Progress!



Let me tell you the struggle I've had getting to this point! The legs were smooth sailing... but when I got to the part where you join the legs and start the body, it all fell to pieces. Has anyone used this pattern? You are instructed to cast on 5 stitches between the legs and then use a circ. When I tried this, the circ was forced into a butterfly shape and I couldn't move the stitches along the needle to knit. The problem is that the new stitches are created on the front and back at the inside of the legs and the legs are, of course, round - does that make sense? After a huge struggle (the pants almost won!), I just went back to 5 dpns until I got far enough up the body. Grrrrrrrr

That's over now and the pants are super-cute!!

I've strayed slightly from my plan. But I have a good excuse, which makes it ok... right???

I've made some really good progress on my Sockapaloooza socks. See:


Notice the cool calf shaping? I'm using a modified version of the Pippi Longstocking pattern in Stitch 'n Bitch and Knit Picks Sock Garden in Zinnia. I was a little concerned when the yarn arrived - the color is way different from what it appears on the site. It looks deep and rich in the photos on Knit Picks, but it's actually more of a 'primary' color red. But it has knit up quite nice! I like how the yellow winds itself around the sock.

Here's a close up of the stitches:


And now... here's where I've strayed from the plan. I was making the Debbie Bliss' Ribbon-Edged Cardigan for a friend who is due in March. But then I remembered how much she liked the coton sweater that I made for her son - It's sooooo easy to care for etc. So I made a slight change in plans - I'm now making this:


Yes, the Baby's Denim Drawstring Pants from LMKG. I like this pattern so far - I don't have to concentrate too hard!! The yarn is a little stiff, but I trust Joelle Hoverson when she says it will soften up with washing.

Patrick leaves next Wednesday, so I'll be able to get a good start on his birthday socks.

Having a plan is GOOD!

I finished a couple of inches on the baby cardigan last night. See:


Those are my Valentine's Day flowers in the back. Patrick sent them from Montreal.*

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern:


I'm using Debbie Bliss' Ribbon-Edged Cardigan from Special Knits, but modifying the pattern slightly. I'm knitting the body as one piece, and I think I'll try some raglan sleeves - I have NO idea if this will work!! I'm going to try knitting the sleeves in the round - the first time I made this sweater, the sleeves were a little messy where I joined them.

*I forgot to post a picture of my flowers earlier. After almost 2 years, this is the first time that Patrick has sent me flowers! I'm totally fine with that - we both believe that its more about how you treat the other person on a daily basis, than how you treat them on one day of the year. Anywho... I loved the flowers and they have a great story behind them. A very good friend of mine got married about 3 months after Patrick and I started dating. I debated whether or not to bring him to the wedding, but decided I would. I was in charge of picking up some Gerber daisies for decorations and decorating the restaurant - Patrick agreed to help!! The wedding was happening in a part of town that has a flower shop every third store - with tons of Gerber daisies! Except on the day of the wedding!! Patrick and I must have driven around for 3 hours trying to find 20 red Gerber daisies!! It was the first time we had to do something a little more serious together. We finally found all of the daisies, and needless to say, we didn't kill each other. Gerbers have kind of become our special flower. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Thanks SP!

I received a nice surprise in the mail on Wednesday from my SP:


She made me a beautiful lace scarf out of Knit Picks Shimmer. Baby alpaca and silk is very soft and the color is perfect!!

She also included a big hank of Twinkletoes merino sock yarn and a bar of homemade Berries and Twigs soap made by a friend. The sock yarn is a nice combination of blue and purple, although the purple doesn't show up very will in my photo. I love everything! Excellent job! :-)

I seemed to have developed a small case of 'startitis'. I don't usually have this many projects on the go at once:


You can see my second Fleece Artist sock in the bottom right. I also started a pair of socks for my dad - he's very into knitting and always asks what I'm making. I haven't made him anything yet, so I started a pair of socks. I might have to push them back to a father's day pressie! Also shown is a tank from Paton's - it's made from Paton's Fresco - a ribbon-like yarn that has been discontinued. The pattern really caught my eye - so I tracked down some yarn. Well the yarn arrived last night, so I cast on! I'm knitting in the round instead of knitting the back and front separately - we'll see how that goes. Also shown is the beginnings of a baby sweater in a brown Debbie Bliss cashmerino, for a friend's baby due in May. I'm also still working on the scarf to match my rib and cable hat.

I really need a knitting plan! So... here's my ordered list:

1. Another baby sweater (not the one above) for a friend who is due in March. I think I have enough Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino left over to make a cardigan. I'm going to try knitting in the round.
   
2. Patrick's birthday socks.
   
3. Sockapaloooza socks - the yarn hasn't arrived yet, so I'm still safe!
   
4. Brown baby sweater.

No straying from the plan!!!

Patrick arrived back home from Montreal last night - he surprised me at about 12:30 am!! He was originally supposed to arrive at 8 pm tonight. He brought Bird back this absolutely adorable shirt:


(Notice that she's lying in the middle of a sun spot!) Bird loves her clothes. Her belly is almost naked so she needs to wear a jacket in the winter or she won't go outside. Her new shirt is more for spring - very cute light pink with a green stripe. Yes... she's spoiled!!

I received a very cute card in the mail today from my secret pal. See:



The inside reads:
May your frogging days be over.
May you never drop a stitch.
May you have your fill of fiber.
May it never make you itch.

Very cute! Thanks SP. :-)

Hello!

Finally some completed pictures of the first DGB Confetti sock:


As I mentioned before, I'm not crazy about the colors so this little guy might have to wait a while for his mate!


And my lovely toe decreases:


I present my first Fleece Artist sock:


It's short - I knitted 4.5 inches before starting the heel because I was afraid of running out of yarn. Here's a close up of the colors:


Some more lovely toe decreases:


I love this sock! I decided just to go with a plain stockinette stitch to show off the colors. It's so pretty and I've made it a little smaller than my first pair so that it hugs my foot a little more. Although I don't have photographic evidence to prove it, I do not have second sock syndrome - I cast on for the second sock last night.

In other knitting news, I finished the Debbie Bliss baby cardigan, but it was delivered to the tiny recipient before I could snap some photos. It turned out quite nice - I'll have to ask for some photos of baby wearing her new sweater.

Patrick is leaving for Montreal today - he'll be gone for an entire week!! (Yes, that correct, he'll be gone for Valentine's Day!) Of course this means I'll be able to get a bit more knitting done - and I can secretly start knitting his birthday socks. I purchased some Brown Sheep Company Wildfoote in Pine Tree. He was born on St. Patrick's Day (get it... Patrick... born on St. Patrick's Day... yes... too cute!) so I thought green would be appropriate!

Sockapalooza update: I just orders some really great yarn from Knit Picks:
It's Sock Garden in Zinnia. Now for a pattern.... hmmmmmm....

I'm off to play some ultimate Frisbee tonight - I've been subbing with a team occasionally. It's been great to get out and play! It's also a nice break not being captain of this team - I can just show up and play!!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Wiarton Willie, our local groundhog, didn't see his shadow! That's not all together surprising, as it's been a really warm winter (did I mention I went for a bike ride last weekend?!?)

My secret pal also sent me a cute groundhog day e-card. See:

Thanks SP!

I also received my sockapaloooza match, which means shopping! Her request is pretty simple - colorful, warm and long.

A couple of new FOs to show off - pictures to follow. My camera is just getting back from Cuba. (Yes, somehow my camera travels more than I do!)