New Project

At the beginning of my knitting career, I knit a hooded sweater for Boo-boo. Because of my naivety in the realm of natural fibers I chose a lovely acrylic with no dye lot. I did not do a gauge swatch, just matched the recommendations on the ball band to the recommendations in the pattern. It knit up just fine, though pilled like mad. It must be mentioned that the pattern only went up to 12-24 month size. Alas, Boo-boo was well beyond that size by the time I took up knitting. What was I to do? What every naive new knitter does . . . I forged ahead and made something up. Really, I did. In actuality, I just made note of the adjustments the author made for each size and kept doing that on scrap paper until I got to the size I wanted. Bravely casting-on I and knit the sweater. At the conclusion of the knitting, blocking and sewing I had a great piece, that by sheer luck, fit the boy. He looked so sweet in it with khakis and sandals.

Forge ahead to now (in reality only a few years later). My sister, JJ is having a baby boy in late July. I am sending her all of Boo-boo's baby items in an effort to be kind and reuse some of the lovely things we had. While sorting these things I found the above mentioned hooded sweater. Still in great condition and ready to have the ends woven in - but that's another story for another day. My brain in it's tired and overworked state thought, "Hey why don't you give the already knitted sweater to JJ for LG and knit a second for the new baby!"

I cast on and am doing just that. Here are some details:

Pattern: Hooded Sweater by Debbie Bliss from Special Knits
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue
Needles: US 8 Bamboo Circular
Started: April 13, 2008

Even though these sweaters were knit 3 years apart, the colors match perfectly! Thank heavens for no-dye lot yarns! Hopefully we will get photos of these sweaters for all to see.

Check List

Keep plugging away at Roza's Take Two Socks.
Check.

Eat Lunch.
Check.

Finish Curly's Baby Shrug.
Check.

Head right to yarn shop for more yarn to make a hooded sweater from Special Knits by Debbie Bliss.
Check.

I appear to have my priorities in order. So on to some serious knitting. It seems everyone I know is having a baby! Oh a scary thought, I know. But it's good for me because I can knit some cutie-pa-tootie baby items in no time flat. Not to mention the cost is easy on the check book.

So here is a baby shrug I knit for someone near and dear to my heart. We'll call her Curly for the sake of Internet anonymity. This pattern is from Simply Baby by Debbie Bliss. If you know me at all, you know that I have been a fan of Debbie's since I first began knitting. This is especially true of her baby designs. They are classic and seem so simple. Yet, anyone who has knit them knows they are not. So when I had to come up with a quick gift, viola, Debbie comes through in a pinch. Here are some details:

Pattern: Baby Shrug from Simply Baby by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in Chocolate Brown
Needles: US 8 Bamboo Circular for the body and US 7 Bamboo Circular for the cuffs
Started: April 4, 2008
Finished: April 12, 2008
Notes: First, I substituted yarn, though in the Aran and Debbie Bliss lines. The pattern calls for two balls to complete a 3-6 month size. Slight fib there (unless of course the Cashmerino Aran has more yardage than the Merino Aran, which in all honesty, I have not verified). This necessitated a return trip to the yarn shop for a third ball. Other than some risky business picking up stitches along the edges, this shrug went off without a hitch. Quick, easy and cute.

Now for the new baby project I mentioned earlier. My sister JJ is coming to visit and bringing her kids! Aunt Trixie is all a jitter for this visit because sister is very pregnant and having a little boy! Yea! I have already knit the sweater once for my Boo-boo and will give it to her for her oldest son. Now I can knit a second one that matches for the new son! Personally, I'm not into the dressing the kids alike thing, but sister is. So I hope this will make her very happy.

Roza's Take Two

This year on RM's side we drew names for the Holidays. I received some lovely yarn from my brother in law. His wife is a dedicated knitter and knew just how to gently guide him in his purchase. It is Artyarns Ultramerino4 in colorway #136. I never would have guessed that this color combination would be enjoyable, but oh my it is!

I delayed thought long and hard about what to knit with this gorgeous stuff. Obviously socks were the choice of the day, but which pattern? Nothing seemed to fit. Once I find a pattern I like, I have re-knit it in the past. So why not again? The Roza's are my current favorite and get lots of wear.

I started these back in March. Using my trusty Addi Turbo US#1 circular needle I am slowly chipping away at them. They tend to get a few rows completed each day during my lunch. We have a group of ladies who sit in the Library and knit during the first half hour of our lunch and then we go eat. Logistically, a completion date is far and away.

I am not knitting at home so much because of the big project I have been working on. It's very exciting and we are looking forward to a reveal sometime in August. RM has been big help. He has made some major contributions and will be given much credit in the end. So keep watching. . . the end is near.