I've been working on a few different projects, but I can't seen to fall in love with anything. I finished a Valentines dress for Mattie to wear to deliever balloons to Mark, but because of everyone's illnesses, I didn't get the edging around the arms and neck. Plus, it's a little short, but just enough to be really cute for a baby, you know, the diaper just barely peeking out. Then I started a skirt in and I swear I had the right gauge, but....it never seems to work out for me. So I think I will finish it, it will just be a fuller skirt then what I was originally going for. I also got some new yarn to make Amy a bunch of baby hats. Anyway, I haven't knitted much because I'm too busy on my new laptop! Love it!!

Finished two projects yesterday. Max's grey cabled sweater, and a little top for Mattie I made up on a whim. It took me like 5 hours stop and go. I knit it in the round on #10 1/2's. It's modified from the Toddler Tank in Speed Knitting. I used Yarn Bee Airy (that I got at Hobby Lobby for $.99), it took about half a skein of green, and not much of red obviously. I had started the toddler tank dress in the same book with the same type yarn (different color), but saw pretty quickly I was not going to have enough with my one small skein.





I wasn't trilled with how the sweater turned out. It looks pretty good lying flat, but when he puts it on, it almost looks like it has shoulder pads in it. I think the combination of the drop shoulder and the bulky cables just make for too much...bulk. I'm thinking about scraping my plans for a matching one for Mattie, but it really goes fast, and the second time making something always goes better. I don't know. I really enjoyed the cables though. I've done small two stich cables with no cable needle, but not one like this with a fully cabled item and a cable needle. It was really easy, but you do have to keep up with the cable needle. I'm trying to quickly make Mattie another fuzzy top, in pink and red for Valentine's Day, but with a few tweaks, you know, second time around and all that. A little longer and a little wider. I had cut the number of stiches from 26 front and back (52 total) to , I think, 46 or something. It fits Ok, but I think the original will be better. It just looked so big for her tiny chest! Valentines one will be staight up by the book (except I did add and then decrease stiches on the bottom for a little flair, so it's not a perfect square).


I love these colors together.




A pretty good fit for a evening project.

Mom's requested pillow
Adult sweater option (mom)
Mom's requested purse

I'm having trouble with Max's grey sweater, the neck is so big and lose it almost falls off his shoulders! Good look for a girl's sweatshirt in the late '80's, not so much for a dude's sweater nowdays. I think if I unravel the neckband and pick up fewer stiches, it might keep it a little tighter. It's already in 1x1 rib.

Cute summer dress for Mattie in Knitting in the Round

My Aventures into Knitting

I have been knitting since 2002. I wanted to learn after I read an article in Women's Day, or something stupid like that, where that lady from Judging Amy (the mom or something, I think) said she knits baby hats on set. It showed an apple hat and gave a simple patten. It seemed like the perfect pastime for me: portable, not overly intricate (like cross stich, or something), quick, cheap, and useful. I tried to teach myself with books while I was pregnant with Max, and gave up several time. But occasionally, I would get out the needles and yarn I bought and try again, until I finally caught on. It wasn't as popular as it is now, it seems like I jumped in just when it's popularity was starting. When I started, the library had like 10 knitting books from the '80's and now they have almost 200 (from now, not 200 from the '80's. Yuck.). It's really sad how much that excites me. Anyway, I absolutly love it. I love it because I can make something in an evening, or something that takes a year. I can throw it in a bag and take it with me to the doctor's office to knit while I wait, or in the car on a road trip. I can buy $2 skeins of yarn or splurge on a $15 one (I said I could, I didn't say I did). I can knit while I watch Tv or talk to someone, or, I haven't gotten up the nerve to do it yet, but I could knit during church. It's not totally mindless work, but it doesn't have to require total consentration. You can have a pattern that requires your undivided attention, but if you don't feel like doing that, you can put it aside and work on something else. Anyway, I wanted this blog to document the projects I work on and (hopefully) complete. I'm the worst about putting a half-finished piece of work in the closet and forgetting what pattern I was using, what gauge, and everything like that. So...hopefully this will help. Plus I will get to talk about what I am working on without having to bore anyone to death (you don't have to read this, you know). So, let's see what I'm making!