Spool Knitted Valentine

 Spool knitted Bunny Valentine

The Yahoo Spoolknitting Group recently had a Two-in-One competition in celebration of their fourth year as a group and Valentine's Day. To join the competition, group members had to create a group Anniversary/Valentine card that incorporated some type of spool knitting. I'm elated to announce that out of all the wonderful entries, my Bunny Valentine (pictured above) was the winning entry and this is what I won (isn't she gorgeous?):

Elodie Rouge French Knitter

Components of The Bunny Valentine were created by manipulating I-cords knitted on the Knifty Knitter Spool Loom and using fabric adhesive to attach them to decorative card stock. Here is a breakdown of the yarn and the number of pegs used for each component:

• Celtic hearts border: sports weight yarn in rose knitted on four pegs.
• Bunny: white bouclé yarn; body & head done on five pegs using combination e-wrap & flat knit; legs, arms & ears were done on two pegs. Eyes & heart were embroidered with a French Knot nose added.
• Rose bud: red worsted weight knit as a flat panel on four pegs.
• Rose leaves: green worsted weight wool knit as flat panel using four pegs & decreasing to one peg.
• Rose stem & Violet stem: green worsted weight wool on two pegs.
• Violets: worsted weight yarn in blue/purple done on three pegs, knitted for 3 inches, joined in a "doughnut" circle, gathered in the center of the circle and add a yellow French knot in the center.

I would like to take a moment to thank two special ladies who promote the art of spool knitting. First of all, a big "thank you" to Marion Clark (aka Maz), our fearless group leader, for organizing the competitions and maintaining the Yahoo Spoolknitting Group. Be sure and drop by Maz's blog, Spool Knitter for more information on spool knitting. Last, but definitely not least, I would like to thank Noreen Crone-Findlay, a renown fiber artist (Tottie Talks Crafts & Crone-Findlay Creations), and owner of the Yahoo Spoolknitting Group. Noreen, whose creativity is boundless, has been instrumental in reviving an interest in spool knitting over the years. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Now give someone you love a hug!

Love is in the air

After having fun with the Lovebugs, here are a few more Double Hearts projects for Valentine's Day. The first super simple project (actually more of an idea than a project) features two of the medium-sized Double Hearts attached to an I-cord. Doing this allows you to use a Lark's Head Knot and attach them wherever you like. A full explanation of the the medium-sized Double Hearts, I-cord and Lark's Head Knot are included in a modified pattern call Heartstrings.

My good friend Althea Burger sent me two more Valentine projects that she created using the Double Hearts pattern, too. The first isn't a new pattern at all, but a modification of two previous patterns, the Double Hearts and Ghost Angel.  Here the Valentine Angel is knitted in pink and features the matching pink Double Hearts for her wings and a red heart for the heart in her hands. 

Althea's other creation using the Double hearts is called Love Birds. Below are pictures of two different versions of the Love Birds, along with Althea's directions for making them.

Lovebirds on the Loom

Materials:

• Pink or red "Double Heart"
• 2 plastic eggs 2.35 inches
• Knifty Knitter Flower Loom 12 pegs
• Small amount of white 4 ply yarn (the yarn I used with silver thread though it does not stretch well on the loom and I don't recommend it, but it's pretty)
• Small amount of gold or yellow 4 ply yarn for beak.
• Small amount of black 4 ply yarn for eyes.
• 2 Styrofoam balls 1 inch (25 mm)
• Yarn Needle

Body

• Use flower loom and drawstring cast on. Knit for 10 rows and cinch the CO edge closed. Hide ends.
• Knit for 18 more rows leave 12 inch tail. Use yarn needle to remove from loom and place the plastic egg and a Styrofoam ball inside piece before drawing up the end. The Styrofoam ball for the head should rest on top the larger end of the egg. Do not cut yarn.

Head

Use the tail of yarn from the body and yarn needle to thread yarn through piece, up and under ball and around it to make the neck. Draw it up tight and tie off.

Tail

• Cut 15 inch piece of yarn (if using yarn with silver thread though it, remove silver strand first). Fold the yarn in half twice. 
• Use small amount of yarn to tie the folded pieces in the center. 
• Sew this to the smaller end of egg for the tail. Cut the loops. 
• Use needle to separate yarn strands to make them fluff. Trim to whatever length you want. 
• Do the same with a smaller piece of yarn for the top of the head. Fluff that too.

Beak

Use gold or yellow and just sew a few stitches on bird's face and then using same piece of yarn sew other bird's beak (so they are attached and look like they are kissing). Tie off.

Eyes

Use a small piece of black yarn, separate it into 2 ply strands and make French knots or you can leave the faces blank or even make eyes with a black marker. I found I can hide my yarn ends by pushing the yarn needle right through the Styrofoam ball and cut off excess yarn.

Heart

Make red or pink Double Heart from pattern and add to front of birds. You could attach it with yarn or glue it. It should also help the birds to stand up.

May your Valentine's Day be filled with lots of crafty love!