Knitted Play Crowns - Free Pattern

I'm super excited about my new project - knitted play crowns for kids. This is the first pattern I've made up myself from scratch. I'm planning on making a bunch for the May Fair that Sam's Waldorf School hosts every year (I know I'm not even done with Christmas presents yet and I'm thinking of Spring!) When I get a new idea it does tend to take over and I go through a mild period of obsession. A few will also be showing up in my etsy store so keep an eye out. Here are some pictures with Sam as the reluctant model.The eighties hair style crown look.

This profile shot shows it off pretty well. There's one large point in the front surrounded by 6 smaller points. The band of seed stitches in the middle reminds me of small jewels.

And, last we have the traditional crown wearing style.

Here's my attempt at pattern writing so please let me know if you have problems making it. This pattern is for personal use only.

Worsted Weight Yarn
Size 6 16" Circular Knitting Needles
Fits 2 years on up (Model pictured is 3 1/2)

The Band

Cast on 80 stitches
Join in the round
Round 1 : Purl
Round 2: Knit
Round 3-5: Seed Stitch (also known as Moss stitch)
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: Purl

The Points

Row 1: Knit 10 stitches
Row 2: Turn piece to back side and knit those same 10 stitches
Row 3: Turn piece to front side and SSK, Knit 6 stitches, K2TOG
Row 4: Turn piece to back and knit those 8 stitches
Row 5: Turn piece to front and SSK, Knit 4 stitches, K2TOG
Row 6: Turn piece to back and knit those 6 stitches
Row 7: Turn piece to front and SSK, Knit 2 stitches, K2TOG
Row 8: Turn piece to back and knit those 4 stitches
Row 9: Turn piece to front and SSK, K2TOG
Row 10:Turn piece to back and knit those 2 stitches
Row 11: Turn piece to front and K2TOG
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
You've now finished one of the small points.

Start yarn at the next stitch and repeat as above 2 more times. You now have a total of 3 small points.

To make the big point start with 20 stitches instead of 10. Follow the same instructions; you'll just have more rows.

Make 3 more small points and you'll have gone all the way around the band. Weave in all your loose ends (you'll have 2 per point) on the inside of the crown (good tips on how to weave in ends on YouTube.com)

Give your crown to a child to enjoy!

My Gnomes in Their New Home

We had a Holiday Fair at Sam's Waldorf School were I sold my knitted gnomes, cats and bags. Many of the kids who attend there went home with a gnome or two. One family, who now home school their girls, bought five. They were instantly absorbed into the family. The girls made them a paper house with knitted rugs and blankets of their own creation for their new gnome family. Their very creative Waldorf loving Mama took these photos which I wanted to share with all of you. Enjoy!

Construction with Yarn

My son Sam REALLY wants to learn how to knit as Mama knits constantly. I tell him when he's old enough he'll learn it at his Waldorf School and I will help too. Of course this explanation does not satisfy an active 3 1/2 year old! So, I end up giving him a small ball of yarn to play with and this is the result.

Here is our front door knob which connects through the living room and down the hall to Sam's bedroom door knob below.

Now we're back to the front door handle with the shower squeegee tied up. Sam calls these obstacle courses and indeed it does make getting around the house interesting. My dear husband is clean crew for these endeavors and does all the winding unraveling - god bless him!

A Birthday and Lemonade from Lemons...

I had my birthday yesterday and what a day it was! I awoke to "Happy Birthday MAMA!" from my son followed by a pancake breakfast (that I didn't cook - yay!), beautiful flowers, scrumptious truffles, lunch at Lucia's (our favorite restaurant in Minneapolis), thrifting at the Goodwill and a day spent with my husband who took the day off. I'm so grateful to have such a giving loving family!

Our birthday ring showing I'm now 38 (oh so close to 40 - agh!) and have a winter birthday, love gnomes, live in a yellow house and have a son who can't be left out so hence his birthday bee was added. I love this tradition of the birthday ring which we started for Sam, but now use to celebrate everyone in the family including Grandma!

Lovely yellow roses adding such joy to our house with the bleak and frigid weather outside. The lovely vase was my Grandmother's and really makes any bouquet spectacular.

Here's our table's winter centerpiece with a fantastic needle felted King Winter I purchased from darialvovsky on etsy.

I was so excited to finish my Snow Gnome for the winter display. Dan calls him a Snome! Silly , but fun.

Sam had his first scissor incident today. He was making a dragon out of a plastic bag (I think he got the idea from kites we've seen) just shredding it to bits. Then he must have gotten bored and snipped 2 holes in his pillow form IKEA. It's a good reminder to Mama to be in the same room with him while he's cutting - oh well! So, I took some inspiration from Wee Folk Art and appliqued some wool felt hearts to cover the holes. I think it turned out well, although where I start the blanket stitch and end is a bit messy. But, the pillow was saved! Thus lemonade from lemons.

Fall

Fall is my favorite season. The colors, the smell and simply the feel of the air when you walk outside. I was out taking pictures of my new Christmas Gnomes and Christmas Ornament this morning and had snap a photo of the beautiful frost.

My son Sam is enamored with my little stories of Jack "Jackie" Frost. His latest question being "Does he live here too?" (I assumed meaning our neighborhood.) Which I found funny as I never thought to mention his home in my stories. Then realized home is so important to a child that of course he would wonder where he lived. Do any of you have any fun Jack Frost stories to share?

Here are my homage to Autumn Gnomes which are available in my etsy shop and as a giveaway on Contemporary Earth Mama's Blog this coming Monday the 16th. Drop a comment on her blog for a chance to win. Bring a little Fall into your home today.

It Finally Got Us....Flu is Here

Well, my little three year old caught the flu this past weekend. We've been extremely lucky as this is only the 2nd time he's been really sick. He's got a temp and can't keep food down poor little boy, and is sleeping fitfully. We have no T.V., but brought out the movie projector to pass the time. I feel so guilty about this as as a rule we try to limit media to hopefully none or most likely an hour a week. So, now Sam is getting an onslaught, but I don't know what else to do as he's so miserable. Any suggestions on amusing a sick child would be greatly appreciated.

Here we are snuggling on our couch, as he wants his Mama next to him all day (I've gotten lots of knitting down at least.) He didn't even want his picture taken...poor little guy.

Halloween

Here's my Sam as a cow for Halloween. It was the only non violent costume that fit him from our local used clothing store, but luckily he didn't mind. In fact, Sam embraced it wholeheartedly and actually wore his costume this year (last Halloween he just carried his lion suit around with him.) This was his first year of actually going door to door with Daddy. He basically just went around our block visiting with the neighbors, and not once saying "Trick or Treat" so I'm told. The best part was watching him play with his candy - not eat it mind you - just playing. I wonder how long that will last.

Fire, Lunch and Compost Pit

It was a gray but warmer October day - the perfect day for a fire in our little backyard. Mama was the master fire builder. Looks pretty good huh? Fires always remind me of camping, one of our favorite activities, which we don't do enough.

Lunch was a simple affair of goat cheese on Wasa crackers for the adults, cheddar cheese and crackers for Sam and apples.

Sam, who usually is all over the place during meals, focused on the fire, sat still and ate. Maybe we should have fires everyday?

I imagine Sam is thinking - "Is she taking my picture?"

The fire made a dramatic collapse after about 30 minutes.

Dan's project for the day was to dig a compost pit which we could put our compost bin on top of to increase it's capacity. We seem to always run out of room for our kitchen scraps mid winter, so this effort will hopefully solve the problem. I feel we still need another bin, but space is such an issue in our little backyard. We already have a shade garden, kitchen garden, raspberry patch, sandbox, playhouse, fire pit and tables and chairs. Oh ya, there is a bit of room left to play - thank goodness!

Before the hole was filled and covered, Sam had such fun getting in a out of it! All by himself no less - what a three year old!

Daddy and Sam together in the compost pit. I love this photo as it really captures the fun of the afternoon.