Wednesday, May 16, 2012

What's New Wednesday

I have found a new love...knitting with beads! I've been working on a new shoulder wrap design and some new knitted jewelry pieces. Adding the beads takes a lot more time but the finished look is so beautiful.
Take a look...




And here are the new jewelry pieces...
Red Rouge French Twist

Ecru Cotton Hope Charm

Bird Charm Ring

Organic Cotton Dream Charm Bracelet

Purple Love Charm Bracelet



Happy Wednesday!



Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sunday Blessings

A very special Sunday indeed...not only did I get to enjoy a wonderful Mother's Day, but today is also my baby girl's 17th birthday. I am truly blessed.




"And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Isaiah 58:11




Wednesday, May 9, 2012

It's a Free Pattern Day!

A FREE pattern for hand warmers/gauntlets/finger-less gloves...whatever you'd like to call them. They're cute and practical and have endless color combination choices. These are made using worsted/aran weight yarn. 


Color Block Hand Warmers/Finger-less Gloves
version 1



Materials: size 7 double pointed needles, 2 colors of worsted/aran weight yarn
Directions:
Cast on 29 stitches. (Needle 1: 10/ Needle 2: 8/ Needle 3: 11)
Get ready to join in the round, but first grab the last stitch you cast on and put it on the first needle and knit them together. (You will have a total of 28 stitches.This step makes the join smooth and even. You've just joined the round:)

Knit in Stockinette stitch (knit every round) for 30 rounds.
Switch to contrast color and knit around for 3 rounds.
Next round: k3, bind off 4 stitches, knit to the end of the round.
Next round: k3, using backwards loop method cast on 4 stitches, knit to the end of the round.
Knit in stockinette for 4 rounds.

Now you can get a little creative and choose how you'd like to finish the gloves. Version 1 shows a Moss stitch, version 2 shows a ribbed stitch, or you can just continue working in stockinette and you have a rolled edge, the same as the cast on edge.

Whichever stitch you choose, work as follows:
Knit in your stitch of choice for 10 rounds. 
Bind off loosely, or bind off in ribbing for extra stretchy-ness. 
Weave in your ends and make the second glove exactly the same way.

Ribbed Edge version








ENJOY!




(This is a free pattern for personal use.)






Monday, May 7, 2012

A Basket of Knits for Baby A

As soon as I found out my dearest friend was expecting, I started knitting. I couldn't help it, I am just so excited. I know she will make an awesome mom and I can't wait to meet little A. For the baby shower I filled a big basket with hand knitted baby things...a baby blanket, a baby beret, Mary-Jane style booties, and a stuffed bunny. I also included 2 of my favorite children's stories, a Beatrix Potter collection and Winnie the Pooh. I loved Winnie the Pooh when I was a child, in fact I loved it so much that my artistic painter mom painted a mural of the whole gang on my bedroom wall. I wish I could paint like she did, but I channel my creativity by knitting instead.

The patterns I used are:
"Wave Blanket" from Craig at Loopknits.com

"A Beret for Baby" from Pamela W Allen

The bunny from "Lovable Toys" published in "Last Minute Knitted Gifts"



(I also included the pattern names on the little brown tags in the basket because baby A's mom is a knitter.)