- Sat, 18 Dec 2010 11:38:00 +0000: Mini knitting - Yarn C&S March 2010
You know when I saw these little snowman on ravelry I just had to knit them!
I am a sucker for little knitting. I've been know to indulge in the tiny needles, a few scraps of yarn and some stuffing.
Come on! These little guys are perfect little gift adornments!
Pattern: Mochimochi snowmen
Yarn: My never ending supply of elann devon. I am so glad I bought a bunch of colours way back when!
Adjustments: Well, the first one I knit as written. I even took out the double pointed needles! I am a magic looper...but I decided to have a go at it. I knit number one just fine...but quickly left the dpns for some magic.
I decided to use judy's magic cast on...with the magic loop...so magical.
A few tips after knitting...well...8 snowmen...so far:
Knit the cast on tail in as you go. This saves weaving in one end. When you weave in your other end...lock it in place with a few stitches then send it through the snowman to the other end. Clip it close to the snowman's body and then give him a squeeze to send the end inside.
When starting the black embroidery...and I am not an embroiderer...I started at the bottom of the snowman and went inside and up into where the first eye will go. I used one longer strand of yarn to do both eyes and the arms/hands. Then I went from the last stitch...through the inside and out the neck area and clipped as I did the end from the body.
The last two snowmen's scarves had neatened up edges. (you will see when comparing the two photos above) I slipped the first stitch of each row. This made a tightly knit scarf with neat sides. I never measured any of the scarves. I simply wrapped it around my thumb to decide on the length. Again, knit the cast on tail in as you go. The cast off tail is used to sew the scarf to the snowman. I pretty much did it as written...just use a sharp needle. Putting a dull seaming needle through your snowmans neck is near impossible...and just cruel.
Lastly, be careful who is present when you knit these guys...they start lining up and picking scarf colours:) - Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:23:00 +0000: On and Off the needles! - Yarn C&S March 2010
I promised to show you what's on the needles...well...this one has been on and is now already off the needles:
Henry's Sweater for Roman.
He's smiling! He loves it!
Started: October 21, 2010
Finished: November 15, 2010
Pattern: Henry's sweater by Jenna Swanson. It's a free pattern!
Yarn: Spud and Chloe Sweater. You need more than one skein for the main colour in the 18 month size with very little for contrasting colour stripes. If you were making it in a solid colour, two skeins are plenty. This fantastic yarn is now available at Shall We Knit...and this sweater will be there to fondle for a short while;)
Adjustments: None, I made the 18 month size which he will be wearing shortly. Not that the sizing is off...I just have a big baby! He's two days shy of three months...
You can see it is a little long in the body and the arms. I was thinking he would wear it in the spring...but it'll be more like Christmas when he'll be sporting this fine sweater!
I love this yarn! I am hoping to find the time to write up more of a review...but you just need to know that it knits up nicely with beautiful stitch definition. I love the wool cotton blend...warm and breathable. It washes perfectly...IN THE WASHING MACHINE! You can put it in the dryer and take it out damp to reshape. No gauge problems at all. The colour choices are really lovely. I will definitely be using this yarn again...I am thinking of a hat in the cream. He hates hats, but wouldn't a earflap hat with cables look so perfect!?! Or what about a newsboy cap?!? - Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:44:00 +0000: Christmas clean up...join me! - Yarn C&S March 2010
A few months back...just before the baby...I did a little nesting. Cleaning, organizing...decluttering. I eliminated that BIG basket of projects. A few went into hibernation upstairs in the "yarn dresser", some were finished off and a very few made it into a smaller works in progress basket. Well, I haven't really picked any of these WIP up to finish them off. Of course, like any good knitter, I am ignoring them and moving on to bigger and better things.
Now my very little WIP basket is overflowing. I need to do something.
Hold that thought...crying baby.
Ok, trying to type with baby on the lap...he almost face planted into the laptop...oh man.
So the biggest WIP in my little basket is the Great American Afghan. I started this in January 2009. Yes, almost 2 years ago. It is not something I would normally choose to knit. I was new to town and started getting out to meet other knitters. The group was just starting to work on this, a square a month. Well, as sometimes it happens, knitters trickled out of the project. I continued, slowly. A square here and there.
I am not inspired to finish because it is not something that I would normally knit for my home.
So here is the thing. A lot of work has gone into this so far...I have to complete it. Why not finish it and gift it out for christmas?!
Hence, my Christmas clean up. I am hoping a few projects will make it in...but I will start with the afghan.
Today I am seaming. Yes, I realize I have not finished knitting the squares...there are two left...and I think I have one partly done somewhere...bedside table drawer?
Looks pretty good so far! I decided to seam the squares up, nothing fancy. I will search out an edging to add a little size and interest. Once complete, I think it will make a lovely...warm...gift for a home!
Join me in my Christmas clean up....what will you be finishing?
And now... a chubby baby photo
Feed me! - Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:05:00 +0000: Be very quiet... - Yarn C&S March 2010
I think the silence is the problem. Roman is so used to the noise of the boys, he has a hard time getting to sleep without it! He is finally napping and for some reason the computer is cooperating...which means there is time for a little blogging!
I figured out the reason for so much silence on this blog. Yes, the new baby takes up a lot of time but this computer is the main reason. I can no longer just load up some pictures to the computer, then to flicker, then to ravelry and enter in the details, hop over to blogger and load them up there then write a little about them...no. This computer can not handle anything over and above starting up. Seriously it has had it.
I could start it up and try to get the photos loaded which may now take 20 minutes...by that time I am on to other things and blogging is put on the back burner to when I have more time...which is never.
I have learned a little about HP computers from a tech friend. They are at the bottom of the list for good performing computers. They last about a year (this one is about 4 years old?) and it doesn't matter if you delete programs or photos or whatever to clear up some space, this won't help. I guess once you load things on to computers they eat up that space. So, all this being said...I have ordered a new laptop.
You will still find me on the ipad surfing away and reading blogs...mostly playing Words With Friends. As soon as the new computer arrives, you will hopefully see an incease in blogging...if not I will throw this whole theary out the window. (speaking of window...I guess windows 7 is pretty good...and the vista that I currently have sucks.)
Ok, enough computer talk, lets get to knitting. Get ready because the computer is behaving so this will be a big update!
Off the needles...
I have finally finished my feb lady sweater!
The photo is horrible...I want to take another one, but lets be realistic, there is no time for that! The shirt underneath is all bunched up...I love how the wind has caught the bottom front of the sweater...but that is about it!
Ok, here are the specs:
Started: January 17, 2010
Finished: September 21, 2010
Yarn: Cascade 220 colour 9465 7 skeins...i don't think I used much of the 7th skein...I was pregnant and don't remember!
Pattern: February Lady Sweater
Adjustments: I made the 41" size, which is still large. I was hoping to copy Lise and make more of a sweater coat than a sweater. I really struggled with when to stop knitting for my arms. I have large arms and I wanted room to wear clothing underneath it...but the arm holes are too big. I knew this as I was knitting away, but evidently didn't care enough to rip it back. It is not that bad, but you can see how it bunches under the arm.
I just kept knitting until it was "long enough" I love the length of it...perfect for the sweater coat look. I did the same thing for the arms. No tapering of the sleeves, just knit until I liked the length.
I blocked it out on my board and then when it was just about dry I hung it on a suit hanger. This helped with the shaping of the shoulders and how the yarn draped.
I am not a fan of this neckline on me, but I knit it anyway...hopefully I will wear it! If not it could be gifted to a sister...time will tell.
I love the colour of this yarn. It is a black/brown colour with almost a gray flec in it...gorgeous. I keep thinking it would make the perfect afghan for my livingroom...
Maybe, one day.
Next up are some socks. I finally finished dad's birthday socks! His birthday was in July...
Started: July 25, 2010
Finished: October 6, 2010
Yarn: lang jawool silk in a black gray, with a cuff in regia silk blue.
Pattern: My own...just a simple ribbing with a cable on the edges.
I knit these toe up so I use up all the yarn...which wasn't enough so I added some regia silk in blue that I had kicking around for the cuff. You know, instead of gold toe socks these are blue cuff socks...the next latest rage...
Next up is a little hat for Roman. I've had this one in my favourites for a while...and I needed a little travel project after the socks where done.
Started: October 17, 2010
Finished: October 12, 2010
Yarn: Left overs of Elann Devon in navy and green.
Pattern: Sweet Baby Cap
Adjustments: None, it knits up quickly and beautifully! I will definitely be making more of these...once he learns to love wearing them:) Babies don't like to sit still for photos...we tried. I knit the smallest size, but it is still a little big, which just means he will be able to wear it longer!
Well, he is awake...I tried to put in the choochie (oh someone had asked what this is...my word for soother)...but when I got up I stepped on a toy that started to play music...times up! Hopefully this week I will get to what's "on the needles"!!
