I have never been a big user of stitch markers, until recently when I have been working on larger projects that involve colorwork or more intricate stitch work. If I ever needed any I would simply make tiny yarn rings out of another color and use those. The difficulty with yarn stitch markers is they aren’t removable and they are easy to loose in your work. I often found myself knitting them in and having to cut them out and then make new ones. One day I used paperclips and they worked great! They were removable and served their purpose. I have stepped up the quality once again with these little safety pins I found on ebay. I bought 100 for $3 or so and they work great. I don’t know how large of needles they will work up to probably a US size 9 (5.5mm) maybe larger. Anyway I am giving them as gifts to a few knitter friends and I wanted to make some cute packaging for them.
I created a tiny envelope template and thought I would share it for free. You can fill this envelope with gold colored paperclips (very fancy), or you can purchase these safety pins online, or you can fill it with any other type of removable stitch marker you wish to fashion for your friends. It is a bit more time consuming than purchasing envelopes but they are really cute and tiny. You can refer back to my DIY: Brown Paper Label for the particulars of printing on paper from an old Trader Joe’s bag or any paper grocery bag. I used the same principle for this project. Click on the image below to download the envelope as a PDF.
Print the template on your 8.5 by 11 sheet of brown paper. Cut out the template and fold on the lines. Then glue the bottom and smaller side tab. Then fold over the larger tab leaving the top flap open.
Now you can stuff your envelope with stitch markers and seal it. You can use a tiny piece of double stick tape to seal the top or you can glue it shut when you have put the stitch markers in it. Either way this is a great way to package stitch markers for a gift.
I used these cute coil-less safety pins that I purchased on ebay. You can find them HERE. They are fantastic. I don’t know if they are as practical as some of the ring stitch markers but they are removable and look nice. My knitting sits around a lot so it is important to me that it looks nice as it sits neglected on my dresser. Here is a hat pattern I am working on, I am using Malabrigo Arroyo in two colors. It is such great yarn. I will post pictures of the finished design as soon as its ready.
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buy now
As I was getting ready to post this pattern I started looking back to see when my last pattern release was…it has been over a year. So that begs the question, what on earth have I been doing for the last year? I had a baby, which is the best excuse…right? Anyway, I am finally back to it.
So with no further delay here is my newest knitting pattern…the Abigail Hood. This adorable hood feels as though it has jumped from the page of your favorite Austen classic. It fits comfortably over long hair or short and covers the ears for a little extra warmth. The loose construction of the body of the hat allows air flow for warmer weather. Enjoy the larger size for a looser look or the medium for the more fitted feel.
NOTE ON YARN: These hats were all knit up in Malabrigo Twist. This yarn is AMAZING! I absolutely love it. It is 8ply, heavy worsted, 100% marino wool. Basically incredibly soft and squishy and it stretches beautifully. You can use another heavy worsted or aran weight yarn but to achieve the closest look to the pictures, pick up a skein of Malabrigo Twist at your friendly local yarn shop. Colorways pictured are Applewood, zinc, and purple mystery.
There are three sizes included in this pattern.
Large: fits a regular adult head
Medium: fits a child/ teen/ small adult
Small: fits a baby/ toddler/ small child
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“Hi Elisa,
I am the I.N. Network employee who took the team to Kenya in June. Knitting is a new passion of mine and I thought it was so very funny when the leadership in Kenya asked if we could bring some new ideas for ‘woolen products’ to teach to the ladies who meet to do crafts. These women are called ‘women of Grace’ and meet once a week to create small items (knitting, crocheting, soap making,etc) to sell as a means of support for their families. Their stories are varied but I heard them referred to has the HIV/AIDS women and as widows. Many are former commercial sex workers who have been trapped in the horror of the worst sort of poverty. All were mothers and wanted the hope of a different life. “
“I did a tiny bit of requesting for help and received more yarn, needles and ideas than I could possibly imagine.”“All of a sudden my house in Wisconsin was filled with knitting supplies from Michigan, Seattle Washington and beyond as women wanted to participate in the collecting of blessing. I made copies of your pattern for the ladies in Kenya, packed up and got on the plane for Nairobi. “
“I hoped to begin with knitting on day #2 as we had also brought some sewing/craft kits that the volunteers at Living Threads ministry.had put together for us to use. BUT, No! New yarn was the excitement of the day for these 25 members of the Women of Grace. They gathered in a tent set up on the grounds and began to tackle the headband pattern immediately. There was not a lot of English spoken, so your pictures were perfect for explaining how to sew them together and also how to make the ‘cinch’ pattern. As Margit shared, there was one very frail woman who was struggling with the concept of knitting. I could tell that she was not getting along very quickly and needed extra help. I was concerned that Ann would be discouraged. When I went around the circle to help her again, I asked if she was understanding any of it. The smile back at me was stunning. She told me in perfect English, “I am so happy!”“A bit of yarn, a pair of needles, a clean tent with friends. Even a break for morning tea time.Yes, Ann, I am so happy too. To have met you, to have seen your joy, to have caught a glimpse of God’s grace in sending some practical love across the globe to a dear beloved woman of Grace. “
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”
J. R. R. Tolkien
Created for the bohemian traveler this head wrap is versatile and easy to make. Due to the small size of this project you can knit it on a train or double-decker bus. You can keep the finished head wrap in your purse for the surprise storm or cold spell. It is reversible just in case you aren’t in the mood for the pattern, just turn it inside out for a fresh look.
For this design I used Merino Silk Worsted by Skein Yarns.
Photography: Elisa McLaughlin
Model: Natalie Emmons
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Colorways from Top Down 1. Inkstone 2. Pastel Sky 3. Wild Apple
I also knit this head wrap up in Spartan Merino Worsted which Skein does not offer for sale any more but is very similar (slightly heavier gauge) to Malabrigo Merino Worsted. I used this head wrap in my pattern photos because it best fit the look of the photo shoot.
I asked Kristin (the fiber artist who started Skein) if she would be willing to do a short interview. She has been such an inspiration to me through her brilliant color ways I thought it would be fun to know just a little bit more about where her inspiration comes from. She also was kind enough to send me a few pictures.
Q: How did you get started in dying yarns?
Skein: It began as a fun thing to try with some Kool Aid, then I started buying a few professional fiber dyes to experiment with and before I knew it, dying yarn became a full blown hobby and now it’s my full time job. So it really began as a curiosity and I loved it, so I never stopped.
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your colourways?
Skein: Everywhere!
Q: What would you say is the most rewarding part of what you do?
Skein: Being a part of the fiber/knitting community. It’s wonderful how many people I’ve met from all over the world, everyone is really supportive and there are so many creative people, I find it very inspiring!
Q: How does your experience as a knitter effect what you create?
Skein: I would say quite a bit. When I first started dying yarn I wanted my variegated yarns to knit up into a fabric with ‘dappled’ colours and minimal pooling so I came up with a way to apply the dyes to get this effect. I’ve never really thought about it until now but I guess when I’m creating new colourways, I like to think how the colours will knit up and then decide how to apply the dyes.
Here are a few more photos that are all from Skein Yarns website.
The last of the photos is a of a beautiful pattern Botanical Garden Shawl by Kristen that is available for sale in the Skein Yarns Shop for $5.00. I love it!
Still putting the finishing touches on the “Smock it to Me” Head Wrap, it should be live tonight. Don’t forget to check your inbox for the pattern release email (going out tomorrow morning) which will include a coupon that is good for any or all of my patterns.
My sister is in town for a short time so we have been having fun. I was so pleased to be able to have her model this design instead of having to model it myself.
Here is an image of another VERY SIMPLE color work pattern I have been working on.
Color work is not difficult if you start out simple.
This green is Ginko Sock by Skein Yarn.
I first started color work with my stripes head wrap pattern. You can barely call that color work because I was changing colors in stripes. Anyway I have been working with a more complex pattern and it has been really fun. Here is a great knitting episode I found that explains how to do color work. I hope it helps any of you who are feeling ambitious enough to try color working. It may seen scary but in reality it is not that hard.
Managing Yarns for Color Work – video tutorial
I recommend with starting simple. Practice changing color of yarns to create stripes in your work and then start by switching one stitch to a different color every once an a while. The difficulty comes in reading color work charts and keeping the tension loose enough to make the pattern show and tight enough to not end up with uneven stitches.
Here is a great resource for learning how to read color work charts.
https://www.knittingobsession.com/tips/colorchart.htm
Once you master simple color work you can try something more complicated. The possibilities are endless! Here are some books that might be helpful. I am hoping to acquire several of them for my library.
On an unrelated note I have been finding amazing things at flea markets and antique shops already! This was one thing I was really excited about with moving back into the city.
An old steam trunk. $30.00 I am going to use this as a coffee table in the coffee shop my parents own.
I also found this cool vintage box. Not quite sure what it was used for but the chipping paint and twine handles were calling to me.
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Well this might just be my new “About Me” photo. As for those yarns? I don’t even know if I can label them all. Maybe after I move.
I did one shot of just the yarn…couldn’t help myself…all those beautiful colors!
Lately I have been thinking a lot about this question. What do you get the girl who makes everything? I have so many creative and artistic friends it is hard to find a gift that suits them since they make anything they want to. Artistic people are extra hard to buy gifts for. I thought I would share a few things that have been a hit when trying to find the perfect thing for the special creative someone. I would love hear any other ideas.
Vintage or beautiful jars that can be used for a variety of purposes…or even better a candle in a jar that can be used for many purposes. This jar used to have a mercury glass coating on the inside. It held a Volcano Candle from Anthropologie (in case you want to see what it looked like before). I took the coating off by accident but I LOVE it even more this way. If I figure out how to do it again I will post a DIY.
Buttons, though this one is probably the hardest for me to give because I am so obsessed with cool buttons. I collect vintage looking buttons and odds and ends. I have made little collections to give away. You can sew them to a scrap of fabric or cool paper if you want a fun way to display them as you give them.
This is an idea I just had. I made this yarn card for a friend. Because I knit I have lots of yarn scraps. Many of these are expensive yarns that most people wouldn’t buy. It is nice to have a few yards of different fibers to wrap gifts with, make pom poms, or any other number of creative things. I new my friend Allyson would love to have some fun extra yarn to create with.
Along the same lines hemp, string, bakers twine, and jute. Any of these things are great to include with a gift. I never have enough spools of natural fiber. If I don’t use them I decorate with them. I have given spools like this as gifts several times.
I hope this helps if you are on a search for a great gift for an artist friend. Some other ideas are fancy paper with prints or or blank, lace, and trimmings. Maybe even art supplies if there is something specific you know they like.
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https://knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATswatchout.html
Another reason for swatching is to try out new stitches. Here is a fun one to try all you need to know how to do a knit stitch and a purl stitch.
This stitch is very simple and it has such a cool texture to it. Here is how you can achieve this stitch. For this swatch I used US size 7 needles and a worsted weight yarn.
Cast On 30 stitches
R1: K1, P1 repeat for the whole row
R2: K1, P1 repeat for the whole row
R3: P1, K1 repeat for the whole row
R4: P1, K1 repeat for the whole row
Repeat these four rows 9 times or so until you have a square swatch. Or until you have the hang of the stitch.
If you want to learn other stitches you can purchase a knitting stitch library like the ones below.
Interweave Press has a series called the Harmony Guides. They come in several different volumes covering different types of stitches.
Here is another stitch library I use a lot you can find it here.
Another great resource for learning new stitches is online stitch libraries. I found a particularly good one.
https://www.patonsyarns.com/stitchGallery/
Here is another resource I have used.
https://www.knittingfool.com/pages/Alpha.guest.cfm?CFID=70535546&CFTOKEN=42795247
Here is a fun stitch I was working on this weekend. I modified a chunky braid cable to make it more interesting. I may incorporate it into a pattern after the move. I encourage you to try new stitches, it is a great way to build confidence in your knitting skills. Creating swatches from a stitch library is also a good way to learn how to read charts and patterns on a small scale because they use the same abbreviations.
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New pattern release! Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop and Ravelry Pattern Store.
Ready, set, smock! Reminiscent of a gnome hood, this smock pattern beanie appears complex but is actually quite easy to create—and the best part is it’s reversible! Choose your favorite side before you attach the pom pom, or leave it off and choose each time you put it on! The pattern includes a video tutorial for the smock stitch so even a beginner can make this hat!
If you are nervous that you cannot complete this look simply check out this Video Tutorial to see how easy it is!
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For my latest pattern (Reversible Smocking Hat), and for many of my Christmas gifts I had to make a pom poms. I actually have not made pom poms enough before to decide on a way to make them. There are several different methods. Here is what I tried first.
https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-make-pom-poms.html
or
https://garnstudio.com/lang/us/video.php?id=95d
This tutorial is great but I don’t prefer this way, mostly because I get bored threading the yarn through the center of the cardboard ring.
You can purchase a pom pom maker like this one sold on amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/Clover-Extra-Large-Pom-Maker/dp/B001CE38QQ
Here is how I do it. I prefer making pom poms this way because it requires nothing more than your yarn and a pair of scissors. The work comes mostly in the shaping of the pom pom.
If you like the scissors used in this post you can find out more about them HERE.
You will need 6-12gm or so of yarn depending on how thick and large you want your pom pom to be.
Hold the yarn between your thumb and your hand and wrap the yarn around your fingers. You can change the size of the pom by changing how many fingers you wrap the yarn around.
Wrap the yarn around your hand until it is thick and around the mass you want your pom pom to be. This is trial by error really. I usually try to wrap as much yarn as possible around my hand so that my pom pom is really thick.
Wrap a piece of yarn around the entire bunch of yarn. I usually wrap it twice around to make it extra secure. I usually like to have a tail of 5 inches or so on each side of the knot. I use these two strands to secure the pom to the hat or whatever else I might be embellishing.
Using scissors cut the loops on either side in as close to the center as you can.
Then cut the other side in the same way. Usually after this step my pom pom looks like a porcupine with a bad hair cut.
Using scissors trim the longer pieces of yarn until your pom pom looks even. Shaping the pom pom is an important part of making the pom pom this way.
You can also make smaller pom poms using this method. I made on using only three fingers instead of four so there was an example of the size difference.
Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop and Ravelry Pattern Store.
The lighting in my house has been terrible, due to winter storms. These are wild apple and pastel sky in the silk/merino worsted base.
I am using them to knit up my head wrap with a smock pattern. So I still remember the first time my yarn came in a hank like this instead of a center pull ball or skein (like the less expensive yarns you get at your local craft store). I wound my first hank into a center pull ball by hand (time consuming and exhausting).
After I started paying extra to get my hanks wound by the yarn store I purchased from online I started to consider possibly purchasing a ball winder and swift. The issue is purchasing both was way out of my budget. Then I found this Amish Design Swift on amazon. It is half the price and breaks up easily. I use it when I travel and it is so simple to pull out during nap time.
It is easy to put this together I like to set it up during nap time and let my four year old wind a few hanks for me.
Here is how easy it is to set up.
Other than the swift you need a ball winder. It attaches easily to several different tables or counter tops as it is adjustable.
Open up your hank and spread it around the swift. Clip the strand of yarn that holds it all together. Take one yarn tail and feed it into the ball winder and you are off!
My son Corin wound all three hanks by himself. He loves it and is constantly begging me to wind yarn so it works out great.
I can’t believe how big he is getting. I am thankful to find ways to share my creative pursuits with my children.
So if you are tired of winding your hanks by hand or paying extra to have them wound (or maybe you just want to give your local yarn store a break form winding) this might be a good option for you.
I have been drinking tea in the afternoons lately as I knit. I have a small collection of tea cups. I cycle them out daily, it is so lovely to drink tea out of a beautiful china cup. This one is a Windsor Bone China cup that I found at a thrift store. I will be taking pictures of the other cups as I use them. As for my knitting projects…
I finished my smocking hat and am prepping the pattern for testing. The smocking headband/ear warmer still needs a little work. The last one fit my two year old so the pattern will include child’s sizes. This one came out a little wide. The nice thing is this headband is a quick and relatively easy project.
Fiona loves her new headband all the same.
I thought I would also include a picture of my favorite succulent. I have been collecting succulent plants this one is so unusual and I adore the coloring. It is called Kalanchoe ‘Frosty Pink.’
So this diy is a little bit crazy. I had been wanting to make a headwrap that was big and a little more out there. If I were getting married and having a bohemian hippy-ish wedding I might actually wear this for a more modern take on a veil. If I could find a way to make it not look like minnie mouse. Maybe this is just what you are looking for to accesorize your Disney themed party outfit.
If you can’t get it to look right on yourself try it on a little girl…it looks amazing on my two year old!
Take a length of tulle a foot wide and a yard and a half long.
Wrap it around your head and tie in a bow.
Arange the two ends of the tulle to either fall over your face or back over your hair.
I painted a heart on my cheek with wet gold eye-shadow. Don’t know if I could pull it off in public yet but you never know…maybe one day I will be feeling brave enough. It was fun for the photo shoot.
As A New Year rolls around I am facing the usual questions…what have I done with my life that is worth while? What will I do with the year ahead. I have three children, will be turning 28 (eep!) and have a fabulous husband (married 6.5 years). I have no idea what lies ahead in this year. I will continue designing and creating tutorials. I have had to much fun to quit. I am attempting to create a list of goals for the coming 2012 year. They are large goals and thus, may not happen but I have something to work towards.
1. Draft a book proposal, focusing on knitting and fashion and photography.
2. Travel to Australia (finances permitting), and visit my favorite yarn artist Skein Yarns.
3. Set up an online store on my own personal site.
4. Design 6 new patterns (at least!).
5. Blog more regularly. More DIYs and photo shoots. I just want to get into more of a weekly habit.
That is enough for now. They may change as my circumstances change. I don’t normally set goals so I am making working on getting better at that. I hope your New Year is blessed. Hope you will stick around in the coming year to see the fun things to come. Cheers!
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Here is a hat I am in the process of knitting for my oldest son. I think it will be a Christmas present…one of several. In the beginning of fall, when we took a family trip to Portland, I took Corin to the yarn shop with me. He loves watching the girls at the shop wind the yarn on the swift. Anyway, I asked Corin to pick out his yarn of choice for a hat and he chose this beautiful yarn from Plucky Knits. I adore the color…anyway it is a work in progress.
Here is the Madeline Tosh yarn in Opaline I have knit it into a baby hat. I have not decided if I want to add ear flaps, or a pom, or maybe even a crochet flower. So many of my friends are pregnant at the moment I have my work cut out for me! I will be knitting a few more of these…
This is a new headwrap/earwarmer I knit using Skein Merino Silk Worsted (pictured above). I cannot get enough of this yarn. If you would like to make these “Hand Knit” tags you can find instructions and a PDF download HERE.
Here is a hat knit with the same smocking pattern in MadelineTosh Merino DK.
I have plans to knit it up a second…and maybe third time in these beauties. These are
I will post pictures when I have knit them up. I hope you are all on track to getting your hand made christmas underway.
Here is a picture of “handmade” tags you can print out for your handmade holiday gifts. If you click on the image it will link you to the post explaining how to create the tags and a downloadable PDF.
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Now, before I announce the winner I wanted to answer the questions myself.
My Name: (obvious) Elisa McLaughlin
Who taught me to knit? My mother, and youtube. Mom covered the basics and I learned the rest from video tutorials.
Favorite Yarn: I love Malabrigo Worsted Merino and MadelineTosh DK but my favorite is anything from Skein Yarns. I love her sock yarns, the worsted silk is amazing. Here is a picture of some of her sock yarns. I am truly addicted. Kristin is brilliant…her color combinations and fiber choices are wonderfully inspiring.
And now for the giveaway results…
I numbered the comments chronologically starting with the first comment made. Then I plugged the numbers into random.org and pulled comment number 14…made by…
Desiree M.
Congratulations Desiree please email me your address so I can ship out your yarn. ([email protected]) Also it helps if I know which email address you want me to email the pattern to. Thank you to everyone who participated.
]]>Somewhere along the road to adult hood I lost my courage. I gave into the, misguided, mis-conception that to be a great artist you must have a natural ability from birth to capture the world around you. Over the years I have found that this is not truth. Just as in any art you must first copy others to learn technique…slowly over time you will discover your own style and begin to create your own images. I wish, so much, that someone had told me this as a child. Then perhaps it would take less courage now to pick that pen back up.
I have instituted an organized drawing time for me and my children. I encourage them to draw what is in their heads and be confident of their art. I drew this feather during one of our organized drawing sessions. I saw a similar image and decided to try to recreate it.
Another thing I have discovered is that keeping a journal makes it easier to sketch, draw, doodle. Something about the mixture of internal images depicted as well as expressed in the written word. Or perhaps it is just the fact that the pen is more often in my hand.
As you can see, sometimes I simply copy tea labels. Hopefully the practice will begin to pay off. On a knitting note, I have been working on a ear-warmer with a smocking pattern to it.
Also I have been experimenting with my Silver Leaves. Thanks to my friend Allyson, I got the idea to make them into ornaments. They are only partially completed I stamped numbers on them and because of the paint I have to go over the number with a sharpie. When they are finished I would love to have numbers 1-12 for the 12 days of Christmas.
THE PATTERN: Chevrons! I design with what I love and at the moment I am in love with chevron patterns. That is how this slouchy beanie was inspired. It is knit up with a delicate chevron pattern (see chart on page 3). Get ready for winter by knitting it out of a warm merino wool or a cooler cotton, either way it is the perfect accessory for your wardrobe. The chevron pattern gives the knit fabric a fun feeling of whimsy.
{Also check back soon for another giveaway! }
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This coupon code: GIVWY1 is good for everything in my Etsy Shop. Just use the coupon code when you check out. This coupon can also be applied to the multiple pattern listing. This coupon expires at midnight on the 28th of October.
Because of how wonderful an experience this was I am definitely going to do this again…and now back to the giveaway…
{The Prize}
1 Skein of Berrocco Vintage Chunky (in color shown)
And…The Yummy Beret Pattern
{And the Winner is}
Regina
Congratulations Regina! I will be emailing you so you can send me your address so I can get your skein of yarn and pattern out to you.
Thanks again to everyone who participated. I will be doing more giveaways so check back!
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Every year I have high hopes that I will make every gift instead of spending lots of money on impersonal store bought items. Then, every year, due to my poor planning, I end up buying everything last minute. This year will be different. I am starting now, I am going to make a list of all the things I have to make, I will share some of it here. On top of Christmas I also have several baby gifts to make so those will also be in my list.
This beautiful DK weight yarn by MadelineTosh will be used to make a couple of these adorable bonnets. I have quite a few baby girls to knit items for.
This is another beautiful skein of MadelineTosh DK in colorway Mare it will be used to make some headbands as gifts. The pattern is in the works…will be shared once completed.
And another skein of MadelineTosh, I know I am an addict.
This will most likely be used to make the pattern below for a family member or friend, I cannot be more specific because I don’t know who reads my blog.
This pattern has not yet been released but will be shortly. Get on my mailing list ahead of time and you will receive a coupon for all my patterns the day it is released.
For all my hand knit items I made this little tag. You can download the file HERE if you are interested in it. I love having tags for all my hand made and hand knit gifts. It adds something special.
I will post more ideas to my list as they come. Also I love to make Christmas Ornaments as gifts so I will be posting some of those as well.
{Giveaway}
This giveaway ends on the 25th of October, the results will be posted on the 26th.
What you will win. This beautiful skein of Vintage Chunky by Berroco. Also the pattern Yummy Beret which knits up beautifully in this chunky weight yarn.
Here are the rules! I am making this as easy as possible since I new to doing giveaways.
Leave me a comment that includes the following:
- Your First Name
- Years Knitting
- Who the hat will be given to (you may give it to yourself)
If you wish to have one more entry you may also pin one of my patterns to Pinterest. Leave the link to the pin in the comment section and I will add your name a second time to the drawing.
The results will be posted on Wednesday the 26th of October. I will choose the winner on the evening of the 25th using random.org. If you have any questions please email me at [email protected] Thanks for participating!
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CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GIVEAWAY
Also if you knit I will be doing a giveaway at the end of the week so watch for that also.
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This pattern (Zozo Pixie Cables) was a quick knit. I am a little slow at reading patterns because I am dyslexic. This pattern, as patterns go, was relatively easy to understand. I used two different gauges of yarn and the result ended up in the edging being a bit too large for the hat. Also the more difficult technique that is important to know is how to cable. There are lots of awesome videos on YouTube. Just search for “Learn to Cable Knit.” 
She still looked adorable in the hat so that is a definite plus. If I knit this pattern again (which I will!) I will use the same yarn for both the MC and the CC. 
I always find Fiona is more likely to give me some good smiles if I feed her first. I guess this is probably the case with most children. 
I love the construction of this hood. The edging is beautiful.
I was so anxious to see if it would fit Fiona that I rigged it to stay on even though it is only half knit. Here’s how it looks!
I think she will look darling in it when I am finished. I just have to find the perfect button!
Fiona is tired and not feeling the greatest today so when I told her to smile this is the face she made. I have to admit I definately have days where I feel like she looks.
I have also been doing a lot of research. I have a few hat ideas for fall/winter and I am increasing my knowledge of stitch types. Here is an awesome stitch dictionary that I found at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR.
If you are interested in this book you can find it for sale here.
The designer of this pattern is a friend and briliant photographer/Mom/pattern designer Amanda Keeys. Amanda gave me this pattern a while back and I have been waiting for the opportunity and inspiration to start the project. I found it! This last weekend my children were in a friends wedding.
I made knitted bow ties off of a pattern I have been working on for the boys and crocheted lacy headbands for the flower girls. I will be doing a post with more pictures later this week.
The wedding was beautiful and the children were (surprisingly) perfect. Corin proudly carried the ACTUAL RINGS, down the isle and handed them to the Best Man. I was so proud…and relieved. I decided to knit up Fiona’s new hood from the left over yarn.
For the main color I am using MadelineTosh DK in Robin’s Egg color-way. For the contrasting color I am using MadelineTosh Vintage in Silver Fox color-way. I have finished with the edge and I have just started the section using the main color. I will post pictures of my progress.
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