Bunny Ears

I just finished designing the ears for the bunny. This time I remembered to take my camera. I might make some changes if I do another one. But not bad for a first try. So now I have the body, the head and 2 ears. Now I need to make arms, legs and a tail. So far so good. The weather is pleasant so I've been knitting out on the porch. I haven't decided what I want to use for eyes but I have some of those lock tight eyes I might use. Or I could do felt.

More Knitted Bunny Work

This morning I could tell I wouldn't have enough of the camel yarn to knit the whole bunny. So I'm saving what is left to use for the ears and I'm moving on to a pink/gray/white fuzzy yarn to make the pants with. I got a few more inches done on it at the park this morning. Even though I'm visualizing in my mind the way I want the rabbit to look, it's kind of taken on a life of its own and now it's telling me what it wants to be. Nothing is set in stone and I'm as curious to see how it comes out as you are.

Camel Bunny

I got started on my bunny in some vintage acrylic yarn from Fedmart. I think that department store went out of business some time in the '80's. It's a lovely camel brown color. When acrylic yarns first came out, no one knew how they'd hold up to daily use. I've found them to be low maintenance and practically indestructible. (I can hear the yarn snobs groaning from here).

I don't exactly hate wool, but it makes me itch (all kinds of wool even merino). Of course I could make a bunny in wool, and I might, because you don't wear a bunny. Then again a baby can't tell you their wool snuggle bunny is making them itch.

I'm all for other organic yarn like corn, hemp and bamboo. Some of the those are finally trickling into Joann's. But if the yarn for a project costs twice as much as acrylic, I can't sell it for double. The market just won't bear that extra cost. Then again if the customer wants a custom order in $25 a skein yarn, and they are paying for the yarn in advance, I'm happy to do it. Or maybe you are a spinner and prefer just to mail me the yarn for your project, that would be fine.

Anyway, I got the bunny's head knitted and now I'm starting on the body.

Bunny Madness

I saw some amazing knitted bunnies on Etsy this morning and now I have knitter's envy. And I started wondering whatever happened to that pink bunny puppet I was knitting last year. I lost it when I rearranged my bedroom to squeeze a bigger bed in here. I'm sorely tempted to start a new bunny (I know I know I need another new project like I need a hole in the head). Chock it up to Easter or Ostera or Spring but I have 'bunny madness'. Sigh. Now where did I see those double pointed needles?

Here is the bunny that pushed me over the top: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18454483 Did I mention it glows in the dark? That vendor also sells the glow in the dark yarn here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=19276342

But just use the etsy.com search feature to see the plethora of bunnies big and small.

I'm almost done with my Lipstick scarflette. Hopefully I'll finish it today.

Lipstick Scarf Cont.

I got a good bit of knitting done yesterday on the lipstick scarf. I decided to add a slit to thread through one end of the scarf in lieu of a button closure. I might still add a button to spice it up a bit, but it fits quite nicely on the neck right now. I have about 10 more inches to knit and then it will be ready to list in my shop on Etsy. Yay!

I love knitting with these wooden needles I inherited. I need to go get the camera out of the other room and upload the photos I took so you can see what I mean.

Camping Update

I did get to do some knitting during the archery campout. On Sat. night while waiting for the concert to start, I got in line and took my knitting with me. I was working on a simple rainbow scarf. By the time the doors opened I'd made some good progress. Unfortunately the chair I sat in had poor lighting so I had to stop, but down the row from me another woman was knitting away like crazy on some frothy bit of knitting. Maybe she was knitting by feel, or maybe her eyesight is a lot better than mine. The sun had already set, and the only lighting was small mood bulbs and space heaters.

Here are some photos of the event. It was at a ranch near Springville, CA.

Lipstick Scarflette

A 'scarflette' is a small scarf made to wrap around your neck. It's often fastened with buttons and loops.

I started a new knitting project today. It's a scarflette in a colorway called "Lipstick". I used large wooden needles that I inherited. I'm not used to that much friction but I'm working with it.

Last night I was watching a PBS special on street musicians around the world. One group was a youth choir in Ireland that was half Catholic and half Protestant. One thing I did notice is nearly every girl in the choir had a knitted or crocheted scarf on. So I figure living in CA isn't helping my sales any. It's funny the things knitters and crocheters notice. Anyone in Ireland want to buy a scarf from CA? Or prove you are in that choir and I'll make you a scarf for free. Then it really would be a small world.

Camping and Knitting

This weekend we are going to the Sierras to do a bowmaking demo at some sort of Irish music event. I'll be taking my archery stuff but I will also take my knitting. I tend to get a lot of knitting done at things like that. We will be camping for three days without the distraction of telephones, computers or television (Yay)!

I love it that knitting is so portable. And it gives me something to do while the rest of the archers are hiking over hill and dale. I do some of the archer roving events, but not when it's 100 degrees up steep mountain trails. Yes, I'm a wimp. But I'm also 51 years old with a bad back, so I do as much as I can.

Knitting in the April 2009 Crafts 'n Things Magazine

The April 2009 issue of Crafts 'n Things Magazine has some wonderful knitting projects in it including a women's sweater, a swirly tablecloth with beads and a baby cardigan. The circular Knitted Swirl Tablecloth is fancy indeed. Then they have a knit-across sweater in a mossy green.

There is also a baby cardigan called the Boston Baby cardigan shown in peach. It has a collar, buttons, cables...so if easy projects bore you, this could be just the thing.

If you prefer crochet projects, there are some of those in the magazine too.

Knitting Poem

Take time to knit if you must sit
Make a cable if you are able
Never knit your boyfriend a sweater
Or he will find someone he likes better.

New Yarn New Grandson

I picked up some new yarn recently at Joanne's. Now that I have a grandson there are so many more new things I can make that I never needed before like baby blankets and booties and toys. I had two daughters so never really explored things boys like. It's like a whole new world. He's growing so fast. He just turned six months old. I've already crocheted him some things and I gave him a sock monkey but I haven't knitted anything for him yet. At least my bf's mom gave me a bunch of baby yarn. I shared some of it with my daughter. But one way or another that kid will have something knitted sooner or later.

Knit Fast, Die Young

I just finished another of the books on my 100 books a year goal. I'm mentioning it here because it has a knitting theme. It's called Knit Fast, Die Young by Mary Kruger. It's her 2nd one. I haven't read the first one, Died in the Wool. It would be fun to read it outloud at your local knitting circle. Since it's a murder mystery I don't want to give the plot away so I won't say too much about it.