Perfect Drive

Today my husband and I went clay pigeon shooting. It wasn't really my thing. I think I would be much better with a handgun (he disagrees, because he is scared) but it was fun to learn how to do and the weather was beautiful as were the surroundings. On the way back home my husband drove and I tinked the baby sweater I was making and re-cast on in a smaller size because another friend is due soon (and the originally intended baby has already been made to wait this long so what's a little longer) and I had made some sort of mistake I couldn't figure out on an earlier row.

One thing I found out (besides the fact that knitting while being driven around is wonderful) is that things are much easier the second time around and you also remember them a little bit. I remember when I was knitting my first sock, wondering what in the world was I doing, what would this look like, slipping and knitting and picking up stitches. I didn't know what would come next and each step seemed so bizarre. Now on my second sock, not only do I remember most of what needs to be done but it is so much easier knowing how it is supposed to turn out. Same with the sweater- I know how to do the seed stitch edging now, and when and where and how to make the buttonhole and when to switch to stockinette. I feel so validated and proud of my little brain for retaining this information.

Anyway, when I got home I began work on finishing a hat for my husband. He picked out the yarn himself from Rosie's Yarn Cellar which we visited when we went to Philadelphia. It is Rowan Lima, which is a baby alpaca, merino and wool blend and it is fuzzy and fun. It is finished and while the sizing is a bit off unique, we have made it fit, so basically it's perfect.

Cowl Break

Because I am working on my baby sweater my Burberry Inspired Cowl has been put on hold. Here is a picture of it in its pumpkin colored glory. Isn't this the most beautiful color?? I made a friend a hat with the same colored yarn and wanted to make myself something, hence the cowl, and I have three four more hanks in my not-so-secret stash because I love it so so much. It reminds me of fall and stomping through crunchy leaves and butternut squash soup and Halloween.

It's looking pretty good so far. I am a tiny bit worried about the provisional cast on (what if the crochet chain doesn't unravel!?) because I haven't used that method before but am much more comfortable with kitchener's stitch after working on the armpits of my stripey sweater.

Updated: I meant to say that I uploaded this entry for WIP Wednesday - check out the other posts, people are working on some fabulous things out there!

Good News or Bad News?

That's the question I asked my husband last night as I got into bed after working on my sweater for an hour or so. In the order of his reply, the bad news was that I had to rip out all of what I had started. The good news was that I hadn't worked on it that long and so I didn't feel as bad as I would have if I had realized my mistake when I was on the sleeves. The mistake? Confidently casting on 100 stitches instead of the 106 required for the 18 month old size. The baby recipient has turned one, so I wanted to make his sweater larger but sleep clouded my eyes and I looked at the wrong number in the parentheses at the beginning of the pattern. Lesson learned? That my mom is right again- one should not knit when one is tired. Also that I should triple check the pattern I am knitting from. No new pictures for this post- the ones from yesterday still apply.

My First Countdown

I haven't knit on a deadline before- I have pretty much been knitting for myself. I have made a couple of gifts but they never had to be ready by a specific day so it's all been quite relaxing. Well it's on now. I have finally cast on a 100 stitches in my Berroco Vintage on size 8 needles to make a sweater in 5 days. I knit several rows already because I couldn't not but I have sleeves to add and a hundred or so more rows to go I am guessing. I already know this sweater is going to look great.

Uneventful

I didn't make much headway on any knitting this weekend. I know I have tomorrow but it doesn't look like I will be able to go back to anything I want to finish. I had to work all day today and then met up with friends afterwards which was great because I am going to be working tomorrow and both days next weekend as well so it was nice to get some fun in there. Even though I didn't knit, I still managed to order lots of yarn last night and I pre-ordered Coastal Knits today which I am super excited about because I get to download two patterns before the book gets here next month AND as part of the pre-order package I also get 50% off coupons for patterns on the Never Not Knitting site and on Knitbot (the book is a collaboration of Alana Dakos from Never Not Knitting and Hannah Fetig's designs). I am looking forward to casting on my first sweater for myself from this book.

Tomorrow during my lunch break I am heading to Looped Yarn Works to buy three skeins of worsted weight yarn. We have a friend coming into town this weekend and I am determined to make a sweater for his tiny son by then. I guess he's not so small anymore-  it has been over a year since we have seen him but he will always be tiny to us I guess (the baby, not the friend). I am going to use the stripey sweater pattern again but in a larger size and I am doing it in one color, either grey or brown, and using little wooden buttons to give it a nice grown up look. I think this baby can definitely pull off this sophisticated style. Excited!!

Creative Outlet

On our way back from our weekend trip we happened upon an outlet mall. I did some damage at the Banana Republic store but it would have been foolish not to buy t-shirts which are perfect for cold weather layering for several dollars each. And a sweatshirt. And an argyle sweater. And some other items. It was a fun day and I actually got quite a deal for my new clothes. I also popped into J. Crew and the Kate Spade store. Sadly the deals in those stores were not for me, at least not if I didn't want to spend any money for the rest of this month and next.

Both stores, like all the others, had some wonderful sweaters and knitted fall/winter accessories. Of course I thought to myself, well if I can't buy them, maybe I can make them, because I am in desperate need of more projects to cast-on and not-finish. Then I had an even better idea- I can make them for the holidays! Okay, I am not making anyone a sweater (babies excepted) any time soon because it is just too much. But, if I did have to make an adult-sized sweater (I am debating making myself a birthday sweater) it would be this one I saw in J. Crew. I am trying to find a pattern that is similar. I think it would look wonderful in Berroco Flicker.

Isn't it cute?

What I am thinking about making as a holiday gift is a set like this seen in Kate Spade.

The flowers each have a little bead in the center.

I just love it and I checked on Etsy and I found little felt flowers. I would do it in a different color, maybe teal or maroon and I am still thinking about how to go about making the scarf. Both sides looked like the knit side of stockinette stitch. There was also no curling at all- totally flat so I am wondering whether it was knit in the round and then sewed up as it was also thicker than the hat. I have seen a scarf pattern that is like that on Ravelry for a Harry Potter scarf but I don't know how the edges would look without tassels if sewn together. What stitch would I use? Kitchener? Three needle bind-off? Would I use a provisional cast-on? I am going to post these questions on Ravelry as this would make a really great looking gift if made properly.

Loft-y Aspirations

We were in Philadelphia a few weekends ago and I managed to visit the sweetest little yarn store- Rosie's Yarn Cellar (it really is in the cellar). I bought some nice soft yarn to knit up into a hat for my husband and I also found some sparkly yarn on sale. It is called Katia Gatsby and I have it in black. At the beginning of July, I discovered this amazing Blue Heron Rayon Metallic Yarn in a store in San Francisco. It was so nice to touch and glittery and spectacularly dyed but I had a cheap attack after hearing the price and didn't buy it. The Katia is my discount consolation prize. I have been searching Ravelry for patterns that would showcase it's sparkly-ness but which also didn't use up a lot of yarn, because I only have two skeins. After not finding what I was looking for on Ravelry (of course I have a very specific thing in mind) I saw some version of it in Ann Taylor Loft earlier this week. Behold the open-knit infinity scarf. I want to make something similar. Once I figure out what stitch is used. Any ideas?

Everything but the Buttons

I have finished sewing up the underarms of my stripey baby sweater and have woven in all the ends. Now I just need to find the right buttons. How cute is this?! I can't believe how much simpler and more fun it was to knit this compared to my first one which I had to seam together and was a nightmare. I hadn't much knitting under my belt at that time (hard to believe that was only four months ago) and the sleeves took a while to get to the same size, I couldn't make the hood right, but it did work out eventually and was happy with it and I know the recipient is going to look adorable in it- but he'd look pretty adorable in anything. I think I am going to make him another sweater with the same pattern as this one but in a bigger size so he can enjoy it later this year or early next.

Too Much Brim

The brambles hat has dried, and it is too big. The band. If the band was smaller/tighter it would be just wonderful. It covers my head down to my eyebrows and over my ears. It could go down over my eyes if I wanted it to. It might be useful if I have to go run an errand with my curlers in, but I don't see that happening more than once every few years or so. I guess I am going to have to try this one again. Good thing it was fun to knit and this time I can fix the wonky cable.

I have binded (bound?) off on the zebra striped sweater. It looks pretty good. All I have to do know is close the holes under the armpits! Yay!

My Hat Won't Dry!

My beautiful brambles hat is still not dry! I soaked it, stretched it out over a dinner plate and scrunched in the brim as instructed. It has been two days and it is still damp to the touch. I can't wait to try it on. I am almost finished (or so I keep telling myself) with the zebra striped sweater- I am a little concerned about sewing up the arm holes because I don't really understand kitchener's stitch even though I have watched many how-to videos and been shown how in person. Not looking forward to that. Also I am curious to try this sweater in just one color and possibly with garter stitch edging- I think it would go way faster and I would want to try button loops and big buttons instead of the smaller buttonholes. Hope to finish tonight- both sleeves have been attached and hope to start the decreases in the shoulder area soon!!