I’ve always been a sucker for bonnets and when I saw Larissa Brown’s new bonnet eBook, Love Bonnet, I wanted to knit them all. Problem is, I don’t have many infants to knit for these days, and needed a larger size.

So, I have created a larger bonnet pattern, based on Larissa’s “Juniper Bonnet”, which is a free pattern.  Hoping that the bonnet for older kids and toddlers in bigger sizes will be the new trend, so I can knit some more….. a natural transition from the earflap hat and sock monkey hat fads this past fall and winter.

Call me “crazy,” but the bonnet is so practical…great hat to wear with ponytails. In the Nordic countries, all ages wear ski bonnets…just because it’s called a bonnet, doesn’t mean it’s for babies.

This one is trimmed in a little dove gray cotton and knit with about one skein of soft grape wool and alpaca for Easter, which is rarely a warm time in New England. The bonnet doesn’t have to be tied, but the ties can hang down, like the older children usually prefer to wear them.

There are five repeats of the feather and fan in this larger bonnet pattern. The finished size of this one is about 17 inches around and will fit up to a six year old.

If you are interested in this larger size feather and fan bonnet for toddlers, kids, and older heads, please subscribe to this blog and let me know by leaving a comment. I also plan to write a larger bonnet pattern for a plain stripe design.

For Larissa’s Juniper Bonnet pattern, written for infants, click here.

Advertisement

Have decided to knit a few more large hobo handbags for felting. They are really fun to do, and the results are always a surprise. Getting more than one ready for felting at the same time, saves hot water when it’s time to felt. I’ve finished the knitting and crocheting for the first one . It’s called: “The chicken or the egg?”…It’s a favorite saying of a certain pragmatist I know, and I found all the theme ingredients for this recipe in my fabric and yarn stash. Follow this blog for a free pattern for a felted tote bag.

chicken or the egg felted hobo bag

(more…)

A knitting pattern for a warm earflap balaclava hat with a monkey face and ears—

Sock monkey stuffed animal toys have been around since Victorian times, believe it or not. Victoriana became enraptured by monkeys and their exotic world in the 1890’s. When the Rockland, Illinois wool work sock factory started making socks with red heels, that’s how the arts and crafts creation got his red mouth and behind.

Rockland still celebrates a “Sock Monkey Festival” in the 21st century.

Last winter when my granddaughter’s middle school friends latched onto the sock monkey hat craze,  I designed this sock monkey hat knitting pattern with earflaps for Charlotte, who is  eleven years old. The pattern has now been knitted for adults, teens, and children alike.

Cheeky sock monkey hat pattern (more…)

As a New Year brings hope and promises of good cheer, I’m wishing “Happy New Year” to all on this eve of 2011. To celebrate…a new Wattery Totteries design for a baby owl hat with three baby owls.

(more…)

Have just included a schematic for stitches for the 3 button shawl, and wanted to include the free knitting pattern here. It’s a similar one to a very popular 3 button shawl as featured on the Today Show with Hoda and Kathy Lee long ago.

aishlings-shawl1-e1531684709561.jpg

A very easy knitting pattern, great for beginning knitters,  just a rectangle you can add your own creativity to. Very versatile in the different looks you can get by buttoning the shawl differently, and a most practical knitting project for spring and fall.
(more…)


As a beginner sock knitter, just this summer, these strawberry socks were a breeze, using a free easy sock pattern I wanted to share with you. If you are wondering what knitting socks is like, how to turn the heel, graft the toe, and afraid to try, don’t be. This is a great beginner sock pattern that still has enough stitch definition, really doesn’t look like a first attempt at knitting socks, does it? Well, it’s the pattern, not the knitter, for sure.

Socks are a wonderful knitting technique, easy to learn, mesmerizing and addicting needlework…. (more…)

Just finished this circular vest. It’s an easy, free knitting pattern once offered by Elann.com you can knit with no problem and it’s fun to do. The free pattern is available here for personal use only. (more…)

We’ve always been big watermelon fans…partly because watermelons are so refreshingly tasty in the summertime, and often, a nickname for our Watterson family.

I do remember sitting on my grandmother’s back steps with the rest of my cousins in the summer time, eating watermelon and spitting the seeds in the garden. Granny always “toted one home”, as she called it, on Fridays, after sewing upholstery in the furniture factory. It’s a wonder there wasn’t a watermelon farm growing in Granny’s backyard. Simple pleasures and great memories.

Baby watermelons

Recently, with a new baby in our North Carolina family, I have knit two new watermelon hats, different from the one I made ten years ago for Baby Charlotte, our first grandchild. Free baby watermelons here, a hat pattern (more…)

This is a great free  baby hat pattern for beginning knitters, it’s quick and easy. Also a terrific free pattern to knit lots of baby hats for charity. With so many charities in need of infant hats: hospital maternity wards, women’s shelters, the homeless shelters, for those of you who do charity knitting, here’s an easy, quick baby hat pattern, it’s free and I’d better get to work myself. Winter’s coming again!

(more…)