The Duketer

Here you have it folks, my favourite knit design yet!  It could be because it was inspired by my boys (remember Silas's birth announcement?  This pattern came out of that).  It could be because my sister, Chloe, took pictures of the finished product, and it looks so much better than I could ever make it look.  It could even just be that I'm getting better.  In any case, here's another knitting pattern for those interested.  The model is Mindy's new baby, Samuel, who is just about as cute as can be!  If you're looking for more, go to my Tutorial Tab at the top.

The Duketer

My 4 year old dotingly refers to his little brother as “The Duketer.”  This hat is for him. 

SIZE

Newborn, 3 months, 6 months

MATERIALS

Two colours in any worsted weight yarn to make gauge (I used Fleece Artist Africa, which has now been discontinued) Wool and wool blends would be better suited than cotton, as they stretch more.

1 set of 6 mm (US size 10) double-pointed needles (can use a 16” circular needle until decreases make using the DPN necessary)

Stitch Marker

Tapestry Needle

GAUGE

16 sts/22 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

PATTERN NOTES

2x2 Rib (Worked in the round over a multiple of 4 sts):
Round 1: [K2, p2] to end.
Repeat this round for 2x2 Rib.

I-cord  When working an I-cord you do not turn the work.  Instead, you use double pointed needles, slide all the stitches to the other end of the needle, switch the needle back to your left hand, bring the yarn around the back of the work, and start knitting the stitches again, keeping the yarn quite tight. Repeat this row after row to form the I-cord. 

Use the Stationary Joggless Stripe Technique to make the stripes even. 

DIRECTIONS

Newborn (3 months, 6 months)

CO 52 (60, 64) stitiches in A. Divide stitches between needles

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

Work in 2x2 rib for 5(7, 8) rows.

At this point you will knit every round, switching between colour A and colour B.  You can decide when to switch, but here is how I have done it, the numbers representing the number of rows of each colour.   (For the smaller sizes, once you get to the I-cord, stop the sequence and skip to the i-cord rows at the end.)

5 (7, 8) rib, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 6, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 2, 2, 4, 3, 2, 4, 2, 3,  7 i-cord, 8 i-cord

Row 6-23(29, 34) - After the rib, knit for 18(22, 26) rows, switching between colour A and colour B

Row 24(30, 35) – [K 11(13, 14), K2Tog] around

Row 25 (31, 36) (and every other round) – Knit

Row 26 (32, 37) – [K 10(12, 13), K2Tog] around

Row 28(34, 39) – [K 9(11,12), K2Tog] around

Row 30(36, 41) - [K 8(10, 11), K2Tog] around

Row 32(38, 43) - [K 7(9, 10), K2Tog] around

Row 34(40,45) - [K 6(8, 9), K2Tog] around

Newborn size only:

Row 35-42 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 43 - [K 5, K2Tog] around

Row 44-51 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 52 - [K 4, K2Tog] around

Row 53-60 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 61 - [K 3, K2Tog] around

Row 62-69 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 70 - [K 2, K2Tog] around

Row 71-78 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 79 - [K 1, K2Tog] around

Row 80-87 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 88 – K2Tog around

Row 89 - 103 - Knit an I-cord

Row 101 – K2Tog twice, Cast off

Cut cord, leaving enough length to tie on the pom-pom

3 month size only

Row 42 – [K7, K2Tog] around

Row 44 – [K6, K2Tog] around

Row 45-52 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 53 - [K 5, K2Tog] around

Row 54-61 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 62 - [K 4, K2Tog] around

Row 63-70 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 71 - [K 3, K2Tog] around

Row 72-79 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 80 - [K 2, K2Tog] around

Row 81-88 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 89 - [K 1, K2Tog] around

Row 90-97 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 98 – K2Tog around

Row 99 - 113 - Knit an I-cord

Row 114 – K2Tog twice, Cast off

Cut cord, leaving enough length to tie on the pom-pom

6 month size only

Row 47 – [K8, K2Tog] around

Row 49 – [K7, K2Tog] around

Row 51 – [K6, K2Tog] around

Row 52-59 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 60 - [K 5, K2Tog] around

Row 61-68 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 69 - [K 4, K2Tog] around

Row 70-77 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 78 - [K 3, K2Tog] around

Row 79-86 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 87 - [K 2, K2Tog] around

Row 88-95 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 96 - [K 1, K2Tog] around

Row 97-104 – Knit (8 rows)

Row 105 – K2Tog around

Row 106- 120 - Knit an I-cord

Row 121 – K2Tog twice, Cast off

Cut cord, leaving enough length to tie on the pom-pom

FINISHING

Create a large pom-pom using my tutorial or another method with colour A and B.  Sew the pom-pom onto the end of the i-cord.  Sew in ends. 

Find it on Ravelry here!

Tutorial: A Birthday Shirt

Did you notice the shirt Eli was wearing on his birthday?  Well, let me refresh your memory:

I didn't think he would like it so much, but he wouldn't even put his pirate shirt on because he "loves the shirt that says I'm four."  He wanted to wear it the next day too, but apparently when I made it I forgot that no woman in her right mind would make her four-year-old a white shirt for his birthday, however cool it is?  I should have picked the blue shirt.

The shirt was so easy to make. The t-shirt cost me only $6 at H&M, the fabrics for the applique were just scraps from the Black Apple Dolls I made last year. I am going to make one for Silas's second birthday - I just have to find a plain blue shirt in his size.

Okay, let's get started:


Stuff you need:
- plain t-shirt (beware of white!)
- 2 contrasting fabric scraps
- a lightweight, double sided, fusible interfacing - I use Heat'n Bond Lite
- sewing maching

Take your shirt, fabric and interfacing. You will use a lot less fabric if you cut out your fabric shape and the interfacing first, and then very carefully iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric.  Otherwise you can iron a large square of fabric to the interfacing and then cut the shape out of both.  Because I was using scraps I did it the first way and just trimmed the edges afterward.  So, once you decide which way you want to do it, pick a shape, any shape, and using one fabric, cut that shape out.  My circle was precisely the size of that nice yellow record sitting beside the t-shirt.  You could cut out a star, a square, even a trapezium if it suits your fancy.  Any shape will do.  Out of the second fabric cut a number.  I just drew mine freehand, but you could blow up a number in Word and use it as a stencil.

Peel the paper backing off the interfacing and iron the shape to the centre of your t-shirt.  

 

Using a matching thread and either a applique stitch or a zig-zag stitch, sew along the entire edge of your shape.
Iron your number anywhere onto your t-shirt and sew it onto the t-shirt too.

 And that's it.  You're done.  Your kid will never forget how old they are again (and neither will you)!  Enjoy.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!! - Repurposed Crayon Tutorial

My mom has a Tupperware container stuffed in the craft cupboard full of the remains of eight children's lifetime of crayon collection. 

Eli has an insatiable desire to break things and rip things and melt things.

Put these two factors together, and we came up with the greatest kids craft! Homemade crayons!

While I love to craft myself, I am always looking for crafts that are not parent intensive, but instead kid friendly.  Crafts that Eli can actually do, and that I don't have to take over from him.  This is definitely one of them.

First of all, we dug through all the crayons and picked out any that weren't wrapped - the smaller the better.  Then we started peeling off the wrappers of more crayons.  Eli loved this, as he could pick and rip and peal to his hearts delight.  Then we broke the pealed crayons into smaller pieces, again totally joyous for a three-year-old.  While he snapped them in half, I cut them with some heavy duty kitchen scissors - much less fun, but way more efficient!

Then the boys filled three silicone ice cube trays (Ikea, $1.99!) with the crayon bits.

I wasn't worried about the usefulness of the finished product, so I wasn't worried about one colour going in each mold, but you could make all white, all yellow, all green, etc. crayons.  I liked the way ours turned out just as well.

Then we put the ice cube trays onto a cookie sheet (just in case of spillage!) and put them in the oven for 20 minutes at 250 degrees. Running a hot blow drier over the back of the trays before trying to pop them out made removal much easier.  Especially on the fish and star shapes, which kept breaking.

And voila!  Crayons!

Cute, eh?  And it only cost me the price of the ice cube trays - which I will be able to use again and again.

To be honest, they are cuter than they are functional.  As they melted the pigment settled and the wax rose, so all the colour is on the top of each crayon, and it is pretty messy. I'm not sure how to remedy that in further experiments.  Also, the fish and star molds broke really easily, because they had pretty narrow parts.  The round flowers were fantastic though.  I'd stick with round and more solid shapes if I did it again.

Despite the fact, this was tons of fun, and Eli is so pleased with his crayons. He's been colouring for two days straight, and I love it!

Eli's Chunk Hat

Every time my needles or hooks come out Eli asks when I will knit him a hat.  Poor boy, I make him try on all the hats I make, mostly for girls, and he never gets to keep any of them.  So, tonight I made him a hat of his own.  My favourite part is just the tiny bit of a point at the top.  Eli is getting to be too big for a full on gnome hat, but I sneaked in just a hint of cuteness into this otherwise very "boy" hat! The reason that Eli looks like he's just gotten in a school yard fight is because it's really late, but I really wanted to try the hat on him, so when he whimpered in bed a few minutes ago, instead of quickly getting him back to sleep I made him wake up and model it for me.  Even in his exhaustion he said, "I love it Mommy, especially that it's brown." I love him!

This pattern is ridiculously simple, but I find it nice to follow one, even so.  It could be made even simpler by just switching to a smaller hook and dcing the last few rows even.  But, I added a modified version of Rheatheylia's crocheted ribbing to tighten up the bottom.With a beautiful chunky yarn, this can be completed in just an hour or so. 

Eli's Chunk Hat

SIZE

Child

MATERIALS

Lang Yarns Maxi Tosca (55% Wool, 45% Acrylic; 100 yards per 50g ball) in colour 3989

Crochet Hook US J/6 mm

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

12 sts = 4"; 7 rounds = 4" in dc rounds. 

Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

PATTERN NOTES
dc = double crochet

sc = single crochet

fpdc = front post double crochet

bpdc = back post double crochet

DIRECTIONS

Round 1: Using an adjustable ring, draw up 2 ch; 8 dc into loop; join with a slip st in first dc - 8 sts

Round 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each dc in round; slip st in first dc - 16 sts
Round 3: Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in next dc, [dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc] around; join - 24 sts
Round 4: Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc [dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc] around; join - 32 sts
Round 5: Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc  [dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc] around; join - 40 sts

Round 6: Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc  [dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc] around; join - 48 sts

Round 7: Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc  [dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc] around; join - 56 sts

Round 8-11 - Ch 2, dc in same st as joining, dc around; join - 56 sts

Switch to Size 5.0 mm

Round 12- Ch 1, sc in same st as joining, sc around; join - 56 sts

Round 13 - Ch 2, dc in same st as joing, dc around; join - 56 sts

Round 14-15 - Ch 2, fpdc in first dc, bpdc in next dc, repeat around; join. Fasten off  - 56 sts

Weave in all ends.

Check my project out on Ravelry, or the pattern page here. 

Chunky Monkey Bonnet

One thing I love about crafting: the connection it gives me with Grandmas all over the world. I have yet to meet one I cannot impress with my admiration of their handicrafts.  I once had a wonderful old woman tell me that she never looked at patterns when she knit and crocheted because she could just sit down and figure it out herself.  At that point I didn't understand. I couldn't comprehend what years of knits and purls could add up to.  There was no way I would ever be able to just sit down and come up with anything other than a badly formed washcloth!

Yet, just a few years after really embracing my inner grandma, I am beginning to see her point.  I specialize in hats, often made for small humans, and I've made most of the patterns I've seen and like.  So, my inner artist (and sometimes even my deeply hidden inner mathematician) and I've begun to really enjoy the fine art of pattern making.  If I only had more money, I would probably spend a lot more time doing it.  Unfortunately, after I've knit or crocheted an entire project, even if it isn't quite right, I have a hard time justifying pulling it out and starting all over again, or buying a new skein just to get it right.

One pattern I haven't been able to find is a cute crocheted bonnet.  There are so many cute knit ones, but I wanted one I could whip up super quickly with chunky yarn that was still darling.  I also wanted to try a new stitch, so I added the "Roll Stitch" which I found in an ancient crochet book.  While not perfect, I think the result is pretty darn cute:

Chunky Monkey Easter Bonnet

SIZE

Toddler

MATERIALS

Fleece Artist Big Merino (100% Merino; 136 yards per 125g ball)

Crochet Hook US J/6 mm

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

11 sts = 4"; 7 rows = 4" in dc  

Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

You can use any yarn and hook you choose, just adjust the number of stitches to make the appropriate size bonnet

PATTERN NOTES
dc = double crochet

sc = single crochet

roll = roll stitch: yarn over 10 times, place hook into stitch and draw a loop through.  Yarn over and pull loop through all loops on hook.  Chain 1 to secure.

DIRECTIONS

Chain 45 leaving a long end for seaming.

Row 1: Double crochet in 3^rd chain from hook and in each chain across - 43 dc

Row 2: Chain 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), turn; dc in each stitch across

Row 3-11: Repeat Row 2

Next row: Chain 3; roll stitch in every other stitch across (see pattern notes)

Last row: Chain 1; sc in 1^st stitch and in each st across. DO NOT fasten off

Fold bonnet in half, and using the end from the initial chain, seam up the base chain. Fasten off.

To make ties: Picking up working yarn, chain 30 (away from the bonnet).  Sc in 2^nd chain from hook and in each chain across (back towards bonnet).  Sc evenly across the bottom of the bonnet. Chain 30 once you get to the opposite side of bonnet.  Sc in 2^nd chain from hook and in each chain across.  Fasten off once you reach the bonnet again and weave in all ends.

Wool Balls - a Tutorial!

Little known fact about ME: I know sheep.  That's right, I know enough about sheep to know how to feed them, shear them, even castrate them.  I've worked on two different farms where sheep were one of my responsibilities.  I don't just know sheep, I like sheep. One day I dream of having a little lamb of my own that I will treat nice, and hopefully she will grow beautiful fluffy wool for me to make beautiful things out of.  We will be a good team. 

Until then I have to trust other people to take good care of their sheep so that I can enjoy the fruits of their labours, because I love wool as much as I love sheep. One good thing to do with wool, even if you are not a knitter or a crocheter, is to felt.  Felting is easy, fast, and the products are oh so beautiful.

This week we made wool balls out of wool yarn and roving (carded raw wool, not spun yet.)  We made them to be functional, but they are so gorgeous and fun that they have become toys rather than the drier balls they were intended to be.

Here's how:

Material

-wool scraps (optional, if you happen to have old wool sweaters or anything, this is a good way to repurpose them)

- 100% wool yarn - make sure it is NOT machine washable, as it will not felt

- felting needles (optional for decorations)

- wool roving

- an old nylon

- a washing machine and a load of dirty clothes!

One way to make them cheap and easy is to make the core (or the entire ball) out of yarn, as roving can be hard to come by and tends to be on the pricey side.  Start by wrapping the yarn, very tightly, around two fingers.

Remove your fingers from the yarn and continue wrapping, keeping it quite tight, creating a ball. 

I used this brown yarn as the core, and then switched to brighter colours, so I didn't use as much of the colours I liked.  I covered the core colour completely on some balls, and left some showing on others. Don't be afraid to be creative!

 Once you have a ball of a generous size (it will shrink to 1/2-2/3 it's unfelted size) you can decorate! I used felting needles to secure yarn in different designs directly to my balls. I just laid a contrasting yarn on the ball and poked it with the needle until it was secure.  Once the felting process is done, it will not come off.

Alternatively, you can make the center of your ball out of old wool sweater scraps, or completely out of roving.  This is one that I made from roving, wrapping small strips tightly around themselves. 

With the roving, I used the felting needles again just to make sure it was secure before I felted it. You don't need to do this, as long as you wrap it very tight.

See how the needle has started felting the roving to itself. This ball isn't unraveling anytime soon!

Once you have made as many balls as you want, pull out your old nylon and start stuffing!

Tie a knot, or tie off with a piece of yarn, between each ball. 

Take your yarn sausage to your washing machine and throw it it.  Felting occurs when the fibers are shocked (hot to cold and cold to hot) so wash as hot as you can, with a cold rinse. 

I only washed mine on one hot wash with towels, then dried it with the same load.  You may want to throw yours in a few cycles, just to be sure they felt completely. Once you are done, pull them out, cut them out of the nylon (they may slightly felt to the nylon, so be prepared to spend a few minutes pulling them free) and enjoy!

Pom-Pom Tutorial, and a Winner!

While this may be Simple Simon to some, I had to have a lesson to make the pom-poms for the legwarmers. My sister Alice, who was a true child of the 80's, assured me that I didn't need to buy a special pom-pom maker like the tutorials I found said I did. So... here's the simple, no special tools required, pom-pom tutorial!

First of all, cut a piece of yarn about 8 inches long and place it between your first two fingers (this is easier than trying to shove it through your fingers when they are wrapped up).  Then wrap yarn around the tips of those two fingers. 

I wrapped it around 100 times.

Then take the 8 inch piece of yarn, bring it around the entire bundle of yarn and tie a really tight knot.

You want this to be really, really tight. It helps to have someone put their little finger on it while you tie.  I couldn't take a picture of that, while tying the knot.  Sorry.

Then, after you tie the first knot, wrap it around to the other side and tie another. And then wrap it around again, if you want. This way you know it's really secure.
Then take scissors and cut the loops all the way around.

You'll end up with a super messy looking ball like this.

Then, using the scissors trim your pom-pom until it is nice and round. You basically want to trim all the strands until they are the same length, the length of the shortest ones. This gets messy, so I did it over a plastic bag so I could pick it up and throw it away.

Once it's all trimmed, you will have a darling little pom-pom to use as you wish.  Eli wants to add googly eyes to these and make monsters.  If monsters aren't your thing, thread some yarn through the centre of the pom-pom using a tapestry needle, and then you can sew them to whatever you like! 

There you go.  I really do love these things. I'm making a hat right now that I'm going to add some to.  They'll be cute as well!

Anyway, on to this weeks giveaway winner. Picked again at random, this time by Eli, the winner of the Christmas tags (which, by the way, my sister-in-law Renee said would also be great to use as decorations with current pictures of children - just change them up every year) is.... Shannon Evans... again!  I swear, it isn't rigged.  There were 19 comments made this week. I wrote the numbers 1-19 on evenly sized pieces of paper and Eli picked the one with number 14 on it.  Shannon happened to be the 14th comment of the week.  So, Shannon wins for the second week in a row!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for a sponsored giveaway!  You are so excited, I promise!