Knit Picks: another of my designs

Introducing -- Elegant Eliza, the Ballerina Bunny.  This knitted toy is knit all in one piece (except for the removable dance skirt) and is really quite fun to make.  Knit Picks has posted the downloadable pattern if you'd like to make her in time for Easter!

BTW, this bunny was inspired by a toy in Lucinda Guy's wonderful And So to Bed ..., which has such lovely baby/toddler knitting designs. 

Look for more of my designs coming soon to Knit Picks wonderful IDP ... a program that is really helping us small, independent hand-knit designers! I've got another up, a scarf, that is not quite so seasonably appropriate but is also fun to knit.

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Yarn post ....

What's more fun than knitting?

Getting yarn or knitting books in the mail, of course!

I've been getting rid of some of my knitting books and receiving yarn in return ... as well as some yarn from a dear friend who was buried under (and I'm always willing to help in similar situations -- I know, I'm a living saint!) ....

Anyway, the fun thing about getting bits of yarn from others is the ability to really go wild with designing.  And earlier this week, I received the perfect book for knitting on the wild side:  Anna Zilboorg's Magnificent Mittens and Socks . This book is wonderful -- fun to read and learn new techniques and the color combinations are spectacular!  I like how she explains just how much yarn you'd need (like 50 yards of each or 10 yards of bits) .... which is great, especially for stash-busting knitting like I want to do.  And I love the style of these mittens -- big cuffs that go over jackets to keep wrists and sleeves warm and dry.

Another great book for playing with "oddments" is Color by Kristin: How to Design Your Own Beautiful Knits, by color-knitter extraordinaire, Kristin Nicholas.  (For a full review of this book, click here.)  Or how about some of the Fair Isle (including Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting or The Art of Fair Isle Knitting: History, Technique, Color and Pattern by Ann Feitelson) or Norwegian books (Norwegian Handknits is gorgeous and I'm anxiously awaiting the publication of Lucinda Guy's newest, Northern Knits)  that are available now? 

Color-knitting is fun to play with yarns ... especially when you get them in trades or gifting from other knitters!

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

KAL: my bag filled ....

As mentioned in this post, I finished my first KAL ... a market bag.  Some folks asked just how much this itty bag would hold.  After all, it's only about 12" x 12" unstretched and laying flat:

Well, here it is packed for our day out yesterday -- String Bean is carrying it and it is packed with 4 water bottles, 4 large apples, 4 pb&j sandwiches, and a quart baggie filled with carrots and celery ...

and it was NOT full -- but it was heavy!  I'm so glad I changed the straps as these are wider and more comfortable to wear on the shoulder, especially if it's packed for a field-trip lunch!

So there you go ... these bags are GREAT ... I'm going to make a bunch for Fall fund-raisers ...

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Knitting Books: de-stashing ...

... otherwise known as "clearing the shelves to buy more yarn"!  These are the knitting books in my library that I am willing to sell (seriously, in order to buy more yarn to make more stuff!) ...  They are all in like new condition and are from a pet-free, non-smoking house.

Anyway, if you're interested in any of these, I prefer non-credit card paypal and shipping will be estimated based on your zip-code ... just email me at bhwh.mary@gmail.com ....

Simple Knits with a Twist: Unique Projects for Creative Knitters by Erika Knight orig 19.95, will sell for $12.00
Knit Socks: 15 Cool Patterns for Toasty Feet by Betsy Lee McCarthy orig 14.95, will sell for $8.00
Inspired to Knit: Creating Exquisite Handknits by Michele Rose Orne orig 24.95, will sell for $12.00
Ethnic Knitting: Discovery -- The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes by Donna Druchunas orig 21.95, will sell for $10.00
Knit One Below: One stitch, many fabrics by Elise Duvekot orig 19.95, will sell for $10.00
Swing Swagger Drape: Knit the colors of Australia by Jane Slicer-Smith orig 24.95, will sell for $12.50
Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques and patterns for one of a kind socks by Cookie A orig 22.95, will sell for $12.00
Selbuvotter: Biography of a Knitting Tradition by Terri Shea (autographed and numbered 189/500) orig 24.95, will sell for $20.00
Bags: A Knitter's Dozen from XRX Books orig 15.95, will sell for $8.00
Gossamer Webs: the History and Techniques of Orenburg Lace Shawls by Galina Khmeleva & Carol R. Noble orig 21.95 -- but now OOP, will sell for $25.00
Vogue Knitting Stitchionary: Volume 1 - Knit and Purl by Vogue Knitting orig 29.95, will sell for $17.00; Vogue Knitting Stitchionary: Volume 2 - Cables by Vogue Knitting orig 29.95, will sell for $17.00; Vogue Knitting Stitchionary: Volume 3 - Color Knitting orig 29.95, will sell for $17.00.  Or all three stitchionaries for $45.00.

Thanks for looking and if you are interested, please remember to email me.

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Knit Picks: Independent Designer's Program

Completely Cozy & Reversible Scarf for Him! 

My first, and hopefully not my last, pattern in the IDP at Knit Picks ... this is a great chance for small designers like me to get their patterns published/out there to knitters everywhere.  Check it out and let me know what you think!

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

KAL: my first finished KAL on Ravelry

I'm on Ravelry's "over 40 knitters" and the March KAL was either something green in color or idea ... I made a green/blue market bag ... and this will be the first of many since it's such a great pattern (and it's free)!  This one is in LB Cotton-ease and took me only a couple of days (with knitting a little bit on it each evening).  Very cool project and very "green" in place of those plastic bags (that seem to have babies when I'm not looking ....)


Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve
By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com

Snow makes for GREAT designing/knitting time!

We are having some wonderful snow days .... starting on Friday, the 5th, we are now on our 5th day of lots of snow on the ground.  We were only off-power for about 24hours (when we high-tailed it to Raleigh to stay with dear, dear friends) ... so now all is good.  The kids are building an igloo and a "luge" run in the back while dh shovels the latest snow-fall.

Me?

I'm doing what any self-respecting mom/wife would do -- baking bread, cookies and cakes; keeping the house cozy warm; and, of course ... knitting.  Knitting up a storm, as it were!

Our last snow-filled weekend, (January 30-31), I designed and knitted a few things for a niece's first baby. 

Introducing, the "Eliza Collection" ...

A bevy of booties!  These five pair of booties ... in graduated sizes ... are all knit in Dale of Norway's Falk - a washable 100% wool that knits up beautifully and will hold up nicely to lots of washing.

Ruffles

Heart sox

Baby-tears

Lavender and Lace

Ballet Flats

But the piece de resistance ... the real glory of the "Eliza Collection" is

Miss Bellissima Bunny the Ballerina.  Inspired by a design by Lucinda Guy in her book, And So to Bed, mine is knit all in one piece (except for the removable circle skirt).

Wearing a knitted-in pink leotard, Bellissima is 15-inches long.  She is a very cuddly bunny with her stuffed belly and her flat appendages.

Her full-circle dancing skirt is fun to knit -- all garter, short-row shaping making the circle with eyelets for a drawstring waist.

A sweet face, embroidered before stuffing, completes are little ballerina.  She is knit in a washable cotton-blend yarn and is made to withstand anything Miss Eliza does to her.

So what do you think of the "Eliza Collection"?

Happy knittin'

Mary C. Gildersleeve

By Hand, With Heart -- hand-knit designs
bhwh.mary@gmail.com