Slouching Around

Remember that vow not to start any new projects without finishing an old project? FAIL. I have managed to finish my Traditional Blue feather and fan baby blanket, but that doesn't even out with the three hats that I have started. The blanket is going to be set aside for the next baby of a friend/family member, and its ooooooooh so soft, which will be perfect for baby. I wish I could remember the brand of yarn I used for it.......


So the last week at work was pretty stressful, so I needed some instant gratification knitting, which for me consists of hats, mainly of the slouch variety. Since the purple Spring Beret went over so well, I've been sticking with slouch hats with interesting details that are not too overwhelming. The first one that I have actually managed to finish was the "Amy is Gone" for a dear friend who has left Hong Kong to return to the US. (A cookie if you can guess what her name is) I like this pattern as well, but I think that I need to work on my psso because I think that the stitch is too obvious. You be the judge:



I casted on another variation of the Spring Beret, this time in green, but I am not too wild about since it might come out too bulky overall, but it will be nice and warm. I love the way the color works in this yarn, but its one of those yarns where you have to find just the right pattern to make it work. If it does come out huge, I will most likly felt it and save it for a baby.



I've started another hat as well, this time the Naked Star pattern, which I like, and the yarn I'm using is quite nice- pictures are coming soon, don't worry. Its pretty mindless knitting, but all these hats is good for stocking up presents. The sock yarn blanket is finally progressing, thanks to some lovely donations by some of the local knitting group ladies! Its nowhere as near as I want it to be, but it is lovely and warm- that's what I have enjoyed about this project- you can use it as you make it. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more to do though, and its only taken me what? a year to get this far?

One day it will me finished....one day................

Oh Baby!

I found out a couple of weeks ago that our department secretary is having a baby girl, due in January, which will be her second child and her second daughter. Of course, that provides a good excuse for any knitter to go a little crazy in the yarn shop and with patterns. I bought about ten skeins of Katia's Baby Fantaisie in white sprinkled with dots of pink to make a blanket with, and maybe some other accessories for the new bundle of joy.
So I've started the blanket, and it just won't end!!!! Granted that I am using sock yarn and fingering weight yarn, but I feel like this blanket is going to be a challenge to get through. I'm using the Pinwheel Baby Blanket pattern from Genia Planck. So far it has sucked up 3 skeins of yarn and a second pair of needles. It is soft and snuggly, but I'm ready for this to be done. The baby isn't due until January/February, so I still have plenty of time to get it done. Mindy suggested that I start doing eyelets for a couple of inches, and then call it done, but I have yet to find anything that I like. Suggestions?

Sweater Frustrations!

So the baby sweater was going good...until I reached the part where you do the neckline shaping, and then it all just went wrong! The body of the sweater didn't seem like it was going to be wide enough for any baby that I've seen and the sleeves seemed to be a mile long. I stuck with it for a little while, and then just got so frustrated with the damn thing, I frogged it all! Now the yarn and needles are sitting in a corner, thinking about what they did. I think that I also might need to find a different pattern, or go out there and get a pattern book.

For right now, I've moved on to the unshaped shrug project for a little. I found this great bulky yarn in these beautiful variations of red. Its a little bulky, and I'm using the measurements for the largest one, but I think that its going to be lovely and less frustrating. When I saw and felt this yarn, I knew that it had to be made into something soft that you feel luxurious wearing. Here's to times of less frustrating knitting!

Madil-Sophy Yarn Project

I've recently gotten inspired to step outside of the scarf and hat box and attempt my first sweater.....baby sweater that is. Within the past 4 years, two of my older siblings have gotten married, and I know that babies cannot be far off. I've decided to get a little ahead of the game for when it actually starts happening...

The yarn I picked for this project is Sophy by Madil. Made in Italy, this 66% fine Merino, 34% acrylic yarn is a dream. It looks like a basic white crinkled, but the suprise is the little swaths of bright colors that appear at random. Now I am a sucker for anything veregrated, but this is a treasure. I think that it could be made into anything, its just that lovely and versitile. The colors might look a little dull in these pictures, but that is due to the dimness of the lights in my apartment. They really do pop!

The first part of this project/set is a little newborn baby blanket, that I finished last night. I used the standard "Feathers and Fan" pattern that can be found almost anywhere. I found mine on KnitPicks, in the free pattern section. (http://www.knitpicks.com/ ) I've used this pattern for several projects already, and it works out so nicely. Its one of those patterns that everyone thinks is harder than it looks, but just one row is worked in pattern. The finished blanket measures about 14 inches wide and about 3 feet long. I think that it can qualify as something unisex in todays world. This is a photo of what it looks like on my off-white couch. I think that next time I use this pattern to make a blanket, I'll do it a little wider, maybe 20 inches.

The next part of this project is one of the 5-hour patterns that are floating out around there. I found mine by browsing through Bev's Country Cottage and her list of free patterns. Its a very simple, hooded sweater in seed stitch. Not only will it be my first sweater, but also my first time attempting a hood. I started it this afternoon, and I have about 4 inches of seed stitch done. You can see the pattern here- http://www.knitlist.com/2002/FransHood.htm The next part of the project is going to be some booties, but I haven't found a pattern that I love yet. I'd be grateful for any suggestions!

Hats hats hats!

Recently I've been obsessed with knitting cabled hats based on the Jellybean hat from Stitch 'n' Bitch. I've gotten it down to the point where I can make one in about 2 days if I have enough free time. They are so quick and easy to modify- I've been playing around with different borders and different combinations of yarn. So far, its been working out pretty well for me, which makes me really happy. I've made about 9 over the course of the summer up till now. And of course, I've given most of them away, or plan to. Its something that I found easy to keep my hands occupied for TV-watching, or in the car or something. I've done so many of these hats that my hands just know what to do. My roomates have also been forced to be models for me for everything that I knit, so thats who's beautiful faces you will see modeling my knits. I also have another project in the works, a seed stitch scarf for a friends birthday. I don't remember the brand of this yarn, but I love it because its cheap, fuzzy, and one skein is enough for a scarf. I have a beautiful shawl that I made with a lot of the same brand in this great olive color. I'm working on putting up a gallery of all the things I've knitted and some of my favorite yarns, so bare with me for the moment. I'm also running into the problem of scraps of yarn and not enough to do something with them. One solution that works so far is little one hour baby booties which I plan to donate to the premie ward at the local hospital. (Another pattern from Stitch 'n' Bitch that I have fallen in love with), but the scraps from those projects remain, which drives me nuts! If anyone has any suggestions with what to do with these tiny little bits, let me know. I feel like I need to use up every last little bit of yarn that I have, so I can justify buying more. Like all knitters, I have a healthy obession with yarn. You can never have enough! Seriously people, you and I both know this. I think that this winter I might attempt my first sweater, since I'm starting to get more than a little sick of the whole scarf and hat combo. Wish me luck!