Honey Cowl: Done

Finished the Honey Cowl with Madelinetosh Tosh Dk in Mansfield Party colorway. Normally I'm not into pastels, but the vibrancy of this yarn makes me happy. I like both sides of the cowl - the long stitches is the right side, but the "wrong" side reminds me of the linen stitch and is equally nice.  This was pretty tight around my neck before blocking, but loosened nicely after blocking.  I might do another one with worsted weight yarn for those really cold months.

Read more...

Boneyard Shawl

I wanted to take a knitting project for the San Francisco choir tour, so I selected a pattern that would be very easy to do in case of interruptions (with 60 students, this was a given). This pattern was great - very easy. My favorite was the yarn: Madelinetosh Pashmina in the Cove colorway. YUMMY! It feels good to have needles in my hands once again. It blocked beautifully. I made a few revisions by adding eyelet around the edge. You can find my notes on Ravelry with my user name: homejewel.

Read more...

Finished Knitting Project

I finished the Chalet Brioche Cowl after a rough start. You can read my review on Ravelry. Here is the pattern link. I like it - it's a bit funky, but it is sure nice and warm to wear around the neck on some of these bone-chilling mornings. This is my first experience with Malibrigo - yummy!

Read more...

Chevron Scarf . . . . Done!!

Remember that Chevron scarf I started in April? It is finally done. This baby takes a LONG time to knit. It is the perfect project for brainless knitting, but it really goes on and on and on. I'm glad to have it done - just in time for my favorite season, fall!

Would you look at those gorgeous colors? The store owner at Farmhouse Knits picked them out for me - she knows my colors. Pagewood Farm Denali Hand Dyed Sock Yarn: Really Red and Mississippi Mud colorways

I love this scarf, but I won't be knitting it again!

Read more...

New Sweater

My daughter came over for a visit and brought the sweater she knit for Jonathan. She didn't quite finish it (buttons and pocket) and also is having trouble finding the time to complete it, so I offered to finish it for her.

I loved the pattern when I saw it at the store and bought the yarn. She swiped the project from me and said she wanted to make it for her brother. How could I say no? I'm going to try to finish the buttons and pocket in the next couple days, but had to take this picture.

Read more...

Weekend

Just got back from a ladies retreat here:

The weather was typical Oregon spring weather - very unpredictable with showers, hail, sunshine, windy, cold, warm - just wait a couple minutes and it changes.

It was nice to be able to spend time with friends from church and also have a special time with Pearly.

I was able to begin a new "brainless" knitting project - meaning it's a good project to work on while listening to speakers. The yarn is yummy - a merino/bamboo/nylon blend. Very nice to work with.

The Chevron Scarf from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
has been a great project. I love how the 2 colorways work together.
Yarn: Pagewood Farm Hand Dyed Sock Yarn in colorways: Really Red and Mississippi Mud
1 skein each

Read more...

Fingerless Mittens

I never got around to posting a picture of these mittens. The free pattern is here: Dashing

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Maple.

The yarn is pilling a bit. I wouldn't use Wool of the Andes for this type of project again. Maybe I'm just hard on my hands. I'm making a new pair of fingerless mittens for dh with Cascade 220, so we'll see how that goes as far as pilling goes.

Oh, picture was taken by 10-yr old :)

Read more...

Done!

I finally attached the hanger to the snowman stocking I made last year and completed a new moose stocking this year for Brown Eyes. It sure looks better after being blocked. I love this pattern and will make another one next year for little caboose. The kit was purchased here.


Now if I can find some time to get to the store and purchase all of the stocking stuffers. Does anyone want to take that job for me for 7 children? lol ACK!!!

Read more...

Thanksgiving

We had such a nice Thanksgiving with my parents and brother and his family. I was especially happy to see that the sweater I just completed still fits this little chubbers nephew who is not yet one year old (pattern is for Size 2). The consensus was that the sweater was probably going to be too small and I was mentally preparing to have to make a new sweater. Thankfully, despite his cute rolls, Gage's sweater fits perfectly (with a little growing room).

Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one!


Stats: Child’s Placket-Neck Pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. Be sure to get the errata on this pattern. Yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Worsted Wear in the Bronze colorway. I will definitely use this yarn again. It is wonderful!

Read more...

Treat for my Feet

I finally finished these socks. My goal was to be able to wear them this fall. The pattern came from Sensational Knitted Socks using the Slipped Rib pattern. This is only the 2nd pair of socks I have knit for me and I'm trying to really get the perfect fit for my unconventional-sized feet - lol. I mean, come on, if I were to have "normal-sized" feet, they wouldn't be able to hold up my 6 foot 3-3/4-inch frame. Next time, I will add at least one inch to the leg length. I think I will also use a larger size needle for the leg and go down to the correct size for the ankle/foot. This project is recorded on Ravelry under my name: homejewel

Read more...

Booties and News

I've lost count of how many baby booties like these I have knit. These will go to a little new punkin' at church. These were the only things that would stay on my babies feet. Socks alone never worked. I love the fact that this pattern has passed down the generations - well over 100 years old.

Surgery has now been scheduled for my torn ACL in mid-November. A couple days ago, I went for a walk yesterday - managed to go around the block twice and my knee felt like it was giving way. Not only that, I don't feel that I could ever make it up the hills I used to walk. If surgery will give me the ability to be as active as I used to be, then it is worth the mental anguish of the impending surgery/pain.

October is our busy birthday month. Orange boy recently turned 10 yrs old. He's the family clown who needs no audience to keep himself amused. He keeps us all in stitches.


My thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors to the south who are dealing with those horrific fires. Stay safe! At a time like this, the important things really stand out: friends/family.

Read more...

Slacker

Yes, I am a blogging slacker. Four words would summarize the last 4 weeks: bum knee, harvest, schooling, and Ravelry.com.

Boy, ravelry is wonderful. I love to see projects worked up in various yarns. What a neat idea. I have been knitting. Finished this little blueberry hat (Ann Norling's, Kid's Fruit Cap #10), but it's a bit small for PJ. So cute, though, and I love the pattern.
details:
Cascade 200 Superwash, Dk Purple colorway (835) and Green Apple 802
Sz 7 circular needles, Magic Loop method (use size 6 next time)
Ann Norling Kid's Fruit Cap pattern
Child's Size 2
5 st = 1 in.
We've canned boatloads of salsa, grape jelly, pepper jelly, and the new one this year is zucchini relish from those mammoth-sized zucchinis that appeared out of nowhere in the garden after a vacation.

Newsworthy stuff: I have decided, after falling and injuring my knee yet again, that sugery is probably in order. The MRI proved that my ACL is completely torn and without the use of a functioning ACL, the knee can be quite unstable. Surgery means 4 weeks of being off my knee. I'm not sure how this will all work out logistically, but it would be nice to have some sense of normalcy without being so preoccupied with falling.

I hope you all are enjoying the fall. The leaves are starting to turn here and sometimes I want to just pull over to soak in the vibrant colors.

Read more...

Sweater for Pearly's Doll

We are still at the apartment. The plumbing in our house has been repaired. The flooring is on order and should be arriving any day. We have been busy with much neglected schooling and now the homeschool co-op has started up again, so the busy life has begun again. A little knitting has been accomplished.



For Christmas, Pearly got the Just Like Me American Girl doll. She had been dreaming about this doll for quite a while. Unbeknownst to her, I also bought a book with patterns to knit sweaters for 18-inch dolls - Knits for Girls & Dolls, by Charlene Schurch. There was a mistake in the sleeve pattern, but was an easy fix. I will probably try another pattern. The sweaters don't take much yarn, so it would be a great way to use leftover yarn and of course Pearly won't mind adding to her doll's wardrobe.

I used Patons SWS Yarn. It's a wool/soy blend. It's a great yarn, but probably more suitable for larger sweaters - the striping was obviously wonky on such a small project, but we liked the look. Most importantly, little doll's owner loves it and that is what counts. I would definitely buy this yarn again.

Read more...

Stocking Ornament

Finished this felted Christmas stocking using red Galway yarn. It seemed to be missing something, so gold star nailheads were added. I found the pattern on eBay.

Read more...

Flop #1 and Flop #2

I got this cute bonnet pattern from a book I checked out at the library. I'm kicking myself for not remembering the title. Anyway, this was a quick knit, but I don't like it. The garter stitch ribbing on the bottom does not work well. It should have been written to knit with smaller needles on that part or pick up less stitches. I was hoping to make my baby's head fit into it, but it really looks funny on him. I think I will actually rip out the whole thing. Ho-hum.

Flop #2: I thought I'd make PJ a helmet because he has been pulling hats off his head. I have a vintage pattern and made Size 4. My baby is 9 months, yes he was born quite large (13 pounds), but still, one would think Size 4 would fit. It didn't - it was way too small. F.R.O.G!

Read more...

Getting in the Mood

I have seriously been neglecting my knitting. There were a few projects that were put aside because of stumbling blocks - infant vest (better hurry up on that one with my baby growing so fast) and an infant girl sweater.

Pearly's volleyball season has just started, so I'll be able to take some knitting along to the games. I have been so itching to knit. I think socks are calling my name.

I recently found this sweater. I began knitting it probably 8 years ago using a 50s pattern book. The pattern suggested crocheting the button bands. I did not like that at all, so they were knit instead. I'm still not pleased with the tension on the buttonbands and the buttons are a little small for the button holes, so I may redo it, but it's nice to see a baby actually wearing something that was put in a basket for so many years. And - it still has growing room - yeah!



Not the greatest pic, but you get the idea of the sweater. And meet my 1st baby who loves his pacifier. Five of my babies were long-term finger/thumb suckers and one sucked a blanket. This little guy is hooked on his paci. I wish we could keep it to just sleeping time, but he seems to have such a strong sucking need. Don't ask me how many pacifiers we've bought now. I swear they have feet.

Read more...

Done, Finished, Lessons Learned

Thankfully, I have learned to not take my knitting too seriously, or I think it might be upsetting. Here are the things I am happy about: I love the yarn - LOVE it! I love the contrasting ribbing and buttonbands, love the yellow buttons on the white buttonbands. However, knitting is just like life - in order to succeed you need to learn from your mistakes. Here's what I learned not to do next time around:

Lesson 1 - When calculating buttonhole placement, don't forget to account for neckline ribbing. I figured it would need 6 buttons including neckline, but when calculating the placement, I forgot to include the neckline in the total figure, so instead, ended up with 7 buttonholes. This sent me in a button frenzy because I only had 6 buttons and bought the last of them at the store. Thankfully, my friend was able to find some at another store. After all this was said and done, I think 7 buttons were too many. Six would have been much better spacing - maybe even 5 would have done nicely. Oh well!

Lesson 2 - Do not expect 13 lb 3 oz newborn baby to fit in Size 6 months sweater. That said, dh's office just gave me a belated gift for baby - a gift certificate at a LYS - how cool is that?! Woohoo!! Maybe I'll make another one, but this time, hopefully one that will fit PLUS some growing room.

Read more...

He's Too Big!!

Our little "runt" is in desperate need of some booties, so I started making a pair. The instructions say to use Size 1 needles, so because I know my baby is not "normal" sized, I used Size 3. They were still too small. I guess I'll finish the pair to give to someone else and start another pair using Size 5 needles!

Read more...

PJ Wearing Infant Hat

PJ wearing an infant hat I knit several months ago. I still need to finish the booties - better get to that quickly before he outgrows them! The pattern was a free pattern from my LYS.

Read more...

Irish Hiking Scarf and Infant Hat

Two more projects completed.
First is this little infant hat. I ran out of the pink yarn, so added a white stripe. It'll work.






Second is the Irish Hiking Scarf. I love this pattern - classic style and the Lamb's Pride worked beautifully. It took 2 skeins on 5.0 mm needles.

No baby news to report. I am presently 10 days overdue and it's getting old!

Read more...