1 March 2013

New "foft" pants for G.  Elizabeth Zimmerman February baby pants made entirely from scraps.  There is something supremely satisfying about using scraps.  Also satisfying when the boy loves something that I made so very much.  He told everyone we met yesterday, "Mama made these!"  Ravelry notes.

Little lamb, who made thee?

After Sandy, they postponed Halloween.  The rescheduled festivities were Sunday night, but it didn't seem like many families were participating.  Just as well, as none of us needs the extra sugar.  We took a nice Martinmas lantern walk with the children in costume instead.  They were entranced by their lanterns, and the fact that they got to carry real candles!  Ravelry notes on the lamb costume.  (The Gaydee the flying dog costume deserves a post and explanation of its own!)

New hat

He's so proud of it.  'Want hat! Want hat!"  He can put it on himself.  It is well and truly fall and he is almost two.  Ravelry notes.

Knitting catch-up: Antler and Moss cardigan

Sooo, I have many many knitting projects that were never documented here.  Starting with this Antler and Moss cardigan I made almost a year ago.  I got to test-knit, and was so excited to do so.  (Look how teeny H looks!)  I really loved this pattern-- the knitting was so relaxing and yet it came out beautifully.  It was a joy to make.  I used a Virginia yarn, and knit it extra-densely so that he was able to wear it a little like a jacket.

Two issues in post-production, as it were:  1) Those pewter buttons were just too inviting to little teeth, and H ended up chewing all but two of them off; and 2) Now that I look at it in comparison to some others' projects, I think I somehow made the "antlers" upside-down.  Ah, well, lovely knit.  I only wish I had made the sleeves and body longer so he could still wear it this year.  Ravelry notes.

More Milo madness

I knit this little Milo vest (my sixth!) last winter when I just needed to be knitting something *now*. Milo vests are good for that instant gratification knitting when you don't need another hat. I used some Cascade 220 handpaint that I had bought because it was such a good price for a handpainted yarn. I really disliked this while it was knitting up because of the awkward pooled stripes (sometimes I think I should just eschew all variegated yarn), but I stuck it out and finished it off because it's such a quick knit. And when I put it on the baby it was rather cute. Another Milo win. Rav notes.

Blossom baby hat

Every time I see this hat, I want to sing "lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green..." Maybe because I don't have girls and have a true lack of the girly in this house. Anyway, this is Susan Anderson's Upside-Down Daisy hat, done up in Malabrigo and some Lamb's Pride remnants for a friend's new baby girl. It is very soft and very cute, only I'm a little worried that it looks too much like an eggplant. I hope it will be well-received all the same.

This is one of about fifteen (no joke) knits that I have finished over the past six to eight months and haven't managed to ravel or blog. Maybe this is a sign that I enjoy the crafting more than the blogging?

Knitting for the bigger boy

So, I'm attempting to make most of my bigger boy's fall and winter wardrobe. I've always made him lots of pants, and with the addition of some hand-me-downs from a friend of my mother's and a few hand-knitted sweaters and vests, he's usually pretty well turned out. I'm going to try to share some of the things that I've made for him lately over the next few days. First up, a couple of new-ish (if you count things made over the past year) knitted finished objects:

First up is this lovely fuzzy green pullover. It's an un-steeked Grow Like a Weed Jacket, done up in Lamb's Pride Worsted. The pattern was a dream, and the boy always gets compliments on this sweater when he wears it. It's also really thick and warm, and last winter (see, I told you, these are only sort-of new knits!) he was able to wear it in lieu of a coat when it was cold-but-not-too-cold. When I first finished this sweater, I thought I was going to steek it, but I never got up the nerve. And frankly, I think it's beautiful just the way it is (is that the fear talking?). I added a few rows of plain ribbing at the neckline after he'd worn the sweater a few times and I figured out I was never going to get it steeked and be-zippered-- I think those couple of plain rows make the neckline look more normal than it did. Outside of a little pilling that will be easily dispatched by the sweater shaver, this sweater will fit just as well this winter as it did last. Definitely a stretchy, well-fitting sweater for growing little boys.

And then, (yet another) Milo vest, this time made from Green Mountain Spinnery's Sylvan Spirit that I got back in 2007 when I was considering using this yarn for my husband's Cobblestone sweater. I love this yarn for this project. The tencel content makes the vest drape-y and soft, while the wool keeps it pretty warm. I also love how the colorway is kind of tweedy and matches many different shirts. A total keeper.

Here's hoping I make it back here again soon with some more kids' wardrobe additions. Happy autumn!

Knitting Catch-up #1

We were moved out of our house almost all winter for a home renovation, so I didn't get to blog about the knitting projects that I completed in peak knitting season. I'm going to attempt to catch up, but there may be some unseasonable photos! This is George's stocking. It's (obviously) the same pattern as the other family stockings that I made in 2009. I think my favorite thing about this pattern is that it comes together so quickly with such a nice finished product. Line them in interlock and they look like a million bucks. Here are all the family

stockings hung by the chimney with care in the little house where we stayed during our renovations.

Pattern: Falling Snow Stocking by Jennifer Hoel, a free pattern on Ravelry

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky

Needles: US 9

Lining: Cotton interlock

Christmas stockings

The first (ahem) several years that we were married, I kept promising my husband that I would get around to making us some Christmas stockings. Some new stockings to hang in our new family home. I even started a couple of stockings with Hillary Lang's elf stitchettes, but although the stitchettes are dang cute, they didn't feel substantial enough, special enough to anchor the family stockings that I wanted to make. When the baby came, the pull to make the stockings got much stronger. Here is what I finally decided on, knit and lined in time for Christmas.
These are just what I imagined. Soft and substantial and huge. Homey and cozy. I love them-- they're probably some of the best things I've ever knit. Just before Christmas, my mom talked me into buying more yarn in other colors, enough to make more stockings for any other little ones who might (we hope, we hope) come along.

Pattern: Falling Snow Stocking by Jennifer Hoel, a free pattern on Ravelry
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (has to be my very favorite chunky/bulky yarn-- so so soft)
Needles: U.S. 9 dpns
Lining: Very nice cotton interlock that my mom gave me, sewn in by machine

PS: Here's a photo of our baby-friendly Christmas tree in action. I didn't want to set up a full tree and then put a gate around it, and we didn't want to be constantly pulling the baby away from tree and ornaments, or worrying about the whole thing toppling down on his head as he tried to pull up on it. So, tiny tree on a table it was (is, actually; it's the 12th day of Christmas, so the whole thing's still set up). H loves to lie underneath and stare up at the lights, wiggling and pumping his little legs. Sweet boy.

Monday Monday

When we get to this point in the year, things seem to move really fast. Maybe it's the chill breeze in the air, but in the fall I feel like I can't get everything finished in a day or a week or a month. This afternoon I'll be making yogurt and picking up farm share vegetables and just trying to take a breath. I saw a meditation poem on another blog late last month (unfortunately I can't remember which one), and these simple words, repeated with each in and out are really helping me to slow down and calm down in this busy time. Try it:

in, out
deep, slow
calm, ease
smile, release
present moment, beautiful moment

Ah. Isn't that nice? Above is a wee little kangaroo vest that I made (from the book Closely Knit) when I was pregnant with Henry. It's the one-year-old size, done up in Malabrigo worsted, and it's fitting him now, finally (although the head is a little bit of a tight squeeze). I love seeing my baby in things that I've made for him.

Kicking bag

Henry: Happy, healthy, hale and hearty. Mama: Tired. My husband has been sick, so I've been flying solo on all baby duties. My mom was here to help for several days (which was so nice!), but the middle of the night is still and always my responsibility.

Luckily some of the sweetest moments also occur in the middle of the night. I don't speak to him, since we're trying to get Henry to sleep better and longer, but the baby snuggles up on my chest and buries his dandelion-fluffy head under my chin. After some warm weather last weekend, the past few nights have been very chilly. Perfect for the Kicking Bag for Babies, a free pattern on Ravelry. I used just over two skeins of KPPPM that my brother thoughtfully gave me last Christmas. The warm wool makes this baby even more cuddly there in that dark room as we rock and rock and rock. This bag used to swallow this baby whole, but now he's filling it out more-- he grows and grows when I'm not looking.

I'm hoping that the weather will turn warm again soon and Spring will be here to stay. I'm ready to get this kicking baby out into the fresh air. (And to take some photos with natural light again.)

Classy

I haven't blogged about knitting in quite a while! In late October, I ordered several different colorways of Dream In Color Classy yarn with the intention of making some Christmas gifts. But knitting always takes longer than you think it will, doesn't it? Or am I the only one? Anyway, now most of this beautiful yarn will be made into other things. Mostly for me. Above, in the Dusky Aurora colorway, is the beginnings of the paneled Ribby Cardi. This is going to be a great sweater.This one actually was a Christmas gift for my husband. I just have about a million ends left to weave in. This is a really cool pattern. It's a Red Cross pattern published in December of 1941 for a "Man's 'V' Neck Sweater Sleeveless" that was distributed to the Red Cross' "Production Corps," a volunteer group that knitted for soldiers in the U.S. Army, Air Corps and Marine Corps. Their motto was "knit your bit". More information here. At the end of the pattern, bold letters state: "Do not start another garment with left-over yarn. Please return all unused yarn to Chapter." Every little bit counted.

The vest is knitted in one piece from the bottom of the back to the bottom of the front and then joined up the sides. I used Cascade 220 in color 8013 for the brown tweedy stripes and more Dream in Color Classy in color Good Luck Jade for the green stripes. This project took less than a skein of the Dream in Color and a little more than two skeins of the Cascade. Plenty left over and no finishing except for the side seams. Of course the original pattern didn't call for stripes, only for "sweater yarn, olive drab".

And the third recent project in Dream in Color Classy, this time in the Black Parade colorway. This is the February Lady sweater. After I made one for the little guy, I thought it would be nice to have one for myself. Plus it's a very pregnancy-friendly pattern. I wish I had a photo of it on my body, but on the tree will have to do for now.

More beautiful yarn-- this photo shows the color more clearly. It will be hard to resist buying more in the future!

Christmas Knitting

So, long time no blog. Life has gotten in the way. My days have been filled with long walks in the country and baby shopping. A little baby worrying, too, but only because I'm a worrier by nature. Everything is fine. I've been practicing my yoga breathing (right nostril in, left nostril out, ahhh) and singing my ubi caritas in line at the doctor's office and the grocery store. And the boy is growing and kicking inside.

I've also been doing a little Christmas knitting. If you're expecting a gift from me, don't look too closely! Yarns from left to right, for my reference: Socks That Rock lightweight from 2007 Rockin' Sock Club (it looks a lot like Monsoon), Koigu KPPPM, STR medium XMas Rock, some more Koigu KPPPM, STR mediumweight in what could be Lapis (I'm terrible at keeping up with ball bands), and some Silkie STR, also from the 2007 sock club. I think most of the knitting for people with big feet is out of the way. It's amazing how much sock knitting you can get done in the first trimester if you can't get off the couch!

For My February Baby

This little sweater goes part of the way toward explaining where I've been all summer, and why there haven't been any foxhunting reports lately. Our first child, a son, is due at the very beginning of February. I couldn't be more excited!

Knitting on this sweater was a way to keep my hands busy and my mind quiet during the tense and sick first trimester, which seemed to last all summer. I seem to finally have gotten the fabled second trimester energy surge, so hopefully there will be more crafting (and email responding-- I've been absolutely terrible about that all summer; sorry friends) on the horizon. I'm disappointed to be missing the hunting season (as I was telling a hunting friend on the phone this morning, there's really nothing like that feeling), but I'm happy to do it to protect my little one.

Anyway, this is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Sweater on Two Needles (Ravelry link), also known as the February Baby Sweater, from her Knitting Almanac, done up in Rowan Wool Cotton that I had on hand. It was a dream to knit, neither the pattern nor the yarn could have been nicer. I still need to sew on the rest of the buttons, but I can't wait until it helps to keep a little winter-born baby warm in a few months!

Bitty baby booties

Today it rained and rained. Thunder and lighting. We lost power for about three and a half hours this afternoon. We used to have a dog who was very very afraid of thunderstorms. She would hide and shake and wear herself out for the duration of the storm. Grady just looks at me in that stupid (but lovable) Labrador way, saying "what happened to the lights?" Then he goes back to sleep.

I took this dark photo of baby booties in the natural light between waves of the storm. I love to have these on hand at all times. Because they're so tiny, they can be tucked into a regular stationery envelope and sent off to friends around the country at a moment's notice when we hear that a baby has been born. It's also fun to use the ends of sock yarn. With the crazy hand-dyes, they come out so cheerful! More information on flickr.

Denim yarn experiment

Happy Monday! I've been wanting to try Rowan's Denim yarn for awhile now, reeled in as I was by the promise of finished garments that wash and wear like denim, shrink like denim, fade like denim. These are the Baby's Denim Drawstring Pants from Joelle Hoverson's Last Minute Knitted Gifts. These pants were in the four to six hour chapter in the book, but took me a little longer to make.

In the past, I've mostly stuck to wool yarn, so the cotton was a departure for me. Before washing, even my husband noticed that the fabric was a little uneven and bumpy. But after a trip through a hot water wash and a high temperature dry cycle, the fabric shrunk up nicely length-wise and self-regulated a little. The stitches now look uniform and the fabric is cohesive. Overall the denim yarn is pretty cool. I could see making a jacket-like zip-up cardigan for myself. If I made these pants again, I'd probably add a piece of elastic to the waistband as I was grafting it together to make them a little more wearable, as some Ravelry members have done.

I'm going to try to post every day this week to get back into the swing of it. We've been having some computer problems that made posting tough last week, but I hope we've seen the end of them. So I say tentatively: until tomorrow!

Green week: 2

Today a little indoor green. This is the beginning of the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, from the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. It has been languishing on the needles for most of the winter. I just love this shade of green, and the stitch definition of this yarn (Classic Elite 150). I've been working on it a little harder for the past couple of weeks, knowing that spring will probably be the best opportunity to wear the finished product.

And another sign of spring. New fence posts mean that the ground is thawed enough that deep post holes can be dug. In time, these will mellow out to the same silver-grey of the ones behind them. Although the posts and poles themselves may look green, too, they're not. The fences at the farm are mostly made from locust, a very strong wood, and one that's hard to find these days. Locust poles must dry out for at least a year before you use them, but then they're almost too hard to drive a nail into, so these fences are also built mostly without nails.

When my uncle Howard died almost four years ago, my grandfather bought the big stack of locust poles that Howard had saved in his barn and had them piled in his own hay loft, all the way to the rafters. The fences at the farm are old and almost continually falling down, so we've blown through the big stack pretty quickly, between wayward bulls and insolent horses*. Now we're down to the huge, thick poles at the bottom of the pile. These must be split and shortened (exposing the yellow "green" wood inside) so they don't pull down the fences they're meant to patch.

Man, looking at those fields is a little depressing-- I'm so ready for more green!

*There was also a little pony named Me Pony (as in, "This is me dog, an' me cat, an' me pony; I own them all.") who didn't know his own size. He constantly tried to jump out of his field over the fence, but aside from one memorable incident in which he jumped two fences in one run, he only succeeded in jumping straight into the fences and knocking them over. His head wasn't much higher than my shoulder.

Quilt-along lil' gator

Here are two more blocks for the quilt-along. Most folks are all finished with their blocks and working on settings, but I still have a few blocks left to complete. I don't know why I'm dragging my feet on this, but this weekend I took down the blocks for another quilt that were hogging my design wall and threw these up. That has made all the difference in my feelings about this quilt. Seeing all the blocks up there on the wall looking awesome together is giving me the push I need to get it finished. Without further adieu: These are the week 9 blocks. I've always loved churn-dash. I used the batik on the left once before, but I think it's better displayed with these larger pieces. I like how it's really directional. And the brown one on the right because the design wall told me I needed more brown in the quilt.
And these are the blocks from week 10 of the project. I really like the one on the right, where you don't immediately realize that the colored blocks of the nine-patch are made from more than one fabric.
And here's one last thing that I finished up the other day. It's the Baby Alligator Scarf, made from a kit from Morehouse Farm Merino. The sport-weight yarn is a little stiff and was kind of full of plant matter*, but I think the stiffness really helps to make this pattern pop. Now the only question is-- Is this way too scary for a child to want to wear? It's sized for a wee little one but it even kind of freaks me out when I look at those empty eye sockets. Whew! ( I know that a slightly older kid, say 5 or so, would probably enjoy it, but I'm not sure it's big enough...)

*When I was a new knitter, I knit my first sweater from some lovely Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk yarn, with a Debbie Bliss pattern. I didn't feel confident enough to choose my own yarn to replace the yarn called for in patterns. My second sweater, for my husband, I chose to knit in Morehouse Farm Merino, mostly because the price was right. That was the most painful knit ever. I was pulling twigs and stems out of the yarn every few stitches, and after all that work, the finished product wasn't even that great-- it was stiff and kind of pill-y. The whole experience put me back quite a bit on this knitting thing. So know I know that the Morehouse Farm stuff is much better for smaller projects (for which they have several really cute patterns), and that knitting is expensive if you want it to be enjoyable.

Another winter hat

Yet another winter hat. I guess the bitter cold temperatures here (and wind!) make me want to knit with springy warm wool. The carried stitches in this pattern, although kind of a pain, really make this hat look great. It's very stretchy and close-fitting, too, which is nice.

Koolhaas Hat
Pattern by Jared Flood
Made in Malabrigo worsted in color: Sealing Wax (perfect name-- the orange-y edges are great)
Size: Large (man)
Needles: Size 5 and Size 8 circulars and Size 8 dpns

I have plans for this one!

Thorpe!

Thorpe hats, originally uploaded by singyourheart.

Remember all that nervous energy I had before the London trip? Well I turned it into these three Thorpe hats. What a great pattern! So quick and with a satisfying end product.

Absent actual human heads to model the hats (I was mostly alone at the farm today), I used a fencepost and a puppy. Brian is probably groaning at the dog photos for two reasons: 1) that I dressed the dog in human clothes, and 2) that they're human *girl* clothes! Also, apparently I can't get through a day without blogging about the dog. Sorry about that.

PS: You'll have to click through to flickr to see all of the Thorpe mosaic. I can't figure out how to fix the template.