Time Out for Baby Socks

DROPS publishes, and generously provides for free, many wonderful patterns.    When I am having a rough day, it is a great place to go browse.   During my last tour, I found 16-27 Drops Socks in Fabel.  I loved the way it was designed and wanted to make it for the new baby that a friend of mine is expecting any day.   The trouble is I have LOTS of sock yarn.   I have sock yarn to the point that even Stephanie Purl McPhee would say it counts.    There is some DK.....around.   I decided to make the pattern work for sock yarn.

This is one of the few ways that I use math.   It comes in real handy for just this sort of thing.   I did a gauge swatch to doublecheck my calculations and knit the first sock.    After I knit the second sock, I decided to write down exactly what I did so that I don't have to think about it again....at least not for the 0-3 months size.

If you want to see my notes, go ahead and download them.  Link to pattern.

The Cowboy is Out!

Work proceeds nicely on the back of this sweater.  I am a little frustrated with this but it is coming along okay.   

I hope to finish the back this week...then on to the front!

The Cowboy Emerges....

The cowboy sweater is coming along.   It is frustrating...it is exacting...it is teaching me a lot.  Am I sick of doing intarsia yet?  No.  I am curious to see how people can do this so well.   After this sweater is done, I will have a break from this kind of a project as too many other things wait in queue.   I do want to do more.  Lucy Neatby (a goddess) is a master at this technique as are a few others.   Before I do my next project, I am going to watch my DVD's, do my Craftsy class, and see what I can do io make my instarsia better.   It is an excellent challenge.

Intarsia

Intarsia is one of those techniques that I really, really wish I was good at.  I have DVD's.  I am signed up for a Craftsy class.   Now, I am even practicing.    The Packer sweater is done.   That was a warm up for the cowboy sweater for Mallory.

I thought a lot about the color choice before I put in the order.  Fortunately, part of my original color choice has not been available so I had to switch.   My new choice, I think, is much better.    This is a real challenge for me.   So far I am enjoying the progress on this project.    I am cleaning up ends every inch or so.  This is not because I am innately tidy.  Would that I were!  It is because I do not tie the butterfly bobbins well and have a hot mess hanging off the back of the work that makes it much harder to do.  So far, this makes me want to be better at doing this.  I have a lot of room for improvement.

Mallory, I hope will like this.   She is a cowgirl and not likely to pass out of the phase.   Can't wait to get the whole cowboy done!

What Summer...and Now It is Gone!

This summer has been very busy.   The knitting is not going fast enough.   With a little push, the wedding present MIGHT get finished this weekend.

What has gotten finished...among other things....is Henry's Packer Sweater.   Baby Cashmerino is a lovely, lovely yarn to knit.  It had the right colors.   Debbie Bliss had a baseball jacket pattern that could be adapted....with the help of Knitbird software and the logo from the Green Bay Packer's website, I was good to go.  

Back of the Sweater with the Logo

The sweater actually closes with snaps.  The buttons are decorative.   Finding the buttons was a drama.   This was the third set I picked out.   Green buttons were oddly not possible to find on-line or in the store.   Go figure.  Of course, I do live in Minnesota.   Maybe in my homeland behind the Cheese Curtain it would be another tale entirely.

Intarsia is something at which I need practice.  Working the charts is a humbling experience.  The end result is fine.   I am working my way up to a cowgirl sweater for my niece Mallory.  I am itching to get that going.

Front of the Sweater - It Actually Closes with Snaps

There is leftover yarn from this project.  There will be a matching hat forthcoming.   Craftsy had a great blog today about sizing hats for babies and toddlers. It was just what I need to get started on the next project.

Before I start ANYTHING else, I need to finish the wedding afghan.   I think I have about 30 more rows.   Let us hope for some good trash TV this weekend.  That will make it happen.

The Almost Lost Dish Cloth

Julie Tarsha wrote about the Almost Lost Dishcloth on her blog, Simply Notable.

I liked the look of the pattern.   Willow Yarns has a dishcloth yarn with a cotton/poly content.  It holds the color nicely with only a little fading.   I wanted to try it..so...I did.

With a few mishaps, I came up with some nice dishcloths.  This one went to live with my sister Helen.   An earlier version has been in constant use at my house for about six months.   This is my favorite dishcloth pattern to date....and I will make more.

Nectarine Coat with Hood

Pingouin Knitting patterns are old favorites for me.  I used to, when one could still buy them, have a great stash of them.   While I did knit some of the patterns, I mostly looked at the patterns for inspiration as I loved the styling, the color choices, and the exquisite yarns.  The most recent project is a Pingouin design I have wanted a long time to make.

Last week I finished the Nectartine Coat with Hood. This project took me quite awhile as it was victim to bouts of spaciness.   I wanted it to be just so I kept taking it out until I was happy with it.  The end result is good.   

Nectarine Coat with Hood knit in Willow's Burrow Bulky

I had fears that the pompoms would explode in the washing machine and blow fuzz everywhere (they didn't). I worried that I would not be able to affix them tightly enough to the ties (no problem).  All in all I am pleased with the end product.

The Burrow Bulky washed and dried beautifully and I hope this will be worn and worn a lot.

Making this pattern took me back to the days of daydreaming over the pattern books.   Now I want to look through my files and find other, cherished, patterns and make more.