Sparrow Hat Pattern

Hello friends!
I have been busy writing some new patterns for you! Yes, that's right, more knitty fun for everyone :-)
A collection of four little hats is ready for release. I'm so happy to finally have the patterns ready after all the designing, playing and testing.
The first pattern to be released is the Sparrow Hat. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you would have been seeing this hat design for quite some time now. It's one of my most popular designs, so I was pretty excited to be able to share the pattern too :-)
You've probably figured out by now that the "Fishtail" lace used in the Sparrow Hat is my favourite lace stitch. I use it a LOT. It's easy to remember and very effective :-)
Knit all-in-one, in the round, with a seamless construction, which means now seams to sew! And as you can see from the pictures above, the ear flaps and ties are optional, with instructions given for both styles in the pattern.
The sizing goes all the way from newborn to 5 years, so all the little Sparrows in your life can be warm and cosy :-)
This hat uses only a small amount of yarn, approximately 55m-120m (depending on the size you're making), so it's a great stash buster and you can use up all the little bits of delicious yarn that have been languishing in your knitting basket.
A quick and surprisingly easy knit, you can have one finished in a few hours, making it the perfect last minute gift for a new arrival or special birthday girl :-)
This hat is part of a collection of four little hats, so stay tuned for the release of the other designs. You can look forward to the Mio Hat, which is a plain and simple hat, perfect for both a little boy or girl, great for playing with stripes or a lovely hand dyed yarn :-) The Pip Hat is also lovely for a little boy or girl, with a deceptively simply textured stitch in 2 colours :-) And the Miel Hat, lovely for a boy or a girl with a simple, but effective eyelet pattern!
All 4 patterns will be available separately and as part of an E-book via Etsy, Ravelry & Craftsy :-)

Olive Loves Making Things Too

Hello friends!
I hope you're enjoying your weekend! We're off to the Castlemaine Arts Festival today in Central Victoria. We have our fingers crossed that they weather is kind to us!
So, if you read my blog, you already know that I really do love making things... yes? Well it runs in the family :-) Sometimes I have a little helper, Olive, and she loves to making things as well! Here you can see a very excellent necklace that she made using polymer clay and neon builders twine :-) Pretty clever, hey?

Another Little Vest

Hello friends!
Even though we're in the middle of another heat wave (in Autumn!!) it hasn't stopped me crocheting :-) You know I'm obsessed and I can't stop. Sometimes I even have dreams when I'm asleep that I am crocheting.... hehehehe
Here is one of my recent projects. Another Little Vest using my pattern that was released in 2012. The yarn I used is Sirdar Crofter DK that I got from Crumbz in Healesville :-)
You can find the pattern to make this Little Vest on Etsy, Ravelry & Craftsy :-)
xo Shara

Blossom Booties

Hello friends!
These are some of the little booties I have been making recently :-) I came up with the pattern somewhat accidentally when I was trying to devise a pattern for some crocheted socks for myself and it somehow developed into these booties instead :-)
I used some Rustic 8ply/DK wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills in the Wineberry colour way and the flower is made using a mystery yarn that I got from the "backroom" at the Bendigo Woollen Mills on a recent trip there, it's an alpaca/wool/silk blend ;-)
The pattern is in the final stages before release, so you can expect to see it very soon!
They're quick and easy to make and only use a tiny bit of yarn so they are perfect for a last minute gift and a great stash buster!
So stay tuned to know when the pattern is released on Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy :-)

xo Shara

Sputnik the Magnificent

Hello friends!
Last year I got the fabulous news that two of my lovely friends were expecting their first baby, due early this year (yippee!) Little henry arrived safe and well in January! His mama and papa wanted him to have some special handmade toys to love and play with, and this is where I came in.

Introducing....... Sputnik the Magnificent!
I dyed the 100% Australian 4ply wool myself using some eco friendly, non-toxic dyes and used this AMAZING pattern by the very clever & talented designer Annie Watts. If you're not already familiar with Annie's work then do yourself a favour and check her out! Mind blowing :-)
The pattern was really well written & easy to follow and worked up surprisingly quickly. I will be a little bit sad to send Sputnik away to his new owner... But perhaps I can make myself one as well :-)

Have you made anything crafty for a new arrival in your life lately? Share in the comments!

xo Shara

P.S. I also made Henry some little booties and a little hat using the left over yarn from Sputnik. I'll show you a picture soon!

Little Vests Collection

Hello friends!

It's been a very busy few weeks here, as I'm sure it is at your place too!

Sick kids, Birthdays, a little holiday, Christmas parties and general festive busyness!

But in the middle of all of this I have been working on some new patterns as well :-)

The Little Vests Collection is now available through Ravelry and Etsy and Craftsy!

Each of the four patterns are available to be purchased individually or as a part of an e-book, which includes all 4 patterns!

 The simplicity of the pattern not only makes it a fast, easy project, but means it's suitable for little girls and little boys.
Perfect for experimenting with stripes and/or hand-dyed yarn. And it works up just as beautifully in cotton yarns as it does in wool yarns :-)
Available in sizes Newborn, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, & 18 months!

 Stay tuned to see some more new designs in the new year, including some little dresses, and all the Little Vests available in bigger sizes, up to a size to fit a 6 year old! :-)
I hope you're having a lovely festive season!!
xo

More Patterns in the Pipeline

Hello friends!
As you may have read in THIS earlier post, I have been working on some new patterns recently. A series of little vests for little ones, in 6 sizes from New Born to 18 months :-)
Here is a preview of one of the patterns that will be available separately or as part of an e-book on Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy . All styles are in the testing stage at the moment and I hope to have the patterns released very soon!
This little red vest is made using a wool/alpaca/silk blend yarn, which is lovely and soft and warm :-)
All the little vests in this series work up very quickly and only use a small amount of 8ply/DK weight yarn so they make a fabulous last minute gift :-)
Stay tuned for more previews of this pattern series and for the official release date!
xo

Patterns in the Pipeline

Hello friends!
I have been working on a big bunch of new patterns over the last few weeks, and most of them are in the testing stage now, so they should be ready for release very soon :-)
The sweet little vest pictured above is one of the patterns. It will be available in 6 sizes from New Born to 18 months. Sizes from 2 years to 6 years will be released at a later date in a separate pattern :-)
Easy, all-in-one construction with NO seams at all! And if you choose to make the vest in a single colour, then you would only have two yarn ends to weave in, one at the beginning and one at the end! (This idea appeals to me immensely :-)
I made my vest with cotton yarn, but the pattern is lovely worked up in wool or alpaca. Any 8ply or DK weight yarn that matches gauge/tension can be used :-)
I think it would look particularly beautiful made using a lovely hand dyed wool :-)
This vest is part of a series of little vests, for both boys and girls that will be released together. The patterns will be available separately or as part of an e-book, available through Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy :-)
The plan is to have the patterns released in the next week so that you will have time to make up a few vests for all the little people in your life for Christmas presents :-)
Stay tuned for more previews of the other vest styles!
xo

Knitty Gnomes

Hello friends!

I have been busy knitting lots of little gnomes :-)

 The fabulous free pattern for these gnomes can be found HERE

 You only need a teeny tiny amount of yarn to make your little gnome, so they're a perfect stash buster for using up all the little bits of nice yarn you have hanging around in your stash :-)

 The size of your gnome just depends on your yarn weight and needle size. Mine range from approximately 10cm to 15cm tall, from the toes to the tip of the hat :-)

 They're the perfect size for a child to hold in their hand, to take on trips to keep them company :-)
Also, HERE is a cute song about a gnome :-)

 P.S. When I made my first one, I thought i would be "clever" and knit it in the round to save myself sewing in some ends and sewing any seams... Don't do this! I was a fool! Just follow the pattern :-) It will work much better that way :-)

Lutin Hat

Hello friends!
I've added another pattern to Ravelry and to my online store HERE for a very sweet pixie style hat.

The Lutin Hat is a fast, easy to make pattern that uses only a small amount of yarn, making it a great stash buster and perfect for a last minute gift for a new arrival :-)

The pattern covers 7 different sizes, from Newborn to 7 years! So all the little pixies in your life will be covered :-)

Materials: 
4mm needles 
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends 
4mm dpns for making i-cord ties

Approx. amount 8 ply or DK yarn required for each size: 
NB-3m: 65m (72yds) 
3-6m: 75m (83yds) 
6-12m: 80m (88yds) 
1-2yrs: 85m (93yds) 
2-3yrs: 95m (100yds) 
4-5yrs: 115m (125yds) 
6-7yrs: 135m (150yds)

Abbreviations: 
k = knit 
p = purl 
st or sts = stitch or stitches 
yf = yarn forward 
yb = yarn back 
sl = slip 
pw = purlwise 
kfb = knit into front and back of stitch, therefore increasing one stitch. 
PM = place marker 
SM = slip marker 
dpn: double pointed needle

Tension/Gauge: 
22 sts & 28 rows = 10cm (4”) 
If you have more sts you may need to use larger needles. If you have less sts you need to use smaller needles.

NOTE: 
Pattern is written for each size individually. 
Hat is worked from the front (face) edge, with short row shaping and increases to create the point at the back of the hat, with the back seam being joined using a 3 needle bind off (with photographic guides included in pattern).