Category Archives: Crafts


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my boys and linden notes

Two weekends ago we went to a birthday party for my friend’s daughter, and besides some really cute pics of the birthday girl, I also FINALLY got good ones with me and the kids.  (I usually get good ones of them…but I’m rarely in the photos myself).  Sorry they’re blurry- another round of iPhone photos.

Me and Jakob who has a grape in his mouth, which is why it is all pulled to the side.  He’s 4.25 now, and I think he’s part hamster.  Earlier in the month my mom babysat while I went to the guild meeting, and she gave them a “treat” of a Mike & Ike’s candy, one each.  After dinner they played for about 20 minutes, brushed their teeth, then went to bed.  My mom was reading Jakob a bedtime story when she thought his cheek looked pushed out.  She asked him to open up- it was the same Mike & Ike’s candy- even after brushing his teeth!

Me and Henri, who does not look only 2-and-a-half.  If Jakob is a hamster, then Henri is a parrot.  In fact I’ve started calling the boys “Pete” and “Re-Pete” (repeat) because anything Jakob does or says Henri will usually do.  He runs on a 4-second delay, and is pretty consistent.  🙂

Besides all the studying, I’ve also spent some time over the last week knitting.  I’m determined to not take on any (more) commissions or obligations until I knit something for myself, not counting the stocking stitch socks I’ve always got in my purse for “found moments”.  My current project, I think I mentioned in my last post, is Veronik Avery’s Linden.  I was originally planning on knitting it in a ribbon yarn- a strange choice, I know.  Instead of an outdoor garment, my original plan was for it to be a dressy-ish layer to wear over a dress or a tank and a skirt, the kind of thing I could bring to an event in place of a shawl.  I have the perfect ribbon, in the perfect color, had swatched and got gauge, and had even ordered the extra bit I was missing from a Ravelry seller.  And then some woman in Quebec contacted the guild to see about selling her handspun, and next thing you know both Maaike and I had swatched the wool doubled, got gauge and cast on.  She’s finished hers but I got sidetracked with my busy Summer knitting/school schedule, and am only now getting back to it.

I’m making some modifications, but only to affect the final size.  A lot of comments on Ravelry talk about there being excess fabric under the arms, and I know in its nature as a swing coat, there will be a lot of extra fabric at the waist.  I’m smaller now than I was before, and while I like the style, I don’t want to look like I’m drowning in it.  Therefore I’m trying something that I hope will work.

My bust size is around 40.5″.  I was originally planning on knitting the 44.5″ bust size, but that was when I’d first seen the pattern, before I lost weight.  Now I realized that my belly/waist is smaller than my bust, so while I’d get it to wrap-around over my bust, it would be huge around my waist.  Then I was going to knit the 40″ bust size, but I took a measuring tape held at the measurement for the lower edge, and still found it way too big.  My thing with jackets is that I rarely wear layers.  I may wear a thin layer over a tank top, but usually it’s just a tshirt or top/blouse and my jacket.  If this is going to be a Fall/transitional jacket, I don’t care if it closes at my bust.  I can put a scarf around my neck…it’s really only at the belly/waist I want it to be able to close.  And Linden doesn’t have buttons or any form of closure anyways.

So here’s my risky decision: I’m knitting the 35.5″ bust size.  I’m following it as written except that I’m modifying the length.  The pattern for the larger sizes has you knit at least 4.5″ before getting into any shaping.  The 35.5″ size has you knit 3″.  On Ravelry people say you can add extra length at the end by making the garter border longer.  I actually made the bottom longer instead, by knitting the back and will make the fronts 6″ before shaping.

I also want my armhole to be deeper than that of the 35.5″ size, so I added about 1.75″ of length in the area that will be above the armpit (‘cus there are no real “armhole” sections with this design).  I’m also lengthening the sleeves by about an inch, to keep them 3/4 length, but since my arms are more the length of the larger sizes…though I’ll probably adjust that as I work the sleeves themselves.

Oh, and for the left-leaning decreases I’m working them still as double decreases as written, but working them as SSKs instead of K2TOGs, so they mirror the other side properly.  (The decreases go against the slope, but I just found that while the twists in the decreases were left leaning, I wanted the decreases themselves to be left-leaning too).

So, yeah.  I’m making changes, but I go into this knowing full well this may not work out.  In other words- if in a month’s time I’ve finished it and end up frogging, don’t hold it against Veronik’s pattern when the fault will lie with me!  🙂

Here’s where I”m at with it so far.  The back is done, and seems to be the perfect length, falling mid-butt.  I used to want everything to fall longer but according to all those “What Not to Wear” shows you look slimmer when your clothes aren’t too long, so we’ll see how this goes LOL!

The short piece is the left front, so far.  I love how the cables look, and I think I’ll really enjoy wearing this sweater/jacket.


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happy new year

Whoa.  2.5 months…did that really happen?

I didn’t think I’d been gone that long, though in truth for the last 2.5 months I’ve completely forgotten I even had a blog.

To sum up:

July: studying, studying, and more studying…a brief hospital visit when Henri limped for half a day, then more studying.

August: studying then final exam- I got the highest mark in the class, what WHAT! Knitting began in earnest for my magazine sample, slowed only by the need to write down everything I was doing.  It obviously wasn’t portable knitting, so a pair of socks was knit during wait times.  More doctor and hospital visits for Henri, including one with a specialist that I was hoping would give us answers, but instead just wasted our time.

September: more knitting for the mag, ‘cus a work-in-progress left unattended with young children led to a mishap that required a week’s extension on my deadline.  Once the knitting was done and the sample sent off I worked on writing up the pattern and grading the other sizes.  There was a brief respite for a long weekend spent at a lovely b&b in Woodstock (same place I’d gone with Maaike for Rhinebeck last year), this time done to celebrate my 5 year wedding anniversary, plus mine and Yannick’s early September birthdays.

And now…the pattern is sent (once I do some minor style corrections) and should be appearing in the Spring 2012 issue of the new online magazine called Clotheshorse, and my knitting nights are my own again.  All the old wips are still there, though there may be a few fos you guys haven’t seen yet, including one I whipped up mostly during the drive to- and from Woodstock for a friend’s newborn daughter.

I’m currently actively working on my sister-in-law’s 2nd pillow (my at-home project, ‘cus it requires designing and note-taking while I work), a pair of socks for Yannick with a random stash ball (my “on-the-go” knitting, ‘cus he’s worn through 2 of his knit pairs already), and a Linden for myself with handspun (not mine) pure wool sold to the knitting guild by a local woman, my project when I’m fed up with either of the other two.

One thing I’ve been keeping up with (unlike blogs…sorry) is nail polish.  In fact my trip to NY yielded little more than 20 bottles of random, not-available-in-Canada drug store sparkly polishes to add to my stash.  Yes, I’ve got a polish stash too.

I’m at work now and can’t share any knitting pics, but I can photograph my nails and share those!

Today’s themed manicure is for the current Jewish holiday- Rosh Hashana- the Jewish new year.  The Israeli flag is white and blue, so I went with those as main colors, only I reversed them.  (The flag is mainly white with 2 blue stripes and a blue Star of David).  On this holiday we eat and serve slices of apple with honey pots for dipping, as a way of starting off the new year on a sweet note (to foretell a sweet new year).  So I used nail polish and a toothpick to paint a bumble bee (for the honey…though now that I type this I’m wondering if bumble bees are actually the honey producers…drat), and an apple.

I’m actually really proud of how the apple came out!  It started off as a cartoonish blob but a little playing around with the drops of polish on a Kleenex gave me some darker and lighter colors, and a few jabs of the toothpick later I had a shaded apple!

Happy New Year to those that celebrate, and a big “hi, and thanks” to those of you that stuck around even though my posting has been rather sporadic.


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where i’ve been, where i am, and where i’ll be, part 2

Where I am:

-I am finally back at work!  Technically I was back two weeks ago, but missed most of the 2nd week running around taking care of Henri.  I missed one day to bring him to the doc to get a puffer for a chest cold, then missed the following 2 days going back to the neurologist at the hospital for another consult and then blood tests.  Each time we got home at lunch time- too late to get him to daycare, which meant I had to bring him home for nap.  And if that leaves me with nothing to do during his 3.5-hour afternoon naps but watch TV and knit…well…there’s no rule that I can’t enjoy it. 🙂

-I am 40 lbs lighter than I was on my wedding day!  Since I came home from my honeymoon pregnant with Jakob, I’m not counting gaining/losing any baby weight.  If I go back to my highest weight while pregnant, then I can say I’ve lost over 60 lbs.  Woo hoo!

I went shopping for the first time in  years and had a heck of a time trying to figure out what size I am, and what fits.  It’s going to take time, but I’m slowly trying to rebuild my wardrobe.  I’m really looking forward to spending less money and less time knitting garments for myself, that’s for sure!

-I am still studying nightly for school, and really looking forwards to my final exam in  August, just to feel like the year is finally over.  Only 2 more to go…blargh.

-I am also trying to catch up on non-posted projects.  To that end, here’s a project from Sept 2010 that had a redux just a few months ago…

Aren’t they cute?  My friend/neighbor C is a HUGE Pee Wee fan, and a long time ago she’d sent me a link to these guys in the Crafty is Cool etsy store.  I can’t find a link now, so Allison’s patterns may only be available through Ravelry now, I’m not sure.  Some of you may have heard of/seen her amigurumis before- I believe her Oprah doll made the rounds a while ago, and her Conan O’Brien was huge on the ‘net around the time of the whole O’Brien/Leno debacle.

Anyways, I’d made a joke to C about making them for her for her birthday.  And then she promptly forgot about it.  I didn’t.  🙂  I LOVE when that happens, not only when there’s a perfect gift opportunity, but especially when it’s a perfect handmade gift opportunity!

Her birthday is in September, so last year when I was home recuperating from the hernia/tonsil surgeries, I made these for her.

Pattern:  Pee Wee Herman Amigurumi PeeWee Doll and Chairry from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Amigurumi by  Allison Hoffman (Ravelry link)

Size:  one size, Pee Wee about 16″, Chairry about 8″ or so?

Yarn: Assorted Phentex acrylic from my stash and Zellers, in gray, white, peach, aqua.

Needles:  4mm crochet hook

Dates:  September 3 – 11 2010 (Pee Wee) and September 12 – 14 2010 (Chairry)

Modifications:  None.  I used a bamboo skewer cut in half to support the neck, and some white, red and black felt from Fabricville.  I didn’t know if the self-adhesive felt would work, so I just sewed everything by hand with matching thread.  It took a try or two to get Chairry’s eyes right, but I used pins to hold them in place and get a idea of where I wanted to sew them down.   Pee Wee’s eyes are black yarn sewn over and over small black felt circles, and there’s a touch of blush on his cheeks.

The only problem I had with the pattern was the placement of the black hair cap- I’d thought the widow’s peak was crocheted into the cap, as were the sideburns.  Turns out neither are, you just need to arrange it as you sew it in place.  An email to the designer was answered pretty quickly, and I was able to finish well in time for C’s birthday.

It worked out great- I was able to get her hubby to let me into their garage when she was out, and I arranged Pee Wee and Chairry together over a birthday card, as a surprise for when she got back.  She loved them, and even took Pee Wee with her to meet the REAL Pee Wee at his stage show!  He (the real one) saw my version of Allison’s work a 2nd time when C tweeted a pic of her hubby, son and dad all dressed up as Pee Wee serving her a birthday breakfast, and holding the doll, and the real Pee Wee retweeted the pic!)

As usual you can find my finished (and unfinished!) projects in my “projects” page by clicking the tab up at the top of every page on my blog, and I also have this project in my Ravelry notebook here (PeeWee) or here (Chairry) .

C’s brother H loves Pee Wee almost as much as C, so when his birthday rolled around this April, C asked if she could get me to make one for him too.  We worked out a trade (she’s a fabulous seamstress and I’m in need of clothes being taken in!) and so when I was home recuperating from this latest hernia surgery, I made H’s Pee Wee.  (Apparently I make one each time I’m recuperating LOL)

Pattern:  Pee Wee Herman Amigurumi PeeWee Doll by  Allison Hoffman (Ravelry link)

Size:  one size, about 16″ tall

Yarn:  Assorted Phentex acrylic from stash (leftovers from the original stash/Zellers purchase)

Needles:  4mm crochet hook

Dates:  April 18-23 2011

Modifications:  None.

I didn’t remember to check a pic of the first one, so without realizing I made Pee Wee the 2nd’s eyes much bigger.  I also added eyebrows and a light reflection, in trying to make it look good.  I think I also forgot the blush on the cheeks, and I overstuffed the legs- they are awesomely stiff, but you can see the stuffing through the holes in the stitches.  All in all, I think I prefer the first one.

As usual you can find my finished (and unfinished!) projects in my “projects” page by clicking the tab up at the top of every page on my blog, and I also have this project in my Ravelry notebook here .

 


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wise men say only fools rush in

I suppose I’m lucky- I don’t have that many craftastrophies in my past.  In my knitting and crochet life, as far as Ravelry and my memory are concerned, there are only 2- the pocketbook slippers, and the licorice thong.

Until now.

🙂

I’m a longtime reader of Faith’s blog The Needle and the Damage Done.  (Some of you may remember her from the sadly-defunct Knitting Cook podcast).  A while ago Faith knit a Lace Ribbed Bolero.  And another one.  And another one.

I suddenly decided that I needed one too.  I stash-dove (the advantages of having 85% of my stash in Ravelry) and realized I didn’t have anything in the proper weight for what I wanted.  While I was at it I looked through my queue and found a tank/vest/thing I’d liked for a while, the Deep V Top, and figured I’d look around for yarn and would knit/crochet whichever one worked out.

This all took place in March, back when I was supposed to have my surgery.  It was postponed because I’d injured my belly muscles in an incredibly non-accident car accident, but I was still home for a week to recuperate- home with time to kill.

I don’t know why I went to Zellers instead of my LYS.  I guess I figured that I’d score some cheap yarn and make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear…I dunno.  All I know is that I was somehow roped into the allure of cheap yarn.  I don’t even mean “inexpensive” yarn- I really mean cheap yarn.

1 lb of “lovely” bright teal blue acrylic, worsted/bulky weight.  I guess I thought it would be summery?

2 days is all it took.  Less, even.  I cast March 9 and finished attaching the loooooong border March 10.  6mm and 6.5mm crochet hooks.

It was thick, huge and stiff.  (heh).  It looked and felt like wearing a cardboard vest.

I put it on twice, once to see if it fit, and once for this photo (where I’m making my best “catwalk pout” face).  On the 3rd day, before I could change my mind and convince myself it was “fashion” or that “I’d actually wear it”, I ripped.

On the 4th day I went back to Zellers and bought ANOTHER bag of the %&*( stuff!  I’m going to blame stress, pain, and boredom.  I knew I couldn’t return the open bag, so somehow I told myself that meant I needed MORE of it so that when I was ready to use it for something, I’d have enough.

 

Argh.  It’s not bad yarn, it’s a perfectly good bulky-ish acrylic, and there is totally place in my stash for acrylic yarn.  I know when I have a need for it I’ll be glad it’s there.  (Maybe I’ll knit some giant toys for the boys?)

Still, there’s a small part of me that wishes, back on that March morning when I impulsively stopped at Zellers after dropping the kids off at daycare, that I’d kept on driving.  My LYS is 3 minutes south of Zellers.  For the price of the two bags I could very possibly be wearing a Deep V Top right now.  It would be too big, ‘cus I lost another 10 lbs or so after the latest surgery, but that’s not exactly the point.

The project is here on Ravelry, if for any reason you feel the need to revisit.


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new pattern up: my first hockey player: montreal canadiens

NOTE: for some reason comments are closed for this post…I’m not sure why, but you can still reach me by email if you want.

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It’s up!!  I’ve been working on it for a while, and I’ve finally finished my HABS player pattern!  And thanks to our boys making it to game 7 tomorrow, now YOU’VE got enough time to knit up a little good luck totem of your own!  (Or, depending on how things turn out, it makes a great voodoo doll…hehe)

The pattern is $2.99 CAD and is available in Ravelry here, or to purchase directly click here.  That link is for a Ravelry PDF download, but you don’t need to be a Ravelry member to purchase.

I hope you enjoy it!  I tried my best to make the pattern faithful to the red home uniform, and you can knit it with just stripes, or duplicate stitch/embroider the famous CH logo.  There’s even room on the back to duplicate stitch your favorite player’s initials (and even his name, if you’re good at embroidery!).


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2010-12-09

Seems I haven’t only been slacking off in the blog department, but also in updating my Ravelry projects page.  I’m going to try and fill in the year’s worth of work before the end of 2010.

This is the Canadian Flag intarsia quilt block that won me gold at the Knitting Guild’s little Olympic challenge…way back when.
knitolympflag03

Back in March I’d also finished a gift for a friend’s new baby.  My friend Michelle had a daughter after having a son (the same age as Jakob) and I knit a little dress for her.

(pretend I’d rotated the photo)
anoukfo01

Pattern:  Anouk (Ravelry link)

Size:  12m

Yarn:  Cascade 220 (Cream) and unknown burgundy yarn from guild swap

Needles: 4 mm

Notions: buttons…was it 1 or 2?  I don’t remember and didn’t take a clear photo.  Oops!

Dates:  February 25 – March 20 2010

Modifications:  like many others I saw on Ravelry, I modified the tunic to become a dress.  I also omitted the pockets, and added an appliquéd flower.
anoukfo03

The flower used the same needles and yarn, and is from this pattern for Knitted Linen Flowers (Ravelry link)


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My First Costume: SuperHero

Presenting my latest pattern, now available both through Knit Picks or Ravelry.

My First Costume: SuperHero

Some of you may remember the Superman costume I’d knit for Jakob when he was a baby.  This is my update of that pattern.

The pattern is knit toe-up, in (mostly) one piece.  The legs are knit first then joined for the briefs, then the sleeves are knit and finally the body, which is knit in one piece from the yoke up.  I included short-row shaping in the diaper area to give more room and a better fit.

There are photo instructions on how to make the optional cape.

The Power Princess chart is included…

as well as the chart for your little SuperStar.

Not only that, but I provided a blank chart and instructions on how to personalize the pattern, so you can put your own image, your child’s initial or anything you like!  (That’s how I made the original Superman version…I’m just saying…)

I was very lucky to have my friend’s daughter Maya model for me, and her father Avi take the photos.  (If you like his work, he is an amazing Montreal-area photographer.  You can see more of his work on his website).

I hope you like the pattern.  I have been having requests for it ever since Jakob’s version came out, but life got in the way and it wasn’t until now that I was able to get it out into the world.  I would have loved to have had it ready in time for Hallowe’en this year, but at least now it is out there and ready, early enough for next year.  (So you’ve got a whole year to knit!)

Enjoy!


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2010-11-05

Rhinebeck Rhecap, Part 1:

Maaike and I drove down to Woodstock in the afternoon of the Thursday before the festival.  We left early because Maaike was registered for a class on Friday on spinning exotic fibers.  That meant one thing- I had a day to myself to roam free in Woodstock!

Our inn was right in the heart of the Woodstock village, and it was amazing.  To a tourist, at least, it feels like an artist’s community right in the middle of a forest, complete with bubbling stream and rushing waterfall.  I LOVED it.

To save money we took a room with a shared hall bath.  Our room was lovely, quaint and welcoming.  My favorite part of the room was the top drawer of the dresser which held journals that had been filled in by previous occupants of the room.  It was so sweet to look through the memories that other people had made in that same spot.

After meeting a few other guests at our inn who were also there for Rhinebeck, I went out for my walk.  Unfortunately it was clear that almost nothing would be open for another hour or two so I took advantage of the time to grab some breakfast at the Oriole9, a restaurant that had free wifi.  (Our inn did offer a continental breakfast, but my tastebuds have been majorly screwed up since the tonsillectomy, and I can’t really eat much.  Sweets, dairy and the like taste the worst, and the continental breakfast was muffins, fruit and yogurt…so that was out).

I’m not posting all the photos here, but there was so much to see and photograph in Woodstock.

Everywhere you’d look you’d find tie dye, peace signs and other “typical Woodstock” trappings.  You’d think it would get overdone or theatrical after a while- but it never did.  It just seemed to make sense.

Across the street from our inn was one especially colorful shop:

The black figures in the center of the photo are 2 life-sized Blues Brothers sculptures, posed reclining in patio chairs.

After setting out for my walk I passed two stores then the street meandered over a bridge.  I looked down to see a beautiful rushing stream, and then a few more stores later I followed an alleyway to suddenly come across this waterfal feeding the stream.  It was just perfect.

I forgot I can’t rotate photos in WordPress…so let’s just all hold our heads to the right, m’kay?  🙂  In the heart of the main street was a little community center that had some colorful sculptures around.  This blue park bench had hearts on either side with this peace symbol and hand in the center.  It was just the thing to hold my Rhinebeck Travelling WIP (which was finished 2 days after we got back- more on it later).

As if it weren’t enough to randomly come across streams and sculptures, there was also “found art” everywhere, like a peace sign drawn into the sidewalk concrete, or another peace sign made out of broken bits of motherboards and little round stones found on a garden ledge.  Along the way I also found this guitar carved into someone’s fence.

When I left Oriole9 I went over to the Tea Shop hoping to find some of the same tea I’d had with my breakfast.  They didn’t have it, but I did buy sample sizes of 6 other flavors; the Cream Earl Gray has since become my new favorite.

I didn’t buy much else during my walk- just a polished gemstone to add to my collection, and these two VW vans for the boys:

That evening Maaike and I met up after her class and headed down for an amazing dinner at The Red Onion.  (It must have been good if I enjoyed it even with my silly tastebuds).  It was a beautiful steakhouse with low candle light and black & white photographs of nude women on the walls.  (Those two things don’t seem to go together, but it was very tasteful…no pun intended!)

We finished our night back at the inn, knitting in the lounge with the other Rhinebeck women there.

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Getting back to the present, it’s been more of the same around here.  Every night I’ve been working on getting my pattern ready for publication.  It’s getting close…I have hopes to maybe mail it off on Monday.

I spent the day home with Henri who seems to be fighting a gastro.  I don’t like when my kids are sick, but I’m not sorry about getting an extra day to stay home cuddling with him.  I do feel really bad for the poor kid, though- he threw up again tonight right as I was about to put him to bed, and I had to put him in his crib (his pjs were still clean) so I could clean up the floor.  I had the lights on, and kept going in and out of the room to get more paper towels and floor cleaner, etc, and then I looked over and my little fireball of energy- the kid who never sits still or stays put- had laid himself down on his stomach and closed his eyes.  It was heartbreaking.

I can’t work on anything important while Henri’s awake because I keep my focus on him, especially today when I was always on the lookout for signs he was about to throw up (so I could protect our couch, etc).  So while we were watching a new Diego DVD I’d picked up, I started the first Ravenna Mitt.  I think it will be cute, but will have to try on the completed mitt to see if it is right to give all the teachers at the daycare.

And now the kids are both asleep and I’ve had what little I can stomach as supper (toast.  all I eat is toast.  all I can taste is salt.  this kinda is annoying) and am going to do more math, more calculations and more tweaking to get the pattern to look and sound just right.


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more knitting (and crochet) under the influence

Some minor setbacks (dehydration and a slight infection) have prolonged my tonsillectomy recovery, and I’m still home from work, still barely eating, and still taking pain meds.  A few days ago I berated myself for not working on my Superhero Costume which will be published as soon as I can get it finished- but I didn’t feel like I was able to knit and design properly without a clear head.  Because of which I worked on simple projects if/when I felt able to knit.  Today I really gave myself a hard time about it because I’d really wanted it published before the beginning of October (very unlikely at this rate), and that self-goading pushed me enough to try to work on it.

I should have listened to myself!  I’ve been knitting for most of the afternoon, and slightly rewriting the pattern as I went to account for readability and ease in construction.  I didn’t take a photo, but those of you who have seen the original Superman-themed Superhero baby costume know that it is a one-piece, footed baby outfit.  The legs are knit first, toe-up, and since I’d only received the yarn for it the day before my (latest) surgery, I had only completed the first foot.  I was right at the bootie section and today joined the contrasting color for the leg, did the intarsia bit and was coasting my way through the leg increases…about 5 minutes ago…when I realized my big goof.  I have yarn for 2 versions of the pattern- one for babies and one for toddlers.  Each version has a different color scheme.  And the yarn I’d grabbed for the leg and had been knitting with all afternoon was NOT the right color.

It’s not the end of the world, though I think I will rip it out then take a little nap before continuing.  I immediately thought of “knitting under the influence” which reminded me that I’d mentioned, but never shown, the crochet mistake I made thanks to these pain killers (empracet, for those who are curious).

A friend’s daughter turned 2 this month, and had her birthday party on my birthday.  I had picked up some books as a gift (after a consult with the girl’s mommy) but when I went to wrap it and be prepared I felt like it wasn’t enough to just wrap up the books and give them.  I had a few days before the party so I asked Yannick to get out my bin of cotton (‘cus I still can’t lift anything over 10 lbs) and I picked out some bright white and some hot pink. 

I’ll get more into the details of the pattern when I post finished photos, but to sum up, it’s 2 granny squares that have been joined into a bag with a base and side gussets. 

You know that old reminder in knitting?  The one that goes “join, being careful not to twist”?

Oops!

At least it was an easy fix.  This has now been 3 drug-induced crafting mishaps.  Hopefully 3 times is the charm and this will be the end of it!

Of course, I will end up needing a 3rd surgery, so hopefully 3 times is a charm there too!!


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maya lacey’s invisible baby set

Hmm…I can’t seem to find the photos for this project.  I’ll have to keep looking.  In the meantime, in the interest of posterity…

This was another matching set of sweater and bunny.  I wanted to make a warmer sweater because the baby was due in December, so I used some Decor from my stash.  I wanted to make the sweater in Aran, but realized after a bit that I wouldn’t have enough.  So I decided to stripe it Fibonacci-style with the Pale Country Pink (of which I have a ton).  It soon turned out that I didn’t have enough even for that, and had to pull out some Winter White- which in real life looks really similar to Aran.  In fact, by separating them with the pink stripes, I don’t think anyone would ever know I used two different colors.

Pattern:  Child’s Placket Neck Pullover (Ravelry link)

Size:  0-6m

Yarn:  scraps of Patons Decor in Aran #1602, Winter White #01614 and Pale Country Pink #1645

Needles: 4.5 mm

Notions: none

Dates:  September 8 – 21 2009

Modifications:  added my usual 2 or so inches to the body, because I find it is much too short otherwise.

The bunny was also striped with the Fibonacci sequence of colors, but I didn’t end up using any Aran ‘cus I’d finished it in the sweater.

Pattern:  Bunny (Ravelry link)

Size:  Mama (medium)

Yarn:  Patons Decor in Winter White #01614 and Pale Country Pink #1645

Needles: 4.5 mm

Notions: stuffing

Dates:  September 21 – ? 2009

Modifications:  none

As usual you can find my finished (and unfinished!) projects in my “projects” page by clicking the tab up at the top of every page on my blog, and I also have this project in my Ravelry notebook (sans photos) here (sweater) and here (bunny).