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!

halloween BOO pins

black pumpkins

I found these wonderful pins, perfect for my black pumpkins! The set consists of 5 pins, the black star is missing from this photo. They add such a whimsical touch, the finishing touch.

The 'boo' pins are available on my Etsy shoppe: Marie Mayhew Designs. Come check them out!

Now all this little frightful pumpkin needs is a few polka dots or curly cues, don't you think?

Happy knitting!

NEW! black pumpkin kits

medium-size pumpkin kits

I finally put together my Woolly Black Pumpkin Kits, and they are available in my Etsy shoppe for a limited time. I had planned to include white felt and/or yarn in each kit for needle felting 'BOO' on them, but in the end liked the simpleness of the pumpkin just the way it was. For those interested in a stencil, I will put a 'BOO' template here on the blog for you to use and instructions.

I have two kits available: a medium and large-size pumpkin. The medium is about 4-1/2 to 5-inches tall (includes stem), and the large, about 6-inches tall. The curly vine is made from brown kraft wire and the leaf is stenciled paper. This pumpkin would look cute covered in polka dots, wouldn't it? 

large-size pumpkin kits

I knit and felted a pumpkin in one night, a quick and fun project! I just ordered some "BOO" pins from Just Another Button Company that will look spook-tackler on these little guys. I will display them on my pumpkins when the pins arrive, hopefully this week.

Gets you in the pumpkin mood, doesn't it?

Happy knitting!

gettin' in the pumpkin mood

harvest pumpkin

I have been writing a book, have I mentioned that before? The book's distribution is scheduled for next spring, but first we have to go through winter again. Argh! But I digress here.

I have been busy writing, revising patterns, and taking photos for this book and looked up to notice the leaves changing color already. Pumpkin time! Have you felted a pumpkin today?

'Fright Night' Just Pins

The pumpkin in the photo was knit using Berroco Ultra alpaca yarn. It felts beautifully. I left a long tail at the end of the stem and let it felt like that. The attached vine look is what resulted. The pins are from Just Another Button Company, their 'Fright Night' set, are they not perfect for this pumpkin? I have one set available for sale still in my Etsy shoppe, but can get more.

I am in the works for selling a limited supply of black pumpkin kits this fall. A black pumpkin with a funky green stem and brown florist's wire for a curly vine. And either white felt or yarn to needle felt "BOO!" on its front. I will keep you posted. Don't have a photo yet, still working on the sample, but soon.

Happy knitting!

a tutorial, anyone?

harvest pumpkin

I have been brainstorming ideas on how to connect with you, my customers, easier. How to help you more. And how to help knitting and felting my patterns even more fun and whimsical. I came up with the idea of tutorials whether in video format or step-by-step photo tutorials.

I LOVE teaching classes because of this very aspect, the one-on-one availability to others and the opportunity to show them what I do for a living -- create!

So, I am asking: What would you like to see? What have you been curious about? Or have you taken a class by me and just need that visual reminder to go back to again and again? It is so nice having an online encyclopedia of information on the internet at your very finger tips, isn't it?

I came up with a few ideas to start with, such as:

1) A tutorial on how to make french knots Marie's way that work every time.
2) How to make cute faces with a few stitches and a little love.
3) How to make a clay carrot nose.
4) How to use a Wonder Washer (that also explains what a Wonder Washer is)?
5) Wool fiberfill versus polyester fiberfill.
6) Basics of needle felting or fixing things with needle felting.

Any others? I have been talking about doing something like this for a year or more, but now seem to have more time and gumption. I would love to hear what you would love to hear more about!

Happy knitting!

a new kind of spider!

embellished harvest pumpkins

Notice the spider in the left-hand corner? I am not a huge spider-fan in my everyday life but I do LOVE beaded spiders like the one above.

This spider came from a kit I bought at my local bead store several years back. But I recently found a tutorial on how to make your own beaded spiders that looks easy to follow so I thought I would share the link with you. It comes from the blog, Shawkl Designs, and the author gives great step-by-step instructions with photos to help.

beaded spider tutorial

Once I get my son off to college, I will be attempting these eight-legged little guys myself. I have so many beads around here I probably don't need to even go out to buy more!

The spiders look so 'pretty' (if that is even possible) and natural on my harvest pumpkins as well as the woolly pumpkins too. They add dimension and texture to the wool which I just love! Hope you have fun making a spider or two yourself! Make them in Halloween colors (orange and black) to get you in the harvest mood. Enjoy!

Happy knitting!