Monday, February 25, 2008

Niddy Noddy


My husband was busy in the wood shop again last weekend. This time I have a niddy noddy to show for his creativity. It is always amazing to me how I can hand him a picture of an item and he will come back a few hours later with a 3D version of my request. He is also working on a yarn swift following a pattern I purchased. He got it about 1/2 done before he left for his last snowmobile trip of the season.

My snow widow weekend was spent reorganizing one of the few closets in my farmhouse. I moved some items not needed to the basement to make room for a clothes bar. Tonight I skipped knit night in order to play with power tools. My clothes bar is hung and now I have wiggle room in my regular closet since the rarely worn dresses and coats now have a new home.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

A Nostipinne

The 45 degree weather and rain took the view of the barn from a winter wonderland to this...



The cats spend the day close to the house and watching what we humans are up to.



And my husband spent some time in his woodshop working a nostipinne on his lathe.


Still on his list to create...a wpi gauge and a niddy noddy.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Fuzzy Slippers for American Girl dolls

I finally modified my doll slipper pattern to include a knit sole for all those non crocheters out there. Enjoy the pattern in which ever form you decide to create it. If you have any questions please post them as a comment to this entry so that others can benefit from the answers. Feel free to print this pattern off for your personal use but do not republish or post this elsewhere.

Thanks
...Pamala


Gauge: 9 rows and 11 stitches = 2 inches / 5 cm

Needle size: US 7 / 4.5 mm double point or size to obtain gauge

Crochet hook size H (if following crochet foot pad option)

Materials: a small amount ( 8 yard / 7.3 meter) of a plush yarn such as Plymouth Heaven, Schachenmayr Hip Hop or Red Heart Baby Cloud

a small amount ( 15 yard / 13.7 meter) of a worsted weight yarn

Abbreviations: sc – single crochet

Pattern

Knit Slipper foot pad

With 2 of the size 7 needles and worsted yarn cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1: Knit across increasing 1 stitch in 2nd and 4th stitch. (7 stitches)
Row 2: Knit across.
Row 3: Knit across increasing 1 stitch in 2nd and 6th stitch. (9 stitches)
Row 4 – 20: Knit across
Row 21: Knit across decreasing 1 stitch at each end. (7 stitches)
Row 22: Knit across.
Row 23: Knit across decreasing 1 stitch at each end. (5 stitches)
Cast off.

Continue with slipper body instructions.

OR

Crocheted Slipper foot pad

With crochet hook and worsted yarn chain 8 stitches.

Round 1:
2 sc in second chain from hook, 1 sc in each of the next 5 chains, 4 sc in last stitch, following around bottom side of original chain, work 1 sc in next 5 chains, 2 sc in last hook (this should be the same chain in which round started). Do not join with beginning of round. (18 sc)

Round 2 and 3:
In back loop only and without joining, sc around foot pad increasing 4 stitches on each round by doing 2 sc in each of the corners of the round. (26 sc)

Join final sc to beginning of 3rd round with a chain stitch. Tie off end.

Continue with slipper body instructions.

Slipper body

Row 1:
Using double points and plush yarn pick up and knit 26 stitches around foot pad starting at join or cast off point and arranging stitches so that 9 stitches from first side and 2 from footpad back are on 1st needle, remaining 2 stitches from back and 9 stitches from second side are on next needle and 4 stitches for front toe are on 3rd needle.

Row 2 (increase row):
Knit across increasing 1 stitch at each corner, 30 stitches. (Increases should occur in stitches 1, 9, 14 and 22.)

Row 3 (increase row):
Knit across increasing 1 stitch at beginning of needle 1 and at end of needle 2, 32 stitches. Stitches should be arranged 14 on needle 1, 14 on needle 2 and 4 stitches for front toe on needle 3 which are the last stitches worked on row 3.

Toe short rows:

Working in stockinette stitch starting with purl row and only the stitches on needle 3 (toe stitches) bring in 1 stitch from the side needle and work it together with the 1st stitch of the toe row as follows:

Row 1: slide 1 stitch from needle 1 to needle 3, on needle 3, purl 2 together, purl remaining 3 stitches. Turn work.

Row 2: slide 1 stitch from needle 2 to needle 3, on needle 3, knit 2 together, knit remaining 3 stitches. Turn work.

Continue in this manner for 10 toe rows. 22 stitches remain.

Row 4:
Knit across 22 stitches even.

Slipper cuff
Change to worsted weight yarn, work in knit 1, purl 1 rib for 4 rows. Cast off cuff.

Finishing
Weave all loose ends into cuff, foot pad or body as appropriate to hide.