Wonton anyone?

When we were deciding on getting kittens right away I started looking for unique patterns for cat nip filled toys that no other cat around this neighbourhood would have.  That is when I stumbled upon a cat nip filled wonton toy.  I immediately fell in love with this pattern because I love the idea of it being a food item made into a heavenly cat nip filled treat for cats.  The one problem I ran into is that the finished product was way too large for my 3 month old kittens so I gave them to my friend who has 2 fully grown sweet heart of cats.  I hear that they really enjoy them and are asking for more! 


This pattern was founded by Julie

Wonton
SIZE
One size fills all.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Unfinished: 5 inch square. Finished: 2.5 inch triangular wonton shape
MATERIALS
Plymouth Encore [75% acrylic, 25% wool; 200yd/m per 100g skein] ; color: 256 [cream]; 1 skein [or scrap yarn totaling 18 yards]      - I used Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Ultrasoft (100% cotton); Worsted weight; 50 gr (1 3/4 oz.).  Colour white 1 set US #5/3.75mm straight needles cotton balls, yarn scraps, of fabric bits for stuffing catnip tapestry or yarn needle
GAUGE
24 sts/30 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch  My gauge; 20 sts/26 rows  A note about gauge: For goodness sake, do not go out and buy yarn for these projects if you have any sort of stash. These are perfect projects for using up the yarn at the end of a skein. If you don't have worsted weight yarn like I used, don't fret. You can still follow the pattern, though you may end up with a slightly smaller or larger cat toy. The important thing is to make sure the gauge is much firmer than is normally required for the yarn you are using. If you knit these projects in the normal gauge for the yarn, your cat toys will be too loose and you will end up with catnip all over the floor. The yarn I used normally calls for US size #8 needles and a gauge of 20 sts = 4". As long as you are knitting these projects in a tight gauge, go ahead and use whatever yarn you've got.
I used the same size of needle mentioned above in this gauge and found it to work out rather nicely.
DIRECTIONS
CO 30 sts. Work in St st for 35 rows, or until piece measures as tall as it is wide. BO all sts.
An easy way to see if you have a square is to bring the left corner of your work up towards the right side of the needle where you are working.  Without pulling or stretching if it reaches nicely and measures across the top and sides and is even then bind off.  If it doesn't reach do another row and test again.  Do this until it is even. See my attempt at an illustration below.					.
FINISHING
Fold your square diagonally to form a triangle. Sew the seam up one side of the triangle. Pour a little bit of catnip into the triangle, then put some of your stuffing on top, and add more catnip. Being careful not to dump catnip into your lap, sew the other side of the triangle closed. Pull the far corners of the triangle together to form wonton shape. Hold the corners together while you sew them together, working your needle on the "inside" of the corners so your stitching won't be visible.  Checking for a perfect square

Needle Conversion Chart

When I was reading through patterns they either use US or Metric when making reference to the size of needle required for the project.  I began getting frustrated when my needles only had either the US size or the Metric size and I would have to try and figure out what size of needle I had to see if i could do my project.  Then my life became easier when I found this handy needle conversion chart.  I would simply just look up what needle size I had if the pattern was asking for the metric sizing, or vice versa. Below is the conversion chart that saved me time.  Enjoy!

A handy knitting needle conversion chart for converting US, UK, and metric size knitting needles.

US        Metric                      UK
0                      2                           14

1                      2.25                       13

                        2.5

2                      2.75                       12

                        3                           11

3                      3.25                       10

4                      3.5

5                      3.75                        9

                        4                            8

6                      4.25

7                      4.5                          7

8                      5                             6

9                      5.5                          5

10                    6                             4

10.5                 6.5                           3

                        7                             2 

                        7.5                          1

11                    8                             0

13                    9                             00

15                    10                           000

MP3 Case

A slight modification (make it a few stitches bigger) with the cell phone case and voila a music player cozy is complete.  This one has a super cute flower which i knitted as well!  This was my first ever flower and I know now that I can make ones much nicer now that I have more experience knitting.

FLOWER KNITTING PATTERN
This pattern I found online; compliments of Julie

Materials: Using 2.25mm (USA size 1, UK/Canadian size 13) needles and 4 ply yarn
Pattern:
cast on 5 stitches
row 1: **slip 1, knit 3. turn leaving remaining stitch unworked
row 2: purl 3, turn leaving remaining stitch unworked
row 3: knit 3, turn leaving remaining stitch unworked
row 4: purl 3, turn leaving remaining stitch unworked
row 5: knit 4
row 6: purl 2 together, purl 1, purl 2 together (3 stitches)
row 7: knit 1, knit 2 together and pass first stitch over to give 1 stitch on needle
Use this stitch to cast on 4 more stitches (5 in total) and repeat from ** to give desired number of petals (3, 4 or 5)
If you'd like a larger flower then simply cast on 7 stitches and follow the same principle of working only on the centre 5 stitches for the first 6 rows and then decreasing by knitting 2 stitches together at both ends of the following rows until you have a single stitch again. Repeat for the desired number of petals.
To finish:
thread end through last remaining stitch and then gather up the middle of the flower by catching up  2 stitches the from base of each ‘petal’, pulling up tight and tying off the ends.
Attach to article and sew a contrasting french knot / button / felt circle in the centre of flower.
Working on the middle stitches only gives the ‘petal’ a natural curl. Once the flower is finished you can choose to curl petals up or down.

Another Cell Phone Case

Here is another cell phone case I made.  Im not sure if I still have to pattern for these ones in particular, but if I find it I will post it.  During the excitement of learning to knit things, I forgot to keep track of where I put the pattern that I had made. I have now learned and have started a knitting journal - compliments of Stitch'N Bitch who invented the very thing.  Its pretty handy it has graph paper for designing your very own knitting patterns as well as a section for what yarn you have in stock and the projects you have completed!

Kitten Ball Knitting Pattern

Here is one project that I started when we decided to get two beautiful kittens.  It is a cat ball that you can stuff with batting (i used an old pillow that was not acceptable for my head anymore) and cat nip, of course!  However I would recommend this for a full grown cat as the finish project is about the size of a grapefruit, which was almost as large as our kittens when we got them.  Slight set back in my knitting adventures, but successful none the less.  I also added the cute tassels to the ends in hopes to entice there kittens ways.

This pattern is in thanks to Judy!

Materials

4-ply (worsted weight) knitting yarn, one or two or more colors (i used cotton yarn as it is more absorbent (for kitty chewing pleasure) and doesn't have fuzzy bits on it like acrylic yarn)
Pair of #4 (US) needles
Polyester fiber filling or old nylon stockings or other stuffing
Note that the needles are small for the size of the yarn. This makes a dense fabric so the filling won't show through.
Cast on 28 stitches.

Instructions for one section

Row 1: turn [pick up or attach new color if you're going to change] and knit 28 stitches
Row 2: turn and knit 20 stitches
Row 3: turn and knit 18 stitches
Rows 4, 6, 8, and 10: repeat row 2
Rows 5, 7, and 9: repeat row 3
(In other words, each row takes you two stitches closer to the top.) Repeat rows 1 through 10 until you have made 12 sections, one after the other.
Each section starts at same end; I call this the "top". (Don't cut off the old yarn; it will be there waiting for you when you start the next section in that color.)
Bind off when you get to the end of the last section. Leave about a 12" tail to use for sewing up. Notice that since this is garter stitch, on one side there is a sharp boundary between the colors of the adjacent wedges, and on the other side the adjoining colors are interlinked. Decide which side you want to be the outside.
With a tapestry needle, run the tail around through the end stitches of the rows and pull tight. (To make it extra firm, run the yarn around again.) Continue sewing up the open side about 2/3 of the way.
Stuff the ball as firmly as you like and sew up the rest of the way. Run the yarn through the end stitches of the rows (twice if you like) and pull tight. Make a knot and run the end of the yarn into the ball and cut off.


Hint: If you're going to use the "inside" as the side that shows (that is, the side where the colors of adjoining segments interlock), knit one last row in the color of the section you will be stitching to, then cast off. This will give you the last set of interlocking stitches, and let you sew together two edges that match in color.
Now here's an attempt at charting how this pattern works. Each dash and arrowhead is one stitch. Cast on 28 stitches, and knit as follows:

"Top" end of ball
/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
                < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
            < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
            - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
        < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
    < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Make 12 sections and bind off, leaving a long tail. Sew up and stuff the ball.

Bonus: A Small Yarnball

This one is a lot smaller. Keeping to my citrus theme, it's about the size of a tangerine (or a hackysack), 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Cast on 17 stitches
Make first section, as follows:
Row 1: turn and knit to the end
Row 2: turn and knit 12 sts, leaving 5 on the needle
row 3: turn and knit 7 sts, leaving 5 on the needle
Row 4: turn and knit 10 sts, leaving 2 on the needle
Row 5: turn and knit 13 sts, leaving 2 on the needle
row 6: turn and knit to the end
Row 7: turn and knit to the end
Row 8: turn and knit to the end
(you're back at the top)
Repeat rows 1 to 8 until you have completed ten sections.
Bind off, sew and stuff.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
          < - - - - - - - - - - -
          - - - - - - >
    < - - - - - - - - -
    - - - - - - - - - - - - >
< - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My First Real Knitting Project

 

Above you will see a picture of my first real knitting project, a cell phone case.  They are very easy to make and fun to jazz up to your own personal style. This one in particular I made for my friend.  I have made many more since then and continue to expand on styles, colours, patterns, etc.

My Passion For Knitting

In February of 2010 a co-worker of mine showed me the wonders of knitting.  She was just starting to learn and was really excited to pass on her knowledge, and I was more then eager to learn.  After about an hour of knitting I began to fall in love with this creative craft. Believe it or not, I am still working on this first project, even though I have started and completed many more in the mean time.  For those who know anything about knitting casting on 80 stitches with size 10 mm needles to begin a scarf, is not the best idea.  As I continued to knit away I began to notice that my scarf was becoming more the size of a shall rather then a cozy neck sized scarf.  This is why I have yet to finish the project.  By the time I finish knitting it, it will probably evolve into something other then a scarf.  Perhaps a pillow cover…. who knows.

A few weeks later I became the crazy yarn lady and went overboard on purchasing yarn, but it was so worth it! I am slowly trying to figure out what to knit with all this beautiful wool, varying in colours, textures, and thickness.  I did however come to realize that 1 ball of yarn does not really give you a whole lot of pattern options other then 1 sock, or a dish cloth (however cotton yarn works best for these).  I discovered this when I decided to make a goal for myself and knit things for Christmas.  I thought having all this beautiful yarn would be a breeze to grab any ball and start making scarves, until most patterns I found require 2 or more. Fear not, it just means I need to purchase more and being the crazy yarn lady, I’m excited for that.