Respectable Mr Rabbit

Yes, he's a little nonchalant - but don't those shiny red trousers add a touch of class?

Unable to stop with Mr Fox, Mr Rabbit wasn't far behind!  Especially after seeing all these beautiful foxes created - have a peek below for some awesome projects from ravelry!   

I do love knitting these guys, and they fit in my little knitting bag for the train :)

So!  I'm sure you want to know more about this smooshy:

Mr. Rabbit is a respectable little man (with respectable little trousers). Standing at approximately 15” tall, he is knitted mainly in the round, with the head pieces knitted flat. He is knitted in pieces and then seamed together.

Needles: 3.25mm (UK) DPNs or circulars using the magic circle technique.

Yarn:
Rowan Fine Tweed
Beige: 150m - colourway arncliffe (360)
Red (or other trouser): 45m - colourway bainbridge (369)
White : 30m - colourway bell husk (376)

Additional materials:
stuffing
buttons/toy eyes
buttons for nose

Note: if you choose, you can knit Mr. Rabbit in any size of yarn, adjusting your needles as appropriate. Obviously he may end up rather taller or shorter than the fingering weight version depending on the size you use :)

You can find the Mr Rabbit pattern here on ravelry - or the first two people to comment with their Ravelry name below will receive a free copy!

Check out the ravelry group, and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter if you'd like updates :)

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From left to right:  

First row - Ecarj's fox, Knickerknit's fox

Second Row - Melimel's fox, FondantFibre's fox

Oh, and I met a really sweet little squirrel.  Looky!  Nosey little oat-craker eating man.   I do love to sit and feed the little guys, they're greedy though!!

Where's your favourite place to sit and read for a while? 

Hand Dyeing Handspun & Potting Plants

Good morning Lovelies!  Aren't you always more motivated when the sun is shining?

After reading "Start Spinning" in one sitting on Friday, I received this gem in the post yesterday and may have read it all in one go again...  It's just incredible!  Lots of lovely photos, lots of step by step instructions, personal hints, tips and stories dotted in between.

So after getting to grips with my new spinning wheel, braiding all the fibre I could find and spinning my first yarn, I tried my hand at dyeing it!

There was lots of vinegar and blue & purple food colouring involved; I may have ended up looking like I had murdered all the smurfs at once in some sort of smurphy apocalypse, the kitchen narrowly escaping the same fate.

My partner was very confused as to why all our cleaning products were hanging from yarn over the sink (in case you are confused too, this is supposed to smooth out the wiggly bits of yarn).

Anyway, this dried here overnight, and this morning I took some lovely photos on my windowsill for you :p  I love that windowsill.  I love Edinburgh to pieces, but it does kill my kitchen plants with lack of sunshine over winter :/

So we got some daffodils to brighten up my dead window garden!   And to show off my new yarn beside as a photo prop.  yey.

Look at the lovely mess I made (and have since cleaned up).  I kind of wish I could put my desk under this window, but I don't know how sensible it is to have your workspace in the kitchen :/

I'd snack all day and all my work would smell of dinner.  Disaster.   Oh,  I've uploaded the yarny photos to my stash on ravelry too :).


What are your favourite dyeing methods?  I shall have to try them!!


:D x



p.s. Remember you can follow updates on Bloglovin'!

DIY: Paper Roses

Hello Lovelies!!

And so here I am, cross legged on the rug in front of the coffee table as though I were at school doing my homework again.  It has to be the glue stick - it brings out the child in everyone.

The snow is falling again and after spending the morning having photos taken for the graduation yearbook, and preparing for a dinner party with the neighbours tonight (how refined - though I think I want to cook burritos, which is less so), it's time for a quiet crafty afternoon in :)

After making the little valentines heart puff garland last week, I'm really getting into the valentines mood! 

I love these little paper roses, they're great for gift wrap, and I thought that they would be very cute as part of valentines gifts, so the time just seemed right!

All you need is paper, glue, scissors and a pen.

Just draw and cut out a large spiral onto your paper.  You can mess around with the width of your spirals to see which kinds of flowers you like best!

Roll the spiral tightly at the beginning, letting it get a little bit looser as you work your way around.  As you wrap the paper, squash the bottom of the flower paper together to keep it tight and make a lovely wiggly petal shape rather than just a paper roll.

Add a dab of glue to the spiral at the end to glue the end of the paper on.  You could also have put a little glue intermittently around the inside of the spiral before wrapping.

Once wrapped and glued, pinch the bottom of the flower and give it a squeeze to make the 'petals' pop out and spread slightly (watch the middle of your flower doesn't spring out like a slinky!).

Stick them to presents for a lovely little finishing touch!  I imagine they would look amazing attached to pipe cleaners for stems, but sadly I don't have any at the moment :(  Could knit little leaves for them and everything!!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend,  are you crafting much?

Amanda :) x

p.s. in the background here you can see the little knitted heart puff garland - why not make one yourself??

"In Case of Emergency" Match Wall Hanging

Apparently a well equipped home must always have matches to hand, according to "Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management"

- have you ever had a peek at this book?  It is hilarious.  "Chapter 41: Domestic Servants" makes for a very interesting read!




I made myself one of these little cuties and thought I should share it with everyone!  Find it here on etsy if you'd like one of your own :D







p.s. Don't forget to enter cross stitchers competition this month!