Simple Things

As I mentioned several times, my friend’s sister was graduating and I decided to knit her something.  You can read about all that HERE.

For my friend, as a birthday gift, I knit her the Simple Things Shawlette.  The shawl is knit from Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi in Neptune.  The yarn is self striping (a first for me) and very soft and pretty.  I needed a fingering weight yarn and preferred to use stash.  This worked out nicely.

My friend really loved it and was also very surprised (we don’t usually exchange gifts) to receive it.  The shawl is simple stockinette stitch with a garter eyelet edging, which creates a nice visual contrast in textures.  I wanted something quick and easy and this pattern fit that mold.

The colors blend well with a subtle change between each color.  The only time I had a problem with color was when I added the second skein.  The colors didn’t blend because it was an abrupt color change.  But because of placement, I don’t think it’s noticeable and I’m certainly not sharing where it is! 

Laura from The KnitGirllls had commented that when she used Mini Mochi for a pair of socks, she was getting fuzzy fiber rings around her yarn.  I didn’t have this trouble at all.  But my yarn did split and break apart of me several times (like there were weak points in the yarn when it was spun).  Luckily, I could always feel when it was happening so I would just tink back a few stitches and felt the yarn ends back together to keep working. 

I’d love to knit this in a subtle variegated or semi-solid yarn for myself.  I think I would make it just a little larger – the pattern is so simple, it allows for easy modification.

This FO is actually a little brighter than the pictures show but my photoshoot was in the evening with a slowly setting sun.  What can you do? 

Friday Favorites 6/10: Quilted Lattice Mitts

I've been meaning to share these mitts for a little while and so they are hijacking Friday Favorites for this week. :)

The graduation gift is finished!  I chose fingerless mitts, the Quilted Lattice Mitts, after much deliberation and several hours perusing patterns of all kinds on Ravelry.

There are two options for this pattern.  1.  Use two contrasting yarns, like a white and red.  2.  Use 1 color/skein of yarn (be it solid, semi-solid, variegated, etc.).  I had variegated sock yarn in my stash so that’s what won.

My version was knit in Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Wild West.  I’m not usually a huge fan of variegated yarn because of the flashing and/or pooling that can occur.  I like things more symmetrical and uniform…  Mr. Man would tell me it’s my need to control things that makes me think that way…lol  BUT, I saw how other projects turned out and thought this would be an exception. 

These mitts are shorter.  The wrist is only a few inches and the palm doesn’t even reach my knuckles.  But they’re really cute and I could see S wearing them a lot, especially if she’s out riding in cooler weather.  I’m sure they could easily be made longer, both on the top and bottom.

The pattern calls for a cast-on edge of 48 stitches.  I cast on 54 because I thought 48 might be a little too small.  These mitts fit me well and should be great for S. 

I will admit that the second mitt took me much longer – sort of like second sock syndrome, I imagine.  By the time the first was finished, I was disenchanted with the pattern and wanted to knit something new.  Apparently my attention span is still a little short!!

This has given me a boost of confidence to knit a pair of socks, though.  The pattern called for US 1 needles – I’d never knit something with such tiny needles!  I thought they’d take forever, but they were really quick. The first mitt was finished in 1 day!

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!

Frogger

A long while back my sister asked me to knit a few things for her friend who is having a baby in June.  I agreed.  I had a lot of time.  A while later, I learned that the shower was in April – but I was assured she didn’t need “the goods” by then.  I wasn’t very timely in finishing these things.  I was a bad sister and only recently got these things to her. 

Frogs were the them and I was assigned the task of a girl frog hat and both a frog and elephant binky clip.  You’ve all seen me make the clips before.  Simple things, really.  Except I remember not particularly caring for the frog clip while knitting it.  So many tiny pieces and it was so fiddly.  I didn’t think I’d ever made another, save for my own child.  Then, when it was finished, it was so cute!  So I agreed to make another… (you all see where this is going, right?)

Honestly, that frog clip is the only thing that held me up.  I should have done it first and gotten it out of the way.  My second time knitting this was no better than the first.  BUT, it’s still just as cute!  It’s like naughty children and puppies – they get away with so much more because they smile and say sorry or cuddle up next to you and you forgive them so easily!    So even though I’d like to say that this is my last frog clip, I know it’s not true.   Made with Tahki Cotton Classic Lite in Bright Green, Cornflower Blue, Sky Blue, and Tahki Cotton Classic in Bright Light Green.  There is also just a tiny bit of Knit Picks Swish DK in Petal thrown in for the butterfly wings.  

The elephant clip was super fast, as I knew it would be.  I’ve made this puppy at least 4-5 times now.  The quickest of the bunch.  Made in Tahki Cotton Classic Lite in Cornflower Blue and Sky Blue.

And the crowning glory, in my opinion, the Frog Hat.  This hat is a modified version of the Bunny Tail hat.  Instead of making long ears, I kept the “ear” section short and converted them into eyes.  Add embroidery and it’s done!

But of course it didn’t stop there.  The frog is a girl frog because the baby is a girl.  So I knit a bow (notes on my project page) and attached it at the back of the hat.  Placement was difficult because I kept thinking of the eyes as ears, so I wanted the bow in front – but that made no sense!  I also gave the froggie eyelashes to pretty her up. 

I’d like to claim this idea as my own, but really it was inspired by Leanne’s (Lunatic84) Frog Hat, with a few of my own additions. 

I’m very pleased and heard the new mommy was as well!

Friday Favorites 6/3: Podcasts

It's Friday...hooray!   I've been looking forward to today because it means I start vacation this weekend and don't have to be back to work for an entire week!

Today I thought I would share some of my favorite podcasts that I listen to and/or watch.  There have been a lot of video podcasts that have sprouted up lately and I find those really enjoyable, but I also love the audio podcasts because I can listen to them anytime, anywhere.  I don't need to be able to watch them to catch up.  I'll try to keep the list short.  I listen to a lot, and there are so many more out there that I haven't even started to discover.  I encourage you all to look into them! :) 

Video Podcasts

Knitting Knirvana's Video Podcast

I started listening to Suzanne (knittingknirvana on Rav) because she's a friend from the Itty Bitty forums and thought it was fun to be able to see her in person and see what projects she was working on and what she had going on at each time.  Suzanne's got about 13 episodes posted so far.  She just recently had a baby girl and I'm sure she's got her hands full and stays very busy with her family.  But I really look forward to her return!

The Expectant Knitter

This podcast was started by Stephanie (KnittingSamurai), an expectant knitter - just as the title says.  Each week she shares what she's knitting, what she wants to knit for the baby and anything pregnancy related.  I found this podcast through a few friends and finally started listening after Stephanie posted in the Due in November 2011 board on Ravelry.  I appreciate all the baby patterns Stephanie shares and find it fun and interesting to listen to this podcast while I'm expecting, as well.  She's not sure if she'll continue after the baby has arrived, so this could be limited time only.  I'd love to see her keep going if she's up for it!

Knittin' on the Fly

Katie (jetgirl1313) is a pilot, with a flying themed podcast.  I love hearing her talk about her traveling and just recently, she brought home her grandfather's plane as her own.  Even though I don't fly, I can understand the sentimental value in this.  My grandparents few and own a couple small planes (2- and 4-seater planes).  When we were little they'd pick us up and fly us to their local airport where we'd stay for a week in the summer.  We got so many rides in those planes.  It was a wonderful experience to have.  Katie's funny and enjoyable to watch.  

This doesn't include the other podcasts I love watching, but they have been more recent favorites of mine.  Other podcasts I watch are The KnitGirllls with Laura and Leslie, Mommy Needs Yarn with Erin, Dramatic Knits with Steve, Exchange Student in Fiberland with MariGayle, Round the Twist with Carin, Rainlover Knits with Sarah and His & Hers podcast with Melissa and Sean. I plan to catch up on 90% Knitting and I'd like to start watching Knit One, Heart Two.  Like I said...there are so many out there!

Audio Podcasts

Never Not Knitting

I love listening to Alana talk about her knitting, her designs, and any sort of knitting bloopers and stories she has to share with us, from herself or from her listeners.  She was the first podcast I started listening to.  She just returned from a break in recording.  I haven't listened to it yet, but I will soon!  And every time I listen to an episode, I have her theme song stuck in my head for the day. Mr. Man tells me it sounds like me... :)

Stash & Burn

I've only listened to a handful of episodes of these two ladies.  The banter and discussion back and forth is fun. Listening to two people gives a different sort of flare to a podcast.  I like to listen to the audio podcasts while I'm doing things around the house or when Squishy is trying to nap.  I've only listened to the first 15 episodes or so, but I know they're there...and some time I'll catch up to the 100-some episodes they have completed!

The other audio podcast I've listened to is the Knitmore Girls.  Again, I've only listened to a few, but I like the mother-daughter combination.  It's also neat to hear them pop up occasionally on other podcasters episodes. :)

So there you have it.  My list.  It's small compared to what's available.  There are many more I'd like to listen to or watch, but not until I've caught up on those already on my list!

Happy Friday, everyone!  It's nice weather here and I hope to get some time outside for walking or bike rides!

Week 16

I don’t know how many of you are interested, but I’ll post it anyway.  Last Friday (May 27) marked 16 weeks in my pregnancy.  That’s just a couple weeks into the second trimester.

I’ve been feeling much better than those initial 10-12 weeks of the fisrt trimester.

We had a surprise ultrasound last week so they could measure Baby’s heartbeat.  It was nice and strong at 151 bpm and a relief to see that little heart pumping away on the screen.  The technician said Baby is measuring about 7 oz at this point.  In case you wondered, that’s big.  (In comparison, if you read week-by-week guides on your developing baby on websites, they’ll tell you 16 weeks should be about 3.5 oz – this baby is measuring around the 18 week mark!)

(sorry for the blurry photo - I took a picture of the picture they gave us w/ our camera)

Squishy and Mr. Man came with me.  Squishy watched the ultrasound screen occasionally, but was more interested in what the tech was doing to Mommy’s tummy.  We heard a lot of the following conversation:

Squishy: “Whadya’ do’n’?”

Us: She’s looking at the baby.”

Squishy: “Baby?!”

Us: Yep – she’s checking to make sure Baby is healthy.”

Squishy: “Ohhhh…………Whadya do’n’?”

And so it went for the remainder of the appointment.

No news on boy vs. girl yet.  We want to know and hoped to find out a little early, but no such luck.  Now I really can’t wait for our 20 week scan!

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?