Happy New Year & Happy Birthday

I wanted to wish you all a Very Happy New Year!

It has been really wonderful being able to share all my kitting accomplishments, learning experiences, tears and happy moments. 2006 has been a pretty good year for knitting and I look forward to 2007 being better.

I have learned so much in 2006. The most important thing that I learned is what the owner of my NSLYS has always told me. "If you can knit and purl you can do anything." I have NEVER been told that I couldn't do some thing whenever I have looked at really fancy, intricate patterns or techniques on Monday night knitting. I have ALWAYS been encouraged to give it a try and if I ever needed any help that they were there to help me. The workers are so sweet and helpful. I really don't think I would have kept knitting if I didn't find the shop.

I think that my plan for 2007 is to get some sort of binder. Then go through all my books listing all the things I would like to knit or already have yarn to knit, what book they are in, what yarn and needles that they require and if I need to get anything to knit each item. I need to get more organized and I think that is where I should start. Sadly I have yarn that I have bought for a project and I never got the chance to get to it. Now I have to try and remember what it was I was going to make with it. Hence the binder and notes. ;) I do believe that is where I will start on my knitting journey for 2007.



Well as of Jan. 1, 2007 9:38 am our baby boy will be 2! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MAN!!

I can't believe he will be 2 already. I swear that it seems just like yesterday that I brought him home from the hospital. Why does the time go by so fast? I have had so much fun watching him grow and mature into a toddler. He is so smart and funny. I honestly don't know what we ever did without him. I Love him more and more every day.

I can say that I have been blessed with being able to stay home with him. I have got to see all his firsts, teach him, play with him, learn and grow together and being able to be here for him no matter the time of day or night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DEAR BABY BOY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Knee Warmers

No you didn't read the title wrong. These are not leg warmers. My mother-in-law is always saying that her knees are cold in the winter, especially at night. So my father-in-law gave me the idea to make her a pair of knee warmers for Christmas.

I think the hardest part of these were getting the measurements without her knowing it. My father-in-law said that she had tried some leg warmers and they fit, but after a little while they felt like they were cutting into her thy. So I asked him to look for them and I would just make them a little bigger. That was a no go. He searched high and low and couldn't find the dang things. I then saw that Cat Bordhi was looking for measurements of people's feet for a new book, I thought "ahhh haaaa! That's how I can get the measurements!" So I took all the measurements of her that I would need for socks and then some. She never questioned it. LOL So now I at least have her measurements if I want to make her a pair of socks. :)

I used a wool and soy blend that my NSLYS** had just recently got in. It is from Rowan and is called Tapestry. I used the Rustic colorway. I bought a bag of it since I had no clue how much one leg warmer would take. I only used just a little over 1 ball for each one. Of course with my mother-in-law leg measuring 15 1/2 inches at the largest part I didn't need much yarn. LOL So that added up to 2 and not even a half that I used. I really loved the colors of the yarn and I debated on taking back the rest, but I decided to keep it and make socks or something else. I bet it would make a lovely scarf as well.

I didn't get many pictures of them as they went along. I had so much knitting to get done that I didn't take the time out to take photos. Heck I thought that I took a picture of it with it's label and all, but I can't seem to find it, so I guess I thought about it and never did it.

Up Close and Personal













Beginning of Knee Warmer













First One Done













It's Twins













Another View


Details:

Needles: Sz 3 circulars

Yarn: Rowan Tapestry in Rustic (see above for link)

Pattern: Made it up on the fly. K2,P2 rib for cuff. Then changed to K1,P1 rib until the knee section. Knee section done in stockinette except for either side of the knee that has a few rows of 1x1 ribbing for more flexibility and hopefully won't bunch. The repeat the rib rows just the opposite as before.

My mother-in-law used them that night to sleep in and she said that she loved them. She said that they stayed up all night and didn't cut into her. She said that they were perfect. I am so glad that she likes them. I will knit for her again ;). Maybe I should make her a pair in alpaca. Oh that would be nice. Heck I could see her wearing both pair together. LOL

Thanks for all the sweet comments about the little hat in the last post. They will be off my list for sure. Come to find out my Mom went to visit them while they were still in the hospital. She had taken a gift for them and she said they didn't look in the bag to see what it was or say thanks. I am just dumbfounded. Needless to say the family is invited over to the new baby's grandparent's house today to see the baby. I had originally planned on going and of course I would have taken something for the baby, but not I am really thinking about not going. I am wondering if I should really waste my time with them. Maybe I will go to my NSLYS** and look at some yarn or something. At least there I feel welcome and appreciated.

Sara thanks for the info about the books. I swear I have the mitten book, but I don't see it on my list of books I have. I will have to look and see if I have it, if not I will have to see if Christina still has it.

Have a lovely day.

**NSLYS - Not So Local Yarn Store

FO #1

Here is the first FO that I had promised in my last post.

It is a little hat made for a new baby in the family. We had a mini baby shower and Christmas celebration wrapped up together. I was afraid that it wouldn't go over well and my fears came to fruition.

It was taken out of the little bag it was lovingly wrapped in and looked at for a second then tossed aside with not even a thank you. I had spent many hours working on it and it was my own pattern. I wanted something nice for them, but obviously they didn't feel the same. The grandmother to be thanked me for it and all the work that I put into it. I guess at least one person appreciated it.
















Sadly the only person that they thanked was my Aunt and Uncle. I believe that was because they had bought them a stroller and a few other things. So it seems that it is the price and size of the gift that counts not the thought for them. That is sad since they really don't have very much. You would think that they would appreciate anything that they got, but I guess not.













At least I know that my blog friends know the amount of work that goes into something like this. As well as my Mom and a few other of my family members.



I guess it is time for me to stop complaining and give you the details of the hat.

Needles: Sz. 2 DP
Yarn: Dale Baby Ull in Bright Blue and Green
Pattern: Made up as I went (fair isle pattern of k 2 blue, k2 green around next rows shift pattern to the left by 1 stitch).

It came out better than I thought it would and I was quite happy with it. It is really cute. Not quite sure if i will make another one. I need to work out some problems with the decrease sections. Guess it is time to get out the graph paper.

Well I have some more FO for you later. I can safely say that they got better receptions. ;)

Happy Holidays!!

I hope that you all had a Merry Christmas or what ever it is that you celabrate this time of year.

We had a busy month. Every weekend this month we had either a family gathering for Christmases or Birthdays. In a way I am glad it is over, but on the other hand I really love the holiday season. In just a few weeks we will have another celebration. We will be having a birthday party for our James. He will be 2! I just can't believe it, I am still in denial. His actual birthday is on Jan. 1st, but we will have the party later on the weekend. After that I hope that things will calm down and I can get some things done, like knitting.

I do have some knitting things to show you. It will have to be later though. Hopefully I will get some time later tonight or tomorrow to download some pictures.

We had a wonderful Christmas. James got loads of stuff. He not only got toys, books, and such but he got an entire wardrobe of clothes! The poor child is so deprived isn't he. (*rolls eyes*)

Guess I will stop rambling now. Hopefully I will have some pictures to share with you soon.

SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!! SALE!!!

ETA: I will leave this post at the top of the blog until the sale is over. For new posts look below this one.

Yep you read it right. I am having my first sale at my Etsy store. It begins December 1 and will run until Christmas. So please stop buy and if you feel so inclined purchase a sweet little hat for that little one that could use it this winter. Most hats have been marked down at least $5.00!!!!

Just click on the link above or the picture in the sidebar or below to get there.



Thanks so much!


ETA: I will leave this post at the top of the blog until the sale is over. For new posts look below this one.

Socks!

First off we had a 3 for 1 Birthday party this past Sunday. It was for my Sister-in-Law, Brother-in-Law and Niece. It was the day that the rainbow socks were making their public arrival. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they would fit and most of all that she would like them.

The socks fit her perfectly! I was so happy. After opening all her gifts she put on the socks and wore them all night! I was so glad that she liked them. It is still exciting to me to have someone really like something that you put all the hard work into. She is such a sweet young woman and when we were leaving she thanked me for them and the other things. I can't believe that she is 15 now! Where has the time gone.

Here is a picture of the socks before they were wrapped in their festive birthday wrapping.



Here is my niece with her socks on. She looks sad because James refused to sit and take a picture with her. I think she was trying to guilt him into it, but he wasn't budging on his decision.




I finished one of the toddler socks last night and cast on for the next one. I am hoping to get it finished tonight. I am at the decreases for the gusset so I am going pretty good on it. I would really like to be able to have them out in the mail tomorrow and on their way.


I can't believe that it is almost Christmas. Only 1 week away and I still haven't wrapped any gifts. It might be a long night on Christmas Eve wrapping presents.

Done Done Done

Did I mention that I am done?.

My niece's socks are done! I finished them last night in the wee hours.

It seemed like it took just as long to weave in the ends as it did to knit them. I really dislike the process of weaving in ends. No matter how I go about it, it just takes forever. I have thought about using the ends like stranded knitting and wrapping them in as I go. I wonder how well that would work. Anyone ever done this or use this method?

Any way, they are brightly colored that is for sure. She is so into the bright colors now. She just got a new bedding set and it has all the bright colors in it with big flowers. The socks should match. LOL

Details:

Needles: Sz. 1 Ebony 5 Double Point Lantern Moon

Yarn: 1 Ball Regia Sock Yarn Bright Orange (Sorry lost the label so that is all I have)
1 Skein Lorna's Laces Rainbow

Since there was only one skein of the LL's I used the Regia for the cuff, heel, and toe. They were knit from top down with a round heal and classic toe.

I hope that she likes them.



After finishing them I cast on for the toddler socks. They will be black, grey and white. They should look zebraish (yes it is a word in my mind LOL). I did a few rows before I headed to bed at 2 this morning. Hopefully these will go quick. They are much smaller and are on larger needles, so they should go faster.

I am using Cascade Fixation for these and size 4 needles. Here's hoping that I can bust a move and get them done quick.

Just Around the Bend

My niece's socks need to be finished and to her this Sunday. Ahhhhh! I do have the first one finished and have a good portion of the second one done, but the knitting seems to be going slower and slower as the time ticks by faster and faster. I only have 33 more rows to go before I can start the toe decrease. I am hoping that I will be able to get to the toe decreases by tomorrow evening so that I might have them finished by Friday. *Sigh*

After my niece's socks are finished I have to immediately cast on for a toddler pair. They should go faster since they are much smaller and use a bigger needle and yarn. They, in all theory, should only take me a few days at the most to finish.

I was taking some boxes to the basement today and found my gloves that I never finished last year. I have 3 fingers and a thumb to do and they will be finished. After all the holiday hustle and bustle I plan on getting them back out so I can finish them and get them off my list. I can't believe that I never finished them. I guess more interesting projects came along. LOL I need to get them done so that I can wear them this winter, that is if the weather would turn cold and quit teasing us with the warm weather that we have been having.

Well I am going to take my sock and head to bed. I guess I will knit a few rounds before I completely turn in. Call it my wind down rows. ;)

Keep on Knittin' Knittin', Knittin'

I have been busily knitting away. I have made a pair of socks for James, a scarf for a friend, have one sock finished for my niece and am currently working on a fair isle baby hat. I still need to make another pair of child's socks and the second sock for my niece.

The fair isle hat has to be finished this weekend. I am so close to getting to the decreases that I can almost taste it. I am not using a pattern and am just winging it. I hope that it turns out ok. It is just a simple spiral pattern. I am using Baby Ull in a nice blue and green. I hope that the recipients like it.

The socks for my niece have to be finished by the following weekend.

Unfortunately I just don't get much knitting time in. James doesn't want me knitting when he is awake. While he is napping I am running through the house to get some general cleaning and such done and I don't get to do much then. In the evening I finish up cleaning up and putting James to bed. By the time that is all finished it is normally close to 10 or so. I get a few precious hours to do some knitting as long as the dog behaves and James doesn't wake with a night terror or something of the sort. So the little time that I do get is quite precious.

I will post pictures of some of the things that I have listed above as soon as I get pictures of them and get them on the computer.

Have a great day.

I-Cord is DONE!!

Yes you see it right. The I-cord for the rug is done. Finally done. Whooo Hooooo!!! I am sure you heard the big sigh of relief once I was finished.

I can safely say that it is the most I-cord that I have ever knit. I don't think that I ever want to knit that much ever again. Granted it was great mindless knitting that I could do pretty much any where at any time, but a person can only do so much mindless knitting before she becomes mindless herself. So needless to say I am glad that part of it is finished.






Here we have the massive ball of I-cord and the yarn that I am going to sew it together with.




Since I have never sewn I-cord together into a rug I am not sure what to expect. I hope that it goes smoothly, but with my luck it will be nothing but problems and I will have a pretty I-cord ball for decoration. I had said earlier that if it doesn't work I am stringing it up for Christmas as my form of mistletoe.

Wish me luck. I think I am going to need all that I can get.

Still Working on the I-Cord

I am still working on the I-cord for my rug. Man I don't think it will ever end. I am beginning to question if I am really sane.

I wound it into a ball to keep it some what more manageable. It was beginning to get out of control. James loves it just that much more now that it is in ball form. Every time he walks by it he pats it and says "Ahhhhh" or he will hug it and say "Ahhhh ball". He is so goofy. I love the fact that he is so fascinated by it and loves yarn. Gotta start them early. ;)

One day in the future I will be finished with the I-Cord and will get to have the fun adventure of sewing it all together. I hope that it isn't as much of a pain as I am expecting it to be.

The BIG 30

This past Monday night there was a surprise party for Christina. She had no clue that it had been in the works for a while and was quite surprised.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!!!!









There was quite a good turn out. Of course we had plenty of yummy food. We just can't have a pert without all the food. Normally we indulge on the tasty goodness that our stomachs are hurting. Did you know that one's stomach can only stretch so far before it threatens to explode: :) Here are some pictures of the turn out, food and the beautiful cake.








It seemed that everyone had a great time and it was just about to get better. In comes Elmer. He was a singing telegram for Christina from our Dear Sara. Boy was he funny! It didn't seem that anyone knew exactly what he was going to do. I heard one say that he was supposed to strip. AHHHHHHHHHH!!! Please NO!!! Thank God that wasn't the case. It was bad enough to see the shorts. I can say that the guy did a great job ad was freaking hysterical. Just look at Christina's face, she was doubled over with laughter.

















Here we have the stairway to a sugar coma. LOL




I had a great time and it sounded like everyone else did too. It is always fun to get together with your fellow knitters and if a party breaks out then that is even better.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA WE GOT YOU :)

Diaper Bag Finished!!

Here it is. It is finished! It is felted and their name is needle felted on it. This is the first time I have ever needle felted so I am not exactly happy with that part of it. What I had in my mind was quite different than how it turned out.

The Malabrigo felted up so nice and it went so quick. It took maybe 5 minutes to get it completely felted. That is the fastest I have ever felted anything before. It came out a really nice and soft fabric. It is thick enough for what it is meant for and the feel is just wonderful.




In addition to the bad I bought a few things for the new baby as well. It just isn't right to give an empty diaper bag. :)



Here we have the back of the bag. It looks the same as the front, but without the name on it.



Finally here is the bag full of it's contents that are just waiting to go to it's new owner. Now to get it to them. Guess I need to make a call and see when they will be home hu?.

Bag Up-right

Felted Diaper Bag

So I saw this diaper bad and just had to make it. A friend of mine was having a little boy and it was calling my name. Isn't it just too cute?!



Here is the first side pocket and part of the bottom and side pockets. What yarn is that you ask? Well it is the luscious Malabrigo. Yes - I am going to felt it. No - it isn't a sin to felt Malabrigo, though I did second guess myself for doing so.



Here is a close up of the above picture. I double stranded the bottom of the bag. I figure that they are always drug across the ground and that could be a major wear point. So instead of following the 1 strand throughout as the pattern called for I modified it to use a 2 stranded bottom.



Now I have all the pocket flaps and bottom finished and have picked up all my stitches and am beginning to make the upper part of the bag.



Here is a close up of the above picture.



It is getting really close to being done. All I have to do is the dark blue around the top and the strap. I am so close I can't wait to get it done and felted.



Yet another close up.



Here it is completely knit up with handle and all. It now just needs to go to the washer for felting. After felting and drying I am going to needle felt their name on one side of it. I thought that would add just that much more of a personal touch to it.

Much Over Due Thank You

Quite a while back I won a contest that the Gabby Knitter Kelly was having. Who ever was the 700 commenter won some of her hand spun yarn! Well since I leave comments there anyway I figured I wouldn't win, but I did!!!

Not only did I get the yarn, but I also got a bar of chocolate and a tin of her favorite tea! I can't wait to get into all of it. What a great package. The yarn is so soft. I still need to decide what I am going to make with it. I am thinking bed time socks. It is so nice it would be a shame to wear it on my feet in a pair of shoes. Of course if I do use it for bed socks I will have to wear them to my LYS to show them off.

If you ever have a chance to get your hands on her yarn you should grab it as fast as you can. I am sure that it is going to knit up as sweet as it feels. Now to find the perfect pattern.

THANKS SO MUCH KELLY! You exceeded my expectations.