Sweater done and new project...

I got the baby sweater done. It's not bad for a sweater, just has some elements I am not totally pleased with. One thing is I suck at is sewing up the sides/arms, so I might try and redo that again with thread instead of yarn. Anyone else have sewing tips? I typically turn it inside out, pinch the two sides together and do a whip stitch (I believe) to join. It really isnt the greatest... but it is all I know how to do. Suggestions welcome!

ALSO I am trying to think of something to use to hold the sweater closed! I am thinking a large safety pin? Maybe a plastic one? Something the baby can't eat or hurt themself on....

My penguin likes to model sweaters for me.


I am working on the ribbed turtleneck shrug for my friend Meg.... I am only a few inches away from being done! WOOT!

Finally I cast on for a pair of booties for my coworker... she mentioned how she wants to get pink baby converse shoes for her future baby girl... I thought what would be better than pink BOOTIES that the baby can wear soon!!!!


One is cast off, I need to sew it up and weave in the ends and then add the fake "laces". Hope to get to that at lunch today!

Lots of snow... hope you all are staying warm!

Project catch up....

OK This one is barely making it on the blog, it was knitted & done so fast!


Keyhole Scarf! (scroll down on the linked page)


My mom loves it :-)

Also I am making good progress on a baby sweater....


Ribbed Baby Jacket (ravelry link) from Debbie Bliss book "Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers"

I am insane and decided to make a striped one, which is going to result in 2.5 million ends to weave in! poo!

Recycled sweater yarn

So I had this sweater I had bought from Old Navy quite awhile ago... It was kinda frumpy and too boxy on me (not flattering) so I never wore it... but I hung on to it through SEVERAL moves because I liked the color.... and now I finally have gotten around to salvaging the yarn from it to be knit into cooler things!!!!!! How did I do this you ask?

(Side note: the sweater yarn is worth recycling because it is 58% wool... thats enough wool for me!!!!)

1. I spent an evening picking out the seams and winding the yarn into skeins (wound it around my arm) and then tying the skeins with little pieces of red yarn to keep them neat and not tangled. Look how curly the yarn is after being in a "knitted" state for so long!


2. I soaked the skeins in some warm water for awhile, squeezed them in some towels to get the water out and then hung them from doorknobs/hooks with a can of beans or whatever as a "weight"... this helps get all those kinks out of the yarn!

3. Once they were completely dry, I used my awesome ball winder and swift to wind them into these pretty skeins! Look how much yarn I got from this sweater.... SWEET!

Swift swift!

As I mentioned before, my lovely husband said he would build me a yarn swift to go with the ball winder he gave me for xmas. Well he is a man of his word... here is my BEAUTIFUL handmade swift!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (seen here on the dining room table, which is the best place to clamp the ball winder)


I mean, seriously folks... I married the best man a knitter could EVER marry!!!!! Look at these details...


I love that shape of the block in the center! And its fully adjustable to a number of sizes!

And the stain he used... its such a lovely dark color. Sigh :-)


Thanks again hubby... you rock!!!!!

Jesmy handknits

I'd like to take some time out from my regular non-posting to do some shameless promotion for my good friend Jessica!

She has recently been laid off from her job....which SUCKS (thanks economy!) BUT this means she has lots more time to knit more awesome things for her etsy shop:


She has recently added several new projects... I especially love the bright yellowy orange cowl:


Gorgeous!

Right now she has even marked down all her scarves (look in the "sale" section), and is in the process of adding really neat vintage knitting books!

I hope you all go and check out her shop!!! :-)

Also - all of you try and STAY WARM - its been in the negative degrees here lately, blech! I am going to climb under all my wool and hibernate until spring....

First FOs of 2009

9 days into the year and already I am on a roll!!!!!

Due to the large amount of babies I have heard will be born this year, I thought I'd get a jump on my baby knitting.

Booties:


MORE booties:


Yes, they are the same yarn and same pattern... the pattern I have made before. I included the holes so I can put cute I-cord ties in them, but my plan is to wait until I hear the sexes of the babies and then I can make either a pink or blue cord. That way I got some knitting done ahead of time, but at the same time they can be gender-personalized!

On the needles:

A commissioned project.... my first! My best bud Megan (who was my maid of honor at my wedding) found a picture of a really cute turtleneck shrug online and asked if I could make it for her. I was excited to try, so I researched and found the pattern in the book Scarf Style. Megan, being so awesome, not only bought me the book but also bought all the yarn needed for the project! (She and I picked out some Knitpicks Swish Superwash in colors Black & Bok Choy)

Here is my current progress.... one sleeve done!

It looks skinny but its all 3x3 rib and its soooo stretchy and awesome! :-)

Happy New Year!!!!!

2008 was an eventful and fun year... I got hired on as a full time employee at my job (finally), my second nephew was born, I got MARRIED! I can't wait to see what 2009 brings!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a look back on 2008, knitting wise.....


(click for bigger)

What a knitting year also - I made booties for the first time, I made a complicated lace shawl, I knit a pillow, slippers, baby blankets, a knitted tie, baby sweaters, and cabled things galore!!!!! It was a great "learning" year for me.

Thanks to everyone who read my blog in '08!