Little Red Monster Drink Cozy!

Bound off and Stitched up!  Ready for a beverage!

 

Cast On:  48 stitches in Red on US size 6 Single Point Needles.  Knit 3 rows.

Start chart and knit one direction, purl back.  Knit the last 3 rows.  If you want to taper the bottom of your cozy, Knit 2TOG on all 3 rows once at each end to decrease by 2.  The purple squares on the chart above indicate a decrease on that row.  You are going from 48 stitches to 42 in the end.  Bind off.  Mattress Stitch up the back.  Easy Peasy!!  I do tend to knit a little tightly so you may need to check and go down a needle size or two.

This would make a super cute Baby Bottle Buddy!  Just measure your baby bottle and take off the necessary amount of stitches.  Be sure to take the same number of stitches off of each side.  You can also lengthen this cozy to fit a Kleen Kanteen, etc., just use the same number of rows before the face and after the face to keep him centered!

FAIL! Chico doesn't like Doggie Socks SOCKS!!!

Chico my 20 month old male Pit Bull has started licking/chewing his toes.  He splits his nails and is just constantly chewing.  There doesn't seem to be any boo boos, no rash or swelling so before we do get any of those nasty, hard to cure things I decided he needed socks.  Doggie Socks, doggie no lick socks.  I measured around his leg and cast on 36 stitches in Worsted Weight I Love This Yarn, powder blue for my prototype.  I used US Size 2 DPNs, joined in the round and started my K1P1 ribbing.  I knit the ribbing for 10 rows for the Cuff.  I changed to US Size 4 DPNs and knit 30 rounds for the leg of the sock before starting my toe decrease.  Since Chico refused to allow me to try the sock on while still attached to the needles and skein of yarn I just sort of guessed.  FAIL #1!  The sock is too short for long legged Chico!

I would double the number of leg rows if not 1 1/2 times that!

  60 to 90 Rows easy!

See, how stinking cute, Right?  =(

For the toe above, which is a little Y almost, I SSK the First (2) stitches on every needle and K2TOG the last (2) stitches on every needle for 1 row then knit around for the next row.  I repeat these 2 rows until there were only 18 stitches left on the needles.  Then I decreased every row until there were only 6 live stitches left.  I then used the Kitchener Stitch to graft the toe.

Here is the one Picture I could get while holding his leg, then he took off.

Totally dejected and unloved!!  How SAD can a guy look?

Don't look at my scratched up wood floors, terrible I know!!  He went and lay next to Chris' chair for protection and refused to walk on his sock or come any where near me!!!  BRAT!  I will NOT be spending any more time knitting Chico socks that's for sure!!!

Elephants on Parade Drink Cozy!!

Here is the little Drink Cozy for today!  Elephants on Parade, or Pink Elephants...not while you're driving!!!  Knit Flat on 2 Single Point Needles and stitched up the back to form a tube.

Elephants have little top knots and fuzzy tail ends so I added those for a little whimsy!  You could easily add bows to the head/tails to make them (or one) girl elephants.

Color Chart.  Decrease on every row, Knit and Purl for 3 rows indicated by the green squares.  You are going from 46 stitches to 40 stitches total.  You don't need to do them right where the green squares are but make sure not to do a decrease as your first stitch.  It seems to make the Mattress Stitch more difficult at that point.  This step is optional.  If you are using a straight side drink container there is no need to make the bottom of your cozy slightly smaller than the top.  I do this because for the most part, mine are used on McDonald's Frappe cups which are tapered.

Making the fuzzy top knot.  Take your 4 ply yarn, pull two (2) ply out and thread on needle.  Go into the side of an already knit stitch like so and pull one end through.  You are sort of going under the stitch.

Now, remove needle and tie a very tight knot.  Cut to desired "Top Knot" length and really work the ends to fuzz them up.  You could even brush them!

See, Cute huh?

Follow the above instructions for both elephant's top knots and the tails.  It is easier (to me anyway) to do the tails at the back seam after it is stitched together, as shown here.

I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn in Grey Marble #401 for the elephants.  It is mottled with black, tan and brown and little random coarse threads that resemble Elephant Hair.  The speckles reminded me of every elephant I've ever met in that they are never clean!!  Oh well, use whatever colorway you like for your own elephants, this one just looked rather "elephant-y" to me.

The pink yarn is some vintage skein from my grandmother's stash that I was lucky enough to end up with.  It has moved with me several times and after all these years finally found it's calling today!  A soft pink Caron brand marked at just $.87!!  I also used a small scrap (4 inches) of Vanna's Choice in Black for the eyes and Red Heart Super Saver in White for the Tusks and Toenails.  I won't lie, I'm a knotter!  So all the little ends are knotted before weaving in! 

PATTERN:
Cast On:  46 stitches in main color using US size 6(4.25mm) Single Point Needles. 
K1P1 ribbing for 3(4) rows.
Knit Chart.  Knit in one direction, Purl in the other. 
Since this seemed to grow on me I would probably leave the bottom ribbing off next time.  The elephants needed so much space and I didn't take that into consideration on paper.
If you choose to use the K1P1 ribbing at the bottom edge, remember to bind off in pattern. 
Sew on your Top Knots and Tail Fuzz if using.  Use the Mattress Stitch to sew up the back.  Sew Tail Fuzz at seam and you are all done!  Yay!!!  FUN re-usable drink cozy.

Fish in the Sea Coffee Cup Cozy!!

This Cozy is knit flat on 2 Single Point Needles and stitched up the back to form a tube.

Cast On 48 Stitches in White.
 K1P1 Ribbing for 3(4) rows. 
On the chart above I knit/purl 4 rows of white before starting the waves and in the knitted example I didn't do that.  I knit 1 and purled 1 before starting the waves so that I would have more "ocean".  Knit the chart in blue (water) and orange (Fishies). 
The first knit row after the last row fo Fish, Knit 2TOG at the red squares on each end.  This will decrease your stitches to 46. 
Purl a row.  Now knit and at the red squares, Knit 2TOG to decrease your stitches to 44. 
Purl a row.  Knit row and knit 2TOG at the red squares to decrease your stitches to 42.
At this point I bound off to finish the cozy without further ribbing but you could add  3(4) rows of K1P1 ribbing to match the top.  Use the mattress stitch to sew up the sides and weave in your ends.  YAY!!  Re-usable Drink Cozy! 

For this project I used scraps of Red Heart Super Saver Solids in White, Delft Blue (0885) and Gold (0321) but you could use any color combo you like.  Make the fish bright tropical colors even!!  That would be FUN!

I will sew black seed beads to the fish for eyes.  I didn't attempt last night and forgot to pack them this morning but your run of the mill, everyday round glass seed beads would work really well.  Very small buttons would also work for eyes.  White/clear/pearlized buttons would make really cute "bubbles" coming up from the fish mouth too!!

I used Size 6(4.25) Single Point Needles and a Darning needle.

Grace Ennis Graphic Knitting Patterns HOT DOG Socks #7263 from 1953

YAY!!

Here is the beginning of my HOT DOG Socks.  Just perfect for summer picnics or grilling out.  Here in Texas every time you grill it is called a Bar-B-Q!!  Why not knit up a pair of these for your Grill Master!! 

These are knit in Cascade Fixation yarn which is 98% Cotton and 2% elastic so they are light, airy and stretchy!! 

Grace Ennis GKP Surf Rider Socks #7271 from 1954

UPDATE: 

Here is one sock completed and the "leg" of the second sock still on needles.  See how you have a Right and Left sock now?  Cool, right?

Completed!

All of Grace Ennis' sock patterns look the same.  They were set up in a tri-fold brochure format with a picture of the completed sock and the chart or pattern on the front and the complete instructions given on the back.  You are instructed to knit 2" of K2P2 ribbing before starting the chart.

These socks have a Surfer on them and my surfer is Really Experienced and TAN!  I used Knit Picks Palette yarn in Tranquil for the body of the sock, Serrano for my dude's swim trunks, Bison for the surfboard and Almond for the Surfer.  Given my yarn collection choices my surfer was either going to be VERY white, PowderPuff Pink or nice and Almond Tan.  I chose Tan!!

Look how nice and Fluffy my Angora sea spray is!  I really thought it would be more fluffy but close up it does look misty.  Real French Angora yarn is pricey.  I found some at my LYS and bought 1 small ball just for my Grace Ennis Socks.  Just a warning though...

this is what your expensive Angora yarn will look like if you have a giant dorky Pit Bull like my Chico.  He is completely messmorized by this stuff.  It's like doggie cat nip to him.  He can't help himself.  I was able to get it away from him without much slobber but what a tangled mess!!!  CHICO!!!  Drop It!!

Back of leg all stitched up, heel flap complete and heel turned.  Ready to start my decrease along the gussets and on to the foot.

With some of Grace's sock patterns you are instructed to knit a Left sock and a Right sock.  Huh?  You make the picture a mirror image and to do that you...

start your Right Sock at the top Left side of the chart working to the right and down like reading a book.  This is how you knit ALL GE charts but...

to get the Left Sock done you start at the top Right side and work to the left or the exact opposite of the first sock.  This way the Surfers will be facing each other.  You don't have to do so but why not, right?

Emery Tallulah 9/18/08-6/28/11

Today marks one week since I lost my little white Pit Bull Emery.  She would have been 3 years old this fall.  This has been a very long, hard week for me and I am still so sad I hurt.  Little memories pop into my head and I cry, it doesn't seem to matter where or when, like now.  There is such a huge empty hole in my house that will never be filled.  She was an amazing friend and I just can't believe she is gone.  Of all the dogs I've saved/rescued over the years (that is hundreds) she was the most important, most special and most loved.  There will never be another Emery!