Hoppy Easter!

Little Miss Cleaver and Miss Maggie RabbitUntitled Untitled Untitled Untitled Untitled Untitled Untitled Miss Maggie Rabbit Untitled When the day starts so early, it’s hard to get non-blurry photos of an increasingly active (and expressive!) little one. She’s just on the cusp of toddler-hood these days – walking more than she crawls and understanding things and almost almost talking. But Easter started around 5:30 AM with opening the basket/bucket and a low-key egg hunt with 6 or so eggs placed in highly visible places filled with cereal puffs.

Having put my clothing-making energies into her birthday dress not that long ago, I turned my maker skills to toys this go around. The rabbit is Alicia Paulson’s Miss Maggie Rabbit kit, which was a joy to put together. I misplaced the yarn that came with the kit, so I made the capelet out of some Berroco Vintage DK I had left over from earlier projects. I also dyed a pair of playsilks with Kool-Aid (Mixed Berry blue and 2 packs of Lemon-Lime green), which was quick and fun. Of course, I got totally upstaged by her Memere who showed up with a tricycle! Not that her feet touch the pedals yet, but I imagine they will before too long.

Little Miss Cleaver has become obsessed with belly buttons of late, whether it’s spotting mine and poking and laughing or displaying her own upon request. Onesies are definitely out. So obviously she had to check her new bunny for a belly button.

After some unwelcome snow on Tuesday, the weather seems to be settling into spring. My daffodils are blooming, with tulips coming not too far behind. It means we can go to the park, try out slides for the first time and play in the yard. Now if only we could convince LMC to wear shoes. Right now it's like putting booties on a dog, with much awkwardness and whining.

We’ve already had one happy afternoon with a batch of neighbor kids in the driveway. We’ve got sidewalk chalk and digging tools at the ready.  I’m hoping to get together with our neighbor in the next few weeks to have a raised bed building day. It’s been so long since I’ve had a veggie garden  and I want to get out there and grow some things!

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Introducing: Zienna

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Over a year ago, my cousin was having a baby. I asked what kind of stuffed animal she would like for her little girl. She said something jungle-ly. And so, Zienna was born.

This softie is made for babies.

The high-contrast black and white grabs their attention, but the slightly antique tones of the Berocco Remix yarn, keep it looking classic. The zebra is seamlessly knit from head to tail, meaning that it can stand up to all those babies can dish out. I know my little one is a fan.

The pattern is available from the shop or Ravelry for $5 USD

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Introducing: Bradac

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I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here before that I learned to knit from a teddy bear kit in 2005 and many of the first things I made were another bear, an elephant, and a flying pig. Though I moved on from my initial focus on knitting softies, stuffed animals are still knitting comfort food to me.

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While my usual excuse for knitting an animal is an impending birth, Bradac is just for me. I got the notion in my head to knit a Polar Bear and I went to Purl Diva in search of some yarn. I wanted a slightly off-white, superwash wool and the Lambs Pride worsted from Brown Sheep fit the bill perfectly.

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Named for a college roommate who's fond of the creatures, Bradac is knit seamlessly in the round from nose to tail.  Most details, like the ears, are worked in short rows, while the legs are knit with scrap yarn and then picked up and worked in a similar fashion to an afterthought thumb or heel.

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The bear is stuffed as you go and measures approximately 12 inches from nose to tail and takes 200 yards of worsted weight yarn, plus some additional contrast yarn for the face and scarf.

Bradac is available for purchase for $5.00 USD

or you can queue it up on Ravelry.

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To find out about pattern releases and sales right as they happen, sign up for the mailing list or follow me on Twitter. Sign up for the mailing list by Dec 15th and get access to an exclusive free pattern.

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Seals of Approval

Okay, so I think this weekend's sewing project snags the title of the oddest thing I've sewn in my adult life. CeeCee

Now, when I was a kid I used to take my Grandmother's sewing scraps and use Scotch tape to make outfits for a stuffed bear at her house, but I never imagined that my supervisor at work would ask that I would make a seal bikini, but he did and here we are.

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The swimsuited seal and her bowtied beau are the unofficial mascots for my company. The "Seals of Approval" if you will. You can't say we're without a sense of humor.

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It all started with this photo of the view out of one of our office windows (not mine unfortunately), that I doctored up as joke

and it led to this:

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So, what's the oddest thing you've ever sewed??

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Introducing: Domenic

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To ring in the start of spring, I'd like to introduce my newest pattern, Domenic.

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Domenic was inspired by my little cousin once removed. When I found out he would be soon be joined by a little sibling, I told him I'd like to knit a toy for his little brother or sister and asked him what kind of animal he'd think they'd like. After a little thinking (and a little encouragement from mom) he decided resoundingly - a duck!!

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Domenic is knit in the round from the bottom up and features a short row tail. The wings and beak are picked up from holders and worked using the magic loop technique. Knit seamlessly in a sturdy cotton yarn, Domenic can handle a lot of cuddling and go in the wash.

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The Stats:

Finished Size: 11 inches/ 28 cm tall.

Yarn: (MC)1 skein Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Solids in 18010 Yellow:  200 yd/ 184m per 113g/4 oz skein; 100% Cotton. (CC)1 skein Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Multi in 19605 Creamsicle: 150 yd/ 138m per 85g/3 oz skein; 100% Cotton.

Scraps of black or dark-colored yarn for eyes. Several lengths of scrap yarn

Gauge: 20 sts and  26 rows = 4”/ 10 cm in Stockinette on size 6US/ 4 mm needles.

Needles & Notions: Size 6 US / 4 mm circular needles in 24 and 40 inches. Set of Size 6 US/ 4mm double pointed needles (Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.)

Removable Stitch Markers Tapestry needle Polyester stuffing

Domenic Duck

You can queue up the pattern on Ravelry or you can purchase the pattern here:

$5 USD


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