Knitty Kitty

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I knitted this for Mommy (who I just recently taught how to knit) for Christmas.  It's so cuddly!  I would have given it buttons for eyes, but after watching Coraline, I will never be able to give ANYTHING button eyes.



Materials:
-Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Mexicana
-4mm double pointed needles (set of 4)
-Yarn or tapestry needle
-Cotton or poly-blend stuffing
Abbreviations:
CO- cast on
BO- bind off
sts- stitches
k- knit
m1- make 1 st by picking up and knitting the bar in between the 2 sts.
Rep- repeat

Body:CO 27 sts.Divide between 3 dpns (9 sts per needle)Inc 1 st at both ends of each dpn every other row 3 times.K all sts until work measures 6 in.K2tog all sts for one round.Cut yarn leaving 6 in. end.Weave the end through yarn needle.Thread through all sts, sliding sts off of needles as you go.Pull tightly and sew up.
Head:CO 27 sts.Divide between 3 dpns (9 sts per needle)Inc 1 st at both ends of each dpn every other row 5 times.K all sts until work measures 5 in.Next round:  Needle 1:  BO 16 sts.  k to end.  Needle 2:  k10, BO 9.  Needle 3:  BO 7 sts.  k to end.Continue working flat all sts on needle 3 in stockinette st as such (you will come back to needles 1 and 2 later):Decrease 1 st at each edge every other row until there are 2 sts left.BO all sts.Reattach yarn to beginning of needle 1.Work flat on needles 1 and 2 in stockinette st.Decrease 1 st at each edge every other row until there are 3 sts left.BO all sts.
Finishing:Sew up the top of the head.Stuff both the head and body (you should fill it up with more than you think).Sew the head and body together at the neck.

Stripey Stockings

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So I've been wanting a pair of srtiped tights for Halloween and other fun occasions every year.  I don't really have enough money to buy them, but I do have enough to buy the yarn to make them!

Materials:
-US size 6 (4mm) straight and double-pointed needles (set of 4)
-Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Cherry Red (A) and Black (B), 1 skein each
-Thin black ribbon
-Yarn or tapestry needle

Gauge:

This is what it looks like from the back.

10 sts = 2.5 in.

Abbreviations:
-CO- cast on
-BO- bind off
-sts- stitches
-k- knit
-p- purl
-k2tog- knit 2 together
-p2tog- purl 2 together
-yo- yarn over
-dpns- double-pointed needles

Instructions:CO 13 sts using color A.  (Switch colors every 6 rows)Divide between 2 dpns.  (6 on Needle 1, 7 on Needle 2)Join in the round.Knit off all sts from needles 1 and 2 using needles 3 and 4.Using Needle 3, k2, m1, k1.Using Needle 4, k1, m1, k4, m1, k1.Using whatever other needle you have leftover, k1, m1, k3.Work the following round every other row 4 times:Needle 1: k to last st, m1, k1.  Needle 2:  k1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.  Needle 3:  k1, m1, k the rest of the sts.Work straight for 6 total stripes from the beginning of the work.Work 2 rounds for the next stripe, then:Needle 1:  k all sts.  Needle 2:  Work a short row heel.  Needle 3:  k all sts.After you have done this, k 3 more rounds.Switch to the next color and work 2 more stripes.Before switching colors again, work like this:Needle 1:  k all sts.  Needle 2:  k8Starting at the st after the k8 on Needle 2, put all sts on straight needles.Once you have done this, k 1 row on straight needles.Switch colors (and continue to do this every 6 rows like before)Every 4^th row of every 2^nd stripe, work this row:K2 (or p2 depending on what row you’re on), yo, k (or p) to last 2 sts, yo, k2 (or p2)Work that 6 times, then, every 4^th row of every 2^nd stripe work this row:K1 (or p1), k2tog (or p2tog), yo, k (or p) to last 3 sts, yo, k2tog (or p2tog), k1 (or p1)Work this 3 times.Switch colors.Work in k1, p1 rib for 5 rows.BO all sts.

Smittens (Mock Socks)

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Well, there are glittens, or mittens + gloves.  These are smittens, or mock socks, or whatever you want to call them.  You can fold the toes up if it's too hot.  I'm trying to find some buttons to put at the top to hold them up, but the nearest place I can find them is the local Wal-Mart, and, honestly, I just don't trust that to bring all my crafting supplies.  I digress.  Here's the pattern.

Side view, toes down

Front view, toe up



Front view, toe down

 Materials:
-US size 6 (4mm) dpns (set of 4)
-1 skein Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Gold
-Yarn or tapestry needle
-A button for each sock, unless you can only get buttons from Wal-Mart

Gauge:
5 sts = 1 inch stockinette st

Abbreviations:
-CO- cast on
-BO- bind off
-k- knit
-p- purl
-k2tog- knit 2 together
-dpns- double-pointed needles
-sl- slip st

Instructions:
CO 42 sts.
Divide between 3 dpns (10 on needle 1, 21 on needle 2, and 11 on needle 3)
Join in the round.
Work in k1, p1 rib for 1.5 in.
K all sts for 3 rounds.
Next round:  Needle 1:  k all sts.  Needle 2:  Work a short row heel.  Needle 3:  k all sts.
K all sts until work measures 4 in. from beginning when measuring across the top.
BO all sts.
To make the fold-up toe:
Pick up and knit 19 sts across the top of the sock with needle 1.
CO 20 sts onto needle 2.
Join in the round.
K all sts until the piece measures the length of your foot from the heel to toe when stretched.
Next round:  Needle 1:  sl1, k2tog to end.  Needle 2:  sl1, k2tog to last st, sl1.
BO all sts.

Finishing:
Weave in your ends.
Sew up the toe.
And, if you've managed to find some cool and quality buttons, sew them onto the ribbed cuff of the sock, then, make a loop with the yarn large enough to fit around the button at the end of the toe.

Net Stockings

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Ever since I knitted the striped stockings, I've had a few requests for stockings.  This is what I came up with for my friend, Monica.





Materials:-US size 6 (4 mm) straight needles and set of 4 double-pointed needles-1 skein Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Black-Yarn or tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
-CO- cast on
-BO- bind off-sts- stitches
-k- knit-p- purl-yo- yarn over-k2tog- knit 2 together-dec- decrease-dpns- double-pointed needles
-sl- slip st-psso- pass slipped st over the knitted st

Gauge:
10 sts = 2.5 in.

Instructions:CO 13 sts.Divide between 2 dpns.  (6 on Needle 1, 7 on Needle 2)Join in the round.Knit off all sts from needles 1 and 2 using needles 3 and 4.Using Needle 3, k2, m1, k1.Using Needle 4, k1, m1, k4, m1, k1.Using whatever other needle you have leftover, k1, m1, k3.Work the following round every other row 4 times:Needle 1: k to last st, m1, k1.  Needle 2:  k1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.  Needle 3:  k1, m1, k the rest of the sts.Repeat the following 4 rounds until you get to your heel:Round 1:  Needle 1:  yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, k to end.  Needle 2:  k all sts.  Needle 3:  k to last 4 sts, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog.Rounds 2 and 4:  Needle 1:  k all sts.  Needle 2:  k all sts.  Needle 3:  k all sts.Round 3:  Needle 1:  sl1, k1, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, yo, k to end.  Needle 2:  k all sts.  Needle 3:  k to last 4 sts, sl1, k1, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, yo.When you get to the beginning of your heel, work needles 1 and 3 normally, but work a short row heel on needle 2.Work the rest of the piece on straight needles.Pick up where you left off with the net pattern in the following way (Round 1 corresponds with row 1, round 2 with row 2, etc.:Row 1:  k8, * yo, k2tog * 4 times, k to end.Rows 2 and 4:  P all sts.Row 3:  k8, * sl1, k1, psso, yo * 4 times, k to end.Every 8th row, work a yo 2 sts from the edge without a dec to even it out 6 times, and then with a dec to even it out 8 times.For the final 8 rows, where you k all sts in the pattern, instead work a k1, p1 rib.Work a yo with a dec 2 sts from the edge on the 8th row.BO all sts.
Finishing:Weave in your ends.Sew up the toe.Weave a piece of leftover yarn through the yarn-overs on the back of the piece and then tie in a bow.

Myka's Yarn Errand

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Ever since my best friend, Myka, got her driver's liscence, her family has sent her out on errands to get milk, etc.  Monday evening, her grandmother sent her to Wal-Mart for yarn.

Myka asked, "Okay, what kind of yarn?"

Her grandmother answered, "Just something you might make a baby blanket out of."

On this advice, Myka set out.  When she got to Wal-Mart, she was overwhelmed (not underwhelmed) by the yarn selection.  She called her grandmother, asking for a bit more of a description of what kind of yarn she was looking for.  She was given not much more advice than she started with.  Frustrated, she hung up and just bought some yarn.  She did not tell me what she ended up getting.  When she got home, her grandmother just started laughing, as if to say, "Now, was that so hard?"

Long story short:  What isn't all that frustrating to a knitter is incredibly frustrating to all the normal people of the world.

Tinsel Tree

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Well, we got our white Christmas, 3 inches or so worth. It was sort of perfect, really. It came down, ever so softly, outside our windows from 9- 3. We had our traditional gathering of friends, and in between the charcuterie platter of meats, cheeses and their accompaniments, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, bottles of wine and all the stories and laughter, the topic of tinsel made a cameo. Why all the tinsel on trees back then and the scarcity of it these days in trees? For me, it made the tree almost come to life in all its sparkle. All our moms used it. Loaded the trees with it. Bottom line, the consensus was because most trees back then, at least in these parts, tended to be cut right off the land, they took on the look of  'charlie brown' trees. Tinsel filled the open spaces and gave the scrawny branches fullness and a life of its own. These days the frasers, the balsams, the white pines and such are so cultivated, trimmed and 'designed' that they leave little space for the humble tinsel to dangle and pick up the light. It has no place to hang.  
I guess you could say that there is 'no room at the inn'. 
I say, "Long live Tinsel in all its shining glory!"

Say Cheese!

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Every good photographer needs a camera gracing his or her tree. This is one I bought at the Portland Museum of Art gift shop a couple of years ago, but never hung it from the tree until this year. It's kind of apropos too. My Aunt Gloria passed away last winter, and she is the person who first placed a camera in my hands. While teaching on an Air Force base in Germany, she picked it up in the PX and brought it back home for my 10th birthday. It was big, with lots of silver and looked official. It had quite a different look than the Brownie flash cameras that were so prevalent at the time. I still remember the first shots I took of my friends sitting on the Nelson's porch. I wonder where they are?
That simple gift started me down this photography road, and I am forever grateful for that!
Ok, everybody SMILE!

That's a Wrap! The Royal Blue Princess Kate Dress

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The Princess Kate Royal Engagement Dress ....
  A fabulous dress for a Princess and those who aspire to be one!  Be a Princess for the day in this gorgeous princess dress. It looks great with or without a Prince on your arm! Timeless, classic and versatile, you can dress this dress up or down with pearls, perhaps a jacket and add a fascinator. I can also guarantee that ours is more affordable!
It can be made matte like our model or a fabric with more shine like the inspiration Princess Kate's Dress. Available in Black, Royal Blue, Dark Blue, Red, White.
Made of a chiffon, satin and jersey.
Available at Get Go Retro.com

Hey Designers There's a Great Oppportunity at Gotham House Showroom!

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Okay; all you designers out there ... here is a really cool concept!  There's a brand new Showroom called Gotham House looking for products for the Holiday Season.  Known as the store that doesn’t sell anything - this particular shop is reserved for Hollywood Producers, members of the press and A-List Celebrities.The showroom is also open to stylists, wardrobe, hair and make-up teams and prop masters of hit shows and films who regularly visit the store.  Gotham House store works directly with TV shows and Films to supply them with the newest and most up to date products and fashions for on camera coverage.

Co-Founder, Beth Beasley says, "This shopping experience is intended to supply TV shows and films with new, amazing and fresh products for their daily projects, it’s our job to get our clients seen on camera, at the same time easing the stress and strain on the producers who trust us."

Throughout the year long program, the Gotham house will also host a series of full-scale productions and cocktail parties for celebrities, trendsetters, members of the press. The space is also available for TV shows and productions to shoot segments and for intimate gatherings and fundraisers.

With a strong foundation in event production, film and television production and entertainment marketing, Gotham City Films, LLC has created a venue where Hollywood can find everything from the latest gadgets, red carpet attire and jewelry to lifestyle brands and accessories.

The Gotham House is actively searching for new products and fashions for the holiday season to exhibit in the showroom. While brands will be displayed in the company of many household names, this opportunity is aimed specifically at new and fresh products and designs of the highest caliber and design quality. The Gotham House reserves the right for extreme selectivity, therefore only the most competitive are encouraged to apply.

Contact: Beth Beasley or Mario Simone  at  1-323-515-4145, or via the web:
 info@gothamcityfilms.com  --- http://www.gothamhouse.com/

And, I say .... You won't know 'til you try!  So go for it!

Contact: Beth Beasley or Mario Simone

Lest We Forget ... in rememberance on Veteran's day

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Rita Hayworth sports a “V” for victory, supporting the troops during WW2
From the words of   Laurence Binyon . . .
They shall grow not old
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

From Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen, written in September 1914  (The full poem, For the Fallen, is printed in both Minds at War and Out of the Dark. Binyon's poem Now in thy Splendour is also printed in Minds at War.)

Bloom Where You're Planted (Or Sprout Where You Are)

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Apple blossoms in the backyard!

A few months ago, my daughter found that one of the seeds in the apple she was eating had sprouted. We stared at it in amazement for a little while, then wrapped it loosely in a damp paper towel and set that in an empty yogurt container on the windowsill. And forgot about it. Days and days later my husband happened upon the forgotten seedling and what do you know? It was growing! Obviously, this little plant wanted a chance. So we put some soil into the yogurt container and planted the tiny tree. And it grew and it grew. Reaching for the light outside, it got a little lopsided so we turned it around so it could reach the other way. And it grew and it grew.


Here is our little apple tree last week just before we put it in a bigger pot outside. We didn't really have much hope for it in the beginning, but now I'm looking forward to seeing it become what it was meant to be. And when it gets bigger it probably won't bear tasty fruit (apple trees from seeds don't grow the same apples they came from - weird, huh?), but it's worth giving it a chance, don't you think? You know, just in case.

There's an analogy in there about life and relating to other people and seeing the hidden potential in ourselves. Pick your favorite! It's sure to be delicious (hehe!)

What's your secret?

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OK I need some ideas here.

Let me back up. It's been awhile since I was introduced to a couple of cook books that are all about creative ways to hide vegetables in kids' favorite dishes, and I've tried a good amount of them with success.

I was reluctant at first because I thought, "My kids might not eat many vegetables at first, but I'll keep offering them at mealtimes and eventually they'll try them and decide they like them. If I grind, puree and disguise them in other foods, they'll have a warped sense of what vegetables taste like. They'll think zucchini is supposed to taste like my mom's zucchini brownies or that butternut squash tastes like macaroni and cheese. Then they'll NEVER like them when they find out their green leafy friends really taste like, well, vegetables."

In actuality, I'm the one with a warped sense of reality. The truth is, they each like a few veggies like cucumbers and carrots. But with summer approaching, I'm going to be whipping up all kinds of salads, and I'm not sure how well they're going to go over with the people under 5 years old in the house.

So, what's your secret to hiding a little extra goodness in the meals you make for your family? I've just shared a couple of mine with you (I like to throw in a handful of fresh spinach into our smoothies too), but I'd love to know from you!

Bohemian Bisoux pieces travel with me to Bath and Morgan Bajardi's castle

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Visited:Bath Hungerford castleJamie Oliver
Photos taken by: Morgan Bajardi, Pierre, and myself
On my next trip to Bath we visited Morgan's family castle!Its extra crazy how many important/interesting people she is related to!
The photos speak for themselves I think, but if any questions arise, I will be happy to answer!Although this post has too many pictures already, make sure to check out way more here
Sorry as usual for no posts in months, I am still working on launching my label, which I will bother everyone about soon enough!!
My outfit:
Quilted bed jacket: 1920s from: Bohemian BisouxAssorted gold bracelets: Victorian and EdwardianDress: 1950s cream lace with rhinestone buttons  from: Bohemian BisouxHat: 1940s painted flowers on cream felt.  Cotton netting veiling with saturated pastel colored dotsRabbit pin: 1970s over the shoulder gold with rhinestonesFlower appliques: 1920's pinned on for added appealShoes: Satin ballet flats from primark and I added satin ribbons for more added appeal ;)

Morgan's outfit:
Dress: H&MShoes: TopshopCharm Bracelet: Beautiful family Heirloom