IT’S CHRISTMAS!
That time of year crafters go nuts for that wonderful 25th deadline. A few of us even add another earlier date in our calendars to take part in charity drives.
This year I knitted for Foster Hope’s toy collection. Just some simple found patterns for little stocking stuffers. My partner even got on the lathe to turn a couple of old fashioned wooden spinning tops for the occasion.
The patterns I used were Honey bunny from ravelry. The bunny itself is knitted in a black alpaca blend. I have knitted this pattern a few times for friends for presents, and though I ran out of time to do it this time, the pattern includes how to make honey a little picot edge dress.
Honey is a seamed sock and the hardest thing about her is remembering your left from right so she doesn’t end up with 2 left feet.
The small garter-stitched rabbits are super easy and there are many different patterns floating around the Internet. I have included a link at the bottom
The small bears from Bev’s Cottage are soo cute and quick, it’s hard not to just make tonnes of them (I actually stopped because I started running out of stuffing) Bev’s kaiizen teddy can either be crocheted or knitted. Faces can be painted or stitched. Knitted on the round or stitched flat and seamed.
Her pattern calls for knitting 6 inches before the decrease. As you can see in the photos the koala looking bear is much taller and thinner because of it. I quickly changed the pattern and made it 36 rows until the decrease, roughly 4inches with my tension, making a shorter fatter bear. To me shorter and fatter equals cuter, and easier to grab with a little hand.
The ball in the picture is a rattle ball from the book “baby knits made easy” The rattle made with two coke bottle lids and some beads. It produced a better sound than the bell I got for my Wee girls ball.
The doll is almost the exact same pattern just alternating colours and in my case stitches as well to create the look of pants a jumper and a hat.
Other knits of the past month were a beautiful little bonnet to go with my Saxon themed baby for a Viking first birthday.
(The tiny Vikings mother has a blog and you can read in detail about their journey at Tiny Human Adventures, as always link at the bottom of blog)
Alas the T-shaped dress I had made suffered from a case of Narrow sleeves and chunky biceps, the vest was wearable and the bonnet was too, if it wasn’t a lovely hot sunny day.
The bonnet itself is by Julie Partie of Lili comme tout called Begin de printemps.
Brilliant use of I-cord and a stunning simple seed stitch pattern. It also suits the vintage inspired cardy I knitted a while ago. This is to be a xmas present so I won’t show the completed garment until after.
Other than that there’s been frantic finishing and making as we prepare for a couple of Christmas markets down south. And while I prepare the wee girls wardrobe for some place warmer than home.
So follow me on Instagram to watch the excitement.
until next year friends.
missgemmaknits.wordpress.com 