W.J. Mowzer

Mr. W.J. Mowzer is destined for Josh's cousin's new baby. When said cousin was little, Josh used to scare the bajeebies out of her with a little white mouse. He'd hand it to her and she'd shake all over and get creeped out. Since she had a baby of her own last week, I thought I'd make a new white mouse for her.

Hook Size: F hook
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in white, a small amount of pink and gray

Note: The first stitch of each round will be worked into the same st as join.

Gauge: Does not matter. Just make sure your stitches are tight so the stuffing will stay inside.

Body:
Make an adjustable ring, and sc 8 into ring. Join with slst to first sc. Ch 1. Pull to tighten.
Round 1: 2 sc in each (16 sc) Join. Ch 1.
Round 2 and 3: work evenly, join, ch 1.
Round 4: (2 sc, sc 7) twice. Join, ch 1. (18 sc)
Round 5 and 6: work evenly, join, ch 1.
Round 7: (2 sc, sc 8) twice. Join, ch 1. (20 sc)
Round 8 and 9: work evenly, join, ch 1.
Round 10: (2 sc, sc 9) twice. Join, ch 1. (22 sc)
Round 11: work evenly, join, ch 1.
Round 12: (2 sc, sc 10) twice. Join, ch 1. (24 sc)
Round 13: rep R 11.
Round 14: (2 sc, sc 11) twice. Join, ch 1. (26 sc)
Round 15: rep R 11.
Round 16: (2 sc, sc 12) twice. Join, ch 1. (28 sc)
Round 17: Rep R 11.
Round 18: (2 sc, sc 13) twice. Join, ch 1. (30 sc)
Round 19: Rep R 11.
Round 20: (2 sc, sc 14) twice. Join, ch 1. (32 sc)
Round 21: rep R 11.
Round 22: (2 sc, sc 15) twice. Join, ch 1. (34 sc)
Round 23: rep R 11.
Round 24: (sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog, sc 9) twice. Join, ch 1. (30sc)
Round 25: (sc2tog, sc 3) rep around. Join and fasten off. Weave in ends and stuff with fiberfill or yarn scraps.

Base:
Make an adjustable ring, and sc 6 into ring. Join with slst to first sc. Ch 1. Pull to tighten.
Round 1: 2 sc in ea. (12 sc)
Round 2: (2 sc, sc 1) 5 times. Join, ch 1. (18 sc)
Round 3: 3 sc in first, sc 4, 3 sc in next, sc 3, 3 sc in next, sc 4, 3 sc in next, sc 3. Join, ch 1.
Round 4: sc 1, 3 sc in next, sc 6, 3 sc in next, sc 5, 3 sc in next, sc 6, 3 sc in next, sc 4. Join. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.
Position base over opening in body. With a yarn needle, whipstitch base to body. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Ears:
Make an adjustable ring, and sc 4 into ring. Ch 1. Turn
Row 1: 2 sc in ea. ch 1, turn. (8 sc)
Row 2: sc 2, (hdc, dc) in next, 2 dc in next 2 sts, (dc, hdc) in next, sc 2. ch 1, turn. (4 sc, 2 hdc, 6 dc)
Row 3: sc 1, 2 sc in next, sc 1, (hdc, dc) in next, dc 4, (dc, hdc) in next, sc 1, 2 sc in next, sc 1 switching to white yarn. Ch 1 Turn.
Row 4: Working over tails of pink and white yarn, 2 sc in first, sc in each to last, 2 sc in last. Do not ch 1. Turn (pulling on the pink and white yarn tails that you worked over will help cup the ear and give it more shape.)
Row 5: Slst into ea st. Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing.
Whipstitch ears to sides of head.

Tail: with white
At back of body, near basein the middle, attach yarn, leaving at least a 6” tail. Ch 35, wrapping long tail over working yarn before making each chain. With both ends tie a double overhand knot. (cross ends, pass one end around and through twice, pull tight) Cut end.

Face:
Pull a double strand of gray yarn through a spot for the nose. Tie two double overhand knots for nose. Tie overhand knots into yarn at desired length away from nose. Cut yarn off after knot. Using gray yarn and a yarn needle, make two French knots for eyes.

Haven't tested it yet, except for the second ear. Let me know if anything is amiss.

Birthday parties.....

I've had the week off from work, sort of a spring vacay, and it couldn't have come at a better time. My daughter turns 9 today(!!!) and four little girls are coming over to spend the night tonight (!!!) so I've been busy cleaning and cleaning and sorting and dumping and setting aside and rearranging. It's been nice to be home, I don't know when I would have got all this done if I'd had to work too. But, that's all the news for today. It's too cold out and I want warm spring breezes to tussle my hair as I sit barefoot on my porch drinking coffee in the morning.

Tatiana Sweater

So here's some pictures of my Tatiana Sweater designed by the wonderfully talented Marly Bird.











It turned out great and I'm thrilled to pieces with it! Thanks to Marly for a great pattern!

ramblings - distracted by the sunshine

I finally got my hat pattern typed out and ready to download as soon as I take some pictures. But that requires batteries for the camera, so.... I also got my Tatiana sweater finished. YAY! I'll be wearing it this weekend. Josh and I are going to Kobe Steak House of Japan in Peoria and then to see Ralphie May at the Civic Center all to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary. Can't believe we've made it ten years. It really goes by in a flash.

I've not had anything inspire me yet on a new pattern idea, but maybe I'll rummage around on some clothing sights and see what I can see. I'd like to design more for boys as there's not a whole lot out there.

This will be a short one. I'm having a hard time concentrating with the sun shining through the window. I almost forgot how nice the sun feels warming my pale dry winter skin. I've never wished for summer so much as this year.

Blocked hat and gulp - knitting socks...

The hat is blocked and finished. I wore it out today and just loved the drapey-ness that the wool took on after blocking. I was almost upset with the sort of stiff way it was laying against my head, but a cold water dunk and a night stretched over a balloon, and wonders never cease. Now to finish typing out the pattern. I hope I can figure out my chicken scratches.

Also finishing up work on the Tatiana Sweater from Interweave Crochet. I'm working on the ribbing for the sleeves and bottom hem. I just have to sew them on and weave in my ends(blech!) and sew on some buttons. YAY!

I went to Joann's on Saturday with kids in tow and was lured by the "Buy One Get One Half Price" Sale they were having on sock yarn. So I bought two skeins of Red Heart Heart and Sole in the Razzle Dazzle colorway and a set of number 2 DPN's (double pointed needles) and have the top of a sock underway. Knitting in the round on DPN's is proving to be just the challenge these nimble little fingers were looking for, but the cast on nearly pushed me over the edge. That finished I've been merrily knitting away in 2x2 ribbing. I'll be happy with the next stage, but after that comes "dividing for the heel flap" or some such eerie lingo and that scares the bajeebies outta me. But, I must have something to challenge my brain, or it will just turn to mush.

I think that's what I like about the crochet/knitting arts. Just when you thought you've got everything down pat, you turn the page and discover something new. Like my fascination with hairpin lace this past summer. I had inherited this contraption from my husband's great grandmother upon her passing and I had no NO idea what it could be. Fast forward to an episode of Knit and Crochet Today where they are featuring Hairpin Lace. Cut to my face filled with awe and wonderment, "So THAT's what that thing is for?" Three scarves later, I've got the logistics down and went back to the regularly scheduled program of crochet, but I have a project filed away in my head. With new techniques or patterns to challenge every skill degree, you can never get bored with it. Which is my trouble with so much stuff. I become enamored until I've sufficiently conquered it and then I must find a new gijamawatsit to hold my attention. So far, I've not become bored. I don't think I'll ever be. I still have a loooooooong way to go before I'm ever as good as I want to be at knitting, and then there's spinning and dying and all that comes with that, and never enough hours in the day to devote to this craft that has lured me in so subtly......

help??