Autumn Road

Autumn Road Tunic

This sample is actually my prototype!  It is close to a size 4 in the pattern and Scarlett is 5.5yrs here, so it doesn't have much ease. It cold comfortably fit a 2 yr old as a little dress.

The sleeves are puffed a lot more in the pattern than in this sample.  They feature sweet little garter stitch ties.

A-line shape, with increases on either side of the front and back sections are fun little details.

The buttons and holes are located on the left front raglan edge.

Description:  “The Autumn Road Tunic was designed with my little girls in mind. They love stripes, lots of colors and fancy details like puffed sleeves and ribbons. This cute little tunic is worked seamlessly and flat, from the neck down and then joined in the round after the buttonholes are worked. It features raglan shaping, gathers along the sleeve caps, and increases along the front and back panels. Sleeves are kept short and are gathered at the cuff where garter stitch ties are worked. The neck edge, hem and cuffs are worked in garter stitch with a contrasting color to add a pop of color. The striping pattern is optional and is great for using smaller amounts of yarn. 
“The Autumn Road Tunic is sure to become a go-to favorite!”

Sizes: 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months & 4, 6, 8, 10 years
Finished Chest:  16[17, 18, 19, 21, 23 25, 26.5, 28]"

Rating: Advanced Beginner

Yarn Requirements:  Sport Weight Yarn; I used Knit Picks Shine Sport in Cream, Hollyberry, Leapfrog, Willow, Sycamore & Hydrangea.  Some of those colors are now discontinued, but they have new ones that are really close.
MC (Cream) - 130[140, 155, 170, 235, 310, 380, 470, 570] yards
CC1 (Hollyberry) - 40[50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120]yards
CC2, 3, 4, 5 - 25[30, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 95, 105] yards each color

• Pattern includes both imperial and metric measurements, schematic, striping layout.
• Stripes are optional;  Check on Ravlery to see all the beautiful variations that my wonderful testers came up with

Available for $5.00 - 

Winter Hibernation

I am seriously lacking in the blogging department.  I fell like I am in hibernation mode!  Lots of new ideas, plans, family stuff.  Here is some randomness:

Willow lost her first tooth!  A special thank you to Scarlett for helping :)

New Honey Mittens for The Man.  Worked in Elanns Peruvian Alpaca.  Very soft and till be nice and toasty.

Finally got lots of snow!  Scarlett & Levi love it :)

Autumn Road Tunic is in testing and almost in the final testing stages.

Our cockatiel, Sunshine, is such a pooch!  She loves almond milk and sits on Scarly's shoulder while she eats her cereal waiting for the spoon to come up!

Yummy Dream in Color Calm...for a new little girls pattern!

She is such a bossy little thing!

...and this little lady is getting married in July 2013 :)

Seamus Pullovers at Petite Purls

Seamus

@ Petite Purls, Summer 2012

Description:
 My little ones love to collect rocks, dip their toes into the bay, roam and explore and are always in need of a cool pullover that can withstand their adventures.  Seamus is the quintessential summer pullover with two  nautically inspired stripe patterns & semaless construction making it quick and easy to knit during the warmer months.  While the little ones are busy collecting & investigating, the sleeves can be rolled up and buttoned in place so as not to interfere with their activities.  This classic unisex pullover can be passed down to younger siblings and will continue to look loved the more it is worn.

Sizes: 3 months (6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 4T, 6T, 8T, 10T)

Rating: Easy to Intermediate

Techniques & Stitches Used:  Knitting in the round, basic increase & decreases, carrying yarn up for color changes.

Yarn Requirements:  Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Worsted Cotton
                                    400 - 700 yards - see pattern for details

The sleeves roll up!

Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Worsted Cotton is SO soft.  I am not usually fond of knitting with cotton, but this was an exception :)  It has resulted in extremely soft and wearable pullovers which Levi and Scarlett love...

Available for free at Petite Purls Website.

Emergency Hat!

My friend, Trisha Paetsch, has a really fun pattern; the Emergency Hat.  It comes in 3 sizes and is knit from the brim to the crown in a pretty lace pattern.

Scarlett, my little bunny :)

Once Upon a Time....

When I was expecting India, 18 years ago, I built a little dollhouse.  It is the Coventry Cottage, actually.  It was a pretty basic house that we bought on a family trip to Myrtle Beach.  I think I paid $50 for it.  Oh! And $5 for a little booklet on how to paint the roses and embellishments on it. 

She will spend hours with this house!

For the little girls...

Because everyone here wants a Hoot Toque, I have been knitting them left, right and center!  I let the girls pick the beak colours :) I chose the eye colours to co-ordinate... For Willow (child size):

For Scarlett (toddler size):

The boys want black (Levi) & green (Sage).  Is it weird to make a green owl?  We'll soon find out!

Hoot Toque Pattern Release!

Hoot Toque Pattern PDF - $4.00 -

This came about alot quicker than I expected, thanks to some wonderful test knitters and a dear friend who edited the pattern for me!  Without further ado, here is the Hoot Toque knitting Pattern:

"Knit seamlessly from the top down, using Judy’s Magic Cast On & 2 sets of circular needles, you can knit this little hat in just a few hours. Eyes and beak are embroidered on and the ears are tied on. Features ear flaps, a comfortable fit, and nice long i-cord ties; leave them undone or tie them up tight!”

7 sizes available: Preemie- 4-5lbs To Fit: 11.5-12.2” head

Newborn- 0/3 months To Fit: 13-14” head

Baby-3/12 months To Fit: 14-17” head

Toddler - 12 months-3 years To Fit: 18-20” head

Child- 3-10 years To Fit: 19-20.5” head

Adult Woman- To Fit: 21.5-22.5” head

Adult Man- To Fit: 23-24” head

Eyes & beak are embroidered on using chain stitch and long stitch. Ears are tassels.

Difficulty Rating - Advanced Beginner

Hoot Toque - knitting pattern $4.00

 

Pattern support is free :)

Oh it is so cold out there!

We have had some pretty cold temps here!  It has been too cold some days for the kids to play outside...it gets pretty boring without being able to play in the snow.  For me, i don't mind being forced to relax and read to them while I knit :) 

I have been working on some new patterns and finishing up some old ones.  I made a cowl for my friend, Angelina:

Isn't she pretty?  I made mittens for her last year too :)  The cowl is "Weather The Storm Cowl"  by Trisha Paetsch.  For both mittens and cowl, I used Cascade 220 in a teal colour and for the interior of the cowl, I used a medium grey alpaca/bamboo blend by Mirasol named Qina.

For Crystal & Shawn's baby, Lincoln:

My billionth Baby Surprise jacket!  I used some leftovers of Elann's sport weight highland wool, and some Lana Gatto Alpaca.  I found some cool retro buttons that my mom had hung onto since my brother was little.  India handmade the card.  She has her own little Etsy shop here :)

Longies for Mr.Loxley:

He is so cute! I love this guy :)  I used black Patons wool (this stuff pills like nobody's business!) and the blue is a hand dyed Araucania yarn, Atacama. I only had the one small skein, so I paired it with the black.  He wears these alot!  This is a basic longie pattern that I made up as I went along. 

A Coin Lace Scarf for me:

hahaha! You can see my dimples in this photo :)  This scarf is very long! It took me several weeks to knit in between other projects.  it is Shui Kuen's "Coin Lace Stole" pattern.  I used three whole skein of Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock yarn.  Very soft and pretty.

A Sea Princess Jacket for Scarlett:

This is to match her Yacht Club Skirt.  It is a pattern by Anadiomena; Sea Princess.  I love this pattern!!  I have knit it twice and will knit it again.  I used Elann's Superwash Bamboo that is now, sadly, discontinued. 

I will admit that some of these projects have been completed for a while.  I just have been a bad blog neglector.  Is neglector a word? Well, if not, it is now!

I am so excited about THIS!

Sweet Hilda is now available through Ravelry!  $2 off from November 17-21, 2013 at checkout.   

Looky HERE!!   A new Lookbook from Three Irish Girls!  Why is this so exciting? My first published design is within those pages along with 40 other new patterns from a bunch of wonderful designers!  It also contains new yummy yarn colorways.....there is just not enough time in this life to knit all that I want to knit!

There has been much anticipation and waiting and hard work that went into this book. I am so proud of all the designers and Sharon's whole team that pulled this together.  Way to go!

 "Sweet Hilda" is named for my grandmother who taught me how to knit when I was only four.  She opened the world of fibre arts to me and I am so very grateful.  As a little girl, I slept with "Lambie", favorite song was "Baa,baa, black sheep".....yes, I was destined to be a knitter  :) 

I had the privilege of using Three Irish Girls Springvale Merino in "Molly" and "Enna".  It was a pleasure to knit with and happened to be in one of my favorite colours; it was like Sharon knew that already :)

The first photos are the professional photos for the pattern.  This is not Willow :) Her photos will be here another day... Size 4.

Scarlett's Sweet Hilda is in a size 2.  She loves this poncho and is so proud that I knit it just for her :)