Baby Blanket love

Interweave Knits 2016

I promised I would post two posts on completed knits back to back, and I failed. Oh well. As I sat here on my day off drinking tea early in the morning, I remembered I had to post about the baby blanket I recently finished. I have knitting on the brain in a BIG way, as this past weekend I finally figured out what I am knitting the girls for their Christmas. It is hard to plan that far ahead (at least for me), and it interrupted (gratefully?) a project I was working on already. I'm knitting a Calder Pullover and only have one sleeve left. Only thing is, I just checked and I started it last December. If I am lucky I will finish it THIS December, making it the longest ever worked on sweater. I only have 3/4 of a sleeve left too! I don't know why I hate the sleeves so much, but I do. I did the first, then the body, and thought I was done (you are supposed to do the two sleeves first but I didn't have it in me). Anyway, I will get there.

Part of what distracted me was knitting a baby blanket for my co-worker Brent. He was my trainee at one point, and I like him. He and his wife are having their first baby, due in December. I knit them a Mosaic Blanket from Purl Soho. I had wanted to knit one ever since it popped up in my inbox, and this gave me a great excuse. The only thing I did differently than the pattern was the crochet shell stitch around the border.

I love this blanket a lot. It was fun to knit, the result is impressive (at least to me!), and it turned out a great size. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease (cream) and Caron Cakes (rainbow) for the yarn. Easy to wash, with just a bit of wool for a winter baby. Plus, I got to use my coupons that Joann's shoves down my phone every week. What with the free pattern, it was a very affordable blanket to knit.

Now I've just found out my niece is pregnant and due in May, so I get a chance to knit another blanket I'm excited about. I won't cast on until well after the new year, because I have 2 Christmas sweaters to knit for my girls, and two sweater WIP's of my own. We will ignore the hat languishing in my basket because it was just for fun and there is no deadline.

The last thing I completed that I had put off for ages was recovering my desk chair. It has a mysterious stain on it, and that chair is older than my kids, so here is before and after:

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

Christmas knits

I'm waaaaay behind in my posts, because it is near the end of March and I'm going to post my Christmas knits. Oh well, better late than never I guess. 

Every year I try to knit the girls something for Christmas--teaching that homemade is best and whatnot. This year I made them shawls. I know, they are only 10, but for whatever reason they both really wanted shawls. Thus far I've only knit small shawls, or shawlettes, or whatever your call them, so I wanted to pick something relatively easy. I picked the Campside shawl, and I really enjoyed it (even making two!). The pattern is free, which never ceases to amaze me, people are just so giving with their talent.

I chose Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool, in the girliest colors ever (I think they are just now thinking there is a world outside of pink and purple). The yarn is 45% Wool, 35% Silk, 20% manufactured Fibers - Nylon / Polyamide. I liked the yarn, it was different than what I normally use, and was a nice change of scenery if you will.

They shawls took about a month and a half each for me to knit, in secret, with the girls beating down the door because it was locked. They love them however, and that is all that matters. 

 
I also knit them both a hat, from patterns I already had, and yarn I didn't know what to do with. 

Now that it is waaaaay past Christmas and time for their birthday I've knit them fingers mitts, but that is a post for another day, it took me long enough to hit publish on this one!

and the winner is......red

Hello everyone. I have been a bit negligent in my blogging, that is true, but I have not slowed down in my knitting. In fact, I've been rather productive, and have a few FO's to share.

First, just a wee bit of a back story. I work in Michigan, and my department divides the state up into three regions. My region (1) is comprised of 17 individuals that work out of their homes, and one supervisor that lives in Traverse City. Every three months we meet up in the north for a staff meeting. Every Christmas there is a themed contest, and this year it was red. The person with the most items of red worn, and the best dressed red. I decided I wanted to WIN. I threw myself into it wholeheartedly.

I did win, and would have taken both categories if that was allowed. This picture doesn't even show half of my other red.......including a few things I knit.

 
The hat (pardon the bad pictures, I blame the winter) is a free pattern, flower bud beanie. I cannot say enough good things about the pattern. Fast, pretty, fun. 

The fingerless gloves are also wonderful, and a free pattern, 75-yard-malabrigo-fingerless-mitts.
The yarn I used for both is Lion Brand Heartland. I had a 50% off coupon at Joann's, and one skein was enough for both projects. Bargain!

I've got one project I'm almost done with (I hope), and three more on the go. Ok, maybe four. I can't wait for the extra time I'll have over the Christmas holiday. Take care, I'll see you in 2015!

Sewing with the kids

Hello! Lately, my kids have been very crafty. First, they asked me to teach them how to knit. Oh, yes, with pleasure I will teach them to knit. They are (slowly) working on some garter stitch squares.

Then, somehow (none of us can remember how it came up) they decided they wanted to learn to sew. A pillow, to be precise. So I taught them, because sewing a square and stuffing it with fluff is just about the easiest thing to learn. They were super excited, because it was fast. And don't we all like instant gratification?

So they made themselves some pillows. And then, they each made me one. And their Dad. And then they made their grandparents each one for Christmas.   

We used stash fabric, except for two pillows (the grandparents pillows), and we did buy fluff. But otherwise, quite an affordable and enjoyable project. Plus, now I have a perfect pillow to use when we are travelling in the car! Next up, they are making themselves fleece ponchos!

The last of it

Well, my Christmas knitting is done. The final tally is 4 hats, two shawlettes, one pair of mittens, one pair of fingerless gloves, and one pair of yoga socks. They have all been sent and received (though not all opened yet, oh the will power!!)

I knit two Watch Caps, for two young men in my family. The pattern is brilliant, you can use whatever yarn/gauge you want, and it tells you how to make the hat. The pattern is in the book Knits Men Want, which I got for Christmas a few years ago. Both hats were made from stash yarn, one is 8ply and the other 10ply. I love how simple and great these hats look. I want one for myself.

It has been so hot today, but I'm going to sit down and knit a wee bit. I've been busy preparing for my folks to arrive, and haven't knit in days. *gasp* I'm going into withdrawals. But before I go, one last FO, the striped pair of socks I was working on. I finished them about a month ago, but never got around to taking the picture.

Now, while I go and ooh and aah over the yarn that arrived with my parents, you have yourself a very happy holiday season. I'll see you in January!!

Hungry Monsters

Hi guys. We've had a mixed bag of weather this week, but some days of beautiful warmth and sunshine. Oh how I love the sunshine. Luckily the sunshine hasn't made it too hot for knitting, but I've been getting some sewing done too. Right now I'm working on my quilt for my daughter, since I finished her sisters. I just finished the top today, so hopefully it won't be too much longer.

Now on to my FO. A wee while ago I downloaded a cloth napkin pattern on Craftsy, to get some ideas on making new ones. Afterwards owner of the pattern emailed me with a link to her newsletter if I was interested.  I didn't think I would be, but I was wrong. She sometimes includes free patterns in the newsletter, one of which I thought was too cute to pass up.

It is called Gobbler, and it's a pencil case. I made these three for my nieces and nephew in Louisiana. I've put some goodies in as well, because I couldn't resist. 

I used fabric that my Grandma gifted me a while ago, she tie-dyed them all, and I love love love them! I had enough to make two bigger ones for my own girls for Christmas, but I won't put a picture up just yet. They are nosy wee girls and might see it on my blog and then the gig would be up!

If you are interested the newsletter is called Shiny Happy News, and the blog is here.

Take care, I'm off to the post office to get all my crafts on a plane to the USA. I've got one more post for next week and then I'm done sharing Christmas projects (I think!).

Gingko Shawl

Hi everyone. I hope that you've had a lovely week. We had some good weather, followed and preceded by some gray rainy weather. I'm ready for some summer already!

I was very excited about this shawlette. It turned out rather well, but I cannot for the life of me block out the little hump at the top where the cast on was. The designer does mention this, but still..............it left me feeling a little deflated. Looking at others projects let me know that I am not alone.

Pattern: Gingko Crescent
Yarn: Bendingo Woollen Mill Luxury 4 ply. I like this yarn very much.

Wearing it as a scarf makes the little hump not matter at all. This is how I would wear it, were I not sending it to my Grandma for Christmas. I hope she likes it!

Have a great weekend

A tale of two mitts

Well, I'd like to think I am almost done with my Christmas knitting. I went from knitting for no one to knitting for 7. Sigh. And I feel the pressure to get the gifts done and in the mail, you  know, soon.


So brief history on this project, and this yarn--Sirdar Crofter Chunky, purchased to make my niece first this (in 2010):

than this matching scarf (2011):

and since I had just a wee bit left over I thought I'd make her some fingerless mitts to use it up. After much searching I found the Camp Out Fingerless mitts pattern, so I gave them a try. And while it looks ok, it was too tight and boring on my arm. Back to the drawing board.

After much searching and no joy, I remember the mitts I had first made when I purchased my Nicky Epstein Block by Block book. They are the Curvy Cable pattern, and originally they were knit flat and seamed, with just a hole left for the thumb. This time, I used what I've learned in the last several years to make them better.

I knit them in the round, and I added a gusset for the thumb, taken from the Camp Out pattern (so my time wasn't wasted after all). They ended up being just a wee bit shorter than I would have liked, but I ran out of yarn. I am quite happy with the result, and I much prefer them seamless with the gusset. They are of course chunkier than the originals, due to the yarn I used.

And there you have it. No more yarn, and a complete set for a lovely, lovely person. 

Have a great weekend!!

Mittens for Gramps

I am almost done knitting for my Michigan Christmas parcel. I had a hard time figuring out what to make my Grandpa. I've given him a hat, and a scarf in the past. This time I made him some mittens. Who doesn't need mittens?

Pattern: Cruiser (free pattern)
Yarn: Lion Brand Pure wool (stash-busted this yarn!)

I am not sure where I went wrong with these, but I had to make adjustments to get them to the right size. I added 5 extra knit rows while decreasing, and 3 extra knit rows for the thumb, also while decreasing. I am fairly satisfied with the finished mittens.

Have a great weekend!

A hat for Mike

Another hat! Carrying on with the Christmas knitting, I completed a hat for my Uncle Mike. 

This is what you get when you ask my seven year old to take a close up of the hat:

The pattern is free, Susies Winter Beach Hat. I used some Fisherman's Wool I had in my stash.

I didn't particularly like making this hat. I followed the pattern and it was much too small (think skull cap), so I had to rip back and make it the right size (thank goodness the diameter was ok). An upside of making it though, is that I got to practice cabling with using a cable needle, which I had never done before. I was getting annoyed at having to cable every row, and it was such a small cable every few stitches. So learning this new technique was very worthwhile, and really sped things up. 

Anyhoo, it turned out nice, and that's one more present done. I can't wait to show you the second shawl I've completed, I love it. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures this week however, so, same time next week ok!! See you then.

A shawl for Linda

I feel like I'm on a knitting roll lately, and it feels pretty darn good. I had a minor set back with a hat that turned out too short (mustering energy to rip back and fix) but the shawlette that just finished blocking, now that I like.

Since I'm sending a hat to cousin Matt, I thought I had better go ahead and make everyone else in the house (and nearby house) a gift too. You know, when it rains, it pours. So for my Aunt Linda, I made a small shawl. I've been rather captivated lately with all the shawl patterns coming out for the autumn, but I don't know anyone that actually wears shawls. They always seemed so fanciful to me. Now, a shawlette, I tell myself, anyone can wear. Even I have one, in the same yarn I used for Linda actually.

Pattern: Le Weekend Shawl (free)
Yarn: Hayfield pure wool classic 4ply. This was a bargain buy on Ebay ages ago, and I still have loads. I wasn't overly impressed when it arrived on my doorstep, but I washed it and blocked it better than the last time, and it feels softer now, more wearable.

One last thing I wanted to say--about blocking. People go on and on about "Blocking magic" to which I normally think in my head, "Yeah, it's good, but is it magic?" Well that was before I knit a shawl (now two, stay tuned next week!). Blocking really, really IS magic. It is my new very best friend!

Lastly, here are a few devil tails I whipped up for Halloween. Both my girls were devils, I don't think they understood the irony.

 Have a great weekend!!

A hat for Matt

Hurray, I've started my Christmas knitting. This year I told myself I wouldn't knit a thing for anyone. I was having such a good time knitting things for myself. Then, well, I guess I got over my selfish streak. My cousin (ok, second cousin) Matt has been helping out a lot with my Grandparents in Michigan. He is a great, great person, and they love him dearly. So of course, onto the hat list he went. 

This hat was a wonderful knit, and it only took a few days. 

Pattern: (free!) Snowtracks Cap
Yarn: Supa yarn 100% wool
Mods:  I cast on for a large. Knit 2” for the ribbing. Then I skipped rows 21-23 and 28. This turned out the perfect size, I’m really pleased. I didn't want a folded brim, but I wanted it to be long enough to be pulled over the ears without being slouchy. Not much to ask, is it?

A little note about the photos--the girls and I had just gotten home from the beach (you know the drill, play, play, play, walk, ice cream, walk more, then home). For whatever reason they striped naked the moment we got home, and then I remembered we had to take these pictures. So we were in the back garden and two little naked people were telling me how to pose, and where to turn my head. And it made me really laugh. Hence, this picture:

And then, because they both wanted their pictures to be used, another of the back. I love those cables!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

I love spring!

 

This week

Hello and welcome. I've had a pretty slow week, but that could be in part because I haven't felt well. Perkier now though, and the kidlettes are off school for two weeks. I hope the weather improves so we can plan some fun outdoor activities.

I have a couple of small FO's to share this week. The first one I made to put under the Ball canning jar I use to dry long spoons/knives in the kitchen. It just needed a little something to catch any drips.

Pattern: Set of ombre coasters free pattern on Ravelry
Yarn: Lily cotton from my stash.


The next project was purely inspired by a post over at Minding My Own Stitches. The whole time I was crocheting this I kept thinking, "I'm making a stocking for my dog, I'm making a stocking for my dog!" But really, it is very cute. It is also a good way to practise crochet, and I need all the practise I can get!

Pattern: Dog stocking free on Ravelry
Yarn: Jarol Mother of Pearl I've had in my stash for ever. It isn't nice yarn at all, even though it is marketed as baby yarn. It has a sparkley thread running through it that makes it scratchy. It was gifted to me ages ago and I've been trying to use it up since. I held it double for the pattern, and got rid of quite a bit.

Lastly, it was my husbands birthday this week. He is not a birthday-loving guy (gasp) and doesn't even let me make a cake. But I got around that by making Eccles Cakes. If you haven't had these before, go ahead and make a batch right now. I'll wait. Good aren't they?

We used to eat them a lot in Scotland (ok, ok, bought from a bakery and never home made--until now. Home made is so much better). 

These little beauties are puff pastry filled with a currant/candied peel filling. Delicious! I used raisins because that's how I do things around here, and I used more filling that the recipe called for (1 tsp per cake, that is just ridiculous, I must have used 2 tbs each). If you are a fan of mincemeat type flavors, I cannot recommend these enough. VERY easy. VERY tasty.

And that's if from me for this week. Have a great weekend and happy crafting!