Let the baby parade begin

First up, Claudia.  She’s expecting in January.  I chose the “Louise Cardigan” pattern in Vintage Baby Knits, it’s a lovely swingy little cardi that has two buttons at the yoke and lies open.  Knit in sock yarn, it’s a lovely fine little sweater.

I’m really pleased with the result.  I screwed up on the yoke, but because of the variegated yarn you can’t really tell.    Yes, that was my plan all along…  And of course, as my excellent mother says, if it doesn’t have mistakes you won’t know it’s handmade. 

Inspired by someone I found who had knit this same sweater on Ravelry and who had paired it with some adorable mary jane booties, I made Ysolda’s “Tiny Shoes” from her Whimsical Little Knits collection to co-ordinate.  There is even enough sock yarn left over to make another pair of booties.  I really liked the colour, I can see it making an adorable pair of “Saartje’s booties”.  The Knit Picks stroll yarn is really good to work with, a nice rich colourway and good stitch definition for a modest price.  And superwash to boot, so there’s no special care instructions!  Very important for baby clothes.

I’m chuffed with how well this project has turned out, in spite of my mistakes.  I really hope Claudia loves it, and that it serves her and her little girl well.

PS: I decided on the Simple Things… for a gift for Mom.  Waiting on some time to do a Herbivore for myself.  After the holidays!

Decisions, decisions.

Ok, so I’m working on a wee cardigan for my friend Claudia who is preggo.  Poor thing’s had a really rough year, and I want to do something extra special for her to celebrate her little girl on the way.  It’s a very cute cardigan pattern, I found it in Vintage Baby Knits, and it knits up in sock yarn.  How neat is that.  I’m using a handpainted merino that is machine washable and dryable – yay for Knit Picks.

Aside:  Vintage Baby Knits is an amazing book.

Ok.  So once that’s done, and I finish up the Christmas gifts I have yet to complete, I will get to knit a couple things for myself.  I’m going to use the cashmere/merino blend yarn I have languishing in my stash for a Rose Red beret, designed by the famous Ysolda, and then, I have a decision… should I do a herbivore shawlette or a simple things shawlette?  Westknits or Rainydaygoods?  Oh, the decisions…

So, the Christmas gift list, still to complete:

1. Dad’s second sock
2. Mom’s second sock
3. A hat for Dad
4. A hat for Jeff
5. Kayla’s socks

I can do it, but I have to get moving.

Little projects

I love little projects.  They give one such a feeling of accomplishment.

Like this Noro Silk Garden cup cozy, for instance.  It’s a free pattern, available online, and the simplicity of its design is meant to balance the bold colours of Noro Kureyon.  I used Silk Garden instead, because I liked the feel of it better, and as it’s for gifts…  anyway, this pattern is so easy I made two in a matter of several hours.  Mind you, I’m also sick, so I’ll have to wash them.

I really like the colourway.  I think it’s nice and masculine, which was a selling point on the Silk Garden in the store.  The Kureyon colourways all had pink, and the gifts are intended for my friend Jay the coffee addict and for my brother Jeff, who will be having to commute all the way in from Hampton in January so I thought a reusable coffee mug and cozy would be a handy gift.  Jeff used to have a pair of purple Doc Martens:  the purple reminds me of him.  And the black, purple and blue is for Jay, as those are the colours he wears all the time.

I also said I would complete squares for a barn-raising quilt.  I did two… I have to get them in to the folks at Cricket Cove for Sheila, but that’ll come in time.  Here they are too:

Apparently Sheila likes yellow, so I tried to choose colourways of sock yarn I had on hand that featured yellow.  In the front is Knit Picks handpainted merino, in the “Cartoons” colourway; in the back is some leftovers from my Lupin socks – Opel’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince “Lupin” inspired colourway.  The merino is wonderfully soft, the wool is less so but I think it will wear well.  Both are machine washable, that was a requirement.  Now to get those off to be included in the overall quilt!

Second Sock Syndrome Strikes Again

I am totally languishing in the thrall of the dreaded second sock syndrome.  Two pairs on the go, and I have completed one sock for each.  Sigh.  I know I need to finish them, I know.  Christmas is comin’.  The goose is getting fat.  &c.&c.

Meanwhile, check out the awesome Tudora ruff I made.  What a great pattern – totally easy and quick.  And this handpainted merino worsted I picked up when I was in Hali from LK yarns is wonderful to work with.  Great stitch definition.  Definitely would pick this yarn up again.  I need to get some 4mm DPNs to make a set of Fetching fingerless gloves to match… what a cute set it will be!

A Christmas gift complete! And is not the back wall of my building an awesome photo area?

The red is actually richer, a bit darker, than it would seem in this photo.  I blame the light blue tee for throwing off my camera’s sensors.

Also exciting, since I’m posting pics, I got a box full of yarn the other day.  Glee!  I’m going to use it to make Chic Knits’ Mondo Cable Cardi.  It’s Dream in Color handpainted yarn, aran weight.  The colourway is “Good Luck Jade” and it’s going to make a stunningly beautiful sweater, especially with my colouring.  I can’t wait to get through the baby stuff I have on the go so I can make it.  The yarn is taunting me in its box.

My kingdom for a ball-winder and swift.

Once I finish Christmas projects, however, it’s full on baby projects for me.  My wonderful department head’s wife gave me a lovely gift of some knitting books she was getting rid of… so I scored Vintage Baby Knits. The book fills me with a glee I find hard to describe to non-knitters.  I think a fingering weight baby sweater and booties is about the prettiest thing you can put on a child.  Well, you either get that or you don’t.  But glee, I’m telling you.  Pure glee.

Workin’ Away

I found a really great merino worsted yarn in Halifax, and I’m making a Tudora out of it for a friend.  Wonderful pattern and great yarn to work with.

Meanwhile, I wait for the yarn to come in for a Mondo Cable Cardi.  Gorgeous Dream in Colour handpainted aran weight merino, in the Good Luck Jade colourway.  It’s going to make an absolutely stunning sweater, I cannot WAIT to get started on it.

And the holiday gifts begin

I was in Halifax at the end of last week and into the weekend, for a conference.  The conference was awesome, so extremely worthwhile.  In addition, however, I got to go to my favourite yarn store in Halifax, the filled to the rafters with snuggly goodness LK Yarns in the Hydrostone market.

I picked up some wonderful Filatura di Crosa yarns this trip:  squishy soft merino in green, orange and purple (it works somehow) for Heather’s baby, I’m thinking of booties and a hat; and a novelty yarn, purple and black wool with slubs of what appears to be roving in pink, lime green and royal blue.  The latter is in use for a scarf.  I feel like I’m knitting a muppet, it’s creating a total muppet texture.  I kind of love it.  I’m thrilled to have found it, it’s making a really unique gift for Steph for Christmas.  She has a white coat, I think the bright colours are going to work really well.

Next on the list is a Tudora, and a couple pairs of  socks I need to complete. I’m loving making gifts, it feels so personal.  And when I’m done, and the baby stuff is out of the way, I’m making druid mittens, and two pairs of snuggly socks for me.  Happy thought indeed.

My long-awaited Malabrigo sweater

Huzza!  I finally finished my Malabrigo cobalt blue sweater of awesome snuggliness!  So cozy!!!  I particularly love the snuggly funnel collar… though I think I’m going to have to readjust the position of the buttons because of my skinny neck… and also the lovely cable design.  I’m so thrilled with this cardigan.  And I’m particularly pleased that it’s all done, lol.  I was getting awful tired of it.  Small projects for me from now on, I think… first up, Jared Flood’s Druid Mittens for me in glorious kettle-dyed butter yellow Tanis Fiber Arts merino… though I admit I am still eyeing a Clapotis and wouldn’t mind a February Lady Sweater.  We’ll see.  I have a lot of baby stuff to make in the next few months, plus Christmas gifts.  Much to keep me occupied… though I look forward to being able to make stuff for myself again.

A weekend of preserves

I made a whole slew of preserves this weekend – delicious green tomato chow and wild blueberry jam. Next up is apple pie jam and cranberry claret jelly. I love homemade preserves: i don’t understand folks who like cooking and organic foods who don’t do preserves. Check out all the bottles – more to come, too.

Something in the water

Seriously, coworkers, stop getting pregnant.  While I am thrilled (as are we all) to see our good friend Nathan have a job, it’s a lot of baby stuff to knit!  Holy cannoli!

In other news, I have successfully attached a sleeve to my blue malabrigo sweater that I just dug out of hibernation.  Su-weeeeeet.

The meditative knitter

I know I’ve often thought about the meditative aspect of knitting.  It really is a very calming activity.  The smooth regularity of the stitches.  The feel of the knit fabric forming as you go.  The repetition of movement as you create the pattern.

Today was a day filled with meetings at work, during which we discussed a new policy that is just coming into place.  This policy is not without controversy, and some of the discussion became heated.  Instead of getting embroiled in it, though, I had my knitting.  It was very soothing to have something to do with my hands to calm my spirit, and oddly it helped me to focus on what I think are a few important points (and one major concern) I wish to deal with going forward.  I changed how I reacted, by changing my perspective.  Something I try to do when meditating, and don’t always manage to accomplish.

So here’s to the soothing regularity of repeated knits and purls.