Free Friday - Frasier giveaway!

Thanks for the ideas for Christmas knitting - next year I am going to be SO organised! (maybe)
The winner is number 7, that's Jan! I'll gift the pattern to you via Ravelry.

This week Frasier turned 5, so to celebrate I'm having a free friday free for all! The first 10 comments will each get a "Baby Basics" e-book.

So tell me about your pet, or a childhood pet, what they mean to you, how they make your life better.

Frasier is anxious and highly strung (just like his Mum), he is intense, focused and a slave to his self imposed routines, I swear if he was a human he would be Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. He is also loyal, affectionate and loving on his terms.

Housekeeping:

- please include your Ravelry name or your email address (can space it out to avoid spambots)- I will gift the pattern via Ravelry, if you do not belong to Rav I will email the .pdf to you- you may enter even if you have won before


Also, a quick reminder - my first newsletter went out this week, to coincide with the Cherub pattern release, please join up so that you can keep up with the latest releases (and get special subscriber only offers!) I will only send newsletters when I have something important to say, not on a regular basis so you don't have to worry about me clogging your inbox. The sign up box is on the right.

Free Friday - Christmas knitting

thanks to everyone for your entries last week, I think those who have knitted an Aviatrix understand why I am so proud of that little pattern, and now those who haven't have a better understanding too, especially thanks to Jan!

Our random number generated this week is "5" that's Saim24 I'll gift the pattern to you via Ravelry.

Thursday I managed to finish this:

and yesterday I was at the dentist for 5 hours, getting my mercury fillings removed, and the little chips in my front teeth sorted, I do not remember much of it thank goodness, and then I slept on and off until today, so yesterday was not a good day to post to the blog :-)

The pattern giveaway this week is Riverstone, a firm favorite and revamped this year to narrow the wide neckline.

This week's question is not designed to frighten...more to encourage! 

Are you knitting gifts these holidays?? What are you knitting? Who for and why?

I'll start...I would like to think I will knit gifts this year, however that is highly unlikely to happen, so I would like to try and knit this Christmas Deer from Loly Fuertes. If I do not manage to do that then I will try really hard to get at least 5 of these whipped up for the girls (I make them a tree decoration every year) Mochimochi land snowmen

Housekeeping:

- please include your Ravelry name or your email address (can space it out to avoid spambots)- I will gift the pattern via Ravelry, if you do not belong to Rav I will email the .pdf to you- winner (s) are drawn sometime on Friday, this means "Friday afternoon/evening New Zealand time"- the winner (s) are chosen by random number generator (I use this one)- you may enter even if you have won before

Free Friday - have you knitted an aviatrix??

And the winner is number 3 - Curlyde, I'll gift the pattern on Rav.

This week's free pattern is the sweet Nikau hoodie and pants, this pattern has recently been re-written (so if you have purchased a copy in the past and haven't got the update let me know)

So back to that Aviatrix, have you knitted one? If you haven't, you really should. I get asked so often why I have posted this pattern for free, and the reason is always the same - because it is too much fun to charge for!

There are always people who don't see the attraction, yes it is pretty boring when flat, but put it on a child and bam! instant cute.

So have you? tell me about it, will you knit one? or won't you? tell me why ( it's the short rows isn't it...believe me, they are easy once you get the hang of them)

Housekeeping:

- please include your Ravelry name or your email address (can space it out to avoid spambots)
- I will gift the pattern via Ravelry, if you do not belong to Rav I will email the .pdf to you
- winner (s) are drawn sometime on Friday, this means "Friday afternoon/evening New Zealand time"
- the winner (s) are chosen by random number generator (I use this one)
- you may enter even if you have won before

Free Friday - favourite yarn?

this weeks winner is number 3...that's cguard! I'll gift the pattern to you via Ravelry.

Thanks for the great tips everybody, it's amazing how much knowledge you can pick up from other knitters.

This weeks pattern is Henry it is one of my favourites as it it SO quick to knit, and the neckline makes me feel clever. Henry is suitable for boys and girls.

Housekeeping:
- please include your Ravelry name or your email address (can space it out to avoid spambots)
- I will gift the pattern via Ravelry, if you do not belong to Rav I will email the .pdf to you
- winner (s) are drawn sometime on Friday, this means "Friday afternoon/evening New Zealand time"
- the winner (s) are chosen by random number generator (I use this one)
- you may enter even if you have won before

ok, this weeks question...
"if you could only knit with one yarn for the rest of your life, which yarn would you choose?"

I don't mind if the answer is specific e.g. Malabrigo Rios (my current yarn amore) or "worsted wool" just give me an answer and tell me a little bit about why you choose that yarn.

Life keeps on slipping, slipping into the future

bad blogger!

I have had good reasons - spring has sprung in New Zealand - so full of renewed excitement for life, Flash and I sat down and did our 1yr/5 yr plan - this one is a lot tamer than the past couple - looks like we will be staying put for a while. We have chosen to be more grounded - to focus on family and home, we will still travel - but a overseas postings are way down on the list.

I sat in my studio and had a good think about who I am and where I am heading...and then sold 2 of the knitting machines and put the rest in storage, cleared out the yarn I will never use and the books I will never read and put them on Trademe too...from the proceeds I bought a very nice couch (on Trademe) for which the cat will be eternally grateful in that "thank you for buying me such a comfy bed" way, and cleared the clutter (and it isn't just hidden...it is gone!) my current wip (a cardiganised adult version of Kikkie) has been put aside while I whip up some cushions (more info soon) and I'm scouting for just the right rug.

Flash kindly moved the wine fridge and antique spirits collection into the dining room where they belong - giving me even more space, but we are still in negotiations about the tv and lazyboy... still it means we can be together in the evenings, while he watches and I potter, and pottering is how I came up with this cute pincushion...which could also be used as an oversize button (very now) if made smaller.

This started with me wondering how to make a flower pincushion in knitting, then realising that my Aviatrix hat provides the perfect leaping off point.

I am not writing a flash pattern for this - think EZ.

Kina Pincushion

Get some feltable wool, preferably 2 or 3ply and 3mm or 3.25mm needles (fabric needs to be reasonably loose)

(you can use any thickness yarn you like - the flower will be larger or smaller - you can also cast on less sts and work to less sts from the ends to make it smaller)

Cast on 34 sts using a provisonal cast on, then work as follows:

Row 1:(right side) slip the 1st st, knit to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 2: purl to 5 sts from the end, wrap and turn

Row 3: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 4: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 5: knit to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 6: purl to 15 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 7: knit to 10 sts from end, wrap and and turn

Row 8: purl to 10 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 9: knit to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 10: purl to 5 sts from end, wrap and turn

Row 11: knit to end

Row 12: slip the first st, purl to end.

repeat 9 x

graft these sts to cast on sts, close up one end using a running stitch then pulling it tight. Using polyfill stuff the flower firmly, then close the other end. You now have a flattish ball shaped like a Kina (sea urchin)

Felt using your favourite method.

When dry, use embroidery thread to seperate the "petals" start in the centre, then take the thread over and through to the front centre, pull tightly, then take thread back to the back centre at a 180 degree angle to the first, divide the flower into 8 sections, ensuring the thread is pulled tightly each time, then secure firmly and sew a button into the centre to hide the knot.

Aviatrix Baby Helmet

Here is the pattern for those who have not yet joined Ravelry (you know you really should...)

download now

a few notes:

- work more rows at the back for a snugger fit

- thinner yarn smaller hat, thicker yarn bigger hat - adults have made these for themselves!

- 2 buttonholes mean the strap will fit longer

- knit the wraps or don't knit the wraps, I really don't care, it is your preference (btw, I didn't)

New pattern

the free pattern for the Tasman summer tunic (aka swirly dancing dress) is now available on Ravelry or you can download the .pdf from here: download now , it isn't on the website yet - a bit of work to do there and far too much work on my desk right now.

It has beads, pointy decreases and a ruch-able bodice everything your princess needs in a summer dress!

but not forgotten

I think of my blog everyday, sometimes I even write...and then delete...

I have a calendar stuck to the wall in front of my laptop - it's a countdown to something so wonderful, so exciting - but I can't share yet, the calendar lists a lot of hurdles I must jump before I get to the "good thing"

Blaise had a consult with a new (to us) orthopaedic surgeon yesterday, he had a lot of good news (we can see him at Starship hospital until she is 20 years old now - the last time we saw someone was 6 years ago and we were told she could go there until she was 15 then she would have to go to the adult hospital) he spent a lot of time assessing her emotional and mental health as it pertains to her body image and came to the same conclusion as her family "she's cool" he commented "you are probably the shortest 18 year old I have met in a while" and she replied "yes, but I'm cute!" which sums her attitude up nicely.

We are going back to see him in a year, and from the looks of things she will probably need another op, the lumbar curve is at 21 degrees, but the thoracic curve has moved from 38 to 45 over 6 years, Blaise is stoic - we'll do what has to be done and move on.

Vintage is almost over, today is Holly's last day - tomorrow she goes home to Christchurch - sad for us, but exciting for her, now that she has a home of her own there and a brand new neice - Pippa, who was born last weekend (yes, I have knitted her a pink homespun merino Aviatrix (here for non-ravellers), and am half way through a green homespun one)

(some Aviatrix related stats which have me excited - 144 projects, 1236 "loves" and 2151 downloads!)

speaking of free patterns, I'll share my philosophy here:

- I share patterns that I have made for friends or family because they are cute or because I have been asked to, so I usually only include 1 or 2 sizes.

- I do not usually include schematics and sometimes I expect the knitter to make some calculations or find out some information for themselves, unlike most of my "for sale" patterns - which include masses of information.

- I do not re-size or re-write these patterns.

- I do reply to emails and assist knitters with these patterns - as with any of my patterns.

some people think that a free pattern is a good representation of a designer's "for sale" patterns, I can't agree - I do put time and effort into my free patterns, but nowhere near the weeks I put into my "for sale" patterns, if I did all of the things I have listed above I would have to charge - and some designs (like the Aviatrix) are just to cute, and too much fun to knit not to share them.

Bombs away!

the hat patterns are up now - click on the link

Aviatrix

Poppy