Dec 24 2009
And what makes this auntie squeal with delight this Christmas Eve?
Seeing Baby V bedecked in the knit cardi I made her before she was born!
The smile means she loves it!
…and that is the best Christmas present this year!
~~ Merry Christmas dear friends ~~
Sep 22 2009
…
Resurrection day
Hexagon panopoly
Blankie for baby
…
Komb Hexagon Blanket
Pattern: Komb, Berroco book #249 (Keltic)
Yarn: Jojoland Rhythm in M01 and M20
Needles: size US 7
Okay, maybe it was never *dead* enough to warrant a “resurrection”, but it was definitely forgotten and put away out of sight… and all it needed was a resurfacing and a little attention before it had a whole new life and new purpose.
Started in December 2007, it was intended as a wedding gift for a friend. Luckily, I anticipated how long this might take to complete, so we got her and her new husband a regular wedding gift as well… It became clear early on that this was not going to be an enjoyable knit… I tried to practice all of my mindfulness and happy thoughts, but at the end of the day, it just wasn’t pleasant. Perhaps it was the picking up stitches or the weaving in ends… the yarn was fun because it was a complete mixed bag – I never knew what I was going to get.
I pulled it out last fall and winter and did a few more hexagons and then remembered why I had stuck it in the closet in the first place… and it went back in, about 1/3 of the way finished. The blanket calls for 60 hexagons of a larger gauge, and I have 30 here, but I was planning to make 90 for a full afghan.
The it occured to me that my knitting life would be much happier if I were to just “call it” with the hexagons and repurpose the blanket for a certain new baby in my life – my niece due next month!
Hexagon blanket will now go to Baby V! The fun bright colors seem perfect for a baby, and I thought the shape of it would be great for a stroller or car seat blanket.
The yarn amazed me with each new ball – it is a nice light worsted weight wool – with so much variation. I only used 2 colorways of the yarn! Would you have guessed that? The borders are a blue/taupe/tan mixture, while the hexagons themselves are pink, purple, green, and yellows. Because I was planning a much bigger project, I have a decent amount left for some other fun things; it seems like a great yarn for winter accessories. Mitts and a hat, perhaps?
I feel much happier knowing that this knit is no longer hanging over my head, and that it will keep my new niece all cozy.
Sep 13 2009
Experts say that if you do a task a certain number of times, it becomes a habit… and I have to agree, as I am beginning to feel that way about Socktoberfest! When the air begins to chill, my mind automatically – habitually – turns to socks. So funny! Especially since I have not even knit one sock this year…
The *fifth* celebration of Socktoberfest is just a few weeks away (seriously, can you believe it – we started in 2005 with over 1000 people!) and the buzz is already starting over on the Ravelry Socktoberfest board! People are planning designs, new techniques that they want to try out, talking about yarns… just general sock talk 
Initially, I was planning to do a pair of stranded socks for myself… but the 
more I think about it, the more I want to stick to my theme for the past several months of gift knitting. And it just so happens that I have a little pair of feet that will need to be adequately covered “joining” the world smack dab in the middle of October! SO, why not switch things up a bit and make this Socktoberfest my chance to celebrate the little feet of this world, specifically the ones of my new niece-on-the-way, who we are calling “Baby V”. (By the way, look how cute my sister Mimi looks!)
Baby knits are like a huge knitting well that I only peered in to previously… but now that I am knitting for one on a regular basis, I am finding endless supplies of inspiration. So many innovative and adorable patterns! The booties posted above are a wonderful modification of the well-known Saartje’s Bootees knit by saganaga- but seasonally themed for autumn. Since Baby V will be joining us in the autumn, it seemed just right! I loved them at first sight!
Other favorites and potentials for my Socktoberfest selections:
…and there is a whole lot more where that came from! I am hoping to use up some of the leftover sock yarn and make them extra special with little touches. I especially love the Moccasins with the little embroidery!
So, are you up for another year of sock celebration? Would you care to join me?
I would love to hear about any plans you have for socks!
Jul 21 2009
My sister’s due date is still a few months away – early October – but I am doing my part to make sure that Baby V is well-outfitted after her arrival!
“Fleecy Niecey” cardigan
Pattern: Baby Raglan (free pattern)
Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL Aran, “Cosmic Dawn”
Needles: Size US 8
I bought this lovely variegated yarn in Nova Scotia last summer - Fleece Artist is made in Nova Scotia, so what better way to think about my trip than to knit with the yarn I bought there? Now the little cardi will be boxed up and sent to California for Baby V. I was hoping to have longer sleeves on this, but I simply ran out of yarn – I didn’t want to make it any shorter, so it is a short-sleeved wool cardigan… yeah, I know… My plan is to find a jewel-toned onesie for her to wear underneath – my little niece will be quite hip 
with the layered look. I modified the pattern a bit here using seed stitch in place of ribbing and also turned down the collar. I may add a button or pick up a cute pin or snap to match this… still deciding.
Using the same pattern, I made this slightly more summery version of the cardigan – little bit longer sleeves too! I picked up the adorable watermelon button to match the marled pink yarn – RYC Cotton Jeans in “Sierra”. I did use ribbing, as the pattern calls for, on the neckline, the sleeves, and the hemline.
The pattern, like all top-down raglans, is so easy to knit and to modify. Of course the small size of these make them such quick knits, and a great way to
bust through some skeins of yarn from the stash. Planning to make many more like these – perhaps a whole rainbow of them!
Knitting for baby is definitely fun – but I also enjoy knitting for sisters… and I thought that Mimi deserved a nice garment too! Her birthday was last week – and I am typically behind in my good intentions – but I started a beautiful Kim Hargreaves pattern for her: the “Ruby” cardigan from the Breeze collection. The wide open neck line is definitely the eye-catching factor in this piece. When I picked up the pattern book a few months back, this (and the corresponding pullover “Rose”) was among my favorites in the book – one of the reasons I bought it in the first place. When Mimi and I were discussing it recently, I sent her the link for the pattern and she liked this one the most too. I love the chance to make something for her that she loves as much as I do! We decided that a belted cardigan would be a good idea right now during pregnancy and after the baby is born - lots of options and easy to remove. Plus, it is flowy, drapey, and has a nice shape. I particularly love the frills of picot stitches on the edges.
I cast on with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed and immediately started the front left panel of the cardigan. More progress since this initial shot too. Garter stitches and simple stockinette – simple and beautiful
Jun 19 2009
This is a perfect time in my knitting career to have babies to knit for – there are *so* many great patterns that I just don’t know where to begin. (As evidenced by my Ravelry queue with the tag: “baby”…) Check it out:
The newest addition to the baby knits category on my side bar:
Victorian Baby Bonnet
Pattern: Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together
Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic – / .5 skein ~60 yards
Needles: Size US 6 circulars
Such a sweet pattern – and the lace repeat is actually one that I can handle without the need to rip! This little golden yellow skein has been in my stash for ages so it was nice to produce something from it. I still have some leftover since it only used about half of a skein. I see more of these in my future… relatively quick to make, sweet, and a lovely gift. Perhaps my new little niece can have a little rainbow of bonnets… but if I know anything my sister, baby girl will be fully outfitted in purple!
This project was a stashbuster, my last one for the Stanley Cup Stashbusting knitalong, as well as a knit project for this round of Project Spectrum. The EAST direction is coming to a close before too long, and the direction will shift to SOUTH – reds, oranges, fire, and summer! Looking forward to it…
For a little more Project Spectrum yellow inspiration, I stepped out into the garden this morning for a quick look around and saw all the lovely blossoms – marigolds and squash flowers!
