Friday, February 29, 2008

Is the snow going to just disappear?

Our Easter tree went up this week:

I can't believe February is already over! My son asked me today, "Since tomorrow is March, is all the snow going to disappear?". Yeah, I wish! There are two yarn shops in my area with big sales on today, but I can't go anywhere due to another snowstorm. I guess it's better I not buy anymore yarn.

More baby socks:
...made from left-over Shelridge Farms Ultra.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Molly Bolero



Pattern: Molly Bolero by Debbie Bliss, Junior Knits

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease, 3 balls, Violet

Needles: 4.5 mm

I knit a larger, size 6-7 yrs, because I remembered my Indigo Ripples skirt shrunk a lot in the wash. With the left-overs, I also knit Grace a simple cowl:



Now that daughter is happy for a while, back to baby knitting!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Mmmmm...lattes!

Our neighbourhood is quite new. There's still parts of it that are not yet completed, like the big field just beside us. Right on the other side of that field, is a brand new, little plaza. It's about a 5 minute walk away.

This picture is from my kitchen window. See the red arrow?



Guess what it's gonna be?

STARBUCKS!!!

I can't wait 'til I can drink lattes again!

Graces's bolero was a quick knit. Here it is unseamed and without cuffs:



It's finished now, and I'll post the pics tomorrow.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Rocketry Cardigan

Rocketry is all done:



Pattern: Rocketry Baby Cardigan by Dream in Color

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 wool, 2 balls Denim, 1 ball Stone, 1 Ball Cocoa, 1 ball Basil, 1 ball Dijon

This yarn is very soft, and comes in so many beautiful colours. However, it is so fluffy, that I can imagine it pilling right away if you knit with the recommended 5mm needles.

Used 4.5mm needles, and should fit about 6-9 months. Very quick and easy! I had enough left overs for a hat, too:



Pattern: Striped Hat from Adorable Knits for Tots

Size: small, about 9-12 months

Every time I start a new project, Grace asks me if I'm making something for her. When I tell her no, she gets so sad. That girl just loves gifts! So, I started a bolero for her.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Family Day

Today is "Family Day", a new statutory holiday the Ontario government decided we needed in February. There's all kinds of great discounts going on all over the city, but unfortunately we're all a little sick. So, today is laundry and knitting day!

Here's some baby Koigu socks:



I'm totally guessing the sizes for the baby socks. Some baby sock patterns I see are really fat around the gusset, so I'm not sure if these will fit.

On a completely different topic, I wanted to share my dream I had last night. I rarely remember my dreams, and this one was quite strange. I was a little girl, and I walked home from school. I was expecting to go home to an empty house, but when I went in I found Ben Affleck. He was wearing a red basketball track suit, and lying on my couch watching tv. I freaked out and screamed at him to leave. When he didn't, I got a broom, and started hitting him with it. Then I woke up. Very weird. I haven't watched any Affleck movies in a while, too, so I don't know where it came from.

Anyways, Happy Family Day!

Friday, February 15, 2008

9th

Thank you for all your nice Sheldon comments! My kids really wanted to keep Sheldon for themselves, but I had to explain that they had rooms full of toys, but Baby doesn't have any toys yet.

Yesterday, Hubby and I celebrated our 9th anniversary. I never expect any gifts, but yesterday he surprised me with a card, chocolates, roses (not real ones, the soft stuffed toy kind!), and a shirt with this picture:



The company that made it is iseemyface.com, and they did a really great job. It's from a picture taken before we were married, and does really look like us!

Our marriage has not always been smooth, and to be honest, has had more downs than ups, but I'm so thankful for my husband. He really is a great guy. He loves the Lord, and loves to study His Word, and because of that, I know we'll always be okay.

Rocketry is done...just need to get some buttons:



The yarn I used is Mission Falls 1824 wool. I was really surprised how soft it was; perfect for baby. However, I've read many negative comments about pilling. I knitted this sweater on smaller than suggested needles, so we'll see how well it holds up. The balls are only 50g/85 yards, which was perfect for this small project that used multiple colours.

Thank you, Debbie, for the pattern!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Sheldon

Here is Baby's first toy: Sheldon the Turtle!



Pattern: Sheldon from Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport, 1 ball grass, 1 ball green apple
Needles: 3.25mm and crochet hook



Modifications: I was supposed to use applied I-cord to attach the top and bottom shells, but I couldn't figure out how to do it neatly. Instead, I did I-cord on just the top shell, then using a crochet hook, slip stitched the shells together. I also left the tail part open, because I forgot to go up a needle size on the bottom shell, and it was a little snug.

I barely had enough yarn left over for some tiny socks.



They were 30 sts. on 3mm.

Up next: a Rocketry cardi, and it's knitting up so quickly!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Our Valentine's Tree

We finally took down the Christmas tree this week-end, and replaced it with a Valentine's tree:



When I was little, I had a favourite book about a family that kept their tree up all year, decorating it according to the nearest holiday. I had always wanted to do that, and two years ago we did. But after one entire year, my husband had enough, and we had to take it down. He's letting us do it again, but only until the baby comes. We'll have time for an Easter tree, then a "welcome the baby" tree.

On another note, it brings me great joy and satisfaction to announce I frogged the Minimalist Cardigan. Whoo hoo! Sorry, but that moss stitch was not fun. I worked on it for 2 hours while watching a movie. At the end of the movie, I looked at my work, and found a big mistake near the beginning. That was the last straw. I hope to use the yarn for one of those cute cardis in the upcoming Interweave issue.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Baby Knitting

I finished my first baby knits this week. Baby knitting is so awesome...it's quick, it's cute, and it's a great stash buster!

First is a simple cardi from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby.



And I hade enough yarn left over to make a basic hat from Itty-Bitty Hats, and Herringbone Booties from 50 Baby Bootees to Knit.



All should fit up to 3 months, and took only 3 balls of King Soffice yarn.

I started knitting Sheldon from Knitty today. Shouldn't take too long 'cause were hunkered down in the house today. We're supposed to get up to 35 cm of snow by nightfall!