In Hedgehog Heaven

Just before Christmas I did a giveaway on my facebook page. I just came across a fab free pattern for knitted hedgehogs,(which you can find right HERE ) had done a test knit and was so, so pleased with the little cutie that I decided to give it away for Christmas. I named her Holly the Hedgehog - since it was Christmas. 

Lots of folks entered, but one special entry caught my eye and that was from Helen at Hedgehog Hollows Temuka . Helen was keen to win Holly to use as a surrogate Mama hedgehog for her hoglets to snuggle up to while they were in her care. I thought this was so gorgeous, as I have always been a hedgie fan. While the competition was still running I decided to knit another hedgehog, in case Helen's name wasn't drawn to win Holly. I named hedgehog #2 Tinsel. The draw was done and Helen did not win Holly, but I sent her Tinsel instead :) I was so delighted when Helen sent me photos of Tinsel and her new charges.

Helen is an amazing woman who has dedicated 20 years to looking after sick hedgehogs and their abandoned young. She converted an old caravan that now houses a Hedgehog Hospital. 

Helen says "the adult hedgehogs that come in are usually sick or injured but most suffer from mange which is
easily treated with oil baths.
Hoglets are often abandoned by their mothers when the nest is disturbed or the mother dies so the
majority of my rescue work is looking after these little ones. Some hoglets are so small that they
require dropper feeding every 3-4 hours which is very tiring if a couple of litters come in at the
same time. It's always a bit of a celebration when they start to self feed."

Helen keeps the hoglets till they weigh around 800grams which is a good healthy weight for them to hibernate over winter. Those that don't hit their weight are kept over the colder months and released into hutches in Helen's hedgehog friendly garden the spring.

Helen takes good care of her hedgies:
 "we have a special area that is fenced off to keep
them safe but they have access to the whole garden if they want to wander around. There is a feeding station in this area with biscuits and fresh water but we still find crushed up snail shells on the footpaths so know they are foraging for variety." 

With a caravan full of Hedgehogs and their babies and lots of other rescue animals the pet food bill can run pretty high at Hedgehog Hollows Temuka . If you're in New Zealand and feel free to send Helen pet food to help feed her little charges she says;
"If people want to donate I always ask for the loaf style chicken kitten food and budget cat biscuits

as these are what we go through the most of."

To find out more about Hedgehog Hollows Temuka Click the link which will take you to their facebook page. If you wish to donate please contact Helen through her page on Facebook :) 

Staghorn Mitts- super fingerless mitts!

If you are looking for a lovely fingerless mitt pattern in 8ply look no further! 

Staghorn Mitts are gorgeous and a very easy knit, despite the cables. 

It's a little hard to see the awesome stag horn motif on the picture above due to the variegated yarn, but in real life the cable texture is well visible. 

The pattern is well written and easy to follow and has explicit instructions for both hands. (some don't)

Here is the link to the free pattern (If you're not a Ravelry member it will ask you to sign up- its just an email address and they hardly ever bother you) 

Staghorn Mitts

 I love the actual mitt construction and would like to have a go at putting the owl motif from the Owl Wrist Warmers I made earlier, onto this mitt pattern for a bit of variety. 

Fab fingerless mitts!

So with the very cold weather starting to kick in, my poor hands have been feeling the cold. I have been working on expanding my knitting skills and patience, and so I thought I would try a four needle, 4 ply pattern and see how I went. I found a great plain pattern on Ravelry by designer Jessica Baird which you can find HERE 

Hubby modeling my fingerless mitts

So this pair is my first attempt and I must say I love them (I am wearing them as I type) They took less than 1 ball of happy feet sock yarn and so are very economical if not a little time consuming. I would probably get faster in time.

Owl Wrist Warmers

So I needed a fab pressie for one of my nieces who is an ardent nature lover, and came across some fab owl wrist warmers in Mollie Makes magazine. 

The pattern features in a back issue so i had to buy and download a copy before i could begin. Here is a link to the issue Mollie Makes - Issue 21

I had some trouble with the pattern, as I didn't have the right weight wool or large double pointed needles. I also read that the finished wrist warmers, if following the pattern, were very small when finished. 

I ended up using 6mm tip circular needles and two strands of 8ply wool to get the right size. 

Here is how my wrist warmers turned out:

I think the owl pattern is adorable and I will probably use it again at a later date, I am not, however, that impressed with the glove pattern, but that could have more to do with my lack of knowledge than that pattern itself.

Memory Lane Baby Shawl

For many years my mother kept a baby shawl that a friend's mother had made for her, for my impending arrival. It was off white, 4 ply lacy, round and very soft.

I had always imagined bringing my own little bundle of joy home in it. 

However, when I was first expecting, my first beautiful baby boy "Elijah John" was still born, so I never got to bring him home at all. After 10 years of infertility, the doctor told me the chances of having children were unlikely, my mother mentioned she was going send my baby shawl to a friend who was expecting- I was sad to see the shawl and my dreams for it being given to someone else but by the same token, I did want the shawl to get used again- so I said sure pass it on. 

About a month later, I broke the news to my astounded husband and then called my mother. I was expecting a baby in August and to my delight, mum had procrastinated about sending the shawl and so I was able to for fill my dream of bringing my baby boy home in its softness.  

Ace Monroe- 21-8-2012

A couple of months ago I stumbled across the pattern for making the very same shawl and so set to making one. I used cream 8ply acrylic baby yarn. Here is how it turned out!

If you would like to knit one two you can find the free pattern right here

Wingspan Shawls

I have been wanting to make a wingspan shawl for ages since stumbling across a free knitting pattern for it on Ravelry. It is a very clever quick and enjoyable pattern to knit and you can find it HERE

So far I have made two for myself.

Pumpkin Patch Shawl

Here is a beautiful new shawl I just finished - really pleased with how it turned out. 

Pink Ninja Gloves

I have been working on a special project tonight, a pair of pink ninja gloves for a special little girl who loves to play ninjas with her brothers! I will be knitting two pairs of black ones tomorrow for her brothers!!! Hiiiii Yaaaaa! 

Here is where I found the pattern.

Wisteria Lacy Shawl

Now I normally like to crochet, but recently I got some beautiful 4ply varigated wool 

(on special from spotlight, for only $5 a ball) that was far more suitable for knitting so I thought I would be a bit adventurous and dust the cobwebs off my knitting skills. 

I had a good look for a shawl pattern on Ravelry and came across this gorgeous pattern that was able to be downloaded for free. 

© Marisa Hernandez

The pattern is called "Easy As Pie" and I was really hoping it lived up to it's name. 

It took quite a while to get going, and I must admit I did a lot of counting and recounting to get the pattern semi right at first.... even then, I didn't quite get the numbers right. In the long run despite almost despairing at the lace chart I was supposed to know how to follow, I finished it, and it looked glorious ... even if I do say so myself! Here are some photos of my effort... let me know what you think!!

It's now proudly owned by my mum, which is kind of fitting as she was the one who taught me to knit in the first place :)