Yesterday, the ladybug sweater went from this:
To this:
And my hair went from shoulder length to this:
It could possibly end up a little shorter if I decide to go back in there and try to even things up a little!
(Or: Just how picture-heavy a post can get when you have been being a lazy Blogger…)
I kept thinking that I really didn’t have anything to post here. But, actually I do. I finished my stepdad’s socks - I think this was some Opal sock yarn I got from Astrid:
Started the next pair for my mom:
(Gedifra Socks Color yarn from Astrid, of course)
This is a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks called Laburnum. Every time I do a K3tog I wonder why I chose this particular pattern. It’s actually very likely to get frogged. It looks like it’s too wide for my mom’s narrow foot. And…I don’t like how the toe is askew. However, I haven’t yet given up hope. How weird is that? You keep on knitting - hoping that tomorrow it will finally look “right” and you won’t have to start over????
I finished a BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) from EZ’s book Knitting Workshop. The BabySurprise Yahoogroup was having a Knit-along (they were adding stripes to the KAL BSJ though), so I decided to Knit along too - only without stripes, and use my 2 skeins Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted.
Here’s the specs for the BSJ:
The comparison (below) is pretty interesting, heh? Small blue striped version is done in Jameison & Smith Jumperweight (probably a DK weight) wool, knit Continental style, and I believe size 4 or 5 needles. The Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted was knit continental (my knitting tends to be loose when I knit Continental) on Size 8s with Worsted weight and got a sweater I hope big enough to fit my 4 y/o granddaughter. It’s real stretchy, so I’m thinking it will work as a 3/4 length sleeve sweater for her.
I saw this demonstrated on the episode of Knitty Gritty where she showed her Combo Corset-T techniques. I think this might be my new favorite bind off. It’s even a little stretchy, but I love how “neat” it is. You act like you’re going to do an I-cord bind off, but you knit thru the back loops.
And….last but not least - the stranded and felted Snowflake cup cozy from KnitPicks.com:
That was a fun knit. Done with Cascade 220, knit 2 handed on the stranded work, and “English” for the solid sections. I think I used size 7s, maybe 6s. )I really should write this stuff down rather than trust it to memory.) Anyway, I may re-do this one and I want to use size 8s because I don’t like how it felted. It’s a really cool pattern, and very easy to do. I would definitely recommend it for a first time stranded project. It felted kind of not so satisfying though. The diameter of the middle got too small and the length didn’t shrink down enough, so I ended up trimming the top and bottom off after felting it.
It works fine now for a tall. It may also work on a Grande size cup - I just haven’t tried it yet.
There has also been ruffle scarf knitting happening, the rest of the fiber processing completed (not spun yet, but I now have beautiful clouds of corriedale/angora to spin) and even an impromptu sewing project or two thrown in for good measure.
And…the ladybug sweater? I believe that THAT’S what I’ve been procrastinating… and many of these projects were symptoms of said-procrastination! Stay tuned. I’ve recently unearthed the poor thing, and will try to refocus on it again now.
My block for Rebekah’s Blanket of Hope project.
I used a pattern that I found at Melissa’s Dishcloth Designs. I thought it might be fun to give it a suggestion of shrubbery in the foreground, so needle felted a bit of green Cascade 220 to the bottom. OK…maybe I got the cabin a little too high in the block, and I used it as an EXCUSE to do some needle felting. Needle felting is similar to popping bubblewrap…and a person may look for any excuse to do it on a project. Just sayin’.
So, anyway…here’s my little block, and here’s the specs:
Well now I know why there’s such good deals on Barbie at the Thrift Stores! http://www.waldorfinthehome.org/barbie_and_violence.html
(I prefer mine non-microwaved non-decapitated. Hmmm…..almost sounds like a drink at Starbucks, doesn’t it? Nonfat, half-caf, no whip frappachino.)
(Click pictures for a better view).
Lets see….when last we talked, I had the brim of the little hat knit and turned, and sock #2 well on its way towards the heel flap. Oh! And some of the fleece processed. There has been progress. See. I have more fleece in the basket than in the bag, the swatch-hat is done - except the pompom which is waiting for a pompom maker, because, I have found, that I’m not good at making them either, so I’m hoping the gadget will help.
The sock is getting close to the toe in a few thousand more stitches couple more inches. Love the fabric you get with size 0 needles - but it’s sure a journey of a thousand stitches, isn’t it?
And, last but not least…
The hem facing and first pattern of the ladybug sweater are under way.
I am, indeed, planning to re-knit the hat. As it turned out, my bright idea of knitting it with my looser way of knitting really was TOO loose, and it just doesn’t look good in the area where I was knitting Continental, and then switched back to throwing. So, it really was a swatch, Timmie the Doll gets another addition to her knitted wardrobe, and I learned how the pattern will come out with the tension I’m using to knit it. I’m going to do the sweater with the method that works best for me, still using the Addi with the long cable for a magic loop method because I don’t have a Profi that small. Eventually I want to upgrade to Profi’s in all of my favorite smaller diameter size needles. Their cables are really wonderful. Apparently, they’re also made by Skacel. I didn’t realize that until looking around further on the Internet for them. Astrid has the best prices for them.
Copyright © 2007 CatKnitsandThings.com. Design by Anthony Baggett.
