Thursday, January 31, 2008

I'm an idiot

Yup. After finishing and all I figure out I made the front of the legholes on the back and vice versa. Brilliant. Ugh I hate myself sometimes. I'm going to put ribbed legholes on so I'm thinking it will hide the imperfection, but this was also supposed to be much smaller. It would fit my toddler. Gah. If it weren't for the kids I'd go back to bed...something tells me I'm just not meant to think this week.

Ugh, and I used a whole skein of yarn on this. I guess I should frog what I can salvage. Blech.

Is 10:30 am too early for a drink? I suppose it is if you're breastfeeding...but still...UGH!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Return of the Soaker


After a long hiatus from soakers/ shorties/ longies I have returned! I am currently working on a size small soaker (using the Retro Soaker pattern from 100 Knitting Patterns) using Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) in blue/ brown for a friend. It's nice to be working on a soaker again! It works from the waistband down, and I have just finished the waistband and eyelet holes. I like!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Ah, Christmas!

Ok, ok I know it's January, but I'm just getting my Christmas gift up and running.

This is my new yarn winder and swift.
And THIS is a new ball of Cascade, which I wound in about 3 minutes. Yup. Cool!
Another skein of Cascade.
These are my 3 new wools. The orange I am completly in love with. Absolutely, completly. Whatever I made with it will be deemed "Orange Sherbet". The lilac is Malabrigo - yummy!
And not wool, but this is my new sock yarn waiting to be made into socks! Yipee!

Ok, funs over, baby awake!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

UGH!

Ok, I found some super cute booties to match the green flower hat shown below...and I have one almost done...enough to realize the bootie is far bigger than the hat :( It's supposed to be 0-3 months, so either my gauge is off (no I didn't check it as my needles and the yarn size seemed appropriate...and yes I know I should have) or the pattern is. Boo. I'm going to finish the pair I'm making, but I need to find something else.

I had grand plans of finishing at least one of the booties last night, but Lucy decided she needed to be held...if only I could find a way to do both! But dh had homework, so I was the lone baby-holder :)

We hada rough night last night - she and I were up until 4am. So while I would love to pick up my needles during Sesame Street, I am afraid of the havoc I could wreak on the bootie, even if it is pretty simple and only shaped by incr and dec. Still a tired knitter can do very scary things.

Maybe I should dig up pics of all those mocs and post them finally...ok, off to dig up pics!



Edit to add:



I'm not adding all the pics, but you get the idea

These were for my brother in law, after he and future sister in law felted them down to size


These are completely felted up - I left them big when sending to my SIL2B so they could finish them to fit, and it looks like she did a fab job!
These were the pair for my other SIL, these are before she finished felting them to fit, so they still look pretty big.

These were for my dad, still big. I didn't take pics after I finished felting them for him, I should have! When these felted they were still pretty big around, but fit length-wise, so next time I would try to take out some of the bulk around while knitting.

These were for my MIL, I think they fit pretty well right off the bat.
All in all there were 8 pair - I knitted for my mom, dad, brother, sister in law, mother in law, father in law, brother in law, and future sister in law. That was a lot of moccs! The reviews have all been good so far - everyone says they are super warm, which as 100% wool they should be. I did enjoy making them, although there were a lot! I know my dh wants a pair, so those will probably be coming next fall or so...right now I probably wouldn't get them done before it warmed up anyway. I'm thinking about making a few teeny tiny ones as baby gifts though - those knit up in an evening though.
If I decide to make any Christmas gifts for next year I will start much earlier though so I can vary the project with something else, but right now I am thinking of taking next year off, so I can concentrate on starting up my store.
Ok, Lucy is waking from nap and Toby is tired of behaving so I am signing off.
TTFN
Edit #2: This pattern is Felted Mocs. The pattern was originally sold here but is now published in 100 Knitting Projects

Monday, January 21, 2008

Baby things

I haven't had a lot of time for knitting lately (the baby's witching hours tend to be during my normal knitting time!) but here are a few things I've managed to eke out.



This light blue set is for a friend having a baby boy. I love love love this yarn - Plymouth Yarns Oh My! It is seriously one of the softest yarns I've ever touched. It's 100% nylon, but just silky to touch - perfect for a baby. There's not much on a skein though so be forewarned!

The patterns are from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. I am guessing size wise they're suitable for about 9 months.
This hat is for a friend having a baby girl. I will make something else to go with it, but I'm not sure what yet. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft Brites - love this yarn for a variety of projects. The hat is small - I would guess 0-3 months. It definitely would fit my 1 month old. I forget where I found this pattern - I guess I need to keep better tabs on them!
Up next: something to match the green hat - I'm thinking booties, but not sure whether I should do mc green and cc purple, or the other way around.

Also, friend having a boy in April. I have 2 skeins of Patons Soy Wool Stripes in blue/ brown that I love. Maybe felted mocs? I have also been considering a baby blanket using the green Caron Simply Soft above and a bright orange, but I know I don't have enough, and I think the blanket would look better in a solid color.

3rd project in queue is a pair of socks for a friend's dh. I have the yarn already so I'm ready for these anytime.

Also coming - my new baby! For Christmas I received a swift and yarn winder. Beautiful! I haven't had them set up together yet, but the swift works like magic. I have a couple skeins here ready to be balled so I can't wait to get it all out and working - and believe me, there will be pictures! I was supposed to do that this weekend, but alas, a reflux baby leaves little time for play. Hopefully we will have her meds worked out soon so she is feeling better, and maybe soon after she will be on a schedule!

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

New Year's Resolution

Let's see...my New Year's Knitting Resolutions...

I have 3 friends having babies by the end of April. Need to get started on some little things for them! I already have a bumblebee longies in mind to start.

Pair of Moccs for dh...will wait on those as I am completely Mocc'ed out

Pair of socks for a friend's dh

Bigger longies for my DD

And finally, I want to start up my hyenacart this year. I'm planning on knitting and sewing items, but this is really something I want to make a reality this year.

Oh yeah, and lose 30 lbs. :O)