What's new, and well, natural, from the NaturalKids Team

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from...yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! This week, we feature wonderful variety of artist from who have one thing in common - they all work with natural materials.

Marie in the Garden

Farida hails from Seattle, Washington, USA. As she was born on the feast day of St. Alkelda, it seemed only right to name her shop "Alkelda" ...Old English for "healing spring"! Alkelda: Dolls for Storytelling creates natural, beautifully embroidered wool felt figures for use in nature table displays, storytelling, and imaginative play.

Here is one of her most recent treasures...Marie in the Garden!

Woolie's Lace Shawl Pattern

Sara creates her artisan stuffed animals and toys from Tucson, Arizona, USA. Her shop Woolies features her natural hand-knitted and cloth treasures, as well as patterns to make your own. Here is her latest... Lace Shawl Knitting Pattern.

Dollhouse Doll Rosie

Natalie works from British Columbia, Canada. Her shop, Woolhala, features all-natural Waldorf & dollhouse dolls, doll clothe and wool felt animals. Here is her newest dollhouse doll... Rosie.

From patterns to wool stuffed storytelling treasures to doll house components, these are just a few of the natural treasures you will find from our shops hailing from all over the world.

Thanks for joining us this week! Please do return again next Monday as we continue to feature all the wonderful members of the NaturalKids team on Etsy. Until then, I invite you to browse all our wonderful shops.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie
Nushkie on Facebook

Easter Nest and Egg Pattern Tutorial

This week's How-To is Easter Nest and Egg Tutorial by Linda, from Mamma4earth here on the Natural Kids Team. This darling little knitted tutorial is just the thing if you like to knit... and I can just imagine all the amazing colour variations if using variegated yarn. Hope you enjoy this weeks Spring and Easter craft tutorial!

Easter Nest and Egg Pattern Tutorial:

Hello wonderful friends, thanks so much for visiting:) Today, I have been working on a pattern for Easter crafting. We will soon be setting up our Easter tree and I wanted to make something special, so I have Knitted a nest in handspun Alpaca yarn, spun by my daughter Jenna. Inside the nest are some rainbow eggs. I have knitted the nest with a textured appearance to give it the look of a true nest. I do hope you enjoy knitting these patterns:)

Materials:

Yarn for the nest, I have used handspun Alpaca

Yarn for eggs, I have used rainbow cotton DK

4.5 mm circular needles

Wool needle for sewing up

Fleece for stuffing the eggs

Pattern:

Nest:

Cast on 10 stitches

Join for knitting in the round (Magic Loop)

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: Increase into each stitch across the round (20 stitches)

Round 3: Knit

Round 4: (Increase into the first stitch, knit 2 stitches, increase into the next stitch, knit 2 stitches) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end. (26 stitches)

Round 5: Knit

Round 6: Increase into each stitch. (52 stitches)

Round 7: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 8: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Round 9: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 10: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Rounds 11- 14: Knit

Round 15: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Round 16: (Purl 1, knit 1) repeat across round.

Round 17: (Knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) repeat across round.

Rounds 18-21: Knit

Rounds 22-23: Purl

Cast off.

Sew in the ends.

Egg Pattern:

Cast on 4 stitches and join for knitting in the round.

Round 1: Knit

Round 2: Increase into each stitch (8 stitches)

Round 3: Knit

Round 4: Increase into each stitch (16 stitches)

Rounds 5-13: Knit

Round 14: (Knit 3 stitches, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end.

Round 15: Knit

Round 16: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round, knit 1 stitch on the end.

Round 17: Knit

Round 18: (Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together) repeat across the round.

Round 19: Knit

Finishing off:
Break your thread and thread your yarn onto a wool needle and thread your stitches from your circular neeldes onto your wool needle and pull tight to close the opening. I normally fill the egg from this end and make sure the the wide base is firm and then fill the rest of the egg. Close both ends by threading tight in a circle with your thread and pulling tightly closed.

Roll your egg in your hands to get the required egg shape, and there you have an Easter Egg:)

Wishing you all an inspired week.

xo Linda

This tutorial is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla

Please visit Linda at her blog Natural Suburbia where you can see the original post, find a few other wonderful free knitting tutorials, plus other craft life tutorials and more. In her own words Linda is a "homeschooling mother of four little souls from South Africa. I am a knitter, pattern designer, gardener, homesteader and try to be as self sufficient as possible".

Check out her Etsy shop Mamma4earth where you find more wonderful knitted treasures consisting of Waldorf inspired knitted and wooden farm animals, gnomes and toys.

Valentine Heart Knitting Pattern, Tutorial

This week's How-To is Valentine Heart Knitting Pattern by Linda, from Mamma4Earth here on the Natural Kids Team. Her blog is Natural Suburbia where you will find lots of tutorials and posts. This is the last "Valentine" themed craft for a while (see the last few weeks for others) and it's a real cutie!

Valentine Heart Knitting Pattern, Tutorial:

Today I have been working on a little pattern for a Valentine Heart and I am so please to be finished and to be able to share it here. It really is the easiest pattern, knitted entirely in garter stitch, flat with the slightest shaping on the sides. They knit up quickly and look wonderful in garter or stocking stitch too, if you would like to add some variation. I embroidered a heart on mine, but you could also embroider the word 'love' or someone's name for instance, too. Ok enough talking from me, here is the pattern:)

Materials:
Red yarn for your heart
White yarn for embroidery
Roving for stuffing
Wool needle for sewing up

Pattern: (Knit two sides)
Cast on 1 stitch.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (3 stitches)
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (5 stitches)
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (7 stitches)
Row 7-8: Knit
Row 9: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (9 stitches)
Row 10: Knit
Row 11: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (11 stitches)
Row 12: Knit
Row 13: Increase into the first stitch, knit to the end, increase into the last stitch. (13 stitches)
Row 14-21: Knit
Row 22: Knit 2 stitches together at the beginning of the row, knit until the last 2 stitches and knit 2 together. (11 stitches)
Row 23: Knit 2 stitches together at the beginning of the row, knit until the last 2 stitches and knit 2 together. (9 stitches)
Row 24: Knit 2 stitches together at the beginning of the row, knit until the last 2 stitches and knit 2 together. (7 stitches)
Cast off

Once you have knitted two sides, sew right sides together and leave a little opening for stuffing. Turn onto the right side and stuff. Once your heart is lovely and firm, sew closed.
Sew a thread at the base of your heart, push your needle up throught the inside of the heart and pull it out the top of the heart.
Push the needle back into the top of the heart and pull it out the base of the heart where you started sewing.
Pull quite tightly so that a depression is seen on the top of the heart giving you the wonderful heart shape:) and finish off.
I embroidered a little heart and also added some yarn for a hanging ornamnet:)
Enjoy!
xo
Linda

Please note, this pattern is for personal use only, and not for resale, items knitted from this pattern may not be sold for commercial purposes, thank you.

This tutorial is brought to you by Natalie, of Woolhalla

Please visit Linda at Natural Suburbia where you can see her original post and get to know her better. She is a homeschooling mother of four little souls from South Africa, as well as a knitter, pattern designer, gardener, homesteader and trying to be as self sufficient as possible...

Friday Feature with

Today's interview is with Tiffany, of Fair Trade Family. Enjoy!

Tell us little about yourself!

My name is Tiffany Nixon.  I am originally from Chicago and moved 8 years ago to the Phoenix area.  I have four boys (ages 5 to 12) and have been married for 13 years.  We school at home so that we can have active busy lives otherwise.  I have coached soccer for the last 4 years,and am passionate about health, nutrition, and exercise.  I have lost 56 pounds and counting by focusing on an active lifestyle and raw vegan foods.

What do you make and how long have you been creating?

I make play foods from natural materials and some custom knit and crochet woolies for cloth diapering.  I have been crocheting and knitting since I was about 5 (almost 30 years ago).

What inspires you?

I am inspired by the colors of nature and by the delicious and nutritious foods around me as well as a passion to see more natural materials and fewer toxic toys in our homes.

What got you started working with yarn?

My friend and I loved playing with yarn during our summer breaks from grade school.  We had huge plans for a five-story-high store which would sell our crocheted goodies.  At the time all we could make were chains and long uneven scarves.  Of course, we didn't anticipate the internet or any of those possibilities.

How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you so far?

I have been on Etsy since July 2006 and have been very pleased.  I started out a couple years before that on hyenacart.com and sold my first 1000 or so orders there.  Etsy  had a learning curve for me but I have been very pleased with the broad customer base and return customers there. 

What advice would you have for other Etsians?

I love the teams on Etsy.  Find one that really fits with who you are and what you sell and try to really be involved.  The support from the teams is really helpful when starting out and when you need new ideas or advice.   The general etsy forums gave me great ideas at first but i soon became wrapped up in the busy-ness of it all and had less time to work my business and to craft.  I do think social networking is worth it but I do better with a full store and happy customers.

What do you hope to learn/gain/contribute from being part of the Natural Kids group?

The longer I spend with Natural Kids the more excited I am to be part of the team.  I love being able to recommend other vendors with positive feedback and great business ethics to my friends and customers.  The networking possibilities as a team far outweigh the individual and the support the vendors give to each other is really valuable to me.

What thoughts do you have for parents on the importance of natural toys for creative play?

I remember reading once that some new parents were overwhelmed when promotions for products or even breastfeeding focused on giving your baby "the best."   The experts say that parents who know they can't afford the top of the line car seat or stroller; who know they have to return to work at 6 weeks postpartum; who can't buy 100% organic will just go for what they can do and not be as excited about "the best."  The thing is, with natural toys, there are so many great options out there and the alternatives aren't just a little less than the best, they are toxic.  It is worth investing in a few beautiful toys made with natural materials that will last for many many years.   I have wooden toys that I bought 12 years ago and play foods that have gone through several children.  Playsilks and organic t-shirts have become part of the costumes and the sets for movies my children have written and filmed.  Natural toys tend to grow with our children since they are more open-ended.  I love buying toys that allow for imaginative play.

Your links?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/fairtradefamily
http://hyenacart.com/Fair-Trade-Family
http://www.facebook.com/tiffanynixon
http://www.facebook.com/fairtradefamily
http://twitter.com/#!/fairtradefamily

Thank you Tiffany!
This interview was by Kat, of kats in the belfry.

How To: Knit a Pumpkin

It's Fall! It's October! It's pumpkin time! Dust off your knitting needles for this great little pattern by Linda. Her original post on her blog, Natural Suburbia, has plenty of pictures for step-by-step guidance and some handy suggestions for pumpkin use.



Materials Needed:
Wool needle for sewing up
Circular needles
2 double pointed needles
Orange yarn for your pumpkin and green for your stem.
Fleece for stuffing

I have knitted this pumpkin using the magic loop technique.

Pattern:
With circular needles cast on 9 stitches.
Round 1: Knit the first round.
Round 2: Increase into every stitch in the second round, you will now have 18 stitches.
Round 3: Knit 1 round.
Round 4: Increase into each stitch in the 4th round, you will now have 36 stitches.
Round 5 to 9: Knit
Round 10: Knit 2 together all across the round.(18 stitches)
Round 11: Knit.
Round 12: Knit 2 together all across the round. (9 stitches)
Round 13: Knit.

Leaving a long thread, break yarn and thread onto a wool needle, thread your wool needle through your stitches, stuff and pull tight. Do not overstuff as this might make your pumpkin look too round, I understuffed my pumpkin and the convolutions of the pumpkin's skin showed up quite nicely. The wool I knitted him in was also a little on the chunky side and handspun and this worked quite well:)

Once you have closed the top opening of your pumpkin, take your needle, push down through your pumpkin, pull out on the other side and pull tight. This makes a depression on the top of your pumpkin. Sew tightly underneath.



Pick up 2 stitches in the middle of the top of your pumpkin, attach your green thread and knit an I-cord for a stalk.



Sew in all your ends and you are finished, enjoy!!

(This pattern is for personal use only :)

Linda gives her four children the credit for inspiring her to create the wonderful Waldorf inspired knitted and wooden farm animals, gnomes and other toys that inhabit her Etsy shop. Knitting patterns for toys and finished treasures are all available from Mamma4earth.

Friday Feature with Woolies

Tell us little about yourself!
I'm an old married lady (lol), with two teenage boys. We live on a little ranch, with two horses, four dogs and two cats. Periodically, we have other animals - various rodents, goats....I really want a desert tortoise. We're from the east coast, but now live in the wild west - southwest Arizona. I love the wildlife here, and the mountains. The heat - not so much! I work full time for an advertising agency, but have the wonderful luxury of a home office - which gives me time to lurk on etsy all day. Don't tell anybody!

What do you make and how long have you been creating?
I am a knitter. My Mom taught me to knit when I was a little girl. I used to knit baby clothes, but when I opened Woolies on etsy almost three years ago, my shop evolved into stuffed animals. I can remember saying (a LONG time ago) to my sister in law that I was always searching for patterns for softies. Finally, I found some great ones, and have developed some of my own as well. I also sew, and make some softies at the sewing machine. Everything at Woolies is made from natural fabrics. I'm a yarn junkie, and could easily develop into a fabric junkie. And then I got into jewelry making, but that's a whole 'nother story.

What inspires you?
I can still remember what it felt like to be a small child and hug/hold my stuffed animals. I went everywhere with them. (I still have one, Lucky, a horse). What a comfort my animals (both stuffed and otherwise) were to me, during a difficult -and  a bit lonely - childhood. I want my animals to provide the same sort of comfort and love to children. My stuffies are all very good listeners - just in case you wondered.

What got you started with making knitted and soft toys?
Hmmm, might have answered that one already? I am a true animal lover. And a true lover of anything soft and squishy (which includes cookies and brownies). It was natural that Woolies became knitted soft toys. And I have my Mom to thank for teaching me to knit.

How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you so far?
It will be 3 years in just a couple of weeks. It has opened an entire new world for me. I love it here.

What advice would you have for other Etsians?
If you really want your Etsy shop to be a business that provides an income, you have to treat it like a business. Selling on the internet is a vast undertaking. I do not pretend to fully understand SEO, for example, but am trying to learn. Don't expect all your sales to come from buyers on Etsy. I recommend reaching out across the world - via advertising - to reach your target audience.
If I could tell shop owners just one thing - treat your customers like you would want to be treated. Excellent customer service is the best thing you can do to grow your business.

What do you hope to learn/gain/contribute from being part of the Natural Kids group?
It wasn't that long after I started to sell on Etsy that I discovered the Natural Kids Team  - and it was like meeting your new best friends without even expecting it. Like minded women (mostly), making incredible, wonderful, items for kids. From natural materials. Ecstasy. Now that we have our website up and running beautifully, I just want to continue to grow with the team. I was leader for about a year and a half, and I'm very happy to relinquish that role!

What thoughts do you have for parents on the importance of natural toys for creative play?
Children's imaginations are incredible things. I love to see a child come alive, with a natural toy in their hands. I think a big set of natural blocks is one of the greatest toys a child can have - let them imagine a city or a fort or a tunnel. One day I'll write a book - Plastic is the death of the human race. (lol).

My items can be found at:
http://woolies.etsy.com
http://busterandboo.etsy.com
Also several toy stores and online stores.
My blog: http://woolies-woolies.blogspot.com

Interview by Beccijo of The Enchanted Cupboard

How to make your own knitting needles by Elemental Handcrafts

How to make Your Own Knitting Needles with Kids

by, Stephanie of Elemental Handcrafts

A wise woman once told me that the best way to teach your child to knit is to start at the beginning; by having your child make his or her own needles. In this tutorial, I will teach you step by step how to make your own wooden knitting needles, with your child. Wood is the best material for a person to knit with as the wood holds the warmth of the hands while you knit. The smell of the beeswax polish acts as natural aromatherapy as the needles click-clack their way through the yarn and into what will hopefully become a lifelong love of knitting.

We'll start at the beginning. The “ingredients” you will need are as follows:

• one 36” wooden dowel -size and wood type depends on your preference

• sand paper – coarse, medium and fine

• beeswax or other natural wax or oil (an almost used up candle or crayon works)

• a bit of wool roving

• dish soap

• warm water

• a soft cloth

• glue

• scissors

Start with your store bought wooden dowel. The easiest to find is likely to be birch wood. You can also special order cherry, walnut, maple or other hard woods if you prefer, but the birch is easy to work with and easy to find. The size to buy depends also, on your preference. Bringing a knitting needle sizer, (found at craft or knitting stores) is a good idea. For a child just learning, large easy to handle needles are best. Choose a dowel that is smooth and straight.

Knitting Needle Sizer

Have an adult carefully cut the dowel down to knitting needle size. Ten inches is a good starting size. The child can now help sand one end of each needle into a point, using the coarse sand paper. It's easiest to lay the paper flat on the ground and rub the needle on the paper, turning it often so the tip stays relatively even. Help her with this and assist so that you don't end up with too sharp a point. The tip should be gradual as it flows into the rest of the needle. Do this for both needles.

Once you are happy with the shapes of your needle tips, use your medium grit sand paper to sand the whole needle, tip to end, and follow this sanding by repeating with the fine sand paper until your needles are as smooth as can be. Then finish the wood with your wax. I like to use a beeswax based polish made for salad bowls. If you'd like a vegan alternative, you can use a crayon or non beeswax candle, or just a simple olive oil. Buff it to a shine with a soft cloth.

Now comes the top. You can use many things for a personalized and colorful knitting needle topper. In the past I've used wooden or glass beads, acorns, slices from a branch, clay sculptures and even small pebbles glued into place with strong glue.

Today we'll make felted wool needle toppers. To do this we will make a wool bead. Take a small piece of carded wool roving.

Roll it into a tight ball and while holding tighlty, dip the ball into very warm soapy water. Roll the wool ball in your palms until it starts to tighten up. It will get softer and mushy feeling before it tightens. You might want to get this started for your child. Once you feel it tighten, keep rolling it and dipping as needed until you have a solid, wool, bead. This should take about two to three minutes. Practice rolling the dry wool and felting it a few times to determine how much wool you need to get the size bead that looks best on your needles. This can take a little practice, but is fun to do.

Once the bead is dry, (a sunny window will speed things up), have an adult use sharp scissors to snip a little sclice in one side of the bead. Try the bead on the flat tip of your needle and once it fits nicely, add a little strong glue and put the bead back on the needle and let dry completely.

You are now ready to knit!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me through my shop: www.ElementalHandcrafts.etsy.com.

If you prefer your knitting needles already made, visit my shop in March as I'll br re-stocking my stash of colorful and unique knitting needles! Thanks for reading and have fun!

Stephanie