Handmade Christmas

Well another one has come and gone! There were dozens of amazing gifts but I thought I would share some of the handmade ones that we got this year.

There is something special about handmade gifts. It is about the time and love that goes into them and the fact that they are one-off things that will never be produced in just the same manner again. I have already shown you my beautiful socks from Sam, so here are a few other gems that graced our Christmas.

Mum "whipped" these hats up for the boys using these charts for the two Stars Wars ones. I am not sure where she got the chart for the Thomas hat but it was originally for a jumper and was modified for the hat. The boys loved them. Bevan wore his for hours even though it was fairly warm.

And just for interest sake, this is what the inside of Thomas looks like. I told Mum not to bother weaving in the ends and I am sure you can see why...

The last item of show and tell is the amazing Gingerbread house that my Brother's partner Patricia put together. She has done these before for us (she assures us that it is essential due to her German heritage) but had declared that she did not have time this year. The German side got the better of her and apparently she put this together Christmas Eve. She then carried it on the tram and train for two hours. Now that is dedication!

The gifts that I made went over well. Sam and Tania told me they loved their project bags and I must confess to being pretty happy myself with how they turned out.

The knitted things for the girls were well received as were the dresses. Tayla put her shrug on and refused to take it off! I have photos but forgot to ask their parents about publishing them. maybe another day. Unfortunately I made Patricia's OSW a little small but I will fix that and send it down to her. Brett and Ant seemed happy with their woollies and Ant was particularly pleased with my last minute ear warmer for Holly - apparently it was just what was needed. Gran seemed to think her washcloth was pretty but I am not sure she realised I made it.

Oh well.....

Quick as a flash Sundresses

I just whipped up these two little sundresses for our Goddaughters this afternoon. Notwithstanding the several rethreadings of the overlocker, they took me half an hour each to make. So quick and easy were they that I decided to do my first ever sewing tutorial (look at me go all crafty before Christmas).

Well here goes nothing!

Step 1: Measure your child! You need the measurement of their widest part (usually the hips), the distance from the top of their shoulder to their underarm, and the distance from their shoulder to where you would like the hem of the dress.

Step 2: Cut two rectangles of fabric that are the hip measurement plus 7 cm by the shoulder to hem measurement plus 6cm.


Step 3: Sew the side seams from the bottom to a spot that is the shoulder to underarm measurement plus 4cm from the top. You will note in the picture that I marked this point with a pin and stopped there.

Step 4: Press open the sides of the top opening level with the seam. Once you have done this, press under the cut edge to make a neat folded hem around the armhole.


Step 5: Sew the armhole hem going down one side, across the bottom of the opening and up the other side. I actually went back and forth a few times across the base of the opening for added strength.


Step 7: Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other armhole. ;)

Step 8. Make a casing across the top front and top back of the dress by pressing over 2cm and then 2cm again and sewing close to the fold. I also like to snip my corners as shown in the photo to stop them showing.


Step 9: At this stage you might like to overlock, zigzag or french seam the side seams depending on the type of fabric you have used. Once you have done that press and sew the hem of the dress and the hard work is done! I like to do a rolled hem but you could as easily overlock the edge and hem.


Step 10: Thread ribbon or other ties through the top casing. I entertained doing some lovely ties from the same fabric but really couldn't be bothered. You could do this, use cord or really anything else you liked.

Step 11: Tie the ribbons at the shoulders and voila!This pattern is provided free for your own personal use. You may knit it for yourself, as a gift, a swap or for charity. This pattern is not intended for commercial use. Any intended commercial use requires permission in writing.

Hopefully the last of the Christmas Knitting

Toddler Ear Warmer

About 50g Worsted Weight Yarn

6mm DPNS

Darning Needle

Gauge: 16sts/10cm

Finished circumference: approximately 44cm

Co 72

Join in the round

Rounds 1 -4: 2x2 rib

Round 5: Knit all stitches

Round 6: Knit to 4 sts before the end of the last needle, turn

Round 7: Sl1 purl to 4 sts before end of first needle, turn

Round 8: Sl1, Knit to 2 sts before last turn, turn

Round 9: Sl1, purl to 2 sts before last turn, turn

Round 10: Sl1, Knit to 3 sts before the end of the last needle, turn

Round 11: Sl1 purl to 3 sts before end of first needle, turn

Round 12: Sl1, K to end of round, turn

Round 13: Sl1, P to end of round, turn

Rounds 14 – 15: Knit all stitches.

Rounds 16 - 19: 2x2 rib

BO loosely

Weave in ends

A wider ear warmer is easily achieved by adding more short rows in between rows 9 and 10. An adult warmer would require a larger number of cast on stitches (I would say about 100). having said that, this one fits me but is quite stretched and a little tight.

I knit this with leftover from Holly's Jacket and it took me less than 2 hours!

This pattern is provided free for your own personal use. You may knit it for yourself, as a gift, a swap or for charity. This pattern is not intended for commercial use. Any intended commercial use requires permission in writing.

Oh yeah! The joy of handknit socks.

I just had to blog these babies!

How beautiful are they? I confess that I was secretly hoping that Sam would give me handknit socks for Christmas (is that selfish given I know how much work goes into them) and she did! These are just divine. The pattern is waving lace and the yarn is Lorna's Laces "Vera". I feel so spoilt with yet another pair of hand knit socks. A girl could get addicted. Of course then Sam would never be lost for a gift.....

While we are showing Christmas knitting.

I also made these for my friend Antoinette (hopefully she isn't reading, if you are Anty, rest assured they are much better in the flesh).

There is an Unoriginal Hat from the lovely Yarn Harlot knit in Cleckheaton Vintage Hues. I had to add a few extra cables in to compensate for the lighter yarn and I also did an extra repeat of the whole pattern for the same reason. I have never used this yarn before and I have to say that I quite taken, I love the look that it has created. Here is a close up of the cables. I will probably be lynched by the yarn snobs for saying it, but the look of the yarn knit up puts me to mind of the Noro yarns.

The scarf is the Reversible Cable Scarf by Mary-Heather Cogar. Such a wonderfully clever pattern. Something I would never have thought of doing. Again I love the way that it has accented the colours in the yarn. I am very pleased.

Another close up if you can stand it....

The Quick Loop Scarf

Just a quicky that I whipped up for a friend for Christmas.

Materials:

2 lots of 50g DK (8ply) yarn. I used a solid black and a gradient dyed grey. You could as easily use two balls of the same yarn or some super bulky (16ply).
8mm circular
Darning needle
Waste yarn or second circular for provisional cast on.

Gauge:

Not really important (it's a scarf for goodness sake)

Pattern:

Using a provisional cast-on CO 22 stitches with the yarn double stranded (both balls at once).

Row 1: *K2, P2* repeat from * to * to end
Row 2: *P2, K2* repeat from * to * to end

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the work is approximately 16 cm long (it should be about 3/4 of the width of your scarf when folded)

At this point, following the row 1, knit or purl together corresponding stitches from the provisional cast on and stitches from your working end to create the looped end of the scarf.

Continue working the pattern until the scarf reaches the desired length (about 60cm from the join in my case) and bind off.

Add a fringe if desired and sew in ends.

Done! This should only take you a few hours as the yarn is chunky and the pattern is basic!

This pattern is provided free for your own personal use. You may knit it for yourself, as a gift, a swap or for charity. This pattern is not intended for commercial use. Any intended commercial use requires permission in writing

Great, Quick Gift!

All hail the Mason-Dixon Gals!

They have come through again with their delightful little washcloth. I have just finished my second one of these in as many days. They have just been so simple to do and as you can see, I am placing a little soap in them and tying them up with a ribbon like the blue one.


The green one will get the same treatment and is for my eldest son's teacher. I will make another over the weekend for the middle boy's pedagog. Not bad for about 3 hours and $1 worth of cotton reduced at Spotlight!