hey, guys! sorry I haven't posted in a while. I just started a new blog. check it out: http://www.goodknits.com it's not only for knitting, though, as you'll see. I'm still getting used to the configurations and whatnot, so forgive me if it doesn't look very interesting, right now.
i'm not yet ready to plummet into the world of quilted blankets, so i thought i'd put my foot in the door by making some bibs for my cousin (whose baby shower in this weekend!).
for the binding/strap i used some fold over
i hadn't been knitting or crocheting much because all i can think about nowadays, craft-wise, is my sewing machine. i hate cutting, though. hate it!
anyway, i knit my first toy! i used ysolda's stuffies pattern, some leftover wool-ease chunky, and 5mm needles to get him. then, yesterday, i decided to finally make a sock monkey! i recently found a pair of socks in my couch, so i used them.
the monkey slept in bed with us, last night. well, actually, he fell asleep in nate's arms and i carefully pried him away, once the bub was asleep and set him on a chair nearby. when J got a wake-up call from his boss, this morning, Nathan awoke, asking "where my monkey go?" amazing memory, no?!
he toted him around all morning and actually just ran away from nursing to find him!! unbelievable.
I need to find some cute socks to make one for cousin's daughter, whose birthday party is this weekend! i think it'd be a cute gift. she's turning 5, though. i'm soooo not good with older kids. her daddy said no toys, but BOO to that! heh
check out my new wallet, made from an old cassette tape, some paint, a zipper, felt, and glue (blech).
a late father's day "surprise" because my cards didn't get here until monday. I want to buy a lot of paper to make a lot of crane-mobiles.
dainty little hair-clip that took about 10 minutes to make. wahoo.
also--that's one of my very FIRST quilt blocks. i get to make more today!
Show us a Polaroid picture.
size: i measured nate's chest, arms, and torso length, then added a few inches for growth. I had 110 sts for the body and 36 sts for each arm.
gauge: 5 sts/in
yarn: Cascade 220 in silver grey over-dyed with many many packs of tamarindo kool-aid (2 skeins with just a smidge leftover) for the body/sleeves and azure for the button bands and hems (less than one skein). I probably have enough to make a fair isle-ish hat. oh the possibilities!
needles: US 8 (5mm)
cool things i learned: steeks! stst hems! one-row buttonholes! raglan-saddle hybrid sweater decreases that RULE.
i used steeks to turn it into a cardigan and added hems to the body and sleeves. the sleeves are obviously a tad long, but the hem makes a perfect turn upward.
i dig it. the photo of the sweater alone looks lumpy because i had to just throw it on the floor for a few solo photos. I learned it's HIS sweater and i can't play with it anymore.:(
I recently started a seamless hybrid from the "recipe" given to us in Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann. yesterday, I finished most of the knitting (the rest of the second arm + the amazing decreases to the neck + the neck band). I tried to try it on Nathan and discovered the neck opening was TOO SMALL for my son's ginormous head. the only thing to do, which will appease my mother who said it should not be a pullover, was to use steeks to turn it into a cardigan. After reading and re-reading Eunny Jang's steeking tutorials (specifically the crocheted steek part), I bravely performed my first steek (read: I CUT MY KNITTING), then immediately over-dyed and started blocking it. I originally started out with Cascade 220 in silver grey and over-dyed it with many many packs of tamarindo kool-aid (hence the yellow fingernails). here's a sneak-peek:
I'm calling the sweater "Rusty" because it looks like it has rusty spots. I'm extremely excited about knitting up the button bands. I just have to wait for it to dry. I've already changed the towel it's laying on 3 times! i've stomped on it with another towel over it and I think I've got as much of the excess water out of it as possible. the rest is up to the air...
more later!
because these booties are most def cute: yes or yes?
pattern can be found here: http://www.saartjeknits.nl/
I used worsted weight wool and 3.25 mm (US3) needles.
I need some baby feet to put them on. they're about 4 inches long, so they'll fit 6-12 month old toes, I believe.
I finished the body and one sleeve of a toddler seamless hybrid (Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern I'm using from Knitting Without Tears) I put the sleeve and body on a long needle, while I finish up the second and let me say...I am totally psyched. this will be my first bottom up sweater! I'm going to be bummed the little one won't be able to wear it til fall! I made it slightly larger than the measurements I took because I know he's going to grow a bit by then AND I want to hope he'll fit in it the NEXT winter, as well.
I went a baby shower, this past weekend. I gifted a blanket, sweater (crochetme.com's Baby It's Cold Outside), overalls (part EZ, part me), a burp cloth (Mason dixon Knitting) and a bib (me) all in a basket that I lined myself! i was sooo excited and everything was well received. her theme was John Deere, if that isn't apparent. heh
i actually finished this soaker a while back, but the ribbing looked atrocious.
my second pinwheel!
i used some red heart acrylic and US8 needles to get this. i really like the way the colors spread! during knitting, I disliked it a lot, though. it's a gift for a new-newb in my life.
<<newb socks basic top-down sock pattern with short-row heel.
next up:
when it's laid down flat like that, it looks like a huge sock toe. love it! while the box was set-up, I managed to also get pics of the Happy Hooker bunny I made over a year ago and some coasters I made as my first sewing project, this weekend-
