once upon a time, long ago, i brought home a knitting dolly
it was so cute, i found myself bringing home one more, and then one more, and now i have several. i love them, standing there painted and ready...to make something... but, i've never made anything. i didn't know how. this child's toy baffled me. until
this discovery.
now i know how to spool knit! round and round, inch after inch, the cord grew. i carried it everywhere this week
the spool in one pocket, wool in the other
spool knitting is easily toteable (my grandson wondered why i was playing with a toy though!)
i had an idea, i have a chair, this yellow one, that needs a seat pad
the little knitting doll is helping me to make one
all i have to do is knit for another few rounds and a few more days, and my chair seat will be done! well, it still needs sewing together, and maybe a knitted dolly tie or two. i'm happy to be using the sock yarn left over from
this project
and then i think i'll be satisfied to just admire the cuteness of these knitting dollies (otherwise called a knitting nancy, bizzy lizzy, knitting mushroom, knitting spool, french knitter, peg knitter, knitting noddy or knitting knobby!)
i picked up two of the same dolls, one to share with you, in case you'd like to start (or add to) a collection yourself! leave a comment if you'd like this doll (little box included). i'll choose a name on sunday, the same day my other giveaway is ending. go
here to enter, if you haven't already. reading a charming book written in nineteen o nine on spool knitting, here is a
free download.
joining with small things yarn along this week! xo lori
I always wondered how to use one of those. Your idea is ingenious! That's going to be one cute cushion. I'd love to win the giveaway, and learn how to use a new "toy."
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely collection of yarn dollies! I remember my grandmother making me one out of a wooden spool and some brads. Xo's
ReplyDeleteOh Lori I would love to enter this giveaway, I need a doll to play with here!:) I think I would shock the wee one!
ReplyDeleteThat is the neatest thing and I love the pad you are making for your chair.
Have a great yarn along my dear friend.
xx
I want one! Where do I get one!? That is fantastic and the seat cushions. I would find this so addictive. I love the colours you've created too :) xxxx
ReplyDeleteI have one like the caterpillar/butterfly-without-wings one in your pictures (I think it was a Lion Brand thing I picked up somewhere). I use it to make drawstrings for longies. (:
ReplyDeleteLove the cushion idea, it looks wonderful, and a great way to use up leftovers :)
ReplyDeleteI love the knitting dollies, seems like a much more fun way to make icord than using DPNs!
Your collection looks beautiful on the shelf - mind if I pin it to pintrest?
How cute Lori!
ReplyDeleteLove the chair....and the new pad will se it off a treat!xx
another time you blow me away!
ReplyDeletei cherish knowing you, lori, but at the beginning i had no idea i would be the beneficiary of so many years of so many incredible creative fascinating ideas and creations. hell, i'm still swooning over those little blocks! and now this!
another thing: you so often do ALL this on what seems like a shoestring! you should write a book on how to cost effectively create, lori. i mean it!
(not counting african photos of course!)
some people just inspire. some friends are special friends.
nuff said.
♥
kj
ps how many exclamation points in this comment? even more than i'm accustomed to. i must be excited :^)
Lori - I just love your knitting posts! The lighting, the colors, the telling of a story. Perhaps it's the fairy-tale themes running throughout that I find appealing? Who knows. This is so sweet! Hmmm...now you've got me thinking about the baby blanket I'm knitting - perhaps I could make a spool knit edge and attach it rather than the one I intended.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet collection - each one with a unique character! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThat seat cushion is going to be perfect for your lovely yellow chair. I love the knitting at the beach pics....since I just got back from cross country skiing the beach is a few months away here.
ReplyDeleteoh how sweet. My four year old is learning on one of these right now! Good for all ages.
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me yet again Lori! I've been the owner of a knitting doll for years now and have never learned to use it, but after reading this post I desperately want to.
ReplyDeleteLove that yellow chair. Your seat cushion is perfect for it!
That chair cushion is going to be beautiful! (and I would love a knitting dolly to add to our collection. I never seem to have enough to go around. all of my kids love to "cork")
ReplyDeleteYour seat pad is looking fantastic. One of my sons loves to spool knit, but we usually just make bookmarks out of them. Maybe I will put him to work and we will make some big projects now too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
so sweet! we used to use real fine yarn in these and then make a spool of thread to knit with. but it took forever!
ReplyDeletelove the pics Lori - lovely
Lori ~ I've never seen these little knitting dolls before but they are so charming! Thank you for another giveaway ~ I love the ledge you have your collection displayed on & your yellow chippy chair. The seat pad will be perfect ♥
ReplyDeleteOh! What a good give away! But maybe I am too far away? Of all the knitting craft items here, we don't have a knitting dolly! So one would be welcomed indeed :)
ReplyDeleteClaire
xxx
Oh Lori that is so neat! I have seen them before, but I haven't actually seen what they make! I bet Chase would like this better than knitting. You're so wonderful to be offering another fantastic gift!
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of you entertaining yourself on the rocks. So cool!
Okay, I'm waxing nostalgic now...I had a knitting dolly like the first from the left, the toadstool, when I was 8 or so in Germany. I also had a toadstool tiddlywinks set. I need to search Ebay now...!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was seven and in hospital, I had such a Strickliesel in Germany, and she looked just like the one in your last picture. Stricken means knitting, and Liesel is a girl`s name (from Elisabeth). So Liesel was her name, and she accompanied me through all my long months in the sanatorium, where I made endless long braids. My mother used to take the spirals as flower pot cushions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, Lori! I remember how proud I was then to be able to "knit" already.
I do love the spiral design, and the colours are such eye candy. Will be just beautiful Lori! Thanks for sharing such sweet simple inspiration. Warmly, Mia
ReplyDeleteOkay now it seems I will have yet another addiction. Those little cords are so pretty. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletexo,
Ang
Lori, Im so happy to see you back for another week : ) Your posts always make me feel happy. I.love.that.chair. It reminds me of a Tolix chair and the i-cord cushion is perfect! When I saw the i-cord I thought jump rope lol. Also, use cotton yarn and use the icord to make a basket : ) Of course would love to have a knitting dollie of my own but am happy for whomever gets it. Thank you for always being such a giving human.
ReplyDeleteI had to come back and have another look and had I read your post properly I would have seen you're giving one away! Fingers crossed then and if not I'll be on the look out for one.....or I could try and make one :) xxx
ReplyDeleteYour seat pad is looking fantastic. A very imaginative use for french knitting.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be amazing to make a rug? A lot of work, though. I would love to have that dolly...what a kind giveaway!
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine just told me yesterday about knitting an i-cord. Similar to this...but using 2 DPNs. I think the end result is a bit skinnier.
All I can say is- I love it!
ReplyDeleteMy girls have a knitting tool like this but your dolly one is much, much cuter. LOVE the chair pad. What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteSo, so darling! I would love to have one of these. The little cushion is such a cute idea and the yarn is just beautiful. So much good stuff!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Your cushion pad is inspired! And spool knitting is so much simpler than making i-cord like I did for the bracelet I made last week. I have a lot more of that yarn to use so I'd love to be entered into this giveaway please Lori.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy dad taught me to knit at an early early early age, but even before the "needles" knitting, he made me "spoolies" from a spool and 4 nails and I merrily made miles of cording!!! Such wonderful memories. What I would give to have one of the "spoolies" he had made!
ReplyDeleteYour "spooling" is just lovely!!! Can't wait to see the finished seat cushion.
Be assured that should I happen to be a winner, your little dolly would find a very happy home and would be treasured!!!
(my new computer isn't allowing me to reply using typepad--I'm very confused.....!!!!!
steph@woolythyme
Love the knitting dolly. We have a plastic one, but it is not the same! The chair pad is a perfect use for the long coil of color. We used ours one year as tree garland.
ReplyDeleteThat is the best kind of doll!! Love the chair cushion idea :)
ReplyDeleteI would love a chance to learn to use this sweet little knitting doll.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting tool! While I would love it, we have a niece who is very creative that would love it more. She just made a purse from potholders and needs a handle.
ReplyDeleteI want one! I want one! I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THOSE! I have one somewhere!!
ReplyDeleteI saw your fabulous collection of whimsical knitting spools on your previous post and was so delighted by them. They are adorable! My daughter knitted a huge worm one day in a similar fashion, but she used her fingers instead. That chair pad is going to be such a happy addition to your beautiful room. I love all the colors! Problem is, I think I'd rather stare at it rather than sit on it. :)
ReplyDeletewonderful lori thank you!
ReplyDeletehow will you join your ropes for the chair? i've made a similar floor rug,, and the stitch joining was terrible. wondeering if you have a better idea! x
I love it, Lori! That's going to make such a pretty seat cushion.
ReplyDeleteI adore your spool knitters! I had a gorgeous one as a child, but haven't found any as nice as yours - so I ended up making my own :-)http://happywhimsicalhearts.blogspot.com/2012/01/knitting-nancy.html, warmly, Kelly
ReplyDeleteThese little treasures remind me of a Kumi loom(I think thats what its called)anyway I just love them...and I really love what your brilliant mind has come up with for the chair.
ReplyDeleteThank you sweet Lori for the chance to win one of these treasures.Big Hugs,Cat
I have been knitting for a very long time now but have never picked up one of these to play with. I love your little collection of them and look for forward to maybe winning one! Thank you for the chance.
ReplyDeleteWould love to have the spool knitter. Have never seen one this cute. Years ago I was taught how to use one only it was a cork with nails in it! You are so creative and inspire us all.
ReplyDeleteThe cushion is very kewl! Love the look of those little treasures.
ReplyDeleteHow cute! I did this a lot as a child! I loved it and love to see it now again. It was like a little miracle instrument for me.
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful collection dear♥
Oh how cute. I had one as a child but never knew what to do with the long knitting when finished. Your cushion is a great idea and beautiful I have a little grand daughter who might just like one if you could put me in the draw.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely what you created already. I know you have to make a lot of loops to get such a big cord. In Dutch it's called 'punniken' and has no word referring to knitting in it. I have several of these dollies too and also displayed on a little shelf... :-) I would love to win yours too, but I'm outside the USA so I would understand when you exclude me.
ReplyDeleteThat chair mat is just beautiful! I was thinking just the other day about things I could make with knitted i-cords. Tell me, does the doll produce the same thing or is it a bit different? Lovely lovely lovely x
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the knitting doll! It's SUPER cute! And I think the seat cushion on that yellow chair is going to be so bright and cheery you're never going to want to sit your tush on it. ;) (Or maybe it will simply make your tush cheery too!)
ReplyDeleteMy goodness! I remember having a plastic red one when I was little - but it was not cute like the ones you have. Loved playing with it until I broke one of the prongs. Thank you for sharing the video and beautiful pictures, as always. I think they would make great ties for a hat, too. :)
ReplyDeleteThose are just darling!
ReplyDeleteOh, finally I have found it! I have been walking through craft shops, and educational stores, and yarn stores, trying to explain what I need: something round, with a hole and four nails... You can almost knit with it? Now what would the English word for "tollietjiebrei" be?? You gave me so many options, thanks! Even if I do not win this, now I can possibly find one. Great. I love your collection, btw :)
ReplyDeleteLori these little knitting dolls are the most adorable things I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteWow! The knitting dolls are awesome!!! I definitely want to start a collection now! And I absolutely love the seat cushion. Just beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteLori, You are so clever :-).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful use of your darling knitting dolls. xoxo
That little dolly looks like such fun to use. Please enter me in the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteDiane in North Carolina
Hi Lori, I just love your 'dolly' collection and seat cover. I bought my son one for christmas and I can't wait to show him this post. Please include me in your giveaway.
ReplyDeleteDear Lori, you are darling! All the time I was reading your post I was thinking where I could find one doll! the cover for your chair is going to be fantastic - I love that circle!!! Your turquoise hat is also really beautiful!
ReplyDeletePlease count me in your great give away! x Teje
Dear Lori,
ReplyDeleteMy grandpa made one of these for me when i was ten. He used one of grandma's old large spools and painted it pink. Then he trimmed and bent nails and hammered them in. Somehow it worked, and i think i made hot pads.....I'd forgotten how to use them until I saw the video. Happiness!
xx
julie
I love these little dolls. When I was very small and sewing thread still came on wooden spools, my mother hammered 4 little tacks into a spool, gave me some yarn and away I went. I don't remember that the long ropes of yarn I made ever became anything - but it certainly did keep me busy! Good times! Good memories!
ReplyDeleteYour collection is adorable!!! The ones I found at the store only had one style, and of course when I went back they were all gone!! So, I will be oh so happy to enter this lovely giveaway! And your seat pad is a PERFECT solution to our wooden chairs! Fingers crossed, and thanks for the chance Lori!
ReplyDeleteps you are so cute with your beautiful gray sweater, hat and boots!!
I have never heard of a knitting doll, and now I must have one. I love the seat cushion. I could see a braided belt out of the cord.
ReplyDeleteoh this is great:) love this idea of an seat pad and this one is just perfect, so colorful!
ReplyDeleteJenMuna
I love your collection. And your seat pad is too cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link.
Hello Lori, I love the knitting dolly and the cord you have made in wonderful colours! The knitted cord will make a lovely seat pad, and could have so many other uses too! It is such a useful and fun thing to have...please put my name in the draw too! Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteHelen x
Oh how sweet! I've never known what those were for either - my littles would love one!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
G
Oh that takes me back to my childhood Lori. I actually recently bought a little knitting dolly but just a very simple wooden one...I must have another go too...thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteOh and the seat pad looks lovely using the random dyed wool.
Deb
I LOVE everything about this post! The spool knitters, the wool, the wonderful pictures, the link to an old instructional book, the chair pad idea... and especially the give-away!! Count me in. Thanks Lori!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Debbie
I love your seat cover. Great idea! :) You have such a beauriful home.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog. :)
i come here every week to unwind and replenish. not until this post have i felt that i could maybe do something with my hands. i have an old red metal stool that needs the same cover you've put together.that photo of you in the boots (!) casts a serene setting- one i'd like to duplicate up here in montana, in deep snow.
ReplyDeletesherry
Just found your neat blog and that clever little knitting doll. I could use one of those thingies. Your chair pad is very much like one my grandmother made more than 60 years ago. I wonder if she used a knitting doll.
ReplyDeleteMy son and I made a spool knitter ourselves out of a tp roll and popsicle sticks and he loved working with it, but we never came up with anything good to use the work on. Love the cushion idea. (and I really like your mushroom spool knitters too...so cute)!
ReplyDelete76 trombones , ah, I mean 76 comments.
ReplyDeleteHoly moley!
You are officially a rock star
No surprise there
:-)
xoxotsupxocoo
Lovely chance of a giveaway. I would love to play with this.
ReplyDeleteI would use this with my oldest daughter- what fun in the winters days ahead! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteJust so cute--
ReplyDeleteLove to have a chance :-)
Ingela R
Sweden
I was just lingering over the first photograph, thinking, how lovely, admiring the yarn, and feeling curious about the knitting dolly and what there might be in store, when I went to the next photo and saw that there was a line of them! It made me laugh to see how one had grown to a line-up! Then I went on, and gasped at the deliciousness of the seat cover! What a beauty! Lori, you are exceptionally clever, what a great idea to use the long cord for a seat cushion/cover. And that little yellow chair is beautiful, I can see it has been saved by you and gone to the most loving home possible. I could see a lovely great big rug made from the cord too! Love Vanessa xxx
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a clever way of using the cord, must get myself a knitting dolly. Off to have a look through your blog as only just found it x
ReplyDeleteI've never seen one of these - what a fantastic thing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such a sweet & practical giveaway -
robyn
Great giveaway. I'd love to win.
ReplyDeletesweetiesuzy@aol.com
I'm sure I won't win.....look at all these ladies..good luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteStill I can make one and figure out how to use it.
Thank you Lori
I love the colors in your project!
xo
I remember having one of those when I was a kid. Never knew what to do with the cord tho. Now I do!
ReplyDeleteOk, that is really adorable. I love the knitting dolls! I think you are rather clever as well, making a chair pad with one.
ReplyDeleteReally want to try this out, I'd love a dolly!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful, bright site you have! I am so glad that Vanessa provided a link.
ReplyDeleteMy childhood version of a knitting dolly was made by my dad, who just tapped four little nails into the end of an large wooden thread spool. This was decades before thread began to be wound around various synthetic spindles! Those old wooden spools were also great for blowing soap bubbles.
Such simple childhood fun!
Using the multicolored sock yarn is a great idea.
Cheers!
I can remember using one of these as a child! ( a very long time ago!)
ReplyDeleteOh, I'd love to win; thanks for the chance! I knew about knitting spools, but not knitting dolls!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog today and am so inspired! Can't wait to read more.
I think my daughter would love this! How fun to be able to do it together! Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post dear Lori! Your seat pad is amazing!
ReplyDeleteLove
Linda
What a cool seat pad! Such a clever idea. My girls have the mushroom one is your picture, but the instructions weren't very helpful so we still have not been very successful with it. We really need to learn! Love the dollies!
Deletebrilliant lori! i love this and so many other of your fab ideas. and i just finished a pair of booties for baby in that same yarn. it really is lovely isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am late thanking you for visitng my blog last week. I loved this post. My son who is 12 - loves what we call "Mushroom knitting". He has a large ball that I would like to make into a small rug. Are you stitching it together with thread? How are you attaching the rounds.
ReplyDeletei am using thread donna, hopefully it won't show on the right side. if i were making a rug, quilting thread might work best?
DeleteOh those remind me of my childhood! I recenly saw a greatnscarf made from the knitted coils. If I can find it I'll email it to you. Hugs, Silke
ReplyDeleteHi Lori!
ReplyDeleteI frequently do a search in google for knitting doll, nancy, spool, etc. and only just found your post today. I am "Spoolknitter" from the blog of the same name and I am in Australia. My blog is all to do with spool knitters and I have several hundreds of them. I am also hoping to one day publish a book about them. I am also the moderator of the Yahoo Spool Knitter group where we have many ideas, patterns, links as to what to make with your spool knitter, as well as competitions with prizes! Plus I also manage the group on Flickr Spoolknitter where you will find lots and lots of photos of spoolknitters and the projects members have made. You are most welcome to join these groups if you have not done so already, happy spooling! ... very best wishes, Marian aka Maz aka Spoolknitter
have you got any other things you can make with a knitting doll
ReplyDeleteThat's such a great idea! You really inspired me, thanks! Thanks too for the book recommendation-I just downloaded it onto my Kindle.
ReplyDeletei am trying to join together a very long icord into a floor mat but having lots of trouble getting it to sit flat. I tried joining it with just wool thread but it keeps concaving on me....any suggestions. When i was a kid we used to make our own out of cotton reals but of course these days there are no wooden reals so these are adourable and so much easier than icord i have to say.
ReplyDeletehi debby, when I sewed my pad I stitched through the back of the coil, keeping it flat as you go. it doesn't look as neat as joining side to side, but it is the bottom so I don't think it matters as much. also take care not to wind too tightly. I hope this helps!
ReplyDelete