Giving Stuffed Animals a Try

Since I haven't been out yarn shopping in a few months (thanks to COVID 19) I had been looking at smaller projects. Ones that I could use yarn that I just happened to have around. Right now I have a lot of yarn, so why not try to use up my stash before buying yarn. 

Well around the first month or so of lock down I saved a cute knitted stuffed bear. It was a small project and would be great for using up leftover yarn. A stuffed bear could be any color of the rainbow. It could even be a multicolored bear. If any of you know how Pinterest works you know that right after you save one item you will be shown a thousand and one similar items. All of a sudden I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of stuffed animal projects. There were more than just bears. There were bunnies, foxes, dogs, giraffes, lions and more. And this was just scratching the surface. I am sure that if I were to dig a little deeper I'd find a whole zoo of animals. There are even books devoted to stuffed animals.     

The animal that finally made me decide to give stuffed animals a try were the elephants. After picking the type of creature I wanted to knit, I now had to find a pattern. All of the elephant patterns were cute. However, I was looking for the perfect combination of adorable and free. 

After looking for a bit I found "Bloomsbury the Elephant" by Amanda Berry. Bloomsbury was originally published in a 2016 issue of a magazine called "Knit Now". This magazine and thousands like it can now be found online for free. Some of them are just nice to browse through and look at the different patterns. Although not all of the items are up to date. If you are interested in looking at other publications like this I would recommend going to the Internet Archive. I would not recommend this site if you are looking for a specific type of pattern. But it is great if you are looking for inspiration or a more generic pattern like a sweater or scarf.           

Initially the picture that I had in my mind was that I would make an elephant that would go with this blanket. I would use the same light gray and it would be the perfect set for a new baby or an expecting mother. Right now I know a lot of women who are expecting or recently gave birth. However, these plans quickly fell apart when I realized I no longer had any of this yarn left. These few balls of yarn were all that was left from this project.

But, I was not going to allow this to stop me. I have other gray yarn I could use. Now my only concern was that it still would not be enough. It tends to be harder to gauge when you are using left over yarn. The pattern calls for 100 grams of yarn. I would have no idea where to start to determine if the yarn I have is enough. I didn't want to risk it. Start knitting and find out part way through the last foot that I didn't have enough yarn. 

So I came up with a plan to make the elephant look like it was wearing a shirt. I picked out this kelly green that I had used on a different baby project years ago. To me all colors can be baby colors. Why limit babies to just pastels when there is a wide rage of colors out there? I loved the way that the green pops when next to this darker gray. 

It was not until I was almost finished with this little guy that I realized I had seen a different elephant wearing this same shade of green. Babar the elephant created by Jean de Brunhoff is often dressed in a vibrant green suit. Maybe somewhere deep in my sub-conscience fictional elephants are paired with this shade of green. 

And now I have a little green dressed elephant. One of my favorite parts about this little elephant is that he can sit upright on his own. I for one think he is ready for story time. 

Getting Started...... Again

Getting started again. For me this feels even worse than all the prep work that goes into initially starting a new project. At least then there is excitement. Something new is being formed. How quickly will I learn the pattern repeat. Is this the right yarn for this project? All of these questions add to the excitement.

Even when the pattern takes time to understand. When mistakes need to be taken out again and again. I try to be patient. I tell myself "This always happens with something new. Give it some time. Everything will click at some point and it will be smooth sailing from then."

Except sometimes it is not smooth sailing. Sometimes a half done project will sit neglected for a time. Maybe it was set aside because of time restrains, lack of yarn, those dreaded finishing touches, abandoned to work on something else, or I dropped it into the black hole that is my knitting bag.

I always have good intentions when stopping a project. I'll say something like "I just need to work on this gift for a birthday or Christmas. I'll pick this back up when I'm finished." Or maybe I'll think "I need more yarn for this and I'll get it the next time I'm in the craft store." More often than not the stopping is not intentional. I put a project down for a day which ends up turning into a week, a month, or even longer. But, no matter what the reason for setting something aside I always find it harder to start it back up again.

Just last Fall I finally admitted that I wasn't ever getting back to the huge yarn eating blanket that I ran out of yarn for over three years ago. I decided that since it hadn't see the light of day since before I was married it was time that I look at it again. Time to admit that I would never be getting the yarn to finish it. Time to take out the stitches and let the yarn have a new life. There is more than one way to end a project. This is why I shouldn't let a project sit abandoned for this long.

A few months ago I was working on a new scarf. It was a Brioche pattern that also used increases and decreases to make an intricate design. I've just started to learn Brioche (see my post on Brioche Knitting to find out how that process went). So, the the project was a little slow getting started. I had to watch and re-watch some videos to remember this technique again. I felt like I had to relearn Brioche before I even got started on the more advanced pattern. But, finally I was getting it. I had the pattern memorized and everything was working out nicely. I had gotten into my groove and it was coming along smoothly.

Well it was until I decided to put it in my knitting bag and take it with me somewhere. And that is where it sat. From that point on there always seemed to be one excuse or another as to why I wasn't pulling it back out of the bag. Excuses such as "I rearranged some furniture and haven't decided on my new knitting spot" or "I'll get back to it when I settle into my new position at work." And maybe for a time those were the real reasons. As the project sat in my bag day after day, there became more and more little reasons for me not to get back to it.

However, the largest reason was my lack of motivation. I didn't want to have to go through the process of starting it again. At this point I had left the project so long that I would have to relearn the stitch repeat. I would have to sit there and read the pattern for each row. This always makes each row take ten times longer or at least feel that way.



However, it had been more than a month since I touched the project. I decided that it was now or never. I needed to find some motivation to get started again. Now for some people this might not be the right game plan. But, for me I tend to be more motivated to finish one project when I have another that I want to work on.


I tend to try not to have more than one project going at a time. So, the excitement of getting a new project started will give me just enough push to finish the old project. And I'm glad that I it did. The project that I was dreading to pick up a second time turned into a lovely reversible scarf. I also proved to myself that I could do a more complicated Brioche pattern. If you are interested in making this scarf yourself you should check out this issue of Kitty®.


Anyone else have problems picking an abandoned project up again? If so what are some tricks you used to get started again? Leave your tips and tricks in the comments here or on my Facebook page Joywithyarn1.

Which Came First?

Sometimes when planning a new project the yarn inspires the pattern or the search for a pattern. At other times the pattern inspires the search for yarn or an excuse to buy some yarn. Then there are those rarer times when it ends up being a combination of the two and it is hard to say which came first. Like that age old chicken or the egg debate.

A few weeks ago I had one of these types of situations when I was looking to start a new project. I had recently finished my first Brioche knitting project and was excited to start a new one (click here to read more about me learning this new technique). Something that would be just a step harder than just the basic Brioche pattern. So, I set out on a pattern search and found a pattern that I liked and thought would be just a bit harder than the basic Brioche. I didn't want to be too ambitious, after all I am still just learning this skill.

Now that I had a pattern it was time for me to search for some yarn. Brioche patterns always look better with two colors of yarn, so I set out to find two colors that would look good together. Sometimes this is its own struggle. I want them to have enough contrast that there is a distinction, but too much contrast that people question why those colors were even paired. After a bit I decided to use some yarn that I had just recently gotten for Christmas. I thought that this yarn would be a good choice because it is self-striping. This would make one of the sides stand out even more than if there were two solid yarns. The pattern used variegated yarn as well, which is one of the reasons why this new yarn came to mind during my search. I pulled out this new yarn and I found a gray yarn that I thought would work well with it.

When in doubt with color choices I tend to lean on neutrals like gray, navy, black, or tan. They work with any other color. This tends to be how I make fashion color choices as well. I sat down with my self-striping yarn and the gray and began to work on my project. But, something wasn't right. I quickly realized that this was not going to work. The colors looked good together, so that was not the problem. The problem was the pattern and yarn combination. This yarn was just not meant to be this pattern.

Would it have worked? Yes.

Was something actually wrong with it? No.

Am I being a bit unreasonable? Maybe.

Something with this yarn reminded me of another pattern the Pioneer Braid Scarf by Hither and Yarn. One that was on my list, but ending up being forgotten about. This is one of the problems with Pinterest. It allows me to keep getting longer and longer knitting lists.

As soon as this project came to mind I knew that I would not be able to use this yarn for any other project. This yarn and this project just seemed belong together.

I am glad that I listened to my gut instinct and changed the pattern. Although either pattern would have paired nicely with this yarn, this braided scarf was the best fit for this yarn.

This pattern initially stood out to me because it is 100% reversible. Unlike other patterns there is no top, bottom, front, or back. I like reversible knits especially scarfs because I know that the end product will look good no matter which way it lays. I personally have a few non-reversible scarfs that I love, however I know which way to wear them. I also might fiddle with them throughout the day to get them to lay "right". This is one reason why I tend to look for reversible patterns when planing gifts. I realized a long time ago that other might not see the "right" and "wrong" sides like I do. This is especially true if he or she is not a knitter. With a pattern like this it doesn't matter. It can be worn in any way. 

One of the reasons why they go together so well is because the pattern uses short rows at an angle which allows this self-striping yarn to be used in a unique way. Rather than producing stripes the yarn looks as though the colors are interlocking. The length of the stripes is almost perfect for making each section different colors which adds to this effect. This pattern with this yarn allows both of them to shine. They come together so well and produce an interesting scarf that is sure to stand out.

Although I am still not sure which came first I am glad that they found each other.                             

Sweet Hearts for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Now one thing that you need to know about me is that I am not big on the candy, flowers, and tell someone "I love you" days. Valentine's Day, Sweetest Day, days like that are not important to me. I don't need a special day to tell my husband that I love him. I keep hearing "deals" for jewelry that's been marked down to prices that I still don't think is reasonable. But, what do I know.

To me the small gestures are the best. On our first Valentine's Day as a married couple my husband took the day off. We were working different schedules at the time, so this was a big deal. He offered to take me out. But, it was a Wednesday and I knew that the wait time would be way too long. We ended up getting pizza and staying in. For me it was not important because of the day that it was, but because of who I was spending time with. It could have been any Wednesday of any month and it still would have been special to me.

I think part of my disinterest of these types of days is that people feel obligated to do something. To me it is just another day either way. A small gesture whether on this day or another will still be just as nice. Maybe this just stems from my dad. He would always tell my mom that flowers and candy would not last, so how does that represent his love. Yes it is corny and maybe he was just being cheep, but I think he has a point.

Now that you understand my feelings on the day in general let me explain my favorite part of the holiday. The decorations are the best part and the only reason that I even acknowledge the day. I do not need a reason to want to decorate and switch out one set of decorations for another. But, Valentine's Day gives me one. A reason to pack up my Christmas decorations and put up something new. Sometimes I even get a little creative with it.

This year I decided to make a heart garland and hang it up in my living room window. Here are instructions on how to make your own Simple Heart Garland.



However, it can be so much more than a garland. I can think of a dozen ways to use these hearts. Here are just a few; sew onto a pillow, attach four together to make a centerpiece, use one as a coaster, put them on the bottom of a scarf or blanket, make a lot more and use it for a photo backdrop at a wedding or baby shower. I'm sure others can think of more ways to use them and have fun with it. To me that is one of the best parts of crafting. With a little bit of creativity the possibilities are endless.

Although I might not know how this pattern will end up being used, I do know two things.
1) This pattern is very quick. I made four or five while watching a movie the other day.

2) It is perfect for using up left over yarn that you have lying around.

This is a project that I had fun with and I hope you will too. Let me know if you have more ideas on how these hearts can be used. If you make any I would love to see them. Post a picture here in the comments section or on my Facebook page @Joywithyarn1. But, most importantly just have fun with it.                 

Learning a New Technique

Near the end of December, I decided that I would get a jump start on my knitting goals for 2020. Check out this post, A Year in a Review to see those goals. I was going to learn Brioche knitting. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this term, Brioche knitting is a stretchier rib that is completely reversible. A lot of times it is done with two colors and each side will have a predominant color.

All of the best looking patterns use two colors, so I went searching through my closet for two colors that would work well together. Usually these patterns call for a light and dark color for better contrast. I finally settled on this dark purple and light gray combo.

Now that I had my yarn I was ready to start learning Brioche. I sat down with my needles, yarn, and some YouTube videos. I had heard that this was a hard technique, but with the video I was getting it. Or I thought I was. Then I got to row 5 or 6 and it looked nothing like the video.

So, I started again and again and again. Over the next few
days I started a lot more times than I want to admit. Each time I would get to that same spot I had to take it all out again. I tried a different video. I tried some written instructions. I kept getting stuck at that same spot.

At this point I was frustrated and decided to put the yarn down. But, I am stubborn and still wanted to learn this technique. I thought that I would just watch a few videos without trying to knit along with them. I would just watch them start to finish and analyze them. I still couldn't figure out what I was doing differently from them.

Then I found this video from Happy Knitter and something just clicked. She holds her yarn similar to how I hold mine. I finally understood when she was holding the yarn in the front and when she moved it to the back. But, the best part of the video is that she explains the theory behind this technique. She explains how one can just look at the previous row and tell where to knit, purl, or yarn over.

She also has the chart work at the top of the video and explains the symbols row by row. Explaining them using the Brioche terms as well as the familiar knitting term. Of course I would have to pick a new technique that uses completely different chart symbols and terms.

After watching her video I was able to pick up the yarn again. This time I was finally able to get past those dreaded rows 5 and 6. Turns out my only problem was that during some rows I was holding the yarn in the front when I should've held it in the back. Simple mistake made a big difference after a few rows.

Once I got past those initial rows it worked up fairly quickly.  Now I can't wait to start a more complex Brioche knitting pattern.             

A Sweater Throwback

Since 2020 just started I don't have any new projects completed at this moment. So, I thought that I would do a throwback post. Back to a project that I worked on before I had a blog.

Back in 2018 I stumbled across Loin Brand Yarn's "Mr. Roger's Neighborly Cardigan" knitting pattern. I passingly showed the patterned to my husband. Who responded more enthusiastically than I expected. He loved the look of this sweater and told me what color he wanted it in for himself.

Now I was stuck. I had liked the look of the sweater and the idea of it, but it was a bit out of my comfort zone. I have made other sweaters, so that wasn't the problem. The problem for me was the construction of the sweater. This one is knitted flat in six different sections that are then pieced together in the end. I tend to knit sweaters that are knit in the round in one piece. I find them easier to adjust when working and I have a better idea of the finished project. Also once taken off the needles the project is usually finished.

In the past, the sewing up at the end had been a struggle to me. One of the fist sweaters I ever made ended up as an unwearable disaster. I now wish that I had a picture of it just so you can see how ridiculous it looked. But, at that time I would not have been caught dead actually wearing it. It was simultaneously too short and too wide. The sleeves were also too wide and gave me wings. It was just not a good look. I think I tried it on once and then never ever again.

Not only was this new sweater pattern knitted flat and sewed up later, but is also had a zipper. I didn't even know how to even begin with that part of the project. But, I am almost always up for a challenge and if Mr. Roger's mother could make the ones that he wore on the show then I guess I could attempt to make one for my husband.

Not long ago the New York Post had an article about the sweaters that were made for the recent Mr. Roger's movie "Tom Hanks' sweaters for Mister Rogers movie took 9 weeks to knit" by Raquel Laneri. The producers for the movie wanted to be authentic to the sweaters in the original show and insisted that some of them had to be hand knitted. It was important to them that these sweaters be a bit imperfect to reflect the originals that were made by his mother. Like my mom says mistakes are how you know that it was handmade. I couldn't imagine making six sweaters in nine weeks. I think it took longer than that for me to just finish this one.

One of my favorite parts of this project is the collar. While I was knitting it I didn't understand how exactly it would attach to the body of the sweater. Once it was attached I loved the finished look that it gives. It pulls the whole sweater together and makes it look so polished. 

All in all I love the finished look of this sweater and although there might be a few imperfections that just makes it a one of a kind sweater. The end result was easier to put together than I thought. That zipper was more intimidating in my head than in actual completion. I find that more often than not this is the case. More than half of the battle is just overcoming my doubt.