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!

Knitted Frogs in a Sweater Project

 

I have been busy with a really fun project over the last few months. Here is a full class photo of 21 frogs in sweaters with a larger frog as a teacher. Last year when I started to work full time in the education field, I was thinking about knitting a little toy for every child in the classroom. Somehow things didn't work out as by the end of the school year I had five frogs finished. So, last year the children each got a new book and a bookmark with their picture holding their favorite book. I thought of trying to knit the toys for each child this year, and I made a frog here and there, using up scrap yarn from previous projects. Somewhere around the beginning of January I realized that I only needed to knit 3 frogs each month for the next five months in order to have a whole classroom. I challenged myself and in early January I started to really work on this fun knitting project. I have finished ahead of schedule and the frogs are ready to be given away at the end of this school year.  I am not sure if I will do another knitting project like this next year, perhaps completely different toys or maybe something else. 

At the moment I have returned to my sketches for the next toy mystery Knit-a -long. Stay tuned for the next fun toy mystery KAL. These knitted frogs were actually our last year toy mystery KAL. 

The pattern is Fran and you can find it in all places that my knitting patterns are available.

Thank you for visiting.

Summer KAL Frogs: the winners

If you have participated in the summer KAL and have posted a picture of your finished frog, see details at this original blog post:  Summer KAL Frogs you are a winner.

You have won a pattern of your choice from my pattern collections. 

To receive the pattern you have few options, send me a message via the contact form on my website

Stana's Critters Etc

or contact me on Ravelry in my group: Stana's Critters Etc

I will either email you the pattern or gift it to you if you prefer to have it in your Ravelry library.

I hope that you all had some fun creating these little critters. I have enjoyed seeing the pictures.

The rest of this month is not happening anything organized. At the moment I am still learning all about my new website and getting ready for my first newsletter, which should be coming out at the beginning of next month, to sign up for it go to my website:

Stana's Critters Etc

There are so many exciting new patterns that will be coming out sometime over the next few months, either published by third parties or as an independent work, and I hope that you will like them when they will be available. In the meantime enjoy the rest of the summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) or winter (if you are in the Southern Hemisphere) and keep on crafting, one stitch at time. 

Thank you for visiting and reading.

Summer KAL - Frogs

 

This month I am hosting a KAL with a theme of frogs. 

If you make any frog based on one of my frog themed knitting patterns like

Chadwick and Igor

Fred

Frog Bag

Frog Mask

Toadie

and post a photo either on Ravelry in the thread in my group Stana's Critters Etc or on Instagram and tag me with @stanascrittersetc or @stanascritters or use hashtag #stanascrittersetc or #stanascritters you will be eligible to participate in a giveaway with prizes to win (patterns, e-books). 

Details for the giveaway:

1. Knit a frog and post a picture and tag me. 

2. Deadline for the post July 31st 2021

3. Winners will be announced here on my blog.

Have fun knitting.

Rockefeller the Owl Ornament

 "He was so tremendously frightened by the sight of the owl sitting in a corner..."

                                                    Brother Grimms' Fairytales (The Owl)

Rockefeller is seventh knitting pattern in the fairy tale inspired series.  The sample pictured bellow was made last year, and the sample pictured above was made last month. A friend of mine named the owl Rockefeller after the tiny owl that was discovered on a Christmas tree at Rockefeller center in New York City. 

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry, Payhip, or Lovecraft or by clicking on this button, which takes you to Ravelry website:

 

There are three more patterns to add to the collection and then the entire e-book will be available. 

You can have a sneak preview here on Ravelry:

Baba Yaga's House e-book

Thank you for visiting.

Apron

 "Gretel opened and shook out her apron..."

                                                         Brothers Grimm's Fairytales (Hansel and Gretel)

Apron is sixth knitting pattern in the fairytale inspired collection of knitting patterns. Just in time for baking season, to dress up any of your dolls or toys while they are helping in the kitchen. This apron fits dolls from 9” and up. The apron will also fit smaller size dolls as well. The Apron is 5” (13 cm) wide and 5.5” (14 cm) tall.

Suggested yarn: Worsted weight:
You will need less than 50 yards /46 meters of MC and 15 yards / 14 meters of CC.
The Apron is knit flat, with I-cord edge and string. The pocket is knit separately and sewn on.

Bellow is picture of my two models: Baba Yaga and Frances.

 

You can purchase this pattern on Ravelry, Payhip, Lovecraft or by clicking on this button which will take you to Ravelry website:

The previous posts that are connected to the fairytale series and patterns are:

The beginning

Winter trees

Frances

Cat Pin Cushion

Witch's Hat

Frog Bag

Broomstick

The middle part of a journey

Fox Pin Cushion

Thank you for visiting, and come back for the next adventure on this fairytales inspired journey.

Fox Pin Cushion

 "Well, I'm going to help you," said the fox.

                                            Brothers Grimm's fairytales  (The Fox and the Horse)

Fox Pin Cushion if the fifth pattern in the fairytale inspired series of knitting patterns published over the three months of October, November and December of 2020.  The entire e-book will be available in December. In the meantime you can follow the little breadcrumbs of previous posts, knitting patterns and  pictures. 

When I started to work on this project in November 2019 I started with the idea of a gingerbread house. But there are so many of knitting patterns for gingerbread house, so I added a little twist. What if the ginger bread house is not an actual gingerbread house but rather another famous house from fairytales. And so the journey started with a sketch and drawings and looking through my yarn stash for yarn to use up. In some ways this entire e-book is filled with great stash busting knitting projects. 

 This fox pin cushion uses yarn I had left from a knitting pattern  Fox Pillow, which was originally published on Lovecraft website, earlier this year. 

You can purchase this Fox Pin Cushion patterns on Ravelry, Lovecraft (see the link on the right side of the full web version if you are on mobile phone), or Payhip. Or use the buy button bellow which will take you to the Ravelry:

The crumbs left behind to follow the journey into the fairytales world:

The Beginning

Winter trees

Frances

Cat Pin Cushion

Witch's hat

Frog Bag

Broomstick

The middle part of a journey

Thank you for visiting and be safe until the next time.....

 

The middle part of a journey....

 

Today is a very important election day in the USA. The outcome of this election day will affect me and everyone else on this planet in some way or another. I am trying to be optimistic and believe in goodness, human decency, truth, and kindness, but our human history is convincing me otherwise. I have to admit I am scared of what will happen. Watching the news as stores are boarding up their windows in anticipation of violence and riots is rather depressing. The pandemic that we have been living through for the past several months is raging and seems unstoppable. I cannot help but think of my family and their experiences throughout their lives. My grandmother was one of approximately twelve millions of people who were forced labor during the World War II. She has survived and met my grandfather during that time. My mother had lived through the military occupation of our country and watched the army stay for 21 years while trying to raise her family. I guess my life has been rather easier in comparison. At the time when they were young they lived through forced labor and occupation, while I lived through the fall of Berlin Wall and Velvet Revolution. I have experienced the optimism and euphoria of freedom after the cold war. It kinds of make me wonder what my child will experience and I truly hope that there is a bright future for all of us. 

In some way today reminds me of the middle part of a fairytale. The time of tryout and testing, the time when the hero or heroine has to do the required task to reach the goal and overcome the villain. Unlike fairytales when we know the outcome, when we know that the good prevails and the villains are punished, in the real world we are not guaranteed that outcome. We might not have the happy forever fairytale ending. But we sure must try and hope for the best. 

On my part I will continue the journey and hope. 

As for my fairytale inspired knitting journey, you can see the little bread crumbs I left behind and follow...

The beginning

Winter Trees

Frances

Cat Pin Cushion

Witch's Hat

Frog Bag

Broomstick

Baking

And I am off to bake and knit to occupy my mind and hands until next time...

Frog Bag

 The frog said to her in a very friendly way, "If you need anything, just come to me, and I'll lend you a helping hand." 

                                                                    Brothers Grimm's  fairytales  (The Lion and the Frog)

Frog bag is a fourth pattern in the collection of fairytales inspired knitting patterns. This funky, and simple bag will keep your things all together. The hook allows you to hang it anywhere, or by adding a button you can turn this frog bag into a small clutch to keep all important things in one place. 

The knitting pattern is available to purchase on Ravelry  Lovecraft, and Payhip. Or you can buy it by clicking on this button, which takes you to Ravelry purchase:

The beginning of this adventurous journey, and the previous patterns in the fairytales series are:

Broomstick

Cat Pin Cushion

Witch's Hat

Thank you for visiting.

September 2020 - Knitting Patterns

 Somehow this month has been an amazing time for me as a knitwear designer. I am feeling like a real knitwear designer with work published by several third parties. See the list and pictures at the end of this blog post.

First let's start with a little bit of history.

This is my first finished knitting project that I remember. I recall that I did a lot of crochet projects prior to this sweater, but this is my first for so many things. I remember the trip to formal East Germany, a town now called Chemnitz. At that time it was named Karl-Marx-Stadt. We went to a Department Store and I picked up the yarn for this sweater and another sweater. I created the pattern, though I didn't know that it was a pattern that I created. I just draw a picture and calculated the number of stitches and rows based on a small swatch that I knitted. I also remember that I did not know how to cast on. My mom helped me by casting on the stitches. I knitted the sweater in four pieces, in three colors using an intarsia technique. At that time I did not know that you need to wrap the yarn around each other. This actually created a small holes around the V shape where the yarn was changing. These small holes were not on the sleeves. By then I learned that the yarn has to be wrapped around each other. When I was wearing the sweater people were asking me how did I created the pattern of holes perfectly placed along the color change on front and back of the sweater. My grandmother helped me to sew the finished pieces and knitted the crew neck edge around the neck opening. I loved that sweater and was wearing it a lot. I do not have it anymore. I do not know what have happened to the sweater. We might have unravel it to use the yarn again. This is how my love for knitting started. 

After years of knitting, in 2011 I tiptoed into a knitting pattern writing.

My first published knitting pattern was for the Apples in May 2011. The link to this free pattern is here:

Apples

My first knitting pattern published by a third party was for Snowballs, in January 2012. The pattern was originally published by Petite Purls, In Issue 11, Winter. It is available as a free pattern. Link here:

Snowballs

And so it continued for the past nine years. Creating, sketching, knitting samples, making notes, writing patterns, editing, sending out my ideas to submission calls and more of knitting, creating, editing, and writing. As of today I have either independently or through a third parties published 279 patterns.

The list of my Knitting Patterns on my blog or on Ravelry with pictures My Knitting Patterns.

This month eight of my knitting patterns were published.

Independent work is Meg and School of Fish

In October Issue of I Like Knitting Magazine are: 

Pawsome-Hat  to complete the Paw-some Dog Cowl and Human Scarf 

A set of Spotted Around Hat and Spotted Around Scarf

and Harvest Poncho

All the photos of these four patterns are by I Like Knitting

Brunelli Wrap was published in October Issue of Knotions Magazine.

photo by Kelli Nuss for Knotions Magazine. 

Misty Cowl was published by Knitpicks in the new textured collection titled Pathways. 

photo by Knitpicks.

Cuddly Cat Pillow is the last pattern that was published by Interweave Knits in their Gifts 2020 Issue magazine.

photo by Interweave Knits 

I hope to continue with creating more knitting patterns in the future for some time.

As for the rest of this year, I have an e-book project, that I started to work on last winter and slowly it started to take shape over the months of pandemic and staying home. This collection of small knitting projects will be released over the next three months. These small projects are all using small amount of yarn that I had home from a various previous knitting projects. They are all a fantastic, funky, fast and instant gratification giftable items for almost everyone. 

More on this project is coming up over the next three months. Just to give you a little sneak preview... if you look closely into my knitting bag in this picture, few of those critters are peaking out.

Thank you for reading and for visiting.

Knitting pattern for Frog Mask

Frog Mask

Finished Mask Size: 9.5" (24 cm) long, 6" (15.5 cm) wide at the widest point, 15" (38 cm) tall strings.

Yarn: Cotton yarn in green (MC), white (C1), red (C2) and black (C3) color. For my sample I used Sugar and Cream yarn.

Yardage: 140 - 150 yards (128 - 137 meters) of MC, and 15 yards (14 meters) each of C1, C2, C3.

Recommended Needle Size: US # 7 / 4.5 mm, and DPN US # 7 / 4.5 mm (set of 5).

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker, polyester fiberfill (1 small bag), 10" (26 cm) long and 7" (18 cm) wide rectangular piece of cotton fabric to add layer to the mask.

Abbrevations:
C1, C2, C3 = Contrast Color
CO = Cast On
DPN = Double Pointed Needles
K = Knit
K2tog = Knit two sts together, this decreases two sts to one st.
K3tog = Knit three sts together, this decreases three sts to one st.
KFB = Knit in front and bag of the same st, this creates two sts from one st.
MC = Main Color
P = Purl
PM = Place Marker
RH = Right Hand
Rnd, Rnds = Round, Rounds
SSK = Slip st, slip st, and knit the two sts together, this decreases two sts to one st.
St, Sts = Stitch, Stitches
W & T = Wrap and Turn

Gauge: 20 sts & 26 rows 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch.

Techniques:
I-cord:
Bind off with I-cord:
I-cord string:
Short Rows:
Three Needle Bind Off:

Notes: This mask will not protect you. However, it might protect others from your cough.
In time of distress, I tend to find solace in knitting. Over the past week I was talking with my mom via Skype about the current situation in her country. While we were talking, she was telling me about the lack of face masks, and how she and many other people are sewing them from cotton fabric. Based on these conversations I started to make some sketches and decide to create a mask on my own. One that has a bit of whimsy, and has the added layer of cotton fabric. I used cotton yarn for the mask, therefore it's possible to sterilize it.

Instructions:
When casting on leave a longer tail to use later for sewing.

Mask:
With the MC yarn CO 42 sts.
Row 1: K1, P1
Row 2: P1, K1
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Short Rows sections:
Short Row 1: K37, W&T
Short Row 2: P32, W&T
Short Row 3: K27, W&T
Short Row 4: P22, W&T
Short Row 5: K17, W&T
Short Row 6: P12, W&T
Short Row 7: Knit to end
Row 6: Purl
Rows 7 - 10: Repeat Rows 3 - 6, including the short rows.
Rows 11 - 14: Repeat Rows 3 - 6, including the short rows.
Cut the yarn, leaving the live stitches on needle.

String with the leg:
With the MC yarn and DPN, CO 12 sts. Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.
Rnds 1 - 3: Knit
Rnd 4: SSK 6x ( 6 sts total)
Continue to work the sts as I-cord for 14" (36 cm).

Join the live stitches on the mask with the I-cord string and continue with I-cord BO.

After the I-cord BO continue with I-cord for another 14" (36 cm).
Then continue in the rounds:
Rnd 1: KFB 6x (12 sts)
Rnds 2 - 4: Knit
BO in Three Needle BO technique.

Lower Side string (make 2) :
With MC pick up 6 sts along the lower corner of the mask. Make I-cord approximately 14" (36 cm) long.
Then continue in the rounds:

Rnd 1: KFB 6x (12 sts)

Rnds 2 - 4: Knit

BO in Three Needle BO technique.

Repeat for the second string.

Eyes (make 2): 

With MC yarn and DPN, CO 6 sts. Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.

Rnd 1: Knit

Rnd 2: (KFB, K1) 3x (9 sts total)

Rnd 3: Knit. Cut off MC, attach C1.

Rnd 4: Knit

Rnd 5: (SSK, K1) 3x (6 sts total)

Slightly stuff the eye with fiberfill. Cut the yarn, leaving long enough tail, and thread the end on a yarn needle. Pull the end through the remaining sts on needle, gather up and close the hole, stitch to secure.

Repeat for second eye.

Tongue:

With the C2 yarn and DPN, CO 6 sts. Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.

Rnds 1 - 2: Knit

Rnd 3: (K3tog) 2x (2 sts total)

Cut the yarn, leaving long enough tail, and thread the end on a yarn needle. Pull the end through the remaining sts on needle, gather up and close the hole, stitch to secure.

Finishing:

With the tail from the CO sts sew the two eyes to the upper part of the mask about 4" (10 cm) apart, sew the tongue in the middle between the two eyes, about 2" (5 cm) from the top. With C3 yarn (black yarn) embroider the eyes and a fly on the tongue.

Fabric Lining:

Make a template of your frog mask onto a piece of apper. Cut out the template, and make sure it fits inside the knitted mask. Cut the shape 0.5" (1.5 cm) wider than the knitted piece. Lay out the fabric right side out against the knitted piece and pin the two layers together. Fold the cut fabric along the edge. Sew the two pieces along the edges.

See the pictures bellow.

Copyright:

This pattern was design and written by Stana D.S. Please acknowledge the author.

Stay safe.

Thank you.