How Time Flies!

I can't believe how quickly the past few months have gone, what with the rush of Christmas (with accompanying illness!) and January zooming up!  My smallest child turned 2 at the beginning of January too - it doesn't feel like it's been 2 years since we brought her home from hospital I can tell you!

Anyway during this time I've been busy crafting away and trying to come to grips with my new camera.  Seriously, I need to work out how to take better pictures although the light here has been awful as it's normally overcast and raining...

First up are some granny squares I've made for a charity blanket.  I've done a few more but not taken any pictures yet.  Two lovely women on the Crafts Beautiful forum are organising this and will both turn our squares into blankets.

The next is a picture of my (very small) Nativity.  One of my forum friends (Linda) sent me a pattern book she wasn't using but I only had time to make Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.  Hopefully by this Christmas I will have a few more characters to add.

I was also commissioned by my 6 year old daughter to make her a Santa hat for her school Nativity.  She came out of school one afternoon and asked if I could make it for the following morning!  I was very pleased not only to have the supplies to hand but to actually hook it up in one evening!

Now this is where bad lighting comes in and my lack of ability with a camera.  The above hat is actually purple!!!  I also made one in black for my sister but forgot to take a photo.

The granny triangle is also a gift for my sister (she really like my crochet).  I was attempting to send messages to her whilst doing a square and ended up with a triangle which she quickly suggested I make into a mug rug for her for work.  Once again the colours are not true as the mustard colour is actually green...

And finally here is Tyria the Twilight fairy, knit from patterns in a wonderful book my two boys and their girlfriends bought as part of my Christmas Gift.  It's called Knitted Fairies to Cherish and Charm by Fiona McDonald.  They are so lovely!

Just a few things...

Here are just a few things I've been working on lately.  This cardigan was made for my 1 year old daughter.  I used a Lion Brand free pattern then added a border at the bottom to lengthen it.

This is the hat I designed myself but I still haven't got around to writing up the pattern.  Its on my to do list (the very long to do list!!).

I knit this Sackboy for my 5 year old daughter for Christmas.  The pattern is by Alan Dart and can be found on The Sun newspaper website (sorry too lazy to go searching for the link!).

And finally this is Herman the Monster, knit for my fella to guard his Man Cave (aka his work room).  The pattern is in the Christmas edition of Let's Knit magazine and he was a great stash buster and I was so glad to find a use for some of the eyelash yarn hiding at the bottom of my stash.

Super Easy Toddler Slippers

I wrote this pattern 2 years ago, I can't believe its been that long!  It appears on an old blog of mine which I got out of the habit of updating so I decided to put the pattern here to share too, for personal use only.

I’ve knit these slippers to fit my 2 ½ year old girl whose feet measure 6” from toe to heel.  They are easy to adjust by either increasing or decreasing the amount of rows in the first part of the pattern or the second part after the initial decreases.  As it is they are roomy which will allow for some growth.  They are worked in one piece with the top section once sewn up consisting of a moss stitch panel and the sides and sole in stocking stitch.

Materials

7mm Straight Needles

50g DK Yarn (Held double)

Darning Needle

Optional – anti-slip matting to sew ovals on heel and toe area

Pattern (Knit Two)

Holding yarn double, cast on 22 stitches.

Work the following pattern for 12 rows.

1)    K1, P1, K1,P1, K14, P1, K1, P1, K1

2)    K1, P1, K1, P16, K1, P1, K1

Decrease as follows:

1)    K1, P1, K1,P1, SSK,  K10, K2 tog, P1, K1, P1, K1

2)    K1, P1, K1, P14, K1, P1, K1

3)    K1, P1, K1,P1, SSK,  K8, K2 tog, P1, K1, P1, K1

4)    K1, P1, K1, P12, K1, P1, K1

Continue in pattern as follows:

1)    K1, P1, K1,P1,  K10, P1, K1, P1, K1

2)    K1, P1, K1, P12, K1, P1, K1

Repeat above 2 rows once more.

Decrease for Toe

1)    K1, P1, K1,P1, SSK,  K6, K2 tog, P1, K1, P1, K1

2)    K1, P1, K1, P10, K1, P1, K1

3)    K1, P1, K1,P1, SSK,  K4, K2 tog, P1, K1, P1, K1

4)    K1, P1, K1, P8, K1, P1, K1

Break off yarn, thread through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Fold in half lengthways from toe to heel then sew up back seam, leaving the moss stitch area open.

Sew up front from toe for around 3 inches.

I sewed 2 little pads on the bottom of each slipper cut in ovals from anti-slip matting as we have wooden floors and this has improved the grip.