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!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Something 'woolly sweet' for you, valentine!

valentine party mix

1 cup chocolate covered almonds or peanuts

1 cup dried cranberries or cherries

1 cup cupid's candy corn

1 cup roasted cashews

1 cup Corn Chex cereal

1 cup pretzel sticks or circles

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Store any leftovers in a plastic container with a lid. The mix will keep up to 3 weeks.

Makes 6 cups.

I usually triple this recipe because it goes that fast!

A Bird For Your Nest?

This little robin is from my Woolly Birds pattern. She was first knit using 2 strands together of Frog Tree Alpaca sport weight yarn, #0012 dark grey. This yarn felts beautifully! Then she is brushed with a nap riser brush to pull out the yarn's hairy fibers, creating a soft fuzzy little bird. Every nest needs a little bird to roost in and to call home. Look out, then come the eggs!

The Nesting Instinct.

It's feeling like Spring here in Minnesota, thus all the bird's nests of late. I love this little nest! It can sit out all year long. This nest is chirping full of Springtime with these little roving eggs.

I plan on knitting a nest that will include raffia strands and Fizz (a hairy-like novelty yarn) in it, carrying the 'extras' every other round. Then I will brush it with my nap riser brush, only along the rim, to create even more fuzz. The nest in the end, after felting, looks natural, soft and a bit hairy-like. Of course, I will share the photo when it's done. In the meantime, think Spring!

Robin Egg Blue, Look No Longer!

 

I FOUND IT! It's been hard to find a yarn that invokes the feeling of robin's egg blue, as well as, have it felt beautifully and consistently. The yarn is Lamb's Pride Nature Spun sport weight, #115 Bit of Blue. I love using this yarn when I knit the Woolly Nest & Eggs pattern.

my favorite nest of all times

When knitting a nest, think like a bird but don't be limited by the traditional bird-like colors: muddy-brown or dusty-gray. Any nest color can be coordinated to match a funky ribbon or yarns used for your eggs. For additional whimsey, change out the egg colors!

 

The nests below are both knit using the same pattern directions. But the smaller nest used a strand of sport weight rather than worsted weight yarn. Sport weight yarn and size 8 dps creates a smaller nest, a perfect size for one little baby bird egg. Make your own family nest and fill it with an egg for each child in your family. A great new baby gift idea!

 

And finally, the Easter-basket nest! Fill this nest with decorative, whimsical knitted eggs or how about edible eggs, colorfully wrapped chocolate truffles! Who says they have to look like a 'real' bird laid them?

 

With this whimsical nest, be sure to buy a few colorful feathers to line its bottom. Dyed bird feathers can be found in a hobby store. They create a perfect cushion, as well as, a fun accent color for your little eggs! 

If you ever have trouble locating a yarn I have used in my patterns just send me an email. I can hook you up with a store or two that carries that specific yarn(s). Contact me here:

mariemayhewdesigns@gmail.com

Woolly Bunnies Pattern Revisions.

I have completed the changes to the Woolly Bunnies pattern and the new pattern has returned from the printer. These revisions are the result of many requests for back legs on the laying-down bunny. I also took the opportunity to reposition the front paws on the sitting-up bunny, as well as, moving his ears slightly higher on the head. The revisions are relatively simple and purely aesthetic.

I am new to the pdf download-business, so let me know if you have any troubles. Enjoy!

Woolly Bunnies Pattern Revisions