Flutterby Patch

The woolly blog-trotting begins (blog 1)

Great excitement here in woolly land. Three of the Flutterby flock are packing their bags and preparing to go blog-trotting.

 
Chalky is using a little woolly hat to carry his travelling essentials.

 
Charcoal has his things in a red and white knitted hankie tied to a stick, 

and Lilac is kindly lending Rose her lurex bag. Lilac isn't travelling with the others, she prefers to remain at home and guard the flowers (especially the yellow ones).

Blogland is a huge place, but the woolly threesome seem undaunted by the trip. Looking at the map most places seem to be just a hop, skip and jump away.

Their first visit will be to America where fabulous Fred with his beautiful curly coat is waiting to greet them at Ivory Blush Roses. Rose the sheep is looking forward to seeing the lovely crazy quilting done by Fred's creator Lisa. Do take a look at these little works of art whilst you are visiting.

What fun! Where will be next?

* Don't forget, if you knit a little sheep using my pattern and picture it on your blog let me know as soon as you can. The Flutterby flock plan to visit just 10 blogs before coming home and would love to drop by and see their woolly cousins during their tour.

Until next time,
Eli

Sunshine yellows

The sun might not be shining all the time but the garden at the moment is full of warm sunny yellows that brighten even the dullest days. 

I knitted a little mauve sheep yesterday and intended to name her 'Lilac'. But with so many yellow blooms around the garden I have made her a tiny coat with flowers to match the yellow pimpernel plant which seems to be her favourite food.

A stroll around the garden and there is no escaping yellow azaleas, many of which are richly perfumed.

The garish tangerines are softened by the mellower butters and creams.

Follow any grassy path and you'll find more sunny shades.

It can be difficult to walk along the narrow paths but as soon as the azaleas have faded everything will get a good prune.

And as for Lilac the lamb... I think she's eaten her fill of yellow flowers for one day don't you!

If you knit a little sheep using the pattern in my sidebar, and post a picture of it on your blog, I'd love to see it. Just let me know and I will put a link to it in my next post.

Until next time,
Eli

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