yay!

500 views in one week.... not bad :)

Different yarn, same pattern, totally different slipper.

Just to show you guys what a difference yarn choice can make:

These were also made with the Amy march's slippers pattern by Tiny owl knits, but this time I made it with a thinner and more even yarn: Katia Nepal. It was once gifted to me by my mom.

Note to self: poke around in her stash basket in the attic; who might know what treasures lie within...

But... I couldn't help myself... I had to tinker around with the pattern..

My feet are always cold, so in my mind there was no need to make mary jane like slippers, only covering the toes. So I made the stockinette (plain and even knitted looking) bit longer as well as the ribbing bit (which is now mostly covered in bows).

The most fun part was making the ribbon bows! First I hit each and every bargain store in town and found some neat ribbons, as well as yarn and a jar of pickled jalepeno peppers.
But the best find were these shiny buckle like thingies, 20pcs: one euro! Megafind megahappy! See:

Oh, and I replaced the ribbon in the slippers themselves with elastic, much more practical. I know, I'm normally not that practical, so I was astounded with myself. And the sun was shining so all in all a VERY good day :)

Now for spot the difference:
(No, I don't know the how many, you tell me...)

PSSSST: Mariska and I have dreams about opening our own shop on the Haarlemmerdijk in Amsterdam. We will serve cake, tea, knitwear and other colourfull stuff.. It is a good dream, it inspires me. Will you come and visit us in our dream-shop?

Hilarious slippers :)

Yesterday I didn't feel like doing the intricate lace pattern socks I've been working on. The yarn is super super thin and the lace is worked EVERY round.. And since I have been working with Bulky yarn the whole week it didn't feel right, to put it nicely!

Soooooo, grab something from your stash, find an easy pattern and let's get crackin'!

This is what emerged after some Gin-Tonic, the movie "Australia" and some much needed hoots of laughter:

Wonky Fairy slippers:

The Pattern is: Amy March's slippers by Tiny owl Knits. Here is a link to the Ravelry pattern page: link!

But I am unable to make a pattern without modifying it (or funking around with it, more astutely put).

After the pattern was finished I picked up ten stitches on either side of the slipper, joined in the round.

Worked a yo- k2tog round (For zee wibbon yes)  and just kept on knitting till the skein of yarn ran out. Et voila, wonky slippers!

Had some white ribbon lying around, and some left over bits of velvet ribbon. White ribbon was threaded through the slippers, black velvet ribbon with addition of a wooden button became embellishments, I love ribbon embellishments :)

Yarn is Colinette's Point five in the colour Thunder. It has some... well... unexpected side effects going with the extreme thin-thick handspun feel of it. Not too sure if I like the "messy" look of it that much. 

But with these slippers the whole effect was "high"larious! And it is really nice and warm and fuzzy and cosy on my feet and every time I look down they make me giggle!

Will surely be making the same pattern again with a more "balanced" yarn.

I love Mika! She always shows soooooo much interest in my knitting!

PS: If you are a knitter and you are NOT on Ravelry yet, I can highly recommend it! More patterns than anywhere else on the net, forums where you can ask the most stupid question and it will be answered. And most of all hours of fun!

Warning: Can be highly addictive! 

There is a link to Ravelry on the left hand side of my blog under: favourite links.

Quinn's cute hat from Glee

I love Glee! And this week I was thrilled by the "must have cute" hat Quinn was wearing in the first minutes (right after Sue-icide).

I have been fooling around with some yarn and I am pretty pleased with the hat that emerged.

For all you people out there who also "must have" this hat, here is the pattern:

Quinn's cute hat:
Ravelry pattern page: linkiedink rav


Needed:

6mm dpns (or if you prefer wire that's okay too)
Hat is worked on unusual needles for this yarn thickness, but it will give the hat some firmness.

5mm crochethook
stitchmarkers

2 skeins of Drops Eskimo in colour 050 (burgundy red)
Or 100-150 meters of any Super Bulky thread

1. Co 71 st (81 for med), join round. Place marker for beginning of round. If working with dpns: co 18-17-18-18. (21-20-20-20)

Work in Herringbone rib for 8 rounds, or more if desired. 

Herringbone rib:

R1: k1, *yo,slip 1 st pwise wyb, k2, pass slipped stitch over both knit st* repeat between ** till end of round. 

R2: * k2, pass them both back to left needle, pass 3rd stitch over both st, pass st back to right needle, yo* repeat between ** till end of round, k1

The first row starts with the extra stitch and the second row ends with the extra stitch, that way the yo shifts. Otherwise you will have visible holes..


Don't forget the yo otherwise you will be decreasing!

2. Purl 1 round, purl last two stitches together, now you have 70 (80) st.

3. ktbl1,p1 rib for 20 rounds. (ktbl= knit through the back loop. Insert needle in back of st.)

4. Shift st, so that every round starts with purl st. This can easily be achieved by shifting every first ktbl st to left needle if working on dpns. Or shifting marker one place backwards if working on wire.

5. Place marker after every tenth st. The last st before marker is an ktbl st. 

6.K2tog before every marker, working p1, 1ktbl rib for the rest of the round
Next round will not have decreases, it will just be worked in rib.
Do this twice. So: decrease round, pattern round, decrease round, pattern round.

7. Then k2tog before marker every round till 14 (16)st remain

8. K2tog repeat till 7 (8)st remain 

9. Knit all stitches 2 rounds,this will create the little point. 

10. Cut thread, pull trough all the remaining stitches using a crochet needle, pull close from the inside. Weave in ends.

11. Make crochet flower or other applique, here is one example using 5 mm hook:

Crochet flower/ Star:

 Ch 3, join to make ring with sl st. 
Round 1: ch2 (count as hdc), 9 hdc in ring, sl st to second ch of beg. ch2. 
Round 2: *ch3, skip 1 hdc, sc in next hdc*. Repeat from * around ending with sl st to previous joining st. (5 ch loops) 
Round 3: *3 dc in next ch3 loop, ch2, 3 dc in same ch3 loop, sc in next sc.* Repeat from * around, ending with sl st to previous joining st. 
Sew on side of hat.

Block (give it a little soak in special wool detergent, squeeze out water gently, roll up in towel, step on towel with hat in it for a bit, remove towel, pull in shape, if possible drape over bowl or other dome, let dry)

and wear with Glee :)

First Blog post ever...

Well world, here I am!

The only reason I started this blog is so I can post patterns I make on the Net. That way I can link them to Ravelry and I will actually be a designer... some day:)

Been a rough week, I've been batteling a serious cold. I never knew a simple cold can make you feel so effing miserable. But anyway... I've been spending my time knitting, and a productive week it has been :)

Discovered Tiny Owl Knits and made her Woodland Hoodlet, figured out how to do the gorgeous hat Quinn was wearing on last weeks Glee episode (pattern coming soon, see a reason to start blog bit in this post), and did a few hats and socks in between.

Next week is a holiday week, so lets get crackin' with this blog...

love ya'll,

Marieke