Pig Making

It has been delicious to have a day off on a  Monday !. I slept in and then I began my pig knitting.  The first knitting book I have purchased in years is itty-bitty toys by Susan B. Anderson http://www.amazon.com/reader/ASIN/1579653766 and I am enthralled with these cute little critters and how masterfully they have been designed. 

the yarn I am using is really a soft oinking pink and I don't know why it is so lavender here.  I wish I had a good camera or a fantastic phone with a good camera. (dear self put on top line of wish list).  

Hence my little pig is named Violet the Pig.  She is beginning to take on a decidedly piggish character with her fat squishy  belly and little hard snout.

In between knitting I had a bike ride around my neighborhood enjoying the warm Florida sunshine and somewhat shaded  by old oaks that grow in this area.  When I got home my husband made lunch. Big surprise.  He is not a cook, but shortly after I got settled in for another round of knitting he presented me with a large blue glass bowl filled with vanilla ice cream and Hershey's syrup.   A perfect lunch . We always have ice cream on holidays. This being Memorial Day was no exception. It has been written there are no calories on holidays.  

I felt a need to work off the ice cream by asking for a drive to the Venice jetty to over look the Gulf. We loaded Angie into the car and with my pig project packed in my red blood donor bag we went to find a cool breeze. It was breezy and cool for all of five minutes.  Lovely spot to watch dolphins fish, but not today.  We stayed a respectable amount of time given the heat and the panting of Angie. She drank all her water and gave us the look that said , "okay guys get it in gear and take me home."  

The rest of my Monday off was spent blissfully knitting away on Pig.  Watching Gettysburg on the History Channel with Skip and then our taking Angie for her after dinner walk.  

I wish every day was a Monday off. I am perfectly happy to knit and am never bored for a second. Time just passes to quickly as I knit, plot and plan every next stitch. 

Ruby's Swirly Sweater

I first met Gramma Ruby at my job as a cardiac nurse. She came to her office visit in the company of two of her daughters.  Tall and straight backed she carried her purse firmly under one arm and held the arm of a daughter with the other.  A darling ten year old girl and a little wiggly four year old boy traipsed in after this group.  Seated in the exam room the little children pressed up against their Great Gramma Ruby and asking for snacks our introductions began.  The most important part of Gramma Ruby's examination was making note of her family.  She said, " I loves me some babies." She is in her 90's and has over 40 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Her eyes gleam and she smooths the folds in her skirt when she tells me this truth.  It is all I need to know, and yet there is so much more for her to tell me. It would take an age.  I have five minutes and I want them to last forever.   I knit myself a Gramma Ruby in her honor. 

My own Gramma Arnold taught me to knit when I was a fumble fingered little girl. Wool scratchy and loose in my hands.  What we teach our children is what defines us. What we remember becomes us.  Teach well.

Psalm 92:14

They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green,

Gramma hard at work

Gramma Ruby 

Gramma Ruby's Swirly Sweater

hand knit size 18" to 22" doll. 
in-the-round, top-down, raglan, eyelet lace, cap sleeves               
Worsted weight yarn  I used Caron Simply Soft in Orchid
Sz US 8 circular needle
abbreviations: 
CO, cast on
k1fb, knit one front and back
pm, place marker
sm, slip marker
stc, stitch or stitches
yo, yarn over
k, knit
p, purl
tog, together
~Begin~
CO 14 stc
row1:  k1,start raglan sleeve k1fb, pm, k1fb, pm, k1fb, start back k6, start 2nd raglan sleeve k1fb, pm, k1fb, pm, k1 (20 stc)
row2:  p
row3:  k1, k1fb ( v neck increase)  k to stc before marker k1fb in front of and after each marker, k all stc between markers, k to last 2 stch, k1fb, k1 
row4:  p (30 stc)
row5-row15:  k1, k1fb, k to stc before marker k1fb in front of and after each marker, k all stc between markers, k to last 2 stch, k1fb, k1 continue same for all odd rows
row 6-row16:   p (purl even rows)
row 17:  end of V-neck increases and beginning button holes.  k to first stc before marker k1fb in front of and after each marker, k all stc between markers, continue k  to last 2 stc, k1, yo, k1
row18: p1, p2tog, p to end ~button hole~
row19,21: k to stc before marker k1fb in front of and after each marker, k all stc between markers, k to end.
row20, 22:  p
row23:   k to stc before marker k1fb in front of and after each marker, k all stc between markers, k to last 2 stc, k1, yo, k1   (beginning second button hole)
row24:  p1, p2tog, p across row. ~button hole~
row25:  k to first marker, bo all stc between markers for cap sleeve, k across back to second set of markers, bo all stc between markers, k to end. (remove markers)
row26:  k1, p1, joining stc at underarms all across the row. cap sleeves made.
row 27: eyelet row (k2, yo, k1fb) to end. 
row28:  k1, ( k2tog, k2) across row. ~eyelet~
row29-35:  k (odd rows)
row30-36:   p (even rows)
row37:  (k2,yo) across row ending with k3

My mom's baby dress circa 1912

row38:  (k2, k2tog) across row
row 39:  k
row40:  p
row41: (k2, yo) across row
row42: (k2,k2tog) across row
row43-45: k2, p2 across row
row46: bind off


finishing:  weave in all ends, sew on two 3/4" buttons
                  weave 1/4" satin ribbon into eyelet row waste. 
~this is a free pattern of my own design for your personnel use only please, all mistakes are mine and mine alone~ 
please let me know of any glaring errors ( I am not a perfectionist, but I  do try)  :)





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Pink Tutu Swirl Dress

Lil Miss Tutu Pants

Pink Tutu Twirl dress for 7" doll.
My own design for dress.
Doll is http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rainbow-babies
Yarn:  Baby  DK 8 ply light
Sz 2 DPN
Simple A-line dress worked in-the-round and  top-down on DPN's. Lace picot hem. 2 button straps.

Cast on 28 stc's and divide between 3 DPN, as 9,10,9
Row 1: k joining in the round taking care not to twist stitches, pm.
Row 2: p
Row 3: k
Row 4-5:  k1,p1
Row 6:  (k1, k1fb) to end of round. Increase row.
Row 7-20: k
Row 21: (k1, k1fb). Increase row.
Row 22: p
Row 23-24: k
Row 25: (k1, yo) Starting Lace..
Row 26: k
Row 27: (k1, k2tog)

Hemming with slip stitch

Row 28-29: k                                                                                                                  
Row 30: bind off leaving a long enough  tail for hemming.
Picot Hem:  fold under and slip stitch hem to the under side of the Purl row.

Straps: Make 2                                                                                                      
on back top  of dress pick up 3 stc's  on side where you want first strap to start.
Knit these 3 stc's for 1 3/4" then
1st button hole row: k1, yo, k2
2nd button hole row: k1, k2tog, k1
3rd row: k and bind off.
Make second strap same way picking up 3 stch's on opposite side of dress back.

Buttons: The fun part. Look through your vintage button collection for 2 tiny  perfect buttons. Pure joy finding just the right buttons for the job.                                                        

 Ready to twirl

                                Abbreviations:  k - knit
                        p - purl
                        k1fb - knit 1 front and back
                        st - stitch, stitches
                        st st - stocking knit stitch
                        MC - main color
                        CC - contrast color
                        pm - place marker

                        k2tog- knit 2 together 

                        yo -  yarn over

~This Pattern is free for your personal use only please~