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.