Knitting Pattern for Squirt, the Squirrel

Squirt, the Squirrel

An accidental bookmark.

Knitting Pattern for Squirt, the squirrel is available now.

Finished bookmark/ toy size:  approximately 13" (33cm) including the tail.

To knit your own Squirt you will need about 1.5oz (44gr) total of medium weight yarn in grey, white, and Fun Fur or other type of novelty yarn for the tail. You will use about 100 – 120 yards (91 – 110 meters) of grey, about 15 yards of white, and 20 yards of Fun Fur.  Small amount of black yarn for the eyes, and tire track, small amount of red yarn for the tongue.

You can purchase the pattern by clicking on this button or on Ravelry:



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Squirt, the squirrel

Squirt, the squirrel

It is snowing again, where I live. I must admit I enjoy the unexpected snow days when I can spend the day inside and work with my knitting needles instead of the daily chores and scheduled commitments.

Of course I still have the unfinished project of 100 snowballs, and I slowly work on it, but when I look outside and see snow everywhere I want to create something different.

Squirt, the squirrel, is a funny bookmark that I created during the last snowstorm.
During this snowstorm, I plan to write up the knitting pattern.

Then I would like to knit something in bright colors, because I am getting tired of the grey sky, and the piles of white snow.

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Piggie, baby blanket

Piggie, baby blanket

Not too long ago, I went to a yarn store and picked two skeins of yarn. The first one soft green turned into Fred, the frog , and the second soft pink turned into this Piggie baby blanket or lovie.

The knitting pattern for this sweet piggy blanket is at the testing stage and once it's completed the pattern will be available.

The same yarn shopping trip I also picked two other skeins of yarn.  I keep looking at them and wonder what will become of them. I guess that's what makes the whole process so interesting, at least for me personally. The ability to pick up a skein of yarn, look at the color, texture, and then turning that skein of yarn into something else.

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Knitting Pattern for Ripple Shawl

Ripple Shawl

Once in a while I like to challenge myself.
This time I have played around with cables. Yet I still wanted to make the cables accessible and not extremely complicated. I believe that Ripple Shawl is the answer. Pleasing to the eye are ripples of cables resembling the sand dunes or waves weaving together in their eternal motion.

The pattern is available for purchase on Knit Picks website:

Knit Picks Ripple Shawl

The pictured sample is done in their Chroma Worsted Yarn in Misty Morn color.

or you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry or by clicking this button:

 

 

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Knitting Pattern for Fred, the Frog

Fred, the Frog (bookmark)
by Stana D.S.

Finished bookmark /toy size:  10.5" (27cm)

Yarn: Less than a ball of green yarn in sport to medium weight. Yardage about 52 - 55 yards.

Recommended Needle Size: DPN US#3/3.25mm (set of 4). Or use your preferred needles for knitting in the round.

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker, polyester fiberfill (1 small bag), small amount of white yarn for the eyes, small amount of red yarn for tongue, small amount of black embroidery yarn.

Abbreviations: KFB = Knit in front and back of the same st, it creates 2sts from 1st.
SSK = Slip st, slip st and knit the 2sts together, this decreases 2sts to 1st.
K2tog= knit two stitches together, this decreases 2sts to 1sts.K3tog= knit three stitches together, this decreases 3sts to 1sts.

INSTRUCTIONS:
This frog is knitted in the rounds, start at the bottom of the body. The eyes, arms and legs are knitted separately and sewn on.

Body:
With the green yarn and two DPN cast on 6sts (3sts per needle). Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.
Row 1: Knit around (6sts total)
Row 2: *KFB , knit 1, KFB; repeat from * around, 5sts per needle (10sts total)
Row 3: *KFB, knit 3, KFB; repeat from * around, 7sts per needle (14sts total)
Row 4: *KFB , knit 5, KFB; repeat from * around, 9sts per needle (18sts total)
Row 5: *KFB, knit 7, KFB; repeat from * around, 11sts per needle (22sts total)
Row 6: *KFB, knit 9, KFB; repeat from * around, 13sts per needle (26sts total)
Row 7: * KFB, knit 11, KFB; repeat from * around, 15sts per needle (30sts total)
Row 8 - 42: Knit around 35 rows (30sts total) Thread the tail from the cast on sts on a yarn needle. Stitch through all of the cast on stitches, pull up tight to close the hole, stitch to secure.
Row 43: *SSK, knit 11, K2tog; repeat from * around, 13sts per needle (26sts total)
Row 44: *SSK, knit 9, K2tog; repeat from * around, 11sts per needle (22sts total)
Row 45: *SSK, knit 7, K2tog; repeat from * around, 9sts per needle (18sts total)
Row 46: *SSK, knit 5, K2tog; repeat from * around, 7sts per needle (14sts total)
Row 47: *SSK, Knit 3, K2tog; repeat from * around, 5sts per needle (10sts total)
Row 48: *SSK, knit 1, K2tog; repeat from * around, 3sts per needle (6sts total). Cut the green yarn and attach the red yarn.
Row 49 - 53: Knit around 5 rows(6sts total)
Row 54: K3tog, K3tog (2 sts total) Cut the yarn, leaving long enough tail, and thread the end on a yarn needle. Pull the end through the remaining stitches on needles, gather up and close the hole, stitch to secure.

Eye balls (make 2):
With the green yarn and three DPN cast on 9sts (3sts per needle). Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.
Row 1: Knit around (9sts total)
Row 2: *KFB, Knit 2; repeat from * around, 4sts per needle (12sts total)
Row 3: * KFB, Knit 3; repeat from * around, 5sts per needle (15sts total)
Row 4: Knit around (15sts total). Change the green yarn to the white yarn.
Row 5: Knit around (15sts total). Thread the tail from the cast on sts on a yarn needle. Stitch through all of the cast on stitches, pull up tight to close the hole, stitch to secure. Begin to stuff the eye ball with fiberfill.
Row 6: *SSK, Knit 3; repeat from * around, 4sts per needle (12sts total)
Row 7: *SSK, Knit 2; repeat from * around, 3sts per needle (9sts total) Finish stuffing the eye ball. Cut the yarn, leaving long enough tail, and thread the end on a yarn needle. Pull the end through the remaining stitches on needles, gather up and close the hole, stitch to secure. With the black embroidery yarn embroider the pupil on the eye ball, using the picture as a guide. Sew the eye ball on frog's head using the picture as a guide. Repeat for the second eye ball.

Arms and legs (make 4):
With the green yarn and two DPN cast on 6sts (3sts per needle). Place the stitch marker on the first st and begin working in the round.
Row 1 - 20: Knit around (6sts total)
Row 21: *KFB, knit 1, KFB; repeat from * around, 5sts per needle (10sts total)
Row 22 : Knit around (10sts total)

Row 23: *KFB, knit 3, KFB; repeat from * around, 7sts per needle (14sts total)
Row 24 : Knit around (14sts total)
Row 25: Knit and cast off from both DPN at the same time. Cut the yarn, leaving long enough tail, thread the tail on a yarn needle and stitch to secure. Thread the tail from the cast on sts on a yarn needle and sew the arm (leg) on the body of the frog using the picture as a guide.
Repeat for the second arm, and for both legs.

Finishing: With the black embroidery yarn embroider the fly on the frog's tongue using the picture as a guide.

Copyright: This pattern was design and written by Stana D.S.
The pattern is for personal use only.  Please acknowledge the author. Thank you.

Fred, the Frog

Fred, the frog

I needed a little break from "the snowballs knitting project".

For a while I had an idea to knit a bookmark. I sketched a bunch of ideas, and then I left the project unfinished. Not too long ago I went to a yarn store and saw this beautiful green yarn. I couldn't resist and bought it, thinking that perhaps this is the perfect color for some kind of frog, and then it clicked.  Fred, the frog was created.

A fun, and fast knit. The pattern will be out soon.

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As you can see Fred, the frog fits nicely into various sized books.

 

 

 

Snowballs

Snowballs

Snowballs are what I have been knitting lately. I actually try to knit one snowball per day until I finish them all. My goal is to make about one hundred.
Now you may wonder why do I need so many snowballs.
Actually they are not for me.  I would love to organize a huge snowball fight in the middle of this summer to celebrate a half birthday of my child. 
I always said when the birthday party was cancelled or postponed due to inclement weather (snowstorms tend to happen on the day of the birthday party with regularity) that we should celebrate half birthday in the middle of the summer. This year I actually would like to do it, just for the fun of throwing snowballs in the middle of summer.

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