I love to hear and see what others are doing with HeartStrings patterns. How appropriate at this time of year to feature Mary Love in today’s Friends of HeartStrings Gallery with her pet bunny, Dusty, and the little knitted bunny she made as a beginner knitter. I think she did a great job, don’t you?!
Mary wrote:
I stumbled upon your site when I was searching for an easy toy pattern.
I just started knitting at the beginning of the year and joined a knitting group. They want to make toys to donate, and I thought this might be beyond my new beginner skills. So, you can’t imagine how happy I was to find your bunny pattern! It’s great! So simple, and I like the realistic shape of the rabbit. Even our pet bunny Dusty liked it as you can see in the photos … I’m going to try another one using a softer yarn.
Thanks again for this great pattern! I’ll check out more of the treasures on your site!
How cute is this?! Thank you so much, Mary, for sharing. Dusty is just precious, and so is your little knitted bunny.
I posted last fall about a childhood activity that apparently had far-reaching effects on me, even though I didn’t really remember it from that young of an age. Do you recall the article about the “Cotton Sheep”? I had titled the article childhood memorabilia for a fiber-y future.
Anyway, I have wanted to revisit with you about thoughts of how we can help our children and grandchildren to be instilled with a love of the fiber arts and crafts at a young age.
Do you remember crafts that you were introduced to at a young age? My earliest recollection was playing with sewing cards while my grandmother guided me in various stitches I could do. I am going to guess that I was 3 – 4 years old at the time because prior to 3 years is a blank memory. And I could not have been older than that because I remember that I was not yet attending kindergarten.
I don’t have any of those sewing cards around any longer to take a photo, but I did find this link for some that were similar to mine.
Of course, you also could make some simple sewing cards from some heavy cardboard and hole punch. For example, check out this article at ehow:
And even if your roots were not in fiber-y / crafty things at a young age, do you have favorite children’s crafts that you like to use in encouraging the fiber arts now?
Another suggestion I have for when motor control and attention span is established well enough (usually 7 – 8 years), is to introduce children to knitting or crochet. Here’s my favorite for a knitted bunny.
Bunny from a Square
The instructions are for beginning with a stockinette stitch square. But the bunny can also be made with a simple garter stitch square so that even the most basic beginner knitter can enjoy. My “chocolate bunny” below is an example in garter stitch:
Chocolate bunny in garter stitch
Children can be so creative, so don’t squelch that by limiting the color or size. Even flopppy ears or crouching bunny are all welcome and give each little bunny its own personality.
Each bunny has its own personality
Adults have a lot of fun making these bunnies, too. So, if you know someone who is just starting to learn to knit, send them on over to the HeartStringsFiberArts.com website to get the free pattern.
Krewe of Cork parading in the French Quarter, one of many fun events during Mardi Gras season in New Orleans
Happy Mardi Gras to everyone. Today (Fat Tuesday) is the finale to the giant annual party in New Orleans. Having lived in New Orleans for 40 years, I no longer try to make every event. But this year I did enjoy more days (and nights) than I had in many years. The good weather (other than last Saturday and somewhat today) probably contributed to my enthusiasm for parade-going, people-watching, and generally being in a festive spirit. I did take some photos and videos now and then, and will sort through those later for some possible gems to blog about in the future . But mostly I just partied and enjoyed the moment.
It’s going to be tough to get back to “real work” tomorrow. But today it is a real pleasure to announce the winner of the Mardi Gras Viewer’s Choice Contest over at the HeartStrings FiberArts Facebook fan page. Congratulations to contest winner Dena Rauch with her “Chinese New Year Bunnies go to Mardi Gras”. Dena wrote, “I have wanted to knit up Knitted Bunny for a very long time and this was the perfect excuse”. The fun creativity that Dena showed in matching the theme of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit together with the traditional purple, green and gold colors of Mardi Gras was obviously admired and had a wide lead in the number of “like” votes cast. Aren’t they just too cute?
Chinese New Year Bunnies go to Mardi Gras by Dena Rauch, winner of the Mardi Gras Viewer's Choice Contest
Thanks to everyone else, too, who participated, whether by entering and/or voting, and commenting. I hope everyone had fun. Let me know what else you’d like to do for future fun events.
p.p.s. If you are just now dropping in and had not yet found the HeartStrings FiberArts Facebook fan page, hop on over there now and “like” to stay in touch. We’d love to have you join us.
Related Images:
Behind the scenes with Jackie E-S and life at the HeartStrings FiberArts studio.
