How I made the Rainbow flowers

Here is how I made the Rainbow flowers for Sunshine & Lollipops.

I made these flowers using Perle cotton threads and because they are rainbow flowers, I picked rainbow colours.

1. First rainbow colour, cast on 6 chain stitches using magic ring cast on. Leave a 10cm tail, cut.
2. Next round, make 6 petals using the different rainbow colours.

Colour 2, in the first stitch, *Chain 2, 1 half double crochet, 3 trebles, 1 half double crochet, Chain 2, slip stitch*

Repeat the * to * for the remaining 5 stitches in the different colours.

Leave at least 15cm tail after each colour

At the last petal, make a slip stitch in the first chain of the first petal. Leave a 20cm tail and bind off.

Now weave in all the tails but leave one cause you might want to stitch it on something else or make a big loop to so you an hang it up somewhere.

Any questions with my pattern, just ask!

Sharing the stitchy rainbow love...

Free amigurumi pattern all published!

What better to do in this wintery weather than more crafting! This weekend I have been busy typing up and editing the pattern for Vinnie the deliriously happy bunny wabbit - an amigurumi and I am happy to say that It's DONE!

I have decided to share this as a free pattern and it can be found at the following places:

Google document
Ravelry pattern store
Craftsy pattern store

Look forward to some feedback but in the meantime back to more sketching, photos editing and patterns writing!

Stitch with Love!

Odie the Blue Bunny - 15 months on...

Thought I would do a "where are they now" on Odie the Blue Bunny amigurumi pattern I published in February 2012...

Odie was my first ever self-published pattern and I am surprised and excited to see the amount of hits he got. I put him on Craftsy and Ravelry, two of the most popular yarn crafting online communities there is.

So 15 months on, here are the stats! 534 downloads from my Craftsy pattern store and 4 projects queued on Ravelry!

These two websites are huge so I definitely didn't expect more than a hand full of hits let alone this type of numbers! I would however like to get some feedback on the pattern as I haven't gotten any yet. So that is my next task/ quest - to connect with people who have made an Odie somewhere in the world...

In the meantime, I am happy to have been able to share something that has brought me so much joy :)

Stitch with Love!

PS - I am pleased to report that the original Odie the Blue Bunny is living happily with a little boy, getting lots of cuddles and sloppy kisses!

Swirl mitts

These are some Olivia inspired mitts using the stitch pattern of the Swirl Hat by Mandie Harrington.

I gave them a wash and used a pair of salad spoons to block them :) rather effective I thought. I just have to some some little hands to try them on. They are 4.5 inches/ approx 11.4cm long and 2.5 inches/ approx 6.4cm wide (2 inches/ 5cm wide at the cuffs). There is some stretch so hopefully will fit a newborn to 3 months old?

Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Zara Print Melange (8 ply), 100% merino
Amount: about 45m (scrap yarn left over from the Swirl Hat
Needles: 3.75mm circular
Method: magic loop, cuff down
You will need to know:
K = knit
P = purl
K2tog = knit two together
K3tog = knit three together
YO = yarn over
3 Needles bind off (KNITfreedom has a great tutorial on this)

1. cast on 32 stitches, join the round
2. K2P2 ribbing in the round for 12 rounds
3. Change to bigger needles (4.5mm)
4. K2, YO, K4, K2tog - in the round, repeat 4 times
5. continue step 4 for 17 rounds or 3.5 inches/ about 9cm
Decrease rounds:
6. K2, YO, K3, K3tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 28 stitches
7. K2, YO, K3, K2tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 28 stitches
8. K2, YO, K2, K3tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 24 stitches
9. K2, YO, K2, K2tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 24 stitches

10. K2, YO, K1, K3tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 20 stitches
11. K2, YO, K1, K2tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 20 stitches

12. K2, YO, K3tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 16 stitches
13. K2tog - in the round, repeat 4 times = 8 stitches
14. 3 needles bind off

15. Wash and block etc etc..

Hope this is useful. If anyone has tried this and found any mistakes or have other suggestions, please let me know.

Happy crafting!

Yay Yay Yay Yay Yay - Odie is now published!!

Yay Yay Yay Yay Yay!! Odie is now published on Ravelry and Craftsy!! Check them out! I am so excited that they are now published.

It took a little longer for Ravelry but the lovely Sarah (aka One Stitch Short) helped me to get it all sorted. Thanks Sarah!

 



YEAH!