Baby sweaters

Last of the FOs for a bit here - but more are en route - just as soon as I get some of that nasty finishing done. I sat and forced myself to "finish" for a few days last week - allowing all of these FOs. Perhaps this weekend will bring another batch.



Pattern: Baby Bolero from One Skein by Leigh Radford
Yarn: Manos Cotton Stira - leftover from mom's sweater last year.
Needles: Sz 8 Clover Bamboo circular
Dates: May-June 2008
Mods: I tried to knit it a bit bigger, since the pattern is sized for a newborn and it will probably still be hot here when she is born.
Thoughts: Would have been done much sooner if I wasn't such a loser when it comes to sitting down and finishing things!



Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket from EZ's The Opinionated Knitter
Yarn: Mirasol Hacho - 2.5 skeins
Needles: Sz 6 Clover bamboo circular
Dates: April-May 2008 (buttons sewn on in June)
Mods: none!
Thoughts: My gauge is spot on, but this looks big. It's a little frustrating to not know what size it is, especially since we get so few months that are cold enough for a sweater. That being said, there's no guarantee she'll fit into anything when the pattern says she will!


Pattern: Encore Worsted Colorspun Worsted Toddler Cardigan
Yarn: Encore Worsted (only 1 skein- pattern called for 2) and Ella Rae Amity (for trim)
Needles: Sz 5 and 7 Addi Turbo circulars
Dates: April-June 2008
Mods: using the contrast color for the buttonband and collar
Thoughts: My gauge was a little small, but this is a shop sample, so we don't have to worry about it fitting a "real" baby. This is for our sweater construction class that is coming up at the end of July - I hope we'll have some takers as this will be one of the last classes I get to teach for a while!

I started my summer of socks project - but I'll save that excitement for next time!

Baby hats on Parade!

Baby hats are really almost like the dessert of knitting. They are quick, easy, cute, use little yarn, and provide instant gratification. No wonder I've got four down, one that needs finishing and another on the needles.



Pattern: Sweet Baby Cap
Yarn: Hill Country Yarns Sweet Feet
Needles: Sz US 3 Clover bamboo DPNs
Mods: I think I did more repeats of the chevron pattern than the pattern called for - it was hard to tell if they meant 8 more rows or 8 more repeats.
Thoughts: Very cute and easy, once I got into the rhythm of the chevron pattern. I also like how the striping changed as the hat got smaller.



Pattern: Bunny Tails from Itty Bitty Hats
Yarn: Sublime Cashmerino (I think that's what it's called)
Needles: Sz US 7 Clover Bamboo circulars and DPNs
Mods: I didn't gather the bottom of the ear as the pattern calls for - I like it this way.
Thoughts: Thanks to a very lovely raveler, I was able to finish these. I was trying to eek this hat out with the leftovers from another hat that needs finishing, but I was short just below the ears. She graciously sent me almost 1/2 ball of her leftovers, so the ears were saved. :)


Pattern: Cherry-O! from Itty Bitty Hats
Yarn: Leftovers Knitpicks Merino Style in Petal and something else
Needles: sz US 7 Clover Bamboo Circulars and DPNs
Mods: No cherries - I like just the stripes, so I'm leaving it this way for now.
Thoughts: Cute!



Pattern: Inca Baby Hat from Kid's Knits for Heads, Hands, and Toes by Debbie Bliss (now out of print)
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK in 7 colors (leftovers from the petal hat and two more colors)
Needles: sz US 6 Addi Turbo circulars and Clover bamboo DPNs
Mods: My row gauge was off, so I added some stripes after the people and before the top shaping. I also changed up a few of the colors to use what I already had.
Thoughts: I wish the bottom didn't still flip up (even after a crochet edging), but perhaps steam will help.

Next up - baby sweaters!

Alive and well

I'm here! I'm not sure what happened to cause the delay in posting (well, I do know that I had dead camera batteries for part of the time), but I'll chalk it up to laziness. Why is it so hard to post these days? The baby's not even here yet! I'm going to be awful after that. I'm going to try really hard to do at least a post a week this summer to get myself into a routine, and maybe that will help.

I do have lots of finished things to show you, but I'll spread them out for the sake of blog fodder.

These two have been finished the longest, so they get to go first. In fact, they've been sitting around since the end of May, pictures taken and all, waiting to be shown off.


Pattern: Ribbons Baby Blanket by Fiber Trends
Yarn: Sublime Organic Cotton DK (LOVE!)
Needles: Sz US 8 DPNs, 16" circular and 29" circular bamboo
Dates: March-May 2008
Mods: Um, I know I did something different at the end, but I don't remember what and I don't have the pattern in front of me to check, and if I wait to post this because of that, it will be another two weeks before y'all hear from me. So just ignore this part.
Thoughts: I love this. It was a quick knit, once I actually spent time with it, though the eight rounds of purling when I got to the long rows nearly killed me. Totally worth it for the look though. I love that it is reversible, and I love the colors. I cannot say enough good things about this yarn. It is wonderfully soft, not too splitty, and did I mention the softness? Go get you some.




Pattern: generic top down sock over 72 stitches with heel flap.
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns in Peppermint (I think, I've lost the ball band)
Needles: Sz 1 Chiagoo bamboo DPNs
Mods: picot top
Thoughts: Glad these are done - not sure what took me so long, other than a lack of knitting during the first trimester, and putting them aside to work on Christmas knitting. The yarn was very nice to work with, and I love the colors. This are all ready for Christmas!


In other excitement, I've decided not to set any knitting goals for the time being - too much stress. I do want to finish up some long lingering knits though, and try to pull myself off the baby hat train (there are only so many days in a week, she doesn't really need a hat for every day, does she?). And, since the Summer of Socks starts today, and I didn't sign up, as I am a KAL failure, I do have my own personal goal - finish up some of these socks! Some may get frogged, and that's OK. But I've got two pairs with 1 1/2 socks done, two with 1 sock done, and way too many with one sock started. I need to get them cleared out. I'd also like to finish up some sweaters that are relatively close to being done, and we have a big car trip to visit my parents coming up, so I'm looking forward to some car knitting time. Must get some of this done before the baby gets here! Oh, and I'd like to finish some Christmas gifts too.

Wait, are those goals? Did I just set goals after I said I wouldn't? Oh well.