knit on my cat

Spring Fever?

Last May, I went on a short-but-enthusiastic crochet jag. It yielded one very ugly unfortunate afghan and half a sock. Just as quickly as the urge came, it went. At the time I chalked it up to pregnancy hormones, but recent evidence suggests that it was just good old fashioned spring fever working its magic. Again this year, I've found myself succumbing to the siren song of crafts that are not knitting.

It started with the acquisition of spinning supplies. Then, I cast on- or is hooked on?- for a crocheted ripple afghan. Then, while my husband's parents were visiting, I mentioned to my mother-in-law that I had a "broken" sewing machine. She took all of 30 seconds to "fix" it and now, I'm finally learning to sew.

Have I ever told you about my very first knitting project? (I promise, this relates to the topic at hand, just give me a minute.) It was a dishcloth from a cheap learn to knit book that had projects listed in what I assumed to be order of difficulty. It was a diamond stitch pattern written out line by line. It's the kind of pattern that wouldn't be too challenging to a knitter experienced enough to be able to "read" their knitting, but to someone who had barely grasped the basics, it was crazy difficult. And it was in cheap dishcloth cotton, which is kind of hard to work with and shows every mistake. Ugh. About halfway through, I realized I was in way over my head and started over with something a little more manageable.

I'm afraid I might be repeating history with my first sewing project. My mom told me that when she was took Home Ec, the first sewing project was an apron. I thought that sounded like a reasonable place to start, but when I went pattern hunting, I saw this little dress and thought it couldn't be that different from an apron.

Of course now I am in way over my head. The dress has darts, interfacing, an elastic waistband, and pockets. Me? I don't really even know how to sew a straight seam! Yikes! I plan to embrace my inner pioneer and keep going even though I don't really know what's going on. Sewing is fun, but so much more dangerous than knitting! At this point, I'm just hoping I don't sew my fingers together. If I stop posting, I guess you'll know what happened!

I Swear, It Just Followed Me Home!

This week, we took a little mini-vacation to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area of Tennessee. While we were in town, I visited a small-but-sweet yarn shop called Smoky Mountain Spinnery. The owner was really nice, and if you ask her she'll give you a little spinning demonstration! I'm not sure how this happened, but as I was leaving the store I noticed that a bag had found its way into my hand!

WHAT?!?!?! How did this happen? I wonder what's inside...

Uh-oh!

Taking Flight

A Swallowtail Shawl is born. [Ravelry]

There's nothing like being in love with your knitting. I only get to work on it for a short time at the end of the day, but this shawl is on my mind all day long. Maybe after I've screwed up and had to rip back a few hundred times, I will be sick of it, but for now? It is all about some pink lacy love.

Block Party

First, we soaked.

Then, we stretched.

Iris helped.

And the end result is a hat that I love, love, love.

The pattern is Epitome [Ravelry]. You can get the pattern here, and you should because it's pretty awesome! It calls for a bulky weight yarn, but I held two strands of Malabrigo Worsted together. I quit wearing beanie style hats because they are chronically unflattering, but this one is a keeper. It was a fun, fast knit that I think might be a new go-to pattern when I need to bang out a quick gift. Don't be afraid to knit one for a man- I tried it on my husband and we both liked it on him. But he'll just have to wait to get his own!

On (and Off!) the Needles

After having a baby, I have to confess that it's a lot easier to forgo the hardships of "real" blogging in favor of slapping up a cute picture of Iris and calling it a day. It's certainly faster and easier to get comments! But I think it's time to get back to my blogging roots and talk some knitting. (Don't worry, there are still plenty of baby pictures in our future.)

I am a proud, card carrying member of the Malabrigo Junkies group on Ravelry- or at least I would be if they had cards. During Malabrigo March, we set forth on an epic quest to improve Malabrigo's standings on the list of Ravelry's most popular yarns. The only way to accomplish that? Cast on as many projects as possible! I came in about halfway through the month, but I think I did my part by casting on for five projects.

 

The first thing I started (and finished) was A Better Bucket Hat [Ravlery]. The pattern was a freebie from the Make One Yarn Studios, and quite a fine one I might add! Don't you just loooove my beautiful contrasting brim and pink button? I feel much cooler than I actually am when I wear it.

To make my cool brim, I was forced to learn how to do a PCO, or Provisional Cast On. Actually, I learned how to do it three different ways because the first way kicked my ass! I love Eunny Jang, so I'm pretty sure it's not her fault I couldn't decipher her instructions. I ended up using the instructions I found here, at Knit and Tonic. That worked well enough for this hat, but I know I did something wrong because my cast on did not "unzip" the was provisional cast ons are supposed to. I had to pick it out stitch by stitch, but the end result was satisfactory. (I've since figured out how to do it the "right" way using the instructional video from Knitting Help. I had to watch it approximately a babillion times. Don't give up! You can do it! And you will thank yourself the next time you need a super cool Bucket Hat!)

Also in the FO department, I present you with my very first Koolhaas [Ravelry]:

Now, I am wearing the hat in the pictures but my husband is actually the rightful owner. He's been complaining with increasing loudness about not having a good hat, and I've been promising him one for a long time. During the Malabrigo March insanity, I said that I would cast on a hat for him if only I had a "manly" color. He requested to see what colors I had and deemed Apple Green to be manly enough. He said, "It wouldn't be my first choice for a hat color, but it's probably in the top twenty." (I wonder what 19 other color choices might be in front of it.) I wasn't sure he would actually wear it, but when I picked him up from work yesterday he was standing on the sidewalk with the hat on his head, even though it was kind of hot outside. I could see him from about a block away. You have to love a man who is willing to wear a hat bright enough to direct traffic in!

Other things I cast on during Malabrigo March, in no particular order.

Another Koolhaas. And am I sick of them? NO! Not at all! I want one in every color of the rainbow!

Sunrise Circle Jacket [Ravelry]
Garter Stitch Mug Cozy [Ravelry]

One last project, not cast on during March, but still in our Malabrigo theme nonetheless. Does this look familiar to you? It should look familiar to someone I know because she designed it!

Epitome [Ravelry]

There are a few more things on my needles, but they'll have to wait for another post because all this catching up is reminding me that I had better get some of this stuff finished or I'm going to run out of needles! Yikes!

So you don't go into withdrawal or something:

This is Iris modeling the Mini Pini [Ravelry] I knit for my Baby a Baby swap partner, Dee. It is convenient to knit things for other babies when you have a baby handy to measure!   

Spoiled Rotten

Yesterday, I got my Baby-a-Baby Swap package, all the way from Sara in Portugal. I'm pleased to present you with the array of fabulous goodies that were inside. Iris might just be the best dressed baby around this summer, thanks to Sara's beautiful knitting!

I couldn't even fit everything into one picture! The package included two handknit tank tops, a handknit bonnet, a handknit pacifier clip, bibs, an adorable floral sunhat, a pair of baby denim overalls, a teething rattle, a tiny spoon and fork, a Baby on Board sign for the car, and tea and stitch markers just so I wouldn't feel left out!

The stitch markers are so pretty and fancy they could easily moonlight as earrings!

I took a ton of pictures of Iris modeling her new wardrobe. This is just a small sampling. If you want to see a few more, check out Iris's photo gallery.

Thank you sooooo much Sara! Bob and I are so tickled with everything you sent! We hope you and your little ones are all doing well!

Oh and.... Happy Easter everybody!

Playpen? Who Needs a Playpen?

We gots laundry baskets!

Maybe I should change the name of this blog to "Knit on My Baby".

Snow, Socks and Sweaters

We had a mighty blizzard here over the weekend. Seriously! There were like, four inches of snow on my deck! If you live in a part of the world that gets real snow, feel free to make fun of our pithy pile of white stuff.

I am mulling over the possibility of sweaters for my husband. He swears that if I make him one, he'll wear it. When I asked him if he would wear it even if he hated it, he gave me puppy dog eyes and said, "If you make it, it'll be the best sweater ever." High expectations much? Geez.

Irony

I am a knitter who lives with a man who does not own a single sweater.

Finished Object: Harf

Cast On: I don't really remember. I know I said I wanted it to be an Xmas gift for Iris, but I'm thinking I didn't even buy the yarn until some time in January.

Finished: February 24, 2008

Pattern: Toasty Topper from the Winter 2007 Knitty

Yarn: I decided to go really nuts and actually use the yarn the pattern called for- Berocco Ultra Alpaca. [Ravelry] It's a blend of wool and alpaca, and not bad at all for the price. I would definitely consider a sweater made out of this stuff. 

Needles: Brittany wooden DPNs, size 8 for the top of the hat, then size 7 DPNs for the hat ribbing, then a 24" bamboo circular needle, also size 7, for the scarf.

Modifications: The scarf isn't as wide as the one in the pattern because I ran out of yarn. Yup, even I, who am notorious for using far less yarn than the pattern calls for. And I got the right gauge and everything! But, it's not really that big of a deal.
 

Final Thoughts: The sizing information for this pattern says that it will fit an infant, toddler, and child. I wasn't totally convinced that was physically possible. But check this out! It totally stretches!

Theoretically, Iris could wear this hat for the rest of her life. She would look a little dorky, but talk about return on your investment!