Tuesday, May 26, 2009

My knitted Perry the Platypus for the monsters





After receiving a request from the kiddos, I created this pattern to knit them each a toy. Finally I present my finished knitting pattern for the elusive star of Phineas and Ferb...
Perry the Platypus


Redheart Super saver
Paddy Green 4 oz
Warm Brown 2 oz
Chocolate Brown small amount
Orange 2 oz
White 1oz
Black small amount

Size 6 DPNs and 16” circular needle


Gauge 4 st and 5.5 rows = 1”(gauge is not essential, but a firm fabric is what you are after)


Right Twist (RT) 2 stitches before each marker- knit 2nd stitch without slipping stitches off needle; knit 1st stitch on needle. Slip both stitches off needle.


Knit front and back (Kf&b) knit into the front and back of the stitch


Slip, slip, Knit (SSK) Slip first stitch as if to knit, slip second stitch as if to purl and knit together through the back loops.


Knit 2 together (K2tog) knit next 2 stitches together as if they were one


Purl 2 together (P2tog) purl the next 2 stitches together as if they were one


Slip, knit, Pass slip stitch over (SKP) slip one stitch, knit one stitch, pass the slipped stitch over


Double Vertical Decrease Insert the right needle knit wise and slip the next 2 stitches together, knit the next stitch, pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knitted stitch


Purl front and back (Pf&b) purl into the front and back of the stitch


Slip Slip purl (SSP) slip the first stitch, slip the second stitch, and purl together.


Body


Provisional CO 20 stitches.


With green, Knit in Stockinete Stitch for 5” ending with a RS row.


Switch to circular needle, place marker, Pick Up and Knit 20 stitches along side, place marker, remove provisional cast on and Knit those 20 stitches along side, place marker, and Pick Up and Knit 20 stitches along side.


*Knit around to 2 stitches before marker, RT* repeat around.


Continue until body measures 10”.


Knit 20 then BO remaining 60 stitches.


Knit the remaining 20 stitches in Stockinete stitch for 5”. BO remaining stitches.(you will have a brick shape with one attached end and a flap)


Stuff body and sew flap closed.


Tail


With warm brown, CO 18, place marker, CO 18, place marker.


Join.


Round 1-4 work even


Round 5 one stitch before and after each marker Kf&b (increase round)


Round 6-10 work evenRound 11 repeat increase round


Round 12 work even


Round 13 repeat increase round


Round 14-22 work even


Round 23 repeat increase round


Round 24-27 work even


Round 28 repeat increase round


Round 29-36 work even


Round 37 First 2 stitches after marker SSK, knit to 2 stitches before marker and K2tog (decrease round)


Round 38-41 work even

Round 42 repeat decrease round

Round 43-44 work even

Round 45 repeat decrease round

Round 46 work even

Round 47 repeat decrease round

Round 48 repeat decrease round

Round 49 repeat decrease round

Round 50 repeat decrease round

Round 51 SSK, SSK, knit across to 4 stitches before marker, k2tog, k2tog

Graft remaining stitches together.
Using chocolate brown, sew diagonal lines across the tail intersecting to form diamonds. (like a beaver tail)
Sew tail onto body (one of the square ends) about ½”- 1” above the bottom.

Front Legs (make 2) (making a miniature sock)

With Green, Co 12, join.

Knit in Stockinete for 2.5”.

Heel Flap

K st st on first 6 stitches for 4 rows (slipping the 1st stitch of every row), ignoring the other 6 sts.

Turn the Heel

RS: Sl1, K3, SKP

WS: Sl1. P2, P2tog, (4st)

K across

Shape the Gusset

PU3 sts (needle 1) on one gusset, k across held stitches (stitches you ignored for the heel) (neeedle 2), pu3 stitches along other gusset (needle 3), k2 sts from heel onto needle 3 and slip remaining 2 of heel onto needle 1.

Decrease Gusset

Rnd 1

Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1

Needle 2: K even

Needle 3: K1, SKP, knit top end of needle

Rnd2Work all 3 needles even

Repeat rnd 1 and 2 until 12 stitches remain.

Foot length

Knit even 4 rnds

Toe decrease

Rnd 1

Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1

Needle 2: K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1

Needle 3: K1, SSK, knit to end of needle

Rnd2Work all 3 needles even

Repeat rnd 1 and 2 until 8 stitches remain.

Use Kitchner Stitch to graft toes together

Stuff with fiberfill.

Sew to Body side approximately 2” from front edge and 1” from bottom edge.

Rear Legs

With Green, Co 12, join.

Knit in Stockinete for 2.5”.

Heel Flap

Change yarn to orange, K st st on first 6 stitches for 4 rows (slipping the 1st stitch of every row), ignoring the other 6 sts.

Turn the Heel

RS: Sl1, K3, SKP

WS: Sl1. P2, P2tog, (4st)

K across

Shape the Gusset

PU3 sts (needle 1) on one gusset, k across held stitches (stitches you ignored for the heel) (neeedle 2), pu3 stitches along other gusset (needle 3), k2 sts from heel onto needle 3 and slip remaining 2 of heel onto needle 1.

Decrease Gusset

Rnd 1

Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, k1

Needle 2: K even

Needle 3: K1, SKP, knit top end of needle

Rnd2Work all 3 needles even

Repeat rnd 1 and 2 until 12 stitches remain.

Webbed foot

Rnd 1 K

Rnd 2 Knit around, increasing in the first stitch of needle 1and 2, and the last stitch of needle 2 and 3.

Rnd 3 Rept rnd 2

Rnd 4 &5 Knit around

Rnd 6 Rept rnd 2

Rnd 7-9 Knit around

Rnd 10 Rept rnd 2

Rnd 11-14 Knit around

Toe 1

K 7, then knit 1st from front and back together (3 times),use double vertical decrease than draw yarn through.

Toe 2

Join and BO next 2 stitches (working both front and back as 1).

Knit next 4 stitches (one side of stitches only).

BO next 2 stitches (working front and back as 1).

Join with back and knit around.

Then knitting one stitch from front and back together as one stitch, SSK, K2tog & BO.

Stuff with fiberfill down to heel (not webbed foot).

Sew to Body side approximately 2” from back edge and 1” from bottom edge.


Face Plate

With orange, CO 10

R1 RS increase row Knit 1, kfb, knit to 2 stitches from the end, kfb, k1(12 sts)

R2 WS increase row Purl 1, pfb, purl to 2 stitches from the end, pfb, p1 (14 sts)

R3, R5 repeat RS increase rows (16, 20 stitches)

R4 repeat WS increase row (18 stitches)

R6-R9 work even

R10 WS decrease row P1, p2tog, p to within 3 stitches from the end, SSP, P1

R11 RS decrease row K1, Ssk, K to within 3 stitches from the end, K2tog, K1

R12, 14, 16 Repeat WS decrease row

R13, 15, 17 Repeat RS decrease row

R18 Purl across

R19 SSK, K2togR20 BO2

Sew to end of body.


Bill

With orange, Pick up and Knit 30 stitches in a triangular shape around the inside edges of faceplate.
Knit even for 3”.
Begin decreases
*k4, K2tog* around
K even
*k3, K2tog* around
K even
Stuff with polyfill.
*k2, K2tog* around
K even
*k1, K2tog* around
K even
*K2tog* around
Cut yarn and draw through remaining stitches.

Perry’s Eye (Make 2)
With White, CO 6 & knit 1 rnd as I cord.
Divide between 3 dpns, place marker designating beginning of round and knit one round.
Rnd 1: Kfb all stitches (12 sts)
Rnd 2, 4, 6 Knit
Rnd 3 * K1, Kfb* (18 sts)
Rnd 5 *K2, Kfb* (24 sts)
Rnd 7 *K3, Kfb* (30 sts)
Rnd 8 & 9 Knit
Rnd 10 *K3, K2tog* (24 sts)
Rnd 11, 13, 15 Knit
Rnd 12 switch to black yarn *K2, K2tog* (18 sts)
Stuff with polyfill
Rnd 14 *K1, K2tog* (12 sts)
Rnd 16 Change to white yarn *K2tog* (6 sts)
Cut yarn leaving 6” tail.
Thread needle with yarn tail, pull through remaining stitches and knot discreetly.
Run through to CO edge through center of ball.
Sew onto face on either side of the face plate.

Monday, May 18, 2009

i totally love tutorials!






back inside detail, with my little helper's hands. front inside detail, one large pocket, 1 med pocket divided and one small pocket.

front cover view with button and elastic hairtie closure.


At the joann's in Traverse City i saw a book that was filled with bag sewing patterns (which was the main part i loved) and other sewing patterns. but it was $25 and i wasn't that in love with anything except an compostition book cover with pockets. i thought it would be great to have so that all of the weird ideas i have would have a place to live and i could work the ideas up with out carrying around 12 billion scraps of paper (my current way). so i googled compostition book covers and found several tutorials that i liked and from them and the idea i saw in that book here is the completed cover...

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

its spring time in michigan

Worms in their new house
Kids' window garden

Beans in a bag


Mini indoor greenhouse
Worm house
Freshly planted bean teepee (no growth yet)
Wild strawberries

My front yard garden

planted garden Tomatoes, green peppers, and eggplant

inside look at potato bin
potato bin

Herb Garden


deep garden for carrots and turnips

Well, its that time of year again. Gardening is here! This year we are settled into the new house and ready to start growing our own food. So far we have 5 of 6 gardens built and 3 of them are planted. I have seeds planted in the mini indoor greenhouse. i put a bean teepee in the yard too. The kids and husbeast and i built a worm house (vermiculture/worm composter). i mixed my 2 outdoor compost bins (they went anaerobic during the winter) and they are cooking again. Also built a potato bin (yummy new potatoes, can't wait).