Update on bonnet from yesterday

Finished the Petal bonnet last night (apart from the ribbons) once again it is being modeled by Ms Yellow Balloon.

Only slight adaptations to the pattern - to make it a little larger.

Love the way the pattern forms a pretty flower / star at the back.

Sweet pretty things

White satin and stiff white tulle ...
has to be either a tutu OR something Bridal - and it is the latter. Am working on a vintage wedding dress - practically a complete re-make - and that is part of the petticoat. Petticoats are great things and they can work miracles - this one is helping to turn a sad old nylon frock into something very pretty and "ballerina". And the long Ballet costume would've been this frock's original inspiration. Another lesson in the importance of underpinnings!

I've also been knitting lots of head-wear of late - this beret for myself and made to match a micro-cardigan I'd made from the same yarns - Colinette yarns "Iona" and "Giotto" - my own pattern, the tip is a series of wedges using lots of short-rows.













Unfortunately, my daughter has adopted / acquired / stolen the micro cardigan ... well it did look great on her (big sigh!) so now I have the beret and nothing to wear it with. Does this sound like a good excuse to purchase more Colinette yarn so I can make myself another cardigan ?

Last week I found some inexpensive angora yarn in Lincraft - Amazing! angora is usually completely unaffordable which is sad as I have lots of lovely vintage knitting patterns for the soft fluffy bunny stuff ... so when I saw this reasonably priced angora - decent quality - limited range of colours except in purple (there were 3 shades of purple - fine by me!) well I pounced and as there has been a mini baby boom in our street with 2 new little girls in less than 3weeks ... Perfect.

Out came the vintage patterns and this one is done except for the ribbons -Excuse the yellow balloon - was the closest approximation to a baby's head I could find! The pattern says to knit it in plain ole' stocking stitch which is boring - so I used a lace stitch called "cloisters".
I do love a bonnet with a pie-crust flange at the back like that - makes them look very Victorian :-)






The 2nd bonnet is (so-far) following the pattern almost exactly ...

More Kitten Ears

According to Coco Chanel, a Lady can never have too many silk blouses (not an exact quote but then, she would've said it in French) and according to me a baby granddaughter can never have too many Kitten Ear Bonnets :-)

This one is from a wonderful Bernat pattern dated 1963, the yarn is Bendigo Woolen Mills Alpacca Rich in the rose colour. Unfortunately my granddaughter lives interstate so I had to find another model - this is a very old teddy bear, looking rather like a chihuahua!


The pattern is very cute with a panel of Moss St through the centre and the ears are - well - they could be little devil horns! guess it'll depend on the wearer ... when she is good they'll be kitten ears and when she is naughty ...

Kitten Ears

Who could resist knitting some Kitten Ears for their granddaughter?



This is a vintage (1950s?) pattern - Paragon brand (from New Zealand) and they call this a "Bunny Bonnet" - well it doesn't look like much laid flat but when put on a round head the points become ears - not quite large enough for a bunny really, more like a kitten or possum. I did adapt very slightly by making a button-up, under-chin strap instead of ribbon ties. My daughter is phobic about long ribbons near baby necks - I quite see her point! and it is amazing - nearly every knitting pattern for babies (new and vintage) features ribbon ties.

The yarn was left over from teh outfit I made for the 4th "Knitting for Blythe" swap on Ravelry ... (I must post you some photos) anyways, it is a self-patterning sock yarn called "Jigsaw".