Christmas Letters

Seeing as it's December tomorrow, I can now reveal one of my Christmas makes.

They are crocheted letters from Melody Griffiths' book 201 Crochet, Blocks, Projects and Ideas. I made a banner for Grace for her birthday with this pattern. They are easy to make and quite addictive once you get started. I am tempted to crochet HO HO HO, but maybe that can wait 'til next year. If I don't stop now I will be doing all the words to 'White Christmas'!
I used Sirdar Click DK and this little lot took about half of a 50g ball. The letters are about 8 or 9 cm tall (3 or 3 1/2 inches).

Happy Birthday would look good as well. Plenty of time for that in the New Year.

Christmas Heart

Every year ( for the last 5 years, anyway) I have embroidered a heart for the Christmas tree. After the first few years it sort of became traditional and so added to the long list of things to do for Christmas. Anyway I have finished this year's heart, which I have decorated with a satin stitch star, outlined in gold thread.

Here are all the hearts so far.

They are beginning to swamp the Christmas tree some what so I might have to think of an alternative way of displaying them.

We are all starting to get excited - December next week - the decorations go up and we start getting giddy - what a wonderful time of the year.

I've decided to put Rona (the crocheted jacket) on hold until after Christmas. It's taking longer than I thought it would (only the back done so far) and I'm not even sure I'm going to like it when it's finished - it's looking a bit like a technicolour dream coat.

What I really want to do is make myself something nice to wear on Christmas day - hopefully I'll find time in the next week or so. I intend to get Lauren finished as soon as possible. I'm designing this myself and at the moment I'm struggling to get the width of the sleeves correct. Oh well, I always say I like a challenge, so I shouldn't complain - I'm just impatient to start my Christmas cardi!!

No Gingerbread House

I've just received an email to say the pattern for Alan Dart's Gingerbread House is out of stock. I was looking forward to making that for Christmas. Never mind - I might go and browse Alan Dart's website to see what other Christmassy patterns there are.

Haven Finished

I managed to get plenty of knitting done over the weekend watching the darts on television. Predictably Phil Taylor won but there were some really good matches. I finished my Haven scarf.

It was really quick to knit and a simple pattern to follow. The pattern is Haven by Kim Hargreaves from Heartfelt. It's knitted up in chunky weight yarn. I used James C. Brett Marble chunky. It took about one and a half 200g balls. Although the yarn is 100% acrylic it is lovely and soft and the colour shading is gorgeous.

The scarf is long and very warm - I do feel the cold so it will get plenty of wear - especially with all this blustery weather we're having at the moment.

Swedish Santa

Funky Santa is now in Swedish, thanks to Cissi who has translated the pattern on her blog. For the Swedish version of the pattern just click here.

Pink Chocolate Bunny

Yes I know I have a long list of things to make and do - and the list is getting ever longer - but I couldn't resist being distracted and making this little bunny.

The pattern is Mint Chocolate Bunny by gnathalie2 at Gnat on the Windshield. I didn't have any mint coloured yarn, but I've plenty of pink! He only took a couple of hours to make and he's my new best friend. He makes me smile whenever I look at him. I'm not sure that he looks a lot like a bunny - more like a monkey with big ears - but he's so cute.

Wooly scarves and cute teddies

During the day I am a hive of activity, working on my secret Christmas makes. But during the evenings, when everyone's home, I'm back working on the usual projects. To make the evenings a little more interesting, I've started a new project! Using yarn leftover from my Paisley jacket (James C. Brett Marble chunky) I'm making a lovely warm scarf.

The pattern is Haven by Kim Hargreaves from Heartfelt. I only started it last night but I'm a quarter of the way through already. It's a nice easy pattern to follow and with The Grand Slam of Darts on the television, I had plenty of time to knit.

At the weekend Eve and I went into Liverpool. She needed to buy a sewing pattern for her project in school and I 'needed' to buy more wool! I didn't go mad - just an assortment of balls for my Christmas projects. I did however spot a great new book, Knitted Bears by Claire Garland.

The bears are so cute, it's all I can do to stop myself forgetting everything else and making them all. I shall have to restrain myself until after Christmas - the list of things to do gets ever longer!!

Lionel Llama

PDF version
Lionel is a very friendly llama. He loves playing with friends high up in the mountains and catching the sun, but best of all he loves eating alfalfa hay – that why he’s so cuddly!

Here is the pattern.

Yarn – Brown DK weight mohair. Small amounts of black and red DK for embroidering face details.
Hooks – 3mm.
Notions – toy stuffing.

PATTERN
(English terms used)
dc (English) = sc (American)

Finished size – approximately 15 cm (6 inches) tall.

Head.
With brown mohair and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc (remember this is equivalent to US sc!) into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, [2 dc into next dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd – 5th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

6th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

7th round : 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

8th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 7 dc, [2 dc into next dc] 2 times, 1 dc into next 8 dc . Sl st into 1st dc. (20 dc)

9th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

10th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into same stitch as chain [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times, 1 dc into next dc. Sl st into 1st dc. (14 dc)

11th round : 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.
Stuff head at this point.

12th round: dc2tog until the opening is closed. Fasten off.


Neck
Starting at base of neck, using brown mohair, chain 12. Join into a loop.
1st round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each chain to end, sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

2nd – 4th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

5th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 4 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (8 dc)

6th round: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

7th round: sl st into 4 dc, 1 dc into next 4 dc. Fasten off.

Sew to head and then stuff.

Ears
With brown mohair chain 3.

1st row: 1 dc into 2nd chain from hook, 1 dc into first chain, turn. (2 dc)

2nd row: 1ch, 1 dc into each dc, turn.

3rd row: dc2tog. Fasten off. Sew to sides of head.

Body.
With brown mohair and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, [2 dc into next dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

4th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 2 dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)

5th round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, 1 dc into next 3 dc, [2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into next 3 dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (30 dc)

6th – 15th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.

16th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 3 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (24 dc)

17th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 2 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (18 dc)

18th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog, 1 dc into next 1 dc] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

Stuff body at this point.

19th round: 1 ch, [dc2tog,] 6 times. Sl st into 1st dc.

20th round: 1ch [dc2tog] 3 times, continue to dc into each stitch working in a spiral for 3 rounds for tail. Fasten off.

Attach neck and head to body.

Legs
With brown mohair and 3 mm hook make 2 chain.

1st round: 6 dc into 2nd chain from hook. Join with a slip st into 1st dc.

2nd round: 1 ch, 2 dc into same stitch as chain, [2 dc into next dc] 5 times. Sl st into 1st dc. (12 dc)

3rd – 9th rounds: 1 ch, 1 dc into each stitch to end, sl st into first dc.
Fasten off. Stuff and attach to body.


With black DK yarn embroider some eyes. With red DK yarn embroider a cute mouth. Give him a light brushing to show off his gorgeous coat.

Being Realistic

On the needles I have two projects - Rona, the crocheted jacket and Lauren, a sweater I'm designing myself.

I have a rough idea of what I want and where I'm going with this, but the pattern will probably evolve as I knit it up.

I would also like to make myself something special to wear at Christmas, maybe Precious by Kim Hargreaves. The Debbie Bliss jacket seems to have lost its appeal at the moment having just finished two cardis/jackets.

I've started my Christmas makes - little decorations and gifts - but the list of what I would like to make keeps growing. I've seen a brilliant leaflet by Alan Dart for a knitted gingerbread house, Christmas tree and gnomes!

-it's now ordered and will hopefully arrive by the end of the week.

In addition, I've got to think up original ideas for our Advent and New Year activities - puzzles and quizzes etc.

I had thought to make a sweater or cardi each for Grace and Eve - but hey! Let's get realistic!

Santa says, less than 7 weeks to Christmas - will I actually get all this done - no way! So I'll leave the cardis and sweaters for after Christmas when they can choose a pattern they like rather than me surprising them with something I think they might like - you know what teenagers are like!

The run up to Christmas is always hectic - self-inflicted of course - I'm over ambitious about what can be achieved - but I love it and wouldn't change it for anything.

I seem to make things worse by creating challenges for myself. Following on swiftly from the badger episode, Eve mentioned this to her friends and one of them said "Can she do llamas?" - Well who could resist?

Eve insisted that I make it pocket-sized as she didn't want a toy llama sticking out of her school bag when she took it in for her friend. The end result isn't exactly pocket-sized, unless you've got big pockets, but it's relatively small and oh so cute.

We've named him Lionel. Pattern to follow.

Now back to the Christmas preps!

Funky Santa

PDF version

Christmas is coming and what better way to anticipate the fun than to make your very own Funky Santa.

Here is a pattern I have just made that I would like to share with you.


I used:
Yarn – Double knitting oddments in pink, red, burgundy, black, beige, yellow and lilac. White boucle yarn - Sirdar Snowflake.
Why be traditional – what interesting colours could you make him in?
Hooks – 3mm and 4.50mm.
Notions – toy stuffing, 3 buttons.

The pattern is available as a free  PDF.

If you pop over to the Ravelry pattern page, here, the pattern is also available  in Danish, Swedish and Dutch.



Watch out! He has his list and he’s checking it twice. I think I’ve been nice – well most of the time!

My first ever socks

I could be a convert to sock-knitting.

These socks were fun to knit. I used a pattern called self-striping socks by freshisle fibers, which was really clear and easy to follow. The yarn is Sirdar crofter double knitting, and I used 3.75mm needles.

They are lovely and snug and finished at a leisurely pace over the weekend.

I didn't bother lining up the stripes on the two socks as they were more of an experiment then anything. I would definitely do this pattern again - socks all round for Christmas?

Talking of Christmas - I can't believe it's November already. Only 52 days to Christmas - I need to get organised. Eve and I tend to get over-excited about Christmas - lots to do, lots to make.

I've already made my Christmas cake, I know what design I'm going to use for my Christmas cards, now I need to start planning what I am going to be knitting and crocheting.

Eve found this great picture on Etsy of a meerkat nativity scene - I love it.

However, I already have two knitted nativity scenes (not meerkats) plus a number of knitted carol-singing mice. I've seen a few interesting patterns on ravelry, so I'll have to explore this further.

The problem is in order to keeps things a secret I won't be able to blog what I'm making until after Christmas - so it may look as though I'm not doing much when in fact I am frantically knitting and crocheting whenever the girls are out of the house.

Something that isn't a secret is a Santa toy I'm creating at the moment - I'll hopefully publish the pattern in the next few days so everyone can share.