Love of boot toppers

I have been on a boot-cuff making spree. I knitted some pairs and crocheted others and have more planned. I should be finishing my pineapple baby blanket, but this requires a visit to the craft store to buy more yarn, and we all know how dangerous that is. (Just one ball of yarn? But, but... Look at all those great colors that I just have to have!)

Has anyone else found the joy of boot toppers? They're like short legwarmers that cover just the part of your calf that sticks out of the top of your boot, and a bit below. Mine are only about 4 inches long or so. I think some people make them big enough to fold over the boot, but mine are just for the legs.

Here are some pics of one of my crocheted pairs:

I made a few pairs for my girls and they are really loving them. My 5-year-old loved hers so much she wore them to bed one night! They're really cozy.

I tried out a pair, too, and they really did add a lot of warmth. If you live in a cool climate, these are a perfect alternative to full length leg warmers or heavy socks. Of course, I did have on my handknit socks Saturday, and I must say my feet were nice and toasty while the rest of me froze at the morning soccer games. Maybe I can make a bigger pair of boot cuffs and wear them with my handknit socks, boots and jeans. Yeah!

If anyone is interested in checking out my boot toppers for sale on Etsy, here are the links:
Knitted pair girls and women sizes:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111913345/boot-toppers-or-boot-cuffs-short
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111912892/boot-toppers-or-boot-cuffs-short
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111912667/boot-toppers-or-boot-cuffs-short

And the crochet pair for women:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111671331/boot-toppers-short-crochet-legwarmers-in

And the crochet pair for girls:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111973378/little-girl-boot-toppers-short-crochet

I'd love to know what other knitters and crocheters out there have to say about boot toppers. Please comment!

Free pattern for knitted umbrella stroller handle covers

Here's a nice easy pattern for making knitted handle covers for your umbrella stroller. You will need to know how to knit in the round on double pointed needles. This is a pretty forgiving project if you want to try working in the round, but aren't sure of your skills yet.

I make my covers out of worsted weight cotton yarn, like Lily's Sugar N Cream or Bernat Handicrafter. I have never tried acrylic yarn, so I can't say how that will hold up. I have also used a wool and soy blend worsted weight yarn, like this:

I also make handle coveres out of sock yarn, which is great for warm cozy handles in the winter. Maybe I'll post that pattern another day!

This pattern hasn't been tested by anyone other than me, so let me know if it works or if you need any assistance.

Here's what you need:
*A small ball of worsted weight cotton yarn, or a small amount of different colors if you're making stripes
*Size 8 dpns

Abbreviations:
CO = cast on
K = knit
P = purl
BO = bind off

My gauge is about 4 stitches and 6 rows per inch

PATTERN

CO 12

Round 1: K1 P1 to end of round

Rounds 2-10: Continue in K1P1 ribbing (working in the round, knit the knits and purl the purls)

Rounds 11-50: K

Rounds 51- 60: K1P1 to end of round

BO

I like to use self-striping yarn or make my own stripes, like these:

If you like what you see, but would rather buy them instead of make them, both the covers shown, plus a variety of crocheted stroller handle covers, are available in my shop, justyarning.etsy.com

Let me know how your projects turn out!

Pineapple baby blanket

I spent the weekend making loads of toy nets and the constant crocheting seemed to clear my head and allowed me to focus on what I wanted to make next.
And the winner is....
Pineapples!
Sneak peek!:

 

This is so awesome. I've never made crocheted pineapples before, but this was super easy. This was one of my mom's favorite type of stitches.
I found this pattern for a pineapple square in my handy dandy Harmony Guide to Crochet Stitches. It has 17 rounds, but I figured out how to just keep making the shells (called V-stitches in the book) to enlarge the square.
So far it's looks a bit like an oversized white doily, but I plan to correct that with some special touches. Here's a wider shot:

Not sure if I'm sticking with white or adding in some pink, but I'll probably try to figure out a way to work a ribbon in there somewhere. I can see this as a perfect blanket to wrap around baby at a baptism. I actually made my youngest's christening gown out of filet crochet. It took me forever, but it was gorgeous. This is a much faster project, but I think it still evokes an elegant feel ideal for a church ceremony.

My only question is how to make it lay flat. Does anyone out there have any suggestions? I used acrylic yarn. Pretty much the shell parts lays flat, but the pineapples and surrounding area want to puff up, as you can see in this pic:

 

Cheetah yarn!

Get ready for this: I have found a yarn that works up in cheetah print!
It is called Stylecraft Safari Chunky and I found it in the Herrschners catalog, which conveniently landed in my mailbox for the first time a few days ago. Lucky me!
Everyone knows about self-striping yarn that works up into a fake fair isle or rosebuds, but this makes a cheetah animal print pattern. Well, actually it's called leopard, but it's cheetah to me.
I will totally buy this if I can come up with a suitable pattern to make for my 5-year-old, who loves all things cheetah print. It doesn't even have to be pink or purple. She loves regular cheetah color. And zebra, of course. (Note to Stylecraft -- please make this yarn in zebra!)
Here's a link to the yarn: http://www.herrschners.com/Product/Stylecraft+Safari+Chunky.aspx
I'm new to blogging, so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to copy and paste a photo of the yarn on here (copyright??), but the link takes you right to it. Very cool. The catalog shows a pic of a sweater made with this yarn, but the Web site just shows a swatch.

After spending many enjoyable minutes looking at patterns and cool yarn in the Herrschners catalog, I made another discovery. I have all my mom's old knitting and crochet books and magazines and while rooting through a crate that had been hiding in my closet I found The New Knitting Dictionary by Rhoda Ochser Goldberg, which is now not so new since it was published in 1984.

This book is a treasure trove of 1,000 stitch patterns. That's ONE THOUSAND!!! I'm in heaven! There are all sorts of cables and lace patterns and just everything in there. What I think of as the owl cable is actually called the reverse horseshoe cable. Who knew? I have no idea if this book is still in print, but it would make a great reference for any knitter. I am at a loss where to begin, though. I want to crochet another baby afghan, but I also want to knit some fingerless gloves or mittens with one of the stitches from the book. Oooh -- and maybe a lacy baby blanket. Or socks, boot toppers, a cowl, a scarf or maybe a scarf. I could go on.
While deciding, I've been making toy nets and striped boot toppers. Although, I think the pineapple centered baby blanket is next on the list...

New crochet baby blanket

Yay! It's done!
I have been working on this new baby blanket for a while now and spent the last two days on the edging alone. The five rounds of edging took almost an entire ball of yarn. Wow.
The edging is the same as my previous blanket, but the body is made with the strawberry lace stitch instead of shells and v-stitches. Plus, this one is longer.
Here's another view of the stitch, which I found in the book, The Harmony Guide to Crochet Stitches:

I am so pleased with it and listed it in my Etsy shop today. Now, of course, I'm ready to start on the next project. So many ideas, where to start?
I am either going to:
a. Make a big pineapple square with rounds and rounds of pretty edging
b. Crochet a big block with a script initial in the center, also with rounds of pretty edging
c. Replicate this gorgeous blanket, but in solid pink

Ugh. They all sound perfect.
Of course, these are all fancy baby girl styles.
I'm taking a break from baby boy blankets as a result of the blue, white and green wavy striped blanket I have listed. I like it, but it is getting no love. I need to rethink the boy blanket thing. Maybe something without pastels??

Anyway, if anyone out there sees this and knows of a great crochet edging book, please pass the name along. I would love some more options. Thanks!

Oh, if anyone is interested in this blanket, here's the link to my Etsy shop and the listing for the blanket: https://www.etsy.com/listing/111152107/handmade-crochet-baby-blanket-with-lacy