Today's Project

When I showed my husband this hat, he asked "Is that today's project?"



I really don't think I'm on a project a day kick, but I do admit to a certain pressure to get all the knitting I want to get done for this baby. In my defense, I didn't learn how to knit until little boy was 6 months old, and it took a while to build up to things besides scarves and hats. And now, I can create whole outfits, without investing a lot of money! :)

The pattern is here. The ears are quite obviously not perfect, but I like it just the same.

This hat is in preparation for Easter, and I hope it's the first of many very cutsy hats to come! The Norwegian in me is considering making this hat next. It's sized 3-9 months, which isn't really a cold weather age for little to come. I'm sure I could adjuyst the size though. What do you think?

BTW - you can blog right from Flickr. Who knew?

I'm so Crafty....

I found this on the web, and it cracked me up so much, I made it my new avatar for Ravelry.

There's not much else to share at the moment. I knit the hat portion of the bunny beanie last night, and hope to make the ears today. I have a few errands to run, plus all the general household stuff, so we'll see.

It's amazing how quickly worsted weight on size 8 needles knits up, when compared to the size 1 with fingering weight I've been knitting with before bed. I'm working on a hat to match the wave jumper, but I just can't focus on it for an extended period of time. So, I knit for 20 minutes in bed every night. I'm at 2 1/2" out of 5". It's slow. Not as slow as the dress, but pretty slow.

I didn't sleep well last night. My belly just makes everything SO uncomfortable. I'm usually a tummy sleeper, so pregnancy is always hard for me in that respect. Right now, I'm thinking that if my belly needs it's own zip code, it's time for the baby to move out! :)

Happy knitting!

Pretty in Pink

Yesterday, all of the area schools were canceled due to the weather. This meant that my husband was home all day, but that the little kids were invited across the street to play with a friend who is usually at preschool. I was a little nervous about the day - I was determined to finish the Ellis dress, but DH often takes snow days to be productive around the house. It's hard for me to sit and knit while he's cleaning. Thankfully, DH decided his productivity would be related to paperwork. With the kids gone, I propped up my feet, popped in a movie, and knit away!

It took all day, but I finished the dress (minus the weaving in of ends, and the buttons. I still have to buy those.)

What do you think?

I really like it. I am realizing that my finishing skills need some work. There's nothing massively wrong with the neckline, but there are some issues related to bind offs and picking up stitches. I'm thinking that practice makes perfect, and that some point in my future I'll take a class in finishing techniques. In the meantime, I'm guessing the baby isn't going to complain.

Also, Lissie asked to see the baby squash hat, so here it is (BTW - the ends aren't woven in here either!)

I just can't express enough how much I love this hat! I think I've made one for every baby that has come along since I found the pattern in 101 Designer One Skein Wonders. I'm thinking about making another one in pink for baby girl. (I know a lot of mothers don't like drowning their little girls in pink. I am not that mother. I have NO PROBLEM putting her in other colors, but I like baby girls in pink, and since I'm the one picking out and/or making her clothes, I'm going to do what I want. Please know, that I have every intention of encouraging her athletic skills too.)

Yesterday marked 35 weeks of pregnancy. Last night, I got woken up by Braxton Hicks contractions TWICE. They hurt! I'm hoping this means baby will come sooner rather than later. I want her to be fully cooked, but I want her HERE! This whole pregnancy thing has lost its glow for me quite a while ago.

In the meantime, I have more baby things to knit. There's a quick garter stitch newborn sized sweater in the 101 Luxury One Skein Wonders book. I happen to have some non-Luxury yarn that will fit the bill that I've been trying to find a reason to use up. Also, I plan on making a bonnet to go with the Ellis dress, and this cute bunny beanie for Easter - all of which is going to use up yarn I already have. And the Cotton Kisses cardigan is still traveling around with me.

Hmmmm, on second thought, maybe baby should wait awhile. Who knows how much knitting time there will be once she makes her appearance? :)

Happy knitting, all!

We Interrupt This Knitting....

To do some other knitting.

I felt the need to have another finished object for this baby - right now! So, yesterday, I knit up a baby squash hat. I LOVE this pattern, and finally got to make one for my own little one. I think I will bring it to the hospital, and baby girl can wear it instead of the sock tube hat thing the hospital gives the babies for their stay. Because, I'm a knitter, and my child should have something knitted on her body right away, don't you think?

And now, back to our regularly scheduled knitting....

Slowly but Surely...

Things are getting done. Baby clothes are washed and put away. Random supplies have been bought (bottle liners, wipes, baby wash, etc). Knitting is getting done.

I've been working on the Ellis Dress. It's a mock cable dress, and it's really knitting up beautifully. I'm even really enjoying working with a cotton yarn! (Wendy Supreme Luxury Cotton). I love that the pretty flare effect is created by something as simple as p2tog. Here's what I have so far:

The dress is sized 3-6 months, so it will be something pretty for the spring. I'm considering making a slightly larger version of this hat to match. Do you think that's too much cable on one small baby?

My traveling project (playdates, the car, etc) has been Plymouth's Cotton Kisses Cardigan. The pattern came with the yarn and cute little duckie buttons. This is sized 6-9 months. I have other things I should be knitting first (there's some newborn hats to be made, and a summer dress and sweater), but I cast on one night with nothing else to do, and it's mostly stockinette, so it's a good travel project.

This picture doesn't show the color very well, but it's a very pretty green.

Pregnancy-wise, things are going fine. I'm fairly certain, based on how I've been feeling, this baby is coming sooner rather than later. I'm considered full-term on February 11th (I think), and am good to go anytime after that. It's kind of overwhelming, but at the same time, I'm all done with the restless legs, inability to sleep, and being kicked in the ribs pretty regularly. Also, Big Boy is VERY concerned because my official due date is his birthday. Understandably, he doesn't want to share his birthday. We've tried to reassure him that the chances are pretty slim - none of the kids were born on their due date.

Happy Knitting!

Wave Jumper

I finished! I actually finished knitting on Friday, and wove in the ends early Saturday morning (early, like 5:30. Not only couldn't I sleep, neither could either of the boys.) Yesterday, I went to Joann's to find buttons (cost me $0.75!), and I sewed them on this afternoon.



(That's little girl's dolly who so graciously agreed to model the dress, until the live model arrives. I don't know if I should be nervous that it will be too small. Oh well, if it is, the doll will come to own it!)

Here are the details:

Pattern: Wave Jumper by Leslie Barbazette, in the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book.
Yarn: On Your Toes 4-ply by S.R. Kertzer
Modifications: I put the button holes on the back straps, rather than the front. If I were to make it again, I would make the front straps shorter and the back straps longer. Also, you wind up joining yarn and then immediately binding off for the neckline. I would have knit across the first strap, bound off for the neckline, and then worked the second strap. That way, I would have joined the yarn at the strap, and not the neckline.

Today's knitting is a baby hat for charity. I've started it, but I'm not feeling great today, and plan on taking a nap. Tomorrow I will either continue with Cotton Kisses Cardigan I cast on for yesterday, or cast on for the Ellis Dress. (I meant to cast on for the dress before the cardigan, but I couldn't find the right size needles yesterday. I found them this morning.)

Happy knitting all!

A Little Freak Out

So, I've hit 33 weeks in this pregnancy. And I just learned last week, that I'm considered full-term at 37 weeks, and not at 38 weeks. Which means, theoretically, this baby could arrive anywhere in the next 4 to 9 weeks (which is kind of crazy!) Now, I'm not one to freak out, but 4 weeks sounds REALLY CLOSE and I do NOT feel ready!

Besides the lack of knitting (of which there is a HUGE lack of), I haven't washed any little clothes yet. We haven't figured out where this baby is going to sleep once we're passed the feeding every two hours stage. We have no name for this child. Not a single thing (except for one little outfit) has been purchased with this new little one in mind. I might start to freak out a little bit.

I can say, however, that house cleaning/organizing has been happening, and that definitely helps the prepared feeling. We've done this before, and we know that newborns really only need a place to sleep, some clothes, and access to food. So.....I should probably get on that clothes washing deal.

6 1/2" of the wave jumper are completed. (Because I knit through Bible study tonight. But, we didn't really have a study - more of an organizational meeting). It might actually be finished this month!!!!

Happy Knitting!

Something for Baby

FINALLY!!!

The fact that this baby has not ONE knitted item from me has really been bugging me. And I've been working on the loooooongest project ever (otherwise known as the Wave Jumper), but I don't even think I've hit 4" yet. So, last night I put the jumper down and knit a quick hat.


The yarn is Berroco Comfort DK. The pattern is from Claire Montgomerie's book Easy Baby Knits. I've knit a number of these hats for other people - it's my go-to quick knit hat. Plus, this hat will fit nicely under the baby's going home sweater set. (It's actually the same set my brother, me, and the other little ones came home in. My mom made it. However, the bonnet doesn't really keep their heads warm - my brother was born in April and I was born in June.)

I feel better that baby on the way has something knitted. I will feel MUCH better when the Wave Jumper is done.

Also to do this month (besides finishing the jumper, of course) - a hat for charity and a knitted Christmas ornament. (I joined a group on Ravelry that is preparing for next Christmas, and I found a Norwegian Star Ornament that is PERFECT for all the Norwegians in my family!)

Happy Knitting!

The Slowest Project Ever

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I'm a huge fan of the One Skein Wonders series. (BTW, I neglected to include the fact that my husband got me the newest book - Luxury One Skein Wonders - for Christmas in my knitterly gifts post. Shame on me!) It won't be a surprise then, that my first baby knitting project is the Wave Jumper from the designer book. The dress is a modified feather and fan pattern, and super cute. It's knit using sock yarn on size 1 needles. (I'm using something called "On Your Toes". I wasn't sure if I would like this dress in a variegated colorway, but I'm loving it!)


SIZE 1!

I cast on for this project on January 2nd. As of today, I have knit 2 inches. I need 8 inches before dividing for the armholes. I had to take a little break.

So, I cast on for a cabled baby hat from the Luxury book (not in luxury yarn.)

Happy and speedy knitting to you all!

Gifts Received

I did receive some WONDERFUL knitterly gifts this Christmas.

From my mom, I got this:


The pattern book for the Great American Afghan. I can't say that I plan on ever making the entire afghan (although I've seen one, and it's SO BEAUTIFUL!), but I thought I'd make some of the squares and hang them up as art. Or, make a smaller blanket. I love that each square has something to teach, and is a small way to practice new skills.

Mom also gave me this:

The kit includes enough yarn to make one hat, but the directions for all of the hats pictured. (Which is really 3 hats, with varying borders and ear flaps.) I probably won't start the hat until the fall, but I'm excited nonetheless. I was very pleased with the Norwegian Hat I made myself, and I'm excited to make one for one of the kids (and who knows, maybe they'll all get one next winter.)

Finally, my best friend gave me this book:


It's really brought back to mind my resolution to be knitting for charity. (And there are a TON of different charities for knitting.) This book includes some history of charitable knitting and highlights different charities, as well as having some really cute patterns (the preemie jester hats are TOO CUTE!) Because of the craziness that a new baby is going to bring, I want to be reasonable in my charity knitting goals, so I think I will plan to make at least one baby/preemie hat a month this year. Hold me to that, okay?

Happy Knitting!

February Lady Sweater

Saturday night, I finished weaving in the ends of my February Lady Sweater. I'm very pleased with it, and can't wait to wear it! (Hopefully, today!) I used Encore Worsted (because I have small children, and I needed this to be washable and affordable), and knit it with my Denise Needles, using a 52" cord (which made trying it on very easy). Hopefully, I'll wear it today and get my husband to take a picture of me in it!

Happy knitting!

Gifts

I hope you all had a WONDERFUL and BLESSED holiday season! I certainly did - our Christmas Day at the in-laws was much more relaxing than normal (30 people in a house makes it difficult to relax), and no one went overboard on gifts for the kids this year (thank goodness!) My in-laws did give our family a gift - a Nintendo Wii, the sports edition. Now, I'm not all that into video games - I think the last one I put any effort into was Super Mario Brothers 3 on the original Nintendo - but I am very excited! I LOVE to play tennis, and so rarely get the opportunity. I'm hoping the Wii Tennis will make me feel better! I got some knitterly gifts too, but I'll post about those another day.

Today, I'd like to focus on gifts given. I'm pleased to say that everything I knit seemed to be well received. My sister-in-law LOVED her Winter White Tam. She and her husband own a Model Ford A and participate in these driving events where they try to dress in clothing appropriate to the era. She is psyched that the hat fits into her wardrobe. Also, out of all the in-laws, she appreciates hand made items the most, and so it's such a pleasure to give them to her!

(That's a necklace little girl gave her.)

My other sister-in-law really liked her Branching Out (although, I don't seem to have a picture of her with it.) She had stated at Thanksgiving that she was going to buy some scarves, as they seem to be the new in accessory. I was happy to help her out!

My nephew was super into his Reasonably Hip hat. I think that was the gift I was most excited to give.



Finally, I gave a hat and scarf set to my husband's sister's-in-law brother. He works outdoors most days, and really appreciated having something to keep himself warm.