Ballet Roses Hair Accessory

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A while ago we picked up a little bag of teeny tiny fabric roses and it wasn't until a dreary midweek day off together that the young dancer in the family and I decided that the time had come to put the roses to good use and come up with a new hair accessory for ballet class.

Our original plan was to add a little bit of sparkle with some crystals sewn into the centre of each rose, which we would then sew onto a ribbon, but once we had laid the roses out it was decided that less was more and the crystals were quickly discarded.  I did have sequins waiting in the wings, but my daughter was quite certain that she did not want sparkle...I'll just have to save them for next time!

This was a very simple accessory to make.  We measured and cut the ribbon and laid out the roses ready for sewing.  I was tempted to use a glue gun rather than a needle and thread, but the thought of roses flying everywhere during a pirouette made the decision to use the most sturdy of attachment methods a little easier.

We tried a couple of different arrangements for the roses, while I preferred the graduated approach, my daughter thought higgledy piggledy (my words, not hers) was better and so it was that I sewed the roses in place as per her preference.

I'm very tempted to make my own ribbon roses  after this, maybe not for this style of accessory, but a few larger roses on a hair slide would be quite lovely I think and I might even be allowed to add a bit of sparkle!

Happy dancing

Deb

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Six Percent Whimsy

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I have mentioned on this blog before my dislike of novelty yarns.  My resolve not to purchase them has waned a little lately  with the odd purchase from a "Specials" basket or two.  This week though, I not only had the temptation of a special, but the soulful eyes of a tween to lead me further and further down the path I tried very hard to avoid.  We were in Lincraft you see and they have a little knitted up sample of each wool they sell.   It's pure delight to wander through their yarn section,  and this week as we wandered  we were drawn to the marshmallow like sponginess of "Kushchel Star", it's bobbly sample just crying out to be touched.  The tween looked at me, I looked at her and before I knew it we were at the counter parting with just under $4 for enough yarn to make a scarf.

The label stated the yarn is 94% polyester and 6% PES metallisiert.  I laughed as I told my family I assumed that "PES metallisiert" was German for "Whimsy", when my son decided that Google translate would give us the correct answer.  In fact it gave us no answer at all, so I'm sticking with 6% whimsy as my favoured translation.

I've always been concerned with these yarns that they need to be knitted a particular way to get the desired effect, but I was hopeful that as we'd seen the sample and the needle size was given on the label, it really wouldn't be too terribly difficult to get it right.  The label directed using 10-12mm needles so I started with 12mm and after three attempts decided that I might have to use a needle size that was smaller to enable two knit stitches between each bobble.  So I changed to 7mm, cast on twelve stitches and using garter stitch continued to knit until both my 100g balls of yarn were used.

It only took a few hours of knitting and now that the weather in Melbourne is decidedly Wintry, it was actually a lovely way to spend a cold, rainy day, with a beautiful warm scarf for the tween for my efforts.

I hope the weather is warmer where you are!

Happy knitting 

Deb

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Nordic Sweater

Pin It I am not sure that I could be a contract knitter if knitting for my son is anything to go by.  

After the success of the last cable sweater (you can read about it here), my son asked for another one, only this time he wanted one that was a little plainer.

He decided on a Nordic Knit from Bergere de France which I must admit, I loved.  I have developed a passion for fairisle so I was very pleased.

It is not a free pattern and I purchased it, along with the wool, from Deramores.  The sweater details are also on Ravelry.

However, do you think that I was allowed a respite to knit anything else?  I usually have 2 or even 3 projects on the go at any one time but my single minded son had other ideas.  I had taken to sneakily knitting other things when he was not around.

He kept insisting that, as it was Autumn, he would need it.  As we are going through an unseasonably warm period, I keep insisting I had plenty of time.  

So, the battle continued.  I love the sweater, but like all large projects, sometimes you need to take a break to work on something smaller, brighter, quicker or just change tack into something like a crochet project.  Try as I might, I couldn't convince my son of this.  So the 'sneaky' knitting continued.

Close up of the Nordic star

Like the cabled jumper, I have modified a 'standard' pattern so that it can be knitted in the round.  This method works really well for me.  By the time you get to the shoulders and collar, the jumper is nearly finished, just the sleeves to go.  

These are the modifications that I make to any standard pattern.

• I knit the front and the back at the same time.  I use a different coloured stitch marker to indicate the start of the back and front so I know at any stage which side I am working on.  Sometimes, it is easier to photocopy the pattern to have the front instructions and the back instructions together for easy viewing.
• The increases or decreases for shaping are made one stitch in from the stitch marker and I use the M1 increase which is virtually invisible.  
• Once you reach the decreasing/cast off for the sleeves, I leave the back stitches on the circular needles, pick up standard needles and complete the front.  I keep all all neck stitches live instead of casting off.
• I do not cast off stitches for the shoulder seaming.  I use short row shaping and, once again, keep all my stitches live.  When it comes time to join the shoulder seams, I use the 3 needles cast off for a firm, neat and incredibly secure seam.
• I always knit the sleeves in the round as well with the increasing done in the same manner.

There are a number of patterns available for seamless sweaters knitted from the top down but this method ensures that I can knit any pattern in the round, whether it's top down etc.  I fear I am a little obsessed by seamless knitting.

The shoulder seam stitches and the collar stitches
are kept live on stitch holders.

After knitting the body in the round, I blocked the
 fairisle before joining the shoulders and
adding the collar

Sleeves knitted in the round.

Shoulder seams joined and
collar knitted - waiting for the sleeves.

Once the sweater was finished my son tried it on, alone, in front of the mirror. He does this so I can't see his initial reaction should he be unsure about it.  He was gone quite some time but when he came out, he looked at me, nodded his head and said with a smile, 'I like it - a lot'.  

Thank goodness - it means the end of sneaky knitting.  The sweater was finished some weeks ago and it is only now that the  weather is settling into a more 'winter-like' pattern can the sweater can be worn.  I hate to say 'I told you so'.

Happy knitting,
Louise

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Charity Loom Knit Hats - Sizing Guide

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One of the things I love about Loom Knitting is the speed of construction that takes place upon the loom.  For me, it feels much quicker than knitting with needles and the simple, smaller pieces I've been making while I've been learning to loom knit have given me an enormous sense of satisfaction.  After working my way through loom knitted scarves, socks and bags I did get to the point of thinking that perhaps it was time to tackle hats, work out simple patterns and sizes and then give them to charity at the end, meaning not only that I would be learning something new, but also using up some of my wool stash and doing some good at the same time,  It's a win-win!

As a guide I found the following loom size instructions from Fayme Harper and the approximate sizes for loom knitted hats are:

Baby Hat - 12 peg loom and knit to a length of approx 6 inches (15cm)

Toddler Hat - 16 peg loom  and knit to a length of approx 7.5 inches (19cm)

Older Child Hat - 18 peg loom and knit to a length of approx 8 inches (203cm)

Adult Hat - 22 peg loom and knit to a length of approx 8.5 (23cm)

I have found that if you choose not to use one of the round knifty knitters (or in my case they don't seem to correspond to the peg numbers that Fayme mentioned) then the best way to determine the size is use a tape measure as a guide and then measure the inside of an adjustable or round loom and use the number of pegs that equates to that measurement.  So if you measure the circumference of your head and it is, for example 50cm (approx 20 inches), simply measure the inside of the loom and use the number of pegs that will give you a 50cm circumference.

As a first attempt my 11 year old decided to make the simplest hat of all, no rib, e-stitch and cast off at the end to give a straight top.   I think this is a really sweet hat for kids and can't help but think a couple of tassels or pom poms on the corners would be a great addition, even though my 11 year old is unwilling at this stage to add any adornment.

For a more advanced technique , I like to add a rib brim and to give a very neat finish. After you've knitted your desired number of rib rows, take the first cast on row and place the stitches back on the loom so that they line up with the last row you have knitted.  Pick up the bottom stitch and pull over the peg.  It will give you a perfect sewn in brim, but without any sewing.  It's then a simple case of knitting the desired length and either decreasing at the crown ( as shown in this great video from All Free Knitting ) or simply gather and finish (as demonstrated by mikeyssmail )

Happy charity knitting

Deb 

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Other FitzBirch loom knit projects:

Quick Loom Knit Scarf
Knifty Loom Knit Leg Warmers
Loom Knit Gauntlets
Loom Knit Market Bag
Loom Knit Remote Control Holder
Loom Knit Socks
Charity Knitting
 

The Hope Chest

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Recently, Louise - my sister and fellow blogger - and I were having a conversation about yarn storage and it got me thinking about the well worn trunk that holds the vast majority of my wool.  From the outset, I have to tell you that I'm hopeless at saying no to family furniture, books or nick-nacks.  If I get a call or email asking if I'd like Great Aunt Gertrude's postcard from her holiday in Bournemouth in June of 1927, I will probably say yes (not that I have a Great Aunt Gertrude, but you get my drift).  Along the way though, I've been given some wonderful pieces with beautiful stories behind them and I truly treasure each piece, including the hope chest that stores my wool.

This was given to me by my mother-in-law a few years ago and started life in our household as a toy chest for my daughter when she was very little.  Originally though, it was made for an entirely different purpose.  Handmade as a gift by a young gentleman (my mother in law's father) who had recently proposed to the young lady he was to spend his life with,  this trunk was to store all of the things that they would need for their new home.  

I love thinking of all the household items that would have made their way into the trunk.  Pristine new sheets, saucepans, perhaps a dinner set, napkins and tablecloths, the excitement as each new item was carefully stored away and the thrill of moving day when it was finally unpacked.

While it probably isn't a hugely practical piece for storing my wool, getting something out of the trunk invariably involves removing half the contents and replacing them afterwards; I wouldn't change it for the world.

Happy knitting

Deb

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Mrs Potts Tea Cosy

Pin It A little while ago a friend from work was clearing out her house ready for a big move and asked me if I would like some of her wool.  As if she need ask.  Of course!

The wool was vintage as she had it from when her children were small and they were now all grown and married so I happily added it to my stash.




And there it stayed until I came across a 1940's vintage tea cosy pattern.  It was called the 'Chrysanthemum' tea cosy and I loved the Icord detailing at the top.

The yarn I wanted to use, Moda Vera sentiments did not knit up all that well in rib so I decided on a moss stitch pattern.  It kept the fluffiness I was after.

So, using the picture as inspiration, I came up with a pattern which I have called the 'Mrs Potts Tea Cosy'.  I know it does not look at all like Mrs Potts from the Disney movie but somehow, it reminds me of her and I just can't shake the name.

Materials

1 ball patons bluebell - pink

1 ball Patons bluebell - white

1 ball of Moda Vera Sentiments - Pink

1 ball of sage green.  I used 'Sage' from Bendigo Woollen Mills

1 set 4.00mm knitting needles

1set 4.00mm DPN's

This is a great project for using any scraps of yarn in your stash.  The colour combinations are endless so really, just use what you have.

Pattern

This pattern will fit a 6 cup tea pot.

Cast on 84 stitches 
1st row - K1, P1 to end.
2nd row - P1, K1 to end
Repeat row 1 & 2 once more

5th row - (K1, P1) 2o times.  cast off next 4 stitches and continue in established Moss st pattern to the end.

6th row - P1, K1 until you reach the cast off stitches.  Turn

Continue for 38 more rows.

Join wool to remaining 40 stitches and repeat.

Change to DPN needles (20 stitches per needle)

1st row - K to end and join up so that you are now knitting in the round.

2nd row - decrease (K2tog) at each end of each needle.

Continue row 1 & 2 until 2 stitches remain on each needle.
Thread a yarn needle with the yarn and pull through the remaining stitches   Pull firmly and secure with a stitch or two to hold in place.
Sew the bottom  together and you are all done.

Icord 'Chrysanthemum'

It really is a simple matter of knitting Icord and sewing it into a flower/grouping/shape.  It is entirely up to you.  I knitted about 30cm of each colour and then, rather haphazardly sewed them on the top of the cosy.

Mrs Potts 'Petticoat'

To finish off, I crocheted a little edging along the bottom to help to 'anchor' the cosy and I think it is this feature that makes me think of Mrs Potts.

Using the Rose Pink yarn, slip stich along the bottom edge into each knitted stitch.

Row 2 - Single crochet into each slip stitch.

Row 3 - Chain 5 and then slip stitch into every 2nd opening.

Happy Knitting,

Louise

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More tea cosies from Fitzbirch

Nordic Tea Cosy

Loom Knit Tea Cosy

Button Rose Tea Cosy

Christmas Tea Cosy

Posy Cosy

Musical Wrap

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I always think it's interesting in families that siblings generally have a reputation for certain behaviours or quirks that originate in childhood and can be very difficult to shake.  Of course this doesn't apply to myself, as I've always been perfectly perfect in every way (and if you can hear that roar of laughter as you read this, that will be my parents and siblings getting ready to regale you with tales of times long gone, which I've selectively blocked from my memory!)  

I think now is the time though to tell you that Louise, my sister and co-blogger, comes with a reputation bar none, and it's one that is very much admired in our family.  You see, come Christmas or birthdays her gifts are always divinely wrapped.  In fact when I wrapped this present for my daughter's 12th birthday the reaction before she even opened it was "I don't understand, it is really beautifully wrapped and it's not from Aunty Lou, who could it be from?"  - you see where I'm coming from with this.

Given this stellar reputation that my sister has, I thought I would steal borrow one of her present wrapping ideas from years gone by and use it to garnish the gifts we had purchased for a very musical friend who's thirteenth birthday is fast approaching.




You will need

- Free sheet music downloaded from the web, or copy and paste music from google images into a word document and print.
- Silver trims of any type
- Sticky tape
- Scissors



 
We went for modern styling with our musical wrap, due to the age of the young musician,  but how delightful would it be to print the music on parchment and decorate with an over sized flower made with cream tissue paper?

We simply wrapped our presents, added the trims and everything is ready for the party.  Onsie's are optional  - I know this because  it says so on the invitation.

Happy Birthday Zoe


Deb

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