virtually, you + me?

woodland baby owl needle felting kit

That's right! I'm creating my own online 'virtual' classes, coming to you soon. I been working on perfecting my virtual presentations, which to be honest, isn't as much fun as being in person. I am a people person overall, and enjoy my interactions with other knitters, like you, face-to-face. I miss all of you and miss seeing your smiling faces. So the next best thing is virtually seeing you in my own studio.

I am planning on teaching needle felting projects, my embellishing techniques, and classes of my old and new patterns. I am hoping to have question and answer sessions, as well, like fireside chats. I've always been intimidated by the being in front of a camera, but Zoom has eased that fear immensely. So, why not and why not now?

So, who's interested and in what should I start with? I would love your feedback and look forward to SEEING you real soon!

Happy knitting!

30% off sale!

* * * inventory sale - 30% off * * *

Yes, I confess, I still store some of my "stuff" in my mom's house: my boxed up wedding dress, the family baptismal gown, and several storage bins of my knit & felt patterns!

Well, my mom is moving on to greener pastures and it's time to pare down, for all of us, and that includes me.

For a short while, to reduce some of my inventory, I am offering a 30% off sale on almost all booklet patterns (not PDFs). So if you need a pattern or two for yourself or as a holiday gift for that knitter friend, well, now is the time.

Come check out my Etsy Shoppe to take advantage of this limited offer and shop ALL my patterns, kits, tools and more!

Design Update: Yes, I have started designing again and it feels good! Stay tuned. New 'KNIT ONLY' and 'NEEDLE FELT' patterns rolling out this fall and winter!

Happy knitting!

nap riser brush

nap riser brush (not actual size)

I was signing my book at Knit'n from the Heart, a local yarn store here in Minnesota, this weekend as well as demonstrating a few needle felting/embellishing techniques. I pulled out my trusty nap riser brush, and everyone oohed and awed: What is that? and where do I get one of those?

The brush fits snugly on your thumb.

I am always surprised that everyone doesn't have a brush since I have been selling them for years. So I would like to reintroduce it to you. I use my brush for fluffing up most of my woolly sculptures: my penguins, the chicks, the bunnies, the owls, and even my snowmen. The little brush fits snugly on your thumb or whatever finger gives you the best brushing action, see photo to the right. This woolly robin was knit using Lamb's Pride worsted yarn.

As you brush the wire bristles raise the nap of the wool's surface to create a fuzzy, soft hairy creature. This is especially true when using yarns with mohair or alpaca in them, but it works on most any yarns to create a softer surface. The brushing can also help to hide some of the imperfections in felting too, smoothing out the surface to a more even consistency. 

Same bunny before and after brushing with the nap riser.

I originally found these brushes in an embroidery store. It is designed to fluff up the beards on your embroidered Santa.  How will you use your nap riser brush?

Happy knitting!

woolly eggs egg-stravaganza!

woolly eggs

Let the Woolly Egg season begin in all its wonder!

In the next couple of weeks, I will share a few of my favorite woolly egg decorating tips and ideas, plus a few fun ideas for decorating the good ol' hard-boiled kind too. But let me start with the pattern in general.

The pattern consists of instructions to make both a Grade A Large-size egg using worsted weight yarns and a Grade A Medium-size egg, using sport or DK weight yarns. It is basically the same pattern with the differences coming from the yarn weights and needle sizes used. FYI, I still have a few Woolly Eggs Kits consisting of worsted weight yarns still available for sale in my Etsy shoppe.

The pattern instructions are quick and easy, only 30 rounds of knitting! You can knit an egg in 15 minutes plus or minus. Everyone knows though the real fun is in the embellishing: no two eggs EVER need be the same! But more on the embellishing later.

I have improvised my Woolly Eggs pattern slightly since it was printed. That is, I have cut out a few rounds to make the egg less long-looking. This is a recent change I have been playing with and I like the end results. I knit the egg according to the pattern, but when it comes to Rounds 9-23, I only knit 10 rounds instead of the called for 15. I really like the shape of this new size egg.

Remember to play with stripes and bigger blocks of color to create a variety of eggs. The key word here is PLAY. When doing stripes, remember to knit at least 2 rounds for a stripe, otherwise the stripe 'disappears' in the wash and melds too much into the other stripes. A two-round rule stripe is a good one to keep, unless the color yarn is dark and the overall desire is super thin. A one round dark stripe will show up but be fuzzy, if you know what I mean. When creating stripes I carry the yarns up rather than cut each one. Unless you choose to have several colors then cutting them is okay too, just a little more work in the end, but still well worth it.

FYI, Part 2: how to fill a carton of eggs.

Happy knitting!

just a bit loopy - the next day!

woolly sheep

Remember the 'before' photo of this woolly sheep? that scrawny-little thing just waiting to be washed and felted? Well, here is the final result . . . I am so pleased with this little guy!

The pattern is my Woolly Sheep using Cascade 220 worsted weight yarn, #8010 cream, and adding the loopy stitch throughout the body. For further details see earlier post 'just a bit loopy'.

After felting the sheep and once it was completely dried, I brushed the body vigorously with a nap riser brush to create extra softness and fuzziness. Even though Cascade 220 worsted does not contain any mohair or alpaca, it still brushes the fibers enough to create a softness to the wool. I brush EVERYTHING these days. You can never be too sure.

In addition, I created a black sheep version too, below. On this sheep I trimmed the wild-looking ends that emerged from brushing (didn't do this on the cream version), and thus created a more nubby-look to the overall body. It really is personal preference which version you prefer.

And to finish it off, a sheep in or two! A perfect pin cushion for the Just Pins 'Sheep' pins, wouldn't you agree?









Happy knitting!

woolly sheep pin cushion

woolly sheep

Last week I started a Woolly Sheep knit-a-long on my Ravelry group, that's woolly something, and the photo above is the end result. I like my little guy!

I used yarns from my stash, Berroco Ultra alpaca worsted weight yarns, but after felting I don't think the cream was Berroco at all, only the black yarn. It didn't brush out nicely with my nap riser brush like it should have. I am not good at marking my yarns as I should. Oh well!

one in every family

To embellish over my disappointment in how the cream felted, I created a curly-cue pattern using 3-inch strands of 2-ply yarn and needle felting them onto the sheep. It is a little putzy, but worth the effort! The occasional dots here and there are embroidered french knots using the same yarn as the curls as well as to stitch the nose. FYI, I only embellished the sheep's front!

The pins are from Just Another Button Company and they are called 'button box'. The colors match perfectly! Another set of pins that would look equally as cute on my sheep are thematically called 'one in every family'.

I am starting a KAL (knit-a-long) of my Woolly Snowman starting hopefully today!

Happy knitting!

a woolly knit-a-long

woolly sheep with curly locks

Attention all you Ravelry fans!

I am trying something new on my Ravelry group page, that's woolly something. We are going to attempt a knit-a-long there. We will knit & felt the Woolly Sheep pattern. You can create either a black-and-white version or an all-cream lamb, your choice.

We begin tomorrow, Thursday, February 7th, 2013. Sorry such short notice, but come and join right in, anytime. I will be sharing my new unpublished updates to this pattern: a new approach to the legs. If everybody likes them, I will be sharing them with the world at large later on.

All you need is the current pattern and some yarn. Have any questions? don't hesitate to ask. All my patterns are now available in PDF format on Ravelry.

Look forward to knitting along with you!

Happy knitting!

Free Shipping Today

To celebrate the beginning of this year's holiday shopping, I am offering FREE shipping on all orders of patterns and kits today only, Friday, November 23rd, 2012!

Place an order before midnight (Central Time) on my Etsy Shoppe. When ready for check out, it will prompt you 'to apply coupon', enter: MAYHEW23.

Let me know if you have troubles. I will make sure you receive the free shipping.

Thanks again for your interest and support of my woolly patterns!

Happy knitting!

New pattern available!

I can't believe it myself, but yes, I have another new pattern this year, Woolly Bird Holiday Ornaments! I am excited because they are so quick and easy to knit up and whimsical to embellish.

The birds call for alpaca sport weight yarn. That way after felting they can be vigorously brushed using the nap riser brush, to create fuzzy, soft little creatures! The perfect final touch to these little birds. The birds in the photo were knit using Frog Tree alpaca sport weight. One skein makes dozens of birds.

I actually timed the knitting process. Each bird took 15 minutes to knit up. The embellishing materials include many items found already in your craft bin: acrylic felt, embroidery floss, wool roving for the beaks and 20-gauge wire (found in any craft store) for the hooks. Don't be intimidated by the hooks, I give very detailed instructions and diagrams.

My favorite ornament? The cream owlet, of course! I love that simple little face! Which is your favorite bird ornament?

Word of caution, you will be making them for everyone this year!

Happy knitting!

woolly matroyshka dolls

This is another new pattern still in the works. All I need to do is photograph them and they are off to the printers.

There are three sizes of dolls: large, medium and small, but I call them: Mother, Teen and Child. They appear as if to nest, but they do not. I made a decision early on to not make them nesting. That way I would have more flexibility in embellishing them if they had a solid inside.

For the cover photo I have kept the dolls fairly simple. I have felted a set of all-red dolls and plan on more elaborate needle felting scenes and motifs to go across their dresses. I will take photos of them once I have finished them.

I am shooting for the first of September as their birth date. Stay tuned.

Happy knitting!

woolly kitty kat

woolly kitty kat

I have decided to start sharing with you a few photos of my soon-to-be released (August 2012) new projects, especially as they are getting closer to printing stage.

Here is my Woolly Kitty Kat pattern. I just love his little face! A quick knit and felt. And easy embellishments too.

Believe it or not, that tail has been a dickens to get 'just right'. I have a few ideas still to try, but it is getting closer and closer.

This little guy is knit using a sport weight orange yarn carried together with Rowan's kidsilk haze to give the kitty that whimsical fuzzy feel. He will stand, after felting and stuffed with fiberfill, about 9-inches tall.

I hope to have some black kat kits complete with yarn and pattern for sale as a Halloween special.

This pattern is for all those kitty lovers out there, who love to knit and need that special companion!

Stay tuned . . .

a little bit about me

marie mayhew designs

You may have noticed that my avatar is a felted snowman. I really don't look like that. But some days I can feel a bit woolly behind the ears. Knitting and felting can do that to a person after awhile, but I'm having fun playing in the meantime!

The Woolie Ewe, a knitting shop in Plano, Texas, just published their interview with me on their blog, A Woolie Tale. They are starting a series on featured designers, like me. Click on the link below to find out what my favorite food is. If you follow me on Pinterest, you already might know. Enjoy!

A Woollie Tale Interview

Happy knitting,

The Luck of the Irish!

woolly leprechaun

NOTICE: As of January 1st, 2015 I have taken the Leprechaun Gnome PDF off my website for downloading. My new book, Whimsical Woollies, is coming out in May 2015 and will have all the gnome adaptions in it. They are new and improved and all in one simple location. Thanks!

According to folklore, a leprechaun is a type of male faerie that lives on the island of Ireland. Most often, leprechauns are cobblers. But whatever their trade, they are always mischievous. The leprechaun is said to be very rich with treasures buried in secret places. Follow a rainbow to its end and you may find a leprechaun and his pot of gold!

Create your own woolly leprechaun just in time for Saint Patrick's Day! I have just created a pdf download, below, with photos and directions on how to turn the Woolly Gnome & Mushroom pattern into a wee little woolly leprechaun.

Soon I will will have downloads for the other gnome versions: Matilda the Witch and the Santa Gnome. Stay tuned!

No Dyes. No Mess.

grade A woolly eggs

Woolly Eggs! They can come in all sizes: Grade A small, medium or jumbo, depending on the yarn weight you use, that is. The above eggs are smallish in size, measuring about 2-1/2 inches long after felting. They were knit using Cascade 220 sport weight yarns with size 8 double point needles. I am loving this yarn for how it felts and the wonderful color choices!

While these eggs were still wet, I stuffed them with my own Woolly Stuffing. Wool stuffing, like wool yarns, has a memory to it, thus holding it's shape better and longer than traditional polyester fiberfill. 

Create a dozen eggs in various colors, stripes and embellishments. Then place them in this cute egg carton I found on Etsy. The egg carton holds 12 eggs beautifully!

easily holds a dozen woolly eggs

You can also purchase these cartons with a blank front, not shown. How fun to print your own creative label for the front, a whimsical greeting card!