Whimsical!

August 16, 2016August 16, 2016Out of the Thistle 2 Comments

As you may have seen sneak peeks on our Etsy and Instagram–we will now be incorporating some more kid-friendly items! The new Out of the Thistle® Whimsicals include rattles and dolls! These items are still 100% handmade, crocheted from 100% wool. They are created with the intent of being passed down for many generations. Their unique design allow for young children to easily hold and play with the new dolls and rattles. These toys have heirloom-quality, yet they are durable enough for everyday play. they are also visually appealing to fit perfectly into any child bedroom décor.

These dolls and rattles were put through a vigorous washing technique to shrink them, making them firm and durable. Their soft exterior makes them safer to play with, as well!

You may view all new items in our Etsy shop while our website is under construction. Be on the lookout for more whimsical designs!

Holly Jolly

December 12, 2015Out of the Thistle 1 Comment

Sometimes, it’s easy to get bogged down this time of year, especially if you’ve had to recently deal with anything like we have such as deaths of close family members and of pets, or having dealt with thieves stealing your Christmas decorations off of your lawn! However, in spite of all of that, I am going to choose to dwell on the good this season has to offer. I thought some of you may need a few photographical pick-me-ups as well, maybe you just need your inspiration sparked or your interest piqued. So, here are a few festive photos as of recently.

We’ve been busy making a few fiber goodies.

And, I spent a weekend with my family in one of my favorite places, Prescott, dubbed “Arizona’s Christmas Town,” and for good reason. We saw dozens of the most intricate gingerbread houses. We went to the town square for the Christmas parade where my kids waved to everyone and made new friends. We participated in the lighting of the Courthouse where they read the story of Jesus’ birth and we all sang Christmas carols and ate too many sweets. A little reindeer sat outside a local bakery and sang about the coffee, cookies, and hot chocolate inside. Every corner was decked-out. Everyone was jolly. It was perfect.

So, just dwell on the good, share it with others, and just look to all the joyous moments to be found this season, no matter how small they may seem.

A tisket, a tasket, bunnies in a basket!

October 10, 2015Out of the Thistle Leave a comment

These three little cuties are now available on our website! They are the perfect size for being toted around by your little one. I hand-knit them with 100% American wool (from Quince & Co), then I put them through a process to shrink ’em up! The result: a more durable, fuzzy knit that holds its shape. I can’t even fully explain how much of a difference there is in just the feel of shrunken (felted) knitted dolls compared to regularly knitted ones. They just feel more substantial, yet… light-weight.

They are jointed (buttons are decorative) so they can sit on a shelf with ease.

They have shapely features such as curved paws and feet and a perfectly puckered nose. Each little bunny is wearing a hand knitted alpaca, flutter-sleeve vest that ties in the front, and each one has a coordinating 100% cotton skirt (made from Liberty of London fabric). The outfits are completely removable for ease of cleaning. Standing at about 12.5″ tall, they are the perfect size for squeezing. xx

Keep an eye out for more of these one-of-a-kind softies on our website! Thanks for looking!

–Rhonda Potteet

A Pair of Hares.

March 22, 2015April 8, 2015Out of the Thistle 6 Comments

If you are like me you are probably shocked that Easter has somehow snuck up on you, that it is in TWO WEEKS. I’m pretty sure that it was January last week, so how did this happen??

Lucky for you, we’re giving you a heads up! If you knit and like giving one-of-a-kind gifts, then our “Claire the Hare” PDF knitting pattern is right up your alley. It’s available on our website, on Ravelry, and on Etsy (all of these links can be found to the right of this post).

If knitting isn’t your thing and you still love giving one-of-a-kind gifts, then these are for you! I have created a few rabbits using my pattern and they are available for purchase!

Instead of wearing the knitted overall dress, they are dressed in a couple of short-and-shirt outfits I created specifically for them. These took some time to make, especially sewing these tiny little shorts! But I just love the way they turned out.

This first little bunny is wearing cotton, jade-colored high-waist shorts with a crisp floral, lace-trimmed tank top tucked in.

The shirt was sewn using a high-quality Liberty of London cotton. She was hand knitted from 100% wool and has a wool embroidered face.

This second little rabbit was also hand knitted from 100% wool, with a wool embroidered face.

I designed and knitted her flutter-sleeve tank using 100% pure virgin wool. She is also wearing bubble shorts that were sewn using a high-quality Liberty of London cotton.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these bunnies, please feel free to contact me privately for details via email. rhondapotteet[at]gmail[dot]com

Happy Easter!
Rhonda Potteet

“Claire the Hare.”

May 16, 2014May 16, 2014Out of the Thistle 19 Comments

“Claire the Hare” Knitting Pattern is now available as a PDF Pattern! This little bunny was so much fun to design and create. It’s the perfect size for my daughter to tote around, and it makes the perfect little shelf accessory when not in use.

This vintage-style knitted rabbit doll measures 16″ from head to toe. I love her pigeon-toed stance, and her long, lanky body. Her face is detailed just enough to have the perfect bunny-faced pucker. I think I enjoyed creating her little overall dress the most. It has tiny crisscross straps in the back and a teeny tiny pocket right at her hip.

The biggest bonus of this pattern: it is knitted completely in the round. NO SEAMS! Makes for a quick and easy knit. I created this pattern using Knit Picks’ “Wool of the Andes Sport” yarn because of it’s beautiful heathered coloring. I love how rustic it is.

Be sure to check back for updates on different knitted outfit patterns for “Claire,” and even a fella friend! You can substitute any yarn for this pattern, but just keep in mind that you will have to use yarn with the same exact gauge for any new outfit designs in the future, so make a note of any alternative yarn you use!

If you would like to purchase this pattern, follow this link to my Etsy shop. It’ll be available there until our new website update is complete! We’ll keep you posted!

Again, here is the listing: https://www.etsy.com/listing/189763054/claire-the-hare-knit-pdf-pattern-instant

Thanks for looking! Rhonda

out of the thistle

the blog

softie

Whimsical!

Holly Jolly

A tisket, a tasket, bunnies in a basket!

A Pair of Hares.

“Claire the Hare.”

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