Knittypants

Almost a Bunny

 

The bunny is getting there. As of this post his ears are on and now all he needs is a face. There really is a special magic involved with making toys, they are kind of fiddly and I really don't like all the seaming and the little pieces that go along with them, but my kids think it's amazing.

All three of them from the almost 10 year old down to the 2 year old love watching the process of the bunny coming together. I think that is the most fun, watching them watching the bunny. Fiona is very enamored of this little guy, every time she gets a chance she dances around the room with him and kisses him even though he doesn't have a face yet. And I have seen Kaelen fondling his ears quite a few times, she thinks they are very soft.

This is the next project, I have planned. Daydream from Rowan Babies. I have been looking for a good pattern for a bringing home the baby outfit and I think this one will work. We are keeping the baby's sex a surprise and it's tricky finding outfits that will work for either sex. But, I think this done in white will be fine for a newborn, boy or girl.

Besides, even if this is a boy, when our family has our baby dedication, he will be wearing a long, flowing, white, dedication gown, that all of our children have been dedicated in. It's absolutely gorgeous and is the same gown that my sister and I were dedicated in and was handmade by my great, great grandmother. Needless to say, it's a very precious heirloom. I will have to make sure I post a picture of it on the blog one of these days.

So, anyways, I believe my point was I think this little cardigan will be fine for a boy even if it does have a bit of lace. I think I will lose the ribbon though, just to keep extra frills off it.

I need to let everyone know that the color of Koigu in my last post was 319. A very popular color, almost every other comment let me know that the commenter either already had that same yarn in their stash or that they needed the number so they could hunt some down for themselves.

And a question, I have finished the Eyelet Baby Blanket in the Blue Sky Cotton and I was wondering about peoples experience with laundering it. The tag says I can just throw it in the washer and dryer, but I feel pretty nervous about doing that, it's so soft I worry it will come out all ragged and pilly. Or should I wash it in the sink and lay it flat to dry, or maybe just iron it and wait till it's really dirty before washing it?? Help please!

Rib and Cable Mitts

 

 

Well, I have finished the Rib and Cable Mittens from the Spring 2006 Interweave Knits. Here is Kaelen waving her pretty hands in the air for me. I made a few mods to the pattern, I left off the contrast color and the few rows of stockinette stitch on each end of the mitt. Kaelen didn't like the idea of contrast color and I didn't like the rolling edges. I also cast on 8 stitches less to fit her hands and moved the cable over one rib closer to the thumb gusset to keep the cable centered. It mostly worked, but the cable is still a tad off center, I'm not sure how to have fixed that without a lot more calculations than I felt this project is worth. Also, I left out 4 of the increases on the little thumbs. Turned out well, and she won't take them off, so yay!! The yarn is the same as for her hat. Elann's Peruvian Baby Cashmere in Tapestry Blue double-stranded.

 

And a peek at some of what's arrived in the mail for me. Two new books The Debbie Bliss Baby Knits Book and Rowan Babies. Both of these have a pattern earmarked for the little moose taking over my body. I also bought a little pile of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, which I found on sale, to make the sweaters. You will get to see more of these soon since they will be going on the needles shortly.

 

Also, look, my first Koigu, color 319, isn't it pretty. I have seen this color on someone's blog, and fallen in love, but I can't remember where. Pregnancy brain!

 

And Lorna's Laces in Watercolor, I love this one, too, the colors are so pretty.

The baby blanket is almost done, but I did run out of yarn 2 and a half rows short! Grrrrr...

Shining Star Hat

 

 

Presenting Kate Gilbert's Shining Star Hat.

 

 

Here is the beautiful girl I made it for. And she likes it. I have caught her wearing it around the house which makes me a happy mama. Especially since the last hat I made for a little girl in my house was rejected. I made the hat in double stranded Elann's Peruvian Baby Cashmere in Tapestry Blue. I like this yarn, it's nice and soft, and my picky daughter will wear it! I followed most of the modifications Grumperina made here,

and the finished hat turned out lovely. Oh, and I knit the Adult Medium size as my yarn was closer to dk than worsted and plus my daughter's lovely melon is a teensy bit big.

 

 

I have a bit more of the same yarn and I knit up a pair of these Rib and Cable Mittens to go with Kaelen's hat. She has been asking for a pair ever since I finished up mine so I am happy to  make them for her.

 

 

I meant to finish up the baby blanket and even the bunny over  the weekend, but I became distracted! Look, it's a Pepto-Bismol scarf. This pink is really pink, maybe a bit too pink, but the yarn, Karabella's Aurora 8, is so soft and lovely that I am forgiving it. It's actually Hello Yarn's Irish Hiking Scarf. I have been seeing these all over blogland and decided it was my turn :-)

There has also been some yarn shopping going on, but I will save that for next time.

Baltic Socks

 

I finished Jarvis' Baltic Socks. I started this pattern as Peace Fleece's Baltic Baby Booties, but it ended up changing quite a bit. When I first brought out the pattern and yarn, I thought I was going to make this pattern for the baby, the booties would be nice and warm for February, but reading over the pattern, I realized they were going to be too big for the baby. I figured I would make them anyways and Fiona could have them.

The pattern is for knitting flat and having a seam going up the center of the foot and the back of the leg. Not too comfortable for a rambunctious two year old. So, I decided to convert the pattern to in the round, but as I was knitting up the leg, Jarvis kept coming over to pat and admire them. Turns out my gauge was off anyway and I didn't feel like reknitting. As they were too big for Fiona and just right for Jarvis I decided to just go with it.

I didn't think booties were what a four year old needed so they had to become socks. Out came my new Debbie Bliss Simply Baby book, there is an adorable pattern for baby cashmerino socks inside. I knit the largest size and with the worsted weight yarn they worked out fine for Jarvis.

He really likes them and they were a fun chance to practice fair isle.  Of course, they have a number of imperfections, but I'm not going to point them out :-)

Here is another picture, unfortunatley it turned out a bit dark.

And in other knitting news, I finished one of the ruffles on the Eyelet Baby Blanket. I am pretty sure I am going to run out of yarn. I'm hoping for a knitting miracle, but I have less than two skeins left, so I can't see how I will make another three ruffles. I do have a spare skein in brown which look allright colorwise for trim if I had to use it, but I think it would interupt the flow of the simple lace and just plain annoy me so I will have to hunt down some more yarn.

And I started a hat for Kaelen, this is Kate Gilbert's Shining Star Hat. It's fun, but I have to pay attention or a tinking I go.