Time to knit for Christmas AGAIN!

I've been busy designing yet more patterns for that pesky little elf who sits on a shelf in the run up to Christmas.  Lots more outfits to give your elf some scenarios to work with!
My first pattern includes designs for a Ballerina Outfit, a Swimsuit and Bag, a Skirt, a One-piece Sleeping Suit, and a Toy Doll.

Easy to knit out of scraps of DK yarn, finished in no time. 

This collection of patterns can be bought from www.ravelry.com, and is also available from www.loveknitting .com

The name of the pattern is Outfits for Santa's Elf Helper (Collection 1)



My second selection of patterns includes a Football outfit, an Argyll sweater, Shorts and Trousers, and a Teddy.

  

The name of the pattern is Outfits for Santa's Elf Helper (Collection 2)



This collection of patterns can be bought from www.ravelry.com, and is also available from www.loveknitting .com


These designs are in addition to the previous collection of sweaters - See Below.

Enjoy your Christmas knitting and keep your elf up to his antics!

Christmas is coming! Time to start knitting for your shelf elf.

Time to start planning your Christmas knitting.  Do you have one of those little elves that sits on the shelf in the run up to Christmas?  This easy to knit pattern gives three designs of sweater that can be used to change his outfits each day. 

For each design you will need scraps of DK yarn, and a pair of 3.25 needles.

 

The pattern costs $6 (Approximately £4.80) and can be ordered for instant download from Ravelry with payment by Paypal from the link below. 

 

 

Totally Templates

I've just come across a new crafty site

http://www.totallytemplates.co.uk/

It has only been running for 4 weeks but is very professionally set up and has lots of downloadable products such as craft templates and patterns.  Not many knitting patterns there yet but it seems to be taking off and I will be keeping an eye on it.

I have listed a few patterns there including my Santa's Elf Helper sweaters and child mittens, with more to come....

 

This pattern includes three sweaters for that famous elf that comes out and sits on a shelf in the run up to Christmas.

Back to craft fairs!

So beeptwo and I ventured into craft fairs again last weekend and displayed buttons, ribbons, card making goods and dolls house knitting.

We were really lucky that the weather was kind with no rain although it was very windy and we spent a lot of time holding onto things.  There was an initial tussle with a gazebo that I won't go in to but we got set up eventually.

 

It wasn't perhaps the best time of year or venue for our goods but there was enough of a profit to call it a success.  Will we be doing another one later in the year?  We will see.

 

Anna has a knitting pattern coming out in Knit Now at the end of August (on the cover this time), with another due for publication later in the year, so she is busy as always.

Tiny knitted patchwork blankets for the dolls house

I just love knitting the tiny blankets with colourful squares in 12th scale, dolls house sized.  I have lots of different coloured 2 ply yarns, and this is a great way of using up scraps left from knitting garments and other bits.  I like picking the colours as I go along and can confidently say that even though I have knitted dozens over the years, no two are the same.

Here is one all in pink colours:

This one is for sale on the webpage with the ready made items.  I have also done some in blue colourways, also in brights and pastels.  Any combination is possible really.  The trick is to divide colours up into light/medium and dark shades before starting, then to put them alternately, also to try and balance out brights with more subdued colours.  They are knitted in one piece using the intarsia method, so no seaming.

Here is a standard one just done with colours as they come:

This one is currently for sale on ebay.

I find this ideal for that 'mindless' knitting while watching the TV.  So will be working on more over Christmas!

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all.

How to upcycle reclaimed needlepoint

Last time I went up to London I did my usual walk around Liberty as their Christmas stuff is just amazing.  Unfortunately most of the prices are out of my range but it is lovely to look at all the crafty-type makes.  It is a pity that they don't do as much fabric and haberdashery now as they used to but I suppose they have to stock what sells.
It is always interesting to look at the 'vintage' room where they are selling clothes that I was wearing in the 1960s and 70s, although they are probably much higher quality brands than I could afford then.  There are some lovely evening dresses that would be wonderful to have for that special occasion.
There are always some unusual and quirky items, especially in the furniture.  I was greatly amused to see old furniture which had been renovated and recovered in old 'reclaimed' needlepoint tapestries, which were in lovely bright condition and well cleaned.  One was an vintage metal dentist chair, which was covered in brightly coloured scenes of thatched cottages and wheat fields or similar.  Other similar unusually shaped furniture or metal objects had been reupholstered in the same way.  It seemed that the idea was to put together two disparate items, the object and the bright needlework, to make a statement. 
I am not sure what my point is really, I am just a bit bemused.  I suspect if we were clearing out an elderly relative's home the old furniture and needlepoint would have been put in the skip, even though we know that many hours of work went into the stitching.  Someone is able to see past this.   I hope they sell.  I hope that someone will give my old needlepoint a new lease of life and that the Liberty buyer is around to rummage through my skip.

Christmas is coming TIME TO START MINIATURE KNITTING

Time to start setting the dolls house up for Christmas.  Lots of patterns in my Christmas book.

http://www.bitstobuy.co.uk/book/book3.php


and don't forget the free pattern for a tiny Christmas stocking (scroll down the blog for details).

Happy knitting everyone!

Christmas is coming - TIME TO KNIT

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/how-bout-a-nightcap

Free pattern for a 12th scale dolls house miniature knitting Christmas stocking

Here is a pattern for a tiny Christmas stocking for the dolls house in 12th scale.  Plenty of time to get lots of these knitted for Christmas!

This is taken from my Book 2 of knitting patterns.  Lots more Christmas patterns (including a long stripy Christmas stocking) can be found in my Christmas Book of miniature knitting patterns.

CHRISTMAS STOCKING 

 

Materials:  scraps of one ply or two ply yarn in red and white.  A pair of 2mm knitting needles.

Cast on 4 sts in white.

Inc in every st (8 sts)

Inc purlwise in every st (16 sts)

K two rows.

 

Join in red and ss 6 rows.

 

Change to white.

K3, turn, p3.

K4, turn, p4.

K5 white, add in red and k8 in red, k3 in white.

 

Working in white:

P4, turn, k4.

P5, turn, k5.

 

Change to red and starting with a p row ss 8 rows.

 

For cuff:  Change to white and p one row.

Next row:  k4, inc in next st, k6, inc in next st, k4 (18 sts)

Starting with a k row, ss 10 rows.

Cast off.

 

To make up:  With wrong sides together fold in half and sew cuff seam.  Turn to right sides together and seam around stocking, gathering toe.  Turn right side out and fold cuff down. Make hanging loop with white yarn.

 Copyright Helen Cox 2012

FREE yarn with all website orders

Gosh it's been busy lately.  Babysitting, holiday which produced enough washing to keep me busy for weeks, garden projects etc.  Time to batten down the hatches for autumn and think about yarn things again.  I finished one cardigan before we went on holiday and am just working through another.  I have enjoyed doing full size knitting again but of course still have miniature knitting on the go too, and need to build up my stocks of miniature knitted outfits for the Christmas market.

I have also just listed my Christmas pattern book on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bitstobuy/m.html?item=130762870960&sspagename=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649&_trksid=p4340.l2562 as it will be that time of year again soon.

I am doing a bit of tightening up on the miniature knitting webpage www.bitstobuy.co.uk.  The bjd patterns are being passed on to my daughter who knows far more about this scale than I do http://www.etsy.com/shop/beepbeep?ref=em. 

As I haven't offered a FREE gift lately, with all website orders until the end of October I will be adding two skeins of low bulk 2/28 2ply yarn, ideal for all those tiny sweaters and other projects.  One skein is a bright sunshine yellow and the other is a caramel brown, slightly variagated.  Ideal for that fair isle project.

Happy knitting!

A happy miniature knitting Christmas!

Tiny tiny Christmas knitted stockings for the dolls house.

www.bitstobuy.co.uk

Christmas is coming

I have tried most crafts in my time, but knitting is my favourite hobby and I just have to knit all the time. I long ago got tired of garments which never seemed to turn out just as I wanted, although I sometimes get tempted by socks and all the lovely patterns on Ravelry.

I have found my niche with miniature knitting (dolls house scale).  I began designing little patterns, which I sold through my website, and developed the business into kits (so customers don't have to buy large amounts of yarn they won't use), books of patterns, yarn and needles suitable for my patterns, also some ready knitted garments.

Knitting isn't popular during the summer, and most of the business is done in the run-up to Christmas, especially with the little ready made sweaters.  Cardigans and anything with colourwork are especially popular.

So at this time of year I spend the evening in front of the TV making little garments - I can usually do one in an evening.  I sell them on ebay  and they go quite well, although I know this is because I don't charge much for them.  I justify it by saying that it is a hobby and I am not in it for the money, and hopefully it also provides some advertising for the webpage.  And I love doing it!

This is a few I have around at the moment

Did I mention that this is just a few???

Christmas is here!

My new book of Christmas patterns for the doll's house is now available.

All new miniature knitting patterns for the holiday season, easy to knit using 2 ply yarn and 2 mm knitting needles. 



Patterns included are:

• Wreath decoration
• Garland
• Christmas stockings
• Father Christmas outfit
• Mother Christmas outfit
• Santa hat
• Pixie outfit
• Toddler dress
• Child's sweater and pleated skirt
• Adult sweater
• Santa toy
• Stained glass windows blanket
• Christmas pudding tea cosy

Available from ebay or the webpage, or contact me for details.

www.bitstobuy.co.uk

Coming soon!

Almost finished my next book - this is the Christmas collection.  Lots of seasonal dolls house knitting patterns for the winter holiday season, including garments, decorations and more.
Just putting in the final touches and hopefully it will be available within the next month or so in plenty of time to get the dolls house ready for December.
Here is a preview