Sticks + Yarn = Knitting

I know you won’t believe it unless I post pictures. I knit. Even though I haven’t posted much in the past few weeks (months, years) I have actual photographic evidence of knitting.

First up is a sample sweater I’m knitting for Stitchjones aka Sharon. The yarn is her dyepot worsted in black cherry and it is wonderful to knit. The pattern is Ingenue by Wendy Bernard from her Custom Knits book. I hadn’t really looked through the book before and there are a lot of designs I’d like to knit. For more details, check out my ravelry project page.

Next, a lace scarf I haven’t touched for months, but I’m hoping blogging about it gets me moving again. The yarn is absolutely to die for (or knit for). It’s Sunshine Yarns Sunsilk in the color Dew. Me likey mucho. I’m using the Town & Country pattern from the trio of patterns entitled “Elizabeth” by JoLene Treace (available from Knit Picks). It’s a very simple design that shows off the yarn beautifully. It should be gorgeous once it is blocked.

For Cori I am finally knitting the Sweetheart Cardigan by Laura Brown. I’m using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport in Navy. I was thinking when I planned this project that the big fat sport weight would be a nice break after lots of socks and lace, but nope, to get gauge, I’m knitting this on US 2’s with 7 inches per inch. Oh well, I love small needles and Lorna’s so I can’t really complain. The pattern has had a couple little boo boos so far, but nothing that thwarted me for long. I’m stalled on the lace part right now simply because it isn’t graphed so it’s hard to watch tv while knitting it.

For my final project of this post (I have plenty more in various stages of completion that can wait for another day), my Over the Rainbow socks. These socks are from the first Oz kit from Woolgirl. The pattern is fun and the yarn is amusing (details on my ravelry project page). I just cast on for the second sock during True Blood’s season finale last night (how great was that episode?!?) so I still have a ways to go. Seeing as how we keep having these random 90 degree days here in Oregon, I’m not in a huge rush to put wool on my feet!

I’ve also been sewing a bit, but I’ll save that for later!

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Phoebo’s Pullover

Get Ziggy Cabled Sweater

Pattern: Get Ziggy cabled sweater by annypurls

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy – Romeo Blue (1.25 skeins)

Size: 12 Month

Start Date: January 15, 2009

End Date: January 20, 2009

Comments: A dear sister-like friend is expecting her baby boy in April and I couldn’t resist knitting him a little sweater. She won’t tell me his name until he’s born so I’ve been calling him Phoebo which some of you may recognize from a Friends episode (the mom-to-be and I are huge Friends fans).

I absolutely loved knitting this sweater. The pattern is very well-written and the neck is perfect for those wiggly giant baby heads. I was happy to find another project to use Dream in Color Classy. That yarn is quickly becoming my go to yarn for baby knits. I love the unique colors and it is so darn soft. It shows off cables nicely to, if I do say so myself.

Of course, I couldn’t resist trying it on Cori (had to check sizing)* and now I want to make her one!

*FYI: The 12 month size fits my 10 month old baby girl perfectly. She is in the 95th percentile for height and 75th for weight.

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September Baby Sweater

September Baby Sweater (link to Ravelry)

Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Cool Fire

Needles: Size 6

Start: September 7, 2008

End: September 8, 2008

Comments: Another quick little baby knit. I was hopeful that one skein of Classy would be enough and it was! I ended up with just a small ball leftover. I decided to knit this sweater without the lace as the yarn has such a pretty variegation. This is my first time knitting with Classy and all the while I was a bit nervous about how rough it was. I didn’t swatch (I know – gasp!) for this sweater because it’s a baby sweater, I only had the one ball, and it was going to be as big as it was going to be. The downside to not swatching is not knowing how the yarn will behave once washed. I was relieved, upon laying out the sweater after a quick dunk in a wool wash bath, that it was incredibly soft and fuzzy. The yarn bloomed beautifully too.

The directions for this sweater were, in typical Zimmerman fashion, rather on the lean side. I got a bit confused about the casting on 7 then later knitting 7 around the arms, but I think I did it correctly. Basically, you cast on 7 on either side of the arm stitches (adding 14 stitches), then, when you are knitting the whole body again you pick up 7 stitches in each of the cast on sections (4×7). Confusing? Yes!

I like how this sweater fits Cori like a fashionable little swing coat. Tres chic!

I have now cast on for a pair of socks* for my Chicago Knitting Group’s informal summer of socks. I’m hoping to get these done before the end of the summer (Sept. 22), but since we’ll be traveling in the last few days leading up to then I really need to get these done by next Wednesday. Time to get off the computer and knit!

*Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Lenten Rose, Pattern: Hedgerow by Jane Cochran

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Crossroads

I feel as if I’m at some sort of fork in the road and I need to decide whether to continue with this blog. I don’t think I will be able to keep up with it like I used to before Corinne. I miss sharing and writing about my knitting, but then again, I’m barely knitting at all right now. What to do? What to do?

For now, here is a picture of Cori modeling the Lucky cardigan I made for her a few months ago. Precious!

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Hearts and Stars Blanket for Corinne

Hearts and Stars Blanket for Corinne

Originally uploaded by lyssmc

Pattern: Hearts and Stars Blanket from Adorable Knits for Tots by Zoe Mellor. Modified to have hearts and stars only as border…because I’m lazy…

Yarn: TLC Cotton Plus, medium Rose

Needles: Size 6

Start Date: January 31, 2008

End Date: February 14, 2008

Comments: I really love how this blanket turned out. I got lazy and decided to only do the pattern around the edge and I think it looks really cute. With the yarn I used, this pattern makes a smaller baby blanket- around 32×32 maybe? Nice size for the stroller or for swaddling (don’t I sound like I know what I’ll be doing with my baby? hehe).

I have just finished another cardigan for the baby and I’m about to cast on for another blanket. I feel like I’m playing “beat the clock” as I want to get a number of things knitted prior to Corinne’s arrival sometime in early April.

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Lucky

Lucky

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Pattern: Lucky from Rowan’s Pipsqueaks (designed by Kim Hargreaves)

Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton in discontinued color Carnation

Size: 0-6 month

Start Date: January 24, 2008

End Date: February 13, 2008

Comments: This cardigan is the first sweater I have made for future daughter, Corinne. The pattern is very simple and comes together very nicely. Seaming wasn’t too difficult since it is such a tiny thing. I love the Rowan All Seasons Cotton and will be sure to keep an eye out for more when it goes on sale. The cardigan only took a few days to knit, but then I procrastinated with sewing on the button for weeks!

I’m just finishing up a baby blanket now and I’ll be casting on for the next cardigan this evening.

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Yarn!

Yarn has been arriving daily all ready to be knitted into cute little baby items for Corinne. Yay! Nothing like a brand new selection of yarn to inspire you.

First up, Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in the color Circus Peanut (absolutely perfectly named). I will be knitting the Blue Sky Alpacas Eyelet Baby Blanket with this yarn.

Next, a bunch of different Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece for baby boleros (from One Skein), Daisy (from Knitty), and Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Baby Sweater on Two Needles from the Knitter’s Almanac. The colors are (clockwise from top): 2 Provincial Rose, 1 Berry, 1 Prosperous Plum (which is much more royal purple in person), and 2 Candy Apple.

Lastly, for now, my first Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted in Wisteria and Tickled Pink. These are also in the queue to become little baby cardigans. I think the Wisteria will be used for another Zimmerman cardigan and the Tickled Pink for another Daisy. I am looking forward to trying out the Shepherd worsted as I’ve heard great things about it.

I have finished knitting all the pieces for Corinne’s first cardigan. It is currently drying and then I just have to seam it up. Oh, and I need to buy a button…why don’t I ever have buttons?

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Previously on my blog…

When I last wrote the writer’s strike had just begun, I was only 20 weeks pregnant, and I wasn’t knitting.

Now, the strike is still going strong (luckily I love reality tv), I’m 30 weeks pregnant, and I’m knitting!

I started knitting again last week. First up was a long promised hat for Matt. It is just a simple hat, but it got my knitting mojo going again. (I forgot to get a picture before he wore it today…picture to come).

So, a couple days ago I picked up the baby hat kit that originally I purchased last summer to knit a hat for my nephew. I got the kit at The Fold in what was one of my last field trips with my knitting group (sigh). Well, now that I’m pregnant I decided to commandeer the hat kit for my own baby. I loved knitting this little hat! It is the first thing I have made for my baby girl due in April (Corinne Violet – what do you think?). The yarn is Heirloom Breeze and it is absolutely great to knit. It is a cotton/wool blend with just a little itty bit of lycra which makes it a pleasure to knit up.

With this resurgence of knitting love, I had to take stock of my yarn stash to see what I have that is good for baby knitting. Apparently, not much. Aside from this hat kit, I have some random balls of Knit Picks Shine (which I’m sure I can turn into a stripy hat or sweater) and some Rowan All Seasons Cotton. Oh, and some TLC Cotton Plus. So, I had to make a little stash enhancement. I will post as boxes of yarn arrive. I’ll be working on lots of baby blankets, cardigans, and hats mostly in cotton or cotton blends (Oregon never seems to get that cold). I can’t wait to get started on some of the items I have lined up.

Currently on the needles? An adorable little Kim Hargreaves baby cardigan using Rowan All Seasons Cotton – pictures soon!

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And the Winner is…

Jodi of A Caffeinated Yarn! Jodi is the winner of the lovely skein of Trekking XXL 126. For the curious, her favorite book is Jane Austen’s Emma and her favorite yarn is Malabrigo. Both excellent choices. 🙂

I had an fantastic time reading all of the comments. The hands down favorite yarn was Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock. 9 out of 35 people picked it as their favorite (it’s mine too). Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock and Schaeffer Anne were tied for second with 3 votes each. I love Lorna’s, but I haven’t tried Schaeffer Anne yet…hmmm…maybe after the move I’ll have to pick up a skein.

As for favorite books, four of you picked Pride and Prejudice as your favorite (Emma and Persuasion were other favorite Austen novels). I love that the Pokey Little Puppy and A Wrinkle in Time both are favorites too. I remember reading those books over and over again as a kid. Personally, I am awful at picking a favorite book. There are just too many! For now I’ll pick my favorite out of all of those submitted. While I did love Stephen King’s The Stand (Kristen picked that as her fav), I think I would have to go with On the Beach by Neville Shute (Kathy chose that one…). That book has stuck with me for years. It is such a powerful, well-written story.

Thank you all for participating in my little contest and congratulations again to Jodi! It was a blast. I think I may have to make this an annual event. 🙂

And now some actual knitting content. Excellent progress has been made on the Big Bad Baby Blanket. I am no longer afraid of running out of yarn and I think I can finish this up before I leave on Wednesday. Hooray! It’s coming out quite a bit smaller than the last one I made since I’m not double stranding, but I think this blanket will be perfect for the baby carrier (or whatever you call that baby car seat thing).

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Also, just so I did not go insane from boredom with the baby blanket, I cast on for a new pair of socks. I’m using the Periwinkle Socks Pattern and Crystal Palace Panda Cotton in Lacquer Red. Love love love it all! The yarn is a bamboo, cotton, nylon blend and feels terrific while knitting however it splits like crazy! Once I switched from bamboo dpns to Knit Picks metal dpns things have been going much better. The fabric is so soft and fluffy. I can tell this yarn is going to become a favorite.

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The Son of BBBB

Wednesday night I cast on for the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch ‘N Bitch. I made one of these a few years ago and it turned out so well (sadly, no picture). I’m using the solid green Berroco Nostalgia that matches the slightly variegated green I used for the Baby Cardigan. (The color is difficult to capture. It’s a bit more bright in real life). I really like knitting with this yarn! The only problem is I’m not 100% sure if I have enough yarn to make the blanket…I am pretty sure I do…Originally I was going to knit a different blanket, but at the last minute I decided to knit this one instead. Oh, I hope I have enough yarn!

The other issue with this blanket is that all along my goal was to finish these baby gifts in time for our last visit to Carbondale before the move. Well, our visit got moved up a week. I leave next Wednesday. Guess what I’ll be doing this weekend. 🙂

My 2nd blogiversary contest ends tonight at midnight! If you haven’t entered yet, please go to this post for the details. 🙂 I’ll announce the winner on Monday.

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