Flutterby Patch

Knitted sheep in woolly land

Far away in woolly land live two little knitted sheep.

Chalky is white with a curly coat and Charcoal is black with a grey coat.

One day a fashionable little girl sheep named Rose came to live with them. She wore a beautiful fluffy pink coat and the boys were immediately smitten.

Chalky changed his curly coat for a smart tweedy one and Charcoal sported his glitzy grey number but Rose, in her new rainbow striped poncho, was not impressed.

Charcoal changed his name to 'Bumble-baa' and Chalky changed his to 'Baa-code' but Rose in her flowery coat was not amused.

Poor Chalky and Charcoal, will they ever impress the gorgeous Rose?

 

A bright idea

 
These little characters are very easy to knit and great fun to dress. Let me know if you post a picture of your sheep as Chalky and Charcoal would love to call in during their blog-trotting tour and link to your blog on one of their forthcoming posts. (They will visit just 10 blogs so please let me know ASAP if you'd like a visit)

AROUND THE WORLD IN 10 BLOGS
 
The friends are hoping to find 10 blogs to visit


Pattern for the sheep

I used DK yarn for the head, body, legs and ears and size 2.75 mm needles (US size 2). This finer needle gives the required tighter fabric.

Different yarns vary in the way they knit up but here is the pattern I used. Please adjust if necessary to suit your own requirements. I experimented with stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch, both are suitable, its a matter of personal choice.

Body - Cast on 14 stitches, knit 16 rows. With a large sewing needle take the stitches off onto a length of yarn and draw up. With wrong sides facing stitch the long edges together. You should now have a tube. Turn to the right side, stuff and draw up the open end to make a fat sausage shape.

Legs (knit 4) - Cast on 6 stitches and knit 8 rows. Cast off. Roll up the knitted piece as tightly as you can to form a tiny sausage shape and stitch down the open edge (no stuffing required). Stitch the tops of the legs to the body as shown above.

Head- Cast on 9 stitches and knit 10 rows. Take stitches off onto a sewing needle and draw up. With right side facing (because head is too small to turn inside-out) neatly oversew the long edges together. Lightly stuff the head and gather the open end. To give the head a realistic curved shape push the threaded needle from the nose end through the head and out of the top. Pull until you have the required curved shape then fasten off. Decide which end is better for the nose and stitch the head to the body (see picture above).

Ears (knit 2) - Cast on 3 stitches and knit 2 or 3 rows. Remove stitches onto sewing needle and draw up, this makes the pointed end of the ear. Oversew down the ear to the base and stitch it to the top of the head (see picture above).

Now you can give the sheep a face. I used embroidery floss.

Now comes the fun part...dressing the sheep. You can create different coats from different yarns, in other words anything goes!

I used 3.75 mm (US size 5) to make a soft fabric.

Basic coat- Cast on 10 stitches and knit the required number of rows to wrap over the sheep's back from one side to the other. Cast off. Fold in half and with wrong sides facing. Stitch together the edges at one end to form the back end and a very short seam (about 1cm) at the front. This will fit under the sheep's head. You must leave an opening large enough at this end for the sheep's head to pass through. Turn right side out.

I used a curly boucle yarn for the white coat (garter stitch) and a grey DK for the other coat (moss stitch).

Needless to say there is now friendly rivalry between the boys.
Will they ever win the heart of the lovely Rose?

Have fun knitting your sheep and don't forget to let me know if you feature it on your blog then I can link to it next time I post.

Until next time,
Eli

Knitted daffodil

It's a little bit early to be doing a post for Easter but not too early to be thinking about knitting a little something for the Easter table. So how about a bright yellow daffodil to decorate an egg cosy? I created this pattern several years ago and have used it endlessly ever since (with a few variations along the way).

The pattern is very easy to follow (I don't do difficult). Please note I have written the instructions in a way that 'beginners' should be able to follow. If you are an experienced knitter please don't be put off by the rather lengthy instructions.
 
You will need a small amount of yellow DK yarn, pairs of 3.25 mm and 4 mm needles (US 3 and 6) and a couple of hours to spare.

Start with the centre trumpet. Using 3.25 mm needles (US size 3) cast on 14 stitches. 
Row 1: purl
Row 2: knit
Row 3: purl 
Row 4: knit 
Change to 4 mm needles (US size 6). Changing to larger needles gives the trumpet a better shape.
Row 5: purl.

To create a little wavy edge to the trumpet you now need to do a picot edge as follows.
Row 6: Knit 1, (slip 1, knit 1, pass slip stitch over the stitch just knitted). Repeat the instructions in the brackets to the last remaining stitch. Knit 1.
Row 7: Purl 2 stitches then pick up the yarn between stitch 2 and 3, put it on the left hand needle and purl it as a stitch. Purl the next stitch then pick up the yarn before the next sitch and purl. Continue doing this to the end of the row (by picking up these short lengths of yarn between stitches you are replacing the stiches that were lost on the row before). You should now have 14 stitches on your needle.
Row 8: knit
Change to 3.25 mm needles
Row 9: purl
Row 10 knit
Row 11 purl. Break off the yarn leaving a length of about 20 cm (8 in). Remove all the stitches onto this length of yarn ready for drawing up later.

Using a separate length of yarn (not the one threaded through the stitches) stitch together the two short edges of the daffodil trumpet and secure. Now pull the thread that passes through the stitches, draw up and secure tightly. This will form the inside of the trumpet. Fold the trumpet along the picot edge and secure the cast on edge to the back of the daffodil. Don't draw up this edge. (shown above). The trumpet is complete.

You will need 6 petals. I have used a paler yellow for these. They are knitted in garter stitch which will ensure they don't curl.
Using 3.25 mm needles cast on 7 stitches. Work 5 rows. Knit 2 stitches together at the start of the next and every following row until you have 3 stitches remaining. Break yarn 20 cm (8 in) from the work and remove stitches onto a sewing needle. Draw up and fasten off (petal above left). Now draw up the cast on edge and secure to give the petal a nice curled shape (petal above right).

Stitch 3 petals to the back of the trumpet as shown above.

Stitch the remaining 3 petals behind the first 3 petals as shown above.

To make the stamens/stigma for the centre of the flower. Cut a piece of yarn (orange or yellow) 20 cm (8 in) long and wrap round a needle as shown.

Tie 6 knots as shown above.

Thread each tail of yarn through to the back of the daffodil and secure tightly. The bloom is now complete and ready to add to your egg cosy.

As you'll see I've made the trumpet in the centre quite short as I didn't want the bloom to flop forward. A couple of extra rows before and after the picot row will give you a longer trumpet. For the stem I used a green plastic knitting needle which I simply pushed into the back of the flower.

The daffodil together and a white narcissus with an orange centre (knitted same as above) make a pretty corsage. The stems are easily done with green yarn. Cast on 14 stitches. Work in stocking stitch for 2 rows and cast off. The stem will automatically curl showing the back of the stocking stitch. Use this as the right side and stitch together the two long edges to form a stem.

To make a very simple knitted egg cosy use 3.25 mm needles. Cast on 32 stitches. Work 4 rows in garter stitch and 15 rows in stocking stitch. Break yarn and thread stitches onto it. Draw up and secure. Stitch the two short edges together and you have a simple egg cosy.

I found a bulb catalogue a very useful source of daffodil pictures as there are dozens of different shapes and shades to choose from.

Happy daffodil knitting

Until next time
Eli

 

Inspiration from Japan

If you read my last post you might be wondering if I managed to finish the 'little something' I was knitting in clematis coloured wool. Well, yes I did and you'll find out just what it was if you continue reading! But first......
 
These little cuties come from Japan and are known as kokeshi dolls. The first kokeshis were made in the Tohoku region of Northern Japan in the 19th century. Crafted from turned wood they were just a basic head and body with hand painted decoration (you'll see some examples if you follow the link above). Today they are made in all sizes and colours but their shapes have remained fairly simple. 

These cute little ladies always make me smile so I decided to try and knit a little kokeshi style character of my own. And here she is, welcoming visitors to her Japanese garden.

She stands just 6 ins (15cm) tall and is very demure don't you think? You will find knitting instructions at the end of this post.

She and I share a passion for Japanese gardens and we'd like to invite you to take a little stroll with us through the garden that we have put together using pictures from various books.

In we go through a little bamboo gate and up a crunchy gravel path beside a deliciously cool trickling waterfall. 

On towards a peaceful pool where cranes wade beside a little island topped by an ornate stone lantern.

Crossing the wooden bridge we can stop and watch the brightly coloured carp basking in the sunshine.

And finally we arrive at the pavilion. How about some tea, Japanese style?

Tea for two  

In springtime you'll be dazzled by the many coloured azaleas and rhododendrons.

Clematis scrambles

Wisteria dangles

and tall primulas sway in the breeze at the water's edge.

And just look at that pink cherry blossom admiring its own reflection. Who can blame it!

Thank you for taking the time to walk with us through our make believe Japanese garden. We hope you enjoyed your visit. Please call again soon.

Kokeshi doll pattern:

If you'd like to knit a little Japanese style doll like this it is an easy pattern to follow. The basic shape is a tube 54 rows long. I used DK yarn and knitted in stocking stitch.

Using 2.75 mm (US size 2) needles cast on 26 stitches. Knit 10 rows khaki, 5 magenta, 1 black, 11 magenta, 3 black, 6 magenta, 18 flesh colour. Finally knit 2 tog and take off remaining stitches onto a length of yarn ready for drawing up.

To form a tube gather the base of the doll and then stitch the back seam leaving the top open for stuffing. Using a suitable fibre fill, stuff the body firmly (but not so firmly that the stitches are stretched too much). Run a length of flesh coloured yarn through the stitches at the point where the face meets the dress and draw up to form the neck. Secure tightly. Stuff the remaining head then draw up the top and fasten securely. You now have your basic tube (with a neck).

The sleeves - Cast on 12 stitches in khaki, change to magenta and knit 14 rows. DON'T FORGET as you knit these rows you need to shape the bottom edge of each sleeve so decrease one stitch at the end of alternate rows (6 times). Cast off remaining 6 stitches. Knit a second sleeve making sure the shaping is on the opposite edge.

The arms and hands (both identical) - Cast on 5 stitches. Knit 8 rows. Knit 2 tog across the final row and take stitches off onto yarn. Draw up to form the bottom, finger end. Stitch arm/hands flat to the body (tuck edges in a little bit before stitching down to make the arms look more real). Position the sleeves over the arms leaving just the hands protruding.Tuck the sleeve edges under and stitch down.

To give the impression of a wrap-over dress use black stitches around the neck (see photo). I've used lazy daisy stitch for flower decoration round the hem.

The hair is done with long stitches of black yarn which completely cover the flesh coloured head beneath. I popped a little black top-knot on and held it with yarn to match the flowers.

You might prefer to use sewing thread for the features as it is much finer than yarn and will give better results (I used two strands together). The eyes are a single straight stitches in black and the mouth 'v' shaped straight stitches in red. Blushing cheeks are achieved with red pencil crayon.... You now have your own little kokeshi doll and all she needs is her own Japanese style garden!