March Newsletter 2011

Marie Mayhew Designs

Woolly Lamb is the pattern of the month! A new pattern, you ask? No, not new, but a simple pattern makeover of the Woolly Sheep. Fill your Easter baskets with less candy this year and more Woolly items, such as Woolly Chicks, Eggs and now the Woolly Lamb. Bring a little Springtime to those in need of a bit of cheer!

Woolly Lamb.

The Woolly Lamb is the Woolly Sheep pattern, yet all knit in cream instead of the black face and legs.

This little lamb is knit using Nature Spun worsted weight yarn, Aran, and Frog Tree Alpaca brushed suri, cream, carried together. After felting, the lamb is vigorously brushed to bring out the fuzzy texture. I used embroidery floss in a rose color for the nose. The eyes are black glossy beads sewn on using a white thread to give a highlight dot to each eye. A tiny pinch of pink roving is needle felted to the inside of each ear.

The Easter Bonnet.

The bonnet is made from a straw-colored wool roving, needle felted into a bonnet-like shape. Then I attached a tiny pink roving flower, a few pink French knots, and green and white beads to give the illusion of flowers and greenery. A thin silk ribbon is then threaded through the bonnet's top and tied under the lamb's chin.

The Curly Locks Lamb.

This little lamb was first knit with Nature Spun worsted weight yarn, Aran. Then after felting, curly locks were needle felted to the lamb giving him a soft, curly-look. So very easy, and it literally takes minutes to achieve this look. I did not needle felt the locks at the bottom of the lamb, but everywhere else. And a little tuft on the lamb's forehead for some personality. I used the same rose embroidery floss for the nose. I didn't add eyes to this, keeping it very simple.

Tools of the Trade.

Below are two items I have found through my playing that are very fun and helpful: the nap riser brush and curly locks.

Nap Riser Brush

This little brush is such a wonderful find! it is about two inches big and slips onto your finger. I mention it briefly in my pattern. I use it to brush out the sheep after felting. It works especially well on yarns that have mohair or alpaca in them. Vigorously brushing with the fine wires pulls out the hairs creating soft, fuzzy sheep.

This brush works especially well on all Frog Tree alpacas. So now your Woolly Chicks, Bunnies, Owls, and Lambs---all can be brushed to hairy perfection!

The brush costs about $4.00. Click on photo for ordering information.

Curly Mohair Locks.

Photo shows one ounce package of curly locks.

These are soft curly cuttings from mohair goats. They are hand washed and perfect for needle felting projects. I love them for the curly lamb above, as well as, for beards on my santa gnomes. An ounce package costs about $3.25.

Contact me if you have trouble finding them in your local yarn store.

Recipe Corner

I like to include a recipe at the back of most of my patterns. I've found over the years that knitters, like myself, cook and bake, and are quick to share their recipes with one another.

In my hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, we have a candy company called Pearson's Candies. They are famous for their salted nut rolls! But my favorite candybar has always been their Nut Goodies. Here is a recipe for homemade nut goodies. This recipe makes a large panfull of these yummy bars. They freeze wonderfully too. Enjoy!

nut goodie bars

(1) 12 ounce package butterscotch chips

(1) 12 ounces package milk chocolate chips

(1) 1 ounce square of semi-sweet chocolate

(1) 18 ounce jar creamy peanut butter

1 cup butter

3 ounce package of regular vanilla pudding mix

2/3 cup evaporated milk

(1) 2 pound bag powdered sugar

2 teaspoons maple flavoring

16 ounces Spanish peanuts

Bottom Layer: In a medium saucepan, melt butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and peanut butter over low heat. Stir to combine. Spread a third of the mixture over bottom of a buttered 10x15-inch jellyroll pan. Refrigerate until firm.

Nougat Layer: In a separate larger saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the pudding mix and the evaporated milk. Cook until thickened, but do not boil. Add powdered sugar and maple flavoring. Stir until completely combined. Spread over chilled chocolate layer.

Top Layer: Stir in peanuts into remaining chocolate mixture. Spread over nougat. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes: 3 dozen bars.

Recipe Update! I found a store that sells Pearson's Nut Goodie candybars here in town and I bought 4. I wanted to treat my kids to the taste of an original Nut Goodie of what I remembered as a kid. Boy, was I disappointed! I love this recipe above even more now because the bars have more maple flavor than the original candybar! Just thought you might want to know ;)