NEW! having-a-ball! pincushion

happy 4th of July!

July's pincushion is complete, just published it yesterday! None too soon. Just in time to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July holiday!

Introducing my newest pattern, #11 in my series of monthly pincushions, Having-A-Ball! Pincushion. It was a fun pattern to create, very different from my others, mainly in how it was constructed. Always fun to try out new techniques and ideas.

July is the month of picnics, fireworks, and lazy days spent at the beach. This beach ball pincushion is a quick and easy knit and felt with optional 'stars & stripes' embroidery detailing. 

The pincushion uses worsted weight yarns, and measures about 3.5-inches wide after felted and stuffed. It is knit flat and sewn at the seam using a half-grafting method. The ends are synched shut before felting. The end panels are a piece of hand-dyed 100% wool fabric or felt sewn on. The wool fabric comes in a variety of colors and plaids. 

A sampling of red-white-and-blue-themed pins are the finishing touch! The pins are from Just Another Button Company, a mini-pin set called 'Where We Dwell'. For other fun patriotic-themed pins check out my ETSY store for more selections.

juggling balls

The beach ball would make a sweet baby's gift, tucked a top a hand-knit sweater or blanket. I have included a jingle bell into the center of the ball to create a rattle sound when shaken. Soft pastel yarn colors would add to the sweetness of this baby gift idea.

Another fun gift, is to knit a set of juggling balls. Knit the ball using sport weight yarn and size 7 or 8 double point needles, creating a smaller ball, perfect for that juggler in your life. Once felted, fill the balls completely with plastic poly-pellets, to give that added weight, perfect for juggling.

If you are around St. Paul, Minnesota this July, I am teaching this pattern at my local yarn store, Knitting from the Heart. Would love to see you there!

Happy knitting!

NEW! queen bee-hive pincushion pattern

queen bee-hive pincushion

 
My newest pattern, a knit & felt pincushion for the month of June, Queen Bee-Hive Pincushion.

Bees are a sign of summer and all things warm and golden. The beehive is where the queen hangs her crown at the end of a buzzy-day. Knit and felt a whimsical 4.5-inch / 11.4 cm beehive as a tribute to the hardest worker out there!

The pattern begins at the base, creating an opening to be later used for stuffing, and works upwards to the top. The beehive is knit as one continuous piece including purl rounds that will be later picked up for the beehive's horizontal ridges. Strands of raffia are knitted along with the yarn when knitting the horizontal ridges, to create a straw-like quality once felted.

Your Queen Bee-Hive is now ready for some early summer gift giving!

This pincushion design is one of 10 patterns now published onliine. I am working on two more designs to complete my year of pincushions: a pincushion for each month of the year.

Come join me in knitting a special pincushion (they make wonderful birthday gifts), each month!

Happy Knitting!

YES10

 

Small Shops. Big Deals. Etsy is running a promotions to the stores within, to help get a jump on your holiday shopping with a $10 off coupon once you spend $40 in one shop.  The coupon cose can be used multiple times throughout the promo until the end of the day, October 11, 2023. At checkout, type in the code YES10 and save $10 on that purchase.

My two Etsy Shoppes are linked below:

Marie Mayhew Designs (patterns, tools and yarns): https://www.etsy.com/shop/woollysomething

My Woollysomethings (knitted/felted samples for sale): https://www.etsy.com/shop/mywoollysomethings

So come on by, whether you are looking for patterns, tools or knitted samples for sale. I'd love for you to stop by and save a little at this time!

Happy knitting!

my velveteen pumpkins!

my velveteen-pumpkin

My velveteen pumpkin! I used the Pumpkin Patch pattern using a #5 bulky weight (Bernat Velvet, color Golden Moss) yarn and size 8 double point needles. Because of the chenille-like texture, it is very forgiving in gauge and tension.

stemless pumpkin

I plucked off the stem on a ‘real’ smallish pumpkin and hot-glued it to the top of the velvet pumpkin. Love the look and texture!

At the bottom for the blossom-end, I sewed a medium-size button to the base, coordinating the colors for a fun look.

These velveteen pumpkins are a perfect compliment to your knitting harvest this fall!

Happy knitting!

happy Autumn!

bee mine, valentine!

 

woolly sweet-hearts pattern

I love all things heart-related, especially chocolate! But right now I'm fasting from chocolate so I have to satisfy my 'sweet' tooth other ways this Valentine's day. And one of them is through knitting, of course.

 

The Woolly Sweet-Hearts pattern is not new but I never tire of it. They are so quick and easy to knit and felt up, and a sweet experience to embellish. 

I like using wool batt to stuff my hearts because once stuffed, I throw them back into the wash for a swish or two to felt them further. The wool batt shrinks with the heart creating a firm, sturdy shape that lasts years and years. The wet heart can be molded like clay. And if further detailing is needed, once dry, the little heart can be needle felted further to perfection. That is a rarity, but it is always an option.

woolly candy corn pattern

This year I wanted to combine the hearts with my Woolly Candy Corn pattern for my table display and decided to share it with you. I love the Woolly Candy Corn pattern for its flexibility of color choices, always able to coordinate with the various seasons and holidays throughout the year. I have woolly candy in every color and size, so I can pull them out and add them to any display!

Make small ones using wool sport weight yarns and size 7 dps, or large ones, using wool worsted weight yarns and size 10.5 dp needles. So simple, embellished or not! But a little embroidery and buttons will go a long way. That special gift for all those dieters in your life. Treat them this Valentine's day with the gift that keeps on giving, year after year. Happy Hearts Days!

Happy knitting!

a buffalo-plaid Christmas to you!

 

shelley's holiday ornaments

Thinking of you all this holiday season, with your busy hands knitting into the late hours, watching Hallmark movies to cheer you on! Not sure about the movie-part, but the busy-knitting, for sure. Me too. Just finishing my sets of Buffalo-Plaid Holiday Ornaments for my family in their special colors. I wanted to share them with you.

In the photo above, are ornaments for my sister and her living room decor. The plaid ornaments are from my newest pattern: Buffalo-Plaid Holiday Ornaments in two sizes: small and large. The two solid-color ornaments are from a new pattern written for next year. My desire is at least 3 more knit-only ornament patterns to mix-and-match colors and textures.You can see some of the examples of that in my photos. 

hannah's ornaments

The ornaments can be displayed on your coffee table in a bowl or tray or hung on your tree or fireplace mantel. The display ornaments are partially filled with plastic poly-pellets to give them weight so they don't roll away. But if they are knit to be hung, then no poly-pellets. The knit ornaments are light and airy for hanging. Your choice!

The color schemes are obviously endless, but I recommend starting out with three colors and build from there. In my examples (above and below), my color scheme was yellow/gold, grey, and cream. The holiday colors (left) used red, greens and black.

The solid balls create an accent to the plaids, as well as a blank palate for embellishing (pattern to come). The solid ornaments are not knit from the same pattern as the plaids. The knitting is simpler but less stitches overall because of the tighter knitting.

tayler's ornaments

I'd like to have a peppermint-candy series, a striped series, a buffalo-plaid series (complete), a solid set (almost done) and maybe even a cable-knit series. My goal is to complete this series of patterns sooner than later so you can plan for next year. I published my Buffalo-Plaid Holiday Ornaments pattern too late this year. Good intentions, at least it is done! I am also pleased it gave me gift ideas this year as well as designs for some future patterns (partially written already). Can't beat that!

But as 2022 comes to a close, I grateful for your support of my patterns over the years. I appreciate your comments and sharing with me your photos, it always delights me. May your Christmas be a blessed one filled with laughter and time spent with loved ones.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

pumpkin SALE!

Come check out my second Etsy Shoppe: Mywoollysomethings! I have several of my woolly samples for sale at very reasonable prices. It's time to share the love! This week I reduced the prices of my pumpkins (hand-made by me), and believe it or not, I am adding more daily.

I have sold quite a few thus far and keep finding more to sell. Some are original, early designs and others are things I had been playing with and they never made it to the final stages. Hope you find something you like!

Happy knitting!

pumpkin time!

 

two NEW pumpkin patterns!

buffalo-plaid pumpkin

Happy Autumn! I am happy to announce that I just published two new pumpkin patterns. They are both knit-only patterns, so no felting required! I now have 6 knit-only patterns available (including the new ones, see the list below).

The first pumpkin pattern is the Buffalo-Plaid Pumpkin, a 3-color checked design with a tree branch for a stem. I love this pumpkin especially in the orange-color combination above, but have done it in black and white, and look forward to knitting it in several color combinations like orange, tan and cream. Or how about the traditional red and black, but it isn't very Autumn-like.

The pumpkin measures about 4-inch high including the stem. Knitting begins at the base, moving upwards creating several stripes as you increase stitches, and then into the buffalo-plaid pattern, ending at the top, a knit bind off edge creating an opening for stuffing the pumpkin with fiberfill.  

seed-stitch pumpkin

The second pumpkin pattern is the Seed-Stitch Pumpkin, as textured and cozy as a hand-knit sweater! It measures about the same size as the plaid pumpkin. It begins at the bottom and works up to the stem, one continuous piece. The pumpkin's knit surface is the seed stitch pattern, an alternating 'k1, p1' combination throughout. The stem uses two strands of yarn carried together to knit a thicker rib pattern.

They both make wonderful additions to any hand-knit pumpkin collection. Have you tried any of my other knit-only pumpkin patterns? 

Pumpkin Patch

Cable-Stitch Pumpkin

Tartan-Plaid Pumpkin

Pillow-Toss Pumpkin

Mix and match the patterns to create a whimsical harvest bounty of hand-knit pumpkins.

Happy knitting!

Just checkin' in...

woolly eggs pattern

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't published a pattern in awhile. And you may be wondering, what happened to me. Hope you're thinking of me, cause I've been thinking of you!

Covid has been hard, for everyone. My family and I have been pretty healthy but think I may of caught the latest Covid-version around the first of the year. I got hit with cold-like symptoms and recovered quickly, but my tiredness lingered for a bit too long. I am back to normal now, thank goodness, and hope you are all well too.

I wanted you to know I'm still creating, but something is changing with my art and I'm trying to figure it out. I need to play more obviously and listen to my playing. And I'm not liking what I'm creating and can't figure out why, thus new patterns haven't been coming to light. That's okay. I can feel that something new is coming and that is exciting, and I have given myself the space to create without producing, so to speak. Hope that makes sense. 

I have been experimenting with knitted eggs (not felted like the above photo) and color-knitting. Knit-only patterns pushes me to a new level of knitting, thus I have been viewing a great deal of YouTube videos, learning new stitches and techniques. Felting is so beautiful in that it hides everything! And if you embellish over it, no one notices those knitting imperfections. I am loving the challenge. I'm also thinking of taking an embroidery class and 'officially' learn to embroider. I am a self taught embroiderer so far. Embroidery on knitting is different again, and needs to be used differently as a result. 

Oh, don't get me wrong about felting, I love it and will never give it up. It isn't outdated or spent (to me at least), just different these days. I am a firm believer it is also coming back in the future. 

I'll keep you posted as I go along. I have LOTS of ideas, that is a given. And I'm confident I will be sharing something with you soon. I just really wanted you to know that I am thinking of you all. You have been such an important part of my creativity and I am personally delighted in always being able to share it with you!

Happy knitting!

happy valentine's day!

 

bunny hugs to you!

Wishing you this day some sweetness: a day of sunshine, chocolate kisses, and some quality knitting time! Above is my photo valentine to you. 

side view

I made this bunny for a customer and she wanted the heart to go with it. So I inserted a long needle threaded with two strands of fingering weight yarn through the heart and coming out in each paw. Then I pulled the two strands taught against the paw and tied the ends into a bow. That way, the heart can be removed one day if desired. I just had to share with you. Everyday is Valentine's Day when you can give a bunny!

The pattern is my Lil' Bunny Kisses PDF pattern and the heart, Woolly Sweet-Hearts PDF.

Happy knitting!

the weather outside is frosty!

 

roly-poly snowman pincushion

snowbird pins

The weather outside is frightful, but knitting inside is delightful! Wouldn't you agree? This little guy captures the feel of winter around the country. Enjoy a little winter fun without all the cold and wet, knit a pincushion or two for your favorite winter enthusiasts, complete with decorative clay pins.

My Roly-Poly Snowman Pincushion pattern is available PDF format only. It is a knit and felt pattern, knit in one continuous piece, no sewing or piecing required. I love this guy and hope you will too!

Happy knitting!

bird's of a feather flock together!

woolly bird ornaments

I'm getting in the holiday mood early this year, for me that is. Usually I am making ornaments and knitted orders for others, but this year I am having a bit of fun playing with new ideas for selling the finished product. 

blue bird ornament

You really haven't heard much from me this year, it's been a slow year 2021, not a lot of creating unfortunately. It happens. Its part of the creative process, or so 'they' say. But the winds are shifting. Something is stirring and I'm starting to play again. I have a new motto: I'm showing up to play and I'm going to play hard! Interesting, huh? I think so too.

The birds on this page are three of these new ideas. I have taken the Woolly Birds pattern and knit the birds using fingering weight yarn and size 5 double point needles. Same pattern but different results: an ornament size. I have sold my bird ornaments for several years now. The Woolly Birds pattern gives instructions on how to turn the one bird-like shape (round and chubby) into a worsted weight yarn size Robin, Cardinal and a Chickadee. It's all in the embellishing with a little needle felting and simple embroidery.

oriole bird ornament

But this holiday season I have added three more birds to my bird collection: an Oriole, a Goldfinch (above), and a Blue Bird. I just love them! These bird ornaments are only available through my Etsy store sold as 2-inch wide by high ornaments. My pattern, Woolly Birds, is also available in both PDF and booklet format.

goldfinch bird ornament

I have an old fashioned fir tree on a black metal stand in my kitchen. I decorate it with these little birds as well as glass acorns and glittery silver pinecones. I don't take it down until almost Spring!

Each bird is knit and felted in my washing machine, and then stuffed with wool stuffing to hold its shape from year-to-year. Each bird is then embellished individually with a touch of needle felting, embroidered feather stitch on the wings and a smidge of wool appliqué, if needed. They're not exact but they sure give the essence of these birds in the wild.

Each bird comes in its own cello bag, sitting in a nest of raffia, signed and dated by me, and finally, tied with a black silk ribbon bow. Ready for quick and easy gift giving! A perfect hostess gift this holiday season!

Come by my store and check out my Woolly Birds Collection. Let me know what you think!

Happy knitting!

halloween knitting treats!

 

black retro-cat pincushion

buy me!

Tricks-and-treats time again! Knitting those Halloween treats just got even sweeter. My pincushion design for the month of October is the Black Retro-Cat PDF pattern. An easy knit and felt cat head with simple wool/acrylic felt embellishments. Its all in the detailing!

The cat head measures about 4-inches tall, including the ears. It is knit as one continuous piece, in the round, and no sewing needed. The pattern walks you through the embroidery. A great beginner's project with simple easy stitches. Nothing fancy. It just looks that way!

The clay stick pins shown above are from Just Another Button Company. They assembled this whimsical combination just for me and my cat pattern. You can only purchase this combination of pins through my Etsy store.

Be sure to check out my second Etsy store called MyWoollysomethings in which I'm selling off my samples for reduced prices. I have several pumpkins in various colors and textures, plus a large and small retro cat all done and ready for gift giving. Get them while you can!

Happy Halloween to all my favorite knitters. Its a fun time to be knitting as the weather gets cooler!

Happy knitting!

how about a bear hug?

 

I don't know about you, but I could use a good-size bear hug these days! Still feeling isolated and everything is certainly not back to normal quite yet. So how about sending some hugs to your family and friends, knit and felt a cuddly bear from my Lil' Bear Hugs pattern!

I just mailed off a bear for a customer, a knitted one. As part of the package I included a bear birth certificate complete with name and birthdate. The tagline reads: This little bear loves to give hugs. Please indulge on a daily basis!

It got me excited to make bears again in various sizes. I'm mulling over the idea of carrying the yarns in various weights to create three different bear sizes. I will keep you posted on that decision.

In the meantime, knit yourself a bear or two for that special someone. Everyone could use a little bear hug about now!

Happy knitting!

PS - want me to knit you a bear of your very own? Check out my website: MarieMayhew.com.

autumn samples up for grabs!

Just uploaded a bunch of pumpkins, woolly leaf trivets, black cats and more to my second Etsy shoppe: My Woollysomethings! I even have a pillow-toss pumpkin available. Never too early to get your Fall shopping started!

I will be uploading a few snowmen and extra hats and accessories. Just updating a few, giving them new faces and outfits. Then I only have one bin left to go through, the bin with my holiday stockings and odds and ends. Be sure to come back often to check out my newest items. 

Right now I still have a few Easter items on sale at 25% off while they last.

It feels good to make room for some new creating. I am pleased that customers have been sharing with me how excited they are to be receiving the samples. That delights me! Good to know they are going to a good home.

Happy knitting!

sample sale continues - 25% off!

woolly chicks

My sample sale is still going strong! For those of you new to my blog, I have added a second Etsy shoppe: My Woollysomethings, for the sales of my sample sculptures. Yes, I am cleaning house and pairing down. All of these samples are in great shape and are looking for a new home. For the month of April, my woolly chicks and bunnies are reduced to 25% off.

woolly bunnies

They are truly a one-of-a-kind, and once they are gone that is it. Come by and check them out.

I have just added a harvest basket full of knitted pumpkins and leaves. Its never too soon to start your autumn decorating!

Happy knitting!