::: eating cinnamon roll bread ::: thanks to Beth
I heart Elizabeth Zimmermann! Her patterns with their indirect directions (if you've ever knit from her writing, you know it's not really an oxymoron) empower a knitter to think through a construction and adapt it as desired.
This sweet little hat fits loosely on a newborn baby! Sweet M will be able to wear this hat all winter (we still have a lot to go, I'm afraid). I tipped the i-cord ties with the rose wool, and I think it makes them look dipped... love-dipped!
The pattern is excellent and it was very fun to knit this crustacean. I didn't even mind all those legs! I think the top shell is my favorite part with its curved rim above the mouth (formed with shortrows) and the bobbles that make him lumpy. Although, the pincher claws are pretty awesome too. I'm so glad I had someone to make this for! He's going to have a good life.
And about me being crabby, actually I think it's just me being tired. After the holidays, the new year brings a bunch of birthdays, resuming the family schedule, and gray days one after another. And once all that busy-ness subsides but the gray remains, I have a tendency to fall into a lull and at the same time keep looking out for a flash of brightness. If there happens to be such a flash, I'll lunge for it (thus the heartfelt tutorial) and then return to that more watchful state. That's where I am now, looking around and seeing some really beautiful light and wondering which direction to go next.
So today I am going to take you step-by-step through making a felt heart pouch. Brace yourself, there are many photos and directions. I hope you like it!
You will need some wool felt and embroidery floss in any colors that please you or your Valentine(s), scissors, a hand-sewing needle, and a heart-shaped pattern.
The pattern I use is 2" wide and just shy of 2" tall. I cut it in the good ol' fold-a-piece-of-paper-in-half-and-cut-half-a-heart-shape way. Once I came up with a heart that was just right, I transferred it onto a piece of cardstock (aka magazine subsciption insert), cut it out, and use it repeatedly.
Using a ball-point pen, trace around the pattern onto the felt twice. Cut out the two felt hearts.
I'm going to show you how my mother taught me to thread a needle a looooong time ago. (If you click on that crazy collage, it will get bigger and be easier to see). Separate out three strands of embroidery floss. Fold the floss over the needle and pinch the floss and needle so you can barely see the folded floss. Slide out the needle. Now slip the eye of the needle over the barely visible fold of floss, and the fold should slide through the eye! Maybe you knew how to do that. That's a bit of Mom Magic that I have never forgotten. A while back, I came across Heather Bailey's brilliant knot technique (scroll down through her sidebar for a tutorial). I had a way I made knots forever before, but now I can't remember it because Heather's way is so great!
Now you can stitch a design on one of the felt hearts, or both if your heart desires. ;) I've done monograms in back-stitch or split-stitch, French-knot sprinkles, sashiko type stitches, chain-stitch flowers.... It is really up to you!
Here's how I make a French knot. Send the threaded needle through the felt where you want a little 3-D dot. Lay the needle flat against the felt and wrap the floss around the needle. In this case, I went around three times, but two or four could also work.
Then carefully point the needle back into the felt very close to where the needle came out in the first place. Tug the floss to snug the wraps around the needle close to the felt. Draw your thread through, keeping an eye on the wraps, maybe use your thumbnail to keep them from going astray. Ta-da!!! A sweet little French knot! Sprinkle them around as you like.
So send the needle backwards under the floss of the first stitch.
Then come to the front and stitch from front to back.
Before you pull the stitch snug, send the needle through the loop the forms. Pull until the loop lays down over the gap between the front and back. Continue in this manner around the heart until you get to the top of the other "hump".
At this point, blanket-stitch only the edge of the front piece.
When you get to the other "hump", send the needle under the very first stich to create the horizontal "laying down" part of the stitch. Now continue with the blanket-stitching on the back piece.
When you come to the other "hump" again, send the needle under the last stitch that joined the front and back.
To secure the end, send the needle under that same stitch once more, but before pulling it snug, put the needle through the loop twice, then tug slowly. A knot will form; again, you may need to guide the knot with your fingernail to keep it from travelling up your thread away from the stitch. Now, slide the needle through a nearby edge of the felt, keeping the needle within the thickness of the felt (not sandwiched between the two pieces), poke the needle out again, and snip the floss close to the felt. This will bury the floss within the felt.
Finally, tuck a token of your affection inside, and you are done! I find these wee dark chocolates at our local food co-op. I vaguely recall finding some milk chocolate pieces too. An old key would be sweet. Or those pewter tokens. A little love note...
I was trying to ease into the Valentine's Day mood, not wanting to rush anyone (including myself) or cause any panic, so I made a few quick heart-type items and sprinkled pictures of them around my spaces here on the internet. Subtle, suggestive, and satisfying! And now that Alison has got me all revved up about hearts and flowers and all things Valentine-y, there's no stopping me! ;) 
So, about the felt hearts... I found this Little Hearts pattern on Ravelry last spring, queued it up, and actually remembered it was there last week! With my Stash-0-Plenty of Cascade 220, I knit up a few; they knit up quickly. Once I stuffed them, Hana and I felted them. They felt so great while we mushed them around, sort of bread dough-like or baby thigh-like, you know? Anyway, I've got the pattern memorized now, and four more are waiting for their turn in the sink. I'm planning to embroider on some of them, but they are so cute plain, that I will try to keep from decorating all of them. I think you should make some too!
I'm going to make some more today, and I'll document the process for a tutorial. The project involves felt, scissors, embroidery floss, a needle, and chocolate! I'm guessing if you're reading here, you love all those things and might want to check it out! I hope you will! See you tomorrow...xoxo
Now, I do not advocate whining, I have a five year old, and she'd be the first to tell you that my hearing is unusually poor if a request is made in whiny-voice. I thought maybe I'd get a chuckle out of Theresa with the whine, but, wow! She sent me a parcel with a colorful, handy Namaste Catalina pouch, a purple Namaste totebag (did you know purple is my fave?), and two skeins of Noro Blossom which is soft and jewel-y and gorgeous! All that, out of the kindness of her heart, her generous heart. Thank you, Theresa. <3
And also from her generous spirit, sprouted the idea of a Magic Yarn Ball Swap a'la Knitalong. The participants (it took me about 20 seconds to join that fun!) were assigned a swap partner, and we each wound a Magic Ball to send. My swap partner, Britt, was so quick! The guidelines for the swap allowed us until January, so my last-minute tendencies found me sending my Magic Ball on Saturday. I had fun hiding items inside, and I hope Britt enjoys it to its very core! Here is the ball I received:
Do you see those very curious bits of paper? I've been dying to find out what's inside this ball, but I've been waiting until I sent her Magic Ball, it only seemed right. I'm planning on casting on for a pair of JCasa fingerless mitts today. Thank you, Britt! <3
Of course, you noticed that delicious pile of flannel goodness that the Magic Ball is perched upon... more generosity! My knitting group recently gathered for our holiday celebration (better late than never), and the Girls rolled my birthday in there too! It's a bunch of Anna Maria Horner flannel from her new Folksy Flannel line and the cherries are from Sandi Henderson's Farmers Market line. I'm looking forward to some happy sewing time and all the comfy-ness this fabric will yield! We're planning a pj pants sew-a-thon sometime soon. :) Thank you, thank you, knitting Girls!
So, about that saying, One good turn deserves another:Theresa, I've sent a wee little something. :)
Britt, your Magic Ball is on its way. :)
Knitting Girls, let's make some pj's! :)
xoxo - Annri
This little guy dreams of an NBA career.
And rock & roll fame.
How else does our fifteen year old wish to celebrate? Ride the city bus downtown after school, eat fun food, play a basketball game, and go out for pizza late. Oh, and chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting for the team and loyal fans, please. No problem. Wishes will be granted!Happy Birthday, dear Koji!!! I love you.
ETA: additional requests: rice balls and a win!
... oh, and Nancy, I did finally get out of my pj's! ;)
I would never argue that anyone has a better color sense than Mother Nature, but I could be convinced that the color folks who dye Malabrigo must have some kind of hot-line to Mother Nature's palettes. I've just started another Lyalya Hoodie in Malabrigo shade Flora. And I often have knitting at my side in the kitchen (what, don't you?). So the yarn was sitting on the counter, waiting patiently while I sauteed, and when I turned around I noticed that some of the fruit in the fruit bowl were nuzzling the yarn. I wasn't surprised and I don't blame them. Grapefruit pink & gold, Honeycrisp red & pink, Orange, well, orange! Totally yummy!
Slipping this bracelet on this morning was just the infusion of cheery color that I was craving! Thank you, Nancy, I love you.
Finished a hat for Molly. She'll need her own Ravelry page soon. ;-)
Built a playgym for the dollhouse kids.
Figured out that you can hopscotch with snowshoes on! Thanks, Aunty!
On the left, a Felicity in the Whales Road colorway (just imagine the whales' journey). I'm hoping that blocking will relax the wool so the hat will fit an adult head. In the meantime, it's super cute on Hana. On the right, another Lyalya Hoodie. Hopefully, this one won't meet the same fate as the first! I used what was left of the Cuarenta colorway with some Teal. It is a great hat pattern and the wool is so soft she never complains of itches. {details on my Ravelry page}
I have been starting projects like crazy. I'm noticing that I get this startitis every mid-winter, once the knitted gifts are all given, usually in January sometime - ahem. Yesterday, I began a pair of Give a Hoot mittens for myself. They're almost done! It is an awesome pattern. I'm using the same Morehouse Farms Merino 3-ply that I used for Dad's leg warmer. Simply cozy!
Here's a pic of the first owl sans button eyes; I really hope the button stash is up to this job. I had to hunt for a while to find my cable needle; it had been a while since cables came off my needles. Someday, I'm going to make this owl-y goodness too!
I hope you're having a cozy weekend. After our re-entry week and getting back to our usual school, work, play schedule I've ended up with a head cold, nothing serious, but enough to keep me quietly knitting. I'm kind of enjoying it. I know you understand.
best - Annri
I knit a leg-warmer for my father, it fit him perfectly, and this makes me so happy I could cry. It is my father's story to tell, but I will condense it thusly:
On the daily menu at Hana's Cafe: for breakfast, a shortstack of pancakes with maple syrup and a pat of butter. Yum. {knitted and felted from this pattern but smaller with Rowan Scottish Tweed DK, free-hand felt syrup & butter}
Then for lunch, a mixed greens salad with carrots, cucumber slices, mushrooms, and peas. Yum. {lettuce & mini carrots with Brown Sheep Nature Spun worsted, cucumbers with Debbie Bliss cotton and Nature Spun worsted, mushrooms & peas were handmade gifts from a friend who knew the party theme, big carrot wet felted with Peace Fleece roving}
Sushi for dinner! Salmon roll, cucumber roll, tuna roll, and salmon roe! Yum. {rice & fish in rolls needle-felted from Peace Fleece roving and wrapped with black nori/felt, little roe pieces wet felted into tiny balls then onto the rice, then wrapped} This sushi is a recent addition to the fare at Hana's cafe, you know, for the more mature chef. ;-)
Dessert! Yea! An oreo-type cookie. Extra-Yum! {amigurumi cookie from Brown Sheep Nature Spun & Cascade 220 and a wee bit of felt & embroidery floss} This cute cookie is really one of Hana's dad's holiday gifts (he's an oreo fiend from way back), but he has "allowed" her to play with it in her kitchen.
