Cute toy pattern from my friend.

My italian friend Stefania knits, crochets and sews beautiful garments and toys. Recently she started her own blog where she share her projects and free patterns  http://handmadesteffistorch.blogspot.it/
She asked me to translate this easy crochet pattern "Il mio orsetto ROY" in English and was so kind to share it on my blog. 

To make this cute crochet Roy bear you'll need only a couple of hours and any stash yarn.

Materials: knitting yarn, fiberfill for stuffing, crochet hook, scissors, tapestry needle, decorative ribbon, button.

Let's start!!

Rnd 1: 1 ch in a magic ring, 6 sc, join with sl st in the 1st sc. 

Rnd 2: 2 ch, 2 dc in every st (=12 dc), join with the first dc. 

Rnd 3: 2 ch, 2 dc in every st (=24 dc), join with the first dc. 

Rnd 4: 2 ch, 1 dc in every st (=24 dc), join with the first dc.

The belly of the bear is completed.
Now you'll make the paws and the head. 

The paws:

Row 1: 3 ch and 1 dc, 1 dc in next 3 st, 2 ch, turn the work. 

Row 2: 1 half dc in next 3 st, 1 ch, turn 

Row 3: 1 dc in next 3 st, 1 ch, turn
Repeat 3 times, finish with sl st.

Now let's crochet the head of our amiable friend: 

Row 1: 3 ch e 2 dc, 2 dc in every next 2 st, 3 dc in last st (=10 dc). 

Row 2: 3 ch e 1 dc in 1 ch, 1 dc in next 8 ch, 3 dc in last st (=12 dc). 

Row 3 and 4: 3 ch, 11 dc.

Next row - ears: 1 ch, 3 dc in next 2 st, 6 sl st, 3 dc in next 2 st, finish with sl st.

The half of the bear is ready. Now work the other half in the same way, sew 2 parts together, stuff the body, attach the ribbon and button.

Enjoy!

Abbreviations: 

dc double crochet 

sl st slip stitch 

ch chain 

st stitch

Umbrian Tale

This is my new long awaited pattern. It has a long story. 

The first cowl and hat were knitted with DROPS Lima manufactured in 2014. 

Later I knitted another set with Lima manufactured in 2016. And there was a quite visible difference. 

To my opinion, the "old" Lima yarn is very close to "new" Nepal.

Since then I’ve knitted several garments with DROPS Lima and Nepal. Several versions of Umbrian Tale.

In this cowl ("old" Lima 0701) I used double rise stitch, the hat is a bit smaller.

This cowl is knitted with "new" Lima (9020).






















At the end I decided to write 2 versions of this pattern, adapted to DROPS Nepal and DROPS Lima. I knit very tightly,  for Nepal I used 7 mm needles to obtain 16 sts x 26 rows, for Lima – 6 mm needles to obtain 18 sts x 29 rows. You can go down at least 2 sizes to obtain the recommended gauge.

It’s very easy to variate the size of both cowl and hat adding some stitches in garter stitch or changing the number of main cable pattern repeats.

The other day I completed the ultimate hat (Lima 519) and this morning I was happy to publish my new pattern which you can find here:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/umbrian-tale

This hat has an assymetrical cloche shape which looks cute and feminine. 

You can wear these cowl and hat together or separately, mix them with other garments.

For example I've knit grey hat to wear with yellow Byway scarf (pattern of Jared Flood).  

This set was knitted for one friend. She liked my original Umbrian Tale, but preferred simple double cowl in double rice stitch. Why not?

Cable Twin Hats

Last December I was asked to knit 2 hats for two sisters. Not twins, but they wanted the same hat: something warm, with cables, with pompom, and that remains steady, doesn't fall down or drapes. 

I thought that the best yarn would be DROPS Nepal, we chose the colors, beige 0206 and blue lavender 6220 (ordered, as usual, from Fiordilana).

I've ordered even these cute circular needles without realizing how short they would be. They are perfect for mitts or leg warmers. 

And then I've started to struggle with my usual problem - choosing the gauge.

After different fall starts with beige yarn I cast on the blue hat with 8 mm needles. On the 3rd skein I was more then sure that I absolutely disliked it. 

So I restarted with beige and 7mm needles. Then I knitted the rib (twice, I think).

And then I worked with the crown of the hat.
How many hours did I spent knitting the first hat? They would be enough for a sweater. 

But if you follow my pattern and have even medium experience in knitting you would need only a couple of days to complete it. 

I never make pompoms and I don't have any special accessory, so I used the traditional method - 2 paper circles. Now I'm going to buy a Knitpro pompom set, as it really saves so much time.

To be sincere, I didn't like all these hats with pompoms, but now as I knitted two of them, I'd like  to knit one for me, with Nepal orange 2920. It will be cute. May be with contrast pompom. 

And here are the twin hats for my friend and her sister. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cable-twin-hat

Aran or Guernsey?

It’s a long time that I’ve been thinking of knitting a long large scarf with traditional, but not too intricate and too classic aran or guernsey motives. 

One of my favorite yarns is DROPS Lima, which is very soft and makes an even and not too much elastic fabric thanks to wool and alpaca fibers mix. 

Last December I was asked to knit some accessories for my friends, so I've decided to use this occasion and order some "christmas decorations" even for me. As usual, from Fiordilana shop. 

I've been using DROPS yarns for several years and every time I try a new color, it becomes one of my favorite. I didn't like beige, now I like it, I didn't like lavender, now I like it... 

Almost all this yarn is already knitted up, and from time to time I watch this colorful photos and remember how happy a knitter can be. 

Well, after knitting 3 hats and one cowl I was free to start my long awaited project. 

Recently DROPS Lima became a bit thinner then some years ago. I knit very tightly and used to knit with 7 mm needles (like Umbrian Tale hat and cowl, which is soon to be published). 
With new Lima I use 6 or 6.5 mm needles.
I tried some different stitches and chose this combination.  

Is it aran or guernsey? May be non of them… 
For guernsey scarf the DROPS Nepal would be better... and it's already on my mind... Next winter.  
This scarf can be easily transformed into a blanket, adding some pattern repeats. 
You can also use Drops Nepal or any other DK or aran yarn.
You will need approx. 500 gr (1000 m) for the size 45 cm x 186 cm.
I used Lima 9018 sea green. 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aran-or-guernsey

I like this scarf playing "solo", but it's cold outside, so now I'm working on the matching hat. Made with Lima color 9015 grey.

Starting more WIPs.

Well, the spring has come, the time of aggravation for any knitaholic.

So, I'm starting, let's see... 4 new projects:

- Riyito sweater http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/riyito as I'm fond of wool boxy sweaters. 

- Striped hat for my son as we lost the one I've knitted a year ago http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/striped-hat

 - Sage cardigan  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/sage as I bought a beautiful yellow cotton yarn and it would look nice with some summer dresses. 

- Waffle pillow http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/waffle-pillow as I promised a couple of pillow covers for my friend who has moved recently in a new apartment. 

Sure the hat and the pillows are more urgent, but I can't help starting even the Riyito which I'll be wearing only next autumn. And the Sage?

Relax sweater

Recently I'm in love with boxy sweaters, especially those that have such particularities which gave them feminine silhouette like bat narrow sleeves. My Mom used to think that such garments are made only for XXL- sized women. To create a kind of "mistery".
There are so many models like Boxy di Jojy Locatelli, True friend by Veera Välimäki or my ultimate favorite Riyito by Carol Feller.
I have a lot of machine knitting yarn which shrinks a lot and it's easier to guess the right size with such less "risky" patterns.
To start I chose "Relax" by Ririco.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Natie379/relax

I was afraid that alpaca yarn I have is not enough for this project, so I mixed 2 threads of lila and 1 thread of beige Zegna Baruffa cashwool 2/30 yarn. 5 mm needles to obtain the needed gauge, size S.

I only added 1 stitch to the back and front parts to make symmetrical the ribbon pattern.
Taking into the account that the yarn is not elastic I didn't make short rows on the shoulders and cast off the stitches gradually.
The neck was too wide for me, I don't feel comfortable with the garment that makes visible the underwear so I reduced the number of neckline stitches (4 stitches from both sides). I also knitted the ribbon.

After starting the sleeves a began to have doubts about the size, the sweater seemed to be extralarge, better for my Mom then for me,  but after washing it became smaller and I think the size is perfect.

Nice pattern, I'd like to make the same for my cousin and for my Mom... One day(:

Now or never! II

19/02/2016 This sweater was started on March 24 2014. You can see my first steps in this post Now or never!

I always knit several projects at the same time so it took me two months (only!) to complete this project. It came out lovely, beautiful color 4314 (gray violet), I found a beautiful fabric to sew a skirt... 

But there were some obstacles to wear it: I couldn't find the matching pin and couldn't complete the skirt as I was "very" pregnant.  

For now my skirt looks this way. My attempt to repeat the style of 20's.  

Now I'm slim again, I can do without a pin... but I don't have enough time to sew, so I revised my wardrobe and found this nice skirt and shoes and think that together they can go well. 

I was convinced that the short and adherent vintage line wasn't made for me and used to add some positive ease and length to my vintage sweaters, but trying some of them I changed my opinion, so I'll undo the rib of this sweater, cut off the first two pattern repetitions and reknit the rib. 

I think it could be a beautiful outfit for my birthday party. 

There was an error made in the description of the jabot (at least in my copy of the book).
“Inc 1 st at each end of next and 13 following RS rows (54 sts)” should be: “Inc 1 st at each end and decrease 1 st at each beginning of next 13 following RS rows (54 rows)”.

27/04/2016 Finally I my daughter made some photos of me wearing this sweater. Still never presented in public, first time in this post.