Friday, 9 September 2011

RUGBY WORLD CUP IS FINALLY HERE...AND GO THE ALL BLACKS!




I must admit I'm not a huge rugby fan, I've tried to watch the odd game on telly, I really have.  Over the year my boyfriend who is a crazy rugby fan tries his best to explain the game's rules to me.  I still don't understand fully all that rucking and mauling business.
But no matter what, New Zealand is hosting the 2011 rugby world cup, the biggest event it has ever hosted and you have to love the atmosphere that is washing over Auckland... and Go the ALL BLACKS.!!!!



Downtown Auckland

It was chaos downtown but a great turnout for Auckland and everyone I saw was happy - even if we didn't get anywhere near getting into the wharf or Party Central areas.  My boyfriend decided to head back to Bastion Point for the firework as it was impossible to see it in town.  Definitely the highlight of my day.!!!




Bastion Point, Auckland

and ….GO THE ALL BLACKS! 

killerbees


Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Red Bird plush toy pattern

Sorry for the delay but I have finally finished the pattern.  This pattern is for the Red Bird who is the mascot of the game, although he may not have a special ability like the other, but he’s certainly the cutest of all.  The pattern hasn't been tested yet as I have misplaced my notes when I knitted the first bird so please tell me if you find any mistakes.  Hope you guys enjoy knitting him along with the pig.
As this is a free pattern, pattern is for personal use only and may not be sold, photocopied or copied electronically or distributed in any way.   Please don't sell the toy you've made, and please provide credit for the design of the pattern to myself (Knitterbees).



 Materials:
1.       8 ply weight wool or acrylic.  (I have used Patons Australia, Big Baby 8 ply red 60% acrylic and 40% Nylon for the main head, Peter Pan, Darling 10 ply white 100% polyester for bottom part of the head)
2.       3.25mm  40cm  circular needles/ 3.25 DPN or size needed to obtain gauge. 
3.       Buttons for eyes
4.       Stitch marker
5.       Yarn needle
6.       polyester stuffing

 Gauge: 2 inch = 13 stitches, 19 rows

Colours for Red Bird:
MC – red
CC1   - White
CC2   - Yellow
CC3   - Black

Knitterbees stitch dictionary:
CC: contrasting color (CC1= contrasting color 1 etc.)
dpns: double pointed needles
k: knit
k2tog: knit the next two stitches together.
Kfb: knit front and back
MC: main color
pm: place marker
rm: remove marker
ssk: slip next 2 sts knitwise onto your right needle, insert left needle purlwise into the front of the sts & knit them together.
St st: stockinette/stocking stitch. k a row, purl a row. (In the round however you must knit every round.)
st(s): stitch(es)
yo: yarn over

Let's Begin Knitting !!!!!!

Head:
With the circular needle cast on 6 stitches (CC1).  Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place a stitch marker on the first stitch. Work onto double‐pointed needles when necessary.
Please change to red yarn when the text is in red.
Row 1-2(CC1): kfb every sts.  24st
Row 3(CC1): knit
Row 4(CC1): (kfb, k1) Repeat to the end of the round.  36st
Row 5(CC1): knit
Row 6(CC1): (kfb, k2) Repeat to the end of the round.  48st
Row 7(CC1): knit 
Row 8: kfb, k3, (kfb, k3) Repeat 10 times, kfb, k3.  60st
Row 9: k9, k42, k9,
Row 10: (kfb, k4) Repeat 2 times, kfb, k4, (kfb, k4) Repeat 6 times, kfb, k2, k2,(kfb, k4) Repeat 2 times. 72st 
Row 11: k16, k40, k16,
Row 12: (kfb, k5) Repeat 3 times, (kfb, k5) Repeat 6 times, (kfb, k5) Repeat 3 times.  84st
Row 13: k23, k38, k23,
Row 14: k25, k34, k25,
Row 15: k27, k30, k27,
Row 16: (kfb, k6) Repeat 4 times, (kfb, k6) Repeat 4 times, (kfb, k6) Repeat 4 times.  96st
Row 17: k33, k30, k33,
Row 18: k34, k28, k34,
Row 19: k35, k26, k35,
Row 20: (kfb, k7) Repeat 4 times, kfb, k3, k4, (kfb, k7) Repeat 2times, kfb, k3, k4, (kfb, k7) Repeat 4 times. 108st
Row 21: k42, k25, k41,
Row 22: k43, k23, k42,
Row 23: k44, k21, k43,
Row 24: k45, k19, k44,
Row 25: k46, k17, k45,
Row 26: k47, k15, k46,
Row 27: k48, k13, k47,
Row 28: k49, k11, k48,
Row 29-32(MC): knit. 
Knit in red yarn from here.
Row 33(MC): (k2tog, k7). Repeat to the end of the round.  96st
Row 34-41(MC): knit for 8 rows
Row 42(MC): (k2tog, k6) Repeat to the end of the round.  84st
Row 43-48(MC): knit for 6 rows
Row 49(MC): (k2tog, k5) Repeat to the end of the round.  72st
Row 50-53(MC): knit for 4 rows
Row 54(MC): (k2tog, k4) Repeat to the end of the round.  60st
Row 55-57(MC): knit 3 rows
Row 58(MC): (k2tog, k3) Repeat to the end of the round.  48st
Row 59-60(MC): knit 2 rows.  Start inserting stuffing before hole gets too small.
Row 61(MC): (k2tog, k2) Repeat to the end of the round.  36st
Row 62(MC): knit
Row 63(MC): (k2tog, k1) Repeat to the end of the round.  24st
Row 64(MC): knit
Row 65(MC): (k2tog) Repeat to the end of the round.
Row 66(MC): knit
Repeat Row 65 until you have 6 stitches left.   Use tweezers to stuff firmly and bind off using kitchener stitch.  

Feathers:
Pick up 6 stitches (in circle) to create the first feather on top of head
Row 1 (MC): knit in the round.  6st
Row 2 (MC): k4, kfb, k1.  7st
Row 3 (MC): knit
Row 4 (MC): k5, kfb, k1.  8st
Row 5 (MC): knit
Row 6 (MC): k6, kfb, k1.  9st
Row 7 (MC): knit
Row 8 (MC): k1, kfb, k5, kfb, k1.  11st
Row 9 (MC): knit
Row 10 (MC): k1, kfb, k7, kfb, k1.  13st
Row 11 (MC): knit
Row 12 (MC): k1, kfb, k9, kfb, k1.  15st
Row 13 (MC): knit
Row 14 (MC): k5, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k1.  13st
Row 15 (MC): knit
Row 16 (MC): k4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1.  11st
Row 17 (MC): knit.  Start inserting stuffing before hole gets too small.
Row 18 (MC): k3, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k1.  9st
Row 19 (MC): knit
Row 20 (MC): k2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1.  7st
Row 21 (MC): knit
Row 22 (MC): k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1.  5st
Use tweezers to stuff stuffing but don’t stuff too firmly and bind off using kitchener stitch. 

Repeat instruction for feather 2.

Beak:
Pick up 30 stitches as indicated in Diagram 1, using CC2.  Divide stitches between 4 dpns.  Start round from the bottom mid-point of beak.
Row 1(CC2): knit
Row 2(CC2): (k1, k2tog, k9, SSK, k1) repeat once
Row 3(CC2): knit
Row 4(CC2): k1, k2tog, k20, SSK, k1
Row 5(CC2): knit
Row 6(CC2): (k1, k2tog, k6, SSK, k1) repeat once
Row 7(CC2): knit
Row 8(CC2): k1, k2tog, k14, SSK, k1
Row (CC2)9: knit
Row 10(CC2): k1, kfb, kfb, k3, SSK, k2, k2tog, k3, kfb, kfb, k1
Row 11(CC2): knit
Row 12(CC2): k7, SSK, k2, k2tog, k7
Row 13(CC2): knit
Row 14(CC2): k2, k2tog, k2, SSK, k2, k2tog, k2, SSK, k2.  Insert stuffing before hole gets too small.
Row 15(CC2): k1, k2tog, k1, SSK, k2, k2tog, k1, SSK, k1
Row 16(CC2): k2tog, SSK, k2, k2tog, SSK
Use tweezers to stuff beak firmly and bind off using kitchener stitch.

 Divide stitches between 4 dpns.

 
Tails:
Directions for middle tail.
At the back of the head, , pick up 6 stitches, with size 3.25mm dpns. Divide stitches between 2 dpns 3 sts parallel to each other.  The tail is knitted in the round sitting on the 2 needles.
Row 1-4(CC3): knit in the round.  6st
Row 5(CC3):  k1, kfb, k1, k1, kfb, k1.  8st
Row 6(CC3): knit
Row 7(CC3):  k2, kfb, k1, k2, kfb, k1.  10st
Row 8(CC3): knit
Row 9(CC3):  k2, kfb, k2, k2, kfb, k2.  12st
Row 10(CC3):  k3, kfb, k2, k3, kfb, k2.  14st
Row 11(CC3):  k3, kfb, k3, k3, kfb, k3.  16st
Row 12(CC3): knit
Bind off using kitchener stitch. 


Divide stitches between 2 dpns 3 sts parallel to each other.
Directions for top and bottom tail.
With size 3.25mm dpns , pick up 4 stitches.  Divide stitches between 2 dpns parallel to each other.
Row 1-3(CC3): knit in the round.  4st
Row 4(CC3):  kfb, k1, kfb, k1.  6st
Row 5(CC3): knit
Row 6(CC3):  k1, kfb, k1, k1, kfb, k1.  8st
Row 7(CC3): k2, kfb, k1, k2, kfb, k1.  10st
Row 8(CC3):  knit
Bind off using kitchener stitch.  

Bottom tail: divide 4 stitches between 2 dpns parallel to each other.

Finishing:
Worked the eyes in duplicate stitches and sew in eyebrow as shown in Diagram 1.

Chart Rules for Diagram 1:
1. All stitches are knitted.
2. X indicates the pick up stitches.
3. Read from bottom row to top.

Diagram 1:
 Hope you'll enjoy kniting this little fellow as much as I did.

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post pictures to my Ravelry account if you make these little guys!! 

Killerbees