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

Baby Knitting: Easiest Ever Gift!

A very good friend is being induced this morning with her 5th baby -- this always happens as her babies always need a little noodge to greet the new day. But, when that baby does arrive I have the perfect new baby gift.

I wanted to make this 5th baby something special -- often the more babies someone has the less the new babies get. I remembered a pattern that I'd designed for my first "book", Glory of America Knits. I called it "Raggy Maggy" as it looks like a traditional rag doll ... with a bit of a twist.

So, here is a tutorial for making your own "Raggy Maggy" or teething doll:

First, as far as materials needed: #3 US knitting needles, worsted weight cotton yarn (the doll pictured here was knitted with Coats & Clarks Aunt Lydia Denim in ecru), 5 elastic hairbands (large) with no metal (you can see them in the picture, I found set of different brights from Conair).

Gauge: this is not ultra-critical but I got a gauge of 5st x 7rs. You want a tight-ish feel to the fabric. The final rectangle will measure about 13 x 20.

CO 100 sts and work 4 rows garter. Then, keeping first and last 2 sts in garter, do a stockinette center for approx. 12 inches. Finish with 4 more rows of all garter (on last round, reduce 10 sts evenly across so you'll be binding off 90 sts).

Now, for creating this little doll:

Here is the finished rectangle -- approx. 13 inches by 20 inches. Notice how it is on the table on it's short side which will be the "hem" edge (the CO edge is on the right, BO edge is on the left).

[NOTE: I used Conair's "large, no metal hair bands - a pack of 32 cost $2]

Fold the rectangle in half, with the RS out and the hems lined up. From the remaining yarn, wrap a TIGHT, two-inch ball for the head.

Place the "head" in the center of the top fold and wrap a hair-band of desired color (we know this baby is a girl so that's why I used deep pink -- you could use ANY color). You can move the fabric around a bit to get a smooth "face" while tucking the folds around the sides.

For the limbs -- do the left leg first by measuring 6" from the hem up the left side and half the hem (6-1/2"), grab this section and wrap a band around leg portion tightly. Grab the remaining 4 inches and make the arm. Repeat for the right side. Play with these wrappings a bit until you have Raggy Maggy just as you'd like her.

This makes a GREAT teething doll -- easy to grasp, cotton that softens as it washes, and easy-care: just take off the bands, remove the head and wash the rectangle and re-make. The cotton soaks up the burbles and droolings of a baby and looks just as good the 300th day as on the first day.

CAUTION: occasionally check the hair bands for any signs of fraying -- replace immediately!

Design Update: And another pair ...

... of socks come off the needles. These are done in Laines du Nord's Papiro (100% cotton) on #4s. I did them toe-up (of course) with a simple k2p2 rib on top and bottom of the foot and then again round the leg (with a loose BO in rib). The heel is done on the bottom in short-row stockinette and then "heel stitch" on the back of the heel.

Design Update: More Socks!

"Autumn Attitude" just came off the needles! These are done toe-up with a garter-stitch short-row heel then finished with alternating bands of knit and purl.
Knit using Rowan's Cotton Glace (which knits up wonderfully!), the sole of the foot is a 2x2 rib to gain needed elasticity, while the top of the foot is a fun (and easily remembered) slip-stitch pattern.
Once the garter-stitch short-row heel was done, I changed to alternate bands of purl and knit to give the slouchy socks some fun.
These can be worn pulled up mid-calf or pushed down with just a hint of the green showing. Wouldn't these be cute with leggings?

Design Update: Socks, socks, socks

Good morning! I haven't posted any projects in a while (except the one of mom's sweater which seemed to consume MUCH of my time!). But I've been on a sock-knitting binge, trying to "unvent" the best way to do toe-up, short-rowed heel, socks for all times of year. I've been knitting wool socks and cotton socks.

And I'm having a blast!

Here are the two pair I finished this week:

"LACY DAYS OF SUMMER" in Paton's Grace (mercerized cotton)

"GARDEN TRELLIS" in Schaeffer Yarn's Lola (100% Merino Wool Superwash)

Sweater for those not-so warm days wearing a sleeveless dress

Here's a sweater I finished in time to wear on Easter. I call it "Edelweiss" It's knit with Coats&Clark "TLC Cotton Plus" -- a worsted weight cotton/acrylic that knits up beautifully. The lace patterns -- a variation of fan-and-feather and a slanted eyelt -- are both from traditional Austrian knitwear. So the pewter edelweiss buttons seemed especially appropriate!

I like the hip-skimming length and the open-to-underarm cardi feel of it. This sweater is perfect for a cooler-than-you-thought spring or summer evening to wear over a sleeveless dress or top! Or to those places that frown on bare shoulders.

Let me know what you think. I thought I'd see if Coats would like to buy the design.....