Toadstools and Tadpoles Pattern Giveaway! **CLOSED**

Kesha E, is the winner of the giveaway! Congrats! Please send me your email and I will send out the pattern to you promptly :)

Ready for another giveaway?  

I just received my right back for this adorable pattern :  "Toadstools & Tadpoles".  It has been reformatted and is ready to go!  It is fun to knit and combines cables with intarsia or duplicate stitch.  It is mostly seamless too; my favorite!

Ready to enter?  For each of the following, you will get 1 entry each; 4 chances to win!  On Tuesday, November 20, I will do a random draw and announce the winner here, so be sure to check back :)

1. Leave me a comment to let me know that you are a follower of Little Lamby Knits blog.
2. Leave me a comment to let me know that you are a member of my Facebook Group.
3. Leave me a comment to let me know that you are a member of my Ravelry Group.
4. Leave me a comment to let me know that you follow me on Twitter (I am a terrible Tweeter!!)

 Toadstool detail along back of cardigan

 Cute little toadstool can be worked in intarsia or after the set is knit up in duplicate stitch

Ok, now for some more fun stuff! Are you ever curious to see how these designs come to be?  Sometimes I start with a sketch, sometimes I just start knitting.  There is always a swatch involved; something I used to never bother doing, but I have since learned saves me A LOT of trouble in the end!  

Here is my original sketch of the jacket.  I usually write down a lot of the construction notes here, but I think I put all that into the proposal instead.  I did the bootees and bonnet on another page.  The ideas look SO much better within my head and therefore, I am very thankful for editors who can see that :)

My original swatch.  I still really like these colors.  These were all Cascade 220 colours in heathers and solids that I had around.  

Once the proposal is accepted and I know which yarn is coming, I start my schematic, excel spreadsheet and basic pattern.  Then once the yarn arrives, I am ready to start knitting!

...don't want to wait a week? 

Toadstools & Tadpoles- NEW Pattern!

Toadstools & Tadpoles

Knit Now, Issue 10, June 2012

Now Available as a PDF download !

knitting baby toddler pattern mushrooms toadstools cap hat connet booties bootees

Photo courtesy of Tim Bradley for Practical Publishing

“Toadstools & Tadpoles” is a whimsical baby set including a cardigan, bonnet & booties.

The cardigan is worked seamlessly from the bottom up with a toadstool border along the bottom (either done in intarsia or duplicate stitch), and a “tadpole” cable pattern on the body. A cable is worked at the same time, along the front edge and incorporates buttonholes.

Inspirational Bootee Ideas!

Over the past 2+ years that the Inspired Bootees Pattern  (aka BSJ Inspired Bootees) has been on Ravelry, I have really enjoyed seeing how so many have taken a simple pattern and made it their own.  There are so many creative, talented ladies (and some gents!) out there, I am thoroughly impressed!  Below, with permission, I have included some photos, comments, blogs and etsy shops for you to explore and get your creative juices flowing to think outside of the box.

From Sonia, aka PeacefulKnitter on Ravelry:

What sweet variegated yarn! 

Here is Sonia's blog: Peaceful Knitter

Isn't her little girl adorable?!?!

From Amy Gillespie, aka  evelynnsmommy on Ravelry:

Can you guess what these are?

Here's another clue:

Ok, now I am hungry!  Are those bootees and hat delicious?  Visit Amy at her blog here, and her Etsy shop here.  She has wonderful patterns!

Here are her modifications: "I shortened the section before the ribbing to only 6 rows of garter stitch in the pink yarn. Then I switched to brown but I didn’t switch needles for the ribbing. Then I added picot edging (With a crochet hook slip a stitch into the last pink row, Chain 3 stitches, slip stitch back into the original stitch to make a little loop. Single crochet into the next stitch around. And repeat around the cuff). If I’d thought about it I would have put in eyelets for ties, but I didn’t, so I just made an ornamental tie with about 45-50 chain stitches and attached some crochet cherries to the ends." Amy.

From Alison, aka  fjorlief on Ravelry:

Little Green Feet; I love these :)  Here is Alison's Blog with her modifications.

From Elizabeth, aka CountingSheep on Ravelry:

Aren't these cute little apple bootees?  She made them to welcome her new little girl into the world; congrats to your whole family! Read about Elizabeth and her knitting at her blog here. 

From Katie, aka tangledfleece on Ravelry:

Aren't those adorable???  The little pants and the whole outfit are adorable! 

You can read more about Katie's knitting adventures here.

Those are just a few of the super unique ideas I have seen around of the Inspired Bootees.  Keep it up everyone!  I love seeing all your lovely babies in their cute little bootees :D

You can get your Inspired Bootees Pattern Here :)  Happy Knitting!

 

Inspired Bootee Pattern Release!

Inspired Bootee Pattern is here! -

Check out the Little Lamby Knits Shop here for more fun patterns!

It includes:
- 5 sizes - preemie/newborn, 0-6months, 12 months, 18 months, 2 years.  These bootees are stretchy so they fit for a long time!
- 4 different ankle band options; garter, ribbed, with or without eyelets
- 2 ties options; crochet or i-cord
- suede no-skid sole instructions
- schematics!  measurements included to get the best fit
- notes on where to change colours
- many good clear photos of mattress stitch, different styles, suede soles

These bootees are knit flat, from the top of the cuff down with only one seam up the back, using the mattress stitch to reduce bulk and maintain comfort.    They will only take a few hours to make or less! They make the perfect accessory to any little outfit.  Since these are knit in garter stitch (nice and easy!), they are quite stretchy and fit longer than regular bootees or socks.  For instance, the largest size fits a 2- 5 year old, with average feet.  Hmmm, makes me wonder if these would be cute in adult sizes.....

No-skid suede soles

                                                               
Tie bootees at the back or sides..you can also fold them down to cover the ties and keep little fingers out of there!

I look forward to seeing every ones unique little Inspired Bootees! Much blessings to all :)

Remember This?

The big reason for me starting a blog was so that I could post a free pattern on Ravelry.  You needed to have a place on the web where the pattern could be linked to until they had time to put up your pdf of the pattern.  Oh the Beta version of Ravelry:  how far it has come!  This was August 2008.  Here is my bootee pattern:

Over the past few weeks, as I have had time (hahaha!), I have been re-knitting, expanding and improving this first pattern.  I decided to check Ravelry to see how popular this pattern is and if it is worth the effort.  Out of 1387 knitting patterns for bootees, I ranked as the 28th most popular.  Seriously.  I was SO shocked,  not because I don't think it is a great little bootee, but because I really had no idea.  I am actually very flattered and encouraged!

Here are the changes being made:
- easier to understand (this is huge, I really had no idea how frustrating the old pattern could be! I am amazed that so many pressed on; thank you!)
- 4 different ankle band options; garter stitch, garter st with eyelets, ribbed & ribbed with eyelets.
- 5 sizes (up from 3) - preemie/newborn, 0-6months, 6-12 months, 18months, 2 years
- schematics.  Yes, I actually made schematics for a bootee; has this ever been done before? I don't know, but I have never seen it!
- 2 different tie options
- suede no skid sole instructions
- directions for colour changes so that you can use leftovers; cuff, top of foot, foot, sole.
- many clear photos of the different styles.
- a new name!  I have decided to use a new name as I do not want any copyright issues with the BSJ part. 

Because of all these changes and extra work (I have knit 7 pairs of bootees!!), I will be charging $2 for the new pattern.  However, once the pattern is released, it will be FREE for the first day. Everyone will have the equal opportunity to have the full pattern as a special thank you from me.  The release date will be Friday, December 31, 2010.  Please watch for it and download your free pattern!  much love to you all :)