a curly-cue heart

woolly sweet-hearts pattern

Today's heart tutorial is one I call my curly-cue heart, for obvious reasons. I love this design! It is so easy to do but it looks so complicated. It is sure to get rave reviews with your family and friends.

The pink heart is the large folk-style design from my Woolly Sweet-Hearts pattern. Again, like with yesterday's heart, I only embellished the top side.

Materials needed for this design: an all-purpose (38-gauge) felting needle, fingering or sport weight yarn in a coordinating color to the heart, FireLine bead thread, fine beading needle and tiny seed beads (size 11 used in photo).

To begin the curly-cues, I cut several 4-inch lengths of yarn (fingering weight in photo). Fingering weight creates finer lines, and sport weight, slightly thicker. I took one length and created a small curl near the bottom of the heart. Then I used the felting needle and began poking the strand down atop the heart. I poked it lightly to slightly adhere it to the heart, holding the curl in position. I like to first baste all the curls down just in case I need to move one later if needed. Take another length and butt it up next to the first curl and form a second curl. Baste it into position.

Continue in this manner until the heart is covered in curls. I like to alternate the curls having a left facing curl butt up against right facing and so forth.

Once all the curls are in position, then I begin going over each of the curls again and again to permanently adhere them to the heart. As you continue to poke the yarn it will flatten and first seem like its getting wider. The more you poke the thinner it becomes, looking more like its original old self.

At the end of most of the curls, I added a little ball of pink, giving the curl further dimension. To create this look, cut a 1-inch length of pink yarn and pull the plies apart. Smoosh them between your fingers, creating a little bit of yarn fluff. Roll this fluff into a tiny ball and needle felt it down onto the curl's end, poking it into a round dot and then flattening it.

The final touch is the beads. I used size 11 seed beads in a pale pink color. I used FireLine clear beading thread because of its transparency. You can bead a top any color heart and it won't show. I sewed the beads randomly around the heart adding further texture and sparkle. I cut a length of bead thread long enough to sew on all the beads with one thread. The hardest part about beading is threading that darn needle, so work efficiently and use only one thread. For more detailed instructions on how to bead atop wool review my book, Whimsical Woollies or my Woolly Eggs or Woolly Holiday Ornaments patterns.

There you have it! Another fun and one-of-a-kind heart for your bowl of sweet hearts.

Don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions. I appreciate the feedback.

Tune in tomorrow for my final tutorial, a crocheted-edge heart.

Happy knitting!

happy st. paddy's day!

Lucky the Leprechaun gnome

According to Irish folklore, a leprechaun is a male faerie and most of them are cobblers. They are known to be mischievous and love to bury their treasures. Don't wait for a rainbow to appear to make your very own leprechaun!

Lucky the Leprechaun is one of three adaptations to my original Woolly Gnome pattern. These adaptations are only available now in my book, Whimsical Woollies. The book has instructions for a woodland gnome and mushroom (complete with polka dots), Matilda the Witch, Jolly St. Nick gnome and yours' truly, Lucky the Leprechaun.

Remember that you can vary your gnomes size by switching out the yarn weights and needle size, creating very small to very large gnomes. Enjoy!

Wishing you hours of knitting with shades of green yarn and sipping a good strong beer! Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy knitting!

 

a book review

This past weekend I had lunch with my friend Beth, a knitting buddy of mine. She kindly asked how my book was selling thus far, had I heard anything? I told her I was clueless how it was selling. She went on to tell me she had bought a copy for her mother for Christmas. Her mom is a brilliant crafter but alas not a knitter. Beth told me her mom loved my embellishing ideas, and that I made them sound so simple and doable. She wants to use the book as a resource as she crafts to help stimulate her own creativity. I was so pleased to hear that!

Her story reminded me of a book signing I did in a yarn store this summer in Rochester, MN when the book first came out. People would come up to me excited about my patterns and to meet me. I would promptly introduce them to the book and several would say, "No thanks. I already have several of your patterns." I silently thought to myself: Oh no, but you are missing out! This is a book I would definitely buy myself for the ideas alone. The cover photo alone screams: LOVE ME!

I quickly found myself telling them out loud that this book has become my personal resource I intend to refer to time and time again. All my favorite embellishing techniques thus far are in this book. All my tried-and-true tips and tricks of the trade are in this book. Some patterns you won't find anywhere else anymore, like Matilda the Witch. In addition many of these patterns are new and improved. They have been updated to be easier to knit using yarns more accessible to a variety of knitters. Not to mention a complete felting guide which includes the portable Wonder Washer. Everything I use and love, all contained in one book, Whimsical Woollies. This book has become my own portable Pinterest board, so to speak.

Beth suggested to help get the word out that I tell this story by giving my own thorough book review. And so I will review each section of my book in several blog segments. Hope you will stick around. Don't hesitate to ask questions or throw in your own reviews. I would love to hear from you.



Happy knitting!

whimsical woollies, my book

Available June 1, 2015

Well, the time has finally come, and I can hardly wait to have a copy, a real printed copy, in my hands and not a proof sheet with red line corrections scribbled everywhere! My book, Whimsical Woollies, is available for distribution on or around June 1st, 2015, with only weeks away! I am so excited and nervous nonetheless, hoping you'll like it as much as I do. It has been long awaited, that is for sure.

Whimsical Woollies is available for pre-order online with Amazon, Stackpole (the publisher), Barnes & Noble and other wonderful and favorite book outlets. It feels good to have it completed and all those ideas, thoughts and suggestions now down on paper, a great resource even for me. Love that!

I also sell the book through My Website and Etsy Shoppe. I will be happy to autograph it and dedicate it. A great gift idea!

I will keep you posted when it is available in the actual stores. Be sure to tell your favorite yarn stores to carry the book as well. Thanks for making all this possible, for buying my patterns so long ago and loving knit & felt as much as I do.

Happy knitting!

PS - My copy of the book came in the mail today and it is beautiful! The cover is soft, and it opens easily as it sits on your lap while knitting. I am so very pleased. I think you will be too!