Thursday, October 22, 2015

Me Too Mommy!

If you haven’t noticed I have been on a knitting spree lately.  I am busy filling orders and designing new patterns.  My almost 4 year old has been asking with every finished project, “Is that for me?”  And I have to tell her, “No, baby.  I’ll do yours soon.”  And she goes on to play with her toys.


Last weekend we had the first cold snap of autumn and I felt so bad that my little one was huddling under the hood of her jacket while everyone else had access to a new hat or beanie. So what’s a momma to do?  Knit her a hat of course!


I found this free pattern and thought, “Oh how cute!” so I resized it.  I simply used a light worsted yarn and US size 7 needles for the band, and US size 6 DPNs for the hat body.  This made the perfect snug fit for my preschooler.

I also had this adorable monkey button sitting around and thought it was the perfect fit for my little miss.


But once the hat was completed I wasn’t done pleasing baby girl.  She had to have her own “pishers” done just like her sisters.


And then the 12 year old decided she needed to be a photographer.


Such is the life of a crafter and a crafter’s family.....have a great day and Happy Crafting!



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

New Beginnings

Some of you have read my blog off and on for the last few years.  Some of you are new readers.  I want to let you know that I appreciate all of you.  Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings.  And thank you for allowing me to share my crafting adventures with you.

I have in the past month fully reentered the blogging world and I am so grateful for each reader who has visited this blog.

I’ve also reopened my Etsy shop and I am now sharing my original patterns for purchase there as well as some of my handcrafted works.

Today to celebrate new beginnings I am announcing a discount for my Etsy shop as I rebuild inventory.  Until November 2, 2015 I am offering you a 40% discount off your entire purchase using coupon code: newbeginnings 

Check out my fledgling shop and again thank you for your support!

Amanda

Monday, October 19, 2015

Swirly Leaves Beanie

Last night we had to turn the heat on.  This morning when I drove the kids to school I used my heated seats.  That can only mean one thing......It’s Fall!!!

Fall means many things to different people.  For some it’s football season, for my kids it’s marching band season.  For some it’s all things pumpkin, for others it’s all things apple.


One thing that we generally all agree on is leaves!

I live just miles away from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and every October we are overrun with people who come to see the leaves change colors.


I love to see the mountains alive with color but in my own yard I love to see swirling, dancing leaves as they perform their yearly ballet from the tree limbs to the ground.
(My husband says I love them because I’m not the one who rakes them, but whatever.)

It is inevitable that as much as I love the falling of the leaves that I would design a hat that could simulate the feeling.

The result is my Swirly Leaves Beanie.


After I finished all my Red Regiment orders I was still in the mood to do a few more beanies.  But I was definitely a little tired of working with red and black.  I needed some of those beautiful colors of nature.


I also wanted to give the design movement like the dancing of swirling leaves.

I love the effect of the color changes of the yarn and the swirls of the design together.


My samples were knit with Caron Simply Soft.  The black is in the Solids line, the oatmeal is in their Heathers?, and the orange is an Ombre.


I hope you love it as much I loved designing it.

If you are interested, the pattern is available for purchase in my Etsy shop or on Ravelry.


Now I’m off to reclaim a beanie from one of my girls and maybe, just maybe I’ll venture out to help my husband with those leaves.  Or maybe not (most of them are still on the trees right now). 

Maybe he’ll join me for a cup of hot apple cider on the back porch and watch the leaves dance for us.
I think that’s a much better idea.






Sunday, October 18, 2015

Anchors Aweigh Hat and a Free Pattern





Once the creative juices start flowing I find that I can’t stop.  Working on my Red Regiment hats (see post here) started the hat making process. And now the hat making process has progressed to a hat designing process. 

For this hat I utilized charts by Jacqui’s designs found here on Ravelry.




I’m just so excited about this new hat that I had to share it!  And I’m sharing it as a free pattern to you!



This pattern assumes a knowledge of working Fair Isle or stranded knitting as well as the ability to read charts.



Materials Needed:
US sz 7 16” circular
US sz 7 DPNs
125 yds worsted weight yarn in MC (royal blue)
50 yards worsted weight yarn in CC1 (turquoise)
50 yards worsted weight yarn in CC2 (white)
30 yards worsted weight yarn in CC3 (pink)
stitch marker
yarn needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations:
CO: Cast on
PM: place marker
K: Knit
P: Purl
Kf&b: Knit in the front and back of the next stitch
K2tog: Knit the next two stitches together

CO 100 sts with circular needle and MC using your favorite cast on for ribbing (I used the Old Norwegian Cast On because I wanted it to have some stretch with the ribbing.)

PM and join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches.

Work in K2,P2 ribbing for 2.5”

On next round increase 20 stitches as follows: *K5, Kf&b* repeat * * around

Knit 4 rounds in MC

Next work wave chart using MC and CC1

Knit 1 round in MC

Then work Anchor chart using MC, CC2, and CC3 (I used 4 stitches of MC between each anchor chart.  This allows for 6 anchors to be evenly spaced around the circumference of the hat. Also I added the pink anchor as an accent.  This requires some finagling of the pink floats but I think the overall look is worth it.)


Knit 1 round MC

Knit wave chart using MC and  CC1

Knit with MC until hat measures 8.5” from cast on edge.

Decreases:
(switch to DPNs as necessary)
 Rnd 1: *K10, K2tog* repeat  * * around
Rnd 2: Knit all
Rnd 3: *K9, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 4: Knit
Rnd 5: *K8, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 6: Knit
Rnd 7: *K7, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 8: Knit
Rnd 9: *K6, Ktog* repeat * * around
Rnd 10: Knit
Rnd 11: *K5, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 12:  Knit
Rnd 13: *K4, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 14: Knit
Rnd 15: *K3, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 16: Knit
Rnd 17: *K2, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 18: Knit
Rnd 19: *K1, K2tog* repeat * * around
Rnd 20: Knit
Rnd 21: K2tog around

Break yarn and pull through the remaining stitches.  Pull tight and pull yarn to wrong side of the hat.  Weave in ends. Block as desired and enjoy.




Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Back in Full Force

Over the years I have always crafted.  I love to blog and I have shared that love of handmade goodies here.  But since our youngest child was born I have found that the balance between family, church, and working cut into my time for crafting and blogging.

Recently I have been blessed with a few weeks to spend at home with our preschooler.  Of course that includes creativity and crafting.  In my search for the perfect beanie for this winter I came across this wonderful chevron pattern at Siouxsie Stitches.

I found some Simply Soft in my stash and knitted up this little beauty.

Then I got creative.  The beanie fit my 17 year old son almost perfectly.  So tweak the basic hat pattern a little bit and then I decided to create my own chart.

We are in the midst of marching band season here (aka football season) and my older two children are proud members of The Red Regiment.  I happened to have a digital copy of our logo and voila.....
This happened!

So then of course my son wears my new beanie.  (I did make it for me by the way) and tells everyone he is advertising.  So from one simple beanie because I was bored I have created so far this pile of goodies.

I have done custom charts and knitted more in the last week than I have had time for in years!

And I'm loving it!!!!!  So I'm enjoying the ride. 

Here are a few more pics of my crazy creative week.   




Have a great week and Happy Crafting!!!!