Announcement, Pattern Suggestions and FO

It is official. My husband and I are expecting a baby girl.

The due date is Sept. 20th, 2 days before Paul's birthday. (Which of course means some time around then. *grin*)

Though, I keep crying - "no pink"! *laugh* Hey, purple is great! That works. *grin*

(There was testing done so we know it is a girl for certain. It isn't based on an ultrasound. So there shouldn't be any surprises in that department. I am sure there will be plenty of others to make up for it. *grin*)

So I am hoping to get some good baby pattern suggestions from knitting folks I know. Any suggestions?

I have been told a lot not to bother with more than 1-2 pieces in the 0-6 month range. By all accounts a baby will only get to wear them once or twice before they outgrow them.

I am also making sure anything I was is machine wash & dry. I have picked up some Knit Picks Sport Shine in cherry (cotton/modal) and Essential Kettle Dyed in eggplant (superwash wool). I figure Maryland Sheep & Wool will be mostly about baby friendly yarns, though I also know it will be in part about fiber as that is harder to get beside mail order.

Here is the finished object I mentioned. And yes, I will be redoing the pattern for my new addition.

Sweater for New Addition to George Jr.'s Family



Cast On:
March 28 2009

Completed:
April 1 2009

Pattern:
Soft N Seamless Baby Sweater by Lynda Ward
http://www.knitlist.com/96gift/giftsoft.htm

Made for:
New Addition to George Jr.'s Family

Size:
0-3 months

Needles:
US 8 / 5.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:
Bernat Silky Soft in 135 - Navy
~0.7 skeins = 192.5 yards (176.0m)
Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale (2007?)

I wanted a quickie sweater that would be easy to knit during my work conference. I also hate seaming. This fit the bill perfectly.

I have to admit, I didn’t care for the increase for the raglan. It is a m1, yo, m1. I tried it, but the hole just doesn’t seem right to me for a raglan seam.

Also, I clearly didn’t get what the author was saying about the increase placement. I had finished the increases. However, I had to frog the entire thing after discovering that because I had increased in the wrong place, the raglan line was not diagonals on two of the four increases.

I took the pattern as a template and used a typical raglan increase. I placed a marker before & after the center stitch of the raglan so there was no confusion on my part. I lifted the bar on the left before the marker and knit into it, k1, then lifted the bar after the marker and knit into it. So I got an even increase that was closed.

It was very simple and quick. I was glad I could give it to them when I saw them.

Quick Project Update

I really shouldn't be spending time with this. I have to finish up stuff for my work conference next week. But if I don't post this now, I won't get around to it at all.

Honestly, I don't think the pics are as true to color. I took them in a different area which has fluorescents. Definitely not taking more there. I didn't have a lot of time to tweak them.

Christmas Lace Kitchen Hand Towel Xmas Present

Cast On:

November 9 2008

Completed:

November 11 2008

Pattern:

Christmas Lace Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel by Cathy Waldie

http://wishingiwasknitting.blogspot.com/2008/04/christmas-lace-kitchen-hanging-hand.html

Made for:

Sister-in-law Andrea

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

~0.82 skeins = 150.9 yards (138.0m)

Dyed by me for sister-in-law

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Yarn dyed by me to compliment Andrea’s kitchen.

I was worried I wouldn’t have enough yarn for entire project. But it worked out fine, even a bit to spare.

Size - 12" wide, 13" long on towel with additional 3" on loop.

I think it would be better if the strap were thicker. If I ever redo the pattern, I would go with at least 2-4 more stitches for the strap.

Purple Circular Scrubbie

Cast On & Finished:

November 11, 2008

Pattern:

Circular Scrubby Pattern by Gwen Bortner

http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf

Made for:

Sister-in-law Kelly

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

~ 0.08 skeins = 14.7 yards (13.5m)

Dyed by me for sister-in-law

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Cast on 30 stitches & did 22 repeats to get a decent size. Original pattern makes one that is very small.

It puffs up a bit. I am not sure why exactly as I was careful when sewing the seams together. Might need to tweak the repeats more or something.

Yarn dyed by me as my SIL likes purple.

Reverse Diamond Towel Xmas Present

Cast On:

November 11, 2008

Pattern:

Reverse Diamond Towel by Vaunda Rae Giberson

http://www.groupepp.com/dishbout/kpatterns/reversediamondtowel.html

Made for:

Sister-in-law Kelly

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

~0.88 skeins = 161.9 yards (148.1m)

Dyed by me for sister-in-law

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Making for my sister-in-law for Xmas. Not a bad project. Though it was weird. I had some trouble counting row 5 or 6. Messed it up a bunch of times. *shrugs* Just one of those weird moments. *chuckle*

Productive Weekend

First I have to say thanks to Nils at Babe Fiber Garden. The replacement bracket & bolt for my Babe Production Double Treadle wheel arrived Friday. My darling husband Paul replaced it for me on Saturday. And it is working like a dream again. So I am back to spinning which is happy! *wiggles happily*

I spent a good portion of the weekend knitting Xmas stuff. I am pretty happy with the results so far.

I found a scrubbie pattern that works pretty well.

http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf

After looking at the Ravelry images of the scrubbie, I decided follow someone's suggestions for a larger size one.

Blue Xmas Scrubbie

Cast On & Completed:

November 7 2008

Pattern:

Circular Scrubby by Gwen Bortner

http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf

Made for:

Sister-in-law Jennifer

Needles:

US 9 / 5.5 mm Knitpick Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

Dyed by me

0.08 skeins = 14.7 yards (13.5m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Super quick and easy.

Cast on 25 stitches and did 22 rows. It is still kinda small. Good thing SIL has small hands.

Yarn dyed blue by me especially for SIL (to match her kitchen colors).

Ostrich Plume Dish Towel Xmas Present

Cast On:

November 4 2008

Completed:

November 7 2008

Pattern:

Ostrich Plume Dishcloth by Edith Taylor

http://www.groupepp.com/dishbout/kpatterns/ostplume.html

Made for:

Sister-in-law Jennifer

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

Dyed by me

0.92 skeins = 169.3 yards (154.8m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Yarn dyed blue by me especially for SIL (to match her kitchen colors).

I made a dish towel rather than a dishcloth. I had enough yarn for that & a scrubbie.

Size: 8" x 20"

Grey Xmas Scrubbie

Cast On & Completed:

November 8 2008

Pattern:

Circular Scrubby by Gwen Bortner

http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf

Made for:

Sister-in-law Bren & Husband Martin

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpick Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

Dyed by me

0.08 skeins = 14.7 yards (13.5m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Cast on 30 stitches & did 24 repeats to get a decent size. Original pattern makes one that is very small.

It puffs up a bit, but I think that is because I didn't sew the edges together exactly right.

Yarn dyed by me to accent SIL's kitchen.

Basket Rib Dish Towel

Cast On:

November 8 2008

Completed:

November 9 2008

Pattern:

Basket Rib Hand Towel by Traci Heiner

http://traciknits.blogspot.com/2008/05/basket-rib-hand-towel-free-pattern.html

Made for:

Sister-in-law Bren & husband Martin

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

Dyed by me

0.08 skeins = 14.7 yards (13.5m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Size: 10" x 18"

Fast & easy. Kinda glad I decided on dishtowels. They are going pretty quickly.

Yarn dyed by me. Done in colors to reflect SIL's countertop. Honest, I don’t think it does.

It was supposed to be darker. Still, I think the colors look good & the recipients will like it. *crossed fingers* (Okay, let's be honest, my BIL could care less. *smirk*)

Brown Xmas Scrubbie

(Pic shows the three I have done together. Shows the differences in size.)

Cast On & Completed:

November 8 2008

Pattern:

Circular Scrubby by Gwen Bortner

http://tankhouse.knitability.com/freepatterns/DishClothDuo.pdf

Made for:

Sister-in-law Andrea

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpick Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton

Dyed by me

0.08 skeins = 14.7 yards (13.5m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Cast on 30 stitches & did 22 repeats to get a decent size. Original pattern makes one that is very small.

It puffs up a bit, but I think that is because I didn't sew the edges together exactly right.

Yarn dyed by me to accent SIL's kitchen.

Trellis Sweater

Cast On:

October 4, 2008

Nearly Completed:

October 13, 2008 (all but the buttons and overdyeing)

Completed (finished overdye & buttons):

November 7, 2008

Pattern:

Trellis by Britta Stolfus Rueschhoff

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTtrellis.html

Made for:

Michael & Jen's Newest Leah

Size:

Smallest

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

TLC Cotton Plus Solid in 3810 light blue

~1 skeins = 178.0 yards

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns Sale in NJ

Friday, I stopped by the Point while out during my lunch hour. I found the buttons on this sweater. They are too busy for the sweater. But I know the mom loves busy stuff, so she will like it I think. They also are similar to the buttons on the sweater I knit for her sister for Xmas. http://knittnkitten.blogspot.com/2008/06/trinitys-tomten-done.html

I had finished all but the dying and buttons by October 13. It was a pretty quick project.

I wanted to start on some more Xmas knitting. I have completed the sweater for Trinity, Michael & Jen’s daughter who is about to turn 1. I wanted to do something for their boy who was due in this fall.

I was told when I was visiting my family in Easter that it was a boy. No one told me otherwise. So I made a blue sweater. Then I got the call. It is a girl. Ummm…excuse me?! blink

I dyed the sweater to purple. It looks good. The nylon didn’t take the dye so there is an interesting heather affect to the yarn.

I am glad it looks okay because there was no way I was redoing it at this point. I have enough other Xmas knitting to do.

I did a search on baby projects in the TLC Cotton Plus and found the Trellis sweater. It looked really attractive so I decided to try it.

I sorta wish I had done a bigger size. Knowing Michael & Jen’s daughter Trinity is large, I should have anticipated a big baby. Plus it could have been worn later. But ah well. Honestly, I don’t know if they even liked the sweater I knit for Trinity last Xmas. So I don’t want to spend tons of time on it if it will never get worn.

I confess I am not thrilled with the way the pattern is written. I finally sat down and marked up the pattern with the row #s. I am not sure why the writer wrote it without the row #s. Other than that though, the pattern is great. And I love the way it turned out.

(Though heaven knows if I had known it was a girl I would have done something lacier. Ah well. *shakes head*)

So all in all, it was a super productive weekend. I am happy that I got so much done & am back to spinning again. Hooray!

Oodles of Finished Object Photos & My Lovely Birthday Pressie

I finally got all the pics together. Hooray! So this is a picture intensive post.

First I have to share the pics of the knitting bag Silvercat made for my birthday. I love this bag!

This has been a weird couple knitting weeks. I worked on the Zombie Sock. They were done on the 13th which was cool. I cast on the Quick No-Purl Keyhole Scarf which was as the name said. Super quick. I finished it in less than 24 hours! *chuckle*

Then, I didn't put anything on my needles until six days later!! *blink* Weirdness.

I admit part is I didn't know what I wanted to do. I tossed around some ideas but nothing was talking to me.

I have still been spinning most mornings. But no knitting. Bizarre.

I should take some pics of some of the spinning too. But hey, I finally got the project pics done. So it is progress. *chuckle*

So here are the items in order of completion.

Zombie Socks in Scout's Swag Socktoberfest

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Cast On:

August 29, 2008

Completed:

September 13, 2008

Pattern:

Zombie Socks by Sheryl Giles

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zombie-socks

Made for:

Me in Size 9

Needles:

Knitpicks Options & Harmony Circs 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm

Yarn:

Scout's Swag Superwash Merino/Tencel in Socktoberfest colorway

http://www.scoutsswag.com/

1 skeins = 375.0 yards

Trade from Silvercat http://shinysilverstrands.blogspot.com/

The photos don't show the yarn well. The colors are grey, orange & purple. The thick stripes are the grey. The orange & purple look mixed. Also, the tencel gives it a beautiful sheen. And I am hoping it will help it wear really well.

I have been debating what to do with the Scout's Swag in Socktoberfest that I got from Silvercat. I was worried that the Zombie pattern might be too busy for the yarn. But I really like the way it looks.

I did these toe-up. The pattern is cuff down but the pattern repeat doesn't matter which end is up. So it is easy to switch to toe-up instead.

Some striping happened that I think is interesting. Though it isn't as neat on the leg as it was on the foot. But it still looks good I think.

I worked the toe up to the 64 stitches recommended in the pattern. It fits my foot well. It is a little loose, but I am hoping that it will tighten up a smidge when I wash it.

Given the orange in these, I want them knit by Halloween. Unfortunately, there isn't enough orange in the yarn for them to count for the September Sock Knitter's Anonymous KAL on Ravelry. Ah well. I really enjoyed the pattern & the yarn.

Quick No-Purl Keyhole Scarf in Handspun Merino

Cast On:

September 13, 2008

Completed:

September 14, 2008

Pattern:

Quick No-Purl Keyhole Scarf by Saralyn Harvey

http://fireflowerknits.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/quick-no-purl-keyhole-scarf/

Made for:

Not sure. Maybe me, maybe a present

Needles:

Knitpicks Options US 13 / 9.0 mm

Yarn:

Handspun made from Merino Wool Top Roving

Purchased at Adirondack Woolery

http://www.adirondackwoolery.com/

I didn't realize this one was still waiting to be posted. It was a super fast knit.

The photos really don't do justice to this fiber. It has a beautiful sheen to it.

Cast on 23 stitches to add 2 more pattern repeats.

I made a mistake with the slip 1 purlwise. I got a good way into the pattern and realized that it specified to bring the yarn forward. I hadn't done that.

I placed the hole in the wrong spot. It is too close to the center. I am debating what I want to do with it. I may pick up some more fiber & spin more, adding to the ends. Or I may just accept it is a bit funky. Not sure yet.

I will check out the Adirondack Woolery when I am up in the Adirondacks again for Columbus Day weekend. If they are open, I will pick up some more fiber and add some to each end. I might make another pattern for the ends just to mix it up. We will see.

Basic Socks in Handspun Superwash Wool

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Cast On:

September 20, 2008

Completed:

September 23, 2008

Pattern:

Improvised Toe-Up Pattern

Made for:

Me in Size 9

Needles:

Knitpicks Options & Harmony Circs US 5 / 3.75 mm

Yarn:

Handspun yarn made with a Ranches Angoras Superwash merino batt in Ember

Purchased from http://theranch.etsy.com

4 oz. ~ 235 yards - used most of it

I spun the superwash wool I got from theranch.etsy.com (Ranches Angoras). It is their Ember roving. I really love the way the fiber came out. It is red and grey.

Given I didn't know how much yarn it would take, I decided toe-up was the better choice. This way, I could see if there was enough stretch in them to make decent socks. If not, I would rip it out and do something else with the yarn.

I decided that a simple 2x2 rib was a smart choice. It has a lot of elasticity to it which helps.

Honestly, I am surprised that they seem to have enough stretch. I was worried. But they fit pretty nicely.

The thicker yarn made these a super fast knit! 4 days total.

They are definitely house/boot socks as they are thick. But I like the way they came out. And I am super happy about the yarn having enough elasticity. Hooray!

Trinity's Tomten Done

Cast On:

April 4, 2008

Off the Needles:

May 11, 2008

Completed:

June 4, 2008

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Pattern:

Modular Tomten Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

From Knitting Without Tears

Made for:

Trinity for Xmas

Yarn:

Lion Brand Lion Suede Solid in Teal

5.8 skeins = 707.6 yards (647.0m)

Purchased at 99 Cent Jacks

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpicks Options

I am happy I completed this. It was off my needles almost a month ago, but I didn't have the buttons for it. I was looking for something that was pretty & yet didn't cost an arm and a leg.

I figured that someone on Etsy might have something they were selling. I figured more in terms of something they were destashing.

In my button search I found this:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=8817501

I was completely stunned that the vendor was selling 12 handmade buttons for $7.50! I purchased them right away. They were shipped out very quickly. The seller, cathyharm, even included some extra items like a pen covered with polymer clay millefiori and a couple paper clips with polymer clay flowers. It was sweet.

I think they look good on the jacket. Though they are probably a bit more dainty than the jacket. But given the jacket is teal which can look a bit blue, I wanted something very girly.

I am glad it is completed. I think it is probably way too big for the recipient, Trinity, but she is growing fast so I would rather it be too big than too small.

I really thought I was going to start on a baby surprise sweater for Trinity's not yet born sibling. But I thought it was in Knitting Around. It isn't. *sigh* So I may see if my hubby can get it from another branch of the library.

Seven Deadly Spins May Project - Spoilers

This was my May shipment from the 7 Deadly Spins yarn club.

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Pattern:

Sheepy Washcloth and Soap Sack by Sarah Wilson

Yarn:

Unique Sheep Pima Petite in Peace colorway

Made for 7 Deadly Spins Yarn Club

Needles:

US 6 for Sheep Washcloth

US 5 for Soap Sack

Washcloth:

I decided to it as a present for my mother-in-law. She likes sheep a lot so I figure she would enjoy it.

I increased the needle size as I tend to knit tightly. Though I think that was a mistake. There are some gaps around the base of the legs where I stitch from knit to purl. Washing it did smooth it out a bit, but it would have been better in a smaller needle size.

Definitely a fast knit and cute for anyone who likes sheep.

Soap Sack:

I knit this in the round rather than having to seam it. I am working in magic loop and finding it is pretty quick.

I decided to knit the stitch pattern as it was written so I did the K1, P1 for a row, then the K across for the next row. Then I turned it inside out to get the bumps on the outside. I knit faster & tighter than I purl. So it is quicker that way.

Very simple pattern though I think it will be nice. I am think my mother-in-law liked it.

The yarn is really nice. I machine washed and dried it. It still feels nice and soft. Definitely a delight.

I am leaning towards knitting up some washcloths & soap sacks as Xmas pressie. They are quick and can easily be customized to the person which is nice.

Trinity's Tomten & Christmas Knitting

Cast On:

April 4, 2008

Pattern:

Modular Tomten Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

From Knitting Without Tears

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Made for:

Trinity for Xmas

Yarn:

Lion Brand Lion Suede Solid in Teal

5.8 skeins = 707.6 yards (647.0m)

Purchased at 99 Cent Jacks

Needles:

US 10 / 6.0 mm Knitpicks Options

This came off my needles on Sunday. I haven't marked it as finished on Ravelry yet. But all the knitting is done. I am just waiting to attach buttons but I need to buy some for it.

I started this before leaving for my work conference at the beginning of April. I wanted something simple to knit during the meetings. It definitely fits the bill with this. Loads of knit stitches and very little else.

I did a simple crochet arch stitches to border the edges. It looks pretty and adds a touch of femininity. It is a simple arch which looks like a loop. Nothing fancy, but it was a good way to start with crochet. It is my first time edging in crochet at all. So I feel happy with that.

I knit it for Trinity, my grandniece (no, not that old, just have nephews around my age). I suspect it will be too large. But she can grow into it. At 4 months she was 20 pounds! So she is growing fast.

I admit I wouldn't have bought this yarn except for it was $0.99 a skein at a local store. So I figured it would be good for some baby stuff.

I dislike knitting with the yarn a great deal. It isn't a yarn I would buy again. It sticks. A lot. And the sticking leave the stitches very uneven. I may toss it in the washer to see if that helps at all. But my guess it that it really won't. It will just look uneven.

But I think Trinity's mom will like it. The yarn is very soft and fuzzy. And machine washable. So I am guessing it will be a good present.

It is nice getting a jump on holiday knitting. I figure this way it is very relaxed. I was going to knit a matching hat as part of the pressie, but I used up nearly all of the six skeins! I may use the remaining yarn as a trim for the hat. Or maybe this will be it. I do have other Xmas knitting to tackle.

Though I did learn that I am only knitting for kids up until about 2-3 old at most. I knit my grand niece who is 6-7 a couple purses which I figured she would like. She barely looked at them. It didn't make noise or light up. So she had no use for it. All she wanted to do was listen to Hannah Montana and play with her handheld gaming piece. *groan*

It kinda scares me how some kids are sucked into all these marketing fads. It is sad. The older kids all just get Target gift cards at this point. They aren't for a lot of money. But at least that way they can get what they want. I certainly don't have a clue what they want. *sigh* Ah well.

Ultimately, I hope the parents are happy. I figure that is what matters most with the little ones. I will make something for Littlest George. I made him the Tomten last Xmas and his parents love it. I didn't see how Trinity's folks liked the baby kimono I made her. They didn't come down. But they told me at Easter they liked it. So I am hoping they like this. And they have another baby on the way. So I will make something for that baby.

Other than that, I am not sure about any other Xmas knitting. I am will see. I have some patterns for quick projects that I might do for some of Paul's siblings on his dad's side. But it is just as likely that I won't. On his mom's side, the ones who knit are really good! So I wouldn't dream of it. *chuckle* Okay. Other than J who has avoided knitting somehow. I did make the socks for her last year. Though I really doubt I will knit for her again anyhow. Not unless I see something that screams that she needs it.

I may knit for my friend Kyle again. I did a cabled scarf for him last Xmas that he seemed to like. I was thinking about the Bloody Stupid Johnson hat as he is a big ol' sf geek who has been reading the Pratchett books. But after hearing about some headaches that Silvercat had, I am a bit tempted to rethink that. *laugh*

I still owe my friend Meredith a pair of birthday socks. But we just had a chance to get together on Thursday. I measured her feet. Now, I just have to dye some yarn for her. I was going to buy pre-dyed, but she didn't react well to the superwash wool. She did respond well to the 60% superwash merino / 30% bamboo/ 10% nylon blend I have. I got that from Dharmafey at Cosmic Fibers. I bought her Dexter colorway and love it so much that I bought some blanks that I can dye. I might look around though. Meredith just wants brown and/or black. So I would really prefer not to bother dyeing it. I will see if I can find a colorway in the same blend that she will like.

Two Projects in a Weekend

I am happy. I finished two projects in a weekend. It helps that I wanted to give them away on Sunday. But still. I am glad to feel like they were completed quickly.

These quickie projects are a nice contrast to the shawl. I suspect the shawl will be on my needles for quite some time. But I am actually making more progress than I figured so that is nice.

Quicky Purse for Denise's Sister

Cast On:
March 21, 2008

Completed :
March 22, 2008

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Pattern:
Knitted Bag from Reader's Digest The Complete Knitting Set
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Knitting-Set-READERS-DIGEST/dp/0762104643/

Made for:
Denise's Sister

Needles:
US 6 / 4.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:
New Relax Wool in Bordeaux
Purchased at School Products in New York City, New York

I made this purse in the fall. It was part of the Reader's Digest The Complete Knitting Set. I gave the one from the kit to my grand niece. (No I am not that old! My nieces and nephews are around my age.) She didn't seem to care for it as it didn't play music or beep. *laugh*

However, her aunt raved about it and wanted to know if I sold them. *chuckle* So I figured it would be nice to give one someone who actually appreciated it.

It is a very quick project. In about 2 hours of knitting, I have half of the purse done. And it was some relaxed, tv knitting. Definitely a plus. The handles and finishing work took as long as the purse body to complete. *laugh*

This one was knit out of the New Relax. It is a wool I bought in a cone. Though doing it in the wool (rather than the acrylic provided with the kit) means I needed to block it. There was a good bit of pulling from the cable so I needed to get it to flatten out. I finished the body on Friday so I could block it. I figured I need to complete it by then otherwise it wouldn't be dry in time which was correct. It was still damp on Saturday.

I liked the cable so I did it on both sides. The pattern suggest garter for the center for the entire back. But I think it looks better with both sides having some design.

I added a bead for the closure. It was a large glass bead that I think matched the color nicely.

I gave it to Denise on Sunday (Easter) when I went up to visit my family. It worked out well as she was going over to see her family. So it was good timing.

It was definitely nice to have it done so quickly!

Lilly Hat for Trinity

Cast On:
March 22, 2008

Completed:
March 23, 2008

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Pattern:
Lilly Hat by Larissa Brown
http://larissmix.typepad.com/stitch_marker/2005/09/a_little_hat.html
Modifications with help of Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Patterns-Interweave/dp/1931499047/

Made for:
Trinity
Size 6-24 months

Needles:
US 10 1/2 / 6.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:
Lion Brand Chunky USA in Napa Grape
0.25 skeins = 38.8 yards (35.4m)

I definitely liked the pattern. It was super easy and quick to knit up.

I did this with a much thicker yarn than the project suggested. However, I found it was good as Trinity is a large baby for her age! So the hat will actually fit her. I pulled out the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns to check how long the hat should be.

I also added some yarn overs to give it a lacier look without getting it to be too open.

Trinity's mom seemed to like the hat which is what matters most at this point. *smile* Though I did learn that Trinity doesn't like to have anything on her head currently. I am all the more glad it is on the large size with plenty of stretch. This way she can wear it when she gets bigger and stops fussing about hats.

I was working on this in the car on the drive to CT for Easter. I was glad it got done in time. Though I admit that I would also like to have done a hat for Littlest George as well. I am sure his folks would have liked it. But I didn't have time to do it. I should have started sooner. Ah well. I am tempted to make one in fair isle with the same colors as the Tomten sweater I made for him.

I have to say that the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns is probably the most useful pattern book I have bought. I reference it a lot when I am tweaking patterns. I find it is great being able to figure out the specs I need to tweak patterns. I definitely use it a good deal.

NOTHING on My Needles! *gasp*

Currently I have NOTHING on my needles! *gulp*

On Ravelry, I am saying that the pillow is only 95% done. But it is cast off. So not on my needles! I just haven't actually sewn it to fabric & stuffed it yet. I *have* to finish that this weekend. I need to get it mailed off to her.

Rushing Rivulets Socks in Undertow Bamboo Yarn

Cast on:

Saturday, Dec. 1st

Finished:

Monday, December 31st

Pattern:

Stitch Pattern -

Rushing Rivulet

by Cat Bordhi

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rushing-rivulet-riverbed-architecture

Basic Sock Recipe -

Basic Sock Pattern from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns

by Ann Budd

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1931499047/

Yarn:

Sarah's Yarns 100% Bamboo

http://www.sarahsyarns.com/SY100PctBamboo.html

Used about 100 grams (I dyed 150 grams and have about 54 gms left)

That should be around 285 yards (260.6m)

Needles:

Knitpicks Option & Harmony US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm circulars

Done 2 socks on 2 circs

I am really thrilled with the Xmas socks I did for my sister-in-law Jennifer. I suspect she will like them. Though I am kinda nervous about them. My sister-in-law Tee sent me Jennifer's measurements for the socks she made for her. So I think they will fit.

I stopped the toe about a 1/2" shorter than Jennifer's foot. So they are 7 1/2" in length when Tee told me Jennifer's feet are 8". I thought about redoing it. But I tried them on my feet which are 9 1/4" long and much wider. I *could* wear them. I can pull them on my feet and they have enough give that they would fit. So I am not terribly worried that they won't fit.

I am hoping Jennifer likes them. *crosses fingers*

I did cut out some white cardboard to put inside to show off where the holes were in the pattern. I don't know if that shows off well in the photos.

Definitely click on the image for more detail. I have a much large size on flickr.

2nd Attempted at the Tomten Sweater

There are a few more pics as well:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&w=11372712@N04&q=tomten&m=text

Cast on:

Cast On: Monday, Dec. 10th

Finished:

Around Dec. 20-23. Wish I had marked it at the time.

Pattern:

Modular Tomten Jacket from Knitting Without Tears

by Elizabeth Zimmermann

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0684135051/

Yarn:

TLC Heathers in Teal (though more blue) with Barn Red accents

http://www.coatsandclark.com/Products/Knitting/Medium+Yarns/TLC+Heathers.htm

Used about 1 1/2 of the blue & less than half skein of red

Needles:

Knitpicks Option US 9 / 5.5 mm circular from set

I can't believe I forgot to post these pics. I really meant to while I was on vacation but I forgot. I really don't get online much when I am home. I had to push myself to post about the Trouble with Tomtens. *laugh* It was the mobius sweater! Thanks Tee for helping!!

I also had a bunch of trouble with the zipper. I got one zipper in the city. Great. Double zipper so that it could be zipped at top and bottom. Cut to size. All good.

I tried to adhere it with crazy glue and nearly screwed up the entire sweater!! *sigh* I got it off, had to soak it with nail polish remover to try and get the glue off. Then I washed the sweater to get rid of the terrible smell. The good news is that it is machine wash & dry. *grin*

So I went out to get another zipper. Found one at Wal-Mart after searching several places. Turns out that it was the kind that was sewn closed on the bottom. So why did it say universal zipper?! *pout*

Three was the charm. Got another zipper at a Joanne's. Though the closest Joanne's was a good ways from home. And I was fighting crud. Paul offered to go get it for me, but I knew that wasn't fair to him. So we also got a bit more shopping done before Xmas while we were out. So that was the up side.

Bat Pillow

Cast on:

Not sure honestly. *scratches head* Think around the 17th or 18th, maybe later.

Cast Off:

Around Dec. 29-30. Wish I had marked it at the time.

Can't say finished til I make it into a pillow. Need to add it to fabric & stuff the pillow.

Pattern:

Chart created using KnitPro website -

http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/

Image taken from -

http://www.wonder-shirts.com/images/bat_moon.jpg

Basically the pattern was created by tweaking those.

Yarn:

Bernat Softee Chunky in black & white

http://www.bernat.com/product.php?LGC=softeechunky

Nearly all the black and about half the white were used.

Needles:

Knitpicks Option US 9 / 5.5 mm circular from set

The image is an Edward Gorey drawing. I took it and tweaked it a lot to make it solid areas of black & white. Originally, I had some areas to highlight the wings, but I found it wasn't helping with the image. So I changed the bat to solid black. I think it worked out better that way, but honestly, I am not sure.

I want to post the chart here. I meant to bring it into work but I keep forgetting. The KnitPro website outputs to a pdf. However, it had various greys in the image as it doesn't seem able to clearly tell that there were only two colors in the original. So I went over the chart with white out & a black marker to make sure it was good.

I also added lines for each 10 stitches and put stitch markers to make it easier to count off the stitches. I found that helped me to have less of a headache with counting.

The piece is a mix of intarsia and fair isle knitting. I carried the yarn where it was less than 7 stitches, but I did intarsia when it was a larger area. Overall, I think it came out okay. There is definitely a bit at the edges of the moon where it looks raised because I pulled a bit too much. But honestly, it works. It looks almost intentional as it rises up a little.

I would not do a graphic chart with such a thick yarn again. The stitches are too large. But I wanted to get this done for Xmas. I knew it would be kinda late, but not too late if I did it in a bulky yarn.

Problem is that even going down a needle size, the stitches are not tight enough. I should have gone down at least 1 or 2 more to get it tighter. So I will line it with fabric on both the front and back. I had intended on knitting the back as well. But given the front has to be fabric lined, I am not going to bother with knitting the back panel. Lazy I know. *grin*

I hope Karen will enjoy it honestly. I never really know what to get her. She is kinda challenging to buy for in that I can find her a lot of things she would like, but not a lot that will grab her. So I figured she might enjoy this as she likes bats. (Most people know she likes elephants and it has gotten to the point where she has too many.)

Overall, I like the bat. Kinda tempted to do a smaller one for me sometime.