Birthday Garland

August Merritt Hickey

My wee-est boy turns 4 on March 14th, which is pretty hard for this Mama to wrap her head around, since he’s still supposed to be just a baby. Not much of a baby these days. Getting himself dressed, helping me with tasks, keeping up with his big brother (without much trouble) and saying the most amazingly hilarious things. He told us for his birthday he wants a huckleberry and blueberry ice cream cake in the shape of a dolphin or a whale. Just now when I asked him again he told me he actually wanted a buffalo cake. I said, “Really?” He matter-of-factly said “Yep, that’s my choice.” We still have a little over a month to get the true desire all panned out.

Birthday Garland is on my list of things to accomplish before that big day arrives. And this is the pattern that I’d like to share with you all this week. I’ll get a photo up as soon as I have this made, seems to me it will be a fairly simple project. I sell raw wool at my toy store so I have a plethora of it for my needle felting projects that don’t seem to pan out as beautifully as I envision them to. I bet I can make some pretty birthday garland though, to go with this birthday banner! I’ll share soon!

Apple Cozy

Blanket from Jan

Ahh one of my favorite places to sit these days, under my new blanket from Jan next to my brand spankin’ new laptop from my sweet husband, knitting of course.

In keeping with my promise of a new shared pattern each week…

Everyone wants to cozy up their apple right? Well now you can! I know this pattern has been floating about the internet for a while now and there are many versions of it, here is a fun favorite of mine! Here is another one that came from Vegan Lunchbox. Keep your apple bruise free, crisp and delicious. I plan to knit one of these up myself sometime in the near future, and just as soon as I do, I’ll share. Again I’ll invite each of you to share your completed Apple Cozy with us – send a photo over!

Happy Knitting!

Sock Monkey Love

Sock Monkey Love

Everyone loves a sock monkey right? Well I’ve been working on one, since about a week before Christmas. This is a kit that I actually sell at my toy store that is for children ages 8-12. I’m 33. To be completely frank, it wasn’t the most simple project I’ve ever conquered, but with some help and some previous knitting experience I definitely think a 12 year old could knit this sweet monkey. I am happy to just “own” the pattern now. Usually in kits you get a whole mess of acrylic yarn and boy did I ever. I’m anxious to sub my wool delights to create a new and improved sock monkey, maybe striped? I’m a sucker for stripes. I’m no master knitter, in fact I still consider myself a beginner, but I’ve been knitting over a year now, in fact today is the 1st birthday of this blog, I’ve come a long way! Thanks for hanging in there with me.

I think I’ve decided this will be for one of my little Valentines. The monkey comes with a heart that can be stitched somewhere…and I think I’ll put it right on the chest. I love knitting toys for my kids.

Sock Monkey Kit The Kit A leg Body, Legs, Tail

One thing that did happen while my monkey was under construction is I ran out of the main color yarn. You’d think in a kit like this they’d give you ample yarn to complete your project. Don’t skimp people, it is acrylic and costs next to nothing. The place where I had to make some compromises will be obvious soon.

Sock Monkey

The construction of the body was simple and fairly quick. I was pleased the opportunity finally arose for me to use my counter. Knitting row upon row of ‘monkey leg’ takes some counting.

Body Empty Body

Monkey Face The Ears

So it was the ears – I ran out of yarn to complete the ears and had to use leftover scarf yarn. Colored ears on a sock monkey is nothing to turn your nose up at. A mass of acrylic yarn it might be, but that is one cute sock monkey (patting self on back).

Hangin Out Little Socky

Just chillin’ on the couch.

Signing off so I can get some sleep on my blog birthday! Happy Knitting!

Night Monkey

Pattern of the Week!

Happy Sister

First thing’s first – here is my happy ‘rainbowed’ sister. They match! I had my concerns, but mash an incredible amount of color together how would you not get a match? A rainbow is a rainbow is a rainbow.

Now onto the newest addition to Mama Loves Knitting! I’ve decided to find and share a free pattern each week. The patterns will be fairly simple projects to start – to accommodate my skill level. I try to include a pattern for each of the completed projects I share with you, but often they are creations that happen when I start knitting (in the moment). I thought this new weekly event would be a good way to share more patterns that are intriguing to others, maybe a few less hats, heh. I encourage each of you to send me photos of your completed projects if you end up using one of the patterns. I’d love to feature your talents!

Drum roll please….this weeks’ pattern can be found on one of my favorite blogs, The Purl Bee. The pattern I’ve decided to share is a project that I’m intending to complete sometime this winter, long striped hand warmers. Don’t they look so cozy? And the possibilities for color combos are endless.

Happy Knitting – stay warm!

New Year Knits

Colored Shepard's Wool

Happy morn of 2011 – I’m still working on some of the same projects into our brand spankin’ new year. That baby blanket isn’t quite complete – but that baby isn’t either – still waiting on her arrival. Grandpa Jeff loved his new Packers Christmas hat & from the photos it looks like I could have made it a bit bigger/longer. Looks like you need to plan a trip to Lambeau.

Grandpa's Knit Hat Grandpa's Profile

We had/have a houseful of family and friends and all that love I keep talking about. We had a wonderful Christmas and we’ve had a pretty relaxing week…playing with our new treasures and knitting. My boys scored with Santa – man that guy is gracious, not to mention a whole mess of gifts from other family members and full stockings! Shane got me that amazing game I’d discovered about a month ago and although everyone poo pooed the idea of playing it on Christmas day we had everyone in the vicinity entertained after we powered the Wii up. The whole room full of Aunties, Uncles, Grandpas and Grandmas were passing Wii remotes between one another, sometimes arguing about whose turn it was.

Yarn Kirby

Every character in the game is made from yarn (grossly adorable) and all of the scenery is made from pieces of fabric that you can go behind, between and pull buttons to gather. It is seriously RIGHT up my video game alley!

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Even though you all might be tired of my hats…I’ve got another ribbed hat I’ve been working on…and I think it might be my favorite. I started it only a few nights ago, and have made progress amongst our company. In fact the knitting seems to be contagious around here. Grandma Melinda (my mother in law) has been knitting since Christmas night, my sister in law (waiting for the newest babe) has been crocheting, and on Christmas night I had the privilege to teach my sister in law Sarah how to cast on and do the knit stitch.

Auntie Sarah Christmas Knitting

Back to that hat – I also drew my little sister’s (Melissa’s) name for Christmas and she put in an order for a hat to match these mittens. (That I did not knit – but I wish I could say that I had.)

rainbow mittens

In the past I’ve used size 8 16″ circular needles to knit my famous ribbed hat. With this particular hat I cast on 88 and k2, p2 the entire way around until I reached the decreasing zone.

Cozy Stripes

I decided this time I’d like to switch up the top a bit, and make it a little bit more fun. I’m definitely going to do a pom pom again (because I love rainbows more than most things on earth) and I think a rainbow pom pom will be incredible eye candy. I hope my sister doesn’t think she looks like Rainbow freakin’ Bright when this arrives in her mailbox. As the decrease began I kept my work on my circular needles and k2, p2, k2, p2tog the whole way around.

Double Pointed Needles Place Marker Pretty Colorful

I put a place markers when the first round was complete and then I transitioned to double pointed size 8 needles while I k2tog, p2, k2tog,  p1 (the second time around). The third time around I just knit the knits and purled the purls. The next round I k1, p1, k1, and p2tog (the two purls that weren’t already purled together). The next time around I k2tog, p2tog. Then I knit the knits and purled the purls over and over again until I thought the hat was looking elf-tastic.

Elf Model Elf Gus

I finished it off by just k2tog until I only had a few stitches remaining and then I pulled the remaining yarn through. I hid all of the yarn I’d tied together from changing colors so many times. I always just use a crochet hook to weave it all in. No sign of the transitions and I love the way it turned out.

Mama Elf

I used my favorite yarn since I already had such a selection of colors. I only had to add three more colors to the mix to complete this project and now I want to make 10 more of these. The yarn is from Joseph’s Coat and it is called Shepard’s Wool. It is not superwash wool, but it is so incredibly soft and warm. * Hand wash only Mrs. gift recipient. * Since I ended up adding several inches to the top before closing it off, I got a little bit nervous about the appearance of the top of the hat. Not to be crass but it looked a bit like a striped wool condom attached to a beanie. Nobody wants to walk around with a phallic looking woolen good atop their noggin. Cindy Lou Who might be cool with it I guess, or any of the Whos for that matter. The pom pom addition really sealed the deal for me! I made the pom pom with a houseful of friends last night and a glass of wine nearby.

Elf Simon Simon Elf

So we happily ring in another beautiful year, and I’m grateful for the 2 degree weather today. I can knit all day, play games in our cozy house, and watch Return of the Jedi without an ounce of guilt creeping in. Happy Peaceful New Year to all! Ooh and I can’t wait to show off my next project! I’ll give you a little hint – it has a tail!

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