Little Bear Knitwear

A 'Fresh' Announcement!

2009-11-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

The amazing artisans at Fresh have invited me to join their team, and I have graciously accepted!
This month's stocking is all about ~Bounty~....it is an amazing stocking. Amazing. I am stocking a very special pair of Silly Stripes knit with hand dyed wool by Diane of BugSnugger. 'Naked Branch' is a gorgeous colorway, and I really enjoyed knitting it. I also am offering a Cub Cuddler knit with an amazing art yarn died by Hillary of Dashing Dachs.
I hope you take a moment to come by and see.....there is something for *everyone*!

The Cub Cuddler Debut at WSK!

2009-11-05T08:41:00.001-08:00

Today is a big day for Little Bear Knitwear! My first pattern, the Cub Cuddler, is debuting at Western Sky Knits on Hyena Cart. :) I am very excited about this. There is also a collaboration between Leidy and I.....your very own Cub Cuddler! Please come see....there is an amazing birthday bash going on! Something for *everyone*. I know where I'll be at 1 o'clock! ;)

Silly Stripes Shoppe Opens Tomorrow!

2009-10-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Please join us!! Here's a sneak peek. ;)

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Licensed Silly Stripes™ Knitters?

2009-10-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

Yes!! I have decided to license two amazing knitters to join me in the creation of Silly Stripes™ woolies! Together we'd like to introduce you to the....
Tomorrow we'll be announcing the new licensed knitters as well as giving a few sneak peeks at what you'll find at our grand opening on November 1st. Hope to see you there!!

It has been forever.....and some SS!

2009-10-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since I've blogged! With my wrist injury (which I don't think I ever blogged....just talked about in my shop?) I was slowed down to NOTHING for weeks. I spent 8 weeks in a splint *waiting* for recovery...and when I began knitting...it was painful and I had to really concentrate to get my tension correct. Another time, I'll have to post my shawl I knitted..it was a "recovery wrap" for me. I knit the whole thing in 15 minute increments-knit 15, ice 15...fun times!! I'm happy to report that since my injury I've completed *two* pair of Silly Stripes™ longies! The first is a custom pair from pre-injury...they are *finally* complete!

They are for a little guy who uses the potty...so they look *loooong*. :) I can not wait to see them on him!

Now....I have been invited to stock at Fresh on Friday! I am very excited!! There will be an in-stock pair of SS longies with a darling tee by Nikki of Tadpoles & Butterflies.

A little peek for you. :)

And....though it may be tricky to locate....you may find this if you look hard enough!

{giggle} The first one in MONTHS!

I hope to see you there!!

Silly Cranky Stripes Monster Booty Pants

2009-09-08T22:24:00.000-07:00

Last spring Amy of Crankypants and I collaborated for a fundraiser for her son's school. We held an auction for a fun pair of pants....a cranky monster top, and some silly legs. Here is what the lucky winner will be receiving!

I hope the winner enjoys using them as much as I enjoyed working on them!!

July Drawing Silly Stripes™...

2009-07-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

are complete! This month's custom slot sent me yarn dyed by Micsknitz in her Shirley Temple colorway. Using the main colorway and trim skein, and adding two additional solids resulted in these beauties!

They are on their way home now.....I sure hope they are loved! :)

Cestari Colors Defined by Crayola!

2009-07-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

For quite some time now I've wanted to do a cestari~crayola match up to assist with color selection. I finally found a smidgen of time to do so! This was fun! The hardest part was keeping the crayons all for me...and not having them swiped by little hands. ;) So, using a box of Crayola 64 purchased yesterday (I understand older boxes may have different colors?) I matched my color samples with crayons from the box. Here's what I found.

Row One : Zinnia (salmon-press HARD), Mountain Laurel (salmon-press lightly), Lemongrass (yellow green-press lightly), Goldenrod(goldenrod)
Row Two : Country Lavender (wisteria), Babies Breath, Spruce Blue (cornflower blended w/ pacific blue), Hummingbird Vine (red orange)
Row Three : Dahlia Red (red), Moss (olive green-press HARD), Bluet (sky blue), Thistle Pod (sepia-press lightly)
Row Four : Tiger Lily (peach blended w/red orange), Pussy Willow (gray), Spring Pasture (granny smith apple-press HARD), Peony Pink (mauvelous)

Babies Breath is a natural color and Black, though not pictured, is black. ;)

Now...you can design your very special Silly Stripes™!

An Exciting Announcement :)

2009-07-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

On Friday July 3rd, my stand alone shop on Hyena Cart will be opening!

This has been a long time coming....and I think that I've sorted out how to keep myself from becoming overwhelmed with work, and still be able to collaborate with my friends, guest on congos and knit for my own children from time to time. I am *excited* for this growth.

I will be stocking on the third of each month at 3:30 HC time. You'll find custom spots, instock and a one of my wahm friends as a guest each month.

This month, you'll find one custom slot being sold via lottery, a very special skirty and a brand new design - a Silly Stripes™ Soaker Sack. Joining me are Andrea of Dwell Wool Knits and Kim of Western Sky Knits. It promises to be a great stocking. I hope you'll stop by!

Where are you headed this summer?

2009-06-23T14:38:00.001-07:00

So much of my childhood centered around summer trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house. To get there, we hit the highway. Oh...that drive. ;) Back then, we had a station wagon, and we would throw our toys and sleeping bags in the "way back" and hang out for hours. Clearly....that is a travel habit of long ago...but it was fun.
When the gals at iCrave invited me to be part of their traveling stocking....I thought immediately of Route 66. I Googled for images to choose colors that had a Route 66 feeling....and found some beauties.
Here are the Silly Stripes™ I came up with. They are incomplete, so the buyer can choose the cuff. :)

Please join the vendors at iCrave this Friday....and plan to hit the road this summer!

Lucky Email #2!!

2009-06-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

You've got an email!!

Thank you all for your support!! Just to let you know...my new Hyena Cart will be opening late this month. There will be in stock woolies...and maybe a custom spot or two. ;) Check it out when you get the chance. :)

It's Silly Stripes™ Lotto Time

2009-06-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

I'm ready to take on a custom pair!! This will be the last time I'm doing a lottery to purchase on my blog....my Hyena Cart is *almost* ready to go!!

I will accept email entries until Friday June 5th at noon pacific time. Once I get my kiddos down to nap, I will use a random # generator to choose the winner of the custom slot. Please email your entry to littlebearknitwear@comcast.net with the subject "June Custom". The subject is *very* important, as I have my inbox set up to filter these emails into a special folder. Please only enter one time. ;) To keep things fair, I'll delete multiple entries.

Remember, this is a you choose all custom slot, so longies, skirties and board shorts/capris are all available in any size you choose. This slot is for *one* pair of woolies except in the case of twins or higher order multiples...then we'll chat about more woolies. ;)

Thanks so much for your continued support!! Thanks for buying WAHM!!

Imaginary Play

2009-05-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

One of my very most favorite things about childhood is imaginary play. My daughter, Emma, has an amazing imagination and I am forever attending birthday celebrations and tea parties with her. When Lori of Beneath the Rowan Tree invited me to attend her tea party stocking, I was so excited and knew just what to bring!! A Silly Stripes™ Skirty of course!! I was just peaking at Lori's shop and realized what amazing things Hyena Cart vendors have to offer for a tea party...both imaginary and real.

I hope you will come too!!

Silly Cranky Stripes Monster Booty Pants!

2009-05-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Whew...what a mouthful! But, it's true! Amy Kett of Crankypants goodness and I are going to be collaborating on a super special, ooak pair of woolies.
Amy is fundraising at her son's school to assist in the building of a play scape for the thrid, fourth and fifth grade. As a former elementary school teacher, this is close to my heart as I believe that *each and every child* needs a place to play, exersise and build social skills with their peers during breaks from the school day. The plan looks great and appears to be a very well planned financial expenditure...but, as money does not grow on trees (as we're all too aware) they need a bit of assistance to reach this goal.
This is where we all come in! Amy requested donations for this fundraiser, and she and I have come up with something pretty special. You'll have to use your imagination to picture it, but....after the winner of the lotto chooses four colors, Amy is going to knit a Monster Booty then send it off to me to Silly Stripe the legs! I am very excited to see these *Silly Cranky Stripes Monster Booty Pants*!

For inspiration.....

Check out this great fundraiser now...there is only one day left!
Vance Playground Project on Hyena Cart

Capris~Manpris~and a Guest Spot!

2009-05-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that the wonderful ladies of Universal Mama on Hyena Cart invited me to stock with them next week! They are *amazing* artisans and I am honored to have been asked!
So...here's a peek of my offerings for this stocking. I have always secretly wished for twin babies. I wanted to make woolies that "match" but not exactly. Here's what I came up with. Orange, green, blue and a natural....brown for one, cream for the other.

Please join me, along with the artisans of UM next Monday at 10PM HC time. :)

Silly Stripes™ and Elliebelly Crayon?

2009-05-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

Yes!! It is true! Joyce at Elliebelly invited me to guest at her crayon party on May 7th. I am really excited at the prospect of working her special Melted Crayon stripe set into special Silly Stripes™! Look at this beautiful yarn set...

The best part...there is so much yardage here that depending upon sizing, I can work two pair for twins, siblings or buddies. :) The purchaser of this set may choose to have Joyce send this lovely yarn to me so we can create perfect Melted Crayon Silly Stripes™ together. It is a guaranteed custom slot with purchase of the yarn set.

Don't miss Joyce's Crayon stocking...it's sure to be colorful!!

Hey! This is fun!!

2009-04-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

LOL!! I'm having so much fun knitting right now. I have been blessed to be invited to do several guest stockings on Hyena Cart, so I am busy knitting those up. They are both a joy and a bit intimidating. I have made all the color decisions...hope you enjoy them! lol

Here's a little peek of a pair of twinners...lol...one boyish and one girlish.

I also am picking out colors for a tea party...hum...oh, the possibilities!! It will be four of these...see any you just love?

{giggle}
I just love that little picture. They are teeny little hanks that I twisted up to help me when I play with color. I couldn't resist taking a picture of them just tossed together. They're lots of fun!!

Oh, oh, oh!! Here is a little skirty that I completed and sent off to it's new little owner. I can not wait to see it on her. I really enjoyed these colors...this green is called "spring green" and it is named just perfectly!

And, last but not least...I'm working on a summer shawl for myself. This is Mosaic Moon Morwenstow. It is just a breathtaking colorway. Morwenna's colorways are just perfection. My goal is to complete this by my birthday...so...late June, this should be complete and gracing my shoulders. I've got a ways to go. ;)

We're having a gorgeous spring day in Washington today...so I'm going to spend some time outdoors with my kiddos...looking for silly inspirations! :)

Dwell Wool Knits is having a party!

2009-04-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

And...I was invited!! Can you guess what I brought? ;)

There are some *amazing* wahms coming to Andrea's party...you really should check it out.

Dwell Wool Knits

Adventures in Knitting

2009-04-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, this project was a lot of fun!! Here are Bear's new(ish) Goldfish Shorties. ;)

It was unusually warm in SW WA yesterday, and I was possessed to work on this project again. lol...so now...you need the back story.

These woolies started out as a purchase two years ago. They used to look like this....

I pulled them out and was left with this.....lol

Which went into a lanolin rich soak...kind of neat looking, huh?

And then back into the hank...

And yesterday, I wound it up...added black wool to s t r e t c h the colorway...and voila! New woolies for Bear!!

Silly Stripes™ Manpris!

2009-04-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

These are super special as they are for my very own Little Bear!! It's about time, huh? ;)

I love this length for the long in between weather of the PNW. Not as long as longies...but not short and chilly either. Pop on a pair of converse or crocs and it's a perfect outfit. Suppose I should find a matching shirt too, huh? Don't mind Bear's belly....he had on an orange tee...and it just didn't quite match. lol

I am really excited to start working on this length for spring....sometime soon you'll see a special pair pop up somewhere special. ;) (wink and giggle)

The SugarBubbie Halter!

2009-04-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have just received the go ahead from the designer of this top (the very talented Tina of SugarBubbie) to post my test knit of her darling new halter top pattern!! This top is perfect to match up with woolies or in our case, the perfect little top for our little gals out of diapers too! It is a simple knit and I hope you all look into it when the pattern is released. Which...it looks like will be soon!! Tina is stocking them at Artiste on April 5th!

What a busy month!!

2009-03-30T13:56:00.001-07:00

So, I no longer have the sickies...but, whew! That bug kicked my tail!

I have completed the March custom Silly Stripes™! I adore the colors this momma chose and can not wait to see them on her little gal!

I also wanted to share this very special gift with you all. A dear friend of mine recently had a little boy. She is a baby wearer and one of her favorite wraps is Girasol's Earthy Rainbow...so I created a pair of woolies for her little guy and wrapped them up to match.

He is four weeks old here...isn't he darling!!

And...because Easter is coming, and this is an *awesome* project, I must share my daugher's basket that I just finished up. It's a felted project and it's a really simple knit. It is a free Ravelry download...if you are not on Ravelry, and need a copy, let me know and I can probably help you out. :)

Whew...now, back to my needles. ;)

The Sickies

2009-03-08T13:50:00.001-07:00

I finally got it...and it has hit me hard. If I owe you an email...I'm not ignoring you, just having a hard time functioning. I'll be back at it soon...I have no choice, right? I'm the mom. ;) lol

And the winner....

2009-03-05T13:07:00.000-08:00

of this month's custom slot....is Shandi!! Check your email momma! :)

I also let random.org select a second email...if I can get this custom done quickly, and do not have any issues pop up, I'll be sending out another email in a couple weeks. ;)

Wildflower Silly Stripes™ & Custom Lotto Time!

2009-03-02T21:08:00.000-08:00

This little pair of Silly Stripes™ reminds me so much of a wildflower garden. So sweet and perfect for a sweet little girl. They'll be going home as soon as they are dry this week.

Since this pair is complete it is time to begin another pair! This time, it will be a *you choose all* lottery to purchase!!

I will accept email entries until Thursday at noon pacific time. Once I get my kiddos down to nap, I will use a random # generator to choose the winner of the custom slot. Please email your entry to littlebearknitwear@comcast.net with the subject "March Custom". The subject is *very* important, as I have my inbox set up to filter these emails into a special folder. Please only enter one time. ;) To keep things fair, I'll delete multiple entries.

Remember, this is a you choose all custom slot, so longies, skirties and board shorts/capris are all available this time in any size you choose. This slot is for *one* pair of woolies except in the case of twins or higher order multiples...then we'll chat about more woolies. ;)

Bears and Foxes and Owls, Oh My!

2009-02-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

I took the time to knit for my little Bear again. This time using Run Fox Run from Comfort Wool Co.. When my friend Aimee of Beaux Bottoms posted her owl pocket shorties, I knew my guy needed an owl pocket too.

So....I decided on "manpris" for Bear.
Here they are...I can not wait for spring now. :)

There is already a ball in the pocket there...what more could a boy ask? Pants with a pocket, a ball and a ride on his "yee-haw"!

Introducing....The Cub Cuddler™

2009-02-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

I was recently looking at the photography blog of my local photographer, Catchlights NW, when I saw the most beautiful babies tightly swaddled. I loved the way they were tightly bundled and the focus was on their brand new faces. I was inspired to knit my own version of a newborn swaddler-The Cub Cuddler™. To be honest...the idea possessed me. I picked up needles and wool and neglected any and all housework for the day, sat with my computer to take notes and knit until it was complete. I am quite happy with the results.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with a friend and her one week old little boy. I was able to swaddle him in the Cub Cuddler™ and photograph his beautiful innocence wrapped up in woolly goodness.

He is *darling*.

I love the little peeks of baby shape and skin that you can see....I could stare at him for hours...

It's a Silly Stripes™ Skirty!

2009-02-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

I am just *tickled pink* with this little skirty. I am not a girly-girl, so envisioning it was not easy...but now that it's complete...I'm a little bit in love. :)

So...what do you think? Is it a go? Or should I just say no?

Superbowl Sunday!

2009-02-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

I want to share some knitting with you all...but first I would like to announce the winner of the semi-custom lotto slot!

The lucky number belongs to tmrobinson9~ you have mail!

Lotto Time!

2009-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

I am ready to work up a pair of small Silly Stripes™ woolies! :) As I'm still reworking the patterns for my new yarn, I am opening this lotto up for people interested in purchasing a size small with a hip of 17" and a rise of 15". You will be able to choose a custom inseam to fit your little one.

I will be accepting email entries through January 31 at midnight. Please email me at littlebearknitwear@comcast.net with the subject "Small Lotto" to enter. I will use a random number generator to choose the winner on Sunday, February 1st after I wake. Good luck!

Finally complete!

2009-01-26T15:10:00.001-08:00

I am in love with these. I may make Bear a twin pair. :)

I hope their new little owner enjoys them as well!!

I am going to be listing a lotto to purchase a pair of Silly Stripes™ later this week. Stay tuned. :)

Just a Sneak Peek

2009-01-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick shot I took of a pair of Silly Stripes™ that I'm working on today. I also took a picture of the stitch marker I'm using. I pulled it out of my case without looking and had to giggle when I saw it was a near perfect match to the yarns I was using. :)

and.....Action!

2009-01-19T09:12:00.001-08:00

How adorable are these two little ones?

I am putting together a gallery of Silly Stripes™ in action. I would love to add your kiddo to the set. :) Even if you think I had one of your child...I lost many pictures while rearranging a file. Oops! So...please resend them if you'd like to share. :)

Mail to LBK

Bitty Baby Silly Stripes™

2009-01-16T21:19:00.000-08:00

Here are the tiny newborn woolies for my lotto winner...I hope her dear daughter on the way is cozy in them!!

The First Silly Stripes™ Longies of the New Year

2009-01-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Here they are...hot off my needles...now knit with Cestari Fine Merino.

These are available for purchase and can be shipped as soon as they are dry. I don't want to wait until my new Hyena Cart is complete to list them....so if you would like them for your loved one, just email me at littlebearknitwear@comcast.net . They fall in between a small and a medium in size with a rise of 16", a hip of 18" and an inseam of 9". $73 ppd-please request insurance as desired. :)

These woolies have now been spoken for. Thank you all so much for your interest!! I will announce all custom slots here on this blog.

Congratulations Amy H.!

2008-12-24T12:07:00.001-08:00

You've got an email, and I'm looking forward to knitting for your little bean!

Newborn Slot Lotto will close at noon PST

2008-12-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

:)

I forgot to state a time, and since we'll be heading out for the afternoon I want to close it in time to announce the winner. :)

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas tomorrow! We're headed to my ILs this afternoon (weather permitting) and then tomorrow we'll be celebrating the day as a family. Enjoy your celebrations as well!!

Silly Stripes™ Custom Slots for January

2008-12-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

Because I'm going to be working with a new yarn base with a different gauge, I will need to rewrite all of my patterns. In order to do this, I need to knit at least one of each size soon. So, I'm going to work my customs this month around this. :) I'll be doing the very first pair in a newborn size. Now, this slot will have to be a semi custom, because I want to do my standard newborn hip (15") and rise (14")...so no changing those...but I can do your inseam as desired.

I will be offering this newborn slot as a lottery. To enter, please email me at littlebearknitwear@comcast.net. Please put "Newborn Custom" in your email subject. I will accept emails for this until Wednesday at which time I will use a random # generator to choose the lotto winner. As soon as you are contacted, I'd love for you to have chosen your four colors from my new yarns so I can start on then as soon as possible.

As soon as the newborn pair is knit up, I'll do another lottery for the next size I want to work up. So...stay tuned!

:)

New Yarns for Silly Stripes™ Custom Longies

2008-12-20T13:49:00.001-08:00

I have decided to switch to Cestari Fine Merino for custom Silly Stripes™ woolies. Cestari is known for it's squishy soft, cottony feel and it's well wearing strength. I am happy to have made this switch to support a small US farm. Now, Silly Stripes™ are 100% made in the USA!

Here are the new colors!

Row One : Zinnia, Mountain Laurel, Lemongrass, Goldenrod
Row Two : Country Lavender, Babies Breath, Spruce Blue, Hummingbird Vine
Row Three : Dahlia Red, Moss, Bluet, Thistle Pod
Row Four : Tiger Lily, Pussy Willow, Spring Pasture, Peony Pink

Black is also available, but not shown.

**NEWLY ADDED** Iron Weed (a deep purple) & Wheat (a darker natural)

Silly Stripes™ Sizing, Pricing & Other Info

2008-12-19T17:55:00.000-08:00

	Newborn	Small	Meduim	Large	X-Large
Rise	14”	15”	17”	19”	20”
Hip	15”	17”	19”	21”	22”
Inseam	6”	8”	9”	11”	13”

These sizes are updates to my former size chart.

Longies/Skirty Pricing Using Cestari Fine Merino
Newborn ~ $55
Small ~ $65
Medium ~ $75
Large ~ $85
X-Large ~ $95
ruffle cuffs ~ +$5
extra inseam ~ +$5/inch
pricing is based on largest measurement (hip & rise)

Manpris/Capris Pricing Using Cestari Fine Merino
Newborn ~ $48
Small ~ $58
Medium ~ $68
Large ~ $78
X-Large ~ $88
ruffle cuffs ~ +5
pricing is based on largest measurement (hip & rise)

Your Silly Stripes will be knit using four colors. Two "main colors" and two "secondary colors". Winning a custom slot will entitle you to one pair of woolies. I will only knit additional pairs in one slot in the case of twins, or triplets (or higher order multiples) however, the increased # of pairs of woolies will add to my completion time. Thanks so much!

A Good Yarn Day!

2008-12-18T17:48:00.001-08:00

I just got a *big* box of yarn!! Look for an announcement in the next day or two! Lots of pictures to take!!

A scary future for all WAHP businesses....

2008-12-09T08:59:00.001-08:00

I'm sure many of you are aware of the new regulations going into effect this February. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is trying to improve the quality of good available to all American's age 12 and under. It is a noble idea, and should certainly be enforced against imported goods from countries know to have "less than safe" products. However, it currently will be enforced unilaterally against all products markeded to children 12 and under. This will dramatically effect the wares available from small American companies. As it is currently written, Little Bear Knitwear, and many, many other small WAHP businesses will be closing up shop. The fines are astrinomical. (If fined, I'd lose my house trying to pay the fine.)
Anyway, there are oodles of sites to read more about this...certianly more eloquently stated than I am here.

I was directed to this site this morning. http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476 In under one minute, you can email your state elected officials urging them to help to revise this act. It does not ask that the whole act be repealed...certainly I'd love to see stricter regulations against many MIC products. It does ask for the safety process to be ammended to allow wahp to make safe products. You also have the option to print out the letter and snail mail it to your officials' offices. It is quick and easy...you don't even need to know the name or address of your officals. The site will do it for you.

I appreciate you thinking about this....it is scary to all of us wahms....and consumers are afraid too...if it stays as currently written, it will change the way we shop for our children. :(

I would like your input please :)

2008-11-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

I am going to be making some changes at Little Bear Knitwear in the new year. One of the things I'm working on is a yarn base change. I have been frustrated by the delivery times of the yarn I'm currently working with, and to change yarns I will need to make a *massive* purchase of the colors I intend to offer. However, by doing this, I will have the yarns I need on hand and I will not have to wait for yarns to be delivered. (Trust me...this has been a HUGE headache....this change is good! ) I think you'll be happy with the new yarns as well. :)

So...here's the help I am requesting. What four colors would make up perfect Silly Stripes™ in your mind? I'll be limiting my offerings to probably 16 colors...but as you've seen...just adjusting the order of the same four colors can make a marked difference, so I think it will work wonderfully. But, which colors are "must haves" in your opinion? I'll be ordering this yarn this week...so please comment as soon as you can. Thanks so much!!!

Huge smiles...and I'll be trying to post more often...I'm not sure where November went...

Karma

2008-11-18T15:34:00.001-08:00

I've had an amazing month when it comes to good fortune and selfless giving...and it's only the 15th! So, rather than try to keep this contest to myself, I must share it with you all! Karma is an amazing energy!

My friend Christina of Bamboletta dolls is running a blog contest. You can read all about it here. Christina's dolls are amazing...we are the proud owners of two. Every boy and girl should have one - momma's too! My next purchase will be for me. :)

Also...I have been an absentee blogger recently. I've taken pictures, though of things to write...and not done any of it. We have been especially busy...but I'll be taking the time for an update soon. I'm probably going to be laying low on customs for the month of December, then have a few things in mind for January. I'll keep you all posted!

Smiles~Monica

Baby Elephants and Sushi?

2008-09-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

So...sometimes inspiration comes in silly forms. ;)

First are two new baby sized woolies inspired by elephants-Ella and Elliot to be specific. These make me wish I were pregnant with boy~girl twins. These sweet woolies will be available at Sympatico tomorrow...though, I honestly have considered adding them to my hope chest....just in case. Don't tell my husband. ;)

Then the Sushi....yum...these woolies are for a really sweet momma and her adorable little girl. We worked really hard to find just the right combination...pink ginger, sage wasabi, fluffy white rice and using a bit of artistic license, black for the nori. Um....yeah, I'm feeling a tad hungry right now. :)

Drumroll please! ;)

2008-09-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

And the winner is.....Comment # 14! Left by my dear friend Andrea!! This should help to keep you warm in your new state! I'll be in contact with you to pick your brain about colors. :)
Thank you to everyone who left a comment....I really appreciate all of you!

Ok...so unless you have "super spy eyes" there is no way you can read that! lol...but if you click it to open, you'll see that I got a random # between 1 and 29...and 14 it is! :)

It's going to be a Zoo at Sympatico!

2008-09-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here's just a sneak peek of one of the goodies I have in store for you. :)

Inspired by the Ella Elephant fabric, it will be darling with many of your new baby's tops.
I hope to have a pair inspired by Elliot too. :)

A Special Knit~And a Giveaway

2008-09-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday morning feeling *off*. I've felt that way every September 11th since 2001. What a horrible, life changing day. I did not personally lose anyone in those planes or towers...but many of my friends did. Much has changed in my life since that fateful morning....but that feeling of shock and dismay that I felt on September 11th remains in my memory.

So, as I began my knitting work yesterday, my heart just was not in it. I wanted to do something for my children...something lasting for them. I have had a gorgeous single ply from Selah in my stash for a long time. Prayer Flags just seemed like the right thing to knit...so I went off to Ravelry to find the right quick knit.

I found a pattern for a lovely little lace cowl...I knew that I could knit it up quickly, and it would keep Emma cozy, warm and wrapped in a little love this fall and winter. Out came my needles, and I knit while Emma and Bear played around me. It was really quite nice. Here's the completed cowl...which is now called a neck warmer, as Emma thought I was calling it a "cow". ;)

Because I enjoyed this knit so much, and because I believe that we could all use a little hug, I'd like to knit one up as a gift to one of you. It won't be in this colorway, and may be a solid color of my choice, but it will be this pretty little lace cowl. I can do a child size as pictured, or an adult size. All you need to do it leave a comment with a positive thought about anything at all. What a lovely day you have today, how plentiful your garden is, or just how nice it is to be loved....any little positive thought at all. I will use a random number generator to select the winner on September 20th. Please make sure I have a way to contact you. :)

Community and Sharing

2008-09-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why I love being a work at home mom.

I have the priveledge of raising my two children. I am with them when they are happy and engaged in play and learning. I am with them when they test their boundaries and try all sorts of new things. I am their teacher - their nurse - their cook - and best of all their mommy.

I enjoy working for other moms and dads. I have the pleasure of getting to know lots of these parents fairly well. Some have gone on to become friends with whom I stay in very frequent contact. Getting to know about the little one that I am knitting for is joyful. Seeing their pictures in the woolies I hand knit is even better!

I love being a part of a larger community of wahms. I've shared ideas and "best practices" with these other work at home moms. I've shared struggles such as organization and time management. I also shop from many of these other wahms...and therefore provide for my children while helping another mom be home with her children...it is an *awesome* circle.

Being a part of this larger community has provided me with two friends who have shared with me some little "tricks of the trade" that I've not used before. So, I'd like to say thank you to Lindsey of Cake. for sharing her idea to do both legs of my woolies at one time using two 12" circular needles. Why didn't I think of this? I love having both legs work up at one time without magic looping. This is just such a fun trick. :) I also want to thank Kim of Western Sky Knits for suggesting I try a crochet bind off. Another simple tweak to my process and I love it! It is so much quicker than using a traditional bind off for stockinette work.

Two simple tweaks...two members of a larger community who are willing to share. What a lovely way to work. :)

One of my custom Silly Stripes is making me hungry!!!

2008-09-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a hint...be on the lookout for pictures off these delicious longies in the next few days! :)

A WIP I'd like to keep for Bear!

2008-09-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

I am loving this color combination. As a mater of fact, I have a very similar collection of yarns selected for bear for a very special set of shirts that are being custom made for him. ;) lol

I took a quick shot of this pair to share with a customer, so I thought I'd share here too...I won't tell you all about them yet, but this pair will be part of a special collaboration later this month! :)

A custom heading home tomorrow!

2008-09-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

This sweet little set is headed to its new home tomorrow! The baby who will be wearing it is still growing and is not due to be born for several more weeks...so it will be a little longer until we see action shots. I'll be excited to see them though! :D

The first picture here is the truest showing of these colors. They are really quite fun in real life! I am having a terrible time getting good pictures now that our days are often rainy and overcast in the PNW. Any suggestions, dear readers?

HABA Recall

2008-08-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

Well, this post is just as a mom...I figure some of you may have these HABA toys...so I wanted to show you the link so you could make an informed decision regarding your child's toys. The recall was released today.
HABA RECALL

Headed to the Kite Festival!!

2008-08-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for our beach vacation a day earlier than planned originally! :) Yippeee!
I'm gathering my yarns, and I'll be working on customs. If you are trying to reach me....I will not have access to the internet...or it will be extremely limited. My laptop is staying home. I'll return all emails and PMs on Monday!
Have a great weekend!

Did you know Purple and Green were meant to be together?

2008-08-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

I don't think it is as common a combination as it should be. I adore these colors together!

When this momma requested that *I* choose purple and green colors that worked well together, I was so excited to play in my yarn stash. I originally was thinking a different darker green to compliment the sage, but when the bottle green rolled over, it was serendipity. I loved it from the very first moment...even as just single strands of colored yarn.

Now, this picture needs to be retaken...we're having a lack of sun in the PNW...but I had to share them with their new owner...so for now, it works. ;)

Would you like to hear the sad fate of the little hat for this set? It was nearly complete, when Bear decided to put it on his enormous noggin. Oops. Stitches were coming apart everywhere. The ends had not yet been woven in, and I was not pleased with how they were tightening up after such a big stretch. So....that hat will become a felted ball at some point, and a new one will be cast on this weekend. ;) Bet that never happened in a factory! I love being a WAHM....not everyone could say production was halted by a 19 month old curious boy.

WIP for Bear

2008-08-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

So...I made a deal with myself. Once a week I go stitch and b!tch at my LYS. It is really a fantastic yarn store...she has the *hands down* best espresso in town. So...I go to stitch and chat and have a really good coffee. This is my *me* knitting time. :)

I've been working on these longies for Bear each time I go. They have a 23" hip and a 20" rise...and the leg will be around 13", so they are no small task. I work on them just a few hours a week...but I just had to share the progress I've made because I'm thrilled with this yarn.

This is Red Rock Canyon dyed by Southwest Spectrum. Debbie is new-ish to HC and also has a shop on Etsy. I could not be happier with this yarn. It is soft and squishy and the colors are so vivid. Debbie offered this colorway on her HC, and I just loved it, but the four ounces offered were simply not enough. I emailed her and requested a greater quantity. She dyed it up for me quickly and expertly!

I have about 6 inches left to go on this first leg...so this wip will be ongoing for a while...lol...I'll show updates from time to time! Hopefully they'll be complete by spring! HA!

They Call Me ~ Redbeard!

2008-08-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

So...this post has nothing to do with woolies. Or with stripes. Or diapers for that matter...but because so many of you have become my friends, I feel the need to share these pictures with you. This is my Bear...my messy little love who keeps me knitting dishcloths. I can't stand them all stained up...so I think I'll need to knit another. ;)

With two red bearded uncles (one on each side) it will be no real surprise if Bear eventually grows a red beard...but at only 19 months old, he is already trying to look like Uncle Matt and Uncle Guy.

He liked his ravioli so well, that he sucked his spoon clean and slurped from his bowl...hence the perfect beard.

Quite the proud little guy, wouldn't you say? ;)

Let's not talk about the clean up. :)

Over the Rainbow Stocking at Sympatico

2008-08-15T15:40:00.001-07:00

We're having a Rainbow Party at Sympatico!
In honor of that stocking I just wrapped up one of *hopefully* two pair of very special Silly Stripe™ Woolies. This pair is a traditional rainbow with red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. They are *bright* and I think they are oodles of fun!!
You'll notice that these Silly Stripes™ are a bit different in that they have six colors, not the ordinary four. I have no plans to repeat them anytime soon....they are kind of a special edition. ;)

A little extra flair!

2008-08-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

What little girl *wouldn't* like Silly Stripes ™ with a bit extra flair? ;) lol

In Progress...

2008-08-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well, my friend Andrea inspired me to take a shot of my current W.I.P.s (Works In Progress). So...here's what is on my needles currently.

Some of them are in a holding pattern. Namely, the ones for Bear. ;) Poor guy. Those Turtle Butts for him have been holding for weeks! They only need a cuff! Then he can wear them...I should really complete them. I guess since they're out...I could do that tonight. ;)
The silly stripes are complete, they need to be washed and blocked tonight...then I'll get good pictures. ;) The Tiny TB need completing before the bottom they are for outgrows them! Eep!
Oh...and the Rainbows...I'm going to work up the legs on those next. :) I can't wait! I have another pair of really special rainbows in my noggin'...I need to commit to knitting them up for our Rainbow stocking just around the corner. :)

Hibernating in the Bear Den

2008-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Oh! What a week! Bear has had a virus of some sort. Poor guy. He held a 102 degree to 104.7 degree temperature for two days. It did not respond terribly well to Tylenol...so I knew he was "cooking" out a little problem in his system. I did take him to see the doctor when he began to whine about his ear...but the doctor declared him perfectly healthy-with a virus. So...we've been waiting it out. Today is day 6 of the illness and day two of no fever...I won't share his remaining symptom with you...just know diaper laundry has been fun. Not.

Now, how does that affect Little Bear Knitwear? Well...I'm behind. I will catch up...but naps and nighttime have been a bit of a "growl", so I am about a week off my schedule. I don't do well knitting with a child clinging to me...and I'm reluctant to share our germs anyway. So please bear with me and accept my apologies for not stocking two slots on Friday. I didn't want to over commit September if August runs behind. Thanks for understanding!

Yesterday I washed and blocked this pair. I love the way they turned out, and hope their new family does too! ;)

I am also about 70% complete on a small girly pair with a little flair! Expect pictures on those soon!!

My August yarns have been delayed by UPS...why, oh why, UPS, must you toy with me? I sure hope you show up today! 10 days on order is too long. I'll update when they arrive! :)

OH!!! I almost forgot. Sympatico is doing a Rainbow stocking on the 29th. I'm excited. I have a special pair ready for legs for that. Keep your fingers crossed that my kiddos stay well...as I have a second pair I really want to do as well. :)

Ok...about customs...

2008-08-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

For now, I have decided to keep filling slots through my HC Congo only. I'll be listing two slots on Friday the 8th, and one more on the 22nd. These will be September slots.
Also, I wanted to let everyone know that I'll be traveling the whole month of October...most of it without my husband...poor guy must work. So, I'm not sure if I'll be taking any slots for October. It will depend on how settled my kiddos are while we're traveling. I will resume filling slots for November though! :)
Also, I should note, I've changed the slots at the request of quite a few to be longies only. However, a hat can still be added on. This way, you get just exactly what you want. Yay!
Thanks so, so much for all of your support!
Smiles~M

Latest Silly Stripes

2008-08-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick shot of my latest custom Silly Stripes Longies. In this picture they're unwashed or blocked...and in need of a drawstring...lol...but with two toddlers and a weather issue...I always want to get the shot when I can!
I love these colors together and hope to see them in action when they arrive at their new home. (hint, hint-lol)

Thanks for peeking!

Knitting with Toddlers....

2008-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have two kiddos. Emma who is 38 months old and little brother Bear who is almost 19 months. Emma can knit. :D You know...use straight needles and make a huge knot out of momma's yarn. I learned this the hard way with some fairly expensive Selah yarn. Oops! Now she has her own ball of yarn and her own needles. Who knows? She may just be the next great knitter! Then there is Bear...love my little guy. While I'm knitting, he will confirm (at least every 10-15 stitches) that I'm using "yan" and knitting a "haa". He points to me and his little voice inflects with the questions. I will confirm for him that I am using "yarn" but I'm not knitting a hat...usually it's britches. When I really am knitting a hat...he'll continue with "my?". lol It's really quite cute, but after about two minutes of it...well, you know. Broken record syndrom. ;)
Which brings me to my point. I don't get much knitting when my babe's are awake. But, here's an update...the orange/blue/yellow pair below have one leg left, then the matching hat. Yahoo! The rainbows have one leg started, but they're on the back burner right now. And Bears TB? lol...maybe I'll take the time to finish it today. It's just **so** close!

It's that time again....

2008-07-31T13:31:00.001-07:00

The eve of the day I've been challenged by for two years now. The Crankypants lotto day. If you're a woolie momma...you know the routine. ;) If not...it's the day that Amy takes emails and several mommas and their kiddos become the lucky recipients of hand knit Crankies. I've been trying for *two* years.

Just wanted to be clear. T.W.O. years.
So, I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe it will be my lucky day! I mean really...how long can one try without success? Want to know the fairly pathetic thing? I want sock monkeys. We had some when Bear was quite small. He outgrew them with great speed. Now I know...I could get him a Peruvian pair. But, he's very tall for his age, and they're too small. So...I'm trying for a pair directly from Amy. If I actually get a slot...I may be tempted for monsters...or a bear...but I really want another pair of sock monkeys.
So...guess who I'll be emailing tomorow? ;)

Knitter's A.D.D. & Some Haiku

2008-07-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Knitter's Attention Deficit Disorder. I think it may really exist. I'm fairly certain I have it! ;)

Here are my current WIPs.

What we have here are a custom I began two days ago, a Turtle Butt soaker for my own ds, and a rainbow pair of Silly Stripes I started last night.
The Turtle Butt only has a cuff left ~not a lot of work, but my kids always come last...cobbler's son effect...and so it's on the back burner. ;)
The custom will be resumed very shortly...like when I'm done typing. ;) And the rainbow? Well, there is time for that one...but I was excited to put the colors together. This snapshot doesn't do them justice. They're going to be adorable I think.

Also, true to her promise, my poetry momma is still serenading me with poetry! :)
Here are the latest two.

From Tuesday...

dry and happy boy
colorful stripes on his bum
warm all winter long

And this morning while I sipped my coffee, I enjoyed this one.

longing for longies
bright, bold, fun and fabulous
perfect pair of pants

:) How fun are these? What my poetry momma doesn't know, is I used to be a school teacher, and each day I check her Haiku for proper structure. They're correct! lol...I really like getting her emails...I bet they'll stop when she scores a slot! ROFL!!

Well...off to knit. Have a great Wednesday!!

Wait! Stop the presses...I forgot to post this hat when I took pictures of it. Love this picture. It just makes me smile...though, you really can't see the longies at all.

Now...off to knit! :)

How to handle customs? (And a sneak peek!)

2008-07-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'm actually quite perplexed on this one. I love knitting Silly Stripes, especially customs as the colors that other mommas come up with are so much fun for me to work up! But, I'm finding that I have more mommas wanting Silly Stripes than I have the time to work on knitting. So, how do I do it? Sell to my friends first? This doesn't seem quite fair. Should I keep a list that has no obtainable end? Keep a list from email or PM requests? Not sure I could organize all that. Sell to the momma with the fastest finger? Slots via lottery? Auction? I really don't know what the best option is.
Here's the other part...I still want to stock my store, and I also would love to knit up some of the amazing HC yarn that I have in my stash! :)

So~dear reader...are you out there? I'm asking for your opinion...what would you like to see happen? Oh, and I must share this with you. lol...I have a momma who's threatened (promised? ) to email me a poem everyday until she has a slot. With her permission....

I was going to write you a large and heartfelt piece of poetry proclaiming my love for your knitting and describing my unending quest to own one of these beauties. However, we're both busy women - I'm sure you don't have anymore time to read that then I do to write it. And so, I've decided that I will have to do the next-best, time saving, condensed version.
That's right. Haikus.
I was thinking maybe one each day until your next stocking. And if I'm too annoying, well, I'm sure you know where the block sender button is on your email. (I'd help you out with that, but I use hotmail, so mine is probably in a different place than yours.)

So without further delay -

Little Bear Knit Wear
longies dance across my dreams
like crabs in the sand

Fantastic! Don't you think? It sure made my day!! I know how she thinks I should fill my customs. lol...but what do you think? Please comment to let me know your opinion and suggestion. :)

Now, to share a wip! (Work In Progress)

I love these colors together. Again...a pair I'd love to keep for Bear. ;) They'll be off to their new home in a week or so.

Since diapering wool requires a diaper....

2008-07-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm constantly on the look out for amazing fitteds. :)
Honestly, we use a great deal of prefolds too...but good fitteds are such a joy. When I was about 6 months into diapering two children, I underwent a *huge* diaper sell off and streamlined my stash to prefolds, flats, and my favoirte workhorse fitteds. This included GMARs (now called Prefitteds), Fireflies and Clovers. They work. They fit well. They're simple to use when diapering two requires a quick laundry turn around.
Now that Emma has PLed, I'm on the great diaper search again. Bear is my last baby, so I've decided to get him some new diapers (who am I kidding, they're for me) to finish out his days in cloth. So...what am I loving?
Clothmopolitans. What is not to love? I used them when my babies were in smalls and mediums, then overlooked them when I did my great streamlining. Here's Bear in his new carrots diaper. There is a peas to match. I also treated him (me) to a bear one as well...but we can't show that one off just yet.

I've found another new *favorite* for night time. I'm not sure how I did night time diapering before these diapers!!! Bonnie at Holden's Landing makes an amazing diaper called the Bed Bug. When she makes them all pretty with dye and embroidery, they then become a Dreamscape. These diapers are *amazing*. I can let Bear sleep in one with a day weight layer of wool, and our sheets are dry and he's totally comfortable. Here's Bear with his bear getting ready for bed.

Nice looking diaper, huh?

So...I'll continue on this quest for new and wonderful fitteds until Bear PLs. Hopefully when he does, it will be easy for us both...but secretly, I'm wishing it won't be for a while. ;)

He is a Bear!

2008-07-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Ok...so you may know by now that I call my darling son Bear. It's his nickname..though he has a perfectly good name on his birth certificate, I call him Bear most of the time. It's funny how a nickname can evolve to become just what it needs to be in the moment.
When Bear was born, he was a snuggle bug...like a teddy bear that you had clutched to when you were small. He also growled a little bit. He wasn't a grunter...he was a growler. He grew quite quickly, and when he began to crawl, he looked like a small cub. So big, with huge hands, lumbering along. He still growled quite a bit. Now Bear is 18 months old. He fits his name for different reasons each day. He's still my cuddly teddy bear. He still growls-though often now a defensive growl at his big sis'. ;) When he's teething, or especially tired, he's an angry bear...watch out. Today, he's been my teddy bear, and my angry bear. Right now he's sleeping and I should be knitting. My little Bear's hibernation only lasts just over an hour.

Hot off the needles!

2008-07-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

I just completed these for a very sweet momma! They're not yet washed or blocked, but the weather is perfect for photography today, so I couldn't resist. I'm going to go cast on for the matching hat...I'll update when that is complete! Thanks for peeking!

Turtle Butt~A Test Knit

2008-07-22T09:59:00.001-07:00

Ok...so I love this pattern. When Melanie first started showing these off....I knew Bear would need a pair. In brown and green-my favorite combo. So, when she was looking for testers recently, I pounced. (I love testing for Melaine. She's fantastic to work with, and I enjoy her patterns immensely.)
I started this one immediatly, then had to put it down to work on customs. I really need to pick it up and finish it. I think that I have less than about two hours work left now. This picture is not current, but it's the only one I have at the moment.
So....what do you think? Are you feeling a little turtle in your future? ;)

So...since I'm a blogger now...lol...

2008-07-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek at the custom that I'm currently working on. Actually, it's nearing completion! When the little hat is all done, I'll post a pic of the set. The colors are amazing in real life!

I've been discovered!

2008-07-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

lol! Thanks to one of the sweetest mommas I know....who posted my link here. ;) So...I guess it's time to start using this blog? Um...OK! :)

Thank you Amy for such a nice rave about Till's Silly Stripes set. She's adorable and I hope you all really enjoy her set come fall. I look forward to seeing pics come fall...hint hint. ;)

Now...I'm off to read up on how to do all this blogging...I need to make this site prettier and also should have a place to update customs, huh?

Thanks for everyone's support!
Smiles~M

Mommy & Me ~ At the Market

2008-04-02T08:43:00.001-07:00

I simply adore my market bag. I've gotten so many compliments on it, everywhere I use it. Just think. If everyone carried a market bag with them while shopping how many fewer plastic bags would be in circulation. This bag is knit of a pima cotton and wool blend. It's luxurious to the touch...and it's not "super crunchy granola" as my husband puts it. It's soft and drapey...made of a nice garment yarn. :)

It stretches out *big* to hold lots of goodies! It has such a nice sturdy bottom though...so it's going to hold up to lots of packing.

And, here's the best part. A little bag! It's so cute and just the right size for a child to carry. My almost 3 yo dd loves hers and feels a part of the action carrying her bag. It fits a bunch of banannas and a half dozen apples easily.

Here's the lacy weave...pretty, huh?

Felted Bowls ~ My new passion!

2008-04-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

Um...what kind of hat is that? Is that a diaper pin sitting next to it? Why are there loose ends sticking out? lol This *gorgeous* hat (lol) is really 7+ ounces of bulky weight wool yarn dyed by G-Button Baby knit into a bowl! Really, it is! After about 30 minutes of agitation in hot water....

...it looked like this! I am really in love with this bowl. It's a fabulous large bowl which is nice and sturdy and ready to collect all sorts of goodies!

If it were going to live here with me, I know this one would hold my yarn and needles for whichever project I'm working on. Or maybe it would gather fruit up...or, maybe it would hold our keys at the front door....

What ever task it winds up doing, I'm a bit sad it won't be doing it here. Boxing it up was difficult. ;)

Oh, Marcie...I think I need more yarn! ;)

Tree Hugger Set

2008-03-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

These little shorties were begging to be a set. I really wanted them to be a "boy" set, but it just wasn't in the cards. lol When they knit up so nicely, but short, they really wanted a little swing top. So they went on a shopping trip with me to Target. This little brown top matches the darkest brown flecks in the shorties, so it was a match made in heaven.

Since my personal theme for this April stocking is ~Earthy~ I thought that they really needed an earthy applique. The idea for a little tree came about, well honestly, becuase the trunk of the tree was *all* the wool left over from doing the shorties. ;) So, what can be made from a rectangle? A tree trunk of course! On to the top of the tree!

I just love the texture of felted wool. Kind of gives the texture of bark and leaves. Do you see how the bark runs vertically and the leaves run horizontally? Planned! ;)

While I've got oodles of pictures...just want to point out how much I love this britches pattern. Melanie's Adorabubble Britches pattern gives such a nice bootie area. Love the fit!

Santa ~ Recycled!

2008-03-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well, after removing the white cuff, and backing out a bit, we now have adorable, ruffle edged capris!

They are super cute, and would be just adorable with a little picnic top. Or maybe a ladybug top. Or...hang on, they're red and black! They'd go with almost anything. I'm a big believer that red is the new black. So red and black together? That's really black! ;) lol

Only problem with these capris? I can't get a decent picture to save my life! I'll keep trying. lol

Remember these? Another Recycle!

2008-03-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

These "Santa Baby" britches were stocked in November with a Santa hat.

No one wanted a Santa baby. lol I was never really happy with the hat, so it got frogged. Now these pants will be recreated! They're not going to be completely frogged out like the shorties below were...but they're up for a change! Stay tuned! ;)

Recycled Shorties are Complete!

2008-03-16T13:39:00.001-07:00

Can you even tell the difference? lol At first glance, I couldn't either. ;)

However, when you take a close look, they are different. They now are a smaller size because I've knit them on size 6 needles. This small needle size ensures a nice bulletproof wool cover without having to be felted. They've got a nice big gansey gusset (which means there is more gusset in the rear) and ample short row space in the back for a cloth fanny. The ribbed leg on these are *very* short. One inch from the end of the gusset to bind off, so they're really a soaker/short.
Now I'm working on the tee shirt to make this a set. It's going to be pretty special! I'm very excited. Stay tuned!

More R's ~ Reduce & Reuse

2008-03-09T13:47:00.001-07:00

Here's a first attempt at reducing waste...in the form of a reusable market bag!

I am in *LOVE* with this bag. The airy, open weave stretches so much to accomidate lots of goodies! Be on the lookout for more of these! ;)

The 3 R's ~ Recycle

2008-03-05T17:35:00.001-08:00

I decided for the next stocking of my store on The Whole Shebang that I was going to challenge myself to have all my items relate to the theme ~ Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

So, here's a try at recycle. ;) It will be interesting to see how it goes! Stay tuned! :)

~~~~~~~~~

I got these little shorties for Trevor last summer. Sadly, they never fit him correctly and therefore were added to the stack and ignored. They've never been used. How sad for a pair of wool shorts. :(

So...I decided to "frog" them. Yes, I unraveled them to just a wound up strand of yarn. It's amazing that this length of yarn had previously been a little pair of shorts, don't you think?

Here's a close up on the swift...see all the little bumps and kinks? That's because they've been knit up for such a long time. lol It will relax when they have a bath. ;)
Just for fun, I put the yarn into a hank. It kind of looks like a novelty yarn with all the ripples! Don't mind the off color ties in there...I just grabbed them from a waste ball of yarn to tie this up for it's bath.
So, now this yarn is soaking in my very favoirite wool wash of all time, Spiced Orange from Ewe Need It. When the kiddos go to bed, I'll take it out and hang it to dry. Tomorrow may be the day it's cast on...we'll see.

Oh, and I know this is single ply purewool...any stabs at the colorway? I could have sworn it was Sandano, but I don't think so anymore. ;)