Projects for 2007...
September 1st, 2007
Finally finally finally. I've been working on this all summer. This was a pattern
from "Simply Baby" by Debbie Bliss. I used 1.5 balls of Lorna's Laces/Shepherd
Sport in Red Rover. It's machine washable too. This is the first time I've ever
done lace, and I have to say that at first it was maddening because I kept miscounting
my stitch pattern, and I had to keep frogging and start over again, at least
7 times. Finally someone on the local yahoo knitting group suggested the bright
idea of using markers after each stitch pattern round, and that totally worked.
In the end, it turned out to be a really challenging and satisfying project.
August 21st, 2007
I finished Faith's hooded vest. It looks good on her! Now I'm finishing a surprise
project (can't post a progress picture
until it's finished and sent off), and I plan to finish the sleeves to Ethan's
red star sweater.
April 4th, 2007
So I've finally started a new project. This is my very first pair of socks.
They are ankle socks...
loosely based on a very simple super sock pattern. Everything's going well so
far, but I didn't
understand the directions beyond the turning of the heel. So I need to visit
the good women of
Arcadia knitting to help me. Or maybe the local SnB group can help me tomorrow.
Also, the women in the Logan Square knitting group went in on a purchase of
a swift and ball-winder with me.
This was very helpful and made the buy affordable for all of us. It arrived
in just a few days, and no sooner did it
pass the threshold, were both my kids and I winding up all my yarn like fiends.
Here they are in all of their glory:
I'm working hard on a hooded vest for Faith, using the Crystal Palace Cotton
Flamme. I really like the texture of the knitted fabric. It will be beautiful
once it's done. Notice the holes near the trim...that's where the drawstring
will go.
I was going to make a regular vest for Faith out of this yarn (also cotton flamme--see the lime and green a few entries below), but I'm inspired by this pattern. So I'm going to make an assymetrical top for her instead. I think I can do it without a pattern too. (pic to come...)
Lastly, there's this ribbon yarn that I've had stashed away for oh...about
2 years.
Originally, it started out as a ribbon x-back
I found in Knitty. But halfway through, I decided the style just wasn't right
for me. So I frogged it and put it away, waiting for the right time and reason
to use it. I believe that time and reason has come. I'd like to make a long
tunic for Faith with it. Will it be sleeveless, or another assymetrical dealie?
Or maybe a halter? It would look fabulous with a pair of jeans.
March 29th, 2007
Yesterday I finished Ethan's sweater vest. I meant for him to wear it in the
summer, with nothing underneath, but it's still cold, and he wanted to wear
it today, so...very well! I love the unbelievable softness of all-seasons cotton--perfect
for overindulged little boys. I intend to make two more: One for him, one for
Faith (v-neck style), in the cotton flamme. It shouldn't take long.
March 19th, 2007
Moving right along...I've started a cotton sweater vest with my other leftover
rowan all-seasons cotton. This will go to Ethan and I'll bet I'll be finished
with this in no time. Back is finished, have started the front, trim, then done.
Also I finally received my Crystal Palace cotton flamme. As you can see I went a little nuts on it--the price was right. All of the patterns I'm using (including the vest above) are coming from Rowan's "Pipsqueaks" patterns by Kim Hargreaves. The cinnabar will become a hooded sleeveless top for Faith. The greens will be a v-neck summer vest for her as well, and the olive will be...yes--another vest, for Ethan. And yes, my goal is to get these all done by the time the summer begins. We'll see!
March 12th, 2007
I finished the Leftover Halter Top! Okay so...I learned a lot
with this project. I had no pattern, so I modeled the knit garment after another
halter top (not knitted) that Faith had. My first mistake was miscounting the
number of cast-on stitches (I was 20 sts short), and of course I didn't realize
this until I was halfway done. In a panic, thinking that this piece would be
too tight, I started increasing stitches--aggressively, which turned out to
be totally unnecessary (as you can see from the bubbling up in the front by
the armpits). Perhaps she can grow into this? Obviously, I underestimated how
stretchy Rowan's All-Seasons cotton can be. Either way, I enjoyed making this
piece because I learned a lot with it. Also, it was probably the fastest top
I've ever created--it took me less than a week!
And after all this, I still have like 4 balls of yarn leftover!
March 9th, 2007
Here is the first of the cascade sweaters. I've worn it so much already I have
to wash it finally.
March 8th, 2007
I finished the green cascade sweater, and I love it love it love it. I'll post
a pic as soon as I get a good one of me in it. Here's something else I've started
for Faith: Halter top made out of leftover Rowan All-Seasons cotton...no pattern...God
I hope this works...
February 15th, 2007
I thought that I would post a progress report on Ethan's red star sweater. I
started it...a while ago. It's my first experience with intarsia, and this pattern
is written in such a way that I have to do a million different things at the
same time, so suffice it to say: It's intimidating for an amateur like me. Anyway,
I've come to a point where I have to start shaping the front shoulders, and
I'm confused by the pattern's "English" directions. I must ask for
help at the next knitting meeting. Still, I'd say I'm close to the end here.
Only sleeves and seaming left, and Ethan should be able to wear it for a few
weeks before he grows out of it (hopefully, I'm just kidding when I say that).
February 5th, 2007
I finished this lovely hooded sweater right around Christmastime, but forgot
to post it. I used the Noro "Fletcher" pattern, but substituted with
KnitPicks hand-dyed Wool of the Andes yarn. It probably drapes a little
differently than the Noro yarn, but it makes a wonderfully warm, soft and beautiful
jacket. Probably not the most flattering style on me, but I wear it quite a
bit because of its warmth. Especially on days like today, where it's -6 degrees
outside.
February 4, 2007
Here is the finished sweater for Faith. Rowan All-Seasons cotton...the raglan
looks nice. Two more mommy sweaters to come...
January 26, 2007
Some of these projects were finished in December, like my felted purse. It turned
out well. Not quite like other felted pieces, there's still a lot of texture
from the stitches, but I like it. I use it all the time.
There was a big sale for Rowan all-seasons cotton, so I bought. The orange is a raglan sweater pattern I'm using from the Ann Budd book, for Faith. She'll look good in it. It's knit in the round--basically no seaming whatsoever. This is also my first time using double-pointed needles (for the sleeves), which is turning out to be a lot of fun! Now I can do socks! I'm also making the same pattern for myself in Cascade. The green and red are two sweaters which are part of an experiment actually. I just wanted to see the difference between knitting in size 7 and 9 needles. Both use the same cascade quattro wool. They'll both be beautiful sweaters, but will feel and look very different. Neato!
Faith requested this hat, as found in Pipsqueaks. I used Mission Falls 1824 cotton.
