Winter knit patterns to help keep you warm outside.

This year, winter has really hung around.  With the cold hanging around the country we have burned more wood this year than in previous years.  I love to knit and crochet by the fire.  Lately, I am working on a new pattern for a shrug.  Here is a picture of the completed project.

 

It fits women's XS to Medium.  I made it with Merino wool and silk and it is the perfect accessory for adding warmth and flair to an outfit.  This link takes you to the completed shrug.  long shrug.  I am currently working on another for larger sized women in teal and grey.  The results are stunning and I am excited to get this listed in my shop.

 

Hopefully, I will have the pattern ready to be tested soon and it will be available in several sizes.  All my patterns are tested by at least two others and the knit patterns include charts.

 

A scarf is also needed in this weather.  Here is a design for anyone who is dreaming of flowers.

Iris scarf pattern

You can find it already made for you in my Etsy shop and I made it again with a wonderfully soft and  silky Moreno and silk wool.  long lacy iris scarf.

 

Here is another scarf that I designed using Suri baby alpaca and silk yarn.  I love how nice and warm this design keeps the wearer.



 

pine-trees-and-cones-scarf-or-scoodie pattern

 

Of course I had to design some fingerless gloves to complete the set using the same yarn.

 



pine-tree--cone-fingerless-gloves pattern

 

When I was designing the women's gloves my husband asked for something that he could wear so I had to design some fingerless gloves for him and other men.  I made a cable stitch that looks like a winter tree.

 

winter-tree-cable-mens-fingerless-gloves pattern

mens-winter-tree-cable-knit-fingerless for sale



 

Stay warm and be sure to bundle up when venturing into the frozen out doors.

 

victorian-carolers-wall-hanging pattern

crochet-victorian-carolers-wall-hanging already made

 

What do you like to do when it is too cold to go outside?















Christmas Time

Christmas is my favorite holiday.  I love the colors and all the lights on houses and trees.  What a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I love decorating the Christmas tree and making Christmas tree decorations. 

This year, I decided to take a break from designing so that I could have time to wrap and mail packages, decorate the tree and do some baking.  I remember some pine cone shaped ornaments with gold or silver tips that were on my folk's tree when I was a child.  I wanted to get some for my tree.  I looked at all the decorations in the stores and couldn't find any anywhere.  So the option I came up with is make my own.  It turned out to be a very short break from designing.  I just don't seem to be able to help myself

I got all the deep colors of yarn and thread I have at home.  Of course, I had to pick up a few more when I was in the stores.  I got out all my metallic gold and silver threads and started working on making a pine cone shape. 

This is what I came up used a deep red light worst weight yarn and gold metallic thread.  I am using a shell stitch to come up with individual scales.  The metallic thread really sparkles on the tree.

Here it is in a deep blue and silver metallic thread.  Pine cones just seem to fit on Christmas trees. 

And again in purple and silver.  I often use real pine cones that I have glittered and glued to go around nativity scenes but they just don't show up on Christmas trees like these crochet ones do.  While I am waiting for my men's fingerless gloves to get back from the testers, I am having fun making crochet pine cones for my tree. 

Do you like to make Christmas ornaments for your tree?



Passionate about Pine Trees

As I mentioned before, I love Pine trees.  I think my love of them came when I was going to college in Flagstaff, Arizona at Northern Arizona University.  It was, at the time, a small mountain town.  Outside my dorm was a small piece of the Ponderosa Pine forest that surrounded the community.  Every morning, weather permitting, I would go out and sit under a Pine tree to have devotions before my day started.  I also brought a handful of sunflower seeds to put on a stump that was not far from the tree I used.

I would lean against this wonderfuly tall tree and smell the sweet smell that this tree puts off.  I would notice the soft carpet of needles that I was sitting on.  I would watch the little ground squirrel, that had come to expect that little handful of seeds, stuff his mouth and run off to return for more.  I would see birds perch on the tree I was sitting under and get a close up view.  If a mountain shower would come, I and the birds would stay dry under that tree.  I was amazed at the beauty that God had created in this little area.

I now live in rural Kansas and I miss those wonderful pine trees.  I decided to make something to commerate that love and came up with the Pine Trees and Cones Scarf.  I also decided to make a fingerless glove to match that scarf. 

I thank the Lord that he gave me this time in the mountains.  When I am really stressed today, I have learned to find a room that is quiet, close my eyes, remember the sights and smells and talk to God about my stresses under the Ponderosa Pines in my mind.

What wonders of nature do you have that helps you know God's love?