Some more monsters

This year I'm not doing much Christmas Knitting, it's better for my sanity that way, and having just started a new job I'm saving my spoons by only knitting what I want to- so here, have a couple more monster pics. These are more Rebecca Danger monsters, two from her book and one from a US magazine which was sent to me by a generous fellow Raveller.

I love these monsters, they knit up so quickly and have oodles of personality.

Giant Knitting

I've not been on here for a while, mostly thanks to the Beekeepers Quilt which seems to be stealing all my knitting time. But I had to come and post about the fun I'm having with some broom handles...



Yes, those are broom handles with the end whittled to points by my obliging brother. 3 strands of aran weight yarn is making a lovely soft drapey fabric. I'm adding in some cables because it's not challenging enough knitting with 25mm+ needles that are over 1m long :) It's wide enough at 60 stitches to make a blanket for a single bed.

Hard work on the shoulders, so I only managed 12 rows but it knits up so fast I could have a blanket in a week. I started doing this because I found out on Tuesday that I have a new job, and company policy at my old job is to pay you a week's wages in lieu of notice, and kick you out of the office- so surprise time off FTW!

Kitties are happy about this.



Please to be ignoring the state of my house. Surprise time off is NOT an opportunity to do housework.

Beekeeper's quilt

I've been remiss in updating my blog again. And this is why.


It's a knitted quilt made of tiny stuffed hexagons, or 'hexipuffs', and is a great way to use leftover wool. The hexipuffs are positively addictive, so satisfyingly squishy. I am on Puff 93 as of now, and expect to knit about 500 in total.

here is my puffy stash, a few puffs ago. Since taking this picture I have decided I need more neutral coloured puffs, for the sake of my retinas.


Kudos to the creator of this pattern, and I hope she earns enough from this to devote all of her time to creating more amazing patterns. 2462 Ravellers (so far) can't be wrong...

Monster Knits!

Thanks to a wonderfully generous Random Act of Kindness by a fellow Raveller, I am now the proud owner of Rebecca Danger's Big Book of Knitted Monsters. I may be addicted, these are the most satisfying knitted toy patterns I have ever knitted. Here, have some photos:


This is Colin the Canal Monster, who sits in the window and checks the canal for interesting floating rubbish




and these are mother and baby monsters, Leonard the Litterbox Monster (don't ask), and Mandy the Mardy Monster

George Clinton, funkfather

So this is the latest in a series of musical icons (Prince, Frank Zappa, Dolly Parton...) that's becoming a tradition in this house. The only yarn I had which was the right colour for his head was a bit, well, Muppet-y. Then my boyfriend pointed out that if you were going to make a Muppet of any musician, it would be George Clinton. So instead of being a stuffed toy, he became a hand puppet. I am now planning a whole series of hand puppets because George is awesome.

Fairies and dragons and pebbles oh my!

I have been busy since I finished the wedding blanket- the dragon is from a pattern by my Ravelry friend Phoeny, the fairy is for my dancing, fairy-loving, lovely friend Jess (or her daughter more likely) and was improvised.

The pebbles were inspired by (and some made from) Harris Tweed wool (leftovers from weaving). the wool is scratchy in the extreme and very fine, but the colours are beautifully subtle and reminded me of the colours of the pebbles on the beach where I grew up.

BIKE!

My first toy since the afghan. Designed by my Other Half (well, he managed to work out what shape the pieces would need to be) and knitted up in about a week.

Wedding presents and why I haven't been making many toys this year

that is all.

Terrance and... Lewis

Meet Terrance and Lewis. Why anyone wanted to be immortalised as knitted versions of South Park characters I'm not sure, but hey, they turned out pretty cute.

not knitting

So it's not knitting, but I've had these chairs in the house for a year, and the fabric to cover them for about 8 months- finally got around to covering the first one.



Second one should be easier, the pieces are all cut out and ready to go once my hands have recovered.... *collapses*

Danger Cat

Meet Danger Cat. Wandering without fear in the Garden of Weird Creatures.

Just finished the most boring project- all garter stitch and very little in the way of interesting shapes, but I have had a lot of enjoyment thinking how much the recipient is going to love hiding it around the office. Harry Hill's Knitted Character (the original of which is actually crocheted)



Now I think I might have to knit something brain-strainingly complicated. With short rows, kitchener stitch, cables and knitted on 17 DPNs.

And since I haven't posted since January and it's nearly April, have some more project pics.

No 1 Crazy Aunt of a Bag of Crazy Aunts. This has been sent to my Mum to give her advice and support.



And No 2 Crazy Aunt.


A frog in a Man U shirt.


Bagpuss.


And De-Li from Waybuloo

Loved making this one!


Now off to decide what the next project is (in between endlessly knitting squares for a wedding present blanket/afghan)

Knitting notes for Frank Zappa!

Well I typed these up for a fellow Raveller (you know who you are) so thought I should post them here too.

Please note this is far from being a finished 'pattern' but if you can knit on DPNs and have made a toy before I think you should be able to make sense of it. First, here's Frank again:


and here are the notes.


For legs, cast on 4 sts in shoe colour.
inc 1 in every st (8sts)
K1 row
Repeat last 2 rows until 32 sts on needles, dividing between 3 DPNs at whatever stage is easiest for you.

P 1 row for ridge

Continue to knit rounds, decreasing 1 stitch at the same point every 2nd round until 20 sts remain. This forms the flare which end roughly at the knee. Continue to knit for 18 rows.

This completes leg one. Keep these sts on a spare needle and repeat for second leg.

Join both legs with the decreases facing ‘forward’. I really need to read up about how to join two things in the round to make one thing in the round- can’t offer much help there but I managed it first go!

You should now have 40 sts on the needles. K 8 rounds.
Next row K2tog, K9 to end (36 sts)
K 3 rows.
Repeat last 2 rows another 2 times (28 sts).

Change to t-shirt colour and K 2 rows

Worth stuffing the legs at this point, then continuing to stuff as you go.
next shape the ‘chest’ bit. Increase 1 at each side of body for next 4 rounds (36 sts)
K 10 rounds.

Shape shoulders- you need to place the decreases at the sides of the body again, so if your round starts at the centre back, K6, K3tog twice, K12, K3tog twice, K6 (28 sts)
and again- K4, K3tog twice, K8, K3tog twice, K4 (20 sts)

Switch to white and K2 tog all round (10 sts)
Purl 1 row for t-shirt collar
Switch to flesh tone and K 2 rows.

Shape head
next round Inc 1 in every st (20)
next round K1, inc 1 to end (30)
Next round K2, inc1 to end (40 sts)

K 15 rounds. Next 3 rounds finish off the head.
K2, K2tog to end
K1, K2tog to end
K2 tog to end
Break yarn, and using a darning needle run yarn through remaining sts on needle, pull tight and fasten off.

Arms- cast on 8 sts in flesh colour

inc 1 in every st (16 sts)
Divide across 3 DPNs and knit 32 rounds, stuffing as you go.
Switch to t-shirt sleeve colour and K 5 rows.
K2tog to end
fasten off as for head.

Attach arms to shoulders and your doll is done!

I made the hair by cutting short lengths of black yarn and using a crochet hook to attach individual strands.

Nose is a few vertical straight stitches followed by a couple of horizontal ones to make a lovely big nose.

Face was the first one i ever managed to embroider right first time. I will never be able to do it again :(

Frank Zappa

Meet Frank! This was my Xmas present to my other half, who loves Frank Zappa. I was trying to knit him at work at lunchtime so he wouldn't see it, but things got so busy that I only had his awesome flares done by Xmas Eve. So I had to knit a bit in front of him while he guessed (he totally knew it was for him) - he thought it might be a BeeGee from the flares.

Got up 6am Xmas Day to finish his face and hair. He's minimal and needs a guitar but hey...