Finished or Almost Finished Objects

I have been a busy bee with baby knits. I want to get as much done for the baby's arrival as possible. And heaven knows I love the instant gratification of baby knits! *grin*

So I have been working on knitting as much as possible.


Loving Memories Lacy Bunting

Cast On:
May 20, 2009

All Knit, Just Waiting for Buttons & Bottom Closure:
Around July 30th, 2009

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Pattern:
Loving Memories Lacy Bunting by Lion Brand Yarn
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kwe-bunt.html

Made for:
Kiddle Due in Sept.

Needles:
US 4 / 3.5 mm
US 6 / 4.0 mm

Yarn:
Bernat Organic Cotton in white - 43006
Purchased at Smiley's Yarns in Woodhaven, New York

I looked at a number of buntings and really like this one. The lacy bits on the bottom will be lovely for my baby girl who is due in Sept.

I have decided to knit the body in the round. I loathe seaming and there doesn’t seem like there is a good reason why it needs to be done for this piece.

I subtracted 2 stitches from each side of the front & back. That means I cast on 180 sts.

I charted out the lace pattern. It is my first time converting a flat pattern into one in the round. It was definitely interesting. I should post the chart to my blog as it might be useful for someone else.

I finished knitting the body on 7/25. Added the hood which was done shortly afterwards.

Just need to add the buttons. I am also thinking about on putting a zipper on the bottom. The pattern suggests velcro. But after having some velcro get stuck to another knit item, I think having it on a knit item on purpose is just asking for trouble. So the zipper might work better.


Wave Jumper

Cast On:
May 17, 2009

Completed:
July 18, 2009

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Pattern:
Wave Jumper by Leslie Barbazette
From from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders

Made for:
Kiddle due in Sept.

Size:
3-6 mns - Middle size

Needles:
US 3 / 3.25 mm (I think, might have been a 2 and I didn't mark it)

Yarn:
Some Assembly Required Socks That Shine
~400.0 yards (365.8m)
Colorway - Roses Are Red
Purchased at Etsy Trunk Sale


The middle size pattern has errors in it. It should be 198 sts cast on. There are additional changes as well.

I was super impressed. I wrote to let the publisher know about the error. Within a day, the editor wrote me back with all the corrections! It was very cool.

They have posted the corrections for the middle size:
http://www.storey.com/correct_book.php?isbn=9781580176880

This was my third attempt at the pattern. The first two were in self striping yarns. I thought they would look good after looking at some finished projects. But they didn’t work at all.

I think this colorway is okay. It is still busy, but the colors relate well and I think it looks good.

I confess that there were times I thought I would never finish it. If it wasn’t that my baby will be here soon, I might never have completed it. The skirt was kinda tedious. But I did a bunch in the car which helped.


Going Home Mary Janes

Cast On & Completed:
August 1, 2009

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Pattern:
Mary Jane Booties by Lucie Sinkler
http://home.howstuffworks.com/free-baby-bootie-knitting-patterns2.htm

Made for:
Kiddle

Needles:
US 3 / 3.25 mm

Yarn:
Knit Picks Shine Sport
~0.5 skeins = 55.0 yards
Colorway - Cherry
Purchased at Knit Picks
http://www.knitpicks.com


Figured these would be cute to go with the February sweater. It is to match my baby to come’s going home outfit.

They were a super fast knit and very easy. They look adorable. They only took a few hours to knit. Hope they fit well.

Suspect I will make others given the simplicity and the look of them. Very cute.

3 1/2” long
1 1/2-1 1/34” wide

I should have taken the pics *before* they got washed as they looked better. But they will look great on her feet!

I suspect I will make more of these. They were so quick and cute it is hard not to.

I am overdue for some pics as per usual lately! *laugh* I have a finished object & some WIP pics.


Baby's First Blanket

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Pattern:
Baby Love Diagonal Baby Blanket by Lion Brand Yarn
http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60241.html

Made for:
Kiddle due in Sept. 09

Size:
25" x 25"

Needles:
US 8 / 5.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:
Caron Simply Soft Eco in Violet Plum 0300
~1.9 skeins = 475 yards
Purchased at Walmart in DE

I had picked up the Caron Simply Soft Eco yarn with hopes of making a baby blanket. It is pretty soft.

I like that it is done on a diagonal. This way I keep increasing until I almost ran out of the first skein. Then decreased with the second skein.

It didn’t make the 30" the original pattern does. But is it 25" x 25'. I think it made a nice size blanket. Small but good for a baby and maybe even a binkie.


Loving Memories Lacy Bunting



Pattern:
Loving Memories Lacy Bunting by Lion Brand Yarn
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kwe-bunt.html

Made for:
Kiddle Due in Sept.

Needles:
US 4 / 3.5 mm
US 6 / 4.0 mm

Yarn:
Bernat Organic Cotton in white - 43006
Purchased at Smiley's Yarns in Woodhaven, New York

I looked at a number of buntings and really like this one. The lacy bits on the bottom will be lovely for my baby girl who is due in Sept.

I have decided to knit the body in the round. I loathe seaming and there doesn’t seem like there is a good reason why it needs to be done.

I subtracted 2 stitches from each side of the front & back. That means I cast on 180 sts.

I am charting out the lace pattern. It is my first time converting a flat pattern into one in the round. It is definitely interesting. I have learned a lot by doing it.

I really should have taken some new pics as I got through the lacey part at the bottom already and it looks good.

The problem is that I tripped and fell. The good news is that I didn't land on my tummy. So the baby girl is fine. But I did land on my hands and knees. My wrists have both been tender as well as my right forearm. They are about 90% better. So I am hoping I can knit this weekend! But I am playing safe and careful.

St. George's Day Dragon Scarf Done & WIP

I am feeling accomplished. I got two things off my waiting to be completed pile so there isn't anything waiting now!

St. George's Day Dragon Scarf

Cast On:

April 24, 2008

Off the Needles:

May 21, 2008

Finished:

June 4, 2008

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

There are more pics in my flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/akkasha/sets/72157604706892854/

Pattern:

Puff the Merino Dragon Scarf by Morehouse Merino

http://www.morehousefarm.com/KnittingKits/Scarves/Dragon/

Yarn:

Morehouse Farm Merino Merino 3-Strand

2.5 skeins = 350.0 yards (320.0m)

Needles:

US 8 / 5.0 mm Bamboo dpns

Cast on for St. George's feast. grin

I ordered another kit as it was on sale. I had figured I would cast it on at some point. Then my hubby read me something my mother-in-law wrote him. She was wondering what dragons do on St. George's feast day. *laugh* I love the woman.

So it seemed only right to cast on the scarf.

I recall why I like the pattern. It is actually pretty simple once you understand the basic repeats.

I really think the pattern was designed for a small child because it turns out way too short if you follow the pattern as is.

I still miss my first one, Dracul. *sniffle* I lost him on the PATH train last fall. The problem was he was too short. So he kept falling off me.

This time I picked up an extra skein of the yarn. I have done more repeats & making it wider at the top. It really wasn't to challenging to tweak the pattern to get it wider. I went out to 15 stitches for the garter edge. I also did the 12-14 stitch spikes 3 times each. And then I did the 15 stitch spike 5 times to get it long enough that I can wrap it around my neck.

With the modifications, it is 77" total. A good length for me. I don't think this one will get lost.

I had to tweak the decreases to the head a bit, but it wasn't too bad. Since I increase to 15 stitches for the garter area, it gave me 2 extra to decrease. So I did the spike decrease at 10 stitches instead of 8 as the pattern suggests. Then I did a 5 stitch bind off spike instead of the 4 in the pattern. This means I removed another row. I did the final spike as a 4 stitch decrease spike as the pattern said.

I also am doing it on size 8 needles this time. I did my first one on size 10s because I was knitting so tight that that is what I required to get gauge. However, I want this one to be tighter, thus more dense.

Though I have to be careful… This yarn breaks...a lot. In the first 2 repeats, the yarn has broken three times. I loosen up on my stitches but there was still some breaking. The good news is that wool sticks to itself. So I just rejoin the yarn. But it does mean working back to get enough to join the yarn together.

I confess I don't see how this yarn is three ply. I find it is very loose and there isn't much twist to it at all. Guess it is just my tight knitting coming back to bite me. *laugh*

I really love the pattern. I found it was pretty easy as you get used to the repeat. I really enjoy knitting it. And I am glad to have a longer scarf so hopefully this one won't get lost like my first one!

I got the eyes from Suncatcher Eyes - http://www.suncatchereyes.net/ . I bought several different pairs to see which I liked best. I decided the copper looked the best.

I am happy with the way he turned out for certain. And hopefully with the additional length, this one won't disappear!

Scarf for Paul

Cast On:

May 24, 2008

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Yarn:

Handspun Kid Shetland from Unique Designs by Kathy

http://www.uniquedesignsbykathy.com/

1 skeins = 160.0 yards (146.3m)

&

Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends in Colorway 16040

4 skeins = 412.0 yards (376.7m)

Needles:

US 4 / 3.5 mm for the handspun

US 8 / 5.0 mm for Bernat

I wanted a super simple project to knit at a Memorial Day weekend BBQ.

I really wanted something that would feature the yarn I bought at Unique Designs by Kathy. But I knew it wasn't enough to make a scarf for my husband. And he liked the yarn.

So I decided to make a scarf for him by adding another yarn.

I figured the handspun would really be best featured by something simple. I decided to just go with garter stitch. Super simple for knitting at the bbq.

I cast on 80 stitches on the size 4 needles. However, after a couple rows it was turning out 12” wide. My husband's ideal scarf width it 8-9”. So I ripped it out and cast on 60. That gave me around 9” which was ideal.

When I added the Bernat Cashmere Blend, I knit one, then knit 2 together. This way I decreased to 40 stitch to get it around the same width. It isn't perfect but I think I can block it and they should look pretty even.

I am doing a basketweave stitch pattern for the body of the scarf. I handed Paul my first scarf which is a sampler scarf and told him to pick the pattern he liked. I find the basketweave is very simple. I am doing k4, p4 for 5 rows & then p4, k4 for 5. That way it seems to come out roughly square.

This is half done currently and about 37". So it should be a good length.

Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends

My sister-in-law kindly gave me some yarn for Xmas. It is Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends. She gave me 6 of them.

I decided I really wanted a simple project for the weekend. Paul and I were going to a BBQ that some of his college friends were hosting. Last year I found I was much better about not snacking too much if I had some knitting. But I knew it had to be something super easy.

I cast on a scarf for Paul. I wanted to use some beautiful handspun yarn I got when in AZ at Unique Designs by Kathy. But I knew it wouldn't be enough for an entire scarf. The yarn is blue, grey & white. So I figured I could do the body of the scarf in the Cashmere Natural Blends my sister-in-law gave me. My husband loves grey.

So I went to wind a couple of them into balls. While winding one I found there was white in the middle of it. And looking further I had already missed some white that was earlier in the ball! *sigh* I cut out the white I found while winding and will just have to cut it out again when I get to it while knitting.

I have to say, it seems really weird for a commercial yarn to have this white in the middle of the yarn. *blink* I really don't know what was going on.

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

I emailed the company today. I do think they should be aware of the issue. It isn't a huge issue, but it annoying. And it does mean I will have to weave in more ends and lose some yardage because of it. Ah well.