyed by The Dyepot was used for the bodice and a lovely soft and light Moda Vera merino blend was used for the skirt.

Add a ribbon and my wee princess - and voila! An excellent fit and a wonderful item - great with long sleeves underneath for winter, and like the pic, without for those warmer days :)

Great work Rachel!

~ For You ~

I decided it was time I knitted something for my baby boy (who's not such a baby any more). When you are due to have a babe in Summer and you don't find out what flavour you are having, you don't (ok, well I haven't) do all the pre-baby knitting. In fact, I did no pre-baby knitting for my beloved boy.

And then, when our wonderful wee boy did arrive, there were lots of other people to knit for that were due to have babes (once the new baby fog lifted).

Seeing as Timothy has been bursting up and out of all the knitted things we have had for him, I decided that it was time I knitted him something special. I found the most gorgeous yarn and had it custom dyed, this colourway was created by Mich at Woollywumpkins for me, it's a 10ply/aran organic merino in the colourway 'treetops'.

Then the pattern - Debbie Bliss' Ribbed Baby Jacket. I decided on the size 12-24 months as Tim doesn't fit anything under a size 1 these days (and seeing as it's only 6 weeks till he turns 1 that's no surprise).

Then the knitting, it was a great, soft, easy, quick knit.

And the result, a lovely jacket...but not as fitting as I'd like. It is a bit big for Tim at the moment, but come winter when it's cold and he's wearing plenty of layers I'm sure he'll look like warm and snuggly in it.

I suppose Tim's big sister might get to wear it first? That's one way to make the most of forking out for luxury yarn (though Mich did offer fabulous prices!) Gotta love green yarn! Suits boys and girls equally well I think.

The March Sisters Pinafore Dresses

Here they are - a wonderful series of patterns that I am able to custom knit for you, again designed and developed by Kelly Brooker

The March Sisters
A Series of Pinafores for Little Women aged 0-5yrs

The March Sisters is a series of Pinafores inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women, which tells the tale of the four March Sisters transformations from girls to beautiful women.

The four patterns are similar (like sisters), however each pinafore exhibits subtle differences from one another.

Also available is ‘Pinny for a Dolly’. Little women love to wear pinafores, and adore it when their dolly wears something to match!

I have knit 3 of the Pinny for a Dolly patterns which are similar versions of the March Sisters

The patterns are:

 Beth
Beth is a pinafore for the quiet girl in your family; the ‘close to mama’, non-demanding daughter whom is content with plain, but cherishes a wee hint of lace and pretty

Jo

Jo is a pinafore for the tomboy; a simple, non-girly pinafore perfect for throwing over a long tee and pair of jeans, ready to jump around in the muck!

Meg

A pinafore exhibiting a clean silhouette accented with simple cable detailing.

This gives the pinafore a timeless, classic feel – perfect for the little miss who desperately wants to be

'grown up'

 Amy

A pinafore for the girly girl in your life; the girl that loves to spin, twirl, and feel pretty.

The little girl version has 3 layers of frills (the dolly version just has the simpler one layer)

Please contact me if you'd like to order a March Sisters Dress in 'Little Women' sizing (newborn-5 years) or a Pinny for a Dolly.

Prices are still to be confirmed as each dress uses a different amount of yarn (Amy versus Jo for example) as well as it being dependent upon the yarn used and size knitted.

Pinny's for a Dolly start at $20.

Email me at jstanfield@xtra.co.nz for more information

Confection Shrugs

I can only guess that it was named as such because of it’s sweetness.

This Confection Shrug, designed by Tonya Wagner is the perfect item for popping on when another layer is needed. With no buttons or zippers, dressing your baby is a breeze. I didn’t believe it myself, but it stays on really well.

This item has gorgeous eyelet holes around the three quarter length sleeves (though I can adapt the pattern to omit this detailing as well as altering the length of the sleeves to suit)

Available in sizes newborn to 24 months

Prices start from $25.

(And yes, poor baby boy being used as my model again - he's just so cute! In fact, I could have dressed him in pink rather than the blue he had on underneath but I wasn't going to go that far for a cute pic - plus his father would definitely have had something to say about that had he ever seen!)

Cupcake Hats

Cupcake Anyone?

This cute wee hat designed by Wendi Dunlap comes in three sizes - baby, toddler and child.

I've made a couple of these for my new neices to make up a set with little rainbow dresses. I actually had to try one of them on my model to check the size and fit and it looked pretty spot on to me!

I like adding a little embellishment or flower, but they could just as easily be made in boyish or gender neutral colours as a little beanie.

Email me, jstanfield@xtra.co.nz if you'd like to order one or ask any questions. These are $20 including an embellishment of your choice if you'd like.

Looking Glass Longies

I'm now licensed to knit Looking Glass Longies (yet another fabulous pattern by Kelly Brooker). I've knit a fair few pairs of longies since my addiction with knitting took over my leisure time, and love popping them together as a set with a wee hat or something. All of the ones pictured are full length ones, but I'd be more than happy to knit some shorties or capri length, with cuffs of your choice - frills, moss stitch...whatever! They will be made with an i-cord waistband unless you specify otherwise

(Click on pic to enlarge it)

This pattern ensures a super fit in my opinion. A clever panel of rib on both hips makes them able to stretch over massive cloth bottoms (stuffed for night time) as well as relaxing to go over bottoms with disposables without looking too baggy. Kelly has also written the pattern to include extra rows in the bottom to make sure there is room for nappies

Sizes NB, Small, Medium, Large and Xtra Large, prices starting at $35 a pair

Please contact me for more information regarding sizing and yarn. I can also lanolise (specially waterproof) if you were wanting to use them as a waterproof layer over nappies. You will need to re-lanolise every couple of months (depending on frequency of use) or when it begins to lose it's moisture resistance.

Contact me also if you were wanting information on how to lanolise woollen items - I am happy to provide you with more information to easily do it yourself if you wish (as well as for items not knitted by me)

Note: in the picture only the variegated red and brown coloured ones are made to the LGL pattern

All Year Round Vest - Custom Knitting

A few more F.O's - these have been whipped up to try and perfect a pattern that I *hope* to be knitting a few of shortly. I love the idea of this item being able to be worn all year round, over a long sleeved top to add a warmer layer, as a singlet in the summer on it's own, or under tops and onesies as a singlet to keep children warmed.

This is the 3-6 month size from the pattern knit in a tencel blend yarn (10ply) by Patons, with a lace bottom.

It's evolved to this, 8ply, basic garter stitch (more unisex) hemline (have some other ideas too including seed stitch and something else I'll only share if it looks good) and thicker straps. This is knit with Bella Baby Layette, 80% bamboo and 20% wool. I love how silky this stuff feels!

And while the neck perhaps looks narrow, there's no worry getting these babies over heads. I had to try the one that might fit my *wee* man on him. I'll share a pic but bear in mind he wears size 1 tops and the top I knit was not that size (so too snug and not the best look but you get the idea)

(what the lace looks like closer up)

I have the permission to knit these for sale so please email me if you'd like to order one or more information.

Prices are:

0-3m approx 40cm chest - $22

3-9m approx 44cm chest - $24

9-12m approx 48cm chest - $27

12-24m approx 52cm chest - $30

24-48m approx 56cm chest - $34

4-5y approx 60cm chest - $39

~ Spiced ~

Another recent F.O - a size 3 Spring Butterfly I've tested for it's designer Rachel

This was knitted in a rustic Bendigo Woollen Mills yarn, and the bottom in an 8 ply merino hand dyed by Inner Stitch (really really soft!) which funnily enough I both acquired from Rachel when she was having a wee destash. Always happy to oblige :D

This was knitted on circ needles, but not in the round, just working back and forth knitting and purling. It's an easy pattern and the top part knits up really quickly due to it being 2 balls of yarn being knitted together to make it similar to a chunky weight.

The butterfly in it's name must come from it's gorgeous wee back...

Pinny for a Dolly

I'm just a little bit proud - I do like how this turned out.

This Pinny for a Dolly was knitted both to cover up wee Noely (yes he's a boy, but he doesn't protest to be popped in a dress now and then) and as part of a competition for the fabulous Kelly. (Kelly is the designer of both this gorgeous wee pinny pattern as well as The March Sisters

Anyway, the pattern suggests 2 different colours for this Pinny for a Dolly pattern, one for the lace at the bottom, and another for the main part, bodice and straps. I popped in a couple of rows of the white in the bodice too.

I'm able to knit this for orders too if you really like it, and not just in a dolly size - but right up to size 5. How cute would a matching little girls dress and dolly pinny be! This is just an idea of what I could do, there are so many more possibilities too!

I've been enjoying needle felting lately too and so decided I'd needle felt some buttons on it rather than real ones that my little man might chew on.

And then for good luck, who doesn't like needle felted butterflies? I stopped at one with this...I thought it needed something else, but after adding just the one think it was a good decision to stop there. With this one I needle felted it onto felt before sewing it on