Happy Crafting.....

 

Happy Crafting to all. After a what felt like a rather short summer we are back to school and also, we are getting back to the cold days when a knitted piece is a must to wear. For the first few weeks I love to wear a simple poncho, as a layer for the colder mornings while the afternoons are still warm. I usually wear the Stripy poncho, but my favorite is probably the Harvest Poncho, I created few years back for I Like Knitting website. The pattern is also in their top 50 patterns collection of all time, along with the Helena sweater. Bellow you can see the photos of both patterns. Both photos are by I Like Knitting. Both patterns are available anywhere my patterns are for sale, see the links on the side, or visit my website: Stana's Critters Etc

What are you going to make this fall? 

Thank you for visiting and happy crafting!

Knitting Pattern for Golden Days Lounge Shorts

 

My latest published pattern is for the Golden Days Lounge Shorts at the August Issue of I Like Knitting Magazine. 

Here is an excerpt from the magazine:

"Bask in easy summer living with the Golden Days Lounge Shorts, a warm-weather essential designed for comfort and style. Knit from the top down in the round, these customizable shorts feature a folded waistband with a functional I-cord drawstring for the perfect fit. Subtle short-row shaping ensures a flattering silhouette, while neatly finished hems at the legs keep stockinette edges crisp and curl-free. Whether you’re lounging at home, heading to the beach, or enjoying a golden hour stroll, these soft and breathable shorts are made to move with you—your new favorite piece for sun-soaked days."

Size: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X, 4X)

Finished Waist Size: 26 (28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 40, 44)”

Finished Hip Size: 34 (36, 38, 40, 44, 46, 50, 54)”

Finished Inseam: 3” or your desired length.

Shown in size S”

Link to the pattern on Ravelry: Golden Days Lounge Shorts

and here is the link to the website of the I Like Knitting Magazine:

I Like Knitting

My Favorites

 

Baking is definitively another favorite activity for me. In the picture you can see my early attempts at my sourdough bread, and few of my favorite sweet desserts that I really enjoy. Linzer cookies and my grandma's bundt cake recipes are my comfort food that I return to bake quite often. Dandelion syrup is my spring project when dandelions bloom. And then there is the Panna Cotta. A dessert I was first introduced in a little coffee shop in my hometown. I would meet with my friends there every time I would visit my hometown. While sipping on cappuccino and catching up on our lives, we would eat the Panna Cotta with raspberries on top. 

I wanted to make Panna Cotta even when I was not in that little coffee place. So, I searched for a recipe. I have found one on Epicurious, about ten years ago. I printed the recipe out in 2015. It says that the recipe originally appeared in Gourmet in August 1997. I did some adjustments and added the raspberry sauce.

So here is my variation on that original recipe. I usually make the Panna Cotta one day and the raspberry sauce the following day. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups of heavy cream

1 cup of half and half

1/3 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of cold water

1 envelope of unflavored gelatine (I use the Knorr variety) 

1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 bag of frozen raspberries (or mixed berries)

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatine over the water. 

In another saucepan heat cream, half and half and sugar. Bring to almost boil, stirring. Remove from heat. Heat the gelatine until it dissolves over a low heat. Remove from heat.

Dump the gelatine into the cream mixture, add vanilla extract and divide evenly between the bowls. 

Let sit until it cools down, then refrigerate. 

In a saucepan heat over low heat the bag of frozen berries with sugar and vanilla extract until the berries are breaking apart. Remove from heat.  

If you add the raspberry sauce while the Panna Cotta is not solid, it will mix together. If you wait until the Panna Cotta is solid, it will create the two layers.

Add fresh berries on top and enjoy :)  

Summer 2025

 

Happy summer days to you all! 

Working in the public schools has its challenges, but it also has a wonderfully long summer break. I do really like that part. It allows me to get some knitting done and even start to think about new designs and create new knitting patterns. I am not sure how successful I will be, but my intentions are set high.  

As an independent knitwear designer I am participating in two events held on Ravelry.

First, it's the fabulous Ami-a-long, an event for knitters and crocheters who loves to create toys. Join the Ami-a-long group on Ravelry and see all the critters and win some prizes.

Second, is the Around the world, stitch along. Another great event hosted on Ravelry, by participating designers. Join the fun event, learn something new and win some prizes. The group on Ravelry is Around the World Stitch Along.

For some snippets from my life and pictures of the latest knitting or other adventures follow me on Instagram or sign up for the newsletter on my website. 

Stana's Critters Etc

The Joy of Creating....

 

After a long time of not really knitting, I have been picking up the knitting needles more frequently and actually working on some knitting projects. First, it was my contracted work that needed to be finished and then it's the knitted toys for this year classroom. But over the past weekend, when I was stuck home being sick and not able to do much, I picked up the strange glow in the dark yarn by Lions Brand and decided to knit something utterly joyful. Few years back, when I created the knitting pattern for a dog's cowl, human infinity scarf and a hat for I Like Knitting Magazine, I wanted to make a cowl for my dog. He already owns a pillow with his name, so why not to create a cowl with his name.

There was a snowstorm over the weekend, and being sick as well, I had plenty of time to knit for fun. First, I needed to calculate the number of stitches I had to cast on, so I could knit his name, and the paw prints as well. Once I have figured that out, I started. It took me about six hours of knitting, but here is the finished cowl. My dog is fine with wearing the cowl on his daily walks.  It even glows in the dark, once you use a flashlight and charge the glow in the dark yarn. 

I have a one more skein of the glow in the dark yarn, and I will create something else with it. Stay tuned for the next adventure, visit my website Stanascrittersetc website or follow me on Instagram Stanascrittersetc. 

Thank you for visiting.

Happy Crafting to All!

 

As another year comes to end, we tend to reflect on the past year and make plans for the upcoming year. I hope that yours was a good one. Mine was filled with work and reading, and some crafting as well. I didn't publish too many new patterns over the past year, but I hope that there will be more to come in the upcoming year. I did manage to knit frog in a sweater for each child in the last year class. It was a fun project, and I have used up a whole lot of scrap yarn. I am hoping to knit another group of toys for each child in this year class. I do not want to knit frogs, and I have spent quite some time thinking about what I should make for the kids. Over the winter break I started on my parliament of owls. We shall see how successful I will be in this project as I am still working on a sample for a pattern that will be published later next year by a third party.   

Thank you for all the visits to my blog and sticking out with me on my crafting adventures. 

May the next year be a good one!

Fall 2024

 

This is my favorite time of the year. The months are filled with wonderfully warm sunny days, yet the mornings can get a bit chilly. I slowly take out my knitted pieces and wear them each and every day. The colors of leaves are just spectacular, and I enjoy the precious moments of being present. I think about different knitted items that I would like to add to my wardrobe, and what I already have. I also start to think about knitted gifts and what should I create next. 

I have totally missed the toy mystery KAL that I wanted to create for the last days of summer entering into the first days of fall. Life outside of my knitting bubble happened and I just didn't have enough time. At the moment I am working on a design for a third party to be published next year. Once this project is off my knitting needles, I hope to revisit my toy mystery KAL. In the meantime, there are plenty of knitting patterns that you can choose from. For example, this cute broomstick, a perfect half hour project for some leftover yarn. The pattern is available here on my blog, or anywhere my patterns are available.

Thank you for visiting.