Work in progress

Another week went by.
We are alive and breathing. Just few weeks ago it would seem strange to think about such a simple act as to breath in, and breath out. But that was few weeks ago. Now life is different.

I realized that I have been baking a lot over the past two weeks. I guess it's a way to feel like I am in control over something.  It all taste good and delicious, even though some of my baking attempts were less successful then others. Pictured here are Monkey Bread, Bread, Chocolate Banana Walnut Cookies, Bundt Cake, Calzone, Blueberry Muffins.

week of baking

I also managed to finish a project I have been working on over the past month. The knitting pattern is at the TE hands and will be available later this month. In the meantime here is a preview of my Fox Pillow.

Fox Pillow

I also started to play with yarn and work on our next toy mystery KAL. I will create the pattern page over the weekend and our fun toy mystery KAL should start next week. Here is a picture of the yarn I picked from my stash.

toy mystery KAL

Thank you 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.

Knitting Pattern for Elata Wrap

Elata Wrap

The knitting pattern for this reversible and fairly simple wrap has been on my desk since last summer. I actually knit this sample in the spring 2019. For the sample I used two skeins of Cascade Eco Peruvian Tones. It is  bulky weight yarn and the wrap was finished very fast. I made a second sample using the Caron cakes.
The pattern is written out, and also have chart.
You can purchase the pattern by clicking on this button:



or in my Ravelry store:

Stana D. S. designs

or on Lovecraft website:
link here

Elata Wrap

Thank you for visiting.

Frog

Frog

Over the past week so much have happened. Everything is changing and we are trying to adopt on the fly, hoping for the best. I talk to my mom everyday via Skype and am grateful for the technology. It allows me to check on her, even though we are on the opposite sides of the Atlantic ocean. I feel a bit better when I hear her voice, and see her face.
I have  lost two of my jobs, as the country stays in to try to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. I hope it is only temporarily and at some point I will have my work back again. I try not to worry as I keep telling myself we are all alive and breathing.

Knitting is also my solace in this time of distress. I have few real projects on my knitting needles, but I could not help myself not to be affected by everything around me.
While talking to my mom she was telling about the lack of face mask, and how she and so many other people are sewing them from cotton fabric. Based on these conversations I started to draw some sketches and decided to make a mask of my own. A little bit of whimsy, and an extra layer of cotton fabric for the inside.
This mask will not protect you, but it might make you smile.
I have the pattern in PDF form, but I will also typed up the direction as my next post, with some pictures of how I made it.

Thank you.

Life as a work in progress...continues

heart

Today is Friday the 13th.
Life continues in a strange way. The world is trying to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic and I have to admit, I am scared.
I worry about my mom who lives alone across the ocean, and I cannot help her from here. It has always been difficult, but it seems impossible now with the travel ban, and borders closing. I talk to her every day and I am so thankful for the technology and all the possible way to communicate.
I hope that she will make it through and we will have another chance to see each other in person and I will be able to hold her in my arms.
Our everyday life here is changed. Schools have been cancelled, activities postponed. All of this have been done to help to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus.
To keep myself busy and distracted from everything that is happening, aside of spending plenty of hours with our dog, and knitting, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It seems to me that baking is one of the ways I cope with stress, aside of yoga, and knitting.
Today I baked Banana bread. The recipe I use is from a dear friend of mine, and to keep things simple I use the same Bundt cake form for many of my baking recipes.

Banana Bread

Aside of baking, I also spent my afternoon outside and enjoyed the nice weather. The dog was tired from his nice long hike in the woods, and I got to watch my kid play, and knit few rounds on sample for one of my new knitting patterns.

WIP

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Life as a work in progress: sick day

blueberry muffin

Tuesday is my day off from my regular work. That means I usually work on my knitting patterns, submissions, and other designer work that needs to be done, or should be done. I usually take a break in the middle of the day and meet a friend and the two of us go out hiking in the woods with our dogs. Not today.

A member of my family developed runny nose, and a bit of cough and sneezing over the weekend. Under normal circumstances it looks like a regular cold and we would think nothing of it. But things are not normal these days. Coronavirus runs wild through the world, entire nations are under quarantine and it seems that nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, or even next month. So this said member of my family stayed home, just to play it safe. Just to make it clear, nobody in my family has travelled anywhere but school, work, and few local places, no further than twenty miles within the past two weeks.
This morning I woke up and my coffee didn't taste right. The same kind of coffee was just fine yesterday. This usually means that I might be coming down with something. So I decided to have a sick day, to rest, and get better.

I remember when I was child and had a sick day, it meant to spend the day in bed, reading books, sleeping, drinking hot tea with lemon and honey, eating my favorite food, and even being allowed to watch TV during the day.

As an adult, my sick day went so far like this: take the dog for a walk (he doesn't understand that I am having a sick day), make a pot of tea with lemon and honey, serve it to the other member of the family who is still under weather, clean and sanitize the bathroom (again, the last time I did it on Sunday), wash the dishes, clean the kitchen counters, do the laundry, strip and wash the beds (just in case, the last time I did it  was last Sunday), start cooking the soup, make blueberry muffins. The dog needed another walk, he just woke up refreshed from his morning nap. I cancelled my hike with the friend, thinking it might be better not to pass on whatever is trying to knock me down. The other dog I walk every weekday needed her walk. The beds needed to be done with the freshly washed bedding. Dinner needs to be cook.

I have not touch anything related to my knitwear designer work, but somehow my sick day doesn't look like a rest day to me at all. I managed to have a cup of tea with honey and lemon. Maybe I will have another one later in the evening, when everyone is fed, dishes are done, dog is asleep, and everyone else is settled for the evening.

Thank you for visiting and reading.

Life as a work in progress

Usually I try to keep posts on this blog about knitting. Occasionally I write about life.

Scraptastic Cowl

This is one of those posts. I am not a native English speaker. I learned the language at school, and even now so many years after I moved across the ocean to be with the man I fell in love, I still make mistakes when speaking, or writing. I do apologize for them. I try my best.

Over the years I wrote few blog posts about life events, if you wish to explore them read some of them here:
Life tag
Portfolio
Gardening
Why I make

A friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. This is devastating news to hear. What is even more devastating is the fact that she will be paying for some of her medical bills and she needs to still pay her living bills as well. She has set up a fundraiser to raise money to help her go through this difficult time of her life. I decided to donated all of the money I made from selling my knitting patterns during the month of February. I was hoping for a good month, so I would be able to give her a lot. Unfortunately it has been an average month, see the picture bellow what I have actually made during the month of February.

I hope that by sharing her fundraising page here might bring her some more money to help her through this.
Here is the link to her
Go Fund me page

In my knitting life things are improving. My elbow is much better and I can knit again. I try to work on the Scraptastic Pillow, which apparently is tested by my dog for comfort and usability, even unfinished.

Scraptastic Pillow

Over in my group on Ravelry we have the March KAL, working on Odie, the sea otter. You can join us for the fun.

Odie, the sea otter

Thank you for visiting and reading.