Stocking Photos

Here are a couple pics of the girls with their stockings:

Charly had already emptied hers.

Maddie was savoring the process!

Finished Project: A Parliament of Owls

Here are the owls I made for my nieces. The pattern was in the fall/winter Knit Simple and they were in fact kind of simple and fun to make. The girls seemed to enjoy them, my 2 year old niece looked at hers and said "Who who!"

Finished Project: Watch Cap #2

Here is my brother's Watch Cap, completed the day before this photo was taken, but still in time. He has already worn it to work to keep him warm and snuggly in these terrible conditions!

The Gift of Homemade

Over the weekend I gave a few homemade gifts, including the stockings to my nieces. My older niece Charly was completely in awe of her new stocking "I can't believe you made me a stocking Auntie!" it was just awesome.

Madison, at 2 1/2, just liked the thrill of more tiny presents inside. She reached her tiny arm down to the toe, sticking her tongue out with intense concentration, and recovered the last few little gifts.

I don't expect the girls to understand the value of these stockings now, for now they are a vehicle for the big man in red to fill with treats, but some day, when they are all grown up, they will have them to remember all those glorious Christmas mornings.

My brother also loved his homemade hat and is putting it to good use on these snowy days.

Cute pics to follow next week when I am back in Boston. Merry Christmas to all!

Finished Project: Madison Stocking

Like Charly's Stocking before it, this was a 3 month labor of love. Countless starts and stops, but I am happy with the end result!

The plan is to take a photo of the 2 stockings stuffed and side by side, hope I remember!

Finished Project: Dad's Watch Cap

I finished this on Saturday, but had to wash it and block it to soften up the wool and loosen up the ribbing. It blocked beautifully as Lamb's Pride Superwash always does.

I will be making one of these in a different color for my brother too, very easy pattern!

New Project: Watch Cap #1

Saturday evening I cast on for this Watch Cap for my Dad for Christmas. Being a former Coast Guard guy the traditional Watch Cap is something he should like.

I am using Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash in Heathered Gray and it is knitting up quickly and nicely.

Hope to finish in the next day or two.

Finished Project: Ballband Dishcloths

I finished these last night in an effort to get some WIPs out of the way. I like the way they came out.

I am going to find a nice reusable kitchen container to put them in as a gift for Mom.

Finished Project: Charly Stocking

Those of you that know me know I have done no less than 8 versions of this stocking over the past 3 months. I have finally produced a cobbled together pattern that I am happy with and have completed Charly's stocking.

So I started with a roll-top pattern from A Cuff Above, switched the cuff to 2X2 rib, charted the name band myself and used the tree motif from the book, did the leg in stockinette and substituted a real heel flap and turn for the short row heel in the pattern, did the foot and toe as written. It is a hodgepodge, but I like it!

Plan is to cast on for Madison's immediately so as not to lose momentum.

Finished Project: Brattleboro #1

Here is my first attempt at the Brattleboro hat. I had this grand plan that I was going to make one for myself first to experiment with the pattern. I bought 2 skeins of yarn, one for my hat and a lovely skein of Malabrigo for a gift version.

In my ecstasy over the Malabrigo I cast on for that version first, having forgotten all about my plan. Luckily this first version came out gift worthy I think and it is scheduled to be gifted to someone for Christmas.

I like the hat as it is fancy enough to be a nice gift, but not crazy or too difficult. I am already working on a second gift version, which means I should get to my own around Easter.

I had another lovely button-buying experience at Windsor Button. This time I went through dozens of boxes of buttons with the very patient fellow who works there before settling on these.


It was tough to get a good photo, but they are silver with little hearts etched on them. Again, nice enough for a gift, but not too silly or fancy.

New Project: Lucy Ankle Socks

This is the 2nd pair of socks in contention for Mom's Christmas gift. From the same book, A Cuff Above, as the Emma Lace Socks and the Ivy Socks I have already completed. This book has more than paid for itself, so glad I bought it.

The yarn for the Lucy socks is Deborah Norville's sock yarn available at AC Moore. I cannot remember how much I paid for it, but it was affordable. It is nice to work with (a little splitty but not bad) and the colorway is gorgeous.

It is self-striping and the non-pink stripes are variegated in gray, green and blue. It is a very subtle, very pretty multi-colored yarn. I am loving how it knits up.

Since these are ankle socks the leg portion is much shorter than normal, although there was a tricky maneuver to invert the sock after the zigzag cuff was done. This pattern has 3 different detailed cuffs you can work for variety. Have I mentioned I love this sock book?

Anyway, I did the cuff and the short leg in 3 nights, hope to construct the heel this weekend!

New Project: Ballband Dishcloths

A couple of years ago a friend made one of these dishcloths for me and it is one of the handiest household items I use. It fits over my Swiffer and can be used wet or dry to clean floors and does a bunch of other useful things. I have not been able to train it to clean on its own, but I am working on it.

It has textured rectangles of purl stitches set off by slipped stitches to give it a great scrubby ability.

I am making a set for my mom for her Christmas stocking. I got some fun stripey Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn and a couple different background colors and am having fun with this project.

Finished Project: Emma Lace Socks

Here is the first pair of socks in contention for Mom's Christmas gift. I have cast on for a 2nd pair, when finished I will decide which is more gift worthy, the other pair will be mine.

I like these socks a lot, I think the pattern is pretty and the color nice. The yarn is kind of so so. I am holding out hope that it will be a little softer after blocking.

New Project: Winter Flame Scarf

So here's to the power of social media! I saw this pattern on KnitPicks' Facebook feed and had to download it right away and go to their site and buy the yarn and start making it.

It is called the Winter Flame Scarf and it is fun to work on and coming out quite pretty. It is made with sock yarn and I love sock yarn. The resulting knit fabric is a little scratchy though and I hope that some blocking will soften it up so it feels nice against someone's neck.

I am only allowing myself to cast on to new projects after completing one. I started this after finishing the baby sweater. I have 2 more projects that should be completed by Sunday, so more new projects wait in the wings!

Finished Project: Eyelet Yoke Sweater

Here it is, my first sweater! Done and with buttons sewn on and all.


I definitely need practice with the button thing. Luckily, little Haley won't know the difference between neat evenly sewn buttons and these.

The button buying experience was delightful. Windsor Button in Boston has these adorable Beatrix Potter buttons, with all your favorite characters on them. They were a little pricey, but since I used left over yarn and borrowed needles to knit the sweater, I didn't mind splurging on the buttons.

Overall I am quite pleased with the end result!

Mom & Dad Projects

I cast on for sock #2 for Mom Monday at knitting and have made some progress. I am making 2 pairs of socks (I hope) and then deciding which Mom is getting for Christmas based on the results. I would like to finish the Emma Lace Socks by November so I have all of November for the 2nd pair.

I also cast on for a hat for Dad using the leftover Lamb's Pride from his socks. Just a simple hat with a ribbed brim and stockinette top. I should be able to finish that soon.

I had to reblock the brim of the Brattle as I didn't block it wide enough. Also blocking is the baby sweater, which now has sleeves! I will go to Windsor for buttons Saturday and pictures will follow!

Sleeves Are Over Rated

So here is the sweater for niece-to-be, almost done, just needs sleeves!


If she was going to be born in June I could just do some cute edging and call it finished, but since she is scheduled to arrive in mid-November, in New England, I guess sleeves are in order. Hope to finish up tonight!

Finished Project: Hunter Socks

Finished Dad's Hunter Socks and they are now blocking and will soon be wrapped in tissue and put away for Christmas, yay!

On Saturday I went to the Windsor Button Annual Columbus Day Yarn Sale and got 4 gorgeous skeins of yarn. One of them, a lucious feast for the eyes and hands, Malabrigo Worsted in Brown Berries (seen here in the first stages of becoming the Brattleboro Hat that is everywhere these days) is so nice I am enjoying every second of working with it.


The Brattle is going to be a gift for someone.... I haven't decided who yet...

Sweater Progress

I think I might actually succeed in making a baby sweater. I know I said that last year and I don't want to become "The Girl Who Cried Sweater!" but I think I am past the hardest part on the Eyelet Yoke Cardigan for my unborn niece.

Big thank you to Three Good Rats for the longer needles and the help deciphering the pattern. I have the arm holes on waste yarn and it is just stockinette and garter stitch to the bottom and then picking up the sleeves.

Right now I think it looks like a baby shrug, hee!

I am making progress on Christmas socks for Mom & Dad and a revisit to Stocking land for Madison and Charly. All in time for the Windsor Button Columbus Day Yarn Sale!

Knitting Machine

No, I didn't invent one, I was one last night!

I knit 10 rounds of Mom's fancy lace sock, 20 rounds of Dad's much simpler sock and then cast on and knit 15 rows of a brand new project. That's right a new project, because what I need is more WIPs.

I do, however, have a new niece just a little over a month from arrival and I wanted to make her something. So I found some left over Knit Picks Comfy Sport Cotton in Honey Dew from the baby blanket I made in the spring and a pattern on Ravelry and cast on.


It doesn't look like much in the picture, but it feels great in my hands and looks really cute so far. I am playing it by ear as the pattern seems kind of confusing further on, but it is knitting up quickly and hopefully my friends can help me through the rough parts.

Also, I must revisit the Christmas Stocking debacle this weekend, progress must be made!

Socks for Mom

Last week I showed you Dad's socks, now here is a look at the Emma Lace Socks from A Cuff Above for my mom for Christmas:


I am at the heel flap for sock #1 as of today and hope to work on the heel at my knitting group tonight.

The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet in a pretty cornflower blue color. The yarn is very affordable but isn't quite the softness I would like, I will hold out hope that a Woolite soak and some blocking will soften it up.

Socks for Dad

My poor dad has not received any handmade gifts, so I decided to make him a pair of Hunter Socks for Christmas, like I made my brother last year.


I am using the same brand of yarn, Lamb's Pride Superwash, in a lovely colorway called Sandy Beach. It is very slightly heathered and as the cuff of the sock grew longer I saw where it got it's name.

For my brother's socks I did a 2X2 rib and I decided to change it up for Dad, so he is getting a 3X1 rib instead, it looks nice.

These socks came out soft and warm and I hope my dad enjoys them on snowy winter days!

Stocking Stress

So a couple of posts ago you saw the beginning of Madison's stocking with comments about the snowflake motif not working. While I worked out that chart (which I did with help from 3 Good Rats) I started on Charly's stocking which has a different motif.

It was Charly's stocking that I blogged about last week with the short row heel issue. So...


here it is!

It is done, but I have to admit, it might not be the stocking she gets for Christmas. There is something about it I do not like, it is floppy and not the right proportions or something.

I am happy with the color work at the top, the tree motif is cute and I charted the name myself!


I may try a whole new pattern for Madison's or I may try the same pattern on smaller needles to see if it comes out more stocking-like. Until then I am stepping away from the project glad that I started this in August.

Wrap and Turn Short Row Heel

So I have made a lot of progress on my nieces' Christmas stockings, unfortunately I have frogged most of it for little errors. These are going to be family heirlooms, I want them to be as close to perfect as a homemade item can be. :)

I have gotten to the Wrap & Turn Short Row Heel 3 times now, here is how it looks:


Looks pretty good right? It took me 3 times to get even close to right and luckily Donna in my knitting group gave me some helpful instruction. Despite that I still have this problem:



A hole, big enough for my thumb to fit through on one side (and only one side). I don't know what I could be doing wrong. I am tempted to try one more time and then if the hole is still there try to fix it with some fancy sewing after the whole thing is done.

Any advice?

Christmas Stocking #1

Here it is, the beginning of the holiday knitting! I bought the yarn on Saturday and cast on that afternoon. I got all the way through the red snowflake band and ripped back as I was not thrilled with the letters or the snowflakes. I like the lettering better this go around, the snowflakes remain to be seen....

The pattern is from A Cuff Above the same book I knit the Ivy Socks from. I love this book and I am adapting the pattern a little bit to make them unique for Charly and Madison.

Using Plymouth Encore Yarn, which is 75% acrylic and 25 % wool so it feels good and it should hold up for many years of Christmas morning fun!

Done!

Of course I chose to block it on a brightly colored beach towel and it kind of blends in, but you get the gist of it, it is done!

I hope to give it to Charly this weekend and get a pic of her wearing it even.

Pulled out some sock patterns and sock yarn last night, I need something small to work on next.

Also planning to do the yarn shopping for the Christmas stockings this weekend, woo hoo!

Skirt Finished!

I finally finished the seemingly-endless stockinette on Charly's dress. Seen here, with the top folded under, is the pretty waistband and very pink skirt (with just a touch of garter stitch edging):


Now all that remains is picking up the stitches along the armholes and neckline and doing a little edging. The instructions and logistics for picking up the stitches seem confusing, but I hope to figure them out Thursday evening.

Look for completed photos soon!

Look, I Finished Something!

Two socks, completed! This is not a trick of the camera involving one completed sock and fancy photoshopping, this is two completed socks.

I am ridiculously happy with these socks. First time I worked with Knit Picks sock yarn and it is beautiful and soft and lovely to work with and really cheap comparatively.

Also, this was my first color work project, and I am pleased with the results:


It was very easy color work, but it was great for figuring out the technique and getting comfortable with it. I feel confident moving in to my September project of Christmas Stockings!

If I didn't hate Fall so much I would be counting down the days until I could wear these socks.

Still working on Charly's dress, 4 inches of stockinette to go before the finishing...

What I Have Been Doing

Instead of knitting...

This past weekend I participated in my 6th 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk, my 4th as part of the All-Volunteer Crew. I lead a team of extraordinary women over a 4 day journey (can't forget Crew Training Day!) to help 1500 walkers raise over 4.3 Million Dollars for Susan G Komen for the Cure.

Here is my team from Pit Stop 2, every one of them a delight to work with!

I will be back knitting soon...

It's Growing

Very slowly...

I have about 7 1/2 inches of skirt done, need 13.... I think 10 or 11 might be enough.

What's Next?

I feel like I have been working on and blogging about the same 2 projects forever! I am trying to hold firm to my vow not to start anything new until I finish them, but I am getting antsy for new project ideas.

Anyone find a good pattern lately that they might like to do as a knit-a-long come August?

Round and Round and Round I Go

Making some progress on Charly's dress:


After a few failed attempts I got the skirt stitches picked up and now I am in seemingly endless rounds of Stockinette, 13 1/2 inches to be exact.

It is good for my other summer project, re-watching Lost from the beginning, as I can certainly work on this and watch TV at the same time, but it does get a little mind numbing at times.

I switch off and work on my Ivy Sock now and then to break up the monotony.

I am so tempted to start a new project for the novelty of it, but I am trying so hard to finish these 2 projects before embarking on anything new. That hasn't stopped me from looking at patterns though!

Skirt Stitches -- Picked Up!

Although I successfully picked up 132 stitches for the top of the Little Girl Dress, the 132 stitches for the skirt seemed to be causing me no end of difficulty.

Finally today I got them picked up and did the increase round (which was worded strangely -- and possibly wrong-- in the pattern).

So now it is smooth sailing in Stockinette for 13 inches before the finishing touches. Should make the birthday deadline with no problem!

Pictures soon!

Top is Done!

Here is the top of Charly's dress:



I am very happy with it so far. The 3 Needle Bind Off was easy and neat.

I picked up the 132 stitches for the skirt and did the increase row and wound up with waaaaay too many stitches. I was too tired to figure it out last night so I just pulled it out. Try again tonight!

Ivy Sock #2

In the wake of finishing the Waterfall Rib socks I cast on for Ivy Sock #2. Completing this pair will allow me to cross off my color work goal on my 2010 knitting goals list.


When I worked the color work band on this sock I did not do it the same way I did sock #1. On sock #1 I carried the MC for the 2 rows where only the CC was knit and it resulted in a very tight feel. I wound up snipping and weaving in the MC after the sock was finished and it looks messier on the inside than I would like.

So this time I dropped the MC for those rows where only the CC was knit and it feels and looks great! Now that the color work is done I hope this sock will fly by and I can block it out and see the results of my color work experiment.

Also, nearly done with the top of the Little Girl Dress for Charly!

It Looks Like Something!

Look at that, it looks like the top/front of a dress! I had a major moment of pride Monday night when I figured out the instructions for the shoulder straps, I had never done anything like that and I was so confused at first by the instruction to join a 2nd ball of yarn, but then I stopped and thought about it and it made sense.

The straps look kind of skinny, partly because they are curling in a little and because they get edging that will be added later.

So now on to the back. The shoulders are joined with a 3 needle bind off, which I have never done before, so I will get to learn something else new!

Picking Up Stitches

So I finished the cabled waist band on the dress for my niece and seamed it together. I then had to pick up 132 stitches evenly in the round to start the bodice. It took me 5 tries, but here is the result:


It looks a little wonky on the circulars, but I am pleased with it so far.

When it came time to pick up the stitches I divided the waistband into 8 segments so I only had to pick up 16 or 17 stitches at a time, even still it took me 5 tries before I felt I had them evenly spaced. I will have to do it again when I get to the skirt!

And, because it deserves a closer look, here is the cool cable:

Hopefully I have some momentum going now that it is starting to resemble a garment!

It Is Good to Have Goals

I started 2010 with some knitting goals and I have done a good job of achieving those goals. Magic Loop and Color Work are now things with which I am comfortable. I have finished my first pair of Magic Loop socks:

This pattern is the Waterfall Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. It is a 6 stitch 6 round pattern repeat that was fun and interesting to work on all the way through. You can see some of the resulting detail here:


The combination of YOs and K2TG creates a pretty lattice work. The beautiful yarn is Madelinetosh Sock and was a gift from Three Good Rats for my birthday last year. Since my birthday is now about 6 weeks away I am happy to have completed this project before the anniversary of receiving the yarn.

I am making good progress on the waist band for the Little Girl Dress, once the intricate cable is done I hope the dress will start to grow rapidly. I am also going to cast on for Ivy Sock #2 and try to complete my first pair of Color Work socks soon!

Progress!

Between vacation and the long Memorial Day Weekend I have finally made some progress on my two main projects.

I am almost to the toe decrease on my 2nd Waterfall Rib sock and I am about halfway done with the intricate cable waistband for the Little Girl Dress.

Both projects are very fun to work on and keep my interest through serial viewing of old Beverly Hills 90210 episodes.

My goal is to finish the sock in the next couple of days. I will photograph the pair while they are blocking out.

Knitting on a Ship

So, I have addressed knitting on a train (and in fact did knit on a train last week to/from NYC). Tomorrow I am going to try knitting on a ship.

I am bringing the appropriately ocean blue Madelinetosh sock (#2) to finish and the intricate cabled waistband of the little girl dress for my niece.

It is a nice variety of projects, both small and portable and beautiful colors for a vacation.

Updates and photos when I get back!

Think Pink!

Last night I cast on for a cute little girl dress for my older niece Charly. Since Maddie's sweater was a bust I am trying to be optimistic.

The pattern is in this month's Knit Simple, it is shown in a cute turquoise color, but that color was unavailable online, so I went with a shocking shade of pink any 6 year old girl would love:


It is even (unbelievably) brighter in person, but Charly loves pink!

The pattern is interesting, you create the waistband in this cool and complicated cable pattern and seam it together. Then you pick up stitches for the smock and the skirt and knit in the round.

The yarn is 93% cotton and 7 % elastic so it has a cool feel to it and makes a nice fabric when knit. Keep an eye out for updates on this fun new project!

So Organized

Last week I cleaned out my closet to begin the New England tradition of seasonal wardrobe revolution and piled all my yarn in the living room. Last night, I boxed/bagged and tagged all of it and listed it on my Ravelry stash.

It is now stacked neatly on my closet shelf with weight/color/yardage visible.

So encouraged was I by this progress that I then took all my knitting magazines and books and updated my Ravelry library and took the pile of circular needles off my desk, sized them and listed them on my Ravelry needles page and put them neatly in their case.

I feel very organized. Tonight I cast on for sock #2 of either the Ivy Sock or the Waterfall Rib, we'll have to see what I am in the mood for...

Baby Blanket Finished!

And the baby hasn't even arrived yet! I am very happy with how it came out. I improvised a 5 sc shell border and it is a little uneven in places, but it isn't very noticeable.



I have some extra yarn and extra time since baby is not here yet, so I think I will do a little pair of socks and possibly a hat too.

Second Sock Syndrome

So Ivy Sock #1 is done, ends sewn in and everything. It fits!

In an effort to avoid second sock syndrome I am going to cast on for sock #2 tonight and get it moving. Sock #1 is so pretty and lovely I really would like to have a pair.

I also need to make some serious progress on the baby blanket, I would like to get that project done before my May travel schedule begins.

Ivy Sock Update

Things are progressing nicely with my first color work project. Ivy Sock #1 is almost done. With just a few inches of foot left before the toe decreases I am very pleased with this project so far:


I particularly like the heel flap construction which you can't really see very well here. I have tried for a close up, but I'm not sure that does it justice either:

Instead of a standard Sl1, K1 RS row on the heel flap this is a 4 row repeat with Row 1 the regular Sl1, K1 and Row 3 is Sl1, K2 *Sl1, K1* to last 3 stitches K2, Sl1, so the K stitches are offset giving it a kind of diamond pattern.

I know I am a true knit sock aficionado when I am totally entranced by a heel flap!

The Baby Blanket Groweth

In just 1 week I have made some pretty sizable progress on the baby blanket for my assistant.



I continue to be very happy with the project and am now convinced I can get it to her around the birth of her child and not as a high school graduation gift for the kid.

I have 2 concerns left. First, running out of yarn. I have enough yardage and my gauge is correct, but I am nervous about running out of yarn. Mostly because I have no idea how much I will need for the edging and the pattern does not break it down.

The second concern is all the ends being woven in neatly. The pattern calls for these large skeins of yarn, so you only use 2 total. I am using little 50 g balls, so I will use 12 by the time I am done. I hate weaving in ends. Hopefully the edging will provided a good camouflage for the weaving.

Hopefully by this time next week I will be ready to start the edging!