Episode 17: Remember me? I'm back!!!!

Hello!!! I've missed you so much!!!!

I had GREAT difficulty uploading this to blip and therefore itunes. So, hopefully you will find me here and on youtube. I hope you enjoy! :) :) :)

Episode 16: Stash Dash? More like Stash Stroll!

Episode 16 is ready! I hope you enjoy it! :)

Fiber Trends Felted Clogs

Giant Granny Square Afghan

Westknits Mystery KAL

School Products in New York City

We Do Not Have a Knitting Problem Blog (link in right side bar)

to hold you over

I have heard from many of you that Annika was missed on the last podcast.

Hopefully these pictures will help.

;)

Episode 14: Introducing My New Co-Host!

Click to Play

I hope you all enjoy my new co-host! The next episode will have more show and tell of finished objects! This episode was very impromptu--which seems to be the name of my game lately. lol

Paintbox Log Cabin Blanket -- my rav project page

Thank you Kurpitsa, Lovestocraft, and Plynn!!!

Preschool Teachers' Washcloths -- my rav project page

Distraction

Since I haven't recorded a new podcast in about two months, I thought I would distract you with cuteness. :) I hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Welcome to the World Little One!

Annika Rose joined our family nine minutes after midnight on Tuesday April 26th. Just in time to wish her Daddy a happy 40th birthday! She was 8 pounds 3 ounces and 18.5 inches long. We are now home and nicely settling into our routine as a family of four.

Thank you so much for all of your well wishes and thoughtfulness on Ravelry, Plurk, and Facebook.

A Day In My Life

My little guy is starting preschool next month. Just one morning a week for 2 hours. It will be the first time he has ever been in anyone's care other than family.

It is a VERY big deal for me . . . I mean him.

In some ways I am really looking forward to it and am excited about the next phase of his life. And in some ways I would like to hold on to my little guy and not let him grow up.

He needs a backpack and Kohl's is having big sales plus I got a coupon in the mail. So, this morning we picked out a really cool Cars backpack. Both Lightening McQueen and Mater are on it. Does it get any better than that??? Not when you are a car & truck obsessed little boy!

All of this came out of the garden today. That's a baby eggplant, a green pepper, and several tomatoes. That yellow tomato is actually a variety of a gold tomato. The garden is doing really well and I am very proud of my green thumb!

And tonight is my weekly Knit Knite where I'll continue working on my Citron. I'm almost done with section 4! I love this pattern and the yarn. I am thinking that some of my sock yarn may turn into a Citron or three.

Almost FO: Easter Duck Soup

Almost done! He could have worn it today without closures. However, it was nearly 80 degrees and a bulky sweater was the last thing he needed. The hood is SUPER cute!! The body is a little big on him I made the size 2/3 and he is a very thin size 2. So, I expected it to be big. I haven't done the i-cord button loops yet. I bought toggle buttons to use instead of the i-cord buttons. Since the sweater is so big on him, I'll probably back burner this WIP.

Happy Easter!! :)

Easter Duck Soup

The race is on! Easter is 10 days away--if you count today and Easter. And this adorable little sweater is intended to be part of London's Easter outfit. It is Anny Purl's Duck Soup and is super cute. I am doing it in a heavy bulky cotton in hopes that it will be a nice transitional sweater for spring and fall.

I completed the hood and the increases for the body. Now I am on the increases to separate for the sleeves. Do you think I'll get it done in time? We'll see!

To Love a Child Hat Pattern

I designed a newborn hat pattern for the charity To Love A Child. They put together “Bundles of Love” birthing kits for women in Haiti and Zimbabwe. Keeping newborns warm can save their lives and I dream that hats made from this pattern can give babies a better start to life.

It will soon be available through Ravelry as well.

To Love A Child Hat

by Suzanne Morrison Gauvreau

Supplies:

Worted weight yarn

Size 7 double pointed needles (dpn)

Stitch marker (optional)

Darning needle

Measuring tape

Cast 60 stitches onto one dpn

Slip the stitches on to three needles with 20 stitches on each needle

Join the round being careful not to twist

Knit until the hat measures 5 inches from the cast on edge

Decreasing

Row 1: *knit 8 stitches, knit 2 stitches together* repeat until the end of the round

Row 2: knit

Row 3: *knit 7, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 4: knit

Row 5: *knit 6, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 6: knit

Row 7: *knit 5, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 8: *knit 4, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 9: *knit 3, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 10: *knit 2, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 11: *knit 1, k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Row 12: *k2tog* repeat until the end of the round

Cut a 12 inch tail and thread the darning needle.

Slip the remaining stitches onto the needle.

Pull the tail to tighten the stitches and close the hole.

Weave the end on the inside of the hat.

Weave in the tail from the cast on.

This pattern is for personal and charity use only. It may not be copied or sold.

The hats made from this pattern may not be sold.

knittingknirvana@yahoo.com

Ravelympics: WIPS Dancing Event

Yea, so I fell off the face of the Earth again. Sorry about that. How about if I show you a nice finished object to make up for it? Maybe even two? :)

As part of the knitting Ravelympics I decided to finish two projects that have been on my needles for way too long. They are both from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson. I was a captain for Team Itty Bitty Knitty, so you just know one of those hats had to make its way into my Ravelympics knitting.

This is my cutie in the Sailboat hat. Rav link here. The hat was a little snug on him because I cast it on April 2008 when he was only a little baby. Yup, nothing like letting those projects hang out on the needles. :) Ah well, it is done now and he loves it. In case you don't know, boats are very cool when you are a two year old boy. And apparently so is your mother's hand knits because he refused to take it off for days and days. He wore it inside the house at all times except when he was sleeping. At those times it needed to be on his desk so he could see it from his crib. Yup, he's the best. I am one lucky Mom.

And the second hat is the very sweet Little Chick. Ravelry project link here. I made the 0-6 month size, but my loose knitting makes for a bigger size. I used just about one skein of Adrienne Vittadini Dianna which I bought at the Webs sale last May. It is a great cotton yarn and I would recommend it.

I have had both of these hats done for months and months. I don't like doing the appliques and embroidery so it just sits and sits for nearly forever. The Ravelympics was the perfect catalyst to see me to finishing these hats. Plus, I have two more finished hats for my goal of knitting all of the hat in Itty Bitty Hats!

See you soon!! :)

FO: My Little Pumpkin Hat

I just love this sweet little hat on my sweet little pumpkin.

The pattern is Little Pumpkin Hat by Susan B. Anderson. I used Tahki Cotton Classic from my stash. Super easy pattern from the Itty Bitty Hats book. This is part of the KAL I am doing to knit every hat in the book. See the list in the sidebar? I think I am doing pretty well!! :)

peekaboo, i see you

I just love this picture. :)  He was playing with my friend's sunglasses yesterday and I was lucky enough to catch this pic.

For the month of July I will be rocking the WIPs.  I am not taking any classes--which always distracts me from my WIPs.  I am not casting on for anything new aside from the Itty Bitty Hat KAL that I have already committed to.  I am going to focus on my WIPs and get some things off of my needles.  I am participating in the WIPS Wrestlemania on Ravelry.  The idea is to tackle some projects and train for the Winter Ravelympics which are fast approaching! :)

Do you see that WIPs list on the sidebar?  I'm at 20.  Yup.  That's a lot.  My current focus is the February Lady Sweater.  I am trying to do one lace repeat a night which takes me about an hour.  I am also going to throw in some almost done projects to mix it up a bit so I don't get bored.  My lack of attention span is part of my problem, so I am hoping the diversity of projects while also focusing mostly on one project will be the best of both worlds.  

I am also aiming for really regular blog posting to keep me motivated!! :)

FOs: Bunny and Chick

I simply love Susan B. Anderson.  Love, love, love.  So, as the mother of a toddler and lover of all things Susan B. Anderson does--I had absolutely no choice but to knit both the bunny and the chick for my son for Easter.

I really love my bunny.  It is pretty cute.  I would love to learn how to embroider for purposes just like this.  I totally winged it.

My chick looks a little . . . well . . . off.  I think it is the crooked beak.  And honestly, my son doesn't seem to really like it either.  I am always finding it behind a piece of furniture.  Oh well.  At least he likes the bunny.
These are easy, simple projects that could be done in a few uninterrupted hours.  The knitting skills needed are super basic.

For both projects my gauge is waaaaay too big for a stuffed animal.  If I ever do them again I would go down probably 3 or 4 needle sizes.  I did go down one needle size, but obviously it wasn't enough.   Also, my animals' heads are very small compared to the pictures on the pattern.  I followed the pattern for how many inches the head should be.  Of course since my gauge was so far off, the head is much smaller as compared to the body.

Why am I so opposed to gauge swatches?  I guess if I am going to make something that truly matters what my gauge is then I really need to do a gauge swatch.  Gauge isn't a four letter word!!! :)

FO: Bunny Tail Hat

Here is yet another finished object!  Seriously, this is totally a record for me!! :)

This is the Bunny Tail Hat from Itty Bitty Hats.  Except, I did short ears like a bear and sans tail.  I made the 1-2 year size and it is quite big on my little guy.  I went down a needle size, but it is still too big.  I am sensing a theme here.  Are you? :)

Ravelry link here.  My little guy turned 16 months.  It is going too quick!!

I have yet another finished object to blog and I'll be finishing another one tonight.  Seriously, this is unbelievable!!

FO: Quilt Medallion Scarf

He is 16 months today!  

Can you believe it?  Another finished object!

Quilt Medallion Scarf from Interweave Crochet Magazine.  I took a class at Saratoga Needle Arts with the wonderful Cookie.  I used several different colors of Mission Falls Cotton.
If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have used the white yarn.  It doesn't look as stark white in person.
It could use a steam blocking before I wear it.  I'm not sure I will though.  I'm a rebel like that! :)

FO: Wonderful Wallaby Willie

I loved this project!  This is the Wonderful Wallaby made in a size 4 which is the Willie size.  Started March 7, 2009 and completed April 2, 2009.  If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know this is a lightening fast project for me!! :)  

I used Malabrigo merino worsted in the color Pimenton.  The color is kind of a rusty orange.  Gorgeous!!  I had the yarn in my stash for a few years from a 20% off sale waiting for the right project.  It used three full skeins with the tiniest bit left over.  I started getting nervous that I was going to run out of yarn towards the end. 

The Malabrigo is a slight think and thin and seems a little thicker then worsted weight to me.  The sweater seems larger than a size 4 which is fine.  Better too big than too small!  I planned on London wearing it next fall and winter, but it will probably still be too big on him.

I went down a needle size and used 5's for the ribbing, 7's for the body, and 6's for the sleeves.  I was afraid I would have hugely puffy sleeves so I went down two needle sizes.

I found on Ravelry an alternate method for putting on the pouch that uses yarn overs from a new skein of yarn.  I will be trying this the next time I make it because I had some difficulty with the pouch.

I took a class at Saratoga Needle Arts to make the sweater.  Besides paying for the class, I used everything that I already owned to make the sweater.  Yea!! :)

I may get three winters of wear out of this sweater! :)

FO: Sweetheart Washcloth

I made a Sweetheart Washcloth by Susan B Anderson for my son for Valentine's Day.  I am a HUGE fan of Susan and her Itty Bitty Hats.

I used Cotton Chenille yarn on size 5 needles.  I tried the picot crochet edging but I was struggling so I gave up and made up my own edging.  I am currently making another one in Sugar n Cream and I may give the picot edging another shot.

Photo shoots with a toddler are always an adventure!

FO: Crocheted Sampler Wave Scarf

This pattern was a great way to learn and practice various crochet stitches.  I used 4 colors of Cascade 220 Super Wash that I had in my stash.  It turned out a little shorter than I would like.  I used half the number of stitches called for in the adult-sized pattern.  Oh well, I'll chalk it up to learning.  London doesn't know the difference. :)

So, my model was not at all into modeling.

Can we say tempermental?
Does every model storm out of their photo shoots?  Or just my model?

Handy Manny

I LOVE Handy Manny!!!  What?  You haven't met Manny?  If you have a toddler or preschooler or just need a dose of beautiful humanity you simply must check out Handy Manny on Playhouse Disney.  

Everyone in the town of Sheet Rock Hills is very helpful and loves to help solve each other's problems.  Everyone is accepted for who they are and both their faults and attributes are loved.  The acknowledgements flow and the support is always there.  At the same time, characters offer their assistance and are open to their assistance being declined.  All of this is done without being sickeningly sweet like some little ones shows can be.  This is exactly what I want my child's cartoons to look like.  My husband and I enjoy the antics of some of the good nature mischief that the tools find as well as trying to identify the voices of the characters.  We are so hooked that we now refer to some of our tools by their proper names.  "Honey, I bet Turner could help you with that."  Yea, we are hooked.