Lavender Rabbit

Happy Easter my friends.  I hope you are able to enjoy this short holiday and some good weather.

I started to write this post yesterday, I had just started talking to you about the tradition of Maundy Money in the UK when I lost my internet connection - something which is getting more and more common in our house.  If I were cynical I might suspect that it was my internet providers way of forcing me to take out a more expensive contract for fibre, but I have made enquiries, and fibre is not available here yet.  So I remain perplexed as to why my laptop keeps loosing our internet signal.

When I worked as a Civil Servant, my colleagues and I always received an extra half day holiday on Maundy Thursday.  I never discovered the origins of this tradition, other than being told, that it was a gift from The Crown - who, technically, employs the Civil Service in the UK.

Back to the subject of Maundy Money, which is traditionally given by the Queen to a selected group of pensioners on Maundy Thursday.  Those selected to receive Maundy Money purses each year number the same as the age of the Queen, which this year is 93, each man and women received 93 coins. These small silver coins, whilst legal tender here, are not in general circulation, because of their silver content and something to do with their numismatic value, therefore I imagine that they are very rare.  I did not want to waste that tidbit of information, having taken the time to check my facts moments before loosing my internet.

The real reason for my post is to introduce to you a special little friend.  Meet my Easter Bunny, Lavender Rabbit,

Lavender Rabbit is based on my Susan Hickson range of Mary Jane's Tearoom's patterns, but she comes from my imagination and a mish-mash of all of the pattern.

I chose lavender coloured alpaca double knit wool to make this rabbit, alpaca yarns are so very soft and lovely to work with.  The features are stitched on and the knitted fabric can sometimes make the embroidered stitches pull in one or the other direction, making each face very individual.

In keeping  with the lavender theme, I made her dress from two lavender -ish colours of 4 ply cotton yarn.

I also tried to work a lavender motif into her bloomers, I had a lot of fun coming up with this design.

Her outfit is completed with a pair of Mary-Jane styled shoes ... in lavender of course.

All of the other Mary Jane's Tearoom's rabbit designs are finished with a flower either tucked behind their ear or worn as a brooch.  I would love to do the same here but I have been unable to find a suitable pattern for a lavender flower.

Her purple and white stockings are part of the rabbit pattern and are also made of alpaca wool.

Naturally, Lavender Rabbit has a fluffy white tail, or scut, as they are called around here.

I left slots in the back of both the bloomers and the dress for her tail to pop through.

I hope you have a very happy Easter.

Dionne

Some of the patterns I have made from this series are:-

Anaka Rabbit

Bluebell Rabbit

Bo Rabbit

Candy Bear

Daisy Bear

Donovan Bear
Primrose Rabbit

Romeo Bear

Leaf Patterned Cardigan

I am back today to share another little cardigan with you. 

I have been putting together a few odds and ends for the latest addition to our family, who is due in August, and I have already shared several of the baby cardigans I have been knitting for him.

I have quite a collection of baby patterns and several I have made many times, however, this double knit pattern is a recent purchase.

It is by Sidar, pattern number 3906 and has a gorgeous leaf design running along the bottom edge.

Dionne

Daisy, Daisy

Welcome, how are things with you?

Have you noticed how the weather this year has been kind of weird?  Gorgeous in February and then, last week, I got soaked in a snow and hail storm.

I am back today with another of my Susan Hickson knits from her Mary Jane's Tearoom's range of patterns.  This one is Daisy Rabbit, which is available from Ravelry.

Here Daisy is modelling her new clothes so you can see her full ensemble of dress, bloomers, shoes, socks and daisy brooches.

Her facial features are embroidered on - the eyes are made from several French knots.

Daisy looks very smart in her navy blue and white striped dress, white socks and black booties with their large white pom poms.

There is a slot in the back of her dress to allow her tail to pop through.

Her dress has a pretty daisy at the waist, which gives this design it's name.

The buttons on the back of the dress are hand made.

The clothes are all made from soft 4 ply cotton.

Daisy has soft white bloomers.

The booties have a roll down top and large white pom poms (I stuffed them to give them shape for this photograph).

I made a second daisy for her to wear in her 'hair', it is on a brooch, so it can be moved around.

Next we have the 'naked' shots.  The socks are part of the body.  

Daisy is made with alpaca double knit wool.  From the rear you can see how the tail attaches to the body.

Thank you for joining me today.  Please feel free to leave a comment, I love hearing from my blogging friends.


Dionne

Some of the other patterns I have made from this series are:-

Anaka Rabbit

Bluebell Rabbit

Bo Rabbit

Candy Bear

Daisy Bear
Donovan Bear
Primrose Rabbit

Romeo Bear

And a Few Hats More

Pinch and a punch, it's the first of the month.  April already, I know I keep saying it, but where is this year going?  Easter is just around the corner and before we know it everyone will be talking about Christmas.

In the run up to Christmas I shared with you the Advent  Hats I had made for my friend's little Elf on the Shelf.  This got me to thinking, why not make festive hats for my family of bears and Mary Jane's Tearoom characters?  So I got out my knitting needles again and started knitting, here's just a few.

My Charlie Bears offered to model some of the hats.  Here we have little Niamh, wearing her new white winter hat.  I think she looks so sweet.

  Next we have Ming and Ross, two of my panda Charlie Bear's.

Here we have Carol wearing a Nordic style patterned hat.  Carol has the most wonder sparkly fur, she always looks very festive.

But it wasn't long before everyone wanted to be photographed wearing their new hats ... they think they look so smart.  (Oh, I will be in a lot of trouble if I do not tell you that this is Ade sitting between Carol and Ross, he is already annoyed with me because I forgot to take a close-up of him in his Santa hat).  The rest of the gang are made from Mary-Jane's Tearoom patterns.

In all, I made 32 of these hats, in various sizes, so they will fit different toys, some have pom poms and others have bells.  I intend to share them with my niece, so that next Christmas she will be able to dress up her daughter's toys.

In the meantime, I managed to wrestle the hats off my gang and I have put them away for next Christmas.

I hope you have a great week.


Dionne

Lace Baby Booties

A few days ago I shared my first attempts at making knitted babies booties.  This pair took me a little longer to make and they missed the group photo.

The pattern was designed by Beyhan Cayer and they are made in Double Knit .... although I have a feeling they would look even better if I had made them in 4 ply, perhaps next time.

I hope that you have a great weekend in store.

Dionne

These Boots are Made For ........

Well, this is a new one for me.  Back when my sisters were having their children I crocheted many a pram sets, with matching booties and mittens, but I have not attempted booties since I learnt how to knit.

After making the little cardigans I have been  posting recently, I found that I had a little of the yarn left over.  So, I downloaded a number of bootie patterns and had a go.  Once I got the hang of it, I think got a little carried way.

Each of these designs are slightly different but they are all made from double knit baby soft yarn.

I know which were my favourite, how about you?

Have a great day.

Dionne

Blue and Green Should Never be Seen .....

A few days ago I told you our wonderful news of two babies on their way, as it turns out both are boys and one of them has just arrived, welcome Baby Ben and congratulations to Laura and Dan.

I have been knitting in pairs so no one could accuse me of playing favourite and I have another two cardigans to share with you today.  I am afraid that it was very overcast and dark when I took these photographs and I sincerely apologise for the poor quality ..... one of these days I really must sign up for a course on how to use this fancy camera of mine!

Although we know the sex of both babies now, when I first got out my knitting needles we did not, so I tried to keep these makes gender neutral, and whilst I feel you could dress a girl in blue, many people are uncomfortable dressing a boy in pink.

This very pretty cardigan pattern is another of my favourites. This Sidar Supersoft pattern (number 3101) is another of my vintage patterns.  The first I made in baby blue and the other in mint or aqua green. 

I really love this lacy boarder, although I have to pay attention when I knit it, no drifting off watching the TV.

I just adore these cheeky buttons I managed to find, they always make me smile.

I deliberately made the two cardigans in different sizes and it is fun to compare the two.

I hope you have a good week.


Dionne