Tizzy Bunny

Here she is!  Tizzy bunny is made from an unusual, but inexpensive yarn, bernat tizzy.  You will find it soft, with a million squiggly fingers.  You cannot see the knit stitches AT ALL, and my friends needed to be told several times that, yes, it is a knitting project.

 Two views, one with flash and one with natural light...

 She can only stand if leaning on the pillow, and is 15" tall.

 tiny button tail....

Tizzy Bunny

This cute plushy is SO fast to knit, I started and finished it in about 5 hours (and yes, I am a quick knitter, but still, that was a quick knit!!).  Not for beginners, but still simple enough for knitters that know stocking stitch, increases, decreases, and never drop stitches (this yarn is difficult to see the stitches for pickup!).  It is worked on straight needles and seamed, so you also need to know sewing seams, and hand or machine sewing for the ear lining (felt), and nose, eyes and mouth.  I do not know if it would look as cool in ANY other yarn, so beware switching yarns.

She stands 15" toe to tip of ears.

Yarn: One ball of Bernat Tizzy, white.

Needles:  6mm, (US 8)

Gauge:  9 sts = 4 inches on 6mm needles.  Note this yarn suggests 10 mm (US 15), but by using a smaller needle, you will end up with tighter gauge that will not allow the stuffing to “peak through”. 

Other stuff:  poly stuffing, bits of pink fabric, and blue fabric (tee shirt knits work great), white felt for ear lining, and rose yarn for mouth.  Ribbon for neck decoration.

Body and Head:  (working from bottom of bunny)  Cast on 20 sts.   Wrong side:   Knit this row, increasing 4 evenly across. 

Work in Reverse Stocking Stitch (purl right side, knit wrong side) for 3 “, ending with purl row.

Next row (wrong side) knit row – decreasing 4 evenly across (this in the neck decrease)

Purl next row, then knit next row, decreasing 4 more evenly across.  Purl one more row.   (16 sts on needle)

Increase for head:  Knit 3, Knit front and back (increase), knit 3, knit front and back, knit front and back, knit 3, knit front and back, knit 3.   (20 sts on needle)

Purl one row.

Knit 9, knit front and back, knit front and back, knit 9.   (22 on needles)

Work 3 rows.

Knit 10, knit front and back, knit front and back, knit 10  (24 on needles) – this is the point of the nose-

Purl row

Knit row, decreasing 4 evenly across the row.

Purl row

Knit row, decreasing 4 evenly across the row.  (16 on needle)

Purl row

Knit row, decreasing 4 evenly across row.  (12 on needles)

Cast of all stitches.

Legs:  Cast on 10 sts, work 4 “  in reverse stocking stitch, cast off all sts. (make 2)

Arms: Cast on 8, work 3”, cast off all sts.

Ears: Cast on 6 sts.  Work 2.5 “.  Decrease 1 sts each side on the right side rows, until 2 sts left, then knit 2 together and slip yarn through loop to finish. (should make a bit of a point)

Tail:  Cast on 4. Purl row.  Knit row, increasing 2 in row. Purl row.  Knit row, decrease 2.  Purl row.  Cast off.

Now comes the sewing.  I found that using the Tizzy yarn to sew seams looks great but is super difficult, due to the million fingers catching in the needle.  You could use a matching sport weight yarn that is smooth, to sew up to ease this part.

Sew back seam of body head, leaving opening at the top and bottom.   Stuff lightly the body and head, and sew the bottom seam.   Sew arm and leg seams, closing one end, and lightly stiff the other end (do not stuff too firmly, not as cuddly that way!).   Sew legs and arms to body.

Fold tail into a cute bump, sew around this to the back side of bunny.

Ears: cut felt lining to a size smaller than the ear, and sew in place by machine or hand.  Fold bottom edges to meet in center (see close up of bunny face) and sew ears to the top opening, closing the head opening and securing ears in upright position.  The felt will help hold ears up.

Nose.  I used a bit of pink tee shirt scrap and made a folded rectangle (edges tucked under) and sewed in place with regular thread and needle.  With darning needle and rose sock yarn scrap, I sewed the mouth detail.   

The eyes… you could use buttons if not for a baby or toddler, but mine is for a baby, so I cut a half inch strip of peacock tee shirt fabric, about 15 inches long. Using a large eyed darning needle, I made french knots in the eye position.  To reinforce these eyes, I also used regular needle and thread and sewed them more securedly in place.

Ribbon at neck and you are done!

 Close up of the face, embroider mouth, fabric nose, french knot eyes.

Etsy Shop restocked!

It has been such a busy summer, I have only just got around to restocking the shelves of the etsy shop!  There are a few of the silk nuno felt scarves, and a few sock monkeys and monsters.  More to add in the next few days, so if there is a colour of scarf / shawl you love and do not see, please email me.  I may have it in stock already!

You can see them all through the window on the right side of the blog (photo of me in the silk nuno felt coat)   Over there-----------------)

 The sock monkeys were a big hit last Christmas, so here is a start on the inventory for this year.

Cables and Acrylics

What have I been doing today?  It is a rainy Saturday, and unlike others who hate rainy days, I need them!  It allows me to reset my pace and catch up on a few indoor things that have been on the back-burner for far too long.  I finally moved my painting upstairs, and working in the sun room (even with the rain out the open windows) is a lovely way to spend the afternoon.  I am doing a painting of an old Italian Villa, with two villages in the distance.  You can see that I painted a whole village (just needs a few more trees) in the second photo.

 Still lots to do, but I am pleased with the work so far.

 On my needles is a chunky coat, made with a gorgeous merino superwash by SMC.  You can find it at Elann HERE.   I got 15 balls in burgundy for the coat.  The pattern is from Simply Knitting 103, March 2013.

 The yarn is more burgundy than the flash allows, but the textured cable weave is wonderful.

I usually only knit my own designs, but when I see something as cool as this, I just have to knit it!  I am on the last sleeve, and will post photos of the finished coat.

Quick Knit Baby Bib

My sister is going to be a grandmother, and I just had to make this simple bib for her new grandbaby.
If you can knit a dishcloth, you can make a bunch of these for your little messy eater!
Easy to knit, easy to wash and easy to wear.

 A simple yarn over button hole and large button, hold it in place. You could make lots for a busy new mom.  I chose a natural colour, but you know this yarn comes in rainbow colours.  Have fun with whatever is already in your stash.

Quick Knit Baby Bib

Yarn:    Crafters Cotton 50grams  (or other worsted weight cotton)

Gauge 16 sts = 4 inches in garter stitch

Needles: 4.5mm

One large button

Cast on 34 stitches.  Knit EVERY ROW (garter stitch) until piece measures 7 inches.

Next Row: knit 10, cast off next 14 stitches, knit 10.

Work one side at a time, garter stitch the 10 stitches until the neck band measures 5 inches.  Next row, knit 2 together, knit 6, knit 2 together.

Last row, cast off 8 stitches.

Attach yarn and start garter stitch on second side (button hole side).  Work 5 inches.

Next row, knit 3, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 3.

Next row, knit 9.

Last row, cast off 9 stitches.  Darn in loose ends.

Sew button opposite buttonhole.

 

Felt, Jays, Lips and Face(book)

In the last couple of weeks, I have had a visit from my sister (from Winnipeg) and a trip to the Blue Jays game, and a felting workshop, on top of my usual work, sewing, golfing and knitting... I love doing all of these things, but some days I just feel a bit TOO busy!
Here are two photos of the felting workshop.  We made summer shawls, that are mostly 100% silk, with bits of wool and other fibres that make the silk crinkle up and add texture.

 Here is the CN tower, as seen from the Blue Jays ball park.  It was a lovely day and you could see the tourists taking an Edge Walk.  It looked frightening from down here, I cannot imagine going up there and dangling on the edge!

 The Blue Jays lost the day we were there, but starting the next day, they entered into a winning streak that just won't quit!  I promise not to go to another game (clearly they lose if I am there) until the streak is broken (by someone OTHER than ME).

 My sister came to visit, and one of the reasons (besides that she LOVES me) was for me to design and sew a dress for an upcoming wedding.  The bodice of the dress is this amazing copper colour woven fabric.  I decided to add a cool little clutch purse, and here it is.  The zipper separates the lips, and it eats up whatever you need to bring along!

 I also have taken on the task of "Facebooking" the Office.  We will post news and photos and updates for our patients in what I hope will be a light and amusing way....  This is me at work.

What you may notice is that I have NO knitting to show you.  Part of it is because I hardly have time for knitting (or taking photos of knitting).  I will have some to show you soon. Part is that what I have been knitting (slowly) is a surprise for someone, and I do not want to reveal too early.  When I can reveal, there should be some fun postings.

Stay near.

all free knitting website ERROR

I have been bombarded with emails from knitters,  looking for the pattern to match this photo:


It seems that they linked the pattern to this pattern:

Such confusion.  And to top it off, they re-named the above handspun laceweight scarf, the LILAC MIST SCARF, so the poor readers could not even search my blog for the pattern.  Silly linking.


So to aid those who are hopelessly LOST in my blog, may I please re-direct you to:

Lilac Mist Scarf, aka, handspun laceweight scarf!

Happy knitting!

monkey feet and silk scarves

As well as an awful lot of sewing this week, I have made FOUR sets of monkey slippers.  If you have never made knit, then felt, slippers, this pattern is fun and easy.  
It is a free pattern, once you register with the site.  I made the smallest a couple of stitches smaller and the length an inch shorter.  Then just wash them in hot soapy water until shrunk to size you want.  I hand sewed the non slip sole to the bottoms.  This is good because they are slippery slippers otherwise, and the bottom of the slipper will wear out too quickly without that protection...

 Then I made some new dryer balls. These ones are so pretty with silk fabric embedded into the surface!  In case you have never used dryer balls, they are thrown into the dryer (I use four at a time) with your load, and WITHOUT dryer sheets.  You get no static, as the wool balls bump the clothes apart and reduce static naturally.  You also get about 25% less drying time with most loads, because the wool absorbs some of the moisture.  Just towels seem to need the full drying time for me.  It is easy to find uTube video on how to make these.  I use extra felting wool, rolled into a tennis ball size ball, then cover with merino roving, and silk fabric, and mohair yarns.  Place in panty hose, tie off, and wash in full speed hot soapy washing machine.  One or two cycles works!

 And here are the newest nuno-felt scarves.  I rescued several vintage silk saris from India, and used pieces from at least three different fabrics to build a new silk and wool fabric that is crinkly and shiny and amazing.

 bits of wool, yarn, and silk fibres, and laid out on the patchwork of sari silk.

 Navy, red and orange pops.

 Close up of wool, yarn, and silk fibres.

 Tan, burgundy, black.

 shimmering silk and wools

 Brights.

These scarves are so light weight and one of a kind.  Way better in person.  About five feet long, and 18 inches wide, they can be a shoulder wrap, or circled around the neck as a cowl.  This item can be used year round!