Oops

     I made the mistake of washing and drying the new sweater in the machines.  By mistake, I mean it was totally on purpose, but hoped the outcome would be different.  Turns out it shrunk a little, and looks even more wonky than before :-/ I'm hoping that running an iron over it (especially the hem which WON'T STAY DOWN) will help, or even just soaking it again and blocking instead of drying. We'll see. It should still fit for a little while at least, so not a huge disaster.
     I finally got around to making a hat, also.  The Dec 2011 Mom's group on Rav had a hat KAL for the end of August, but it seemed like I never had the needles I needed when I needed them (just ask my fellow stitch 'n' bitchers - I think there were multiple nights when I just didn't end up knitting anything).  Since my Zora is currently off the needles (still blocked, still not seamed), I realized it freed up my 40" size 3. Triumph! Finished a baby hat right away. I used the "Very Basic Baby Beanie" (rav link) pattern, which was exactly as described.  A perfect quick little knit. I am definitely planning on using the pattern again. I think the brim will end up being turned up, but this should fit for a little while at least.  After finishing this, I started an "Offset Wraplan" (rav link) in the same yarn (KP's Felici Sport, colorway "Too Cool"). The Dec2011 group just so happened to pick sweaters as the theme for Sept.'s KAL, so this is perfect! Hopefully that little bit of motivation I might need near the end.  Assuming all goes well, this *might* be baby's coming home outfit.

Baby!

     With my baby boy due in December, I decided it was (finally) time to start some baby knitting. My husband kept bugging me - "When are you going to make something for the baby?" - as I worked on my Zora sweater, so once the knitting on that was mostly done, I went for a sweater.  I had a few sweaters in my queue already, but ended up finding a striped sweater in the book 60 Quick Baby Knits (rav link) that I figured would work nicely and, more importantly, quickly.  I ordered two skeins each of Gulfstream and Pebble (disc.) in KnitPicks Swish Worsted. I've never worked with it before, but decided I didn't want to mess around with handwashing things.
     I'm really happy with how quickly the sweater worked up, although there are a few little things I'd do differently. I didn't want the bottom to roll up, so I purled a RS row to make a hem.  The sweater still wants to fold up, so there must be a better method there. I didn't really know what I was doing, so I'm sure there is something I'm missing there.  Also, the bottom corners where I picked up stitches for the button band look a little wonky. I like how the knitted on buttons bands LOOK, but while knitting, I much prefer one that is just a continuation of each row, using intarsia if multiple colors are used.

     I started this on Thursday and finished on Sunday, so all in all, a super fast knit.  It still needs buttons, so I'll run to JoAnn's today and decide on the color and shape. Right now, I'm thinking bright yellow, but I don't know about dressing my kid in blue and yellow. . .(Go Green!). Hopefully something will catch my eye!
     Now I need to get back to work on my Zora - the back, front, and sleeves are all knit, but not seamed together yet.  Once that's done, I need to do a 4 inch 2x2 rib all along the front and neck. This could take awhile. . .I will probably end up starting another baby project somewhere in there.

So close!

We had two snowy days this week, so I had lots and lots of knitting time!

First, I started anoter pair of socks. I've only done one of the green crazy color socks, but the Knitpicks Lovers group on Ravelry started a Sock knit along this month, and I wanted to join in that.  I decided to make Valentine's Day socks using the Heart's abound pattern that came in my Stroll Tonal sock kit.  With it, I'm using Stroll Tonal in Gypsy.  I had the yarn up in my "For Sale" section of my stash, but once I decided to make Valentine's Day socks, I knew I had to use it! I'm making them two at a time, on two circular needles.  The first repeat of the pattern made me nervous - it's not difficult, but it's 20 rows and I had a hard time intuitively being able to see what the next row should be.  Now that I'm on the second repeat (of about 7), it's coming along a little faster.

Yesterday I also got a lot done on my Owls sweater.  The cabling is all done - I can see owls! I only have about five rows to go on the neck, plus seaming the armpits, adding button eyes, and weaving in the ends I tried it on last night to make sure it was going to fit. It's snug, but I think it will block nicely and fit perfectly.  My husband was pretty impressed with it, also. He always seems so surprised when I finish something and it looks like it's supposed to. I guess I'm just impressive :) I'd like to wear the sweater Sunday, so tonight will be the night to get it done! Here's hoping the armpits come together like they're supposed to - I'm a little nervous right now :-/

Chugging Along

I've made pretty good progress on both the Moderne Baby Blanket and my owls sweater.  I'm almost done with the first sleeve on the sweater, only about an inch or two to go (which is nothing when it's in bulky weight yarn). Hopefully I'll finish that up during the MSU basketball game this afternoon, and start the next.  The blanket is coming along as well, although by looking at it, you can't really tell. It's incredible how much longer it takes to do a row by just adding a few stitches. I'll just keep chugging on both of these, someday I'll be able to say I'm done!
I've picked up spinning again, and I can tell I've gotten better.  My problem now is that I'm making the yarn too thin. Also, my plying is off. I think I'm underspinning each single, which is making it harder to ply. I spun up one of the PhatFiber samples from September (Farmers Market) that looked like a watermelon. I lost the label for it a long time ago, but it was a bright, fun fiber.  I'm thinking I should have left it unplyed, though, because the act of plying really muddied the colors and it doesn't look nearly as bright anymore.  I just tried to take some pictures, but the lighting was awful. I think I'm in struggle mode today. . .

Housekeeping

As per usual, I haven't updated this blog in about a bajillion years.  Oh well.

I've been working on a Moderne Baby Blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting lately.  I'm using Knit Picks Shine Worsted yarn in Creme Brulee, Cream, Clementine, and Begonia.  I purchased 5 skeins of each color. Based on stitch count, etc., I think it will be more than enough of cream (I should have plenty for an applied i-cord border, I hope), just a little extra orange and yellow, and not enough pink.  I'll have to reassess the pink when I get closer to the end, but it's looking like I'll need to buy another ball. I'm hoping maybe I can send one ball of the orange or yellow back and just exchange it.  We'll see what happens!
So far, I love the yarn. It is super soft, and the stitches just look really nice.  Also, as the name implies, it has a nice shine to it.  Sometimes I lay it out and I just smile because of how nice I think it's turning out.  Right now, I'm a few rows back from finishing block 6. I'm starting to get a little tired of all of the garter stitch, which might be a problem since I'm only 36% of the way done :/.  Oh well, its potential recipient isn't due until July, so lots of time!  It is not known yet whether the baby is a boy or a girl. I really wanted to make this blanket in these colors (and have for some time), so I figured I would start, and if it turns out to be a boy I can make something else.
I've been doing a few other little projects here and there, but nothing huge.  I have one sock finished from the Threadbare yarn I bought awhile ago, but haven't begun sock #2 yet. I really like the yarn AND sock, but I've been spending all of my knitting time on the baby blanket.  When the baby blanket gets less portable (as it quickly is), I'll start the next sock.
I've also started the owls sweater. I have an extra skein of yarn, so I made it fairly long. Now I'm at the armpits and I've quit.  I need to make the sleeves and keep going, but once again, the baby blanket distracted me.  I am typically a super loose knitter (socks on 0's are still pretty loose gauge), but for some reason, have an iron grip on this sweater. I actually had to go UP a needle size, which is completely unheard of for me.  Because of this tight knitting, it's hard for me to work on it for too long. My hands start to get tired and ache.  The actually knitting moves pretty fast, so if I just dedicate a few nights of knitting (or a long weekend), it should be done. Maybe that can be my project today, once I finish up block 6. . .

Fishies

In April, I decided to start working on another afghan.  I found a fun pattern for little fish (Rav link) and decided it would make a fun baby blanket with the Loops & Threads Yarn Gang yarn I bought on sale.  I have approximately one billion skeins, in all sorts of colors, so I needed to do something with it.
I ended up picking out a subdued rainbow, and combined that with cream.  Finally, I decided a dark blue would work to crochet each row together plus add a border at the end (Evan helped me pick out the dark blue). Then I made some of the cream and pink fish and. . .put it away. I figured I could pull it out and make a fish or two whenver I was tired of the current project I was on.
Fast forward to last weekend. I finished my diagonal lace socks, I finished my hat, and wasn't sure what I wanted to start next (like I said in my last post).  I picked up the fish blankie, and started churning them out.  I also decided to start stitching the fish together.  I feel like I've accomplished so much - in addition to stitching all of the cream, pink, and orange into rows, I also crocheted those three rows together. There's nothing like working on the whole blanket as you go. It makes it look like there's actually an end in sight. For me, it's really disheartening when I knit knit knit blocks for what seems like months, and THEN I have to weave in ends and stitch together.  This way when I am done knitting fish, the blanket will just need a border! Excellent :) I will plan on taking a few pictures tomorrow - I also need to get one of my hat!
Oh, and GO GREEN!

Finishing Moves

I just finished up my Diagonal Lace socks today, ends woven in and all.  I also wrapped up a hat I started as a quick project, so right now I don't have any official project I'm working on.  I have a few big things that have been lingering as WIP's or hibernating, but nothing I have a deadline (self imposed or otherwise) for, and nothing small that would only take a little while. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself.  I thought I would cast on right away with my new Threadbear yarn for a pair of gloves, but I've gotten a little tired of the sock yarn at the moment.  I picked up my fish blankie and figured I could make a few fish for that while I'm deciding what my next project will be.  Originally I planned to make my grandma a Haruni for Christmas, but between the socks and all of the other lace I'd been working on, I'm not really in the mood right now.  I think that is also due to using the Comfy Fingering from Knit Picks. I like the yarn, but I don't know how well it's going to work with this project. I need to start over on smaller needles and see how I like that.
For now, I'm back to fish blankie.  I can probably get one or two done while watching DH tonight :)