Laurie Lambkin

That's the official pattern name.I still need to sew and stuff her, obviously, but am holding off until I finish the headpiece, which requires about a day more of beading; then I need to add combs, cut the lining out, piece it, and whip stitch it into the headpiece.

When it's complete, then I'll go back to the toys. The bunny still needs to be washed and blocked. The bookmark is blocking.

Not bad for the Ides of March!

Still Progressing

Bunny is finished; that is, the knitting of. The golf stockings are finished, though not yet washed.

The work on the headpiece continues. I'm hoping to finish it entirely, soon, so that the bride can have it early; I know that she'll need to try out hairstyles before her big day.

Today, though, I gardened. For the first time in many months. No, I didn't uncover my still-mulched roses, but I cleared up dead vegetation and some leaves, and checked the two roses I started from cuttings. They made it through the winter!!

Things are looking up.

In Progress

That's the state of quite a few things right now. The lamb toy is (and has been) blocking. The bunny is finished, but for his ears. My golf stockings are plaguing me--it's far more difficult to add a stocking top after the stocking has been knitted; it's hard to get the right elasticity in the pick-up and bind off stitches.

And most importantly, I am making a bridal headpiece for a friend of mine. She's a young woman in the local retro and burlesque community, and she's marrying my favorite local dance partner. When she told me of their engagement I offered to make her a headpiece as a wedding gift.

As some of the wedding guests will be reading this, I won't be posting photos until after the ceremony. However, the piece is beaded, on white velvet. It's more of a tiara than a bead-heavy 20s look; she has a lovely dress that conjures up the 50s. I can't really say more without giving things away!

That's what I'm up to these days, as well as beginning to consider a costume for the next big Chifferobe event, which has a theme of Cleopatra!

Pictues of at least the lamb-in-progress to come, as I really need to get these toys off to the babies soon.

Knitting for the Nursery

Ravelry to the rescue, again. Please excuse the lack of a link, Blogger is again being useless in that regard.

As several of my friends have presented the world with babies recently--girls, too!--I had a perfect excuse to look for something really fun to knit.

What's better than toys? Bearing that in mind, I went to work, and came up with a couple of charmers: Vintage Rabbit and Laurie Lambkin. The rabbit is a free pattern, but the lamb is from an OOP book, Nursery Knits, by Tessa Watts-Russell. The lamb is so adorable that I went straight out and found a copy online. The book also includes some good teddy bear patterns and baby and toddler sweaters, as well as plenty of bear wear.

The bunny is coming along on #3s. It's very appealing, much like the Velveteen Rabbit in looks, and adapted from a vintage pattern published by Patons, in the 40s. The lamb is written for #5 needles, but I went up to a #6 to get gauge. She's a very quick knit; I cast on yesterday, but am nearly half-way on the knitting.

Both require quite a lot of seaming, as most vintage style knitted toys do, but it's going to be worthwhile. When they're complete I will post photos. And, quite possibly, will cast on for a couple more, to keep!