Baby Snowflake Hat

Pattern: Hat shape from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd, snowflake chart from Knitting Over the Edge by Nicky Epstein

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft, one skein each Berry Blue 9609, Light Country Blue 9709

Needles: US 5

Dates: October 6 - 7, 2006 Comments: A quick little two-day baby hat. I mostly made this to practice my fair isle before tackling the baby's Christmas stocking. I'm quite pleased with how it looks, and how the color work came out. Can't wait to see the baby in it!

Jaywalker Socks

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina from MagKnits

Yarn: Koigu Premium Merino, semi-solidin color 1014, 2 skeins

Needles: US 0

Dates: August 24 - October 6, 2006

Comments: I love the way these socks look. The Koigu is beautiful, and the pattern really brings out the subtle striping of it. These are not loose socks, and take a bit to get on, but they feel very nice once they're on.

It was my first time knitting with such tiny needles, but I love the tight feel of the fabric it created. It took me a bit to get used to them, and the double decrease in this pattern was a nightmare the first few rows that I had to do it. But in the end, I'm very happy with these.

These are for my mom for Christmas.

Here and There Cables

Pattern: Here and There Cables from Scarf Style by Pam Allen

Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in color Olive - 6.5 balls

Needles: US 7

Dates: August 18 - October 5, 2006

Comments: This was the scarf that never ended (or at least it felt like it). Because of the cables it took a million stitches to get the right width, and a million rows to make it just a tiny bit longer. Oi! But in the end it was worth it. It came out gorgeous and soft and I think my father-in-law is really going to like it.


This was my first time working with Andean Silk, and I really liked it. I had originally started this scarf in Knit Picks Shamrock, and that was just horrible - very stiff and scratchy and uck! But the Andean Silk was soft and silky and drapes beautifully. And it's especially soft after adding a tiny bit of conditioner to the rinse cycle when I washed it.


But mostly I'm just glad to have this over with so I can move on with my life (or rather, my other Christmas projects)!

Backyard Leaves

Pattern: Backyard Leaves from Scarf Style by Pam Allen

Yarn: Malabrigo Kettle Dyed Pure Merino Wool in color "Pink Frost"

Finished: October 5, 2006

Comments: This scarf took me forever, but only because I kept putting off the finishing. I seem to recall it took about a week to do the actual knitting, then I put off blocking it for months. I was afraid it would turn out looking like crap, and I was very attached to this yarn and this pattern. I finally blocked it a few weeks ago (and it came out looking great! phew!) and then put off the seaming (it's knit in two pieces and then sewn together at the neck) because I knew it was going to be ugly. Finally sat down to do that today. And while the seam's not as pretty as I would like, I think the finished product is fantastic! Here's hoping my mother-in-law agrees at Christmastime...

Baby Genius Burp Cloth

Pattern: Baby Genius Burp Cloth from Mason Dixon Knitting

Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream in color "Playtime"

Needles: US 6

Gauge:

Dates: September 26 - 29, 2006

Comments: Nice, easy pattern - great TV knitting. Cotton yarn isn't the softest thing ever to knit with, but I'm hoping this will soften up in the wash. And I love the colors of this yarn and the way they pooled. It just makes me smile :)

Baby Pixie Hat in Hunter's Orange

Pattern: Pixie Hat from Knitting For Two by Erika Knight

Yarn: Caron Wintuk in Orange (leftover from Grandpa's hats)

Needles: US 6

Gauge:

Dates: September 29, 2006

Comments: I dislike knitting with this yarn, but I had it laying around and I figured that Jon's daughter needed a hunting hat. I like the way this pattern turned out, but I was unpleasantly surprised when I realized it used knit three together for its decreases. What a pain! Next time I use this pattern (which I probably will - it's a cute baby hat with earflaps) I'll probably try matched k2tog/ssk decreases, just to make it easier on my hands!

Notes after gifting the hat: hmmm... apparently this hat is just the teensy, tiniest bit too tall. She looks either like a chinese emperor or a redneck pope. But since she's a baby, she's allowed to look ridiculous - it's cute! Her mom loved the hat, and is now out looking for a cameo onsie to go with it.

Fingerless Skull Mittens

Pattern: Custom Fit Fingerless Mittens, skull chart

Yarn: Knit Picks Palette

Needles: US 2 (for body), US 1 (for ribbing), US 3 (for casting on and binding off)

Gauge: 8 st/inch

Dates: September 19, 2006

Comments: I knit the mittens first, then used duplicate stitch to make the skulls. I'm pleased with how they turned out, but holy cow the duplicate stitching took forever!!

I was pleasantly surprised with how nicely this yarn knit up - much softer than I expected.

These mittens are a Christmas present for my brother.

Baby Pixie Hat

Pattern: Baby Pixie Hat

Yarn: Patons SWS in Natural Pink

Needles: US 6

Dates: September 25, 2006

Comments: I knit this up in one evening after Erin's baby, Aurora, was born; the hospital hat she was given was simply not good enough.

I'm in love with this yarn: the way it feels, the way it stripes, the colors it comes in...

The only thing I would change if I were to make this again is to maybe cast on an additional four stitches to make it just a wee bit bigger.

Kitty Pi

Pattern: Kitty Pi, by Wendy Johnson

Yarn: Leftover Lanb's Pride Bulky, leftover Lopi Reynolds, leftover Cascade 220 (held double)

Needles: US 10.5

Dates: August 23 - 24, 2006

Comments: This project was a stashbuster for me. The Lamb's Pride (the bright blue and green) was from two sets of 1-hour baby booties I made, the Lopi (center circle and the grey) was from two previous kitty beds, and the Cascade (binding off on half) was from some Fuzzy Feet. It was great to get all those bulky yarns out of my stash!

I really do need to get some larger DPNs, though.

Pre Felting:

I think this will be a present for Sophie and Tuxie (my mom's cats), although Remby seems to have claimed it as her own...

Baby Yoda Sweater

Pattern: Baby Yoda Sweater

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (100% Cotton)
Color 406 (a very grape-y purple)

Needles: US 6 (US 7 for all binding off)

Dates: August 16 - August 18, 2006

Comments: I've had this pattern bookmarked for a while as something I'd like to make. Then as I was perusing my old bookmarks a few days ago, I realized I just so happen to have exactly the right amount of exactly the right yarn, hiding away in my stash (my MIL gave me some months and months ago). And as I have a friend who is expecting a baby girl in just 6 weeks... Well, I just had to make it, now didn't I?

I like the way this sweater turned out, and I like that (because of the way it wraps and ties) it should fit the baby for quite some time (the pattern says 0-6 months).

I didn't like this yarn. I didn't like how textured it was ("nubbly" is the technical term, I believe). If I'm going through the trouble of knitting rows and rows of stockinette stitch, I like being able to see rows and rows of neat, even stitches. But because of the texture of this yarn, that just didn't happen. (An attempt to show the texture is in the picture at right). (I made sure to keep very careful track of my rows and stitches, because counting rows on the finished fabric was just about impossible.) That, and I just don't particularly like working with cotton (hard on the hands).

Add to this my extreme dislike of seaming, and I don't think I'll be making this sweater again like this. Perhaps in a different yarn, and with some mods to ensure less seaming (raglan sleeves?). Because I do like the finished product. Here's hoping my friend (and her baby) do, too.

Knitty's "Leftovers"

Pattern: "Leftovers" (second size) from Winter '04 Knitty
Random stripe generator

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
2 skeins Berry Blue 9609
1 skein Sage 9705
1 skein Light Country Blue 9709

Needles: US 6, US 7, US 8

Dates: August 2006

Comments: This vest is for my mom for Christmas. She requested a vest that she could wear while cleaning, that would provide her with a little more warmth without hindering the movement of her arms.

I'm really pleased with how this turned out. I had her pick out the colors online (without telling her what it was for) and they go together very well. I especially like the random stripe generator. I don't think I would have finished this nearly as quickly without it - changing colors at random intervals kept my interest during those endless miles of stockinette stitch!

Knitty's "Fetching"

Pattern: "Fetching" from Summer '06 Knitty

Yarn: Malabrigo Kettle Dyed Pure Merino Wool in color "Pink Frost"

Needles: US 6

Dates: August 8-9, 2006

Comments: Love love love this yarn!! So soft, such pretty colors - even though it's a million degrees right now, I want to wear these all the time!

The pattern from Knitty was, as usual, quite good. I decided not to do a thumb gusset (because I wanted some instant gratification and was too lazy to do the math), but I think they're fine anyway. The only thing I would do differently is to add a cable repeat or two over the fingers - the mittens end right at the base of my fingers (as you can see in the picture below), and I prefer a little more coverage on my delicate digits. But I still can't wait to wear these.

Basic Baby Sock

Pattern: "Basic Sock" from Knit a Dozen Baby Socks

Yarn: "Crazy" (I swear, that's what it says on the label!); 75% Ull superwash, 25% polyamid

Needles: US 3 DPN

Dates: August 12, 2006 (Grey's Anatomy marathon and Red Sox game)

Comments: I feel better about this pair of baby socks - not so slippery, thicker fabric, machine washable. Of course, they're also not as soft, but I'm hoping a trip or two through the washing machine will help that.

Tiny Cables Baby Socks

Pattern: "Tiny Cables" from Knit a Dozen Baby Socks by Edie Eckman (gift from MIL)

Yarn: Frog Tree 100% Alpaca Wool - Type 2204
Color: #309 (blue)

Needles: US 3 dpn

Dates: August 9-10, 2006

Comments: Nice pattern, easy to follow, love the softness of this yarn. Although I feel somewhat guilty/foolish knitting baby items out of yarn that has to be handwashed... I think in the future I'd like to use US 2 needles on this yarn; although this was the size needles called for, I felt the fabric created was a little thin and loose. And maybe smaller guage would equal smaller socks which would mean baby could wear them before he starts walking and curses the slipperiness of this yarn.