Lebenslustiger.com (Entries tagged as wool)

Square Bunny Knit Pattern 2

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:15:00 +0000

Is it possible to knit an even more simple Bunny than the one that hopped thru my blog last week?

Yes, it is!

Just knit a square in Garter stitch - any size you like.

I used grey mohair and doubled the thread.

(I am so lucky: always having helping paws at my side...)

Mark a triangle in one half of your square and with a middle size running stitch stitch along this shape.

Make sure to leave extra thread at the beginning and end of the running stitch because you will pull those endings.

Before you pull tight, fill the little bunny head with some wool or other stuffing.

Then secure with some knots.

See - it already looks cute...

Now stitch down the back. Fill the body with some more wool and close the seam all the way.

Then i did another running stitch up the back and pulled gently to form the body. Make a couple stitches at the neck to secure.

Shape those fluffy ears a bit to your liking and also secure with a few stitches.

And now for the tail: I had planned a glitter-bobble but little grey bunny refused to hop along with that idea...

Oh well - It is fine with me.

See - already found something more appealing.

Off you go...sweet little fellow!

Happy Day,

Anette

Today is Creadienstag and Bunny is also hopping over to visit Natasha in Oz and Petals to Picots!YAY!

Cozy Sunday

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 13:02:59 +0000

It is snowing and snowing and snowing outside...

We will all cuddle up on the sofa!

Wishing you a Cozy Sunday,

Anette

P.S. I LOVE my new Tumblr!

Square Bunny Knit Tutorial

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 06:50:00 +0000

Oh hello there sweet bunny!

Where are you going?

Please stay to play...

I got introduced to this pattern back when my children were young and attending a Waldorfschool preschool program in California.

Do you remember Bunny's friends the lambs? They love to play together...

I looked the pattern up and found one at Heart String Fiber Arts

If you like to play too, then start by knitting a square in stockinette stitch.

Mine was about 26cmx26cm.

Mark all the measurements with some pins.

With some thread sew with long stitches in a semicircle from A to A' as shown above.

Gather this seam and tie ends in a square knot.

I used some wool to stuff the head but you could use any filling from the craft store.

Now sew the chin closed.

Next starting from point B sew the edges together until points A and C meet to form a front leg.

Same with the other front leg.

Then starting from point E sew the edges together until points F and D meet.

Same on the other side.

Fill the body with wool - not too much - not too little...knead your new little friend into a nice shape.

Sew tummy seam closed

Do you feel and see how it comes to life?

Bend Bunny's hind legs forward and sew them to it's tummy with just a few stitches.

Hello!

Can't hear you yet...

Cast on about 5 stitches and knit a few rows in stockinette again (it automatically forms a beautiful curved line).

I did about 6 rows and then started to decrease 1 in every row until I had only 2 stitches left and a nice tip.

Pin and then sew the ears to the head.

I used a little fur ball I had ordered for my crochet beanies as a tail but a little bobble or some soft roving would be cute too.

Have fun together and hop along to easter...

Today is Creadienstag and also Upcycling - Dienstag

Happy Creative Day,

Anette

Happy Friday

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:21:47 +0000

Just wanted to let you know that I posted the tutorial for the little crochet bunny.

You can find it now in yesterdays post.

More easter-bunny DIY's are on the way...

Happy Spring,

Anette

P.S. If you like - here is my new Tumblr...

Hop Along To Easter

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:13:00 +0000

I found this adorable pattern on Pinterest and changed it just a bit. Really fun and easy pattern and the little bunny is done in a very few minutes.

You could decorate it for your easter brunch table, put it up the wall, window, door, cabinet, shelf...make a few for a mobile or a garland...also very cute year around in a nursery or kids room!

Who doesn' t like the company of a dear bunny, right?

You can find my inspiration here at Love the Blue Bird. Thank you for this great pattern!

And here is how I made it:

Again - I used fabric yarn - simply because I have so much of it and plus i really like it, too.

Start with a magic ring. I have always read about this magical ring thing in tutorials and finally looked it up on you-tube...

Make 6 single crochet stitches in that ring and pull the yarn ending - magic!

A perfectly nice ring!

Join with a slip stitch. I always marked the slip stitch with a little piece of thread so I knew when I finished the round.

Round 2:

Chain one - then 2 single crochet together in each stitch, join with a slip stitch.

Round 3:

Chain one - then one single crochet in the first stitch, then 2 single crochet together in the next one, repeat until round is finished.

Join with a slip stitch.

Round 4:

Chain one - then one single crochet, one single crochet, 2 single crochet (in one stitch), repeat until round is finished.

Join with a slip stitch.

Now comes the little head:

Somehow I miss pictures for that part - SORRY!

Chain one - then one half double crochet and a treble crochet in the next stitch, two treble crochet in each of the next two stitches, one treble crochet and a half double crochet in the next stitch.

There is your little bunny head!

Now - no additional chain - just start going around with slip stitches until the first treble crochet on the other side.

Chain 7 for the first ear.

Make a half double crochet in the second chain from the hook and then 4 treble crochet.

Slip stitch in the third treble crochet from the head and then chain 7.

Make a half double crochet in the second chain from the hook and then 4 treble crochet.

Slip stitch in the sixth treble crochet from former round - leave a bit of tail - cut and pull your yarn right thru.

NO additional slip stitches here.

Take your ending and weave those holes close. With this fabric yarn I just use my fingers to do that and place a knot when finished.

Now decide on a little bunny tail to add.

I actually like the simple floppy one best

Plus - it is so much less work than a bobble...

More yarn creativity is collected @Nic's today

Happy Hopping Day,

Anette

Yesterday White - Today Colorful

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 06:31:00 +0000

I love to show you shops I find on trips: In Copenhagen or Santa Barbara for example or today from our recent ski trip to the alps.

Lenai&Linai - were two sisters who lived in the alps and the story about their life was so inspiring to shop owner Sonia Zimmermann, that she named her wonderful little location after them. The shop is located right next to the church of beautiful mountain village Lech/Arlberg.

Their handmade clothing line and bags are just gorgeous: very creative, individual and colorful made from fine wool and felt.

Great inspiration right at the front door...

...my favorite piece: a light wool coat with neon details!!! And look at those cool Felt-Trophys hanging from the wall...

... I loved the splendid wish-tree!

And these cute angels...

...and the best: a generous amount of humor!!!

Have a happy day,

Anette

More Lebenslustiger at Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Instagram, Dawanda, Etsy and Tout!

Neon Christmas Trees

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 06:14:00 +0000

Quick, Quick...

Get the crochet hook...ready set go!

These crochet Christmas trees are so much fun to make and finished in a few minutes.

Let them happily dance from the ceiling, tape them to a wall, pretty as an ornament or a gift tag, for your table decoration, on your door or window...possibilities are endless!

I'm sure you can't stop after one - I couldn't...

I loved the neon color throughout the year, so why don't use it for Christmas decoration too? It is such a happy color and I like it especially in combination with natural wood and nordic interior design.

Nowadays you can get neon wool everywhere - back in spring one had to hunt for it online...

The second version I made is from thin mohair crocheted with my big 12mm hook.

They are really pretty, delicate and fluffy.

O.K. - let's get started: Please note that I drew "trebles" on the chart instead of "doubles". Of course it does work with trebles too!!! - I just thought, this is the sign for doubles since it has two marks...oh well... so:

Chain 5 and join with a slip stitch.

1st round:

Make 3 chain, 3 double, 3 chain, 4 double, 3 chain, 4 double, 3 chain and join with a slip stitch.

Slip stitch 3 to the next space.

2nd round:

3 chain, 3 double, 3 chain, 4 double in that first space made in the previous round.

1 chain, 4 double, 3 chain, 4 double in the next space.

1 chain, 4 double, 3 chain, 4 double in the last space.

1 chain and join with a slip stitch.

Slip stich 3 to the next space

3rd (and last!) round:

3 chain, 3 double, 4 chain, 4 double in space from previous row.

1 double in the middle of double group from previous round.

4 doubles in next space.

1 double in the middle of double group from previous row.

4 double, 4 chain, 4 double in next space.

1 double in the middle of double group from previous row.

4 doubles in next space.

1 double

4 double, 4 chain, 4 double.

1 chain

4 double in next space.

1 chain and join with a slip stitch

Phew!!!

I hope I didn't forget a stitch...

Now turn your little tree and slip stitch 2 back for the trunk:

3 chain, 3 double

turn

3 chain, 3 double (I ran out of yarn at this point on the picture... )

Cut and pull yarn thru the stitch, make a knot or sew the ending.

If you like take a piece of yarn and tie on top for hanging.

Done!!!

Next one, please...

After the third one it will go really fast because you don't have to look up the pattern...

Please e-mail or comment me with any question you might have on this tutorial: lebenslustiger(at)gmail(dot)com.

Have a magical last week before Christmas

a happy day and please visit also Creadienstag today,

Anette

More Lebenslustiger at Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Instagram, Dawanda and Etsy

Hat - Love ...

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:55:00 +0000

...is collected at Nic's today.

I ordered this handmade knitted hat years ago from a handwork teacher at the Waldorfschool in Santa Barbara.

Her daughter made it. All you could order was: a hat. Just that.

You could't specify the color nor the shape, size or patterns. But I had seen a few of her hats and they were all cute and had this little "something" - of course they were all different.

So I decided to order one for my children. They were still quite little and couldn't express themselves very well, but they managed to make clear to me, that neither of them would EVER wear that hat after it arrived.

I still love the hat - not so much the colors but the shape and the different patterns - but it is too small for me...I would order a larger one (if she would let me specify... ) but I lost the contact.

So - if anyone of YOU is able to knit me a hat like this one - AND would let me pick the colors - then please e-mail me!!!

Have a happy day,

Anette

P.S. Me and another hat here :)

Knitted Blanket 1

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Same location as last week...

I also took this beautiful wool throw from Zilalila to the field to be photographed when we shoot the towel.

Zilalila is an entrepreneurial "Two women business" from the Netherlands with a Fair Trade Philosophy.

Their website is really nice so please stop by,if you like...

I'm usually pretty spontaneous in getting my blog pictures done.

It goes like this: (Picture my husband sitting in his office at the very far end of our hall. I'm usually busy in the kitchen - so, for convenience we yell thru the house...)

"I neeeeed you to do a picture of meeee and the new toooowel!"

"You want me to photograph you in that bath rooooom ruuuug???"

"It's a TOWEL and yes I neeeeeed a picture with the entire toooowel on it!"

"We dont't have enough rooooom to do a shot like that!"

"Then let's go to the fiiiield!"

"???..." "O.K - I have 10 minutes until the next call!"

'Hm - then I will pack the wool blanket as well' - thinks the foresighted Blogger...

And that's why you can see that flat land I'm living on again today...

Oh - by the way - the village observation alarm system is still working well - we were of course spotted and it was thought, we were shooting nude photos...

Isn't that hilarious? :)

Next post I will let you know about the knitted blanket No.2!

More people in scarfs and throws at Papagena.

XOXO, Anette

Crochet-Beanie

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:45:00 +0000

I never felt the need to color my hair.

I grew up and I grew grey wisps without ever making a red, green, blue or blonde detour.

It was totally fine.

Until last winter...

All of a sudden I could not stand it anymore: pale-grey winter skin to pale-grey hair. TOO MUCH!

What I wanted was a light coloring - something, which would wash completely away after a few showers. No red - no black. Brownish - natural looking.

"Yes Yes", said my hairdresser eagerly and - poof - there I was - terrified - because of my almost black hair.

It looked...crappy. I did not like it at all.

I really like it on everybody else - no matter what color - but NOT on me.

O.K. It would go away. Soon...

"Er, not exactly..." said my hairdresser when I showed up 4 weeks later - in a really bad mood because of my still pretty much black hair.

"It would make customers really mad if it would wash away THAT soon...in fact, it doesn't really wash away anyway...It looks GREAT on you! We just need to do the hairline..."

Arghhhh!!!

Until summer break I hung in there with "We just need to quickly redo the hairline..." Again and again.

How annoying!

But now there is an end of it.

I WILL grow out this color!

Under a beanie!

At least, sometimes. I have only mottled hair so far...

"You will NEVER persevere" says my hairdresser.

We'll see...(asshole)!

Here is my first beanie:

You need 100 gr wool, a crochet needle size 6 and work Half Double crochet stitches.

Start with 3 chain stitches closed to a ring.

1st round: Work 10 half double stitches into this ring=10

2nd round: double every stich=20

3rd round: double every second stich=30

4th round: double every fifth stich=36

5th round: double every sixth stich=42

6th round: double every seventh stich=48

7th round: double every twelfth stich=52

Then crochet eight rounds without adding additional stitches and then finish with one last round of single stitches.

I sewed a little charm onto the left side to see immediately where front and back is and i added a fur ball on top.

Happy crocheting, Anette

More Lebenslustiger at Twitter, FB, Pinterest, Instagram, Dawanda, Etsy and Tout!

~~P.S. I have planned a little Give Away for You on Thursday! It's already on this last picture but barely to see...Can you spot it?~~

Spikes "au naturel"

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 00:11:00 +0000

What about this spike-hype?

Are you liking it?

Everywhere I look these days I see those protruding little hazards.

On jewlery, clothes ... even on shoes!

Always made of metal - always a bit threatening - always a teeny tiny bit funny.

To help with this kind of imbalance between danger and fun I thought I want to come up with my own version of this matter:

Voilá - Spikes au naturel!!!

Or in my husbands words: "Waldorfschool-Spikes"

I found this really cool fabric yarn and the bracelet tutorial (without spikes!!!) at Wollfactory. Just look at these fantastic available colors! Or those mottled ones! LOVE them all!

The little wooden cones came from my local crafts store. I just drilled two holes in each of them.

I followed the tutorial for the bracelet but changed the 3rd row where I crocheted evenly 5 holes over the length of the row to later tie the cones into these spaces. And then I added an additional 4th row. If you are a little bit familiar with crocheting you will figure it out even without the tutorial. It is really easy and simple.

AAAANNDDD?

What do you think????

Crazy?

Hm - I like the 'without'- bracelets very much...

But the spiky one IS fun, right???

XOXO, Anette

You can find my jewelry on Etsy!

I Got Lucky!

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:24:00 +0000

So happy I found this great idea!

My old beloved cashmere sweater had aged to a point where it started to decorate itself with holes at the elbows.

And even if the sweater is anyway no longer suitable for out and about, I still love to wrap myself in it on early chilly mornings.

So comforting and the day is off to a good start. Kind of a ritual thing, I guess...

These needle felted patches are so quickly done and so fun to make.

Since one sleeve had a larger hole I had to put the clover leaf petals closer together on this side to fill the empty space. It worked well - you can see it on the picture which shows the backside/inside of the sleeve and where it's visible how nicely the wool closed the hole.

Sprinkle a bit water on your finished design to set the patch.

My mornings got color... and luck! Love it!

XOXO, Anette

Ombre Crochet

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:16:00 +0000

Copenhagen was nice - but really cold...

Luckily I took my winter jacket but no cap or scarf because spring was supposed to be in the air. Of course, scarfs were available for purchase, but they were made out of cooling cotton because...spring was supposed to be in the air.

Oh how I wished for a cozy, warm but travel-lightweight wool scarf or loop to cover neck and head.

Since it was still kinda chilly when we returned from our trip I decided to sniff through my wool basket to see, if some left over skeins would strike my creativity. I wanted the scarf to be really airy and light so I took some mohair and my biggest crochet needle.

So much fun - so quickly done! And wonderfully warm. To add a little extra touch I used this fabulous fabric paint spray which worked well on the wool because it leaves the medium soft after drying compare to other paints that tend to harden the fabric/wool. I experimented a bit at first and loved the colors especially on the mottled wool as shown on the first two pictures and on these little square samples.

Pin It

Well - the air has finally warmed up a bit but I think my scarf will also work very well as a shoulder wrap over a camisole or tank top during long summer nights...

Ahhhh - can't wait for summer...what about you?

Weekend Knitting Project and the winner of the little silver birdie raffle!

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:36:20 +0000

I REALLY enjoy being creative these days!

So - I will stay in this flow, ride the happy-busy-hands wave and share a little knit with you...

Front side: AH!

Back side: OH!

Changing colors vertically is fun and easy - you just have to make sure to hug one thread with the other when changing colors

- this way your stitches will stay nicely and tight together.

I roll single skeins for every block of color - you could also choose each color differently! That would be awesome - I once did a sweater this way... After every few rows you have to throw in a little detangle break though...

For this quick cozy flower pot dress I used two skeins of each color. Just simply knit or sew the seam together.

Do you have a knitting or crocheting project right now? I would LOVE to hear about it!

And now...

OH WAIT! First I really want to tell you how much I loved all your warm hearted wishes, the liking and sharing for the lebenslustiger shop opening! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

First pieces from the shop have already been sold and as a welcome gift to you there is free shipping (WORLDWIDE) until end of March!

O.K. After eagerly turning the lottery wheel...

...the winner of the little silver birdie raffle is...

NINA! Congratulations! Have fun with it!

All others - don't be sad - I promise, there will be more jewelry raffles in future AND next week I will have wonderful Hildegard products for you to win!

XOXO

Gotland sheep

nospam@example.com (Lebenslustiger) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:54:00 +0000

...are not what this post is about...

No, these are ordinary German sheep living on a dike - on a man made wall protecting the land from being flooded by the ocean.

And it means, I'm visiting NORTHERN GERMANY and not GOTLAND, a swedish island where those incredible blue grey fur-ball beauties called GOTLAND SHEEP would live...

Well - looks like I can't get enough of sheep no matter what kind of breed they belong to...

.. otherwise I can't explain why they would greet me with a yoga performance...

Or these essential northern landmarks...

Some really don't mind my presence and are able to totally let go...

But most are carefully watching me with a mixture of mistrust and curiosity.

I really don't want to disturb or scare them in their peaceful community but I know they find me highly suspicious...

And here she comes...

Selma herself - with an amazing spookily swaying and rolling gait directly towards me - you already see her in the back of this pic.

I am holding my breath and speed up my thinking: What is wrong with her? Can't she see or smell me???

I stay and she finally stops an inch from my knee.

She takes one gigantic breath to read-smell my complete bio only to breathe out back right into my face.

THANKS Selma - I ALWAYS wanted to exactly experience THAT...

But now I know what's going on with her! She is going down to business: snacking on my camera belt...

She seems to love eating and is a bit overweight but otherwise - totally fine!

And you? What was your last close encounter of the (sheep)...?... kind?