Why Do Bunnies Have Hoppy Birthdays?

I was sitting very quietly in the garden - observing the wonderful nature sanctuary my lack of gardening skills have created - when I heard a little voice ...

"Hello there little bunny what do you want?"


"Well I fear I am a little lost. I am looking for Matthew's 1st birthday party ... I have a special jumper on just for him AND I made him a birthday card with my own little bunny paws."


"Well I've heard that Matthew's birthday party is actually England - which means you still have a very long way to go - but it was very sweet of you to make him a handmade card."

"Thank you - I drew a picture of my favorite thing on the front - a big juicy orange carrot."


"Shouldn't the card say 'Happy Birthday' instead of 'Hoppy Birthday?'"

"Oh no ... we bunnies are very happy creatures so we always like to give Hoppy Birthday wishes instead! Bunnies just love to hop you see, especially on exciting days like birthdays."


So I hope here today I have shed yet more light on the secret lives of bunnies!

Handmade Things are Filled with Love

One of my oldest friends is getting married and I wanted to make something special for her to mark the occasion. I didn't really want to make another love filled quilting disaster so I decided that this was the time to knit something big! Time to knit my first full sized blanket. But what pattern to knit? After much searching I found a free pattern for a Lover's Knot Afghan from the Lion Brand Yarn Company.I thought that 'Lover's Knot' was such a lovely pattern name for a wedding present. I found the most gorgeous cream and super soft (as well as ecologically friendly) wool from the YarnCountry.com. (The hanks were so enormous that I had a whole hank left over - which enabled me to knit all three of my maypole dancing bunnies!) I increased the size of the Afghan by adding an additional two pats to the pattern ... ... so my finished blanket measures approx 53" x 67" and there is a super soft 4" fringe/tassels at both ends.

I also embroidered a little label that I sewed on to the back of the blanket. (I saw this idea on the lovely Julie's blog back in June and knew I had to make something similar for my blanket.)

I wish the bride and groom a life time of happiness together - as well as many winter evenings feeling warm under the love of one very special blanket!

Heartbreak and Distraction

It is true - my heart is aching ... we have sold our beautiful house - and until we find our next house having my own little room to use as a dedicated work space is doomed - I shall be 'craft camping' ... by that I mean I have to decide what craft items will be going into storage and what craft items I can take with me so I can continue working.

The house has been so much more than a place to live for me - since I have been in the states I have been so homesick and this is the first place - since leaving the UK nearly 5 years ago - that I have called 'home'. It is cute, beautiful, warm and cosy, old fireplaces and floorboards, the garden has been fabulous for bunny photo shoots, the community is wonderful ... it is going to be very hard and very very sad to leave.
But my husband spends his weeks in the city and I spend a lot of my week in the country - we always spend our weekends together - we recently decided that we should try find a home that was the 'grand compromise' - close enough to the city for commuting and enough out of the city so I don't go crazy. So I'm off to the big apple to stay with my lovely husband (it will be nice to see him during the week) - and I know a stint in the big apple would be a treat for some - but if I'm totally honest I am not a city girl in the least ... unless it is for a little shoe shopping expedition!

So what do I take? Obviously Bernie has to come with me and my bag of knitting needles ... but what about ... ...the boxes of ribbon ... ... lace ... ... buttons, sewing needles, cord ... ...bias tape, scraps of material or just the big bits? Will I need my box of felt? What about all the ties and shirts I have to recycle? How much yarn should I expect to use? Which books to take?

It is all seeming a bit much to choose from ... where do I start?

Tutorial: Simple Knitted Ball

I find it hard to throw away any material or yarn - and I have lots yarn remnants that are too small to be incorporated into new projects. So over the weekend I made this pattern for a simple knitted ball - a fast easy project - and the ball is suitable for all ages. I used my left over Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky yarn (sometimes I think this is the softest yarn ever invented - but it has proved to be too expensive for my constant knitting habits!)

Simple Knitted Ball
You will need:
- yarn remnants (various colors or same color - this is really your choice)
- knitting needles
- some sort of stuffing - I used Poly-fil
- yarn needle for sewing pentagons together

1. Knit 12 pentagons following this pattern:
cast on 6
row 1: inc, knit 4, inc (8 stitches)
row 2: p
row 3: k
row 4: p
row 5: inc, knit 6, inc (10 stitches)
row 6: p
row 7: k
row 8: p
row 9: k2tog, knit 6, k2tog (8 stitches)
row 10: p
row 11: k2tog, knit 4, k2tog (6 stitches)
row 12: p
row 13: k2tog, knit 2, k2tog (4 stitches)
row 14: p
row 15: k2tog, k2tog (2 stitches)
row 16: p2tog and tie off


2. Sew your pentagons together to create a ball - I hope this diagram helps to show how this is done. I used a contrasting yarn in blanket stitch to add an additional decorative element.
Remember to leave at least one seam open so you can stuff the ball!

3. Stuff the ball and stitch remaining seam(s) shut.Then all you need to do is find someone to play ball with you ... Castro didn't seem to want to play ball - but he did agree that it was a very soft!

Getting All My Ducks in a Row .....

During my visit home at Christmas last year my mother and I visited this really cool thrift shop where you can find hard back craft books for 50p ... one of the things I pounced on was this book of Beatrix Potter knitting patterns ...
... the designs are very dated and I really purchased it for bunny themed knitting ideas - but flicking through it the other day I found a pattern for Jemima Puddle Duck ... a baby blanket with duckies I thought - that would be sweet. Jemima, I decided, was more goose like than a duck so I changed the pattern to this ...
I used some of the wool given to me by Auntie Chris (it is amazing how much I have already used!) and it took a while to get the blanket correct as I discovered that designing shapes or pictures in a knitting pattern is not that simple!
I must have knitted and unravelled at least 15 times ... but finally I got all my ducks in a row ...
... and here is my little duckie baby blanket.
It measures 33 1/2" x 28" and has a moss stitch border. Perfect for a crib or a stroller or just for general snuggles.
I quite like ducks ... not quite as much as bunnies ... but they make me smile a lot. Can you believe it is nearly August? Where has the year gone?

Swap Shots

I've sent off my cupcake themed apron for the Cupcake and Tea Swap. My apron (based on the cakeland number in A Is for Apron) went to the girls at A Spoonful of Sugar and I was glad that they were kind about it!
And I also sent off my goodies for the Alabama Stitch Swap to Betty Ninja. Of course I had to make the bunny project!
These are my photos - but I can't believe the pictures that Betty took of the little bunny and needle book I made .... she really has an amazing talent with a camera.

I have to say that I really enjoyed making the goodies for both these swaps - I will be signing up for more swaps in the future for sure!

A Day in the Life of the Dino Family

Deep in a grassy valley lives the Dino Family. They live at 1740 Triassic Lane. Here they are standing outside their front door (although the photo seems to have been crashed by a rather sweet pooch.)
Mrs. Dino is outside hunting for her son Owen who is supposed to be doing his home work. 'Where are you Owen?' Mrs. Dino looks everywhere - in the house and in the garden making sure she checks behind all the bushes. But she can't find Owen anywhere because he is hiding up a tree. He he - naughty Owen!
Finally Owen comes down and settles inside to do his English homework. He has to read a poem by Yeats - quite advanced stuff for a dinosaur in high school don't you think. Mr. Dino takes this quiet time to play his favorite piece on the piano by Dinovorák ...
... and Mrs. Dino sits outside by her favorite lavender bush to do some knitting. The Dino Family love nothing else but to end their day doing one thing - and that is to play a game of Monopoly together. Mr. Dino is sporting a rather crafty smile - do you think he could be cheating??