Another Finished Object — Bulky Mittens for Sweet Baboo

This picture didn’t turn out very well but I will use it for now and replace it later. These mittens are a very dark navy blue and I knitted them very tightly in GGH Aspen yarn. It is 50% Merino wool and 50% Acrylic, 57 meters in 50 grams. I used just over two balls of this yarn. They are extremely heavy and bulky, which is what he wanted. My only complaint with this yarn was that it turned my fingers blue — honest!! My wooden needles too!! I should probably set the color or his hands will looks like a Smurf’s if they get wet. He seems very happy with them and when Daddy’s happy, everybody’s happy.

This free pattern was very easy to follow even for a novice knitter like me. That’s probably why it’s called Easy Mittens Pattern — by Claudia Krisniski. If you would like a copy of the pattern, click here. This is another pattern that will be one that I use over and over. Don’t mess with a good thing, right?

Voila!! Sissy’s Socks Finished!!

And off to VT they go!!

They are in my mailbox to be picked up as I write this!!

Hand wash — dry flat — no dryer please!!

 

They look pretty cool on, don’t you think?

Next up — I’ve already casted on for Sweet Baboo’s mittens and will be

finishing my very soft scarf soon!!

Sissy’s Sock Update

I’m actually a little farther along than this picture shows. Yes, those are my feet. I’ve had such a good time trying these on as I make them. I should be done within a week (by this weekend would be great) and then off to VT they go. The pattern (Simple Sock in Three Sizes) is from Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi. It’s a wonderfully written book with a great sense of humor. Maybe after I finish these, I can make a pair for myself!!

Sweet Baboo has been gently reminding me that he’d like a pair of mittens before winter is over and DD is constantly reminding me that I promised to make a bag for her. Working is definitely cutting into my knitting time!!

Very Soft Yarn Scarf Update

I’ve had two balls of this yarn for at least 4 months and have been periodically looking for just the right stitch to make a scarf out of it. Not being able to find a stitch that jumped up and said “here I am!!”, I decided that a plain old K3 P3 rib with size 9 Addi circs would be just fine and now I really like the look of it. The yarn is Baby Alpaca Grande from Plymouth Yarn (100 grams, 110 yards) and I don’t think I’ve ever felt a more soft hand in any yarn. (The Baby Alpaca Grande Paint in all the different colorways is positively mouth watering!!) I’ve knitted about 9 inches and I’m about halfway through the first ball — I really luff long scarfies — so I trotted down to my LYS and picked up another ball to be on the safe side. (Any reason is a good reason to go down to Woolworks) And of course, the dye lot is not the same as the original, but I’ve looked at the three of them in all kinds of light and I really can’t see a huge (if any) difference. This is my “watch TV and knit” project for now. Once I get Sissy’s second sock done, I’ll spend more time on it.

On Deck — Sockies for My Sister

I’m really getting into this knitting socks on circular needles. The hardest part of knitting for me on any kind of knitting needles (and this has always been a problem) is that I am a horrendously tight knitter. I have to constantly remind myself to loosen it up. And these are no different — they should wear like iron. I’m about 1/2 done the first sock — more pics when I get more done.

The pattern (Simple Sock in Three Sizes) is from Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi. I like the part in it that says you could make only this sock for the rest of your life just changing the yarn weight and type of yarn. A great book that is worth every penny.

Isn’t this yarn yummy? It’s Galway Paint from Plymouth Yarn. The colorway is #808. I just love a worsted weight yarn!

Finished Object — My “Just Winged It” Knitting Bag

This was great yarn to felt, once I got a handle on what I was doing. I used Donegal Tweed Homespun 100% Pure New Wool. I just loved the hand in this yarn, plus I had to frog it a few times and it held up very well. I used 2 ends — started with a crocheted oval about 5″ at it’s widest by 10″ in length, then knitted up from the stitches on the outside of the oval. Started increasing here and there until I got the shape that I wanted. I ended up with about 110 stitches in circumference, but not sure what I started with.

The I-cord was a 6 stitch with one end of the yarn. I think it was about 5 feet long when I finished. To attach the cord, I used a DPN to make 4 holes in the bag about 1 1/2″ from the edge and about 3″ in from the sides, then threaded the cord through it and tied. Not real fancy but it gets the job done. I didn’t attach the cord until it and the bag were done being felted.

I was a little hesitant about the felting, having felted one other item and it came out pint sized due to my overzealousness. I erred on the side of caution this time, and finally got the effect that I wanted after felting it 4 times. This yarn can really take some abuse in the washer!!

This picture looks like there is a skew in the yarn from this angle, but it must be my camera.

My Girls — Pretty in Pink

Hats and sockies finally finished!! On to other projects!!

 

Behold the GrandDolly’s Roll Brim Hat!!

Either I’m getting better or the patterns are getting easier. (She bows in appreciation of the applause) This adorable little hat took me just about 5 hours to make, including frogging the last 1 1/2″ of the hat twice and changing the top to an i-cord (which was also my first attempt at this technique) instead of a topknot. One more hat to go for Darling Daughter and I can kiss this yarn goodbye!!! Come to think of it, maybe that’s why I was able to finish this hat so quickly!! As lovely as it is, I am getting tired of looking it and can’t wait to move on to something else — perhaps a nice pair of socks for me and I still have a scarf that I started awhile back that I haven’t made a lot of headway on……..

The pattern for the hat came from a pattern generator at a site called The Diet Diary/Knitting Fiend — both names are mentioned in the url — but at any rate, click here to visit this generator and a host of others that she has on her site. Lots of great stuff to read and get lost in. For me and my way of knitting, the instructions through the generator are more clear and easier to follow. I kind of went my own way on the top and I think it came out pretty well.

Behold the GrandDolly’s Socks!!!

These turned out so darn cute!! I didn’t try real hard to get the yarn pattern to match, but it did pretty well by itself. When I had finished one, I tried it on her to make sure the size was okay, which it was. We take care of GrandDolly a couple times a week while her mom and dad work, so Sweet Baboo thought it would be a good idea if we took her itty bitty socks and put them in a Fisher Price mailbox thing that she likes to play with. She’ll probably fling them over her shoulder, but what the heck, she’s only 14 months old. I’ll try to have my camera ready when she opens that little door.

Anyway — it seems that this yarn is the only yarn I am ever going to knit with again. I started with one ball of yarn Darling Daughter’s socks. Then she requested that I make a pair for GrandDolly. I agreed but then had to go back to get another ball because I knew that I wouldn’t have enough. Then Darling Daughter thought it would be so great if I could make a roll brim hat for her. And since I was doing that anyway, could I also make one for GrandDolly so that Mommy and Baby will match? And being the ever doting Grammie, off to the yarn shop I go for more of this yarn………………………….

My pattern for Izaak’s little socks

Cast on 36 with Size 4 circs
Knit 1 Purl 1 for 15 rounds (about 1 1/2″)

Heel flap
18 stitches

1. Slip 1 Knit 1 Repeat across
2. Slip 1 Purl across
Repeat above 2 rounds 7 times (about 1 1/2″)
End after knit row

Heel turn

1. Slip 1, purl 10, p2tog, p1 turn (4 sts left)
2. Slip 1, knit 5, ssk, k1, turn (4 sts left)
3. Slip 1, purl 6, p2tog, p1 turn (2 sts left)
4. Slip 1, knit 7, ssk, k1 turn (2 sts left)
Repeat until there are 12 sts total left on needle

Gusset
Pick up 8 stitches down heel flap, place a marker, work 18 stitches, place a marker, pick up 8 stitches up heel flap. Move 6 stitches from heel to second needle. 46 stitches total

Gusset decrease

1. Knit 11, k2tog, k1 (marker), knit to next marker, k1, ssk, k11 — 44 sts
2. This round and all even numbered rounds, knit even
3. Knit 9, k2tog,k1 (marker here) knit to next marker, k1, ssk, k9 — 42 sts**
4. Knit 7, k2tog, k1 (marker here) knit to next marker, k1, ssk, k7 — 40 sts
Continue until there are 36 stitches total, 18 on each needle

Foot
Continue knitting until foot measures 3.75″ from the point where you picked up the stitches on the heel.

Toe
1) Knit 6, k2tog, k2, ssk, k6 on each needle
2) Knit even
3) Knit 5, k2 tog, k2, ssk, k5 on each needle
4) Knit even
Continue decreasing every other row until there are 6 stitches left. Kitchener off