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wrapped

I like to "package" my handmade gifts.; somehow it makes them feel more finished. This is just stuff I had in my crafting stash. I have a lot of patterned papers around from back when I used to make a lot of paper crafts, something I don't do these days.

silver leaves baby dress: project update

I think that sometimes I (unintentionally) give the impression that everything I knit drips off my needles perfectly—just the way that I envisioned it. This isn't exactly true. A lot of projects are started and abandoned because I don't like the yarn, the pattern, or the way that fabric is knitting up, or because i am simply not having fun. And, more often then not, I make a lot of adjustments throughout the process. I tend to swear a lot.

This tiny little dress has been giving me a lot of grief. I knit the lace yoke without much incident, but after dividing for the sleeves and knitting several inches I could see that it was teeny-tiny, and I was worried that it would be too small for even a newborn. I adjusted the chest size, by ripping back and casting-on 10 stitches at each underarm.

I didn't care for the shape of the dress in the original pattern either, so i decided to do a series of increases across one row. This, simplest of knitting tasks, took me tree tries to get right...and the first two times i did it wrong, i didn't realise my mistake till i was at least halfway to the hem.

Once I had the skirt finished the in a way that pleased me, i wasn't happy with how big the sleeves were; i tried to make a “puff-sleeve”, but i didn't like how it came out; it is more like a baby straight jacket then a dress.

Baby isn’t due for three months, so i have some time to workout what i want to do in order to resolve the sleeves. In the meantime, I am letting this little project rest so I don't don't drive myself mad fussing with it.

This is my hobby, it is supposed to be fun right?

Despite all the trouble I think it will be sweet in the end. There is a keyhole closure at the back, and I can't wait to pick out a little button. I'm thinking red.

is it a toque or is it a tam?

 

i looked it up and decided that this is indeed more tam then toque, but i could be wrong.

I finished this tam weeks ago, but still haven't blocked it, or gotten a chance to take photos of myself modeling it. It is similar to the grey beret but his one has a slightly different ribbing pattern. Knit one, Purl 3 vs. Knit 7, Purl 1, and i added a pom too. This one is going into my long-term planning box for gift giving.

tazlina socks

my sister requested a pair of socks, so as soon as i finished up my pal's birthday socks, i started knitting these up for her. the beautiful ice blue yarn inspired me to name them after the tazlina glacier, which is in the region of alaska where she lived for 15 years.

 
 

Pattern is my own. I started out making striped socks, but for unknown reasons I wasn't feeling it. I love this icy blue and deep red combo, and i love, love, love stripes. I can't figure why I didn't like the way it was coming out. Whatever it was, I decided to rip them out out and start over with a fancy stitch pattern. I made this one up at a coffee shop on my lunch hour. That is a picture of me working it all out on paper.

one and a half socks

I don't have any exciting new blog content, so I thought I would share some knitting glamor shots.I interrupted all of my other knitting projects and the quilt to focus exclusively on these socks for a friend's birthday.

knitting works in progress

i have had a bad case of the starties. as a result, i have been starting bunches of new projects, and not really finishing them.

1) A yellow cardigan, with an asymmetric cable along the button band. I have the body of the sweater done, and am starting on the first sleeve. the pattern is lauren jacket (ravelry link*) by Ann Weaver. to be honest, i am not sure that i like the way this is turning out. the pattern is good, just not sure it is right for me. :-/

2) another slouchy beret, similar to the grey one.

3) a little baby cardigan. the last 4 babies born to my friends have been boys, so i was excited to make something with a feminine touch. the pattern is Autumn leaves. I am making mine a pull over with a key hole + button in the back.

4) garter stitch wash cloths are kinda an ongoing project. i love them for the bath, they are scrubbier then regular washcloths, and they are washable and reusable making them both more sustainable, and more hygienic then those plastic shower "puffs". I have just finished these two and have another on the needles. I can get 3 or 4 cloths out of one ball of cotton, that cost less then $2.

* a note about ravelry links: i know that some (most) of you aren't knitters, and don't have an account for raverly. i graveled with whether or not i should link to that site. i have decided that if that is the only link i can find, then i will use it, because a ravelry link is better then no link.

grey béret

I made this simple grey béret for maggie for her birthday.

Based on the big blue beret that i have knit three times before, i didn’t have the pattern to refer to at the time I started this project, so i just whipped up something similar from memory. (Ravelry Links)

I always feel that knits look best when modeled; crappy overexposed iPhone self-portraits are all i had time for before gifting this to my friend, but they should give a good idea of the fit/shape/style.

done!

 

these plain green socks have been done for a while now. yarn is soy/bamboo/nylon blend. (more details on ravelry)





(photos courtesy of christopher)

the finish it! challenge ended on 12/15, so let's sum it up. i got everything done (or done to my satisfaction at least). You can see Chase's results on her blog.

A few things were added to the list along the way: #9 toddler top, and #10 wedding quilt. The top was completed, but i didn't finish the quilt. The quilt top is pieced together, and it is quilted, I have just the binding left. it is done to my satisfaction at this point, and i have until october to finish it without committing any wedding gift faux pas.

The other item that didn't get done was #8, a second pair of booties. the baby that they were intended for already out grew them, and really all i had done was the cuff so, i decided to just move on.

1) snap cowl

2) stripy baby sweater

3) green socks

4) stripy baby legwarmers

5) slipper socks

6) baby kimono

7) booties #1

8) booties #2 (scrapped)

9) toddler top

10) wedding quilt (due to finish by october 2011)

it's a snap!

This one has been done for a while, but it is one of thoes things I needed help photographing. I started it in april '09 (ahem) and finished it at the end of september. I am embarrassed to say I had left it lingering with the snap tape sewn 3/4 of the way sewn on for over a year.

It was inspired by this snap-up cowl I saw on etsy. Despite that it took me so long to finish, I really like the result.

photos courtesy of christopher.

bity booties

I made these booties for maggie's new little one. I started these ages ago, finished the first bootee, started the second one... and then I couldn't find the first. I am blaming it on carlton the sock thief. When little Kole was born, I realized I better get these done before he out grows them, so I knit a third bootee.

I wanted to include big brother kai, so I put together a little gift for him too. When I was out shopping I found that most kids stuff was covered with ugly designs. I think it is never too early to impose good taste on the young, so I decided to transform a crayola drawing pad into something a little cuter.

I used spray adhesive to affix a pattern paper to the cover, then added a cute robot sticker, and finished it off by personalizing with k's name. Simple and fun. I also included some fun robot colored pencils, and a tucked a bunch of stickers inside.

With the booties done, my list for the "finish it!" challeng looks like this.

1) snap cowl

2) stripy baby sweater

3) green socks

4) stripy baby legwarmers

5) slipper socks

6) baby kimono

7) booties #1

8) booties #2

9) toddler top

10) wedding quilt