New Project: Sweater with Shoulder Buttons

When C and I came out to Denver last week (yes, that was only 12 days ago that we flew out here -- how insane how much has happened since then), we checked out a yarn shop in Denver -- The Lamb Shoppe.  Maybe you know and maybe you don't, but C and I had taken to meeting once a month (and eventually our friend Ang joined us) for a stitching night in Coralville.  Because I was moving, we had to check out a yarn shop together one more time... I don't want to say we'll never knit together again in Coralville, but I can't project when that might happen again.

 

While there, we both perused and picked out a new project -- how could we not?  I settled on easy kid knits by Claire Montgomerie.  I love this book for many reasons, one being that there are a lot of really cute and easy patterns that are simply gorgeous.  Another reason is that this book is for kids aged 3 - 10, and it's hard to find books for kids that age (for knitting).

 

In the book I fell in love with a pattern called "Sweater with Shoulder Buttons" (see picture above).  The gal at the shop helped me pick out some yarn that would be suitable and I settled on a pale pink sock yarn.  I'm not sure which child the sweater will fit; I started the sweater last night after the girls went to bed and didn't have their measurements, so I picked a size and got started.  Who knows; maybe it won't fit either of them!  But, I'm enjoying the process and the opportunity to sit and knit again.

 

erin

Hello, Old Friend

Last night my friend Janice and her daughter Hazel came over for a quick dinner and to hang out for the evening.  They arrived ~6:30 pm and stayed till ~11:30 pm.  It was great to watch the girls try to impress Hazel and to generally act nuts because Someone Besides Us Was In the House, Hallelujah! 

After we put the kids to bed (girls in their room, Hazel in a Pack 'n Play in the guest room), Janice suggested that she whip out her current hand project and that I knit. 

 

Knit?  KNIT???  Knit.

 

Along with not blogging much for almost two months, I have only knitted ~4 rows on a hat in the last two months.  Much of this is due to being busy.  Okay, ALL of this is due to being busy.  Single mom, working full-time, but still taking Fridays "off", looking for jobs, working on resume, looking for more jobs, interviewing... that results in busy.  Whelmed.  Very much so.

 

What a great idea Janice had!  Knitting!

 

(Side bar: You should see Janice's project -- a super fabulous applique quilt with her own version of "Hawaiian" flowers and volcanoes... it is simply fantastic!)

 

So, last night I pulled out this fabulous royal blue/purple/somewhere in between yarn that Chrissy and I had picked up at Crazy Girl some odd months ago.  Like, MANY months ago.  I'm pretty sure the yarn is Malabrigo, something ridiculously expensive, to which I was drawn and could not remove myself.  I decided that such a fantastic yarn should be used on a project for yours truly, something I haven't done in a very long time.

 

I had found a pattern for fingerless gloves or wristlets or whatever you want to call them.  The pattern gave me the general idea, but honestly, after casting on the number of stitches required, I just went off on my own thing.  Today I need to count/figure out what I did so I can make a second one!  Ha!

 

I cast on 35 stitches, which was for a L/XL, but about 1/3 of the way up I decreased 4 stitches because it was obvious that the glove would be too big for me.  I'm still trying to decide whether I want to put a thumb "sock" on it; the original pattern didn't call for one and I didn't think I would want one, but I think it would make them look classier.  *grin*

 

The first one took ~3 hours while chatting and my stitches, while even, are a little rusty... time to get back at it!  :)  Looking forward to pumping out another one very soon so I have a pair.

 

erin

Roar #3

This is my friend Janice modeling a hat I had made for the son of a friend of mine... the girls were in bed when I finished, however, so I needed a hat model, and Janice was more than willing.  :)  Of course, a little beer doesn't hurt.  She is excellent at roaring as well.  (Thanks, Janice!  Love you!)

 

(This is the third Roar hat that I've made... so easy and fun!)

Another Hat

Here is a hat that I made for my sister on New Year's... it was a lot of fun to make and very quick to work up... I hope she loves it!  :)  (I heard that she does, anyway!)

The cutest gnome ever

My dear friends Mike and Amanda got around to their 2nd kid and I HAD to come up with the perfect gift.  Since I've meandered into knitting, I thought a baby hat seemed fitting.  Well originally it was going to be a Yoda (like in star wars) hat, I even got the yarn.  But I had just finished another project and had a ton of this orangish red left and I had an epiphany.  Mike has a rather large obsession with gnomes, so what better gift for Mike's daughter than a gnome hat (and matching beard!)  Here's pics of the finished product modeled on bella's cabbage patch as well as on the real life kiddo (Thanks Addy you were very cooperative!)

A Swift!

So... you probably don't know what this is, but believe me when I tell you it is super cool.

 

This is a swift, and this is one of many swift designs on which you place your yarn and from which you can ball your yarn either with a winder or by hand.  Swifts are fairly expensive, but I knew Adam was up to the task and he surprised me with a swift as a Christmas gift.  The pegs are adjustable so that different sizes of skeins of yarn can be placed on the swift in order to ball it.

 

Balling yarn without a swift is possible, but it can get very messy very quickly (just ask Adam who has watched me ball yarn from a skein just laying limp on the couch).  I'm very excited to use this!  And, what's even cooler is that it is collapsible, so I am able to take it apart and store it easy as well.

 

(Thanks, honey!  This is a great gift!)

A Fun and Special Hat

What I love about hats is the different techniques I'm able to try on a relatively small project.  Doesn't work out?  That's okay, it's only a hat.  Looks great?  Sweet, now I can try it on something bigger and HEY, now I have a gift!

 

(Really, I typically think of it as a gift first and as a technique learner second, but you get my meaning.)

 

This hat is my first felted project.  As you can see, you knit the project way larger than it needs to be and then felt it in the washer.  It was super fun to do the felting part of this... I love how it turned out!  Now I'm excited to knit a bag or small purse or something that I can decorate... SWEET.

 

This is another "gift hat"... I think this is number 10 since the fall... I'm losing count but having OH SO MUCH FUN!

 

erin

Hats

So, right... hats have been my thing this fall and winter.

 

These hats are the ones I knitted for my nieces (Hannah on left and Laila on right)... I had them delivered so that Dad & Grandma could put them under the tree for Christmas... so fun to get a picture of them wearing their hats!

I counted and since October I have made eight hats... I'm working on number nine and have two more in queue... fun, fun!

 

Want on the hat list?  Just shoot me the style you're wantin'.  ;)

 

erin

Hat Finished!

We had some friends over for dinner tonight, and after dinner, we played Dominion (Adam's new game that he got for Christmas)... yes... I actually learned a bit how to play... but, while playing, I put the finishing touches on this hat... kinda sad that I'll be seeing this one go to a new owner, but I really enjoyed it and looking forward to giving it away... and to eventually making one of my own!

 

erin

So much fun!

The cabling is done... now just to finish the rest of the hat!  I was surprised by how quickly this worked up and I love how it is turning out... I may just have to make one for myself!  Yay!

 

erin