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Yarn Requirements: Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend 3 skeins all sizes (Hat takes about 1.5, handwarmers take 1) Color shown #3019
Needles: US sz 5 16” circular, US sz 5 DPNs
Gauge: 30 sts/30 rows = 4inches in Quilted Cross Stitch
Notions: stitch markers, scrap yarn for holding stitches, tapestry needle
Hat Sizes: Small Medium Large
18” 20” 22”
Mitts Sizes: Small Medium Large
6” 7” 8” wrist measurement
$4.00
So here's the deal: I have designed these dolls and started to make them with the intent to sell. I will be putting the pattern up for sale within the next few weeks, as well as selling the dolls themselves on Etsy.com (see left sidebar for a link to my shop). What I want to do is take a portion of the profits and donate it to different organizations involved with conservation efforts.
The dolls are made with flat bottoms and an optional weight inside so they will sit on the edge of a desk or shelf, but are still squishy and soft and adorable. I'm in the process of designing more hats and clothes for them, including t-shirts with flower motifs and more fruit, veggie, and flower themed hats! If you have any more ideas, share them!
You can help!
By buying the patterns or the dolls, you are directly helping to save a portion of rainforest from being chopped down, or saving the natural habitat of thousands of wildlife from being destroyed for commercial use.
There is another way you can help, without paying a cent. I need help deciding on what organization to donate to! Have any ideas? I'd love to hear them.
The Younger Twisted Sister
My 5 year old's favorite songs right now? Coin Operated Boy by the Dresden Dolls and Sentimental Heart by sung by Zooey Deschanel of She and Him. Boy is she headed for teen angst. We own lots of kids music...Laurie Berkner, They Might be Giants, Dan Zanes, even the Johnny Cash kids album, but they all take back seat to the Dresden Dolls and Zooey.
Spring has sprung and we can't stay inside on all these beautiful days (FINALLY!) hence the lack of posting on my part. 
I am actually beginning to look forward to a rainy day so I can catch up on laundry and housework because, of course, if given the choice between cleaning and having fun, well, having fun wins every time.
I also think I may have overextended myself with knitting projects this month. We started the Mystery Blanket at My Sister's Knits on Wednesday and it started well. They were all excited to start but I warned them they would be cursing me by the end. It will be very cool when it is finished, but getting to that point takes lots of concentration. There are just a ton of instructions. My vision for the blanket overruled my common sense in this case. I'll post mine as I go along, but not until each new part is released, so I'll show off the first part once the second part of the pattern is out.
I have been knitting lots o socks. I decided that the mothers are getting socks this year for Mother's day. What better way to show them how much I appreciate their cozy momminess than with something cozy for them to wear?
I have 4 pairs to make and probably a 5th for myself. I am hoping the purple ones will be mine, but it depends on whether or not I finish the others in time.
I am designing my spring sweater right now out of Louisa Harding's Grace yarn which I adore. It is so incredibly soft and I can't wait to have it against my skin. 
I am also making the minimalist cardi from Interweave in this yarn for the shop to display. I am hoping to have mine done in time to wear to the Yarn Harlot next week, but we will see. My daughter wants to come with me for that. When my husband asked her why she said" because she says funny stuff." True true. We are working on getting her knitting going so she can bring it with.
Oh also, I have to make both the kids a Spring sweater this year. They both chose yarn already. My son chose bright blue cotton with buttons with the number 1 on them. Can anyone guess his obsession? I'll give you a hint...he also wants a train motif. My daughter on the other hand chose rainbow yarn for a painter's smock type of shirt. That should be fun. SHe is my little artist after all!
Alright, off to the park and library before I end up getting sucked into actually doing work!
The Elder
I can't believe it. This is possibly one of the worst things that could have happened to me right now. Last Thursday, I got sick with the stomach flu. Certain bad eating habits (ahem, late night burgers) of my boyfriend and I led to an extended illness, which left me mostly bed ridden, not even wanting think about yarn or knitting. Unfortunately for me, this attitude did not carry over to my cats. As is wont to happen when one leaves their knitting bag open in the living room, while no one's watchful eye is present to ensure the small treasures within are kept safe, my lovelies took action. Like little furry pirates, they dug through the notions bags and patterns until their tiny little claws scraped upon the mother of all buried treasure- my WIPs, and the yarn they were attached to. As little pirate kitties, they scurried off with ball upon ball, letting loose ends trail behind, and tangle around chair legs and table legs, under couches and through dust bunny fields. Snags, and tangles, and knots, and tears, and chewed up bits with droplets of kitty spit soaked in and the smell of catfood along with it. My living room looked like a giant drunken spider had gotten ahold of my yarn. I was so furious! Absolutely fuming. So, I gathered up the culprits and sent them off to the gallows to be hung as true pirates should be. What do you know, but just as the swags were about to start swinging, Captain Jack Sparrow popped into my living room and said, "I'm Cap'n Jack Sparrow, and it's April Fools Day!"
Yes, my yarn is safe and I'm back with a colorful addition to the WIP list, and a few items bound off. (As usual, you can see all my --and Jessica's--projects on Ravelry) The first exciting bit of news is that Ed and I cast on our entrelac socks! I didn't realize how different they were going to be until I went to cast on and ended up working backwards-- from the toe up! It's a change of pace, and there's no grafting to dread---er, look forward to... I made Ed swatch, because his feet are twice the size of your standard guy, and those size 15s don't take kindly to small socks. The pattern makes a medium, BUT I know he's a new knitter and his gauge is really loose, so I made him swatch. What do you know, but the thing turned out about twice the size, so I'm upping the needle size to 3's and we're sticking with the pattern. He's only got about half of the ribbing done so far, but he's only worked on it once, and I haven't been pushing too hard.
You see, it's midterm season here in Champaign, and the professors have all donned their orange-and-camo gear, cleaned and oiled their rifles, and are setting out to the blinds to see which of them will bring down the 4.0 buck. I myself just dodged a few bullets with my computer science midterm tonight. Whew, am I glad that's over.
While hiding from rifle wielding professors and dodging metaphorical grade bullets, I have managed to finish off the Tit Bit for Brigitte at Klose Knit and-----Ow! Hey, now... Well, Bella's gentle teeth just reminded me of the hour and that she hasn't had her nightly belly rub yet. Until next time...
The Younger
