WIP Wednesday (sorta): 7/19/12

I know it's not Wednesday, but it’s been awhile since I’ve just shown you what I’m currently working on.  So here we go!

Evie’s Sweater – are you tired of hearing about this one?  Because I am.  Every time I think I get moving on it, something else catches my eye and I’m bored with it.  I really like the look, I think it’d be great on Evie for the winter, but I’m just not feelin’ it.  So…I’ve decided to frog it.  (And after starting it twice!)   I think it’s got something to do with the yarn and the pattern.  I’m using a heavier yarn than called for, and although I tried going up a needle size, I’m just not happy with what I’m seeing.  I’m sure I can find a better project for the yarn and I know I’ve got better yarn for this project.   This will be done during the Ravellenic Games for the Frogging event.  I’d like to match a yarn to the pattern as well and start over, we’ll see how far I get with that.  I want it to be green – green is Evie’s color. 

Ruche Beret – This is a pattern from my favorite designer, Susan B. Anderson. It’s published in the book, Weekend Hats.  I cast this on while I should have been doing other knitting but was instead procrastinating.  I’ve had the yarn for awhile now (I got it during the A is for Apples swap), and I’ve had the yarn caked for quite some time – waiting for the right pattern. 

My problem and delay in knitting with it is the quantity and composition of the yarn.  This is 170 yards of 100% alpaca.  It’s soooo soft and squishy and beautiful (it’s actually teal, by the way – not dark blue).  I only have one skein, which isn’t enough for any Alana Dakos beret pattern (I don’t think, anyway), and because it’s 100% alpaca, there will be a halo with the finished object.  I don’t mind a halo, but it also means that stitch definition can get a little lost. 

I also have really sensitive skin, especially around my neck and face.  I easily break out in a rash, and I can get hot really quickly.  So this meant the yarn could not be around my neck.  When Susan’s pattern was released, this was the first yarn that popped into my head.  Now, her pattern calls for DK weight and I’m using Sport, but I’m hoping it all works out alright.

I am having a hard time knitting on this right now, though, because we’ve had nearly 100 degree heat for the last couple weeks, in addition to the high humidity…I don’t want to knit with anything too fuzzy.  When I’m sticky, knitting with alpaca isn’t on the top of my to-do list.

Westknits Mystery KAL 2012 - I debated joining in, but this is good travel knitting.  We've only received clue 1 so far, and I've completed 14 repeats.  I'd share a picture, but I don't know who's reading the blog and I don't want to throw any spoilers out there.  If you want to see a picture of my progress, check out the pictures on my project page.  It's reminiscent of a couple other patterns Mr. West has out there.  I'm enjoying it because the repeats are quick and easily memorized.  There are some gorgeous projects going on!!

Finally, Sharktooth.  This is a Stephen West pattern, and it was part of a pattern/yarn club.  I had to wait for the pattern to be released before I could dive in, which was probably good anyway because I had a lot I wanted to complete when I first found this. I’m using Dream In Color Everlast in Jeans.  You can see the variation in the yarn.  Not something I normally gravitate towards, but it seems to work in this pattern.  In fact, I went in search of a yarn that wasn’t just semi-solid so I could replicate what Mr. West did.   There are three fan-like sections to this shawl.  I’m about half-way through the second fan.  I’m making the smaller size because I only have 1 skein of  yarn, but it should make for a nice scarf/shawlette.  I've pretty much got the pattern memorized...it's all just a matter of proper placement of increases and YOs (yarnovers).

What's in your project bag at the moment?  Anything you shouldn't have cast on, but you just couldn't resist?  Is summer time heavier or lighter on the knitting for you?

WIP Wednesday 4/11

Two weeks later and I'm finally posting again.  Ever get tired of me saying that I'll be better about posting more often?

I have made some progress on several WIPs.  In fact, at least half of what I shared last time is complete and just needs proper photos so I can share them with you.

What does that leave me with, you ask?  Plenty.

I'm still working on my Whippoorwill shawl.  I'm on row 78.  I had put it down for a while and couldn't remember exactly where in the pattern I had left off.  So the first time picking it back up again was slow going.  And the rows where I'm alternating skeins move slower.  But I'm on a solid-color section now and think it will go quicker again for a bit.  I have noticed a ruffly, rippled look forming where the increase rows are placed.  On each increase row you're increasing by several stitches each time.  I can't wait to see what the end result looks like.  This is a project I work on when I'm just not sure what else to do because I have some other required knitting to complete this month.

Evie's Sweater is still in my "active projects" bag, but it hasn't seen the light of day in a while.  But I want it finished before Fall arrives this year, so it'll probably get completed this summer.  I should probably get it back out again, double-check and document where I'm at in the pattern so I don't forget like last time.

I've started a new shawl.  The pattern is Be.Leaf by Kitmay Figueroa.  I'm participating in a swap in the Odd Duck Swaps of Ravelry group. The theme for this swap is Fairy Tales.  Take a minute to think about what how you define a fairy tale, and then another moment to think about all the different ways you can classify and define those two simple words.  Then throw the theme into a very large group of people and you get a very varied definition.  And I think it's fantastic!  Personally, I like a modern twist to the classic fairy tales.  I've come to realize that two of my favorite stories are Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin.  And it just so happens that my partner feels the same.  This helps when picking items for her swap package!  Okay, okay, I'm getting off track.

Anywho, I've knitting Be.Leaf because it reminds me of the forest.  I wanted to knit a shawl (I thought about a hood or cape to be representative of Red Riding Hood, but wanted something more practical, so shawl it was).  And I wanted the shawl to elicit the feeling of being in the woods, running from the wolf.  This shawl truly needs a post of it's own because of my thought process behind picking this shawl, but long story short - there is a leaf pattern that is unique and fit the theme and "feel" that I wanted.  I originally wanted to knit it in a gradient shawl, light moss green to dark olive green to brown, but I don't know that my partner really would have liked that.  So I settled for a darker teal color that should showcase the pattern really well.  I just cast on with Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in Kenai.  I'm still on the stockinette portion, but I love the feel of the fabric already.

I'm also participating in the H is for Hedgehogs & Hippos swap in the Itty Bitty group.  I haven't done a swap in a bit and I really wanted to do this one.  The Hedgehog to Squirrel toy by Susan B. Anderson is truly the cutest!  I've picked out the yarn for the Hedgehog and hope to cast on soon.

There are a few other knit swap goodies in the plan, but I'll have to see what time allows.  And I apologize that I have no pictures to share with you today - I have been so lacking in the picture-taking department!

WIP Wednesday 3/21

There are several items on the the needles at the moment and as I expressed yesterday, I'm starting to feel as though I'll never catch up.  Suffocated by my own knitting!! AGH! ;)  So it's time to crack that whip (haha...or WIP...I know...very lame joke...) so I can feel some freedom again.  (Mind you, these are all self-imposed projects.)

Squishy's new sweater needs blocking and the proper buttons.  It will happen this week.

I tinked back my bind off on the test knit to add another repeat and to bind off looser and in pattern.  Since the yarn is Cascade Soft Spun, I can easily felt the ends together - no weaving in ends - YAY!

I'm participating in a Mystery KAL (Knit-A-Long) for Elena Nodel, who has some amazing children's designs.  My friend, Lyndsey, has knit several of her patterns and I'm in love with them all.  I've only just cast on and I'm not sure how I feel about the yarn.  I'll work through Clue 1 and see if I change my mind. Otherwise, I'll frog and try something else (I am trying to use stash and I just don't have that much dk weight yarn).

I pulled out a UFO (UnFinished Object) this February.  Evie's Sweater is back (just in time for warm weather...).  I frogged my previous work and started again on larger needles as the fabric was too stiff and dense the first time.  I got distracted by Whippoorwill, though, so I need to get back and finish this.  I'm not that far from the end.

Last item to note is my Whippoorwill.  Row 65 or so, but want to be farther.  Alternating skeins is tedious but I'll stick with it because I know what I'll get if I'm patient.  When it's done, I'll be casting on Ruffle My Feathers for myself.

...and Be.Leaf for someone else.  :)

What's in your bag this week?

WIP Wednesday: Finish or Frog

Suzanne, from KnittingKnirvana Video Podcast has sort of kicked me in the butt to get some things done.  She's challenged herself to either finish or frog any projects she had on the needles at the beginning of 2012 by January 1, 2013.  I think this is a fantastic goal to make for yourself, and certainly one which would help me clean out my project bags!   So I'm joining in.

I'm not going to stress about finishing old projects before starting new ones, but any lingering UFOs (UnFinished Objects) will be off the needles in one way or another by 2013.  Last year I had so many things going at once it was driving me crazy.  I had to work on them after Christmas.  And I finished several before I lost steam and got distracted by other pretties. :)

So what's my list?
1.  Evie's Sweater:  I cast this on last February for my little girl, Evie.  She'd just gone to the groomers and I'd mistakenly gotten her cut too short.  She was freezing in the cold weather and needed a sweater.  Too bad she never got one...
2.  Sinful Ribbed Scarf:  I have had this on the needles since I learned to knit.  It's so dreadfully simple I can't work on it for extensive periods of time.  I'm on my last skein of yarn, though and once that's gone it's done!   (You've all seen this one.)
3. Some Assembly Required:  remember this one?  I really just need to dig in and do it.  I have it in my head that it's going to be hard (I blame the designer for this one, she's the one who put the idea in there...) so I've avoided it.
4. Dream Catcher Baby Blanket:  this is going to be made with the leftovers from Some Assembly Required.  I can't finish it until I finish the above project.
5. Bathrobe:  love the look, hate the endless seed stitch (and it's only for a baby!).
6. Elly the Elephant:  my first crocheted toy.  My hands started hurting so I put it down.  Just have to finish the legs and I'll be done!

And as an informal WIP list I have:
1. Test knitting: This needs to be complete by March 9 so I'm plugging away at it.  I love the look, but think it will be too warm here by the time it's done to really enjoy.  So I'll save it for next fall/winter.
2. Whippoorwill: I've got the yarn caked and ready.  I was going to cast on March 1, but instead I started a test knit.
3. Bunny: For the Itty Bitty KAL - Bunny will be basic, very similar to the example in the book...but with accessories of some sort.  I haven't decided how I'm going to make it work yet.
4. Little Treasures: I think. Squishy needs a matching sweater for pictures with Lovebug next week. I know where to get the matching yarn without having to order online.  A week should be enough time, right? :)

And as an aside - I'm hosting a DAL (Dye-A-Long) in the Itty Bitty Forums.  I'll be doing my dying next week, although the idea is to start mid-March/early April and just go along until people have had the chance to try it.  Come on over and join the fun if you'd like!

So there's my list.  I'll share progress as I go.  As well as any current WIPs. :) Do you have lingering projects that you just can't seem to finish?  How do you motivate yourself to get them done?

WIP Wednesday 10/5

Did you see the things I finished last week?  It's nice to have something completed.  For awhile, I felt like I was knitting and knitting and knitting and had nothing to show.  And now it seems I'm on a roll.

This week I'm actually sharing a few pictures.  I prefer posts with pictures, why wouldn't other people?

While I scramble to finish some things for the Elephant Swap, my personal projects are on hold. Sort of.

The Baby Chalice Blanket has seen no love since last week.  So close to finished, but not yet.  See how big it's gotten?  This will block out to a beautiful size.

Elefante has no photos because...well...for one, she was meant to be a surprise.  But mostly because I haven't had to time to take any.  She's made progress.  There are poly pellets in her feet and belly, so she's feeling a little more grounded...her head is still just filled with fluff and up in the clouds...  But the real reason is because I had to put her on hold.  While sewing up the body the other night I realized I was sadly mistaken if I thought I could make this sweet little lady to my swap partner.  More details to be revealed in a later post as I don't want to give away who my swap partner is...but let's just say I was really bummed.

On the up side...I've started another Elefante (Take 2).  His name is Lollipop.  He is much different than his friend, cheery and a bit cheeky.  His body is near complete (I did that part first to see if the yarn would play well together) and I'm ready to jump in and work up the legs and head/trunk.  The ears will be saved for last.  I love him already and will have a hard time parting with him.  I just hope my swap partner finds him as wonderful as I do.

Then there are these mitts... The pattern is Ashbury Mitts and they are from the Interweave Knits Holiday 2011 issue.  I fell in love with them as soon as I saw the cover of the magazine.  The sample shown in the magazine is a yak/bamboo blend.  They look a bit more structured than mine.  My yarn is a silk/wool/bamboo blend.  I've got one whole mitt finished.  These came out smaller than the pattern says.  Turns out my gauge was off - instead of 6.5 stitches per inch, it was 7.5 stitches per inch.  So a little shorter and a bit more snug than expected.  But I love them so much!

These I knit for me.  Not because I wanted to keep the mitts, but because I was dying to knit the pattern.  See?  Process knitter.  In the end, I believe these will be gifted.  (Hence the "sort of" putting my own stuff on hold.)  These are incredibly soft and cozy.

Finally, I'm planning to start and complete a pair of Oak Grove mitts by Alana Dakos.  I had some yarn picked out, but after knitting the Ashbury MItts I think I will use the same yarn.  I plan to go up a needle size.  I've been hearing they run a tad small and I have big palms and long fingers.  But that's the beauty of knitting them myself.  I can made any modifications I need in order to make them just right.

There has been sewing in our house.  Can't say what.  Just that it's happening.  It's been hard lately to drag myself away from the couch (naps!) or my knitting, so the machine has been a tad lonely.  I always forget how much I enjoy it until I get back to my sewing corner.

So that's all for now.  Did I have enough to share this week?  What have you got planned for the next week or two?

WIP Wednesday 9/28

It’s Wednesday again.  The week sort of started without me!  Actually, I was out of town for a conference Monday and Tuesday and now being back on Wednesday, I feel a bit behind.  Today has been spent playing catch-up as tomorrow I will be out of the office in the morning. 

I wish I could say I had a lot to share with you as far as that which is on my needles.  And at the same time, I’ve been busy and the needles have been clicking like crazy.  You see, although I have few WIPs, I HAVE finished some things.  Two things, actually.  But I will wait and share those another day since today is WIP Wednesday – not What Did I Finish Wednesday. 

The Baby Chalice Blanket is chuggin’ along.  I’m down to less than half a skein of my last Madelinetosh Tosh DK skein.  It’s probably more like a quarter, but it’s hard to guesstimate because it’s in a hand-wound ball and I never seem to judge them accurately.  My plan is to try and get one more full lace repeat and then knit the 10 rows of garter stitch border.  I want to use up every last bit if I can, so it may mean a little ripping and re-doing if I have a surplus, or ripping back to add the border sooner in case I run out. 

I’m still trying to decide where I’m going to block this blanket.  I’ve got mats and I’ll have wires (hopefully) by then.  But I want to give it a nice good soak and a sturdy blocking before I take the pins out.  There aren’t many Squishy-free locations in the house!

(Sorry – no pictures.  But really it looks just like the picture on the sidebar just longer.)

My elephant knit is still sort of stalled.  I’m afraid I may run out of yarn and I REALLY don’t want to rip out and start over.  But time is running out and stalling will only make it worse.  If I do have to start over I’ll have to knit double-time just to get everything finished.  Today I hope to get the poly pellet pouches made for the legs, body and trunk to give it a nice weight.

(And because this is a surprise elephant, I have no pictures to share here either.  I know, I’m boring today!)

That’s about all I have to share that’s still on the needles.  So how about What’s Next?  I’d like to knit a shawl, a nursing shawl.  I want it to be light enough that Lovebug doesn’t overheat, but weighty enough it feels good in my hands.  Anything too lacey or airy won’t work.  I’ve been perusing Stephen West patterns, and there’s a shawl in a recent magazine I picked up that I really like.  We’ll see where the wind takes me, but once I get these couple things off the needles, I think that’s where I’m going next.  

Or socks.  Because I want to try me-sized socks.  No idea of what pattern yet.  I have to think on that a little more. 

WIP Wednesday 9/14

Anyone else notice how quiet the blog has been lately?  I don’t really have  any excuses for you why that is.  I guess when I remember to post, I don’t have much to tell you about.  And when I do have things to share, I don’t have time to post. 

I’ve found myself a lot more relaxed about the knitting lately.  When I sit down in the evenings, if the needles aren’t clicking, I feel a bit as though the time is wasted.  But I can’t find the motivation or desire to pick up a project.  I’m blaming it on the pregnancy.  I had a real “gung-ho” attitude a few months ago and I was busting out projects left and right.  Now I’m back to not knowing what to do with my free time. 

So projects languish…  But I think I’m okay with it.  I have several projects I’d like to make but I don’t have the yarn for any of them.  I’m trying really hard to use stash yarn before purchasing more.  It’s fun to have lovely, shiny new yarn, but it’s not necessary. 

So what HAVE I been working on?  A few things.  I signed up for the next Itty Bitty Swap, E is for Elephant.  I’ve started the required knit item for this and I’m not quite half way through.  I’m not sure if I’ll have enough yarn, though, so I may have to rip back and find a 3^rd color to coordinate.  We’ll see.  I knit quite a bit of that this weekend.  I did realize I started knitting slower the more yarn I used because I was afraid I’d run out...lol – obviously knitting slower doesn’t affect the yardage used, but my mind sure thought it did!  I like how it’s coming together, but I’m near the point of needing fiberfill and polypellets so this is on hold for the moment.

The Baby Chalice Blanket is slowly and surely getting bigger.  I went over my progress with Mom the other day and we both think I should have enough yarn to make the dimensions look right.  When this is finished it will get a VERY healthy blocking and should grow considerably.  I’m so excited to see it done!

I have finished the first skein and ALMOST the entire 2^nd skein of yarn.  I’m alternating between skeins 2 & 3 at the moment, and I can’t wait until the 2^nd skein is gone.  I feel like my progress is much slower alternating yarns.  I do pump out about 4-6 rows a night, at least.  The only thing I DON’T have for this project are the blocking wires.  I can use pins and block it on a grid, but that’s not as…finished…as I’d like it to be. (I don’t mean it won’t be complete, it just won’t have quite the same look.)  I’ve heard about a few Etsy sellers who have blocking wire sets for about $20, so maybe I’ll be able to purchase some before the blanket is finished.   Either way, this blanket WILL be complete before Lovebug arrives.

I’m thinking about knitting myself some earbud covers (a casing for your earbud cords).  I’ve found two patterns, Untangled and Boogie Earbuds, that both seem simple enough.  Not because my earbuds are always tangling, but because they look fun and it seems like a good way to use up my sock yarn remnants.  The only thing is I can’t decide if I REALLY want knitted covers. 

In other news, I’m 31(almost 32) weeks along now and starting to get uncomfortable.  Sleep is hard to come by at night, which means frequent naps on the couch.  Baby moves a lot and seems to sometimes do so in response to Mr. Man and Squishy talking, which is fun.  Squishy wants Baby to come NOW because she’s getting big.  And when he gets dressed in the morning, he wants baby to get dressed too.  He’s felt Lovebug move a few times, to which he explains to me that “Baby wake up.”  It’s all very cute and I think he’ll be a fantastic big brother.

Maybe in the next week or two I’ll have more progress to report, until then have a fantastic week!

WIP Wednesday 8/17

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm trying to relax and enjoy the process, instead of focusing so much on cranking out the finished objects.  I hope I'm not the only one who sometimes gets lost in "getting it done quickly."  I think part of the problem is there are just SO many things I want to knit!

I haven't touched the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket.  The intention was for that to be something I could knit when I didn't have other things that were calling my name.  At the moment, that means that it's sort of left hiding in the corner.  I'm glad I've got all the colors picked, though.  And perhaps once the Lego Man is finished, I'll put more effort into completing it.

Lego Man still only has a head.  Well, not even a head.  An almost finished head.  But this week I've felt it calling it me, asking me to work on it.  I've been catching up on the podcasts I follow (over the summer I sort of stopped watching) and I think Erin from Mommy Needs Yarn pinned the problem on the nose.  Erin is working on the Evenstar Shawl and she's talked several times about how she put it down for awhile and all of a sudden it became this big, daunting task to knit on this shawl.  But when she picked it back up and just took it row by row, she found it really wan't too bad.

That's what I'm feeling with this Lego Man.  I like to read other knitter's project comments ahead of time so I know where I might encounter problems, etc.  This is one instance I should have just started, not bothering to listen to anyone else.  I read a lot about how difficult the pattern was, etc.  Now that it's been sitting for awhile, I feel as though the project has gotten to big for me.  But this week, after listening to Erin, I don't feel so bad about it.  I want to get this toy done for Squishy and I think if I just take it row  by row it will be complete before I know it. :)

Finally, I mentioned yesterday I had cast on for a new project. I cast on the Baby Chalice Blanket by Lykkefanten.  I have been browsing the baby blanket patterns for awhile now and finally settled on this one.  I really liked how this pattern looks with a tonal yarn, even with the lace pattern.  I chose to knit this with Madelinetosh Tosh DK in the Flashdance colorway.  Flashdance is a lovely, tonal plum color that will be rich and beautiful for our little girl. :)

I don't want this to feel like it's taking forever, so I'm trying to be patient and enjoy watching the lace details reveal themselves.  I've finished the first skein and gotten through 3 lace repeats and I love this.

The pictures make this look a little more blue than it really is.  The color actually sits at the perfect spot between being too blue and too red.  I'm a little concerned I don't have enough yarn for the size I want.  I have 3 skeins, but I might need 4.  I increased the cast on from 83 to 135 and I'm using US 9 needles instead of US 10s.  When I get close to the end of the 3rd skein, we'll see where I sit.  It's possible that blocking will solve the size problem.

What's on your needles this week?

WIP Wednesday 8/10: Help Me!

First off, the Dream Catcher Blanket and Lego Man have gotten no love.  But I did pick out the additional 2 colors for the blanket Monday night. 

Now that the baby socks are done, I need help.  I’m ready to knit a pair of socks for Squishy.  I’m using a high variegated, multi-colored yarn, so I think  a plain vanilla or ribbed sock would be wonderful.  But since I’m new to the sock world, I don’t know where to start.  I peruse patterns and just feel like I’m at a loss for what to choose.  Any favorite patterns out there for toddler feet?  Simple is best.  The pattern doesn’t need to be for beginners, but it’s okay if they are.  I just don’t know where to go from here.

And because I couldn’t resist (babies are so irresistible, aren’t they?), I started a baby cocoon.  It’s the Button-Up Baby Wrap by Kimberly Wood.  Knit on large needles with chunky yarn this project sprouts wings and flies off the needles!  I finished 8” of the cocoon in about 1.5 hours and would have finished the remainder by now if I haven’t been so busy.  Yes, there is a second one already planned.

I’m modifying the pattern (as I seem to do a lot these days) for a 2 x 2 twisted rib of sorts.  I’ll share more about that when I’m finished. 

So needles are clicking and my knitting is in motion.  I’m trying to take things slow and enjoy what I’m working on, but it’s just so darn hard when I’ve got so much I want to knit before Lovebug arrives! 

Do you ever find yourself in the same boat as me?

WIP Wednesday 8/3

Just a few pictures to share with you of this week’s WIP. 

Okay, so really it’s an ongoing WIP at the moment.

25 weeks, 4 days – Profile of Lovebug

3D/4D photo of Lovebug – she cooperated this time! 

She’s a growing girl and likes to make her presence known.  She kicks all around and was pushing back when the ultrasound tech lingered for too long in one place. 

Is this any indication of her future personality? :) 

WIP Tuesday??

It’s Tuesday and I don’t really have a whole lot to share with you.  I’ve been preoccupied with other things that take priority and so my knitting has taken a backseat.  And it seems that even when I do have time to sit down, relax and knit for the evening, I can’t find the motivation.

With that said, I have made some progress on a few things.  I won’t be posting a WIP post tomorrow, so I’ll share a bit today.  Lego Man remains at the same point he was last week.  What’s holding me up this time?  I have to go downstairs and find my fiberfill (I know right where it is) and pack a ziplock bag full of it to take back to my knitting bag.  Hard, right?  Just a few steps down and back up and I’d be ready to roll.  Nope, still haven’t done it!  After next week I’d like to put some real effort into working on that project.  Now that I’ve started it, I’m feeling more confident that I have the skills necessary to make this a wonderful toy.  While I’m not usually one to worry if my knits don’t look exactly like the picture, I know I’ll be disappointed if this one doesn’t, so I sort of feel as though I’ve gone into this project with too many expectations of myself.  Then again, you know that saying?  “Reach for the moon and you’ll fall among the stars.”  That’s the mentality I’m trying to maintain here.

I’ve finished 1 more Harris Tweed Square on Squishy’s Dream Catcher blanket and have started the 4^th HT square.  Once the 4^th square is done, I’ll have 20% of the blanket done.  I may make it bigger than 25 squares, but I’m aiming for 25 and then I’ll wait to see what I think of the size.  On a side note, and certainly something I’ll be mentioning later on…  the yarn is acrylic.  And I’m going to block it.  Yep, you heard me.  I’m going to block my acrylic squares.  Then no matter how many times I put this thing through the wash, I will never have to reblock it again.  I’ve found some great resources and how-tos on blocking acrylic and I think I can make it work.  I’m actually really excited about this because I think it will really finish the blanket nicely.

I finished a baby hat for Lovebug.  I’ll share pictures another day.  

As for other WIP news…well Friday marks 24 weeks for Lovebug and me.  She’s moving around quite a bit now (or rather, I feel her more now).  She seems to really like chocolate milk because she always gets really active after I’ve had a glass.  We went to the last Harry Potter movie the other night and I thought she’d move around a lot with all the noise, but she didn’t.  (About this time, babies can hear loud noises outside the womb and recognize familiar loud noises like the vacuum and your dogs barking…like mine love to do…)  Instead, it was when we got back to Mr. Man’s mom’s house that she started moving a ton.  Maybe because it got so quiet?

I’ve had horrible heartburn that attacks every night. Pepcid and TUMS are my friend right now.  There’s a more noticeable belly now too. 

Lovebug has a good selection of clothes at the moment, ranging from 3-6 months up to 18 months.  Very cute, adorable girly things that I can’t wait to dress her in.

So that’s what’s new with me this week.  I think near the end of the week we’ll be heading to the Demolition Derby at the County Fair.  Squishy will love it and Mr. Man actually gets to come along this year!  Hooray!

WIP Wednesday 7/13

Good afternoon, readers!  I hope you all are keeping cool and comfortable.  We’ve had an array of weather from hot and humid to rainy and a little cold.  I sort of like those rainy days because it tempers the humidity, which is never lacking during an Iowa summer!

So what’s on my needles for this week you ask?   Nothing to block, that’s for certain.  I’ve started Squishy’s Lego Man and have almost finished the head.  I just need to stuff it, kitchener some pieces together, and knit one additional part and Squishy can run around telling me his man is “broke.”

I showed you my blanket squares last week.  They’ve not gotten any further.  I’m okay with that – it’s not meant to be a “get it done now” project. 

But since both of these items are a bit more long-term, I had to start something that was small and easy.  To take the edge off, I cast on for Little Pumpkin by Susan Anderson.  If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, you’ve seen this hat before, a couple times.  Since the baby will be born in November, she needs a fall hat.  I’m sizing it down slightly so it will be sure to have a nice fit when she arrives.

Things have slowed down with the knitting and probably won’t pick up again much until August when I’m not so occupied by other things.  That’s when small projects are the best!

WIP Wednesday 7/6

I've hit a lull in my knitting, which probably makes sense if you've been reading the blog for the last week or so. I wouldn't say I burned myself out, but for a good while, I was planning what I wanted to knit, one right after another. Once I finished the last baby cardigan, I realized I didn't have anything specific lined up to knit next.

I thought I would find this a bit liberating, but what I'm coming to learn is that I fumble a bit when this happens. Every time I get the chance to knit whatever I want, with no specific project in mind, it takes me forever to pick something and knit it. And it feels as though it's because there's no drive or motivation behind any one pattern.

I've been wanting to knit Some Assembly Required for Squishy. I thought he would enjoy all the interchangeable pieces. Actually, I know he'll enjoy it. But I've procrastinated for almost a week from casting on because of the provisional cast on. I've done it before, but it was done poorly. And although I've watched a couple videos, I don't feel as though I have mastered the technique yet.

So instead, using the yarn I purchased for the toy, I started a blanket. I've knit 1.75 squares from the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket pattern on Spud Says by Susan B. Anderson. I have 3 colors - navy, gray and yellow in I Love This Yarn. It's a cheap, acrylic yarn, but it's pretty soft and not too squeaky. I don't mind working with it. I thought it would be a nice, cheap, durable yarn for a toy that's likely to get a lot of use and love. Normally I would splurge on a higher quality fiber, but with a tight budget and the need to be knitting something, Hobby Lobby is the place to go at the moment. (I would have knit from stash but I didn't have anything that really suited my needs.)

I like the blanket squares because they're mindless and give me something to do while I gather the courage to cast on for this giant Lego Man. Some time down the road I'll pick up 2 more colors to round out the blanket. Also, I feel the need to mention that I knew I would have well beyond enough of this yarn after the toy was finished, and felt obligated to find another project to use this yarn on. I thought about a crocheted blanket, but I wasn't quite ready to dive back into really thinking about crochet and Susan's pattern is so simple and lovely I couldn't pass it up.

So that's what's on the needles this week. Probably a pair of baby socks as well, seeing as how they're so quick. :) I've also got a couple gifts I need to get started so I can send them on their way.

What's on your needles or hook this week?

WIP Wednesday 6/22

Okay, I really have to laugh now, 3 weeks in a row and all I've got to show you at the moment for WIPs is my monogamous knitting and the sweater that is ready to block.

Meet the Hello Baby Cardigan, a free pattern by Susan B. Anderson, available on Spud Says. Once this little guy is blocked, I'll put the buttons on.  I picked out some pretty generic buttons at the store last night, but I don't know if they're doing it for me.  I created buttonholes all the way down the cardigan as opposed to just the three at the top garter section.  This is my solution to balance the scales a little...I finished a girl sweater, so I also needed to finish a boy sweater.

Alas, no little boy of ours will be wearing this cute little thing.  Why you ask?  Well, that brings me to my next WIP.

IT'S A GIRL!!!

It's been a very anxious weekend for me.  I've been so excited to find out whether we were having a boy or a girl that I've lost sleep.  I've probably not slept well since at least Thursday or Friday and something I always thought was an anxious/stress-induced tick is really just any kind of excitement or anxiety (grinding/clenching my teeth).  We are so happy to know we're having a girl.  Now I can relax and enjoy all the things I want to knit!

Even though I knit this with the idea that it could go to a boy, I don't know any baby boys this size at the moment.  So I think I'll try to do some duplicate stitching on the front of flowers or a bird or something and add some girly buttons and we're set to go. :)

What have you been working on lately?

WIP Wednesday 6/15

Guess what today is…it’s Wednesday!!  Which means a couple things, one being it’s WIP Wednesday.  Hooray for knitting projects!   The other thing that makes me really excited that it’s Wednesday is that a week from today is my 20-week ultrasound.  It’s been really hard to be patient the last week or so, knowing the ultrasound is so close.  I want to knit baby things right now.  Not just any baby things, but girly baby things.  I’ll be very happy no matter what sex the baby is, but my knitting seems to have taken on a mind of it’s own.

Okay, enough about all that.  Last week I showed you the shawl I was getting ready to block.  That is blocked, ends woven in, and already worn.  You’ll be hearing about that shawl soon.

This week I have a new project.  Currently, I’m feeling like a very monogamous knitter.  I start a project and I feel obsessive about finishing it.  There’s no room for any other project because all I want to do is knit what’s already on the needles (not counting my UFO pile in the corner). 

I’m knitting Beyond Puerperium in handspun from Susan Anderson (more about that another day). This pattern is actually an extended version of the original pattern, Puerperium Cardigan.  My intent was to knit it for the 0-3 month size using the DK weight yarn.  I didn’t stop and consider gauge and this time it caught me.  My gauge is closer to the worsted weight pattern.  So with that in mind, I’m almost finished so I won’t rip it back.    So it’s a little big.  But baby’s grow, right?  It’s not like I’m making a humongous sweater for myself and didn’t get gauge. 

I was feeling the urge to cast-on something baby.   I started this over the weekend, obviously before we know the sex of the baby.  Mr. Man and I both think this yarn lends itself to the girly side.  Personally, I wouldn’t put this on a boy because it appears to feminine with the purples and light greens and yellows (even though at first glance you mostly see blue).   Mom disagrees. 

Anyway – if we don’t have a girl, this will go to someone who already has a baby girl or to someone who is having a girl at some point in the future.  If we have a girl – fantastic! 

This project will be off the needles tonight.  No question about it.  Blocking – maybe tonight, more likely tomorrow night.  I’m hoping to run errands out of town tonight so it’d be the perfect time to hunt down some buttons…  (apparently Wednesdays are blocking days for me...) :) 

WIP Wednesday 6/8

Can you believe it?  Nothing on my needles at the moment (not counting those items in hibernation).  My one and only WIP today is this:

Today will be spent soaking, blocking and weaving in ends.  I look forward to seeing this Traveling Woman come to completion.    And then I'll have a shawl of my very own! :)

Happy Wednesday all!

WIP Wednesday 6/1

I’ve had lots to share with you, but I keep forgetting to upload photos, etc.  I love seeing photos of others’ FOs, so I don’t feel right posting without mine!

The latest in knitted gifts are complete.  The mitts will be delivered next week and the shawl was well received.

Now I’m at a point I don’t know what to knit.  I’m ready to knit a boatload of baby items, but I want to know gender before I get too ahead of myself.  There are some neutral items I could knit, but I don’t have the yarn for.  And although my stash is small, I feel the need to keep it under control at the moment. 

So instead, I turned to an old knit in hibernation, the Traveling Woman.  I was about 3 rows into Chart A of the lace when I realized my stitch count was off.  I attempted to fix it but that just messed with the following row…

R-i-i-i-p I-i-i-t…

Yep, I frogged the whole thing to start over.   It didn’t actually take me long to make the decision, and there wasn’t much remorse about it except having to redo all the work.  Not a big deal really.  Stockinette goes quickly and I could get that done easily.  (So, do I sound like I’ve convinced myself yet? Lol)  I’m plugging away again, hoping to finish this soon!

The only issue I’m having at the moment is how uneven the knitting appears.  The yarn is kinked from being knit once…and left to sit for….over a year…  The yarn should relax with a good blocking and hopefully the knitting remains even.

Enough about that.  Does anyone have any good baby patterns for bulky yarn?  I’ve got a HUGE skein to use and no idea what to make with it.  It’s a brown and cream colored yarn (half the plies cream, the other half brown, if that makes sense… I think it’s called barber poled?)  I’ve been toying with the idea of a blanket because it’s super soft, but that would be pretty blah since it’d all the one color.  I’m also thinking of at least 1 hat, but I don’t know what pattern.

So, readers, what’s on your needles this week?

WIP Wednesday 5/25

I’m starting to feel a bit more accomplished in all my crafty endeavors lately.  My swap package is mailed and received, all mandatory knitting is complete, I’ve received my swap package…I feel like I’m starting with an almost clean slate. 

S
I do have a couple Etsy orders still lingering.  I’m currently working on one, and the other customer hasn’t sent me her fabric yet – so that one’s on hold. 

It feels really good to sit and knit what I want instead of being tied down to something else.  I’m not counting the knits for this weekend as mandatory because they don’t have to be gifted.  If I don’t get them done, I’ll keep trucking along on them and keep them for myself.  J 

I’m sure you remember me talking last week about my friend’s sister who has a graduation party on Friday.  I had planned to knit her something.  Then, I changed course.  I have never knit anything for my friend. I’ve knit her youngest daughter a hat and flower pacifier clip, but that was well over a year ago now.  I felt sorta funny gifting something to my friend’s sister when I had never made anything for her.  (Is this silly reasoning?  I don’t think she would mind or even think about it, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.)  You heard me go back and forth a bit on whether to knit a simple shawlette or some fingerless mitts.  This sort of solved that problem.

For my friend, I’m knitting the Simple Things Shawlette.  Her birthday was in late April, so it will be a belated birthday gift.  I know she’s not expecting it.  I don’t know if she wears scarves and shawlette type things, but this gives her an option. 

I’m REALLY enjoying this knit.  I spend all my free time working on it and because it’s stockinette, I can watch Squishy and work on it at the same time.  Lately, a lot of what I’ve worked on has required too much attention to have out while the little man is up.   I was going to take a picture for you this morning, but it’s pouring outside today (or it was this morning), so you’ll just have to make do without today. 

I’m positive this will be an FO tonight (sans blocking) because I can’t stop working on it. 

For my friend’s sister, I’ll be making fingerless mitts, but I haven’t yet settled on a pattern.  None have felt right to me.  So stay tuned for my decision! 

WIP Wednesday 5/18

I’ve been busy the last few days and over the weekend.  I wrapped up my swap package, I gifted the cloche to my friend, I finished a needle case, and the shower goodies are almost complete!  Productivity is up!

So where does that leave me?  I have a few more gifts I need to complete.  One must be finished by May 27.  My best friend’s sister is graduating and I decided a hand-knit gift was the way to go.  I’m still browsing patterns for the perfect item.  I’m thinking fingerless mitts and a hat.  But I’m not settled yet.  Perhaps a very simple triangular scarf or simple shawl.  My friend also had a birthday in April, and something simple would be nice to gift her.

The other knit needs to be done by the end of the summer at the very latest, but I’d like to be ahead of the game on that one.  I don’t have any details for you on that knit because I haven’t decided what it’s going to be yet.  I’ve seen a lot of patterns I like and thought I had it figured out, but decided it wasn’t quite right.  So I’m on the hunt again.

These items will be quick(ish), I believe.  I think after that will be selfish knitting.  Cast on for whatever I want, whenever I want with no deadline is extremely appealing.  My UFO pile has diminished since the new year started and as long as all UFOs that came with me into the new year are gone before the next rolls around, I’ll consider that a success.  So I’m not too concerned with that at the moment.  What’s funny is that I talk as though others put these obligations on me, but I do it all to myself.  I love knitting for others, but need to remember to take time for myself and my family now and then. 

I’m really feeling like a triangular scarf/shawl is what I need to do (perhaps not if I make one as a graduation gift).  But I don’t feel right casting on for a new one when the Traveling Woman is is still on the needles!  I love the yarn and the pattern.  So this may be next on the list.  As well as a new toy for Squishy.  Not sure which one yet.  Perhaps I’ll design one… :)

So this wasn’t very WIPish – more like Up & Coming.  That’s okay.  Maybe I’ll trade off now and again so you can see what else sloshes around in my head! :) 

What are you itching to cast on next? Any obligatory projects that must be finished first?

WIP Wednesday 5/11: Bye Bye Bye

(grr....blogger erased all my pictures from my post on Wednesday.  How frustrating!  Maybe I'll fix it later - otherwise check out pics on the side of my blog for corresponding WIPs.)

Wow, does that take you back or what? Maybe not for some of you but the title seemed appropriate. :)
I had my blog posts all written out for the beginning of the week…and then never had a chance to post them. So I’m going to mash two posts together – what was meant to be yesterday’s post, and WIP Wednesday.

So getting down to business, aside from an incident with Squishy yesterday morning, my morning sickness seems to have gone to the wayside completely. I’ve discovered that my gag reflex is still super duper sensitive compared to usual, but none of the crummy nausea at night that had me glued to the couch doing nothing. I still get really tired, but I don’t feel quite as useless anymore, which is a terrific feeling!

This weekend I finished up the last of the knits for the cupcake swap. All I had left was the cherry on the pincushion. Silly, really, that it took me so long to finish. This may be my last swap for awhile. I have a lot of things I want to get done and with not feeling well this last round, taking on a swap may have been stretching myself a bit far. I know I can’t keep my fingers out of them forever, but taking a break right now might be the best timing while I work to feel more like myself.

I cast on a new project this weekend. It’s the Ruffled Cloche from 60 Quick Baby Knits. I got this book as a gift from a friend and I love it. There are so many cute projects, cover-to-cover. Everything from baby booties to hats and blankets and sweaters and even a sheep pillow. I would say this book holds something for everyone. It’s time’s like these I think a video podcast is necessary because I can’t show you all the photos without a lot of effort. So that’s my two cents about the book! :)

The cloche is for a friend, well, for her baby. There’s just a tiny bit left to complete, and when I originally wrote yesterday’s post, I wasn’t sure it would still be a WIP today. I just need to finish up the bow, attach it to the hat and block. Squishy took it for a test-drive last night. It fits his head, but it had to stretch. I hope it’s not insanely huge! (My gauge was good, for once I checked!) He seems to think all hats knit are his. I had to make a trade to get it back. He got a snack, I got a hat. J So that should finish up very soon. The hat is made from Cascade 220 Superwash in Winter White, Berroco Vintage in Dark Denim and Knit Picks Andean Silk in Sangria. I’m waffling on how I feel about the colors. I like the blue and purple/fuschia together, but it seems a bit stark against the white. But I find it impossible to knit pastely baby knits. I think babies need some oomph in their wardrobe so this is it. Knit in size 6-12 months. Because that’s the only size given in the pattern. :(

I’ve mentioned that I’m knitting some things for my sister’s friend. I actually cast-on for the frog paci clip last week…and finished…the head and a couple limbs. Yep, that’s all. Did you know that even small parts can take forever to knit?! I know, I’m making excuses, but really…those little arms and legs and hands and feet take me forever and when I only knit for 15 minutes at a time….you get the idea…

My other WIP is a dpn case for a Ravelry friend of mine. I’ve been meaning to finish this design for a long time and her order has finally kicked me into gear. If all goes according to plan, this case should work for both dpns and crochet hooks. Hooray!

Okay, the post is getting long. Sorry about that. That’s what happens when I mash things together. Just a couple more things and I’m done.

The other book I really want to knit from is Vintage Knits for Modern Babies. So many beautiful projects that are right up my alley. There’s a capelet at the end of the book that melts my heart. I may not wear them, but a little girl certainly would look sweet in it. J

In other news, Mr. Man called some bug people yesterday to see about spraying our house. The woman said it sounds like we have carpenter ants…YUCK! So in some way or another, we’ll be getting the house sprayed. I really don’t like bugs, especially when they’re in my house!

So, what’s on YOUR plate this week?