Lambs, Horses, Chickens and Kitties!

Some good friends of ours have a beautiful hobby farm that we have been able to visit a few times.  It is so beautiful there and the children love it!  It makes us want to get some property and go for it!  There is so much to do and see; Debbie should just invite us when it is chore time :)

Miss Debbie is *so* patient with the kids, explaining in detail everything that goes on.  She has so much energy and is such a lovely person, inside and out.  I want to be like her when I grow up.

The type of sheep that they raise are Dorsets, if I remember correctly.  

There is one black sheep but so far, she has only had pure white lambs!  Maybe her grand-lambs will be black.

Super fun barn kitty that played with the kids.

A lamb to hold!

The lamb peed on Sage.  How thrilling!

Finally I got to hold the lamb too :)

Chicken whisperers...

Collecting eggs.  Willow really isn't fond of the animal smells and mess.  She loves petting them and playing with them, but I know what she is thinking inside :)

Scarlett asked to groom one of the horses.  Feeding them would have to suffice.

This little foal was so much fun to watch as he ran around with his mother.  Very friendly horses!

This is a perfect little farm that has everything to make farming fun!  Definitely one of our favorite places to visit.  Thank you, Debbie, Todd, Crystal & Lincoln!

Spring?!?

I just realized that it has been about 3 months since my last blog post.  Already? Really??  

This Spring has been really busy.  I have been helping The Man with the business and then knitting here and there.  I have a couple of patterns to be released, a few in the works and a few in the planning stages.  

Here are some of the projects I have worked on over the last winter:

"Petiole" By Miriam Pike. I used Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in "Little Black Rain Cloud" & "Marmalade".

As soon as I saw this pattern, I knew that I wanted to make it!  It was fairly simple to knit and quick.  I managed to finish it right as the weather was warming up and will have to get good use out of it next Fall.

As I cleaned out my stash I came across some Three Irish Girls Deliciousness Alpaca and whipped this baby up.  It is super soft and will be for Scarlett or Willow.  I really did wing it and started with the border, picked up sts along the finished border and then worked the rest in garter st with short rows.

Another Blawl!  So easy to knit and is perfect for watching a movie.  I used Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere for the body and Yarn Loves Marianne Dashwood in "Shiny Penny".  I am not sure who this will be for.

A February Baby Sweater in Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in "Ambrosia".  Really lovely to work with; soft & tweedy.  Another gift.

My Mister or Missus Mittens Pattern has been tested, edited and is almost ready to be released! I feel strange releasing it this time of year, so might wait a month or two.  I will also be updating the Mister or Missus Toque pattern to include some written directions for the chart.  

This past Autumn, I made mitered mittens for my sweet sister-in-law and a matching mitered scarf.  I really love how this turned out and want to make a similar one for myself. 

Levi rocks this scarf!!

Happy Knitting!

Kenjin セージ

Kenjin

Sample size 6 months, shown in "Summer Sky", copyright Dream in Color

Description:  Kenjin is a lovely unisex, asymmetrical cardigan that is worked seamlessly, from the bottom up.  It features a slanted rib pattern on the back and front and stockinette stitch sleeves.  

This pattern is available on Ravelry or through Dream in Color for $5.50.

Sizes:  3(6, 12, 18)months & 2(4, 6, 8, 10)years

Rating: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate

Techniques & Stitches Used:  Slanted cable pattern, stockinette stitch, garter stitch, basic increases and decreases

Yarn Requirements:  1 (1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5) skeins Dream in Color Classy with Cashmere - 70% Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon - 210 yds per 4 oz skein

Sample size in 6 years, not sure of the color, but it is a dark teal with almost black patches.

Kenjin means "sage" (セージ) in Japanese.  

I try to name most of my designs after family members, however "Sage", the name of my first son, is a very popular knitting pattern name!  At the time of knitting the sample, my daughter was flying out to Japan (I received the yarn the day she flew out!) and therefore a Japanese name seemed appropriate.

Blawl

I have been knitting, I promise.  It is slow going this winter after knitting my brains out this past Fall.  I have had the pleasure to test knit for Trisha again and I am very excited to share her new pattern, Blawl.

 This blanket/shawl (Blawl; get it?!?) is worked seamlesssly from the center out in a simple stockinette pattern.  It features a pretty, but not fussy, contrasting lace edge.

I used Elann's Baby Cashmere in Cream, Staright Blue & Claret. I have been saving this yarn for just such a project.

I am going to knit another but haven't decided on colors yet.  There is a Knit-A-Long set up on Raverly (membership is free!)  I will definitely participate and I hope you will too :)

This kind of works! 

For a very special little someone, just not sure who yet :)

Blawl Pattern Available on Ravelry

Autumn Road

Autumn Road Tunic

This sample is actually my prototype!  It is close to a size 4 in the pattern and Scarlett is 5.5yrs here, so it doesn't have much ease. It cold comfortably fit a 2 yr old as a little dress.

The sleeves are puffed a lot more in the pattern than in this sample.  They feature sweet little garter stitch ties.

A-line shape, with increases on either side of the front and back sections are fun little details.

The buttons and holes are located on the left front raglan edge.

Description:  “The Autumn Road Tunic was designed with my little girls in mind. They love stripes, lots of colors and fancy details like puffed sleeves and ribbons. This cute little tunic is worked seamlessly and flat, from the neck down and then joined in the round after the buttonholes are worked. It features raglan shaping, gathers along the sleeve caps, and increases along the front and back panels. Sleeves are kept short and are gathered at the cuff where garter stitch ties are worked. The neck edge, hem and cuffs are worked in garter stitch with a contrasting color to add a pop of color. The striping pattern is optional and is great for using smaller amounts of yarn. 
“The Autumn Road Tunic is sure to become a go-to favorite!”

Sizes: 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months & 4, 6, 8, 10 years
Finished Chest:  16[17, 18, 19, 21, 23 25, 26.5, 28]"

Rating: Advanced Beginner

Yarn Requirements:  Sport Weight Yarn; I used Knit Picks Shine Sport in Cream, Hollyberry, Leapfrog, Willow, Sycamore & Hydrangea.  Some of those colors are now discontinued, but they have new ones that are really close.
MC (Cream) - 130[140, 155, 170, 235, 310, 380, 470, 570] yards
CC1 (Hollyberry) - 40[50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120]yards
CC2, 3, 4, 5 - 25[30, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 95, 105] yards each color

• Pattern includes both imperial and metric measurements, schematic, striping layout.
• Stripes are optional;  Check on Ravlery to see all the beautiful variations that my wonderful testers came up with

Available for $5.00 - 

Etta Tunic

Etta - Women's Tunic 
Knit Now Magazine, Issue 18

My sample is in size M, with a finished chest measurement of 40".

This sample and pattern went together so quickly and easily.  No issues!  For once, I didn't have to rip anything out or start over.  I love it when this happens; sweet!  I can't wait to wear this layered over a long sleeved T-shirt; the perfect way to stay warm and toasty :)

My first cover photo!

The pattern model is wearing Etta with 2" of positive ease

India is wearing Etta with 7" of positive ease

Cables are the same on the back, making Etta reversible.

Onto the details:

Description: A cozy, cabled tunic that is worked from the top down, seamlessly with raglan shaping.  Cables are on the front and back.

Sizes: XS -3X

Finished Chest Sizes:     32 [36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56]" / 71[78.5, 86, 96.5, 106.5, 117, 127]cm

Rating: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate

Techniques & Stitches Used:  

• Must be able to read a chart or follow written charted directions\
• Basic Increases & Decreases
• Stockinette stitch, in the round (knit every round)

Yarn Requirements:  Artesano Aran, C969 Ash; 5 (6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9) Skeins

In about 4 months, Etta will be for sale as an individual pattern from my blog & Ravelry Pattern store.