Another baby sweater...

Pattern: Baby Baseball Tee

Source: Knit 2 Together

Yarn: Bernat Cajun Cotton (from the thrift store!)

Needles: US 5

Start: July 12, 2008

Finish: July 19, 2008

This one was for one of my Huntsville knitting club girl's baby. Shes due in October, not August as I thought. Oops. Its hard to keep track of all the due dates! Anyway, its another winner! How can baby stuff not be winners, though? Its all so cute! It was an easy knit and super fast. The pattern is for mittens that attach to the sweater too, but since the baby will be living in Alabama, mittens won't be necessary too often. Plus, I knit this in a cotton yarn, so it is more of a spring/fall garment than a winter one. Jana and Adam thought that it looked like one of those hippie ponchos that are usually all kinds of crazy colors. I agree. They both thought it was adorable and so do I! Yay for babies!

On another note, while at Craftorama 2008, I put some straps on my Lelah tank top. I used some linen fabric I had laying around, made some thick-ish straps and sewed them into the elastic at the top of the tank top. I really like how it looks - much nice than before- and I know I will wear it a lot more with the straps.

Craft-o-rama 2008

I had a great weekend... I was in Chattanooga late last week for a conference and I stayed for the weekend to meet up with my knitting/crafting girls from Huntsville for Craftorama 2008. We had been planning Craftorama 2008 for some time before I even left Huntsville, but the timing just never seemed to work out. So when I found out that I would be going to Chattanooga for this conference, I inquired if they were interested in finally getting together for Craftorama 2008. And everyone was in!

We actually did quite a bit of crafting, even though some of us were a little skeptical as to whether that would happen or not. We did lots of eating, lots of gossiping, there was lots of baby talk (with two preggos along), lots of walking (despite the two preggos), shopping, more eating, more crafting, etc., etc., etc. All in all, we had a fantastic time and we're already making plans for Craftorama 2009 - in British Columbia?

In proper Craftorama spirit, I (1) brought knitted clothing along to wear:

and (2) sprint-knitted to finish the baby sweater for Jana's baby:

More about both of those in another post!

One baby gift down...

Pattern: Helena

Source: Knitty Summer 2008

Yarn: Baby Bee Sweet Delight

Needles: US 6 & 3

Start: July 2, 2008

Finish: July 11, 2008

This sweater is for my friend Kelly's baby. She's due any day now, so I got it finished just in time! Hopefully I'll get it sent before the baby comes. This was the most indecisive knitting project ever. It stared as EZ's February Baby Sweater, but I just couldn't get that lace pattern to work for me. Then it turned into Angle, which reminded me too much of a dishcloth. And I was going to run out of yarn. So then I tried another pattern, a cardigan with garter stitch stripes. Nope, still not working for me. So finally, I just started with some new yarn and whipped this one out. I love it. Its perfect. So girly!

There really isn't much to say: the pattern was well written and easy to follow, the lace pattern was easy to remember. It was quick. I made my first picot edging. It was lots of fun.

I immedietly started on another baby sweater; this one for another friend (from my knitting group in Huntsville) who is expecting a boy at the end of August. I am making a little baseball tee in turquoise and blue. And then, I found out another friend is expecting... It appears to be never ending! However, I do like knitting for other people and I like giving handmade gifts, so its all good. And I'm lucky enough to have friends that really appreciate my work :)

I'm back...

I had a really great time in Idaho... I worked with three really fun and hard-working guys, spent every day outside in the sun and wind, only got sunburned once, learned to identify all kinds of grasses, and saw a ton of raptors, antelope, groundhogs, and a couple moose. After all the moaning and complaining I did about having to go, it turned out to be a really great month.

Not much time for knitting, though. I knit a few days, but we were working 10 to 13 hour days, so there really wasn't much leisure time. And pretty much all the leisure time I had I spent sleeping. But now that I'm back home, I've had more time for the sticks... I'm working on the fourth version of a baby sweater for my friend's baby. She's having a girl (yay! the first girl of all my friends' babies). I've finally decided on Helena, from the most recent issue of Knitty.

I've pretty much done all of this over the weekend... I've been working on it like crazy so I can send it off before the baby comes. And because I have a ton of other gifts to work on... everyone I know is either getting married or having babies. I really like to give personalized gifts, especially for my close friends, but it is getting to be a lot of work!

I also started a pair of socks, Retro Rib from Favorite Socks. I'm making them with yarn I dyed last summer with coreopsis flowers. Cheryl dyed a bit of the yarn brown for me so that I can have contrasting heels and toes... I think they are going to look really nice.

Busy Bee

The thesis is turned in.
The job has been accepted.

The move is in the works.

My mind is spinning.

But that doesn't mean I have put creative endevors aside...

This weekend I painted a couple pieces of furniture that have been sitting around for quite some time:

Here is a before picture of the record stand, but I don't have a before of the bench/table. I am so happy with how both of these turned out. I love 'em! I have a couple chairs to paint as well, but I don't think I'll get to that until I move. I also bought this chair at the thrift store a while back and I am going to try to recover it. I've been doing some research online about reapholstery and I think I can do it! I've been doing lots of thrift shopping lately... I really love finding neat old things. I have posted some of my treasures on flickr, if you're interested at all. The doilies and the scarf on the tables were all thrifted recently.

I found instructions for freezer paper stencils and decided to give it a try. It is so quick and easy. You can find stencils on line, I found mine here, or you can make your own. I got the paint at Michael's. I made the two in the back row for my friend who's having a baby girl and the two in the front row for a co-worker who's having a boy. This is a really quick and easy way to make a personalized baby gift. Me likes.

And last, but definately not least, knitting. I finished my brea bag almost a month ago, and finally put the straps on last week. I was working on making a lining this weekend. Until I broke the needle on my sewing machine in my finger (really hurt) and now I can't figure out how to put a new needle in correctly... and I can't find my instructions/manual for my sewing machine. I know its somewhere.... so, that will have to wait until I have more time. Until then, I am using it without a lining. I love it.

So two weeks from now, I'll be all moved and starting my new job. Crazy.

Back on the Knitting Wagon

Pattern: Baby Yoda

Yarn: Plymouth Jeannee

Needle: US 7

This little sweater is for my friend's new baby. He was born one week ago today and I am sure he is anxiously awaiting his hand-knit sweater! This took me way too long... it was a kind of boring knit & I couldn't get motivated to finish it. However, the baby wasn't due until February 12, so I thought I had a bit more time! Now I can't decide if I like the turtle on it or not. I made the turtle out of felt, thinking that the sweater need a little 'something', but now I'm not sure. What do you think?

I also finished this cowl thinger last night, I am thinking I might send it to someone special for Valentine's Day. I just have to figure out who that someone special is....

Pattern: Razorshell Neckwarmer

Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic (found at the thrift store!)

Needle: US 6

Started: 2/2/08

Finished: 2/3/08

And in other news:
I have finally started my KAL II sweater... I've got two rows completed!

Soft and Squishy Baby Bolero

Pattern: Baby Bolero by Leigh Radford

Source: One Skein

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton (1 skein)

Needles: #8 & #9

Start: 8/31/07

Finish: 9/2/07

Another incredibly quick knit... I knit this up in three days. And boy, is it cute! And tiny! It is going, along with the little booties, to a high school friend who is expecting her first baby (and the first baby in our group of friends!) in October. The shower is this Saturday, which unfortunately I can't attend, but I sent it along with another friend. The back has a little motif that, according to Eastern folklore, brings protection to the wearer.

Now, about this yarn! It is amazingly soft, squishy, smooshy, and yummy. I have never use it before and I was pleasantly suprised. Usually cottons aren't all that soft. The only problem is that is isn't machine washable, which makes it not very practical for baby wear. But I do love this little sweater - I think I will be making more of these as the babies start appearing!