Anything Knitted and Crocheted

From Lion Brand Yarns for Valentine's Day

2012-01-20T10:49:00.001-07:00

6 Simply Sweet Patterns for Valentine's Day
Give Handmade & Heartfelt Gifts to Friends & Family


	Knit Valentine Pouch

Crochet Heart Pillow, Knit Valentine's Day Mittens, Knit Valentine Banner & Crochet Flower Hair Accessories	Crochet Valentine Envelopes

I love the pillow :)

So I was asked a really cool question on facebook...

2012-01-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hey do you think you could knit one of those beard hats? http://www.beardowear.ca/

Beard Hats

The FB question

So I did a search...

Ravelry Search

Page 1

Page 2

These are available for Free...

These are available online for a cost...

Ok off to check these out and see what ones I like...

Cora

Matryoshka, Babushka, Nesting Dolls...

2012-01-15T18:10:00.001-07:00

whatever you call them...I love this style of doll. I have seen some very tradition ones and some really fun and cute ones. A matryoshka doll is a Russian nesting doll (Russian: Матрёшка) which is a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other. They are also found in Ukraine.

Here are some interesting designs I found on the wiki.....

Matryoshka set in a row

Matryoshka doll taken apart

A set of matryoshkas consists of a wooden figure which separates, top from bottom, to reveal a smaller figure of the same sort inside, which has, in turn, another figure inside of it, and so on. The number of nested figures is traditionally at least five, but can be much more, up to several dozen with sufficiently fine craftsmanship. Modern dolls often yield an odd number of figures but this is not an absolute rule; the original Zvyozdochkin set, for instance, had an even number. The form is approximately cylindrical, with a rounded top for the head, tapering toward the bottom, with little or no protruding features; the dolls have no hands (except those that are painted). Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, dressed in a sarafan. The figures inside may be of either gender; the smallest, innermost doll is typically a baby lathed from a single small piece of wood (and hence non-opening). The artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be extremely elaborate.

They are traditional made of wool but I have found some that are knit or crocheted.

Russian Matryoshka Babushka Nesting Dolls

Nesting Dolls by Ana Paula Rimoli

Nesting Dolls by Katie Startzman

Matryoshka (Russian Nesting Dolls) by Susan B. Anderson

I thought this was cute and made from Susan's pattern.

whirlybird's Nesting birds

Here are some other patterns that are available, they are not dolls but they are the same idea :)

Nesting Penguin Friends Amigurumi by Allison Hoffman

Nom Nom Nomsters

Found in Make Me a Monster: A Mish-Mash of Monstercraft

Babushka by Katie Boyette

From the Book:

Babushka are nesting monsters made with plastic eggs!

Being nesting monsters has so many advantages. Not only does carrying your children in
your mouth make it easier to keep up with them, but it makes many activities much more
affordable. The entire Babushka family can go on vacation for the price of one plane
ticket. They also pay the admission price for one at movies and amusement parks. The
Babushkas practically put the local Chinese buffet out of business, paying for one, but
eating for three, or even ten when the extended family comes along. Being a hollow
monster means being perpetually hungry.

Babushka's (Nesting Dolls) w/ pattern

There are some on Ravelry that do not nest. I did a search of them. Babushka's

Enjoy!

Cora

Phase V Open house is happening soon...

2012-01-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the info...

If you are affected by this please stop by :)

Cora

This is about "The Avenue" here...

2012-01-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

118 ave (aka Alberta Ave/The Avenue) is an avenue in Central Edmonton that has faced so much since its decline in the 1970's when the Yellowhead was built. when you turned on the news it was about the seedy side of the community: the crime, the drugs the prostitution.

Well this Ave, which is currently under revitalization, is surrounded by 5 communities: Westwood, Spruce Avenue, Alberta Ave, Delton, Eastwood and Parkdale/Cromdale. The news media actually didn't even talk about the communities it was all about the crime.

This is the trailer for a movie that documents One Year in the revitalization period of the Avenue. I am proud to be a part of this. The movie is scheduled to be released May 2012.

'The Avenue' Documentary Trailer

Cora

I came across a couple of interesting tweets on twitter today...

2012-01-09T13:16:00.001-07:00

regarding Brian Mason, MLA for Edmonton Highland-Norwood. I say interesting because the issues of Omar Khadar (sp?) are complex...not black or white at all.

So this arrived actually on my FB page first, then I decided maybe I need to follow him and see what is going on...

Then this one was in my search feed...

Here is the the video that he is referring to.

I am going to include some links and highlights about this young man who has been called a terrorist...it is not just about The War on Terror, it is about the rights of citizens. many people were "arrested" and held without a timely trial by the US under the Bush regime, yes I said regime. It is shameful how this young man who in Canada would have been tried under the Young Offenders Act, instead the 14 yr old boy was held at Guantanamo Bay without representation, family or any support. He didn't have a chance in hell of anything. His father was up high on the Al Qaeda leadership.

Please read the Wiki for more information

Also this is quite interesting...Omar Khadr as Child Soldier

This is from Global Edmonton News:

Cora

Angry Birds....

2011-12-31T01:45:00.002-07:00

Yeah the Bomb Bird is finally done!

Bomb Bird

The gang is almost here:
From Left to Right: Goldfinch, Cardinal
Bluebird and Bomb Bird

Now I just need to crochet the toucan and the white bird. Thwen to add in some pigs :)

Had a request for Big Brother and the Eagle as well.

Left: Eagle Right: Big Brother

Should be interesting....

So I was at my knitting group lastnight and we started talking about afghans...

2011-12-27T12:44:00.001-07:00

Some of us knit and crochet so we started talking about some cute crochet afghans. Jacob's Ladder designs seemed to be quite popular and there are a few of them....

Bev's Country Cottage has two designs

Jacob's Ladder Afghan

Jacob's Ladder Using 4 Colors

Another Jacob's Ladder, using 4 colors

Jacob's Ladder Looks Awesome in one color as well :)

Jacob's Ladder using a monochromatic look

Round Jacob's Ladder Blanket for Babies

This one uses 3 strands of wool
together for a tweed look.

Using 3 colors

Uses 3 colors as well, just different
widths of stripes.

Uses 3 bright colors

Bev also has a a cute afghan that is called Kitties in a Row.

Kitties in a Row

(Can also be found as “Remember the Kittens” by Joan Kokaska in the Great Big Crochet Afghan book by the American School of Needlework.)

Pattern is easily adaptable for a blanket for a preemie to an adult. Note that using a different weight yarn (e.g. a baby weight) will require a different size hook.

Blanket is square.

Adult sized arghan is approximately 40” x 60” But you can make it any size you wish by adding more or fewer rows.

I actually crocheted this for a friend's baby shower using Astra and Lewiscraft Baby DK, all in purples. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it :( It turned out very cute! I loved it!

Kitties in a Row-Browns

Kitties in a Row-Blues and Teals

Kitties in a Row-Greys

Kitties in a Row-Rainbow

Kitties in a Row-Black & White

Doll Blanket Kitties in a Row

I plan on crocheting these in 2012. Just need to figure out which one first :D

Cora

Missing Dog named Trigger

2011-12-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Trigger, a miniature Australian Shepherd (10-lbs!) went missing on Monday November 21st from his pet-sitters home in Cascade Locks, Oregon. He is still missing. We have had confirmed sightings and we believe he is still traveling with a transient man through Cascade Locks - Hood River - The Dalles... and as recently as December 18th, there have been sightings in Hermiston and La Grande, Oregon. He tends to panhandle at Wal-Mart stores or other touristy type locations. Please help us by cross-posting, keeping your eye open for him, your positive thoughts and fingers crossed. With your help, we WILL find him and bring him home, no matter how long it takes!

Website: http://www.indigorescue.org
Facebook: Find Trigger

New plan on the search for Trigger

Hi everyone,

Unfortunately, our Saturday trip to Hood River and The Dalles did not reveal any information regarding the whereabouts of the homeless man with Trigger. One of the two people who thought they’d seen them in the Port of Hood River determined from the flyer that it was not the same dog. His tiny size still seems to confuse people. We also followed another lead in Cascade Locks that turned out to be a different dog. We did hang a lot more flyers, and we gave away several bags of dog food and some dog jackets. Thank you to Lynda, Jan, Jaye, Sarah, Ande, Sophia, Shelli, Helen and Travis for coming out to The Gorge on a very cold day.

We will NOT give up on Trigger! We need to find him and bring him home. So now we are planning a new approach. Since he seems to have vanished shortly after he was seen in Cascade Locks, the man who was seen with Trigger on November 25th may have been a transient who was passing through Cascade Locks. He may have been hitchhiking in any direction. He may even be in Portland! We have decided to try to get the word out to other cities and states. With his owner’s permission, we have increased the reward amount to $1000. We are trying to contact the big truck stop companies to see if they will help us post our newest flyer for Trigger at their various truck stops all over the country. Hopefully, if a truck driver gave him a ride somewhere, they’ll see the flyer. Of course we will be focusing first on the rest of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, California, Arizona and Nevada. We are also trying to crack the Craigslist nut so it will allow us to post our Lost and Found ad in other cities and states. This may require multiple people posting the ad in other cities from their computers. We’ll need your help with that.

Remember, as daunting as it may seem trying to find this man with Trigger, there are not going to be very many homeless or transient people out there with a tiny, shy 10lb Toy Australian Shepherd with one blue eye, one brown eye, and no tail. If you see someone matching this description it is almost guaranteed to be him!

What you can do to help:

If you know anyone who drives long haul trucks or travels for work, please email them the attached flyer and ask them to keep their eyes open.
If you pass any Rest Areas during your travels, please post a flyer.
Please post this flyer on your Facebook pages and ask your friends and family to spread it around to everyone they know, including out of state. The more eyes we have out there looking, the better.
Please drop a copy of the flyer off at your vet’s office.
If you drive past or volunteer at a homeless shelter, please bring a flyer in.
If you are near an “Occupy” camp, please scan for this man and Trigger.
If you volunteer or work at an animal shelter, please post this flyer.
If you can get an ad in any publication please contact me for a copy of the text and photos for the ad.
If you have any other ideas for getting this flyer distributed as widely as possible, please share them. Anything you can offer is very much appreciated!
Note: If you are posting the flyer outdoors, please try to put it in a plastic sleeve so it lasts longer during our wet Oregon winter.

Please keep reminding everyone! Most important; if you see this man and Trigger, please do not let him out of your sight! Contact law enforcement and let them know you know who this dog is. Tell them he is missing from Hood River County, Oregon and he is microchipped to Indigo Rescue to prove it.

I won’t be sending any further updates on Trigger unless we have something noteworthy to report.

THANK YOU for your continued help and support, and a warm and Happy Holiday to all of you!

–
Heather Hines
Indigo Rescue
Indigo Ranch
Dig My Dog

never never never give up

From Facebook:

Indigo Rescue/Indigo Ranch

Thank you for all of your concern for Trigger. His mom, Jennifer and I, continue to follow-up on every lead we get and it’s been a frustrating and difficult ride. On Tuesday we heard from someone who thought he may have seen Trigger get hit by a truck in Cascade Locks and then run on to I84 westbound and disappear off the highway two exits down. We were devastated at the possibility and Jennifer was searching that stretch of highway trying to determine whether it really was him when on Wednesday we got an even more solid lead from someone we now believe DEFINITELY saw Trigger on Black Friday (November 25th). This would have been four days after he went missing from the pet sitters home. He was with a homeless man who said he needed money for food for his “new” dog. The woman and her husband gave him dog food she had in her car instead. Her sister has two Toy Aussies so she knows the breed and size well. She confirmed the dog had one blue eye and one brown eye and was very afraid and hiding behind the man. She said the man had him on a rope leash which may have been fashioned into a harness. He was no longer wearing his collar or id tags. The woman was able to give us a very good description of the man, and I spent much of yesterday and today speaking with law enforcement officers in Hood River County, The Dalles, Skamania County and Klickitat County just in case he was traveling North or East. It’s not as likely but he may also have traveled West into Portland. He was on foot moving East through Cascade Locks when he left the woman and her husband.

The description we have is that the man is in his early to mid forties. He has blondish brown hair and is clean cut. He was wearing a green military style coat over jeans and a sweatshirt and wore a stocking cap under a baseball cap that may have been a SeaHawks cap. He is carrying a day pack (an old school style).

I have produced a new flyer with a photo of Trigger that shows his size much better. We will start emailing and distributing that tomorrow. Please keep your eye out for a homeless man with Trigger wherever you go. It’s a long shot, but worth the minute it will take to notice. You can be extra eyes for us and if you know anyone along the way East on I84, in Hood River, The Dalles, Pendleton, or across the river in Skamania County, Goldendale, etc. Please send them the flyer and ask them to share it with everyone they know.

On Saturday, our friends from the Sons of Armageddon are going to go up to Cascade Locks and the surrounding area to try to find any homeless camps. The one homeless man who hang out in town has a Boxer and told us he would keep his eye out for someone with Trigger.

This homeless man is somewhere and he very possibly still has Trigger! We have hope again, and we need to find him.

Thank you all so much!!!

If anyone has seen the dog or the homeless man, contact police and let them know.

The complete Advent Garland and Ornaments

2011-12-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

These are the pattern links for the Advent Garland and Decorations KAL:

Advent Garland

December 1 - Mitten
December 2 - Candle
December 3 - House
December 4 - Tree
December 5 - Snowflake
December 6 - Stocking

December 7 - Sugar Mouse
December 8 - Paper Chain
December 9 - Angel
December 10 -Candy Cane
December 11 - Basket
December 12 - Santa

December 13 - Wreath
December 14 - Pudding
December 15 - Heart
December 16 - Snowman
December 17 - Bauble
December 18 - Gingerbread Man

December 19 - Cracker
December 20 - Icicle
December 21 - Star
December 22 - Bells
December 23 - Hat
December 24 - Present

I came across this article on Facebook...A warning it has disturbing video and content.

2011-12-17T14:01:00.002-07:00

Vet releases disturbing pictures of injured pit bulls

Why do "people", and I mean that very loosely! Feel the need to fight dogs? Why? I love pit bulls, they are a beautiful and majestic dog. IF we had a bigger yard for one to be able to run and play then I would definitely adopt one. Seven dogs lost their lives due to what they went through. The vet thought the girls that had to be euthanized were actually bait dogs. Bait dogs and cats are used to train dogs to fight one another. Often these animals don't survive the injuries inflicted on them.

Where do they get these dogs and cats? the could be strays or found through Kijiji or craigslist. The ones that are found on craigslist or Kijiji are usually listed as "free to good home" or some other such thing. There is even a Facebook Page that provides more information. It is called Prevent Classifieds from Providing Bait Dogs. Check them out.

My husband and I have 2 dogs that we adopted, one from a rescue group and one from the Edmonton Humane Society. Both are dachshund although one is a terrier cross. i could never imagine hurting either dog, never mind "letting" a dog attack them all in the name of "fun".

There is a lot of misinformation about pit bulls primarily because of the "humans" who own them. Often it is gang members or criminals that own these animals and so they are trained to be "attack" or guard dogs.

So my thought is maybe we can flood the courts, police and sheriffs offices with pit bulls. So far i have only found a crocheted pit bull pattern here.

Pit Bull Ami Pattern

Let me know what you think...

Cora

So I went to my knitting group lastnight and found out about this really cute Knit A Long.

2011-12-06T15:32:00.001-07:00

Advent Garland on a Tree

It is being done on Ravelry on the frankie's knitted stuff forum. It is called the Advent Garland KAL. It is really adorable! The thread for the ornaments is here. There is also a page listing here.

So this is what the Garland will look like after it is said and done :D

I will update the list as it becomes available.

These are the pattern links for the Advent Garland and Decorations KAL:

Advent Calendar Hanging on the Wall

Ornaments

December 5 - Snowflake

December 6 - Stocking

Look what arrived in my email inbox from Patons!

2011-12-06T10:59:00.001-07:00

A Wonderful Patons^® Tea Party!

Keep your tea tasty and warm with a free tea cozy pattern! Tea cozies make the perfect handmade gift for the tea drinkers in your life—they're small, quick, and ultra-portable projects, great if you fly home for the holidays.

Whether you knit or crochet, prefer wool or acrylic, or enjoy using worsted or chunky, one of these patterns is sure to be the perfect fit!

Aren't they adorable!

Cora

So came across this really cute pup on Facebook

2011-12-04T17:02:00.001-07:00

in the Crochet Addict group. It was linked to a this post: Perro Arcoiris Acordeon – Patrón de perro a crochet, which is in Spanish. The original design, МК Такса "Радужка", is in Russian. So I spent the better part of a day last Sunday translating the pattern. I haven't tested it so if there are errors please let me know :)

Without further adieu I Present Accordion Rainbow Dog. Isn't he adorable!

This work by Cora Shaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

A really cool idea came in from Fave Crafts in my email box.

2011-11-27T16:50:00.001-07:00

Some really cool ideas:

Hello, Crafters!

What's the easiest gift idea you can think of? Gifts in a jar, of course! Recycle a jar and decorate it craftily, or buy new jars in bulk to use for everyone on your list. You can make crafty, delicious, handmade gifts for loved ones in cute jars without breaking the bank.

1. Vintage Laundry Jar (shown)

Vintage Laundry Jar

2. Friendship Jar

Jelly Gem Gift in a Jar

3. 6 Gift in a Jar Ideas
4. Christmas Spirit Jar
5. Journal Jar (shown)
6. Baby Food Jar Candles
7. Groovy Personalized Jars
8. Beach Jar Gift
9. Jelly Gem Gift in a Jar (shown)
10. Spa Jars Gift Set
11. Yummy Hot Cocoa Jar
12. Fall Goodie Jar

Canning Jar Pin Cushion

Journal Jar

13. Canning Jar Pin Cushion (shown)
14. 34 Holiday Ideas for Gifts in a Jar

15. Potpourri and Lights Jar

16. Snowman Cookie Jar

Enjoy!

Boy what a rough night...

2011-11-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

Scrappy and Leo at rest

As you know I get really bad migraines. Back in 2009 I was diagnosed with Ocular Migraines, yep migraines that originate behind the eye, add in early stage cataracts and you have a recipe for great pain. So I have been dealing with migraines, went to bed at 6 and slept until 8 pm. Stayed up and watched TV, no knitting or crocheting whats so ever. So off to bed after watching some shows we DVRed: Castle and NCIS: LA. At 5:00, need to use the loo and heard the water fountain that we use for the dogs and cats was running really low, so I filled and went back to bed.

Scrappy and Leo waiting for instructions

At 5:40 am, hubby and I were woken up randomly by some guy pounding on the front door.Actually he walk Leo and Scrappy first, who woke us up. Hubby was frantic, his pants were in the living room (he leaves them in the living room so he doesn't disturb me when he leaves in the morning during the weekdays. It is such routine he does it on the weekend as well.) where he couldn't reach them. I had to deal with dogs and the door not fun let me tell you.

Apparently he was looking for a girl, why at that hour of the morning, I am not sure why...I need to see if there have been a rash of B & E in our area. It would make sense that he was casing the house or the block and using the "looking for" as a ruse.

I am so thankful for Scrappy and Leo :) They are the best! As I deal with PTSD (from the Home Invasion in 2008), which is getting better as earlier in the evening I didn't have a panic attack when the back doorbell rang. Neighbour across the was letting us know that the garage door was open, again. However you don't expect someone at your door at the hour of the morning, so I can go into panic mode. Thankfully Leo and Scrappy stuck to me all night after that. If I even whimpered or moaned Leo was right there giving me kisses. He is a natural as a therapy dog. I may look into that. There is a group in Edmonton called Hope Heels (www.hopeheels.com) that actually works with rescue and shelter dogs. The have a special program for vets suffering from PTSD...wondering if I could get their help. Most days are good but there are some really bad days where I go back to that day in February. EPS never did catch the people involved that day.

Hubby and I are watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving that I DVRed.

2011-11-25T00:15:00.001-07:00

There is just something about Charlie Brown and the holidays you ? Well then I remembered I actually have patterns for the Peanuts gang, well not all of them but most of them.

Here they are, just need time to crochet them. I plan on getting them done in 2012. I adore them :)

Charlie Brown

Sally Brown

Snoopy

Woodstock

Linus

Lucy Van Pelt

Pigpen

Franklin

You can find her on Ravelry here, on etsy and on her blog.

I also got the following designs:

Pink Panther

Kermit the Frog

Clifford, the Big Red Dog

This is cool!

2011-11-24T19:24:00.001-07:00

So I have seen the books in the stores Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I think there are now 7 books.

I really need to read the books, judging from these 2 jpg's I will relate totally!

So you remember all those Coraline designs I chanced on? Well the same designer has designed...you guessed it Greg and Roderick from the books. In 2010 there was a movie by the same name.

Then in 2011 the 2nd one came out.

So anyways here are Greg and Roderick.

Greg

Roderick

I think Sharon did a great job on them!

Cora

Another favorite movie and book of mine is Coraline.

2011-11-24T16:53:00.001-07:00

Another one of my favorite movies is Coraline. I thought this was a Tim Burton movie but alas it isn't, although the director is connected to Tim Burton. This is why... The director of both Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) was Henry Selick. It is often assumed that since Christmas is sometimes credited as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas that Burton directed that film. While Tim Burton co-wrote and produced Christmas, he had nothing to do with Coraline.

So I got this email today from Hooked on Crochet...

Hi Crocheters,

Make gifts for your little girl this holiday season with some dolls and fashion accessories for her dolls. You know she loves playing with them so much that eventually their hair gets all ratty. Learn How to Detangle Doll Hair so she'll look brand new. My favorite doll accessory right now is this Fashion Doll Santa Hat; it's perfect for the season!

Here are 16 Crochet Dolls and Accessories all in one collection page.

Accessorize your Dolls or Make New Ones:
1. American Girl Doll Summer Raglan Dress
2. American Girl Backpack
3. American Girl Empire Waist Dress with Ruffles
4. Doll Bikini
5. Doll Hoodie
6. Fashion Doll Apron
7. Hawaiian Vintage Doll
8. Mr. Fashion Doll Pants
9. Barbie's Red Dress
10. Coraline Doll

Even More Dolls and Accessories


			Crochet Doll Set A hat, cardigan and booties are all provided in this pattern for a doll set. Make them in every color so she can have a new outfit each day.

			Crochet Mood Doll This is such a cool doll because it can help your child share her feelings. The doll has a happy face and a sad face.

What got my attention was the Coraline doll. She is designed by Sharon Ojala for Homemade Obsessions.

Coraline Doll

Coraline Doll

Make an adorable Coraline Doll from the movie Coraline; she looks just like the real thing. This is a great free crochet pattern that also provides videos for each step. Single crochet is used to make your very own Coraline Doll. She's ready to be made and hugged by a new friend!

So I started looking at her site and found some other Coraline inspired dolls.

Here is a picture of all of the characters:

Wybie

I thought I would let you know that there are 2 other designs of Coraline.

Allison Hoffman of Crafty Is Cool Fame has a really cute and detailed Caroline doll, also crocheted.
Kimberly Kwon, of Kkhymn's Corner Blog, has a knit version called Little Me Doll - Coraline Inspired.

Little Me Doll - Coraline Inspired $5.00 USD

Coraline Doll Amigurumi $5.99 USD

As you probably know Tim Burton is one of my favorite Movie Directors and Producer.

2011-11-24T15:27:00.001-07:00

Some of my favorite movies are:

Corpse Bride
Batman
Batman Forever
Edward Scissorhands
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Nightmare Before Christmas
Beetlejuice
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (more like the book than Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

So now onto the reason for this post...lol.

There have been a number of patterns for Nightmare Before Christmas, just look on Ravelry.

Nightmare Before Christmas

These are my own designs:

Zero the Ghost Dog

from Anything Knitted or Crocheted

1 934 projects

LITTLE JACK SKELLINGTO...

from Anything Knitted or Crocheted

91 project

These are others designs...

Jack Skellington Crochet Pattern
by April Draven

Coraline-Movie Tie In Book

AprilDraven's Blog

Some cozy knits and crochet designs from Patons.

2011-11-24T12:10:00.001-07:00

Get Cozy for the Winter

Stay cozy and look good by knitting one of these two warm accessory sets! Today we're bringing you exclusive new patterns in Patons Astra and Patons Melody, as well as fantastic new shades in both yarns.

The classic fair isle Snowflake Hat and Mittens set is a rewarding knit project that displays beautiful colorwork. This is the perfect pattern to customize to your heart's content—in adult or child sizes, as full or fingerless mitts, and with 38 shades of Patons Astra to choose from, nearly the entire family can enjoy their own personalized accessory set to keep them warm through the winter months.

Patons Astra is now available in five new shades! Three great staple solids are available: the bold teal of Oz, the rich plum of Fantasy, and the cool blue of Griffin Blue. Magic Carpet Variegated, meanwhile, features a soft variety of peach, olive green, crimson, and hot pink to create an exciting new option for scarves and hats. Wild Wizard Variegated has to be seen to be believed, made up with contrasting honey yellow, teal, green, burgundy, red, plum, and crimson—perfect for accents that pop!

Using the super-bulky weight of Patons Melody, the Slouchy Hat and Cowlis a set that knits up incredibly quick! The hat only uses one ball while the cowl uses two, so if you're looking for a fast last-minute gift then this is the perfect project. When Patons Melody is knit up it creates a soft, textured fabric that helps you stay warm and comfortable and creates a great addition to any outfit.

If you love the new shades of Patons Astra but prefer bulkier yarns, then you're in luck! Available now are the shades Fantasy, Wild Wizard Variegated, and Magic Carpet Variegated, in the super bulky "Quick & Cozy"Patons Melody.

Cheers,
- The Patons^® Design Studio

Join us on
Facebook and Twitter!

This was on one of my dachshund groups, thought I would share it...

2011-11-22T10:17:00.001-07:00

The Hubby with Scrappy
and Smokey

Leo and best friend Patches

Scrappy

Scrappy laying on the
bed, his favorite place

Leo, Scrappy and Tyger
on the couch

SMokey

Snowball

Patches

“Here in this house…

I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks of the other dogs ‘out there’.
I can sleep soundly, assured that when I wake, my world will not have changed.
I will never know hunger, or the fear of not knowing if I’ll eat.
I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from the heat.
I will feel the sun’s heat, and the rain’s coolness, and be
allowed to smell all that can reach my nose.
My fur will shine, and never be dirty or matted.

Here in this house… There will be an effort to communicate with
me on my level. I will be talked to and, even if I don’t understand,
I can enjoy the warmth of the words. I will be given a name so that
I may know who I am among many.
My name will be used in joy, and I will love the sound of it!

Here in this house… I will never be a substitute for anything I am
not. I will never be used to improve peoples’ images of themselves. I
will be loved because I am who I am, not someone’s idea of who I
should be. I will never suffer for someone’s anger, impatience, or
stupidity. I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved
by all. If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my teacher for blame.

Here in this house… I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch…
knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.
If I am ill, I will be doctored. If scared, I will be calmed. If sad, I will be
cheered. No matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful
and known to be of value.

I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not
cute enough. My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought. I
will learn that humans can almost, sometimes, be as kind and as fair
as dogs.

Here in this house… I will belong. I will be home.”

Trenton rescued from a
Puppy Mill

Nic Nic who has had hundreds of volunteers looking for her in
Calgary. Nic Nic is a female Schnauzer rescued from another
Puppy Mill, along with Trenton and 7 others.

I was watching the news this morning when this commercial came on.

2011-11-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

It was for London Drugs, one of their holiday commercials. What caught my attention was the scarf and fingerless gloves. They are a ripple pattern and crocheted. Sorry for the poor quality which is unusual for my BB Torch..lol. I haven't found a pattern, so i guess I will be trying to develop a design as I love these.

Aren't they are great design?

Cora

I was looking on Red Heart Yarns just at different patterns...

2011-11-14T11:37:00.001-07:00

and came across some adorable Halloween patterns, I love these!

Spooky Cat Pumpkin

Jolly Roger Pirate Pumpkin

Pumpkin Bag

Happy Bat Bag

Crafty Yarn Bowl for Treats

Little Devil Hat & Cape

Jack-o-Lantern & Witch Canister Crafts

.

I love these dog sweaters....

2011-11-06T23:59:00.001-07:00

Leo (the black one) and Scrappy

Ever since becoming owned by a 2 dachshunds, Leo and Scrappy, I have been hunting for sweater patterns that would work for them in harsh, cold, winter climate.

So I have been on the look out and found a few that I just love, so here they are...

Granny Square Dog Sweater

Urban Granny Dog Sweater

Dog's Crochet Granny Square Sweater

Granny Square

I definitely plan on crocheting these...

Some Christmas Ornaments from Lion Brand Yarns...

2011-11-06T18:28:00.001-07:00

Snowman and Snow Angel Ornaments

Snowflake Ornament

Holiday Ornaments

Temari Ball Ornaments

Holiday Box Ornaments

Felted Holiday Snowflake

Fair Isle Felted Ornament

Striped Felted Ornament

Holiday Felted Ornament

Cat and Dog Holiday Ornaments

Amigurumi Christmas Mouse Ornament

Puffy Snowflake

Amigurumi Santa Ornament

Holiday Ornament

Amigurumi Holiday Santa

Mitten Ornament

Stocking Ornament

Felted Swedish Cornucopia Ornament

Holiday Ball Ornaments

'Love to Knit' Holiday Ornament

Christmas Ornament Catnip Pet Toy

Fair Isle Snowflake Ornament

Amigurumi Snowman Ornament

Amigurumi Gingerbread House

Holiday Dove Ornament

'Hooked on Crochet' Holiday Ornament

CRAFTYisCOOL: 2,000 Facebook Fans Contest!

2011-10-26T11:37:00.000-06:00

As you know I love knitting and crocheting amigurumi. I have several favorite toy designers as well.

Crafty is Cool (aka Allison Hoffman) is just one of them. I mean her designs are exquisitely detailed. Do you remember my post about Oprah? You should see the amazing work that Allison does!

Here are just some of her amazing designs!

TV Shows

Hipster Monsters Amigurumi

Oswald the Octopus w/ Weenie, Henry & Daisy Amigurumi set

Movies

Coraline

Sad Story Toy Clown Amigurumi

Oompa Loompa

The Candy Man
(Inside Crochet, Issue 22, October, 2011)

Where The Wild Things Are Pattern SET

I love this little penguin set...too cute!

Penguins-Open

Penguins in a Row

People

Michael Jackson

Wonder Woman

Oprah

Now Crafty is Cool is on Facebook...yeah! She just reached 2,000 members and is having a contest.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/craftyiscool" target="_blank" "img src="http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk133/CraftyGal1965/CraftyisCool.jpg" border="0" alt="Crafty is Cool Facebook Page"/a>

CRAFTYisCOOL: 2,000 Facebook Fans Contest!

So check it out!

Cora

A question...when is Graffiti art or vandalism?

2011-10-23T13:58:00.000-06:00

This was a question posed at the TAGS Conference on October 18 and 19th, 2011. it was an interesting and thought provoking conference.

Often this is what we see in our neighborhoods...

They are tags that are just thrown up, often to identify territory of gangs...

Then you get the graffiti throw ups...

Then there are the pieces, short for masterpiece. It's generally agreed that a painting must have at least three colors to be considered a piece. often people consider these to "artistic".

So the next day, one of the Detectives from Yonkers New York had noticed that I am knitter. He asked me if I was familiar with yarn graffiti, to which I said yes I was. He asked me what I thought of it and I answered honestly that I wasn't to sue about it. I have one book out the called Yarn Bombing. There was also the International Yarn Bombing Day (on June 11, 2011 which was also Knit in Public Day).

Wikipedia defines Yarn Bombing as:
Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, graffiti knitting,guerrilla knitting, or yarnstorming is a type ofgraffiti or street art that employs colorful displays ofknitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. While yarn installations – called yarn bombs or yarnstorms – may last for years, they are considered non-permanent, and, unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide. While other forms of graffiti may beexpressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising orvandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.

Excerpted in The National Post and Geist magazine
Featured in The New York Times on The New Yorker's book blog
Now in its third printing

On city street corners, around telephone posts, through barbed wire fences, and over abandoned cars, a quiet revolution is brewing. “Knit graffiti” is an international guerrilla movement that started underground and is now embraced by crochet and knitting artists of all ages, nationalities, and genders. Its practitioners create stunning works of art out of yarn, then “donate” them to public spaces as part of a covert plan for world yarn domination.

Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti is the definitive guidebook to covert textile street art. This full-color DIY book features 20 kick-ass patterns that range from hanging shoes and knitted picture frames to balaclavas and gauntlets, teaching readers how to create fuzzy adornments for lonely street furniture. Along the way, it provides tips on how to be as stealthy as a ninja, demonstrates how to orchestrate a large-scale textile project, and offers revealing information necessary to design your own yarn graffiti tags. The book also includes interviews with members of the international community of textile artists and yarn bombers, and provides resources to help readers join the movement; it’s also chock full of beautiful photographs and easy step-by-step instructions for knit and crochet installations and garments.

Join the yarn bombing revolution!

Includes 20-plus patterns and a foreword by Amy Singer, the editor of Knitty.com

For more information, visit the following:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4305406/Knitters-turn-to-graffiti-artists-with-yarnbombing.html
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2156560.ece
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wlyarn30/BNStory/lifeMain/home

The other book is Knit The City, available at Amazon and Chapters.

Since 2009, Deadly Knitshade and her covert group of dyed-in-the-wool knitting ninjas have been transforming the grey streets of London in a riot of woolly colour one stitch at a time. No corner is safe from their yarnstorms sublime crafty marriages of street art and knitting which have baffled policemen, delighted tourists, and brought a touch of much-needed homespun colour into the everyday lives of Londoners. Knit the City's handmade mischief transformed a forlorn ballerina outside the Royal Opera House, cosied a Parliament Square phone box and conjured a 13-ft spider's web, replete with doomed insects and fairies, in a tunnel beneath Waterloo station. Their daring arty feats will ensure that you never see knitting or London the same way again.

Here are some example of Yarn Bombing...

Pink Tank

Telephone Booth in London

Filigree Crocheted Fence

This one is my personal favorite...

NYC Wall Street's Charging Bull Covered by Olek in 2010

This is an interesting juxtaposition on Graffiti...

Yarn Bomb Paint Spray Cans

Web of Woe: graffiti knitting spraycan style

See the full story at www.knitthecity.com

Tell me what you think on Twitter, Facebook or leave a comment here. So is Graffiti art or is it Vandalism? What do you think of yarn bombs, same thing, is it art or vandalism?

Cora

I came across this cute site for pumpkin carving stencils on Facebook.

2011-10-23T10:05:00.000-06:00

There are 24 dog breeds on here, including the Rottweiler and the Doberman! These are fantastic for the dog Lover.

Of course you know which one is my favorite...lol.

Dachshund Pumpkin

So if you have a favorite dog breed check to see of it is available on this site.

Cora

I am always looking for a challenge in my knitting and I think I have done that.

2011-10-23T09:44:00.000-06:00

Winter Twilight Mitts

I found these on Ravelry. They are called Winter Twilight Mitts by Laura Rintala. there are 330 projects so far. Aren't they gorgeous! There are some that are done in variegated colors that are soooo beautiful. This will be a long winter knit for me as Intarsia and I don't always get along very well...check it out on the Interweave Knits website at Winter Twilight Mitts, you will need to sign up which it is free to do so.

Here are just some of my favorites...

-Yarnsanity-

meggiepie

martiedawn

bcdc13

Silksky

kjirstiben

An Update....

2011-10-22T17:51:00.000-06:00

Back in April I blogged about Oprah (I really need to finish my own Oprah). Oink and Angry Birds. Well here is an up date. I have finished Oink and I am halfway though the Angry Birds set.

Oink

Oink

Here is Oink! a design by Susan B. Anderson. I called it the Pink Floyd Flying Pig from Animals Cover. I think he turned out very cute :)

Here are the Angry Birds that I have so far. Unfortunately the set is no longer available for purchase.

The First Three Angry Birds-Cardinal, Goldfinch and Blue Bird

Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, the patterns are no longer available. I have gone into a little more detail about the situation on my blog ==> http://itsybitsyspidercrochet.blogspot.com/2011/06/end-of-angry-birds.html

This pattern has been deactivated and will no longer be available for purchase. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Angry Bird Cardinal

Angry Bird-Goldfinch

Angry Bird-Blue Bird

I really need to get back on track and finish the other birds and pigs. I have had a rquest for another set from my future son-in-law, so I need to finish this set for the hubby. The bomb bird is almost done, then the white bird and the toucan. Karla is an awesome designer and you should check her out on her blog.

Until next time;

Cora

Urgent Missing Dog

2011-10-20T11:38:00.000-06:00

Please be on the look out for Casha...

Missing Dogs....

2011-10-20T11:12:00.000-06:00

I am making a list of dogs that have gone missing, some are in the Edmonton region and some are ones we hear about.

First up...

Buddy

next is....

Peanut

then there is

Sarah

Then there is sweet little Bambi, who is actually from my neighborhood.

Bambi

Then there is Roxy who is missing from the STRATHERN/BONNIE DOON AREA.

Roxy

I will update about these dogs as I find out mor inforamtion. Please keep an eye out and contact those that left phone numbers or emails. Feel free to post these on other blogs and sites.

Cora

How cool is this? Leo and Patches won a spot in the Cutest Pet Contest :

2011-10-20T07:55:00.000-06:00

The are going to be featured in a book along with many other pets...doing a happy dance.

So here is what happened, got up and checked my email and this is what was in it...

I actually forgot I entered the contest...lol.

This is the Original picture....

This is the entry Page...here is the link, but I also decided to add the photo as I am not sure how long the webpage will be up.

This is soooo cool :) as you can tell I am over the moon about this.

Cora

So Hubby has asked me to knit him a Dr Who scarf...

2011-10-12T15:39:00.000-06:00

Tom Baker Scarf

Tom Baker Scarf 2

Does he even know how many differendt designs there are?!?!?! There are 14...yes 14 versions listed on Ravelry here and here.

The Original Scarf -Seasons 12 through 14

Then there other items such as...

Dr. Who Scarf Tie

Dr. Who Wrist Warmers

Dr, Who Cowl (matches the wrist warmers)

Bokaclava (this looks interesting)

Mustn't forget all the stuffies either....

From snuffykin

From Pixelated Mushroom Craft Blog:

Gareth and John are part of the Torchwood series. I had no idea that Torchwood was connected to Dr. Who series until I watched

The 2006 series featured "Torchwood" as its arc word, an anagram of "Doctor Who" that was used as the codename for the new series of Doctor Who while filming its first few episodes and on the 'rushes' tapes to ensure they were not intercepted.^[4]
The word first appeared in Doctor Who in the 2005 series episode "Bad Wolf", as an answer in the game show, The Weakest Link. The actual "Torchwood" arc of Doctor Who spanned from "The Christmas Invasion" to "Doomsday".^[5] The word was seeded throughout the 2006 series as a means for the BBC to introduce the basis for a spin-off series, Torchwood, set in modern-day Cardiff and involving a mysterious organisation which investigates alien activities and crime. The series features John Barrowman as former companion Jack Harkness and premiered in October 2006. References to Torchwood have also since reappeared in Doctor Who. The Doctor and Rose repeatedly encountered mentions of "Torchwood" throughout the series until the episodes "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday", which included Torchwood as an integral part of the plot. Here the Doctor meets the organisation, and learns they have been monitoring him (his Tenth incarnation) since his encounter with Queen Victoria. As a conclusion of the storyarc, the Torchwood Institute's London branch was destroyed. In addition to episodes of the 2006 series, the organisation was given a similar treatment to "Bad Wolf" in spin-off material such as web literature, webcasts and novels.

More from Pixelated Mushroom Craft Blog

Mini Tom Baker (4)

Mini Peter Davison (5)

Mini Matt Smith (11)

Tardis (Small)

Mini Christopher Eccleston (9)

Tardis (large version)

Mini David Tennant (10)

Mini John Pertwee (3)

Mini William Hartnell (1)

Mini K-9

My goodness you wouldn't believe the amount of Dr. Who and Torchwood amigurumis and other stuff there is on Ravelry!

Check out the 2 K-9's that are available...

The other one is available in a book by Joy Gammon called The Doctor Who Pattern Book. If you remember Joy has written many books over the years. I really would love to find the book. There is even a cute hippo in it!

Dr. Who Pattern Book

K-9

Cora

Anything Knitted and Crocheted

From Lion Brand Yarns for Valentine's Day

So I was asked a really cool question on facebook...

Matryoshka, Babushka, Nesting Dolls...

Nesting Dolls by Katie Startzman

whirlybird's Nesting birds

Here are some other patterns that are available, they are not dolls but they are the same idea :)

Nesting Penguin Friends Amigurumi by Allison Hoffman

Babushka by Katie Boyette

Phase V Open house is happening soon...

This is about "The Avenue" here...

'The Avenue' Documentary Trailer

I came across a couple of interesting tweets on twitter today...

Angry Birds....

So I was at my knitting group lastnight and we started talking about afghans...

Missing Dog named Trigger

The complete Advent Garland and Ornaments

I came across this article on Facebook...A warning it has disturbing video and content.

So I went to my knitting group lastnight and found out about this really cute Knit A Long.

Look what arrived in my email inbox from Patons!

A Wonderful Patons® Tea Party!

So came across this really cute pup on Facebook

A really cool idea came in from Fave Crafts in my email box.

Boy what a rough night...

Hubby and I are watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving that I DVRed.

Here they are, just need time to crochet them. I plan on getting them done in 2012. I adore them :)

This is cool!

Another favorite movie and book of mine is Coraline.

As you probably know Tim Burton is one of my favorite Movie Directors and Producer.

Some cozy knits and crochet designs from Patons.

Get Cozy for the Winter

This was on one of my dachshund groups, thought I would share it...

I was watching the news this morning when this commercial came on.

I was looking on Red Heart Yarns just at different patterns...

.

I love these dog sweaters....

Some Christmas Ornaments from Lion Brand Yarns...

CRAFTYisCOOL: 2,000 Facebook Fans Contest!

A question...when is Graffiti art or vandalism?

Web of Woe: graffiti knitting spraycan style

I came across this cute site for pumpkin carving stencils on Facebook.

I am always looking for a challenge in my knitting and I think I have done that.

An Update....

Urgent Missing Dog

Missing Dogs....

How cool is this? Leo and Patches won a spot in the Cutest Pet Contest :

So Hubby has asked me to knit him a Dr Who scarf...

Bokaclava (this looks interesting)

A Wonderful Patons^® Tea Party!