Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Knitting Pattern Bundle Deals on My Etsy Shop

Just a quick note to let you know that I've added a couple "bundle deals" to my Etsy shop.

Pick any two patterns for $7.00....or 3 patterns for $10.00.  This bundle deal includes any patterns in my shop.  No expiration date.  More patterns coming soon!

With the three pattern deal you almost get one pattern free!

 Two Pattern Deal



That's all for now!  I'll get back to knitting now...three patterns in the works.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great day!

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Happy Spring!

It's so nice to hear the birds chirping outside, see the grass a little greener, have longer days with more daylight in the evenings, and the best part....some warmer days!  

I'm so excited about the knitting pattern projects I have in the works. I sent a pattern, yarn and needles with a friend when she left on vacation so she could test knit my new beginner scarf pattern.  I need to check to see how it went!

The other day I was taking tutorial photos for the beginner scarf pattern and I looked up and noticed how nice this yarn, the birch bark plant holder and the cyclamen looked together.  I must admit that I had to push a lot of stuff to the edges of my work table to capture this little scene. 


The dark blue green yarn is Malabrigo Rios 'Indiecita' #416 and the light blue yarn is Manos del Uruguay Maxima 'Stratus' M2426.  Making plans for these beautiful yarns!

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy spring!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

New Knitting Pattern - The Big Red Barn!

I finished The Big Red Barn knitting pattern last week!  It’s now available in my Etsy shop and on Ravelry.

I’ve been working on this pattern since January.  When I was knitting with my Little House pattern, I decided I wanted to try a larger building and a barn seemed the perfect place to start.  I love how it turned out!


Knitting this barn is fun!  The pattern includes detailed row by row knitting instructions and more than 30 tutorial photos to walk you through every step of constructing the barn.  The barn is knit in one piece and then the corners are sewn together.  The windows and doors are cut from felt and sewn on with embroidery floss. The roof is knit separately and sewn on top. 

This is one of more than 30 tutorial photos included
in The Big Red Barn knitting pattern.
I have assumed that you know how to cast-on stitches, knit & purl confidently, cast off stitches, knit two stitches together, sew up simple seams and have some basic hand sewing experience.  Detailed instructions provided for all other steps which may be new to you.  If you have any questions when using the pattern I am happy to help!  My e-mail is in the pattern.

When I was designing this pattern, these opening lines from Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown played over and over in my head…..

“By the big red barn
In the great green field,
There was a pink pig
Who was learning to squeal.”

The words are ingrained in my memory from the many times I read this little board book to our children when they were little.  The Big Red Barn pattern is a tribute to the many fun farm themed children’s books.  


For a special gift, knit up this cute red barn and give it to a new baby or young child…along with a farm themed book.  (The knitted barn is almost exactly the same height as the Big Red Barn board book.)

This pattern will work with almost any worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn.  I used Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted ‘Red Hot Passion’ for barn (about 75 yards) and Berroco Vintage ‘Cracked Pepper’ for roof (about 60 yards).  You will also need:  size 5 knitting needles, felt (black & tan), white DMC embroidery floss, poly-fil for stuffing and basic knitting and sewing supplies.


One more thing….you may have noticed that I am from Kansas in the U.S.  Based on a certain famous movie about Dorothy and the Scarecrow, it might be easy to jump to conclusions and picture me living on the farm with a big red barn.  Well…not quite!  I live in a very suburban area.  For example, there are at least four grocery stores within two miles of my house!  No barns around here anymore!