the mr. and his scarf

Go check out the scarf I finished knitting for the Mr...

alipyper.com

The Incredible Power of Handwork

I was deeply touched by this short clip of Renate Hiller, co-director of the Fiber Craft Studio at the Threefold Educational Center in Chestnut Ridge, New York, who speaks on the transcendent and meditative qualities of creating with our hands and the importance of using natural and beautiful fibers in our work.

To quote from the video clip:

"...in handwork, in transforming nature we also make something truly unique that we have made with our hands, stitch by stitch, that maybe we have chosen the yarn, we have even spun the yarn — even better, and that we have designed. And when I do that, I feel whole. I feel I am experiencing my inner core because it’s a meditative process. You have to find your way; you have to listen with your whole being. And that is the schooling that we all need today. Because we’re so egocentric and this makes us think of what is needed by something else. So we are in a way practicing empathy — empathy with the material, empathy with the design. I think this practicing of empathy that we do in the fiber crafts is paramount for being healing to our world. And it’s a service for the divine that we are surrounded by."

Thank you Amanda!

Christmas Granny Squares and Harmony in Provo

A brand new fabric, knit, and gift shop is opening in a historic house in downtown Provo this weekend! It's very exciting, especially since I will be teaching some crochet classes in the new shop! Laura Harmon and her amazingly talented daughters are opening up Harmony at 315 E. Center Street in Provo this Friday September 14th.
 

www.harmonyprovo.com

Isn't it kind of funny that during Rivalry Week (BYU plays against the U of U this Saturday in football) that we're going to get some Harmony in Provo??


I'll be teaching an Intro to Crochet class, which will be a small class to allow lots of one-on-one help for beginners, and a Granny Squares class where I'll teach lots of great tricks to update this iconic classic crochet motif! It is going to be so much fun! Stop by this weekend to sign up and check out this amazing new shop.

I've decided to crochet a Christmas Granny Squares afghan as part of the Granny Squares class. The other week {G} was horrified that I had already started planning what I wanted to make for Christmas, but with hand-crafted gifts you have to start early! I'm really, really excited about how this afghan is going to turn out and super excited about Harmony!

Knit Mary Jane Booties

One of my very favorite knit bootie patterns is a free, vintage inspired Mary Jane Bootie pattern from Hadley Fierlinger of She's Crafty (her blog is here). It's a classic design, it knits up fast and lovely every time, and it's perfect for baby boys or girls. I've been knitting a LOT of these little things lately!

The pattern can be a little bit confusing, especially if you're a new knitter, so I've done up a supplemental pattern sheet for each available size to help keep things straight while you're knitting.

Before you download my supplemental help sheet below, please visit Hadley's blog to download her free pattern. Then come back and download my help sheet for the size you're interested in. Let me know how it goes!

Mary Jane Bootie 0-3m Help Sheet
Mary Jane Bootie 3-6m Help Sheet
Mary Jane Bootie 6-12m Help Sheet

Temple (Cricket) Vest

My Dad wanted a white vest to wear so he wouldn't get chilled when he's in the Provo Temple. My parents went out shopping to try and find one, but couldn't. While they were shopping my Dad said to my Mom, "Why are we shopping for a vest when Allison could knit one for me?!"

Card by BlondeDesigns

We found some 100% worsted weight white wool at a very reasonable price and I adjusted a free pattern I found on Ravelry.com. It didn't get done until his birthday at the beginning of February, but my Dad is happy as a clam about it.

My dear knitting friend who is from Australia said to me when I showed her what I was working on, "Oh, your Dad could wear it to play cricket!" I had a laugh thinking of my 78 year old Dad playing cricket in the temple. Hee, hee!

Sure Love Ya!

My Grandmother Mangum's favorite endearment was "Sure love ya!"

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day with lots of love!

Knit heart with banner adapted from this free pattern.

Pixie Cable Hat Pattern

Did you know that I've finally finished my knit Pixie Cable Hat pattern?! I'm so excited to finally have it available for PDF download in my Etsy or Ravelry dowload shop! It's a very vintage-y feeling hat to keep a little one's ears warm. Don't let the cables fool you! It's very easy to knit!

Picot Edge Fingerless Gloves

These are headed to the UK for a dear friend. A thoroughly satisfying quick knit! Check out my Ravelry project page for how I adjusted the free pattern.

Hand Knit Christmas Stockings

Garnet Hill

 I must confess that I am partial to homemade Christmas stockings. My mother made all eight of our Christmas stockings growing up. I love my elves with the pipe cleaner limbs!

Sugar Plum Stocking Pattern from Knitting Today Magazine

One year after {K} was born, I was desperate to have a matching set of stockings for all of us, so I took what I had in my stash, made some simple stockings and embroidered our names on them. They are great, but I've been longing to make a set of stockings that I really love!

Sundance Catalog

Several years ago I saw some colorful striped knit Christmas stockings at JCrew and I've wanted to knit a set of my own Christmas stockings ever since. Of course, I remember I want to do this when the Christmas decorations come out after Thanksgiving and there is never enough time to knit by then!

Land of Nod

Hopefully by next year I'll have a set of hand knit stockings to pass to my children!

Vintage and Stash Stockings

11.11.11

Free Knit Pattern

 Thank you to all the veterans that continue to allow us the freedom to vote, to worship, to work, to bake, to craft, to create, to sell, to enjoy, to play, and to be.

A Thank You Gift Beyond Words

A dear friend gave me the loveliest thank you gift on Monday. It was WAY too generous, and completely unnecessary, but I am tickled beyond words! The silky soft Liberty of London fabric and the Koigu 100% Merino Wool fingering yarn purchased from Purl Soho in NYC are stunningly beautiful and I am all a-twitter with anticipation and delight at what to make with them!

I've been wasting precious time researching today on Pinterest (the time-sucking void of delicious ideas and pictures) for a summer hexagon quilt for my bed. Our duvet and down comforter is WAY too hot for summer, so I'd like a lighter quilt during the hot season. I won't get to a quilt until the new year, but I'm so excited at the possibilities!

I think that I'll make some finger-less gloves with the yarn. Won't that be colorful and fun during the drab winter?!

I'm so grateful for this unexpected gift!

Pixie Cable Hat and Booties

Introducing my 

Pixie Cable Hat

and

Cable Mary Janes!

I've been working on the pattern all spring and summer and I'm making the final revisions right now. Look for the knitting pattern and custom knits for infants available in my shop soon!

Pictures by Carissa Rasmussen for alipyper.
Thank you Carissa!!

Scarves 4 Japan

{G} and I are each going to knit an adult scarf to send to Japan. {G} has already started hers...2 x 2 rib that she figured out how to do on her own! Isn't she so smart?!

I haven't decided how I'll knit mine. Nothing super complicated - that's not the point.

If you're interested in knitting a simple scarf yourself, here is the link with more information, or click the link below or on my sidebar. This is a great project to do with your kids or youth group and it would be a nice way to give back during the upcoming Holiday season!

Baby Knit Love

The dear procreating friends that I mentioned before sent/alerted me of pictures taken of their new little ones in the vest and booties I knit for them. I can't tell you how lovely it is to see these sweet little babies in handmade goodness!

Thank you, thank you for the pictures!!

Casting {On}

I've been doing a lot of casting {on}.

 Just like the Mr. and the children.

It was cold at the lake on Saturday, but the cool, crisp autumn air was beautiful.

The fish were NOT biting. But everybody got lots of casting practice.

Me too. I've been working out some knitting patterns, so I've been doing A LOT of casting {on}. I'm so close to finishing up the pattens and getting them into my shop! Stay tuned...

Knit Baby Shower Gifts

I'm always on the hunt for a darling pattern that I can crochet or knit into a meaningful baby shower gift. Hadley Fierlinger's gorgeous mary jane bootie pattern is a favorite of mine because it knits up fast and easy and the finished booties turn out super lovely. The pattern also works well for boys or girls - I just knit in a yummy brown color for the boys. This pattern calls for a 4-ply fingering weight yarn, and my favorite to use is Dale of Norway's Baby Ull 100% merino wool.

I found this lovely little knit vest pattern on Ravelry by Georgie Hallam (or visit her blog), which knits up into a super hip baby/kids vest, but the pattern calls for a DK/8-ply yarn. I wanted to use the Baby Ull yarn (so it would match perfectly to the baby booties) so I knit the 9 month pattern size using the Baby Ull yarn on a size 3 needle and the sizing came out perfectly! I was hoping that both the booties and vest would only use up 1 50g skein of yarn, but it needed a little bit more. So I adjusted the vest pattern a little so that it uses less yarn.

Knitting the vest without the addition garter stitch portion below the armholes did the trick. These are being packed and shipped off to dear procreating friends!

Aren't they yummy?