Introducing Nini's

They are sooooooo squishy. They are made with a super soft baby yarn that is machine washable and dryable. They have minimal stuffing because the yarn itself creates this really squishy fabric. They have safety eyes that wont budge. I know this to be true because I once put one on crooked from the other and I'm not entirely sure the jaws of life could pry it off. I never did get it off, in case you are wondering haha. So below is some more eye candy. The tiny ones we are calling Teeny Ninis.



The two on the far left are kitties instead of bunnies. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about them yet. The pink on is laid back but it has a pink tutu on.



Teeny Ninis fit in the palm of your hand, heck they fit in the palm of my 5-yr-old's hand.



A little size comparison.

I feel like these pictures don't even do them justice, you have to really touch them and squish them in your hand to really fall in love with them. This group doesn't have noses, but the next group will have safety noses that I ordered. These will be in the etsy shop soon, and I'll be taking a small caravan of them with my to the show in Liberty!

Read More

Bunnies on the Brain

I know it's well past Easter... nearly summer in fact! And all I can talk about is bunnies! I don't know what it is, I guess it's one of those little creative traps where you just have to work through it to get past it. On the other hand I guess that there are worse things right?

So I've had three purchases of my Plushy Blankee from my shop. A policy I decided to establish was that for each purchase from my shop that a hat would be knit and donated to our local hospital. However for this I want to put just a little hold on this. Let me elaborate...

This yarn is one of the plushiest yarns I've worked with the knitted piece is just ridiculously squishy and soft, not to mention its machine washable and dryable! I've been thinking about a really simple little stuffed bunny pattern that I want to do with this yarn. So in honor of the plushy blankee purchases I want to finish the bunny and make 3 of those to donate to the hospital instead. Cant you just see an adorable baby cuddled up with it? Ahh I'm excited about this pattern. If I like it enough I may add it to the blanket pattern. (P.S. If I do, those of you who have purchased it already will get a copy of that too.)

So all that to say I promise I did not forget about the donations I just wanted to make it a little bit special.

Read More

Breakfast with Hazel

The past week right at breakfast time we have been seeing a cute twitchy nose rabbit come out and enjoy the clover patch in the backyard. We named him Hazel. Which is a reference to the book/movie Watership Down, a favorite of my childhood and now also one of my daughters.

He is awfully brave, only about 10 or 15 feet from the house and nearly right next to the bird feeder. But this morning he was joined by another bunny that looked just the same but a little smaller. This made me laugh - we have a real live Hazel and Fiver! Cute right?

This brings me round to talk about this hat pattern I'm working on and while it sounds silly, I can't think of any other way to describe it than bunnies in a basket. What? Yeah I know. But trust me when I tell you, its cute! Although I am not sure how I will work the decreases since there is a braided cable section. Maybe just do a picot bind off and gather it up? Maybe a spiral decrease... I guess I'll just have to cross the bridge when I come to it.

Read More

Free Pattern Friday! :: Play Collar ::

Weew its been a hectic week. But now finals are finally over! I'm not sure when I'll be able to see my grades but, I should be able to see them soon. I do already know that my final grade in my morning math was a 97! But enough about that...

This week, I thought I'd follow the theme and make a play collar to go along with the Play Leash from last week. My daughter is in love. She puts her favorite stuffed puppy dog on that leash and pulls him along all over the house and yard (I know right... good thing he's washable!).

So here is what you need:

• A couple yards of worsted weight yarn
• A small key ring
• 3 Size 8 DPNS

Instructions:
CO 6 provisionally knit 2 or 3 rows and put your cast on stitches on one of your DPN.
Work in garter stitch (knit all rows) until you have about half the desired length, maybe around 3.5 inches or so. Keep in mind, garter stitch has an incredible amount of stretch and you want it big enough to stretch over the head of the toy but not so much the toy will slip out of the collar while being pulled around.

At the half way point on your next row k1 then holding your key ring knit through it for the next 4 stitches then drop it and knit the last one outside of it.
Continue knitting a length equal to the first half (doesn't have to be perfect) ending with a right side row, pick up your needle holding your cast on stitches. Be sure that both yarn tails are on the right side and graft together with Kitchener stitch.

Weave in ends, add some embellishments if you like and you are done! Super easy and should be lots of fun for your little one. Happy knitting!

THANK YOU for your support! Please show continued support by using this pattern only for your non-commercial, personal use. Please do not knit and sell designs from this pattern without express written permission. Copyright © 2012 A Flight of Sparrows; all rights reserved.

Read More

Sail Through The Changes

Things are changing and I am very eager to take on this new chapter of life but at the same time the inner me is terrified. I suppose it's natural to feel apprehensive about new and uncharted waters. The problem is because of it I get stuck in this cycle of bursts of energy and ideas. I seize the opportunity and really throw myself into it. Then, just when I think "Yeah, this is a good pace," the wheels start to slow, and just like a train going up hill that loses momentum... I slide back down to the base of the hill with my caboose planted and my front wheels spinning. I need to figure out a way to defeat this, but how?

**********

So I have another pattern I am tweaking for release right now! Twisting Cable Hat is the pattern and it offers size instruction for baby, child, and women. I really love the 3-Dimensional quality that cables have. I think it is a simple way to take a rib and really pretty it up. If you've never done cables before I would encourage you to try them! It came seem irritating or maybe a little fiddly at first but after you do a couple it gets pretty easy and you'll really be happy with how pretty they are.

Read More