My lovely friend, Lisa, from Jumble and Jelly included this felt star kit in with my Twelve Days of Christmas gifts. It's really a Christmas project but I decided I'd get it made up in readiness for this year. I think it's made a lovely tree ornament and was very quick and easy to make.
I'd run out of dishcloths and I much prefer hand knitted cloths to shop bought so I got my needles clacking and knitted up five so that I've got a few in reserve. I usually use the Grandmother's Favorite pattern but as it's knitted corner to corner I found that the cloths were never a perfect square. I recently came across the Gramma's Dishcloth pattern, free on Ravelry, by PJ Allen which is another take on the original but has a few alterations which, as you can see, makes the cloth more symmetrical. These cloths haven't been blocked but they still come out pretty square. I knit four of them in plain white and ecru crafting cotton and used some Lily Sugar'n Cream Ombres in the Kitchen Breeze colourway for the other.
There's often little craft projects included with the knitting and crochet magazines I buy, I rarely make them up but as I have a bit of a thing about pigs I really wanted to give Paula Pig from this Farmyard Friends kit a go.
Knitting teensy tiny things is really not my forte as you can see. I'm afraid Paula leaves a lot to be desired.
I showed her to Eleanor over Skype, I knew it would give her a good laugh and I wasn't wrong, she nearly fell off her chair she was laughing so much so I thought I'd give you all a good laugh too. Remember I'm showing her best side here.
Oh well, I had fun making her but I think she'll be the only animal in the farmyard, I'll leave the other four animals to someone else.
You have to make Clover cow to go with Paula pig, I love cows and have a nice collection of silly cows, as hubby says it takes one to know one, charming.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, very funny. I quite fancied making the dog but I think I'll give it a miss after the pig.
DeleteWell I think that Paula the pig is darn cute! I can see how she would be rather complicated to knit with all those tiny bits. I've never really understood why you would block washcloths and dish towels, unless you were giving them as a gift. You'd probably be hard pressed to tell once you used them even once.
ReplyDeleteI think you need quite a bit of patience when you're knitting little things and I'm afraid it's something that I don't have much of. I never block dishcloths, as you say, it's a waste of time as they only go out of shape again the minute they're put into water.
DeleteYour pig is adorable! I love her. I think small crafts are great, you really feel accomplished when you finish one, and it's always good to get things cleared out for new projects!
ReplyDeleteI've still got a few things waiting for my attention and as you say, it's a good feeling when these little makes are done. I shall keep Paula Pig on my shelf but I'm afraid she'll be a bit lonely as I have no intention of making her friends.
DeleteI love Paula the pig. You can't leave her lonely Jo!!!!! She'll cry everytime you leave her!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid she'll have to cry. Making one of these animals was enough for me.
DeleteI think Paula needs a friend!
ReplyDeleteYour discloths are fabulous, like you say so much nicer to use and look at.
The little star looks perfect, I hope it'll be a happy addition to your tree.
Lisa x
I'll have to buy her a friend because I won't be making any more. I much prefer homemade dishcloths to bought ones, they last much longer too. I love the little star, I've got it hanging from my shelf at the moment but it will be a very happy addition to my tree.
DeleteWell, I like Paula Pig, she is a little cutie. You have reminded me that I have some lovely cotton yarn (bought, I think, in Lidl!) It knits up into lovely facecloths - I must do some for presents - they are nice wrapped round some pretty soap and tied with raffia.
ReplyDeleteI suppose Paula is cute but I wouldn't want to make her again. I've knitted up facecloths and given with some lovely handmade soap for gifts in the past, they're usually well received.
DeleteSo cute! A little Easter piggy. 😊
ReplyDeleteI have a thing for pigs, I find them so cute.
DeleteI think Paula is rather sweet!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I gave her a go but I'm in no hurry to make her friends.
DeleteI love looking at the miniature knits but don't have the patience for them. So, I save the wool for using in a granny square afghan.
ReplyDeleteI like hand knit dishcloths but find the cotton ones too heavy when wet. So, I use two strands of crochet cotton and about a 2.5mm knitting needles and knit the same pattern. They hold up well.
I'm sure the extra yarn I received in this little pack with come in for something other than Paula's friends. I don't mind the thicker dishcloths but that's a good tip for anyone who wants something a little thinner.
DeleteI love the star. That is an early Christmas finish! I'm not fond of knitting wee toys etc either. They're more trouble than they're worth. At least Eleanor got a laugh out of it! :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's never too early to start thinking about Christmas. I knew Eleanor would laugh at the pig, I wasn't wrong.
DeleteI love the pig and the star. I love the variety of things you turn your hand to.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I can quite turn my hand to small animal knitting, Paula leaves a lot to be desired.
DeleteI'm still smiling at the pig - Paula looks great!
ReplyDeleteI think that felt star looks brilliant.
All the best Jan
I enjoyed making the felt star, it's something a little different from my usual makes.
DeleteI had a bit of a moment there. When my sisters and I were taking care of Mum at the end of last year, we were all knitting or crocheting and one of them found that little kit amongst Mum's stuff. Mum had got as far as making the goat's head - well we think that's what it was - but then put the kit away either when she got too ill or just because those things are fiddly. My sister finished it for her but sadly Mum never got to see it.
ReplyDeleteI can't see a thing wrong with your pig and won't believe she even has a 'bad side'.
What a shame your mum never got to see the little goat, I'm sure she was a much better knitter, and had more patience than I do for knitting little animals. How lovely that your sister finished it off. I think all Paula's sides are pretty bad.
DeleteIt's been ideal weather for staying in and making these. I like the star and Paula Pig, just how small is she? xx
ReplyDeleteI always like to have something on the go when the weather's bad, though my crafting will probably slow down once we get some sunshine. Paula's pretty small, she fits in my hand.
DeleteClever fingers even if the pig is hilarious. Love that star-just remeber where you put it. I had to write myself a note when cleaning out stash as I found lots of bits and bobs that had been forgotten. There’s now a stocklist in the inside of the cupboard-lol. Enjoy the time with your family and those wee easter nests look delicious.
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem when you make Christmas things early in the year, they end up getting mislaid. I think the little star is nice enough to display all year though so I've hung it from a shelf and it will transfer over to the tree once Christmas arrives.
DeleteLovely star, nice to start early. Love your little pig, very unique, think you should make some of the others too. xcx
ReplyDeleteMy patience won't run to making more little animals, I'm afraid Paula will just have to be lonely.
DeleteI hope you are having a wonderful time with the family at home with you.
ReplyDeletePaula Pig is lovely.
Happy Easter.
It's been a lovely week, Eleanor's back home again now for Easter after returning to uni for a few days in the week but Daniel's time here is coming to an end. We've really made the most of all being together though and because these times are much rarer now, they're all the more special.
DeleteI love Paula the pig, she's cute. When teen 2 was a toddler he took a small plastic pig 2" very hard (from the farm set) to bed each night. One day we saw a soft fur, stuffed pig in Lidl and snapped it up quick. He was 6-8" in size and much softer. He was called porky.
ReplyDeleteI love your dishcloths, the one I made as a washcloth (knitted) was this one, I'm wondering have you seen it. I prefer to use a written pattern but managed to follow hers except I always cast on - cable cast on. Cathy x https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6t1upQeNAE&t=80s
It's funny what children latch onto and want to take to bed with them, I remember Eleanor taking a plastic elephant to bed with her. This You Tube tutorial looks like it's the very same pattern which I used for the dishcloths.
DeleteThank you Jo for the washcloth pattern link, I've printed it out... I thought I remember you mentioning it once x
DeleteIt's my go to pattern for dishcloths, I use it all the time.
DeleteJo, that wee little pig is about the cutest thing I have seen in a long time. Love your projects.
ReplyDeleteI suppose Paula is a little quirky which make her quite cute but I won't be in a rush to knit her a friend.
DeleteAhhh, Paula is gorgeous! You are a hard task master! Love that tree decoration too, so sweet! I'd like a tree full of them.xxx
ReplyDeleteI am a bit of a perfectionist. My Christmas tree has lots of hand made things of it, mostly what Daniel and Eleanor made when they were little, so I think the star will look at home there.
DeleteI'm visiting from the Tialys' blog and her little puppy . . . I think Paula Pig looks so cute and reckon you really should make the other animals in the set!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and leaving a comment. Who knows, I may just make another of the animals once I forget how fiddly Paula was to make. I think you need lots of patience to make little 3D things.
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