I created a Ravelry group for those who like to knit for BIG dogs! All are welcome. This is a place to share customizations or good pattern tips and projects for BIG DOGS (you determine what BIG means to you!). I had a difficult time finding patterns for deep chested boxers so I customized this one for our Ellie, but we have a chubby pandemic dog, too, and I see a lot of customization in my future knitting…
I had so much fun altering a basic knit dog sweater pattern for our boxer’s deep chest and long neck. It’s been a while since I knitted this, though, and even though I wrote down the changes, I’m worried I won’t be able to do it again – oh well, the fun is in trying, right?! Learning to enjoy the process as much as the product.
The pattern I based mine from is the Bernat Knit Dog Coat.
If you’re on Ravelry, let’s connect!
One of my resolutions for 2015: spend more time knitting. In several years (years!) of knitting, I have never knitted myself anything but washcloths. Well, that ended Christmas Day 2014. I was able to quickly knit up this gorgeous slate-putty-charcoal-colored squishy 100% baby alpaca yarn (Baby Alpaca Grande from Plymouth Yarn, color 2878) into a super soft and stretchy beanie for me to wear on runs, walks or around the house. I’m cold. I’ve absolutely been wearing this around the house!
I’m so excited about this beanie and having finally knitted something for myself that I am even posting pictures without makeup and after a run. Yep. Au naturel. It’s SUCH a cute hat. And super-soft. I highly recommend this yarn and can’t wait to work up my other 5 skeins into a scarf, mittens, earband, headband, and perhaps even a hat to give away.
If you’re interested in knitting, too, head on over to Ravelry and we can connect! I’m addicted and you should be, too.
I think I need to coin the hashtag #goknitting. I’m SUCH a huge knitting fan. I have never met this client but her website America’s Knitting is a great resource for yarn shops all over the U.S.A. This particular shop has cute sheep and a cute dog!
I love knitting. I love banner ads – so small and easy, right? Well, sometimes the small size can be really constraining. I left the ribbon-like banner at the top of one of the ads so perhaps the white space above would set it apart from other banner ads. Anyway – it’s yarn! What’s not to love?
It’s very difficult to get knitted things, in my opinion, that will fit a small newborn. My babies were all ginormous so this wasn’t an issue for me but as I try to make gifts for friends, it’s been difficult. The neon booties are one of my favorite booties ever but since they are worsted weight yarn (the only bright neon stripes I could find), they fit about a 12 month old. These sweet, minty booties, however, fit a newborn perfectly! I can’t wait to put them on her tiny toes. They are made with 55% wool, 33% microfiber, and 12% cashmere yarn — some of the softest yarn Debbie Bliss has to offer. It was a dream to work with but the ends would split when I tried to tuck in my ends with a darning needle. Nothing problematic, really, just have to be a little careful. The yarn was not easily split, however, while knitting. If you like these, go by my Ravelry page and give them a LIKE! Thanks!
Knitted Neon Mary Janes. Could they get any cuter?! I packaged them up for a baby shower in a plain kraft box, printed a label, and added a ribbon. JUST MY LUCK — I forgot the shower was for a boy. That’s okay, though, because I actually had made these for another baby girl and was using them in a pinch because the shower is today! I might have to just do booties just to keep up with baby shower gifts for church. If you click on the template for the label, it should take you to Flickr where you can download the file as a free printable. If you like these, please give them a “like” on Ravelry.
So way back in late 2008, I created my very first crocheted project: an elephant. The elephant is from Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts Amigurumi by Tomoko Takamori. I didn’t want to bother with switching colors since I was such a newbie and I think he turned out pretty cute anyway! The boys have loved him and he has survived two moves since then. Mostly I get a little teary-eyed at how much Ben looks like a baby then (unfortunately, we still baby him now – consequences of him being our last, I suppose!). It seems to me, in hindsight, I had my act together back then…what happened? Can I blame my current bout of flakiness and lack of energy on two moves. Why, yes, I think I can!
I love this worm scarf pattern so much that I have made several of them. I love mine and wear it all the time! That is why I gifted this scarf to a very kind friend and I hope she loves it as much as I do. I cast on double the stitches this time, however, so this particular scarf is extra-wide. It took twice as much yarn as the original pattern which makes complete sense since it’s only supposed to be 9 stitches wide. Oh well – turned out beautiful if I do say so myself. Yarn: Lumpy Bumpy by Farmhouse Yarns, 99% merino wool and 1% nylon. One of my favorite. yarns. ever.
My very favoritest scarf works up quickly and easily and is a very gratifying gift to give (and equally, if not more, gratifying to keep and wear — oh how selfish I am!). Details on The Worm Scarf, originally created by Julie Weisenberger, can be found on my Ravelry page. It works up most beautifully in Farmhouse Yarn’s Lumpy Bumpy which is a fantastic, textured wool yarn. I first became familiar with it at the Hen House in Spring, Texas, but I’m not sure if they carry that line anymore. The blue scarf pictured above, however, was worked up in a more readily available, less-expensive yarn: Lion Brand Homespun. It is so soft and pretty but I must admit that I love the Lumpy Bumpy wool better (pictured in the Cherry Pie colorway from Farmhouse Yarns).
I was going through a VERY old hard drive on my computer and ran across this batch of ideas for things to knit. This was so long ago that I have completely lost the source of the images to give them credit. I am going to share them here but, please, if you find they are yours, do let me know so I can attribute them correctly and so that many others can find their way to the actual pattern or source for some of these wonderful knitting ideas!
Knitted for Anna Prathipati’s baby girl coming in a couple of weeks. I missed the baby shower today but hope that I can still get it to her in time. I actually started a knitted dress but it is taking hours on end so I had to go back and get this white knitted blanket I had originally started for one (okay, two) of Don’s sisters and never actually got around to finishing. I decided to give it a pink crocheted camo edge and it is really, really cute. I made it at least 1 1/2 years ago and added the edge this morning. I love the Angel Fleece yarn – so soft but I must admit I still prefer wool as a natural fiber but you can’t beat the washability of something like this for babies! Here’s a link to the Ravelry page (be sure to favorite it if you like it!) and here is a link to the photos directly on our flickr account.
The CUTEST (and my first!) newborn baby boy hat and mitts. The hat is a variation of Susan B. Anderson’s “Go Team” hat published on her Spud & Chloe blog this past week. The mitts I made up but they seem to work well. I might try lining those with polarfleece so that the yarns don’t catch tiny, fragile, newborn fingers. More pics of the sweet baby wearing the goods at my Ravelry account. Even more pics at our flickr account.
I used a stretchy yarn that you have to order online (even my local yarn store had only 3 balls and it only came in this tie-dye color so I had to use it – but it turned out cute). It’s called Cascade Fixation and I. Love. This. Yarn. Once you get used to working with it, there’s no problem. This is only my second “real” crochet project ever so I am going easy on myself. The bottoms turned out a little large but when I washed them they did shrink a little bit. The hat turned out perfectly. I think I’m going to try to work it in the round next time so there’s no seam on the back. It is so stretchy and soft — perfect for fitting babies. The pattern can be found in Annie’s Attic Crochet book “Diaper Covers & Caps” #871058. Hook up with me on Ravelry (name: 10cowife) if you make any of these – I’d love to see different color combinations. And if you’ve got the flower on page 18 figured out — please let me know!!!
I love knitting but I’m VERY new to crochet. I crocheted these owl bibs. I did a newborn and a toddler size. I changed the closure for each one and like the closure for the newborn bib best. I put all the details of the project over at my Ravelry page. I don’t have many friends there so if you are on Ravelry, let me know!! These bibs are made of 100% cotton so they are washable and would clean very easily – the same yarn as used in the infamous dishcloths. So durable! But, what I’m wanting to know is this something you would actually use and like to receive or is it 70’s afghan ugly and I’m just too biased because I spent hours making it???