Monday, September 26, 2011

Cute Overload

Baby stuff is so awesome to knit. It's quick to knit and good practice for basic principles, and teeny tiny things are just so adorable!

I started this baby cardigan on Thursday, broke my needles on Friday* and had to switch projects until I could buy new ones, and finished knitting on Sunday. The quickest sweater ever!

The pattern was for 0-3 months or 6-9 months.  I used larger needles than called for, and smaller yarn, so I'll just say it's Peanut-sized when it will fit Peanut. I have no concept of baby clothes sizes, but I'm guessing it's smaller than 6-9 months...


Project: Baby Sophistocate by Linden Down
Yarn: Filatura Lanarota Wool Heathers, color 732 (Purplish)
Needles: US 9, 29 inch circulars



*I have bought two full sets of needles from eBay - one set of 9 inch DPNs, and one set of 29 inch circs.  I LOVE my DPNs and have really appreciated having needles of every size on hand at random times.  BUT! My circulars are crap. The tubing is hollow and is prone to kinking, breaking, and separating from the needle.  This was only the second project on my size 9s.  They broke during the last project and I was able to tape them back together.  After they broke this time I was fed up and bought good quality replacement.  I'll use the others a time or two, but at the first sign of breaking, I'm going to head to the store before I lose my work.

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Cold Sheep Totals
Total Yards: 15,664.3
Total Grams: 9,910.6
Total Skeins: 116.1
Finished Objects: 9

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Just Like Daddy's Hat

Oops, I did it again.



Started this wee tiny baby hat after returning from the shower on Sunday.  Finished it Monday night after our dinner guests left.  How can I stop myself from knitting these adorable tiny things when they only take an hour or two??

This one is just a bit special - I found this newborn pattern that is basically the same pattern I knit up for my brother's birthday last year.   After stash diving for the right yarn, I came up with this soft lilac color.  Maybe not the manliest color, but baby soft and "purple." It also happens to be the same yarn I used to knit a hat for the baby's mama when I first started knitting years ago.  Funny how things fall in to place when you keep yarn around for five years...

Pattern: Eyelet Mock Cable Rib Hat by Lenore English
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby Solids, in Lilac
Needles: US 5


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Haven't weighed the leftover yarn yet, so no new stats.

Finished objects from stash: 8

Dino-myte!

Now that the baby shower has come and gone, I can share my most recent creation for my unborn nephew, Peanut, with you.


Dinosaur!!

I knit up the sides and legs while driving out to Snoqualmie Pass and back for work. It was surprisingly simply, but the pattern was surprisingly bad. Had to frog the spines a couple times before I came up with something I liked.  Also, notes like "Embroider faces onto toys before sewing them up completely, as it is easier to tie off the threads from the inside of the knitting and then sew up the toy" belong not only in the introduction, but in the pattern as well. This pattern actually tells you to stuff and close the body, then stuff legs and attach to body, then embroider face.  I'd say that goes against the notes in the introduction, no?

But all complaints aside, isn't he cute?


I got frustrated a few times stitching him up, but goofed off a bit and it made me feel better.


Definitely glad I added the stripes to the belly.  It adds a certain  je ne sais quoi. 





Pattern: Roaring Dinosaur, by Zoe Mallor (published in Knitted Toys)
Yarn: Caron One Pound
Needles: US 3


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Cold Sheeping Tally

Total  Yards: 15,893.1
Total Grams: 10,020.6
Number of Skeins: 118.3
Finished Objects from Stash: 7

Note: New totals include a shawl that I finished knitting, but haven't sewn in the ends yet.  As soon as I have a few spare moments I'll get around to blocking and have a photo shoot.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Thoroughly Enchanted

Not much of note has happened around here lately.  A lot of "busy" time spent frantically running around, but not much to show for it. I haven't particularly been cooking or baking, and work has been fairly busy with both scheduled and random field work. I have been knitting sporadically in an attempt to finish a couple projects before the weather turns cold. Sleeves are just so boooooring though.... Maybe it'll be done by November.

I there was one thing I did that was worthy of blogging about. But I really shouldn't post any pictures.  You'll just be jealous.

Oh, well. Prepare to turn green!












The Enchantments.  Four days.  Three nights.  Nineteen miles.  Countless mountain goats.