Free Pattern - Patons Canadiana Mitts

Everyone has their favourite patterns.

For me, they are patterns from back in the 60s and 70s - free patterns by Patons for Canadiana yarn.

I think I knit the slipper pattern exclusively for years! I didn't knit anything else, not even scarves!

But then I took up knitting again as an adult and I tried mittens. Of course I used the vintage Patons Canadiana pattern! It was also my first attempt at using dpns (what are dpns? double-pointed needles). After sewing the seam on my first ever pair of mittens, I then knit a pair on dpns so as to avoid those horrid seams!

And now, for anyone else needing a good, solid, vintage pattern for mittens, here is the vintage Patons Canadiana mitts pattern.



I need to find that slipper pattern and add it to my blog as well. I found a lovely typed out version here on a blog by 21st Century Girl, but I know I have it scanned somewhere as well. I'll add it when I find it.


If you'd rather buy knitted items than knit them, then you should check out my etsy shop! ennadoolf.etsy.com with a Knitting Boutique featuring handknit scarves, hats, dishcloths and more .. plus my own knitting patterns

Free Pattern - Rainbow Afghan

This pattern was in a box of items I picked up at a yard sale. It looks like someone changed some of the instructions (perhaps to knit it all in one piece rather than two pieces sewn together), but I'll type out what is typed in the original pattern.

Please note: I have NOT tested this pattern.

You can also click on the scanned picture to see the original pattern.

RAINBOW AFGHAN

12 oz of main color A

6 oz of contrasting color B

6 oz of contrasting color C

1 pair #1 Canadian (#11 American knitting needles)

Tension:

1 pattern (7 sts and yo knit 1) = 2 inches

4 rows = 1 inch

Abbreviations: k, knit; k 3 tog, knit 3 together; yo yarn over needle

Instructions:

With main color A cast on 83 sts and work pattern as follows:

Row 1: K2 * yo k 2 k 3 tog k 2 yo k 1 * repeat from * to * across row ending yo k 2.

Row 2: Knit

Repeat these two rows 7 times (16 rows of main color A in all).

* Change to color B and work 2 rows, continue to work 2 rows in each color in the following sequence: C, B, C, A, C, B, A, B, C, A, C, B, C, B (15 ridges of color)*.

Change to color A and work 16 rows, * * change to color and work 2 rows of each shade in the following sequence: C, B, A, B, C * * Work 16 rows A, repeat the first color section from * to *, work 4 rows of A colr then repeat from * to * again. Change to color A and work another 16 rows, then work from ** to ** once.

Work 16 rows of color A, repeat from * to * once and finish with 16 rows of color A. Cast off. Make a second piece the same. Sew the panels together carefully matching the rows of color.

I proofread my typing, but I cannot guarantee that I didn't make a mistake.

If you knit this pattern up, I'd love to see a photo of your completed project!

Free Pattern - Candle-Light Afghan

Free Pattern - Candle-Light Afghan

This pattern was in a box of items I picked up at a yard sale. It appears that several women worked on it because the back of one of the patterns shows a list of which women were working on different colours.

I decided to type it out here, but you can also click on the scanned pictures to see the original pattern. I proofread my typing, but I cannot guarantee that I didn't make a mistake. Your best bet might be to work from the original. Please note: I have NOT tested this pattern.

Candle-Light Afghan

approx size 54" x 72" including fringe

Materials Required:
- 4 ply knitting worsted in 4 oz or 2 oz skeins or balls "sayelle"
5 skeins of dark green (10 - 2 oz balls)
4 skeins of yellow (7 - 2 oz balls)
4 skeins of tangerine (7 - 2 oz balls)
3 skeins of white (6 - 2 oz balls)
- 3 "Hero Justrite" metal hairpin fork or Hero Great Loom No. 120 G 3"
- Bone Crochet Hook, size 4 (old size) new size 6.00 (Aero) to cable strips together
- Bone Crochet Hook, size 3 (Aero) to crochet strips on hairpin

Stitch Gauge - approx 4 stitches - 1 "

Note: The instructions are given in the color combination listed above. However other beautiful effects may be obtained by combining colors of your own choosing. To assist you in planning an afghan we estimate that three strips of 297 loops each can be made from 1 four ounce skein of four-ply knitting worsted.

Afghan:
12 strips of 297 loops each of Green (Dark Rose)
8 strips of 297 loops each of Yellow (Med Rose)
9 strips of 297 loops each of Tangerine (Light Rose)
6 strips of 297 loops each of White (Grey)

To Join Strips: Following general instructions assemble as follows ... starting with the centre strip 1 (see chart) Tangerine pick up the first 3 lps -- then pick up first 3 lps of strip 2 White and pull through the 3 Tangerine lps on hook -- pick up next 3 lps of strip 1 and pull through the 3 White lps on hook. Continue to end of strips alternating the pick up of lps first from one strip then the other. With matching yarn sew the last 3 lps to end of strip.

Pick up the first 3 lps of strip 3 Tangerine and cable to strip 2 White, 3 through 3 lps to end of strip, fastening last 3 lps with matching yarn. Pick up the other first 3 lps of strip 3, then first 3 lps of strip 4 Yellow and pull through. Cable all strips together in like manner always starting at the same end of work so that all cable joinings will be in the same direction.

After all 35 strips have been cabled together finish off the two long sides by pulling 3 through 3 lps. With Green work a shell edge as follows ... attach yarn in back lp of first stitch. * work a sh of 1 sc - 3 ac - 1 sc in back of lp of next st -- fasten with a sl st in back lp of next st and repeat from *

Fringe: Cut yarn in 11" lengths and knot 4 strands of corresponding stip color in end loops, one each side of crocheted centre of every strip. Trim evenly to finish about 4" wide.

Place afghan right side down on a large flat surface and steam-press lightly with damp cloth.


If you notice any typos in this post as compared to the pattern, please leave a comment or contact me and I'll make the corrections a.s.a.p. Please note: I have NOT tested this pattern.

Visit my shop PatternsAndSuch.etsy.com if you enjoy hairpin work, check out this pattern book!

Etsyversary - Patterns And Such - 1 year old!

Patterns And Such is 1 year old today!

Happy Etsyversary to my 2nd shop on Etsy.

To celebrate, I will be adding free patterns to my blog later today!

Check back for them!

One will be Candle Light Afghan.
Another will be Rainbow Afghan.

We'll see if I have time to add a third. :)

Procrastinating...should be doing dishes

yes, I should be doing the dishes. And I'll do them shortly.

But first! Here is a treasury I put together yesterday - while procrastinating, again, doing the dishes!


You can visit this treasury until Wed. May 30th at 3:40 a.m. EST. Then it will disappear. Forever. As I wish the dirty dishes would!
(UPDATED: Its expired now, so clicking it will take you to the main treasury listing page.)

Be sure to check out my Etsy shop ennadoolf.etsy.com for some nice cotton hand-knit dishcloths to help the task go a bit smoother.

Rose of Sharon in my garden

When we first moved to this house, we almost pulled all the Rose of Sharon bushes out! They don't get buds on them until pretty much all the other plants have turned green so we thought they were all dead! Luckily we were too busy to pull them out and now I love them.

I still don't like gardening, but I do love the flowers and plants in my gardens!

Today a friend dropped by for some Rose of Sharon plants. Mine seem to have babies like its going out of style, so we just pulled up all the babies like weeds! We pretty much filled a Girl Guide cookie box! I bet there were at least 50 plants in there! Some as small as 6 inches, others about 2 feet or so.

None will flower this year, but once she plants them, she'll have some great bushes. They're either white or purple or pink flowers. I have all three colours and don't know which seeds fall where, so the babies could be any of those colours!

For more photos from my garden, check out my Etsy shop, ennadoolf!

Bald Eagles at their nest

Today we went back to see if the bald eagles were still using the nest that we visited last year.

Yes they are!

We found out about this bald eagle's nest last year and went on the May 24 holiday Monday (see post below).

Since it's the May 24 holiday Monday today, I thought we should go back. Lucky us! Today BOTH birds were at the nest.

I know these photos aren't the greatest, but I just used my point-n-shoot.

The birds are grand!

The female (on the left) flew away twice - the first time she came back with a large branch to add to the nest. The second time she returned, I snapped the photo above.

LOL, after taking the photos, I realized I had a setting on my camera to take multi-shots! I'll have to remember to use that next time!

This nest is within the city limits. A gentleman who came by with a much better camera than mine told us that the Conservation staff will band and tag the babies. We did see movement in the nest so we know there is at least one baby up there, but that's all we know.

Check your internet speed

This is pretty cool :

Test your internet speed.

Wednesday Wonder - tonifrances

I met this shop owner by chance.

Then I checked out her shop.

tonifrances.etsy.com

Great T's!

Teams on Tuesday - Grandmas

Yes, there is a team of Grandmas! (and one G-pa)

The WWWG team: the wild, wise and witty grandmamas of etsy.

Click here for the link for the WWWG Team page on Etsy.

And just look at the great variety of products we offer:

You can find these items by clicking here!

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day in Canada (and the US).

In the UK, it was in March. If you check Wikipedia, you can see different countries celebrate at different times of the year. Hm, I didn't know that.

My tulips are blooming too.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.

Happy Mother's Day

Girl Guide COOKIE DAY at SEARS is MAY 9, 2009

COOKIE DAY at SEARS is MAY 9, 2009

Local Girl Guide units have the opportunity to sell cookies at SEARS stores across Canada on May 9, 2009.

Our Unit is excited that all of our cookies have been sold!

But I'm sure there will be other Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, and their Guiders at a Sears store near you.
Please support them!

While we're on the subject of Girl Guides, for those interested, I should tell you that I have vintage Girl Guide items in my new shop - Vintage And Such. I encourage you to check it out.

Grande Opening - Vintage And Such

Grande Opening - Vintage And Such

May 7th to May 10th

20% off all items in store!

(not including shipping)

Thank you for visiting Vintage And Such!

This is part of the May Team ESST sponsored Shopping Extravaganza Weekend - May 7th (Thursday) to 10th (Sunday).

Teams on Tuesday - Girl Guides

Badge Testing

Last week I was lucky enough to be able to do some badge testing to finalize some badges for the girls before year-end. Kaylin brought in some great work! I loved her outline (above) for a quilt block that is based on a tale.

She provided great level of detail in her drawing (left), and even has a clear piece that can be lifted to show the placement of the brain. Perhaps there is a future doctor in this young woman?

I'd love to show more work that the girls have completed this year. They've all outdone themselves with lots of solid commitment and lots of work to complete their badges this year!!

I was not always able to be the badge tester but I did get to see some of the presentations.

Well done, girls!

I look forward to seeing you all at the year-end banquet!

Keisha's Topsy Turvy Doll

Keisha has finished her doll!

Isn't she beautiful!

I just love her adorable nose!

I forgot to ask if this doll has a name, so I'll update this post if I find out.

Keisha contacted me in June 2008 - she goes to school in the UK and contacted me through my Etsy shop ennadoolf.etsy.com. I sell Topsy Turvy dolls in my Etsy shop and Keisha wanted to make her doll as a school project as part of her textiles coursework. We talked about the history of Topsy Turvy dolls and how it is believed that they were first created, and how such a doll may help to teach diversity.

From this website:
The Topsy-Turvy design dates back to before the American Civil War, when many of these dolls were actually mixed race – white on one side, black on the other. Often they featured a well-turned mistress of the house, backed by a raggedly dressed black servant. [...] Interestingly, after the Civil War, the design of the doll shifted somewhat and the dual identity became that of a white child and its black mammy caretaker, indicating that some conceptual difference had taken place in the minds of its creators.

Congratulations, Keisha - a beautiful doll!!

My Garden - Trilliums

My trilliums are in bloom.

Both the white and the red, but the white more so than the red right now.