Yeah, I'm still doing bags!

 

With the holidays coming, I am in high gear making shopping bags! This is just a sample of what is available.

Hot pads for Bella and Simone

I have cats. Two in fact. But my son Dane has dogs.

For his birthday, I made him some hot pads showing off his puppers (his word, not mine) named Bella and Simone. We get to dog-sit whenever he goes away, and also when he comes to visit us overnight. He lives about 2 hours away so we often get our dog-fix.

This is Bella (the other one is Dane). She's a German Shepherd/Husky mix. She has the most beautiful ice blue eyes. She is very sweet and always willing to play. She will bring you a ball so you can play with her. I don't think she ever get tired.

 

The hot pads are made using double-knitting using cotton yarn. The pattern is from Nifty Knitter Designs available through Ravelry.

This is Simone. She is a chihuahua/dachshund mix. And since dachshunds are also know as Weiner dogs, they are often called Chi-weenies. She is very affectionate and is not a "yappy" dog. If you sit down, she will be in your lap within one second!

They are just too cute for words!

Not everyone is a fan. Wookie and Omi have to stay upstairs during the dog visits.

Still Doing Bags

 I haven't posted anything for awhile because I have been just knitting bags. Bags and bags and bags. I can't believe how well they are selling. Here are some of the bags I have completed lately.

Now I have to get back to my needles and bags.

Shopping bags galore!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it a Cardinal or a Blue Jay? Free Pattern

 

 

One of the disadvantages of living in Colorado -- at least in the mountains -- is that we just don't seem to have cardinals. I grew up in South Dakota farm country and always saw the cardinals show up in the bare trees by our house. I have a fond memory of my dad whistling a cardinal call. Soon I was see bright red birds coming closer and closer to our bird feeder. 

However, in Colorado, we have blue jays. The most common ones are the Stellar blue jay, the scrub jay, and the common blue jay. 

So how perfect is a double knitted potholder with a cardinal on one side and a blue jay on the other. Here is a free pattern for you. Be sure to add two stitches on each side for a border.

For instructions on double knitting, use this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQKZR-2TwCA.

Kokopelli Potholder free pattern

 

 

"Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head), who is venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music." From Wikipedia.

Living in Colorado, we are surrounded by wonderful Native American symbols and the Kokopelli is one of my favorites. I designed this from a picture a program called Chart Minded. Using gold and burnt orange as the colors made the potholder a bit more authentic. Enjoy this free pattern. 

Also check out my Tribal Sun design (which I did not design) posted on August 30, 2023. It is designed by Erssie Major, and can be found at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/solstice-sun-tribal-spiral-motif

For instructions on double knitting, use this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQKZR-2TwCA.

Crow potholder free pattern

 

Another double knitting pattern; this time the crow. Looks good with the black bird on one side and black background on the other. I use cotton yarn in contrasting colors; the spooky sunset yarn is especially . I put markers every 10 stitches to help keep the pattern straight.

I use size 5 needle. I add two stitches on each side and two rows on the top and bottom and knit those in a contrasting color. Probably going to have make a few more of these. The chart is 30 stitches (the green area) so add four stitches for a total of 34 stitches.  

For instructions on double knitting, use this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQKZR-2TwCA.

Silhouette of Snowy Trees potholder.

 

One of my favorite patterns is Alaska by Camille Descoteaux. It is actually a hat pattern, but I modified it to make a potholder. It is a paid pattern, but worth every cent! I have made a couple of hats as well. I took the chart and selected a set of trees. I repeated the small tree on each side. I gave this one to my sister-in-law and she just loves it. 

This is made in double knitting so the other side is a negative of the other side. This pattern seems appropriate because we had 12 inches of snow here in the Rockies this past weekend. 

If you are interested in this pattern, you can find it on Ravelry or use this link: 

//www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alaska-6