Strawberry Knitting Pattern and Yarn Along

I have been wanting to knit a little strawberry for ages!
So here it is, knitted from yarn scraps, I have knitted it in the magic loop technique, or DPNs would work just as well too:)

Materials:
Red and green oddments of yarn
4mm circular needles
Merino stuffing
Sewing up needle
4mm DPNs to knit the stalk i-cord

Pattern:
Cast on 4 stitches and join for knitting in the round.
Round 1:Knit
Round 2: Kfb all stitches. (8 stitches)
Round 3: Kfb all stitches. (16 stitches)
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: (Knit 2, kfb) across the round, knit 1. (21 stitches)
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: Knit
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: (Knit 2, knit 2 together) across the round, knit 1 on the end. (16 stitches)
Round 10: Knit.
Round 11: (Knit 2, knit 2 together) across the round. (12 stitches)
Round 12: Knit
Round 13: (Knit 1, knit 2 together) across the round. (8 stitches)
Round 14: Knit
Start stuffing your strawberry now.
Round 15: (Knit 1, knit 2 together) across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end. (6 stitches)
Cut thread, thread needle and put stitches on the sewing needle, make sure you have stuffed the strawberry sufficiently, pull the stitches tight.
Finish off.
Sew in any ends.

Green Top:
Cast on 4 stitches, join for knitting in the round.
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: kfb into all stitches. (8 stitches)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: kfb all  stitches. (16 stitches)
Round 5: Knit
Round 6: (Knit 1, kfb) across the round. (24 stitches)
Round 7: Knit 3, ***turn, purl 3, turn, knit 1, knit 2 together, turn, purl 2 together, turn, put the first stitch from the left needle over onto the right needle.
Pick up 2 stitches along the left side of the knitting on the right needle.
Cast them off by knitting them across onto the right needle one by one and passing the right stitch over each knitted stitch.
Place the right needle's stitch on the left needle and knit 2 stitches together, knit 2.***
Knit from *** to ***

Continue to knit this way until all the stitches have been knitted.
Cast off the last 2 stitches down the side of the little leaf, finish off and sew in ends.

The strawberry and its green fringed cap.

Sew the green cap onto the strawberry.
With 2 double pointed size 4mm needles, pick up 2 stitches on the top of the green cap and knit a small i-cord for a stalk.

This pattern is for personal use only.

Joining in today with Ginny's Yarn Along.

Enjoy!
Linda

A New Pattern for a Dolphin called Sifiso and a Giveaway

I had some time this morning to take out my knitting needles and knit a new pattern I've been thinking about. Richard took the boys to visit their sisters at a scout camp that they are attending for the weekend. It's called Kon-tiki, there are over 800 scouts attending this camp and they are building water rafts, it is amazing to see!

So, I poured a cup of tea, took out my trusty iPad and started knitting and typing.

Some dolphin facts:
Dolphins aren't fish, they are mammals, warm blooded, give birth to live young and feed their calves milk. They breathe air through a blow hole on the top of their body unlike fish who have gills on the sides of their neck area. Dolphins are very social and swim together in large groups called pods. They are very intelligent creatures.

I have named this dolphin Sifiso, translated from the Zulu language, it means 'Hope'.

His body is knitted in 1 piece and the flippers and fin are knitted separately and sewn on.
The eyes are needle felted on with a felting needle and fleece or you could sew them on with yarn and a needle. He measures 7 inches from his snout to the end of his tail, and he is 4 inches tall.

You can find his pattern in my Etsy shop.

I will be giving away 1 dolphin pattern to 1 blog reader, just leave a comment if you would like to win his pattern. I will announce the winner here on Monday:)


Congratulations to:

K May 27, 2012 7:06 PM

Would I like it? Ha! Does a fish like water? Does a dolphin love to jump? He's beautiful. BEAUTIFUL.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Linda

Christmas Gnome Pattern and a Giveaway

This is the surprise pattern that I have been working on, a Christmas gnome. He could actually be any gnome really, Spring, Autumn etc.. just knit him in a different colour and there you go! I have knitted him in a hand spun chunky wool and he measures 11.5 inches tall. I have knitted him for a pattern and to take up residence on our mantelpiece during Christmas, (that is if Kye doesn't whisk him away, he really loves this gnome:)

I have added this Christmas Gnome pattern to my shop too:)

He is knitted on size 4mm circular and double pointed needles. This pattern is knitted in the round with decreasing and increasing. You could knit in the Magic Loop or use DPNs. I have also knitted with i-cords.

He can either have a needle felted beard or none at all, the choice is yours:)

AND if there is ever anything you don't understand in any of my patterns, you can just email me right away and we will work it out together:)

As always, I will be giving a few patterns away.

If you would like to win a Christmas Gnome Pattern, just leave a comment below.

If you are reading this in a reader, please go to Natural Suburbia and leave a comment at the end of the post so that the random generator can pick up your comment entry:)

The winner will be chosen on the 7th of December.

Winner!

Congratulations to:

Charlotte said...

love the beard .... it fits him perfectly!
November 28, 2011 10:05 PM

I have emailed off your pattern Charlotte:)

Natural Wool Dyeing with Rooibos Tea

I have been needing to dye up some Rooibos Tea Merino wool for a Labrador dog that I am going to knit for someone and I thought I would share the process with you. Dyeing wool is such fun and I enjoy natural dyeing because I am using something from nature and that makes it very special to me. 

So here we go, just grab some wool and tea and we are off...:)

Materials:

Some  Rooibos tea bags, I used about 6

100 grams / 3.5 ounces of wool

Vinegar

First I soaked my wool in some warm water and added a little liquid soap, I left that to soak overnight and then the following day, I squeezed the water out of the wool and placed it in another basin of water and added some vinegar, this helps the colour to stick to the wool. I left the wool in the vinegar water for about an hour.

On the stove, I heated up enough water to cover the wool (once added, not yet) and added the tea bags, brought the water to the boil and let it simmer to release the tea from the bags. Once the water was a lovely rich tea colour and had cooled down quite a lot, I squeezed the water out of the wool in the vinegar solution and added the skeins to the pot. You can remove your tea bags if you wish, but I always leave mine in the dye pot. I slowly heated the dye bath until it was very hot but not boiling and then I turned it down to simmer for about an hour or so. I removed the pot from the stove and allowed it to cool, I usually leave my wool in the dye bath for a few hours and then remove the wool from the pot and place it in a basin of water to rinse out the remaining tea. Keep rinsing the wool until the water runs clear and then hang up to dry.

And there you have it, lovely golden Rooibos tea skeins of wool! Such fun:)

I had a few extra skeins, so I have added them to my shop:) The wool is DK and can be knitted with 4mm / 6 US needles.
Happy dyeing,
xo
Linda

Fried Egg Knitting Pattern, Tutorial and Backwards Loop Cast On Technique

Today I thought I would knit a pattern involving food, just a quick little fried egg... It really doesn't take long at all and can be used for so many things, as decor or in a play kitchen etc... I have just used scraps of natural and yellow wool for this project and I thought it would also be fun to learn a new cast on technique at the same time or you can cast on the regular way if you like:) I have used the backwards loop cast on and you won't believe how easy it is to do.

Pincushion!!

This was a suggestion by Linda from Dallas, thank you Linda, I think this little fried egg could be a sweet pincushion too:) (I am also taking part in the pincusion swap over on Shannon's blog.)

Materials:
Scraps of natural and yellow wool
4mm / 6 US straight needles
Wool sewing up needle
Fleece for stuffing the egg yolk
Backwards Loop Cast On Technique: (You can either cast on this way or the regular way, but I thought it would be nice to learn a new technique).

Attach your wool to your needle.

Hold the needle in your right hand and the wool in your left hand.

Make a little twist with the wool so that you have a loop.

Place the loop on the needle.

Pull tight.

And there you have it, the backwards loop cast on:) Can you believe how easy that was??? You just keep on adding loops to the needle for the amount of stitches you will need for a particular project.
Pattern for the Egg White:
Cast on 8 stitches with the backwards loop cast on technique or the regular way.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (10 stitches)
Row 3: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (12 stitches)
Row 4: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (14 stitches)
Row 5: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (16 stitches)
Row 6: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (18 stitches)
Row 7: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (20 stitches)
Rows 8-13: Knit
Row 14: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end of the row. (21 stitches)
Row 15: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end of the row. (22 stitches)
Rows 16- 20: Knit
Row 21: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (21 stitches)
Row 22: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (20 stitches)
Rows 23 to 27: Knit
Row 28: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (18 stitches)
Row 29: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (16 stitches)
Row 30: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (14 stitches)
Row 31: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (12 stitches)
Row 32: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (10 stitches)
Row 33: Cast off 2 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (8 stitches)
Row 34: Knit
Cast off

Egg White...

Egg Yolk Pattern:

Cast on 4 stitches
Row 1: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end of the row. (5 stitches)
Row 2: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end of the row. (6 stitches)
Row 3: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end of the row. (7 stitches)
Row 4: Cast on 1 stitch, knit to the end on the row.(8 stitches)
Rows 5-8: Knit
Row 9: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (7stitches)
Row 10: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (6 stitches)
Row 11: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (5 stitches)
Row 12: Knit 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row. (4 stitches)
Cast off

Egg white and egg yolk...

Place the egg yolk on the centre of the egg white and sew onto the top of the egg white.

Leave a small opening in the yolk and stuff with fleece... Sew the opening closed.
Sew in all the ends.

You are finished!

Ta-da! One fried egg:)
I hope you enjoy this little pattern.
xo
Linda
Please note, this pattern is for personal use only.

Spring Nature Table

Kye has been enjoying playing with his tree house table so I thought it would be a good time to set up our Spring nature table. I have moved it into our library, this is the busiest room in our home... Now we will be able to see this sweet little scene each day and if we go on nature walks we can add small treasures to it too:)

We made this tree house stand a few years ago with some pruned branches and thick ply wood, it really is easy to put together. Just cut three bases for your levels, the lowest being the biggest and make them smaller as you go up. Cut with a scroll saw or a jig saw, nail the little branches through the levels and that is that...

Wishing everyone a lovely week ahead...
xo
Linda

Metal Santa Boot Christmas Card Holder Tutorial

I know it's only September and Christmas is only in December, but to me that feels soon, so often I think I have plenty of time and then I realise it is way too late to make all my handmade gifts for the festive season... so I thought I would make an early start and begin making my Christmas gifts and decorations and share the tutorials here with you. 

Today I thought I would make a Christmas card holder out of a piece of old metal wire that we had lying around with no purpose. I took this piece of wire and made it into a Santa Boot card holder. You could actually make any shape you like, Christmas tree etc.. and this can be used for any occasion even a birthday card holder. So just have fun making shapes and then adding the little coils to hold the cards...

Materials:
All I needed was some re-purposed wire and a pair of pliers. I also added a sweet little Christmas themed ribbon to the top of the boot so that it can hang.

Shape your wire into a boot shape and fasten by twisting the wire around and around until it is secure.

Using your pliers, roll these little coils from small pieces of wire.

Attach the little coils to the boot by using your pliers and winding the end of the coil around the boot wire.

Your boot with the coils attached, you can add as many as you like.

Such a simple craft, but I am so pleased with it...

Stick your cards into the coils and you are finished, then hang it up for all to see...

Happy Monday:)
xo
Linda

Cherry Knitting Pattern

This is a pattern that I designed for the wonderful Rhythm of the Home online magazine a few months ago and I would like to share it here today:) Rhythm of the Home went live today with their Autumn edition of their magazine, it is amazing, you must pop over and have a look.

Enjoy the cherry pattern...

Materials:

Hand spun yarn in red and green

Merino fleece for stuffing

Wool needle for sewing up

Size 4.5 mm circular needles

2 Double pointed needles

Pattern:
Cast on 4 stitches and join for knitting in the round with the magic loop technique or you could also knit with double pointed needles in the round.

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit into the front and back of each stitch. (8 stitches)

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: Knit into the front and back of each stitch. (16 stitches)

Rows 5-8: Knit

Row 9: Knit 2 stitches together across the round. (8 stitches)

(Start to add the stuffing now so that when you are ready to cast off, your cherry is full of fleece).

Row 10: Knit

Leave a long thread of yarn, cut the thread and thread it onto the wool needle. Thread the wool needle through the remaining stitches, stuff your cherry firmly with fleece, pull tight and finish off.

Stem I-cord Pattern:

Pick up 2 stitches from the top of the cherry with the double pointed needle and join the green yarn.

Knit an I-cord for 16 rows, cast off and sew in the ends neatly.

Knit a second cherry with an I-cord.

Leaf Pattern:

Cast on 3 stitches

Row 1: Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch

Row 2: Knit into the front and the back of the first stitch, purl 1, knit into the front and back of the last stitch. (5 stitches)

Row 3: Knit 2 stitches, purl 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches.

Row 4: Knit

Row 5: Knit 2 stitches, purl 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches.

Row 6: Purl 2 stitches, knit 1 stitch, purl 2 stitches.

Row 7: Knit 2 stitches together, purl 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together. (3 stitches)

Row 8: Knit 2 stitches together, purl 1 stitch. (2 stitches)

Row 9: Knit 2 stitches together.

Bind off

Finishing off:

Sew the top of the cherry stems together and then sew on the leaf halfway down the stems.

You are finished :)

See you all tomorrow for Creative Friday...
xo
Linda

Butternut Squash Knitting Pattern

Today I have been knitting up butternut squash... It was a suggestion from Caiden, he loves butternut soup:) It's an easy and simple little pattern I have knitted with the magic loop, but you can easily knit it up with DPNs in the round as well... I think a few of them knitted up and placed in a bowl would look quite fetching and even displayed on an Autumn / Fall nature table would look quite sweet too... We are venturing into Spring here in the southern hemisphere and we have just finished planting these lovely vegetables, so many varieties of pumpkin and squash, I can't wait to see what they look like...

Materials:

A few grams of handspun butternut squash yarn

Green yarn for the stalk

4mm circular needles or DPNs

Merino fleece

Wool sewing needle

Love:)

Pattern:
Cast on 10 stitches and join for knitting in the round
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Knit into the front and back of each stitch. (20 stitches)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: (Knit 2 stitches, knit into the front and back of the next stitch) all across the round and knit 2 stitches on the end of the round. (26 stitches)
Round 5: Knit
Round 6: (Knit 2 stitches, knit into the front and facb of the next stitch) all across the round and knit 2 stitches on the end of the round. (34 stitches)
Round 7: Knit
Round 8: (Knit 2 stitches, knit into the fron and fack of the next stitch) all across the round and knit 1 stitch on the end of the round. (45 stitches)
Rounds 9-19: Knit
Round 20: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together all across the round) (30 stitches)
Round 21: Knit
Round 22: Knit
Round 23: (Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 stitches together) across the round, knit 2 stitches on the end of the round. (26 stitches)
Round 24: Knit
Round 25: (Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 stitches together across the round) knit 5 stitches on the end of the round. ( 23 stitches)
Rounds 26-31: Knit
Round 32: (Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 stitches together across the round) knit 5 stitches on the end of the round. ( 20 stitches)
Rounds 33-45: Knit
Round 46: (Knit 4 stitches, knit 2 stitches together across the round) knit 2 stitches on the end of the round. (17 stitches)
Round 47: Knit
Round 48: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together across the round) knit 2 stitches on the end of the round. (12 stitches)

Break thread and thread yarn onto a wool needle. Thread the wool needle through the stitches, remove the knitting needles, stuff with fleece, shaping as you go to get the butternut shape. When finish, pull tight and finish off. Sew in the thread at the base of your butternut.

Stem:
Pick up 4 stitches with a double pointed needle and knit an i-cord for an inch or so.
Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together, keep knitting together until you have one stitch left and bind off.

Measurements when finished:
7 inches tall to the top of the stalk, knitted in a handspun yarn.

And there you have it, a finished knitted butternut!
Enjoy:)

Pear Knitting Pattern Tutorial

Pears anyone??

This is my second fruit so far, the knitted pear... I think he looks all peary shaped... I knitted him up this afternoon with a little waste yarn. He is quite a sturdy fellow...

Happy knitting:) 

Materials:
Some green or brown or any pear colour you can think of, I have used spring green hand spun.
Brown yarn for the stalk
4mm circular needles if using Magic Loop and DPNs' if knitting in the round.
Wool needle for sewing in ends.
Fleece for stuffing

Pattern:
Cast on 6 stitches and join for knitting in the round.
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Knit into the front and back of each stitch. (12 stitches)
Round 3: Knit
Round 4: Knit into the front and back of each stitch. (24 stitches)

Round 5: Knit
Round 6: Increase 6 stitches evenly throughout the round. (30 stitches)
Rounds 7-12: Knit
Round 13: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat brackets across round. (20 stitches)
Round 14: Knit
Round 15: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat brackets across round, knit 2 stitches on the end. (14 stitches)

Round16: Knit
Round 17: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat brackets across round, knit 2 stitches on the end. (10 stitches)
Rounds 18-24: Knit
Round 25: (Knit 2 stitches together, knit 1 stitch) repeat brackets across round and knit 2 stitches on the end of the row. (7 stitches)

See below for finishing instructions.

Stuff your pear with fleece until firm while still on the needles.

Break yarn and thread onto the wool needle. Pick up the stitches off the needles onto the wool needle and pull tight. Finish off.

Sew in the ends at the base of the pear. Pick up two stitches with the double pointed needles and attach the brown yarn for the stalk. Knit an i-cord for about an inch and then bind off.

You are finished!
Thanks for visiting:)
xo
Linda

Please note, this pattern is for personal use only.

Kye's Fairy Garden...

Kye has always loved, The Hollyhock Wall by Martin Waddell... It really is the sweetest little book. As soon as he opened his eyes this morning he wanted to know if I had a pot for him to build his garden in. He was inspired to build a fairy garden just like the one he has seen inside this book... This was a project for Richard and Kye, it was so sweet to see them building the garden together. Erin made a bridge from matches, a ribbon was used for a stream, a little house structure was built and plants planted here and there with some moss. Erin also made some people from corks and now they live happily in this fairy garden by our front door.... Kye is the happiest five year old in the world and declared that this was THE best day ever! I will just have to talk very nicely to our 16 chickens and ask them to please not go and scratch in this pot as the fairies live there now:)

Take care...
Linda xo