Corn Biss and Corn Glamour Dress

I have knit two dresses for a craft swap on birth.com.au.

The first dress is a bright as bright can be royal blue. The edging at the bottom is a picot edge. So I did StSt for about 5 rows, then K2tog, YO, to make the egde. Folded it over and sewed it down. There is three rows of a little eyelet lace above the picot edging. The skirt part is all stst. Then the bodice is a simple cable pattern made of a multiple of 9 stitches. The pattern is:

Row 1 - ktbl, p2,k4,p2

Row 2 - same as 1st

Row 3 - ktbl, p2,CB4,p2.

Row 4 - same as first.

Cast on 128 st on a circular needle - so knit in one piece (no sewing!), then decreased to 72 st for the bodice (the cable part). The straps are two longinsh straps that you tie together. I thought this was best since I don't know the actual measurements of the recipient, so it can kinda be loosened or tightened if needed.

The yarn is Amaizing (corn fiber). Still have no idea how they make yarn from corn!!! It is 5ply and I held it double making it approx 10ply. While knitting with it, my hands turned blue!! So I have told me swapee to wash it separately or else i'm afraid all her clothes will turn blue!

I'm really happy with how it turned out, Really cute and elegant. If you made it cream or white I reckon it would be a lovely little flower girl dress.

Next is the pink dress made larger, about a size 3. It is also made with Amaizing. The pink didn't stain my hands nearly as much!! I held the yarn double for this as well, making it approx 10ply.

Cast on 144 stitches on a circular needle (4.0mm) so no seaming. Yay! The feather and fan lace pattern was easy as.

Row 1 and 2 - Knit

Row 3 - (K2tog) twice, (YO, k1) 4 times. (k2tog) twice.

Row 4 - Purl

HOWEVER! I didn't do the purl row, I did a knit row. So it isn't quite as textured as it should be. Still nice though, I think.

Decreased at the bodice, and worked plain old garter stitch there. Nice though. Made the straps like the blue dress so they tie up, can be loosened or tightened. Next time would make the straps a little thinner and longer, so its easier to tie up.

Both dresses could be worn in summer as a summer dress, or over a long sleeve shirt in winter. Also could be worn as a top once they are too short to be worn as dresses.

I'm really happy with how they turned out! It was hard to wrap them up and send them off actually, kinda wanted to keep them! I do hope my swappee likes them and uses them!

Chemo Hat

I made a hat for my Aunty as she is going through Chemo. I haven't sent it off yet, but its all ready to go! I do hope she like sit and will be able to wear it. It must be cold in winter with no hair to keep your head warm!

The pattern is Odessa from Ravelry, a very popular pattern. The yarn is 50% Merino, 50% Acrylic. Its quite nice and soft. Its 8ply and navy in colour.

Its started from the bottom and worked up .I worked it in the round on circular needles so no need to seam (yay). I switched to DPNs at the end.

Super easy peasy pattern that looks kinda cool too :)

Cuddle Bunnies

I made these bunnies for the Love Lawson festival last year. everyone they were the vutest and well they are!!! I made them with Vicki Howell Craft - Organic Cotton and Milk fibre blend. So they are eco friendly toys! And they are really soft. Its not that hard scratchy cotton at all - perfect for babies to cuddle and suck on! :)

I embroidered the faces with some black Amaizing (corn fibre) i had left over. the face was a little tricky but i survived! the head is really cool - you do it like double knitting, (K1, s1), it knits flat but then when you finish it opens up into a round head. Its hard to explain LOL!!

They are only small cuddle bunnies, maybe one day I will make a bigger version, like a big blankey type thing. Maybe....!

Glitter Scarf

I knitted this scarf while watching marathon episodes of ER. It was great!!!!!!

Yet another pattern from Ravelry. If you haven't noticed already, alot of my items are knitted from Ravelry patterns! If you're not on there yet, join up! There is a link in my links on the right hand side of this page. Go for it! Its free and its wonderful!

Anyway, this particular scarf is the one row scarf and it was super easy!! The pattern is simply



K4, (YO, K2tog, K2) rep () to end.



You do this in every row and makes a very simple lace pattern.



The yarn is 4ply, 49% cotton, 48% Acrylic, and 3% metal. The metal is the glitter!! It is light blue with silver flecks. It is very thin and light, so the scarf is long and narrow and elegant, rather than big and thick and chunky.



I made this for Belinda at my work. She seems to like it and has been wearing it so YAY! I did give it a try myself as you can see in the photo..... I could make one for myself!!



Now I am still working on a cardi for myself... so the ER marathon continues.... Mark has discovered a brain tumour, and Elizabeth is pregnant! so much drama!!!!!

Better Be a One Day Hat

Well here is a beanie I knit for Kimberly. The pattern is from ravelry, its called 'Emergency One Day Hat". Well it took me about 6 hours to knit I think, which is pretty quick.

I used circular needles so no need to seam, starting from the bottom, casting on 96 stitches. Could have made a size smaller actually, but it fits ok. When I started the decreases I had to eventually switch to DPNs (double pointed needles). Then it was just a matter of threading the yarn through the last few stitches and pulling it. Weave in the ends and I was done!

Its starts off with a rolled edge, then some rib. Then its just stocking stitch, and a few rows of purl to make the ridges. More stocking stitch then you do the decreases.

It is actually a really cute little hat, as you see my model isn't bad either :)

The yarn is an acrylic/nylon blend, something I don't use often! But the yarn is very soft, and an unusual green colour.

Organic Cotton Hand Towels

Here are two hand towels that I made using Peruvian Organic Cotton. the first is called a 'Mock Woven hand towel" and the other is called a "Ripple Hand towel". Both patterns from Ravelry.

Very easy to make and they both look really effective.

Michelle's Scarf

This was a really quick fun knit! Well, it is kinda boring all the stocking stitch, but then the unravedlling is the funnest thing ever!!!!

It is the Sunday Market Shawl, taken from Ravelry, here is the pattern.

What you do is this:

Cast on 30 stitches LOOSELY - I used needles 2mm bigger than recommended and really could have gone looser. Row 1 : K2, YO, rep to end, K2. Then you work in stockinette stich for the rest, till its nice and long. On the last row you K2, drop a stitch, rep to end, K2. Bind off LOOSELY.

Well now comes the fun part!!! You now get to rip all the stitches from where you dropped them!!! Its like a mistake but on purpose - so wrong yet so right - and so satisfying!!! :)

It looks really effective. Once you block it, it is nice and big as well. It stretches ALOT.

I made this as a gift for Michelle and I see her wear it all the time so YAY!!!!