Oh hey December!...

Hello, hello...

Happy December!  Okay, in honor of all of the beautiful turning leaves I've been enjoying all fall I am going to turn a new one (leaf that is) and refrain from my usual "oh my gosh how did we get here..." patter.  Suffice it to say that I/we have been blessed with the most wonderful string of days, that Vermont gets only more beautiful as I watch her ever changing ways, and that this sabbatical, while not being especially good for my commitment to regular posting, has been good for me and my family in every other way.  It's official.  I love being here as much...no...even more than I thought I would.  I am sorry for falling off the face of the blogosphere, but I know you all understand.  I'm not going to go into the whys and wherefores but let's just say this sabbatical was way overdue and was needed all around.  And it's been good.  Very good.  And I've been a bit distracted by it.  I wish so fervently that each of you are graced with a bit of time and a happy-place of your own.  It's a good thing. 

And so without further ado I offer this collage as a way of taking November (okay and October if truth be told) in hand... 

 As you can see, it's been quite a stitchy time with lots of walks and fresh air and fun thrown in for good measure.

Now...back to the calendar...December 1st!!!...Advent Day One!  If you've been around these parts for a while you may remember this...


The stockings are hung by the window with care.  My advent garland is up and ready to go.  This is a free pattern that I offered a couple of years ago.  You can still get it if you want.  The pattern directions are available here.

Last year I knitted little friends {teeny-tiny friends}, one per day to fill the advent stockings (there is a blog post for each day of advent last year if you're interested).

This year I will be combining all kinds of crafty goodness to fill the stockings.  Because we are away from home we have no ornaments to grace our tree~~so the advent goodies this year will be all about creating decorations.  So what's up for Day 1?  Want to see?...

A little birdy buddy.  The pattern is based on this free pattern from Lucy at Attic 24.  If you haven't checked her blog out then you should definitely scoot on over there.  She has the best crochet tutorials and every day is full of color and enthusiasm in her little corner of the world.  I mean it folks.  I did not crochet at all until I went over there and now I have blankets, snowflakes, garlands, pillows, and no end of trim and flowers and frippery under my belt.  She makes it easy and keeps it fun.

The Details on Birdy~

*Made with Cascade 220 on a F hook (a bit tight I know but it covers all the stuffing that way)
*My bird is only five rows deep as opposed to the pattern's seven.
*I omitted the buttons {the button box is languishing at home sadly}
*I worked the legs with a double strand of yarn, knotted the ends and left a bit to dangle for feet
*The eyes were worked using an extended french knot.  I wrapped the yarn 5 times around the      needle instead of 3 and insterted the needle about a 1/4" away from where the needle came up at the beginning of the stitch.  This creates a little oval shaped eye.

Okay,  there you have it.  Easy peasy!  Off to make more of these little guys now.  I think we will have a whole flock nesting in our tree before all is said and done.

Happy weekend~ing!  Hope it finds you cozy and making merry!

~xox~
alison   

Three Kittens Mittens...

I have another little show and tell.  I recently added the Three Kittens Mittens to my Ravelry and Craftsy stores! 

I had so much fun knitting these little mitts.  I worked them up in three sample sizes...

~Large To Fit Children 8 Up to Adult Small~  

~Medium~To Fit Children 4-6~

and

 ~Small~To Fit Children Ages 2-4~

The inspiration for this pattern came from two different "literary" places—from the nursery rhyme "The Three Little Kittens" and from Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Tom Kitten.  I loved both of these as a child, and my children (especially my cat-loving daughter) grew up loving them as well.  Do you know the rhyme?...

Three little kittens they lost their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear

Our mittens we have lost. What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then you shall have no pie. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens they found their mittens,

And they began to cry, Oh, mother dear, see here, see here,

Our mittens we have found! Put on your mittens, you silly kittens,

And you shall have some pie. 

Purrr, purrr, purrr, 

Oh, let us have some pie.

The three little kittens put on their mittens,

And soon ate up the pie; Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear

Our mittens we have soiled. What! Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!

Then they began to sigh, 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow. 

Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens they washed their mittens,

And hung them out to dry; Oh! mother dear, do you not hear,

Our mittens we have washed! What! Washed your mittens, then you’re good kittens,

But I smell a rat close by. 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.We smell a rat close by.

So fun!  And if you haven't read The Tale of Tom Kitten, I highly recommend it!  We read it so much when our big kids were little that the entire family had it memorized :)

I am offering these mittens at an introductory price of $4.95 (10% off) until March 15, 2012.   You can purchase them through Ravelry or Craftsy.

On a side note...My mom was visiting while I was working on this pattern and we spent our January days chatting, sipping tea, and eating gingerbread while I knitted away on kitten mittens.  It was delightful!...and now she will forever be a part of this patten for me.  Her presence is knitted into them :) This is one of my favorite things about hand knitting, that the people you are with, your location and what's around you becomes a part of the knitting and the finished knitted piece.  Makes me no end of happy.  Have a great weekend!

~xoxo~
alison

Rascal Raccoon Mitts...

Hello friends,
There are some new faces at our house...

Meet Rascal and Rapscallion—raccoon friends to keep fingers toasty warm and put a smile on your face.

I'm very excited to announce that this is my first pattern published for sale for Knitting by Hand.  I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to make this leap. Sometimes you just need to have a friendly face along when embarking upon a new venture. These guys were just right for that.  The patten pdf for these mittens is being offered for $5.50.  You can purchase the pattern by clicking the button below

Here they are with my friend's adorable daughter.  Isn't she the cutest?!  Love that shy smile.

And here, making friends with her equally cute brother...

As you can see, they are already becoming favorites around here.

The details:
Rascal Raccoon Mitts are offered in sizes from 2 years to Adult Small.
These mittens are knitted in Spud and Chloe Fine—a fingering weight yarn that I love—such a joy to knit with this lovely yarn.  They are worked in the round from cuff to fingertips.  The face offers a double layer of knitting to keep chilly fingers warm.  They are a fun, portable little project—my favorite kind—just right for tossing in my bag when I'm on the go.  

More details of this pattern can be found on Craftsy and Ravelry.

Happy knitting and happy weekending everyone!

~alison

So elfish...

Advent Day 7!
Meet Crumpet. He's taking a wee break from toy making to help us decorate the house and get our holiday cheer on.





As you can see he's quite an adventurous little elf...


And I think Crumpet has a rather irreverent sense of humor. I'm not sure what he just said to the lad but apparently it was shocking...



I can tell it'll be all I can do to keep these two out of trouble today :)

Hope your day is happy!
~xox~
alison
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