free booklet shipping

Right now through my Etsy Shoppe, I am offering FREE shipping on my 'booklet' patterns. That's right, on my booklet patterns only. I sell PDF downloads too, but they are already free shipping (wink-wink). A great time to get caught up on those patterns you have been thinking about.

I also have a snowman pattern deal: Buy three patterns (Woolly Snowman, Woolly Snowman Hats, and Woolly Snowman Accessories) for $30.00 and get either the Woolly Snowbaby pattern or the Woolly Snowman Materials Kit (both an $8.00 value) for FREE. Your choice!

When out and about, customers will ask me, "Why don't you publish your newest patterns in booklet form anymore? I love those booklets!" Personally, I do too. Originally when I started designing I sold mainly to yarn stores across the country. Now every store is reducing their pattern inventory and going with the PDF patterns, which obviously take up less space in their store. In addition with today's society wanting everything NOW, the PDF format is that perfect solution. Thus, I still have inventory on my booklet patterns. Maybe someday we will slow down and revert back, who knows!

In defense of the PDF patterns though, per pattern you get more photos, in fact color photos especially. This format allows for that. Where as the booklet format you only had the cover photo, and there was a lot of pressure to make it a good one! 

For those of you who don't have access to a home printer, and are unable to download and print out your patterns, I have two suggestions for you: Contact either a knitting store in your area and they would gladly do it for you OR contact me. I would gladly mail out a printed copy of the PDF pattern for a small mailing charge.

Hope you take advantage of the special. Get 'em while they last!

Happy knitting!

woolly snowman kits are here!

woolly snowman kits

My snowman kits are finally put together and available for sale!

The kit has all the makings for one large or small snowman, complete with pattern, yarn and more. I have included a clay carrot nose in each kit to give a different texture. I love the clay noses because they hold their shape year after year. The scarf is knit using Frog Tree alpaca yarns to create a soft and fuzzy neck warmer. You will definitely have some cream yarn leftover to start another snowman!

Don't forget to brush your snowman after felting with a nap riser brush. I have found that it softens the felted wool and fluffs up any yarn even if it doesn't have alpaca or mohair in it. It also helps to hide some of the imperfections from the felting process, especially when using creamier or whiter yarns. Nap riser brush is not included in the kit.

The snowman pattern, kit and nap riser brush are all available for sale on my Etsy shoppe: Marie Mayhew Designs Stop by for a visit!


To mark 10 years of woolly snowman making, I have created a gold sticker and placed it on each pattern sold this year. Thanks to all those that have knit & felt snowmen for the past 10 years. It's been woolly fun!

Happy knitting!

woolly snowman kits

woolly snowman kits

Summer months are usually slow for me business-wise what with everyone occupied with gardening and getting their kids finished with school for the year. Traditionally the yarn stores slow down as well. This Spring I have a son graduating from high school, thus I have been occupied with 'other' things other than creating much. But it hasn't stopped me from dreaming about future projects!

This fall I will be offering a Woolly Snowman Kit complete with pattern, beads, yarn and more! The kit will be part of the celebration of 10 years of snowman making. Where has the time flown? I seem to be asking this question a lot lately what with my son graduating.

I love the snowman pattern for its whimsey. It is one of my earliest patterns and has grown through the years with the addition of hats and accessories. I never tire of it, but I do have to follow my own instructions each and every time.

I am now buying the yarns needed for each kit, so stay tuned for further details.

Happy knitting!

A Real BIG Baby!

I just completed my over-sized Woolly Snowbaby and am very pleased. The original size of a felted snowbaby is 5-inches. The photo below shows the two sizes side-by-side.

 

two sizes of snowbabies

The little snowbaby used one strand of sport weight yarn and the large snowbaby, two strands of Cascade 220 worsted weight, #8010, and one strand of Frog Tree Alpaca cream sport weight yarn. The two yarns together created a wonderfully felted snowman! 

I used real twigs clipped from my crab-apple tree for arms. I held them in place by poking them into a small block of styrofoam placed within the snowbaby's interior. This worked slick! 
After having completed the arms this way, my first reaction is that I like him more withOUT the arms, but I wanted to have a photo to show with.

I didn't fill the snowbaby up with plastic poly-pellets like I usually do because of the size. I am planning on sticking a stone inside to give that extra weight, then sewing a circle of felt over the hole to finish off the bottom. 

For the eyes, instead of the usual french knots, I embroidered several small stitches using worsted weight black yarn. Then I added a single stitch using DMC white floss to create a highlight dot.

The nose is red wool roving needle felted into a round ball and attached to the snowbaby's face. The cheeks are small bits of pink roving again needle felted to the face.

I love this size snowbaby! so many fun possibilities for outfits, hats and accessories! let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Happy knitting!