art, etc. - wool animation

If you love wool, you have to check out this amazing stop-motion music video by animator Ainslie Henderson. It is creative, touching, and will make you look at your yarn basket in a new light. The song is by the British rock band, James. Read more about the music video and the artist here.

~ Enjoy ~

yarn bombing, etc. - the artist's process

By now you have most likely seen yarn bombing, either in person or online. But have you ever wondered what the artist's process looks like? I missed this video from Animal New York when it first came out, but it was recently sent to me, and I had to share. It is a great look into the technical side of yarn bombing. I hope it inspires people who are considering sharing their own yarn creations, but haven't taken the plunge yet. I myself have something in the works... Enjoy!

halloween, etc. - yarn decorations

Looking for some last minute, DIY halloween decorations? Below are three of my favorite halloween yarn creations from the web. They are perfect for those of us who have a stash of leftover odds and ends from knitting/crochet projects.

I love these yarn spiderwebs from the blog Oh Happy Day. I bet they would look cute in a variety of colors. See the full tutorial here. 

How adorable is this homemade pumpkin garland? It is from the blog Design Improvised. This decoration would look great through Thanksgiving. Learn how to make your own here.

 

These halloween pompoms from the blog Mr Printables are so fun. You can find a great photo tutorial here.   

knitting, etc. - starting a new project

Starting a new project:

Since posting my Octopus Tea Cosy, I have gotten a few requests for similar tea cosies and little octopus toys. So I've decided to put off some of my fall knitting projects to make a few octopuses(?), octopi(?). I am planning to use the same Kambgarn sport / 5 ply yarn in Rosebloom and Glacier Green that I got in Iceland and used for my first Octopus Tea Cosy.

The first thing I like to do when starting a new knitting project is assemble my materials and pack my knitting bag. This way everything is in one place, and I can take my knitting on the go. It usually consists of the pattern, yarn, scissors, tapestry needle, pencil/pen, and needles.

Knitters - how do you prepare to start a new knitting project?

anna knits - octopus tea cosy

At the beginning of the summer I was asked to make an ocean inspired tea cosy. Well, it took me the entire summer, but I've finally finished! Enter the octopus tea cosy; modeled after a design on Ravelry by the user Cephalopot. It fits a large, six-cup tea pot.

For the octopus, I used this pattern by Hansi Singh via Ravelry. While the pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, I opted for Kambgarn sport / 5 ply yarn in Rosebloom and Glacier Green, which I had bought in Iceland (read about my trip here!) with size US2 double pointed needles. This of course made the octopus smaller and more delicate, which I liked. You can see more pictures of the octopus, including execution pictures, here.

For the tea cosy itself, I used this pattern by the blog Cast On Cast Off. It is a modified ribbed pattern, which I thought kind of mimicked an ocean rock. I knit it with Cascade 220 Heathers in Dark Charcoal, color no. 4002, which has a nice color variation going on, making it look more earthy, or rock-like in this case.

I then embellished the tea cosy with a seaweed design made using tambour crochet. You can learn how to tambour crochet here. I used a left over green yarn that I had gotten second-hand, so I don't know its specs.

While this project took me a while, it was a lot of fun to knit. I like knitting amigurumi (see my pug, bulldog, tea cup), and the tea cosy itself was quick and easy. Tea cosies are great because you are encouraged to be creative. I'm currently brainstorming ideas for my next tea cosy, so let me know if you have a fun idea!

yarn, etc. - purl soho

I was in NYC this past weekend, and had the opportunity to visit Purl Soho-- an amazing yarn and fabric shop.

Knit sushi!

The store also has a great knitting blog called The Purl Bee, which has lot of beautiful (and free!) knitting, crochet, and sewing patterns. If you haven't check it out yet, I highly recommend it!

anna knits - fair isle cowl update 1

For my trip to Iceland last week, I brought along a new knitting project: a fair isle cowl. (Read about how I pack for air-travel knitting here.) A few months ago I made fingerless gloves with the baby alpaca yarn from Block Island's North Light Fibers that I got for Christmas. I have been wanting to make the matching cowl for a while now, and since I prefer travelling with projects on circular needles - you can start and stop much easier than with regular knitting - I decided to start the cowl for my trip.

Knitting outside:

The matching gloves I made a few months ago:

The pattern is Adelia Cowl by Tanis Lavallée, and you can download it via Ravelry.

It is going to be harder to finishing knitting the cowl now that I am back in warm Boston, but hopefully I can finish it soon!

giveaways, etc. - fringe supply co.

Who doesn't love a good giveaway?

Today I want to share a giveaway that I am particularly excited about. One of my favorite knitting blogs, One Sheepish Girl, has a contest going on now where you can win an adorable project bag filled with yarn and knitting inspired stationary. Click here (or on the images) to get all the details, and enter to win! Giveaway ends March 16, 2013.

What would you like to see in an anna knits, etc. giveaway?

anna crochets - flower granny squares

Despite the snow here in Boston yesterday, I am ready for spring! On that note, I finally started on my flower granny square blanket:

I used a pattern from the blog Rose Hip. In case you want to try it too, I took pictures of each step in the pattern to help you visualize it:

I also used this video to help me figure out the pattern. Once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy!

For the inside of the flower, I used a Cascade 220 yarn in a dark gray/black, which I had left over from another project. For the pedals and border, I used ella rae classic, colors 47 (rose) + 104 (silver heather). I used a size H/8 crochet hook.

See my inspiration here.

knitting etc. - 32 incredibly cool yarn bombings

Happy Friday! Check out these 32 Incredibly Cool Yarn-Bombings from Buzzfeed:

(click image for more!)

anna crochets - heart bookmark

Since it is Valentine's Day week, I've been experimenting with crochet hearts. I ended up making a bookmark, which I am really happy with. Here is the pattern for you to try:

~ Crochet Heart Bookmark Pattern Idea ~

I used Cascade 220 worsted weight yarn in red and pink and an H/8 5.00mm crochet hook. Please note that this is less of a pattern and more of a pattern idea as you will be required to crochet a heart based on your own preference. There are many tutorials out there for crocheting hearts. Good luck!

Step 1: Crochet a heart. I used this photo pattern from the blog Cornflower Blue Studio  Please see below**.
Step 2: Crochet a second heart.
Step 3: Attach a second color yarn with a slip stitch to one of the hearts.
Step 4: Chain 30 (or as long as you like).
Step 5: Attach the other end of the chain to the second heart.
Step 6: Tie in loose ends.

Have a happy Valentine's Day!

** (12/10/14) A reader alerted me that the Cornflower Blue Studio pattern is no longer accessible. I found the same pattern with great instructions on another blog, a creative being.  Enjoy!

*** (2/12/17) Unfortunately the link from a creative being is also no longer accessible. Thanks to reader Madeleine for letting me know! I found a tutorial for making the same type of crochet hearts on Youtube from Chic and Cheap (Easiest Crochet Heart Tutorial). Happy Valentine's Day!

anna knits - fingerless gloves update 3

I finally finished my fingerless gloves!

(photo credit: Sara G.)

I am so happy with how they turned out. I used baby alpaca yarn from Block Island's North Light Fibers in a light pink and gray. I used the pattern Adelia mitts, which I downloaded from Ravelry. It was easy to follow.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the gloves came out a little bit long for my hands. But since I opted to make the top border shorter than the 1inch called for in the patter, I think they are okay. 

You can see my progress, here and here, and get the pattern here. 

anna knits - fingerless gloves update 1

This weekend I started a project with the baby alpaca yarn I got for christmas. I decided to make a pair of fingerless gloves.

The pattern is Adelia mitts by Tanis Lavallée, available on Ravelry.

yarn, etc. - north light fibers

My dad got me some yarn from Block Island's North Light Fibers for Christmas.

It is made from baby alpaca, and it is so soft. I am excited to start knitting with it; perhaps a hat, or some fingerless gloves?

anna knits - extra yarn scarf

I have a bunch of extra yarn left over from previous projects, including many different colors of Cascade 220. (You can see all the beautiful colors of Cascade 220 here, available at Jimmy Beans Wool.) I decided to knit a striped scarf with my extra yarn, and it has been fun so far. I haven't knit a scarf in years, and I am finding it relaxing to knit something with no pattern whatsoever.

I decided to go with garter stitch because I wanted a homey look, which I think goes along with the random striping. This is a great project to use up your extra bits and pieces of yarn.

How do you use up extra yarn?

anna knits - knit your own dog

My Dad randomly saw a knitting book at a bookstore that he thought I would like, so he picked it up for me. Thanks, Dad! The book is Knit Your Own Dog by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne. You can see some of the knitted dogs, and read more about the book at www.knityourowndog.com/uk/.

I quickly went online to order the yarn I need to knit up a pooch. For this project, I am using Rowan Yarn Cashsoft 4 Ply in Elite 451, Black 422, Mocha 417, and Eau de Nil 450, with size 2 needles.

I decided to start with a pug, because my dog growing up, Yoda, was a faun pug. 

Yoda Devine 1997-2011

I look forward to starting this project after I finish my Union Jack tea cosy!

anna knits - spiral top tea cosy

Done with another spiral top tea cosy! I mentioned in an earlier post that I was working on a neon yellow tea cosy for my Etsy store. Between then and now, a buyer asked for it specifically, so this neon yellow cosy is not for purchase. There is still another super cute, spiral top tea cosy available though. Get it while you can!

You can also download the pattern for this spiral top tea cosy for FREE here.

Here is how the neon yellow cosy turned out:

I wrap my tea cosies for gifting in a little tissue paper and yarn, and attach one of my business cards with a personalized note on the back. I made my business cards with Avery business cards from CVS.

All the pictures are taken with my iPhone using Instagram, and the collages are made using the iPhone app Pic Collage.

See my Ravelry entry on this tea cosy here. 

graduation, etc.

My friend Julia graduates from BU Law this weekend. I've been wanting to knit a mini-version of the knitted bag I made a few weeks ago as a gift bag. Since I was planning to give Julia a pair of earrings for a graduation gift, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test the pattern.

I started with this Classic Elite Yarns pattern, but I made a few changes:

First, I used thinner yarn than was suggested. I decided to go with Cascade Cotton Rich DK Yarn in white, which I bought on Jimmy Beans Wool, with size 4US needles. I then cut the pattern in half, basically, by reducing the cast on number from 31 to 16 stitches. I hope to have the adjusted pattern on anna knits, etc. soon. It makes a super cute gift bag, or travel jewelry case.

I found these amazing pink, neon earrings at Crush on Charles St. I may have to buy a pair for myself...

I also used my new letterpress machine to make this graduation card. I got the paper on sale at Paper Source.

~ Tanti auguri, Julia! ~

anna knits - small bag

I decided to give the needlepoint iphone case I made away as a gift, and since the person I am giving it to loves little knitted things, I decided to make a small bag to put the case inside instead of using wrapping paper.

The pattern is available for free here. It is meant to be a make-up bag, but I adjusted the pattern to make it fit an iphone snuggly by taking away the edges of the pattern, thereby decreasing the width by 6 rows. I used Noro Kureyon rainbow yarn, which my Aunt gave me, on size 7 needles. It took less than 1 skein. I made the handle using an icord. 

I fist saw the pattern on Ravlery, and you can see my Ravelry post about it here. I really love some of the other projects Ravelry users put up for the make-up bag. Here is one of my favorites:

photo by © marialaine

The knitter used a used a Fair Isle Knitting and size 3 needles. What a great idea! 

I hope to make a smaller version of this bag with a cotton based yarn to use as little gift bags. They would be great for putting a gift card inside. Here is an example of a Ravelry user's work with a cotton yarn. 

photo by © HelenKnitting

It is always a struggle to find knitting projects for the summer, but this is an easy (but not too easy) and fun one! Do you have any ideas for summer knitting? 

anna facebooks

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