Oliver Boliver

Meet Tabitha - a free kitty pattern!

I hate throwing things away. I just can't bear it. There's always a chance that It could be useful at some point in the future and I will be Very Glad that I didn't get rid of it. Knitting just makes my hoarder nature worse. I have never used up the entire skein or ball for a project and so there's always half a hank here or 15g of sock yarn there. I look at the tiny insignificant ball of yarn and see a rose tinted promise of projects to come. However, I can, hand on heart, say that I Have Never Used Up Those Tiny Bits of Yarn.

That is, until now.

This was the premise that I began to design Tabitha. I had a sacred tiny ball of sock yarn left over from my recent Knit Love club socks and had the desire to use up every last precious scrap. (Of course I no longer have any spare yarn for fixing any holes but I'll deal with that crisis another day!). So far I've knitted her in 4ply, DK and Aran/Worsted weights and I can't decide which I like the most. I've noted a list of approximate yarnages and sizings below as it's too dull to pop in the middle of a blog post. ;)

She's knitted in the round and her ears are knitted directly to her head. In fact the only sewing you need to do is to attach her paws and tail in place. Simple! And, best of all, because you're only using tiny amounts of left over yarn, not only will you finish her in the space of an evening or two, you're going to start wading through all those tiny tangled balls of forgotten stash, putting them to good use.

Your knitting bag will never be the same again.

You can download her for free at Ravelry. Just click here for the link to the pattern. Please also join the Oliver Boliver group on Ravelry and show us your finished Tabithas (or Tom Cats). If you add Tabitha to you projects page we can build up a list of all the different yarns used for her. I can't wait to see her in lots of different yarn weights and colourways.

She's already in the Hot Right Now patterns on Ravelry at number 13 and considering Knitty's spring and summer collection was only released a few days ago that's Very Exciting! 

I am a very happy little birthday bunny!

Enjoy! xx

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4ply Tabitha 

- Sokkusu Original in Thunder & Blazes approx 12g/44m

- 2.25mm needles

- 10 cm high

 

DK Tabitha

- Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend in Orion - approx 15g/41m

- 3.25mm needles

- 14cm high

 

Aran/Worsted Tabitha (pic to follow)

- Artesano Aran in Deep Teal - approx 50g/66m

- 4.5mm needles

- 20cm high

 

Please do allow a few extra grams/metres in case your tension is a little looser than mine

 

Birthday Preparations

Image courtesy of neichan

Remember when you were little and birthdays always seem to take forever to come round again? Then you get older and you wish that they didn't come round such as often! I'm now at that age when I'm nearer to 40 than 30 and naturally everyone keeps reminding me. I get ever closer to the 'big four - oh' this Friday. 

The nice thing about birthdays in my family is that they seem to cluster together. Mr C, Ollie, Zac and Grandpa's birthday are around Christmas time and mine, my brother's and my step-son, Alex are all this weekend coming. Everyone else slots nicely inbetween which is very considerate of them.

My brother was born on my 3rd birthday and it was noted at the time I wasn't very happy about that. I might have mentioned around about the time of his birth that 'he was the worst birthday present I'd ever had', much to the amusement of my parents.

Looking back I always liked sharing my birthday with him as it meant that we always got presents on the same day and our parties were always a big shared affair. We even had a shared 18th & 21st in my university union bar which turned into a very crazy night with more than a few shandies. My brother is a self confessed party animal and always gets a bit silly after a few drinks and his company can be quite addictive. However, that night is definitely not the subject of this blog post!

So as birthdays are for sharing I'm just putting the finishing touches to a free toy pattern which I will make available via Ravelry from this Friday. I'm not giving any secrets away as I have a strict no-peeking-policy when it comes to birthday presents!

Pen x

Competition for Dave the Stash Busting Dachshund Knitting Pattern

 

To celebrate my new toy pattern as well as my 2nd blogiversary I'm running a little competition to win a PDF copy of Dave the Stash Busting Dachshund.

All you need to do is:

1. Tell me what your perfect pet would be and why? Please give your imaginary pet a name too! Let your imaginations run wild - the more crazy the better!

2. Do one or more of the following:

a) "Follow me" on Twitter - see top left of blog
b) "Like me" on Facebook - see top left of blog
c) Add me to your friends on Ravelry (oliverboliver) and I will add you back!

If you don't do Twitter or Facebook - just add me on Rav; everyone does Ravelry!

3. Tell me whether you prefer to knit in the round or flat.

Entries must be logged as a single comment to this post by 1pm EDT/6pm GMT on Sunday 15th May.

The winner will be picked at random from the comments left. Remember to complete each of the 3 parts of the competition requirement. If you leave more than one comment, only your first comment will count for the draw. Any questions please just ask!

Layering Shrug

I managed to cast on Juju Vail's Layering Shrug last weekend and after a bit of false start, having misread the chart, I am nearly through the first sleeve!

 

Let me assure you that the false start was nothing to do with the pattern, which is very simply written, just my overeagerness to go as quickly as possible and misread a purl row for a knit row in the easy peasy chart. School boy error, I know and I could've gotten away with it but I know that I would've cursed it every time I wore it. So after 2 days of knitting, I ripped the whole thing back and started again.

Mr C watched me in disbelief, asking "Are you actually enjoying this project?".

Me:"Of course" (lying through gritted teeth)

The pattern is worked from side to side with no seams or grafting and the lace is fairly straightforward, even for a novice lace knitter. I love that I was quickly able to memorise the lace pattern after a few repeats which means it's very portable. The sleeves are worked in the round and it starts with a provisional cast on so you'll need to fight off any reluctance to air your crochet hook!  One size fits most, says the pattern and it looks from the gauge that the DK version will be a little looser and longer in the body than the laceweight version.

 
Image courtesy of Juju Vail

I'm knitting mine in BC Garn's Allino in a charcoal/green and beige colour. The yarn has a two coloured effect to it - which I'm sure has a technical name but it escapes me. It's a cotton/linen mix and is perfect for summer. I'm planning on teaming it with a vest and a pair of jeans or maybe even my long linen shorts (once I get back into them - ahem!).

I must confess that it's the first garment I've ever knitted for myself which isn't more than a pair of gloves or scarf so I'm a little nervous as to how it's going to look on me (especially as I'm no where near as skinny as the beautiful model in the picture). However, I'm sure it'll be perfect for chucking over my shoulders on a cool evening and the final fit shouldn't matter too much. If you fancy knitting it too or have knitted it already do please leave a comment below and together we can have a collective moan hopefully followed by a joyful ta-dah moment!

The pattern is available for free through Loop's blog. You must beware of all the beautiful yarns in Loop's online boutique yarn shop lying in wait to tempt you though! I just want to pet some of them!

Enjoy!

Pen x

Getting Organised

I've been meaning to sort out a page containing pictures of my patterns for a while. It's one of those jobs that I never quite get round to doing. However, today I sat myself down with a big mug of coffee and got organised. If you take a look at the Navigation Bar at the top of the blog you will see a new title "Pattern Collections". Click on that link and it will take you through to a visual index of my designs, including my free patterns too. I've added links to the pattern names and that will take you through to the pattern (in case of the free ones) or to oliverboliver.com where you can read more about the pattern and purchase them.

It's definitely a lot easier that trawling through the blog entries to find what you are looking for and I rather like all those little eyes looking out at you from the computer screen!

Enjoy!

 

A little festive crafting

 
 
I started knitting these cute little stockings ages ago with the best intentions that I was going to string them up, fill them with chocolate M&S goodies and make the kids a homemade advent calendar. It's now the 10th and I've still got another 5 to go so I don't think it's going to make the grade this year. Thankfully Gran saved the day with her traditional non-chocolate nativity scene advent calendar and Ollie is too young to know all about the badness that is really the goodness of a daily chocolatey treat in the countdown to Christmas.

Alex and Sarah are old enough to know when to pick their battles and have been dropping heavy hints about the promises made earlier in the year to make them some alpaca knitted socks. So having been distracted by my recent Attic 24 granny stripe blanket in readiness for the baby I've decided to add a little crocheted hanging loop to each one and will pop them on the tree complete with chocolate goodies instead. At least that way I can steal some chocolate out of them without feeling too much like a slummy mummy! 

The stockings are by Julie Williams at Little Cotton Rabbits and they are absolutely delightful!  I knitted mine using Rowan Pure Wool in 4ply and used 2.5mm needles, primarily because I couldn't find my other 2.75mm needle (I really must have a tidy up before the baby arrives!). I even planned on doing a little reindeer motif too but alas I ran out of time which was a shame. I'll keep the graph paper scribbles and if I get a spare moment between now and the big day I might see if I can knit one up.

 
 
I also started making some Attic 24 crocheted snowflakes way back in October. I started going a bit bonkers (although Mr C would say bit bonkers is an understatement!) and was even making them in the car whilst waiting for Sarah after school. It felt like I'd made at least a hundred! Hmm - at my last count I think there are 11! Oh well! I can't decide whether I'm going to pop them on the tree or hang them in the kitchen windows.... Choices, choices... Maybe if I make a few more, then I can do both!

 
 
Sarah's crazy choice of sock wool (middle right) has finally made it on to the needles and I'm hoping that this project at least will make it onto Father Christmas' sleigh. She's asked for them to be long in the leg so she can wear them with her short Uggs so fingers crossed there will be enough wool in the 150g skein the Artesano Hummingbird comes in.

I've also promised Oliver a cute pair of dino gloves for Christmas. How cute are these? 

 

The wool has arrived and there's still 15 days left to Christmas and I suspect there will be tears if they don't make it on FC's sleigh.... No pressure eh?

Right - off to trim the tree; now, where did I put those snowflakes??!!!

Pen x

Jasmine the Giraffe Knitting Pattern Winners and another Competition

Thank you to everyone who entered my little blog giveaway. I have been overwhelmed by the thought put into every comment! I think there must have been a little of all your mothers in my mother as I could sometimes hear her repeating the things that you had typed!  I lost my mum to cancer just over 3 years ago. She was only 61 but fought hard; a real inspiration to anyone who had met her. So it was lovely to have a mini trip down memory lane with all your comments.

Anyway - back to business!

The random number generator came up with number 19 - so congratulations to Colette Doherty. I'll email Jasmine over to you this morning!

If you weren't a lucky winner, please watch this space this week for another giveaway I'm doing in conjunction with Heather at http://www.memakingdo.blogspot.com . Heather is running a week of giveaways in readiness for the Christmas season - starting today and ending on Friday 5th November. The draws will be done on Saturday and the winners notified after that. Keep checking her blog and you'll see what day she has selected for my pattern giveaway. Even I don't know what day that will be yet!

Good luck everyone!

Pen x

 

Free Knitting Pattern for Christmas Pudding Hat for Innocent Smoothies Big Knit

I always think that the build up to Christmas comes sooner and sooner each year and I must admit it drives me a bit bonkers. I'm loathed to admit it but this year I'm adding to that build up with a free Christmas Pud Hat but with good reason, I promise. I figure that by the time these festive hats hit the shops on their destined bottle of Innocent Smoothie that we are going to be in November if maybe not even December and so it won't be too early. Anyway that's what I think and I hope even if you don't that you might like to knit some of these as a change to the usual bobble hats to keep your brain ticking over!

 

I'm going to transfer this post over to a page in due course so you can continue to find it in my list of free patterns.

Enjoy!

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Christmas Pud Hat Knitting Pattern

You will need:
1 pair 3.25mm knitting needles
Small amounts of yarn in double knitting (DK) in green, red, cream, brown and gold/yellow
Large eyed blunt sewing needle 

Notes

Once sewn up the finished hat measures about 6 cm across and about 5.5 cm high. 

Abbreviations

BDD - balanced double decrease - slip the next 2 sts knit wise from the left needle to right needle, k the next stitch as normal and then pass the 2 slipped sts over the one you've just knit
Beg - beginning
K - knit
K2tog - knit the next 2 sts together by inserting the right needle in through the front of the loops
K2togTBL - knit the next 2 sts together through the back loops by inserting the right needle in through the back of the loops
M1 - make one stitch by lifting the horizontal bar between the 2 knitting needles inserting the tip of the left hand needle into the front of the bar and lifting. Then knit into the back loop of the new stitch.
P - purl
P2tog - purl the next 2 sts together
Rep - repeat
Sts - stitches
St-St - stocking stitch
YF - yarn forward - bring the yarn through to the front of the work as though to Purl but instead knit the next st. This creates a new st. On the purl side remember to purl through the back loop of this st to avoid making a little hole.

The Pattern

Pudding

Cast on 30sts using brown yarn

Row1: *K2, P2; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2
Row 2: *P2, K2; rep from * to last 2 sts, P2
Row 3: *using brown k3, change to gold and K1, rep from * to last 2 sts, using brown K2
Row 4: using brown purl all
Row 5: using brown k5, *change to gold and K1, change to brown and K3; rep from * to last st and continuing with brown K1
Row 6: using brown purl all
Row 7: as Row 3
Row 8: using brown purl all
Row 9: using brown K3, *change to cream and K2, change to brown and K5; rep from * to last 6 sts; change to cream and K2, change to brown and K4
Row 10: using brown P4,* change to cream and P2, change to brown and P5; rep from * to last 5 sts, change to cream and P2, change to brown and P3
Row 11: using brown K2, *change to cream and K4, change to brown and K1, change to gold and K1, change to brown and K1; rep from * to end
Row 12: *Using brown P3, change to cream and P4; rep from * to last 2 sts, change to brown P2
Row 13: using cream for the rest of the hat, K all
Row 14: P all
Row 15: K all
Row 16: P1, *P2tog; rep from * to last st, P1 - 16sts
Row 17: K2tog to end - 8sts

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail of about 20 cm and thread through the remain sts on the knitting needle. Then using mattress stitch or back stitch join the seam. Knot the loose ends where you have joined new colours and weave in the ends.

Leaves - make 2

Cast on 3 sts using green and leaving a tail of about 10cm.

Row 1: P
Row 2: *K1, M1, YF; rep from * to last st, K1 - 7 sts
Row 3: P
Row 4: K2togTBL, BDD, K2tog - 3 sts
Row 5: P
Rows 6-9: rep rows 2 - 5
Row 10: slip the first st purlwise, P2tog, pass the slipped st over the one you've just purled - 1 st

Fasten off. Cut the yarn leaving a long tail of about 10 cm. Sew the leaves to the top of the hat. I only sewed half the leaf the the hat so that part of the leaf is "free" and stands away from the hat. Tie of any ends on the inside of the hat and weave in the loose ends. 

Berries (make 3)

Using red cast on 3 sts leaving a tail of about 10cm

Row 1: P3
Row 2: K1, M1, K1, M1, K1 - 5sts
Row 3: P
Row 4: K2togTBL, K1, K2tog - 3sts
Row 5: slip the first st purlwise, P2tog, pass the slipped st over the one you've just purled - 1 st

Fasten off. Cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm length. Tie the two 10cm lengths tightly together and this will being to make a small bobble. Thread one of the yarn ends and sew together the two opposite sides not brought together by the initial knot. Tie the two ends together again.  I promise this is easier to do in practice then to describe! Sew the 3 berries to the top of the leaves and tie the ends off on the inside of the hat. Weave in any loose ends.

 
Send to Fruit Towers! 

 

Free Knitting Pattern for Frog Hat for Innocent Smoothies Big Knit

As promised I've converted my crochet froggy hat pattern into a knitted version and have popped it onto a page so it's easier to find next time. He's pretty straightforward to make and should only use up scraps of yarn you have lurking in your stash. Enjoy!!

Now - what to make next......

Free Pattern - Frog Hat for Innocent Smoothie Big Knit 2010

I've just added a new page for a crochet frog hat. I'll be adding a knitted version soon so watch this space..! I hope you like him. As with the other patterns it is easily adapted to make an egg cosy just by adding a few extra rows.

Enjoy!