Summer 2011

My camera broke last month just when I was ready to write a new post; now I have a replacement so here are a summer's worth of projects.

To pass the time in anticipation of my little girlfriend's visit, I made her a few toys.

This is Celestine, a free Berroco pattern by Nora Gaughan, knit with Panda sock yarn, don't remember which flavor (type) it was.

I think these Amish Puzzle Balls are cool and used this free pattern.  The fabric is from JoAnns.

My daughter introduced me to 'taggies' - someone noticed that babies like the tag as much as the toy and came up with this idea that is used in blankets and toys, this was an easy and quick project and Emily loves it:

I thought this Kwik Sew pattern #3109 was adorable:

The only place to buy it locally is at Hancock's; at over $11 for a sewing pattern that rarely goes on sale, I hesitated.  But I really wanted to make it for her so her mom and I chose the fabric, also from Hancocks.
For the sun hat I used the Baby Sunbonnet pattern.  She looked so adorable we had a photo shoot.

We liked it so much I decided to make the top as a dress in a larger size for the Fall with the look of an Osh Kosh jumper.  The diaper cover was at the request of the Mama.

Carolcp inspired me with her hat covered in paillettes; this is intended as a chemo cap - I used Lion Brand acrylic and Size 6 needles and 80 stitches - not large enough for an adult but hopefully will fit a child.

Jess and Emily attended the August meeting of the Greater St. Louis Knitters' Guild.

Enamored with the yarn available for charity projects, Jess took some home and sent back this blanket:

And Emily was so impressed by all the knitting going on she is now a future fiber artist and a Yarnie:

Two for Baby, One for Me

When my daughter and her daughter (still funny to think my daughter has a daughter!) were here recently we stopped in at Kirkwood Knittery and she (my daughter) chose a pretty skein of pink yarn so that I could make something for her (the baby).

Auracania Ruco is made of 100% sugar cane - appropriate for a sweet baby!

This is 'Baby Shrug' by Debbie Bliss, a free pattern available here.   I thought there wouldn't be enough yarn but there was plenty even though it is a finer gauge than that called for in the pattern (can we say recalculate, of course we can because when do I ever do anything that matches gauge).

In case her (the baby's) legs get cold in the summer a/c she (my daughter) thought that she (my grand-daughter) ought to have some custom made leg warmers.  Inspired by the free pattern Little Legs by Susan Mullikin, these little leggings took only two evenings to create with some J. Knits yarn that's been knit and unknit several times prior as I searched for what it wanted to be.

So two for her and one for me....a short sleeve cardi of my own design knit with Cascade Pima Tencel (love this yarn) (don't ask where I bought it because I have CRS [can't remember s**t]) incorporating the body shaping into the diamond lace stitch pattern.

  

Remember the flower hat from my last post....

...she's destined to be a movie star:

Almost forgot to mention... my Hexagon Scarf pattern is now available at KnitPicks:

Sorry about the double post earlier - don't know what happened but it's back to just one entry.

Hats for Photography

My daughter asked if I would make a few cute hats for her to use as props for photography.  She takes beautiful baby portraits like these:

This week I made two cute hats.

The first reminds of swimming caps from the 70's (I had one with flowers on it).

It's the Garden Party Hat by Lisa Akers.  The hat is crocheted and I used one skein of Sirdar Snugly Baby Bamboo (very nice yarn - I'd use it again).  The flowers used to be a lei from the dollar store.

The second is Giraffe Hat by Amanda Dean, crocheted with two strands worsted held together or one strand bulky.  The yellow yarn is Lion Brand Baby's First in Honey Bee (bulky).  Very soft but annoyingly splitty.

It seems I am on crochet trend, finished this blanket recently too, Heartwarming Wrap by Terry Kimbrough worked in Reynolds Baby Utopia.

Long Time, No Post

It's been a long time between posts.  Haven't been knitting as much as usual due to tennis elbow since early December.  Also there was all that baby anticipating, and going to visit baby and at the moment baby is visiting me!  Since I'm on baby duty I decided to take a clue from my daughter and write a post while the rest of the world is still sleeping.  The following is not necessarily in the order worked (mostly because I haven't taken the time to master how to  layout posts on blogger!)

Column of Leaves Socks

These socks were rather disappointing.  Designed by myself.  Made with Marks & Kattens Fame Trend which I didn't care for at all.  The yarn had many thick and thin spots as well as fuzzies and is impossible to match from one sock to the other.

Baby Party Decorations

My Little Girlfriend arrived yesterday with her parents for her first trip to St. Louis.  We are having a party for her this weekend and I had a lot of fun making this diaper cake and flower arrangement with rosebud socks as centerpieces.

 

Felted Slipper Repair

Hubby loves his felted slippers so much he wore holes in the heel.  Fran had some roving and lent me a felting needle to try and make a repair.  That didn't work as well I had anticipated so my next bright idea was to cover the soles with leather.  So far so good.  At Michael's they sell bags of scrap leather, a couple pieces were large enough for these soles.  I blanket stitched them on by hand which required a thimble, some time, and pauses to nurse my elbow.

Hexagon Scarf in Chroma

Hexagon Scarf knit in Knit Picks Chroma, color:  Lollipop.  Worked this scarf up for Knit Picks Independent Designer Program.  The pattern has been available on Ravelry for a while, and soon will be up on Knit Picks site for $1.99.  This was not my first, second or even third choice of color but my daughter said 'It's Fun! - I like it'.

Big Snow Pillow

Last fall I bought a skein of Katia Big Snow Print at Weaver's Webb in New Bern, NC.  I thought it should be a scarf but it wanted to be a pillow.  I used Size 7 US needles and worked 17 stitches in stockinette until it was as tall as it was wide.  Then I sewed it to an existing sofa pillow.  Then I sewed it to the pillow across a few rows.  Then I sewed it to the pillow down a few columns.  My son's girlfriend said it looks 'retro'.  I like it anyway. 

Passepartout 
I thought this hat (Passepartout) worked in brioche stitch was cute and would look great knit in some  yarn that I saw at Kirkwood Knittery.  (I can't find the label or remember the name of the yarn!)  Naturally the yarn doesn't work at the same gauge as the pattern so adjustment was called for.  Mine's not as cute as the pattern looked.  And it is really hard to take a good photo of yourself in the mirror.

Cafe Au Lait Mitts

Another NC purchase this skein of Blue Sky Alpacas sport weight was in a clearance bin at the Salty Sheep.  These are Café Au Lait mitts with one minor change - I added an index finger.  This yarn was so soft to work with and feels nice but it pills badly, glad there was only skein in the bin.

In The Pink

In The Pink, a free pattern by IzzyKnits, was a fun project and although a bit confusing it turned out well.  I had 2 skeins of JoJoland Melody in my stash which coordinated with 3 skeins of JoJoLand Ballad also in my stash (which was going to be a cabled tam).  Both yarns were purchased at Knit and Kaboodle.  I used the solid color fingering for the edging.  Edgings usually seem to take forever and this one was no different; I put it down about half way through the edging and didn't pick it back up again for a couple of months. 

Current Projects
Socks for David;
Romper for Emily;
Heartwarming Wrap baby blanket.


Revolving Seasons
Typical of St. Louis weather, three days ago it was a sunny perfect 82 degrees and the trees were blooming.  Goodbye Winter, So Glad to See You Spring!  

Just hold on a minute there.. not so fast.....this is the current view out my front door:

  

Winter - sadly it's back again.

My Little Girlfriend...

...and me

October/November/December 2010

Finally finished the second sock, Bayerische by Eunny Jang:



Messed up and used Size 1 after the ribbing for the second sock (first sock was all Size 0), therefore the second sock has a shorter toe so at least the length matches.  Glad to have these done, they are beautiful.   If (very big IF) I ever did these again I would do them two at a time.  The yarn is Cascade Heritage.


Made a Multnomah, a free pattern by Hello Knitty, an enjoyable and quick knit resulting in more of a scarf than a shawl which has been gifted to my daughter.  The yarn is Zauberball.



I like everything symmetrical even it doesn’t really matter; didn’t want to have the increases one on top of the other; and didn’t want holes on either side of the 5 center sts, so I made a few modifications to the pattern:



Odd # Rows:

k1, k1f&b, k to marker, k1f&b, k5, k1b&f, k to last 3 sts, k1b&f, k1, sl1wyif;
Even # Rows:
k1, k1f&b, k to last 3 sts, k1b&f, k1, s1wyif;
Border:
Worked increases same as above;
Worked across center stitches in k or p 
(same as whatever rest of the row was);
Worked directional inc/dec and a multiple of 17 instead of 18:
(k2tog) 3x, yo, (k1, yo) 5x, (ssk) 3x.
Added in a 1/2 repeat after every 9 increases....
At start of row or following center stitches:
k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, ssk, ssk, ssk; 
Just before center stitches and at the end of the row: 
k2t, k2t, k2t, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1.

Saw this yarn:  Red Heart Shimmer at Joann's Fabrics and just had to make something the glittery fuchsia for my little girlfriend.  Found this adorable pattern:   Knit Lace Leaves for Baby by Jeannine LaRoche.  The shoes are based on Saartjes Booties.




This week I spent a few days in NC with my almost nine months pregnant daughter and her awesome husband (he has been waiting on her hand and foot).

Just before I left there on Thursday we paid a visit to The Salty Sheep in Swansboro, NC.

We bought an Addi Bamboo circular and some nice yarn;  then we went to lunch and while I ate Jess was inspired to learn to knit.  When we went home she got a quick lesson in purl, yarn over, knit two together, cast on and bind off - makes me such a proud knitting mom!





On Friday my son and his girlfriend both finished their degrees and they both did it in only 3.5 years - yay for Mike & Katie!  Mike's degree is in animation, he shows some of his work on his blog.





Happy Holidays!

Not Much Knitting Going On Here...

Instead I've been working on a few more baby things:


...crocheted blanket stitched in panels, part of Soft Shells Baby Blanket, a free pattern by Marilyn Losee published by Caron International.

and a few crochet hats from a very cute and easy pattern shared with me by one of the ladies in the Guild:

...plus quite a bit of baby sewing:

Receiving blankets and burp cloths:

Gowns, Onesies, Jumpsuit and Top/Pants (cute print from JoAnn's Fabrics):

   

and every girl needs a few pink flowered headbands: