Lion Hat

A Lion Hat

At dinner one night, I was sharing that I had made a chicken hat for myself and a panda hat for my kiddo.  A friend asked if I could make her a lion hat.  I said of course I could and told her I would make one for her.

Surprisingly, there are no patterns for lion hats so I had to come up with one on my own.  So I whipped out my design and knitting skills and this is what I've come up with.  I have to admit, I'm pretty proud.  Matter will soon be available on ravelry.com

 Back view  and side view

Loop stitches make the prefect curly mane around the face.

I choose to knit this out of Lion Brand yarn, no pun intended, mustard yellow and a beautiful brownish-red for the mane.

Knitting Mittens

Mittens~ a cool weather necessity and great fun to make.

Once the weather turns cool, I can't wait to pull out my hats, scarves and mitten...   Mittens are cousins to socks and just as the left sock always seems to be lost somewhere in the process of laundry, at least one mitten goes missing each year as well.


But no worries, mittens are easy, much easier than socks to make, and great fun.  And thankfully, just as the teen trend is not to wear matching socks, you don't have to wear matching mittens either.

These are a pair of mittens I made last night.  Yep, they're that easy.  The cuffs are a simple 2 X 2 rib (K2, P2) followed by stockinette stitch.  Don't worry about the thumb; follow the directions and you'll be just fine.  You'll slip these stitches off onto either a stitch holder or piece of scrap yarn and knit around them.  Once you've finished with the mitten, you'll come back and knit the stitches for the thumb.

But, if you are really afraid of the thumb; skip it.  Baby mittens are made without thumbs; you never want to give them gripping power before their ready and besides, have you seen the size of those tiny thumbs?

Because mittens are so easy to do, knitting wise, it's a great time to play with yarn.  Go to your favorite yarn shop, mine is A Piece of Ewe.  A Piece of Ewe is in Bay City, Michigan and available on the web at www.apieceofewe.com.  Susan and her team are fantastic and do mail orders as well.  But hit your favorite yarn shop and "pet" yarns.  Which feel good?  Which are soft and luxurious?  Which are so full of color they make you smile?  Those are the yarns you should be using for mittens.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun!  After you've made one, all you do it repeat.  And this is the fun part~ you can repeat in the same color or pattern, or start over again in something completely different!  Just remember to be consistent with sizes and you'll never be frustrated over losing ONE mitten again.

Pattern:
Children s:
Medium: (Women's small, youth large)
Large: (Adult)

Using a set of 4 dps, cast on 40 (48, 56) stitches and join in the round.  Make K2, P2 rib for 2.5 (3, 3.5) inches.  Switch to stockinette stitch for another 1 (1.5, 2) inches.

Begin thumb gusset:  Take a deep breath, it's ok.  Knit 11, place a stitch marker, k3, place 2nd marker, knit to the end of the round.  All of the increases in stitches will happen between these two markers to make the base of the thumb.  By adding stitches, you keep the circumference of your hand and you're not "stealing" stitches for the thumb.

Increase round: Knit 11 to the marker.  Slip the marker to the right needle.  Increase one stitch.  I prefer to make a stitch by picking one up (pick up the bar of yarn between the stitch on the right needle and the stitch on the left). Tin Can Knits, another knitting blog, has a fantastic tutorial on how to add these stitches with fun illustrations.  Tin Can explains this much better than I can, so please see this post http://blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/m1/ for how to pick up stitches if you need it.



Knit the 3 original stitches, make one stitch between the last stitch and the marker, just as before.  Slip marker, knit to end of round.

Next round:  knit.

Repeat these two rounds; increase round and knit round, until you have 9 (13, 17) stitches between the markers.  Once you have this many stitches, on the next knit row, instead of knitting the thumb stitches, remove the  marker and put the stitches on either a stitch holder or piece of string.

From now on, you will knit around these stitches and only work on the hand portion of the mitten.  Once the mitten is 8 (9, 10.5) inches long, begin to decrease to shape the top of the mitten.  You do this by:  K 2, K2tog, all around the mitten.  The next row, knit.  Next decrease row:  K1, K2tog, to end.  Next row knit.  Final decrease row:  K2tog all remaining stitches.

Cutting a long tail, thread the yarn through the remaining stitches and pull tight.  You can then knot this off  and pull to the inside for a nice rounded top mitten.

Returning to the thumb:  Slip the stitches from the holder or scrap yarn back onto your dps.  On the first time around the thumb, you will need to pick up three stitches in the saddles of your thumb or where your thumb meets your hand.  (If you forget this, you'll have a hole in your thumb pit).  Pick up three stitches here and knit in the round over these 12 (15, 20) stitches until the thumb is 1.5" (1.5, 2") from where you picked up your three new stitches against the body of the mitten.  Do NOT measure from the base of the thumb where you started the increases.  If you measure from here, you'll have a very short and stubby thumb which won't allow for movement and it will look silly.

Once you've reached 1.5" (2"), K2tog across all stitches.  Cut long tail and thread yarn through stitches, rounding off and binding the thumb.  Knot on the inside.

You've now made a mitten!!!  And for the best part~ repeat.  You and do the same mitten or do something else entirely different.

Babies, babies and more babies

One of the most rewarding times to knit is when someone is having a baby.  I love to knit for babies.  I am a firm believer in that fact that every baby should have a heritage blanket~ something special they can treasure and perhaps, pass down to their children.

This past summer and fall I had the joy of knitting 3 baby blankets; 2 for coworkers and 1 for a dear friend.  I am also a bit of a traditionalist and so most of the baby blankets I knit are white.

When working in white there are two very important things to keep in mind.  First, choose a pattern.  White is an ideal choice for a knit with a pattern because it will show very well.  Second, wash your hands.  They hands build up oils as you work and you don't want the oils or any dirt to be knitted into your blanket.

This is a diamond-weave pattern for Harvey.  I had the pleasure of making the blanket~ I did not make the baby  :)

Don't be afraid of Cables

Creating cables

Knitting cables is a technique of knitting that makes the knitting look like ropes or cables, arrows, or honeycomb patterns.  Cables frequently twist, turn and loop around each other.  Cables create a look that is both amazing and incredible.  Looking at a traditional aran sweater and imagining knitting your own can be daunting.

Aran sweaters were first made and still come from the Aran Islands which are off the west coast of Ireland.  The most traditional sweaters are off-white in color because that was the color of the wool produced by the sheep.   Women of the Aran Islands, tightly knit sweaters for their families providing a warm and nearly waterproof garment.

Many wonderful books have been written about the history of aran sweaters.  The stories of unfortunate drowned Irish fisherman being identified based on the unique patterns of their aran sweaters which were used by families or village.

If you're interested in trying cables, DO NOT start with a full sweater.  One of the major reasons is that the gauge of cabled knit is much different from the gauge of regular knitting.  To find the gauge of cabled knit is unique to the knitter and take a bit of time to develop consistently.

But don't be scared by cables.  Try something like this.  This is a small cable; a simple 2 X 2 cable.  It's made by "moving" or cabling 2 stitches.  Cables are done in units.  A 2 X 2 cable is done by moving 2 stitches to a separate needle holding them in front of the work, knitting the next 2 stitches, and then holding the other needle and knitting the 2 stitches on the other needle.  This creates a small cable moving to the right.  That's it.

The more rows between cables the further apart the twists;  the fewer the rows between the cables the tighter the twist.  Don't be afraid of cables; start small and see what happens.

TJ Pletcher Memorial Soccer Game- American University

This was a very special day for me~ even with the rain.

My mom, Thelma June (TJ) Pletcher died from breast cancer back before pink was even assigned as the color to rally behind.  My mom lived and died during a time when people didn't talk about breasts, mammograms weren't even developed, and no one talked about cancer, death or dying.  She survived living with cancer for years before celebrating survival was cool.

But I choose not to remember my mom this way.  I choose to remember her joy.  A few things about my mom:  she was 5'12"~ my mom refused to be 6' tall.  She made all of our Halloween costumes. She got in trouble at the District Conference meeting for our church because she switched out the grape juice for REAL wine for the communion service.  The summer after her double mastectomy, we took a family canoeing trip.  Goofing around, our canoe flipped and we all went under.  A quick, panicked pat-down and look around confirmed that the cotton forms Mom used as breast replacements were floating down river without her.  This was at a time when breast reconstruction wasn't perfected.

My mom was also at every game: every softball game and every soccer game, cheering or talking on the sidelines.  Not only was my mom at all of our games, she was, to her very core, a classy woman.  That's one of the reasons I was drawn to sponsor the Men's Soccer team.  Todd West and Kris Hazard are coaching an incredible group of young men.  One of the things Todd consistently says from the sidelines, is "honestly"~ meaning take no fouls, win the contest honestly and with class.

Taking on Navy on the way to the Patriot League Playoffs, American University Men's Soccer won 3-0 in a rain drenched game full of class.

 So, whenever possible, I sponsor events which honor and personify my mom to keep her alive in our memories and hearts.

Lil;y's blanket

Lily's blanket

One of the very best things about knitting is the joy that it brings to other people when you give the items away.  

I have a good friend in Midland who never thought she would be able to carry a baby.  After a number of years, it was a tremendous surprise for my friend and her husband to discover they were pregnant!

Miss Lily is due at the end of November and she will be so loved!  And wrapped in a warm pink blanket.

If you're interested and what to begin knitting, a baby blanket is one of the very best things to do.  It's small-ish, square so it's easier to keep track of a pattern, and will bring tremendous joy.

Sweet Cactus

This was a fun little project.


I started out making a catnip ball for my cat.  You can see her photo bombing there in the background.  But I made it too big.  My kiddo said, “the green makes it look like a cactus”.  So I found a little pot, stuck it in and added “spines”.


Overall time; 8 minutes.

Knit Toys: Furry monster with tickles

This is one of the first toys that I made and I loved it!  Pattern at the bottom.

This work is available for commission and in any requested color for $20.  If you would like a custom made Furry Monster, please just contact me.

A few tips:  When you’re working with fun fur remember that it is not meant to be your primary yarn.  Fun fur is thin and can be very fragile.   When you want to make something furry but durable, pick your fun fur and then choose a sturdier yarn-a cotton or wool blend- to pair with it.  This is where you can have a lot of fun with color variation also.  If you pick a pink fun fur try a red or purple paired yarn.   I did this guy with orange fun fur and red paired yarn.    When knitting, hold the two yarns together and knit both strands for each stitch.

The other thing to keep in mind when working with fun fur is it TICKLES!  As the yarn passes through your fingers and over your hands it is very ticklish.  If you’re very sensitive you might want to pass on  the fun fur or wear a pair for gloves when knitting.

As promised:  Pattern:

Size 3 and 7 double pointed needles

Body & Head (starting at the butt): CO 6 sts (rather loosely) on larger needles. Divide evenly onto needles and join in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker. A BIG one so it’s easy to see.

Rd 1: Kfb each stitch. (12 sts)

Rd 2: k all sts. Rd 3: Kfb each stitch. (24 sts)

Rd 4: k all sts.

Rd 5: [kfb, k1] 3 times, kfb, k2, [kfb, k1] 5 times, kfb, k4. (34 sts)

Rd 6: k all sts.

Rd 7: [kfb, k2] 3 times, kfb, k4, [kfb, k2] 5 times, kfb, k4. (44 sts)

Rds 8, 9, 10: k all sts.

Rd 11: [kfb, k3] 3 times, kfb, k6, [kfb, k3] 4 times, kfb, k8. (53 sts)

Rds 12, 13, 14: k all sts.

Rd 15: [ kfb, k4] 3 times, kfb, k8, [kfb, k4] 4 times, kfb, k8. (62 sts)

Rd 16, 17: k all sts.

Rd 18: [ssk, k4] 3 times, ssk, k8, [k2tog, k4] 4 times, k2tog, k8. (53 sts)

Rd 19: k all sts. Rd 20: [ssk, k3] 3 times, ssk, k6, [k2tog, k3] 4 times, k2tog, k8. (44 sts)

Rds 21, 22, 23: k all sts.

Rd 24: [ssk, k2] 3 times, ssk, k4, [k2tog, k2] 4 times, k2tog, k8. ( 35 sts)

Rds 25, 26, 27, 28: k all sts.

Rd 29: [ssk, k1] 3 times, ssk, k2, [k2tog, k1] 5 times, k2tog, k2tog, k3. (24 sts)

Rds 30, 31, 32: k all sts. Stuff body firmly.

Rd 33: ssk 4 times, k2, k2tog 4 times, k6. (16 sts)

Rds 34, 35: k all sts.

Rd 36: [kfb, k1] around. (24 sts)

Rd 37: k all sts. It helps to divide sts evenly again at this point.

Rd 38: [kfb, k2] around. (32 sts)

Rds 39, 40: k all sts. Rd 41: [kfb, k3] 6 times, kfb, k7. (39 sts)

Rds 42, 43, 44, 45: k all sts.

Rd 46: [ssk, k3] 3 times, [k2tog, k3] 3 times, k2tog, k7. (32 sts)

Rds 47, 48, 49: k all sts.

Rd 50: [ssk, k2] 4 times, k2tog, k4, [k2tog, k2] 2 times, k2tog. (24 sts)

Rd 51: k all sts.

Rd 52: [ssk, k1] 4 times, [k2tog, k1] 4 times. (16 sts.) Stuff head firmly.

Rd 53: k all sts.

Rd 54: [k2tog, k2] around. (12 sts)

Rd 55: k all sts.

Rd 56: k2tog around. [6 sts] Break yarn, pull through remaining stitches. Weave in ends. It’s okay to tie a knot, you don’t want the creature falling apart. Set him/her down on a flat surface, pretend it’s Play Doh, and mold and squeeze until you get an ideal shape, making the bottom sit flat.

Arms: CO 12 sts with smaller needle. Divide evenly and join in the round. Work for 2 ¾ inches without stretching to measure.

Legs: CO 14 sts with smaller needles. Divide evenly and join in the round. K 3 ¼ inches without stretching to measure.

Then: knit 1 row, changing to larger needles as you go. Lucky you, you’re to the best part, the FEET! Rd 1: knit

Rd 2: k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. (16 sts)

Rd 3: k all sts.

Rd 4: k1, kfb, kfb, k to last 3 sts, kfb, kfb, k1. (20 sts)

Rd 5: k all sts.

Rd 6: k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. (22 sts)

K 4 more rounds. BO in same way as arms.

Knobbles!

CO 6 sts with worsted or light worsted, leaving a tail long enough to sew onto head. Divide evenly onto smaller needles and join in the round, being careful not to twist.

K 9 rounds.

Next row: [k1, kfb] 3 times. (9 sts)

K one row.

Bind Off by: k1, m1, BO 1, [k1, BO1, m1, BO1 etc. around.] 

This makes the ends fluted. Finishing: Stuff hands and feet firmly. You can stuff the arms and legs or leave them empty which makes your furry monster irresistibly floppy. Weave in the ends, make knots or whatever you have to do to ensure that he won’t fall apart. I recommend using the cheapo acrylic to sew him together. He may have some visible seams but that adds to his soul. Sew the black felt onto the eye color felt, then sew onto head. Embroider mouth and teeth.

Once your finished, take a soft brush like a tooth brush or even your hand and fluff the fur.  Then, give him a big hug :)

Essential Things for Knitting

One of the essential things you will need when you knit is a good yarn store.  These professionals provide so many things; yarns in more colors and varieties then you could dream of, expert help when you’re stuck, a community and companionship when you get together to knit, and every tool you might need.
My favorite yarn store is A Piece of Ewe in Bay City, Michigan.  They are still my “go to” shop for yarn and expertise even though I live in Washington D.C.  Yes~ they will ship!
While you can find yarn in a lot of different places, and yes, I do buy yarn at Michael’s and other places, yarn specialty stores have items you just can’t find anywhere else.  I’ve made these watermelon socks three times.  I’ve hoped to make a pair for myself but they get “claimed”.  The first pair went to my daughter who was trying to put them on even before I’d finished, the second and third pairs went to a friends who needed a bit of love and encouragement.  But this is the kind of thing you can only find at a good yarn shop. 
Happy knitting!

Basket Weave Blanket

One of the first things I knit was a basket weave baby blanket.  I forget where but it was suggested to do this blanket because it only has two types of stitches.  This is a great project to start and do.  It is easy to do but looks elegant.

Cast on as many stitches as you'd like for your blanket but make sure it's a multiple of 5.  This one had 125 stitches and was 36" long.  Place a marker after the first 5 stiches and then every 5 stitches after that.  This will provide the framework for when to switch stitches.
The first 5 and last 5 stiches will be the boarder- Knit them always.


When you get to the first stitch marker, move it from the left needle to the right needle, and start by knitting until the next marker (5 stitches).  When you get to the second marker, move it from the left to the right needle, and SWITCH to purling.  Purl 5 stitches to the next marker- slip the marker (SLM) is how it's typically abbreviated, and then go back to knitting.


Continue in this manner for 6 rows.  Yes, I know the blocks are of 5 stitches, but you need to do 6 rows for them to look square.


Once you've finished the block of first rows, begin the second block of rows by alternating.  You started by knitting, now this block should start with purling.


Continue for how long you'd like the blanket to be and then bind off.


I started and completed this blanket for a co-worker who was expecting her first child.  She didn't know the gender of the baby so I picked a pretty light green.  While I was doing this blanket, I kept thinking about babies and how blessed I was to have had my child, which was pretty amazing considering she as 12 when I did this blanket and not all 12 year olds are fun~!


I also remembered the baby blanket I had that my grandma made~ it was dark yellow satin-y material, but it wasn't satin, it was probably rayon- but it felt silky and I loved it.  My grandma had then embroidered with blue thread the outline of Winey the Pooh.  I loved that blanket- it was my B- and I couldn't sleep without it for years.  There are many stories of the trauma my B caused to babysitters who didn't know what it was.  But it was important to me and I wanted this baby to have something important too.