The cable 8 top. I finished it right after I got back from Baltimore and have worn it several times, including on Go Texan day with blue jeans and boots. I really like it! In the picture it looks like the bottom is slanted but I promise it is not. Ellery insisted on getting in the picture with me and standing the same way.
Unfortunately the pictures of the my other to FO's are also on Caleb's computer but he only sent me this one. I'll put up pics of the baby hat and not-quite-super-long wrap soon.
I am working on a baby gift. I dug around and found a pattern for a little boy's sweater vest that is knitted in the round. I found some yarn that I like for it in Seattle. I checked and double checked that my gauge was correct but now that I am almost finished on the body of it I think it is going to be huge! I checked my gauge again and it is right. I guess this is just the risk entertained when knitting something for the first time as a gift. As long as the neck and armholes are proportionate I don't mind giving them something that fits a 2-year-old. I mean, toddlers need clothes too. I just don't understand what I've done wrong.
Cable 8 Top
spring cleaning
Cleaning out the knitting basket! Done stuff that needs posted. Isn't it funny, projects don't feel done anymore until I've posted here!
DONE: hat
DONE: sweater
DONE: hat and sweater!
DONE: felted bag
DONE: the cherry blossom mitts!! so they were a Christmas present, so sue me
Obsession...
...thy name is skein winder...
found this at a little local antique shop for next to nothing (they tried to give me nothing but I said, "no, that thing beside it please")
I just want to sit and look at it all the time!! I keep telling myself if I'll go spin, I can actually use it to wind yarn instead of just look at it but I'm too obsessed to leave it.
on a roll!!
The new sweater!! I had all the pieces done last spring/summer but it wasn't the weather for finishing a wool sweater:) Plus I've been daunted by the idea of a zipper. Wasn't sure my sewing machine could handle it and actually, an hour, a whole spool of thread and one bent needle later, I WAS SURE it couldn't handle it. In the hands of a more experienced sewer it might have worked. I mostly spent time trying to get the tension right on the machine, which wouldn't have taken so long with more familiarity with my machine. But even after the tension was right, I still couldn't keep it straight. All of that is really ironic of course because I thought the problem would be snagging the knitting but even after a dozen tries (really) the sweater itself showed no signs. Wool is the coolest stuff ever!!! "Want to put a machine driven needle through me a hundred times...no sweat baby"
Crazy for my new sweater!!
Before another month goes by...
I keep thinking, I'll finish this one more project and then I'll post them all, which is such a stupid thought in so many ways, not the least of which is I hate posting multiple items because it takes so long to up load them. It was just a creative procrastination technique obviously.
So, without further project completion (although, really, a zipper and a sleeve and there's two new sweaters to show!! ok ok, I'm posting, I'm posting).
The wedding gift blanket. It's ok that I finished it in October and didn't post it until 4 months later because giving it to them in October was 4 months later than the wedding. So at least I'm consistently untimely.
Christmas presents!!! Only two this year: Pierce's Sheldon and my cousin Natalie's Anemoi mittens. Nothing very exciting but you've got to admit, Sheldon's got the Snoopy dance goin' on!!!
I did design and knit a fingerless mitt/mitten combo for her too but only one is done. Of course, I think you've both seen it. I've been working on it so long that Abby had time to move back and Brandy's been to visit. Sheesh.
Weird Math
This is the eyelet edge baby blanket I knitted for our new niece Abigail. It was finished one week early. But Abigail came three weeks early, which makes the blanket two weeks late. Oh well. It was fun to knit though by the time I got to the very middle the rows were so long I only did a one or two in a sitting.
I got in trouble this morning.
On Fridays Ellery goes to Mother's Day Out. Today in an effort to squeeze as much joy into the few hours as possible (not that it isn't a joy to be with her, but you know what I mean) I went to the coffee shop before the yarn shop so that I could enjoy my drink while browsing. In Denver this would have been even easier since the coffee shop WAS the yarn shop. Anyway, I was looking for yarn for a blanket for Caleb's sister's little girl who is due to arrive in January. I found some great Mission Falls 1824 cotton for a little eyelet blanket. As we were counting out the balls, I said, "here let me set my drink over here." And she responded, "actually why don't I put it on the table? I'm really not comfortable with you having it in here." And suddenly I was back in kindergarten when that kid with the wart asked if he could borrow my blue crayon and I responded that he could but that it wasn't sharp and then Mrs. Lipsey yelled at me for talking! I felt awful. I apologized and she said "oh don't worry about it, it's okay" which was nice of her, but also not really true because if if really was okay she wouldn't have said anything. Anyway, I was really embarrassed but not angry because I totally understand where she is coming from. And to make up for it, I bought the book with the pattern in it too. I never do that; I always check them out from the library. I'm tempted to never show my face in there again but she really is a very helpful lady. Without Jen to ask my simple questions it's important that I feel like I can talk to the owner.
I need to get started on the blanket. I doubt it will be ready in time for whatever shower she has. I am just hoping it will make it there in time for the birth. And I've got two months. It's not like we're approaching a busy time of the year or anything.
done. finished. over.
FINALLY, some FOs for your perusal. Obviously, I had too many things going at once (like that's anything new) and thus had trouble getting any of them done.
This sweater was done Sept. 2 for Pierce's birthday party but I didn't have time to post about it because I was too busy finishing knitting projects. Did this at Mark's hospital bedside which kept me sane and the nurses entertained. Before I left the night of the birthday party, Pierce had already knocked the head off one of the little dalmation buttons (it was a dalmation themed birthday, more pictures at Ravelry if you want close-ups of the truck or buttons)!!
Most of the other knitting was for my friend Robin's baby shower, which took place this past weekend. Some of this was finished in advance but that blanket was finished at 3am the morning I left for NC!! Oh well, it all got done!
This is the surprise baby jacket from EZ!! I finally did one. It's tiny tiny tiny because I used sock yarn and didn't pay attention to gauge. I just wanted to see how it worked...and WOW! I've been knitting a long time but this one stumped me completely. So cool!!
These are my own design and I spun the wool also. The colors kind of come through in the close-up. There were lots of reds and blues and greens and golds in the roving that give it kind of a heathery look. Her nursery theme is giraffes, hence the button.
Also, this giraffe blanket! (I know, I know, two intarsia patterns in one summer, hot on the heels of the poodle bag last summer, I really do hate intarsia, really, it just keeps getting in there somehow, if I make a move toward intarsia next summer, shoot me)
And no jeekeehoo loved baby can be without a Russell!!
Then just when you're sitting back feelin' really good about your little knitting self, you look over and see this in your knitting basket, 48 (real, known number) 48 thousand (perceived number) squares to be sewn together!!
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chesapeake City and update
Jen and I met up in Chesapeake City, MD and it was a beautiful day! Not only was the weather nice, but the yarn was alllll on sale. Woo! We sat by the canal and watched passing boats while we knitted. Glorious.
I brought some yarns home with me. The purple on the left is supposed to be made into a little sweater of my own design and the oddly coordinating (not done purposely) sock yarn is for...socks.
And, just in case you didn't notice I was wearing it in the above photo, Hey Teach is done. Buttons and all. It was quick, easy, and fun. Cute to wear, too.
Linen Camisole
More photos available on Ravelry. I decided I should probably finish this sucker before summer was over - I wore it to brunch today and it is a nice, light tank top that doesn't stick to my skin like non-natural fibers. Lovely.