Upcycled Sweater Rabbit

This is Nacci, named after the awesome grey rabbit one of my roommates had in college. The sweater was angora, so I had to make a rabbit!

Upcycled Sweater Cat

Meet the new critter in the Martin's Nest! 

This cute kitty is hand-sewn using an old sweater. He's got a pretty flower that he thinks brings out his stripes. He reminds me of many tabbies I've met over the years.

Calling All Cat Lovers: Catnip Toys!

Martin's Nest is proud to announce a new line of products. We have created a pile of catnip toys.

All catnip toys thus far are lovingly created out of flannel and contain CosmicCatnip. We'll see what happens if we can get a catnip crop going next summer. There are two sizes: Large and Small. Large toys are about 5 inches long and 2.5 inches tall. Small toys are approximately 2.5 inches long. Each toy is unique and hand-made, so there are variations in size, shape, and the decorative blanket stitching.

Fingerless Gloves

Sometimes, you can jump off without a pattern. Sometimes, you need to learn the benefits of a pattern the hard way - while you're making one up.

I have an awesome pair of fingerless gloves. It took a bit to get the pattern right to make them for my hands. The idea jumped off from when my husband put one of my cup cozies on his wrist. How much more difficult can making a pair of gloves be? Well, the hardest part was coming up with a pattern. My first one started as a cup cozy, then I started increasing for the hand. I pulled off a few stitches for the thumb, and went on my way. The result was a "glove" that was too big in the wrist and had a weird shape in the hand, and a hole for the thumb that was too small.

Back to the Drawing Board.

Glove number two reduced the number of stitches I cast on, only shaped for the thumb, and came out much better, but it was not long enough and the thumb was still too tight. I was much closer this time.

Third time's a Charm.

My Fingerless Gloves go like this:

Cast on 32 stitches and join to knit in the round.
Knit 1 row, purl, one row
Knit many rows until the glove is about 4 inches long

Start increasing for the thumb.
Knit 1, make 1, knit 30, make 1, knit 1 - you should have 34 stitches now increasing after the first stitch and right before the last stitch.
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 32, make 1, knit 1 - for 36 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 34, make 1, knit 1 for 38 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 36, make 1, knit 1 for 40 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 38, make 1, knit 1 for 42 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit 1, make 1, knit 40, make 1, knit 1, for 44 stitches
Knit 1 row
Knit most of 1 row - pull off the last 6 stitches and set aside (I put them on a safety pin so they don't go anywhere), Cast on 4 stitches
Pull off the first 6 stitches and set aside (on a safety pin), cast on 4 stitches, knit the rest of the row - there should be 40 stitches
Knit 2 more rows

I decrease for the hand just slightly
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit 34, knit 2 together, Knit 1 for 38 stitches
Knit a row
Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Knit 32, knit 2 together, Knit 1 for 36 stitches
Knit until the space above the thumb is about 2 inches
Purl 1 row, knit 1 row, cast off.

Now to make the thumb.
I pick up 8 stitches from the top half o the glove on one needle (Needle 1), Slide the 6 stitches from one safety pin on Needle 2, and slide 6 stitches from the second safety pin on Needle 3.
Knit all until the thumb is about 1 inch.
Purl 1 row, Knit 1 row, cast off.

Until next time, keep being creative!

Cup Cozy Process

Cup cozies are quick and simple to make if you know how to knit in the round. I first found the idea on Pinterest, and I'm not one to keep secrets, so here's how I make them!

I cast on 36 stitches and join to knit in the round (in this case, green).
I knit one row
I purl one row
Change colors (in this case, peacock).
I knit in the round until the length is about the width of two fingers, then increase:
Knit one, increase one, knit 8 - repeat 4 times.
I knit in the round until the length is about the width of three fingers, then increase:
Knit one, increase one, knit 9 - repeat 4 times.
I knit until the length is about the width of four fingers
Change colors (back to green)
Knit one row
Purl one row
Knit one row
Cast off, and weave all the ends in.

You can add other decorations if you would like. I inherited my family's old button collection, so I started putting large buttons on the cozies. You could use pins, tassels, or other decorations.

Have fun knitting!

Red Button Cup Cozy

Cup cozies are a perfect sustainable substitute to the little brown slips of cardboard at coffee houses. They also work on drink glasses at parties to distinguish whose cup is whose, and during the summer on icy drinks so you don't grab a sweating glass.

Made out of durable acrylic yarn for easy washing.

Blue Button Cup Cozy

Cup cozies are a perfect sustainable substitute to the little brown slips of cardboard at coffee houses. They also work on drink glasses at parties to distinguish whose cup is whose, and during the summer on icy drinks so you don't grab a sweating glass.

Made out of durable acrylic yarn for easy washing.

Welcome

Welcome to the Martin's Nest, home of arts, crafts, and other curiosities. It is the home of creativity and one-of-a-kind home-made goods.