Becky's Knitting

While I haven't been posting these last few months, I have definitely been knitting.  This summer, I was ambushed with announcements of many upcoming babies:

1. Baby Ethan born at the end of September
2. Baby Emma coming in January
3. Twins A & B due in January, expected in December
4. Daniel's cousin's baby due in March
5. Baby Aubrey (my cousin's baby) due in February
6. Daniel's co-worker's baby due in January

I wanted to make a quick project for several of these babies, so I picked up my copy of Vogue Knitting Spring 2007 and have already cranked out several of EZ's Baby Surplice Jackets. 

The first was made of Queensland Collection Rustic Wool and used all of 3 balls (I had to shorten the sleeves because that was all I had).  I used size 7's and it probably would've been better on 8's.

I made two more out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted for the twin boys.  These were done on size 9's which was a much better size.

The blue/green is the limited-edition Franklin's Panopticon colorway...

and the red/gold is Maple Grove...

I had enough yarn on those to put cuffs on the sleeves, which I like because they can be folded up when the baby is little and then unfolded as the baby's arms grow, which goes along well with the fact that the buttons at the bottom can be moved along the holes to make the sweater wider as the baby gets bigger.  

I also finished the Debbie Bliss Cabled Baby Jacket for Baby Brennan, but that one deserves a post of its own, so look forward to adorable baby pictures soon.

I have planned projects for a few more of these babies and purchased lots of yarn at HCW's latest First Thursday sale.

I am going to do another Baby Surplice Jacket in the teal/blue/purple Dream in Color Classy shown in the middle for Daniel's colleague.  The pink Dream in Color Smooshy is for another EZ pattern - the February Sweater, also known as Sweater on Two Needles, for my cousin who LOVES pink and is having a baby girl.  The Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton is for a Baby Bobbi Bear for a TBD baby. 

The Berroco Comfort DK is for a May Daisy Blanket for Baby Emma.  This pattern was designed by one of my fellow Lone Star State Knitters, Anne Haus, and I'm only the second person to knit it.  It's been an easy knit so far, good for knitting while reading, and I think it's going to be really cute.  Status pics of that once I'm a little farther along.

Posted by Becky at 01:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Note: the majority of this post was written back in January, but I never formatted the pictures to upload them and post the entry.  Writing about the Dale dress yesterday, I realized I never showed my first FO of 2008, so I'm finally getting around to posting this. 

So you know how when you go to a baby or bridal shower, you always feel sort of nervous when your gift is being opened.  Did you spend enough money?  Will she like it?  Did 2 other people get the same gift?  Is it cute enough?  Does it have the aww factor?  Well I finally had an experience this past weekend where I didn't have those worries.  My friend Leslie is getting married, and her bridesmaids threw her an Ornament Shower where everyone brought ornaments for them to hang on their Christmas tree.  For the first time, I knew going in that my friend was going to love her present, and everyone else was going to be impressed.  The present:

Mini-Weasley Sweater Christmas Ornaments with the couple's initials on them in Texas Longhorn colors.  I love them, and they would be great presents to make for others for next year.  Just need to start early! 

Project Specs:

Pattern: Mini Weasley Sweater Ornaments from Charmed Knits
Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly DK in burnt orange and cream
Needle: US 4 Bryspun dpns
For: Leslie & Kevin
Started: January 2008
Finished: January 2008 

Ravelry Details

Thoughts: the seaming was a little annoying - next time I might try knitting them in the round.  The duplicate stitching was much easier than I thought.  DO NOT do a loose cast-on - otherwise the roll looks a little goofy like on the K sweater.  I bought craft wire at Hobby Lobby to make the hangers.  I'd love to make a set of these for my friends Matt and Nancy who are engaged.  One is a Longhorn and one is a Sooner so it would be cute to do each in their school's colors.  Really, it would be fun to start a tradition of doing a set for all of my friends when they get married, but no promises since I would have to actually plan ahead to pull that off.   

I leave you with a picture of Major being goofy.  He is trying to hide from one of our friend's dogs who was visiting. 

Posted by Becky at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The Yarn Harlot posted a quickie pattern that she designed last week.  And so, like most of the knit blog community, I said, that looks like fun!  The timing was particularly appropriate b/c I have been stuck working stockinette on size 1 needs for 10" for way too long now on the Dale baby dress.  So I felt I deserved a quickie.  I looked through my stash and came across 3 balls of Berroco Air that I had bought to make a hat and scarf set.  So I grabbed a ball and my size 10.5 dpns and cast on.  And like 62 other people on Ravelry, I now have my own "Unoriginal Hat."

Pattern: Unoriginal Hat
Yarn: less than a ball of Berroco Air
Needle: 10.5 dpns
For: me
Started: November 2007
Finished: November 2007 

Project thoughts and comments: My gauge was too small, but I have a really small head so the circumference of the hat was fine.  However, I had to add an extra half repeat to the top to make it long enough, and I changed up the decreases a tad to make it work.  It was a fun, quick and easy project. 

And just in case I haven't got the quickie project out of my system, I stopped by The Knitting Nest today and picked up a beautiful skein of the new Malabrigo Stacy got in.  I am so thrilled with how the store is coming together.  Stacy is doing an awesome job!  It's so hard for new yarn stores because the initial orders from yarn companies are so expensive that they can only start off with a few brands.  But I love how every time I go in Stacy has something new in, especially the Malabrigo and Lorna's Laces!  Even though she has a limited amount of brands so far, what she does have is awesome and makes me want to continue to support her just so I get to see the next thing she'll bring in.   

I was hoping for bulky weight Malabrigo, but she only has the lace and worsted so far.  I had a hard time picking a color, but ended up with a pinky red that I think will be really pretty.  Next I have to decide what I want to make. 

One option is Knitty's Foliage.  It could be done at the worsted weight, or people have doubled the worsted yarn and made the bulky version with just one skein. 

Another option is a pair of Fetching fingerless gloves.  It only calls for 100yds, so I could actually probably get two pairs out of 1 skein, but I don't know who I would make the other pair for.  My hands get cold easily, and I tried to make a pair last year but the yarn ran out when I was almost done, and I couldn't get any more.  So this might be good.  And I suppose once I see how much yarn I have left I could either make a hat for me or for a baby.  Or maybe I'll think of someone who might want a pair of the gloves if I have enough to make 2 pairs. 

Does anyone else have any ideas for what I should make?  To be honest, part of me wants to go back and buy 4 more skeins and make Mr. Greenjeans.  The last thing I need to do is cast-on a sweater for me, but I'm tempted to do a larger gauge project that isn't just a hat or a scarf, and people's comments on Mr. Greenjeans are that it goes really fast and is an easy knit.  So maybe I'll just let it sit for a bit and decide.  In the meantime, I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone else on any of these patterns, the yarn, or other ideas.

Posted by Becky at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Up #1

A FO! Scarf made for the Red Scarf Project

Project Specs:
Pattern: Misty Chunky Ribs and Ruffles Scarf (free pattern) - I eliminated the ruffles to make a more unisex scarf
Yarn: 1 skein Misti Alpaca Chunky
Needle: Addi Turbo 10.5
For: Red Scarf Project
Started: September 2007
Finished: September 2007 

Up #2

I helped organize the 3rd Annual Austin Knit Out & Crochet Too which took place last weekend.  The event was a great success and we had about 60 people attend over the course of the day.  We taught several new knitters, had demos, gave out awesome door prizes, and most importantly had a great time knitting and socializing with new and old friends. 

Here's Vicki and I giving out door prizes.

And I did manage to get some knitting in as well!

As a thank you for organizing the event, Vicki gifted me with this gorgeous yarn.  Now to figure out what to make with it.  Honestly, it's so gorgeous I kinda want to let it marinate for awhile b/c I just love looking at the gorgeous colors and petting it.

I also won a doorpize donated by Berroco - a bag of Ultra Alpaca Light in cream and a pattern book.  The patterns are a little too modern for me, but I love the yarn and am already dreaming about what to make with it.  Feel free to share any ideas - just remember that I live in Texas so no super heavy sweaters!

Major Downer

A broken finger.  And not just a little broken.  I am having surgery on Tuesday to have a pin put in it.  Wish me luck! 

Thus far I am still able to knit - hopefully I will still be able to do so after surgery.  Good thing I normally hold the yarn in my right hand!

Posted by Becky at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Horns have started fall practice, and just in time for football season, I present the finished Longhorn Socks.  (Just ignore the fact that these could not possibly be worn to a football game until late October at the very earliest seeing as how tank tops and flip flops are the only possible attire at football games in Texas in September). 

Project Specs:
Pattern: generic toe-up, short row toes and heels
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Sheperd Sock, Longhorn colorway only available at Twisted Yarns in Spring, TX, 2 skeins, lots left over
Needle: Size 1's dpns - 6" pony pearls
For: me
Started: January 2007
Finished: July 2007

More pics: 

And just cause it's fun: 

You scored 77% Organization, 30% abstract, and 57% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables.

First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.

Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.

Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.

You are very organized, more concrete, and both introverted and extroverted.

Here is why are you The Count.

You are both very organized. You almost always know where your belongings are and you prefer things neat. You may even enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic. The Count is obsessive compulsive and needs to always count what he has. You would never find The Count missing a bat.

You both are concrete thinkers. The Count is very mathminded and wants to know what he has and where it is. His purpose in life is clear. You probably also know what you want in life, and you have a real plan toward achieving it. You aren't likely to throw everything away to take a risky chance.

You are both somewhat introverted. The Count is quite obsessed with himself and the things that belong to him. At the same time he has had 2 girlfriends and he has guests in his castle. Like The Count, you probably like to have some time to yourself, but you do appreciate spending time with your friends, and you aren't scared of social situations.

The other possible characters are
Oscar the Grouch
Big Bird
Snuffleupagus
Ernie
Elmo
Kermit the Frog
Grover
Cookie Monster
Guy Smiley
Bert

Hey, don't be a grouch! If you liked the test, let others know by rating it below. Feel free to vote for your favorite character too.

Posted by Becky at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Back in March, one of the ladies in my LSSK group issued us a challenge:

"You know you have some yarn in your stash that's more special than the rest.  It's more expensive, or prettier, or has some SOMETHING to it that sets it above the rest.  You look at it and pet it regularly, then put it back on the shelf because you haven't decided yet what it's going to be.  Well, it's time to commit, my sistahs!  Get out your patterns, get your mouse to clicking...FIND the right pattern for that yarn.  If you're like me, not only do you have the yarn, but you've even got the pattern picked out too.  But for some reason, you haven't knitted that scrumptous stuff up yet!  Maybe you think that as long as it's still in skeins, it's "safe" and nothing bad can happen to it.  While that's true, you're still not enjoying that yarn to it's fullest potential either!  You know you'll enjoy knitting with it and you'll especially enjoy WEARING IT!!!  So, who's up for this challenge?  You know the yarn I'm talking about." 

Well I knew exactly what yarn she was talking about.  It was the Brooks Farm Duet yarn I picked up on sale at their booth at the Houston Knit at Night Conference I went to last August.  You can see it pictured at the bottom of this post.  And here's what is has become:

Just a few years later than everyone else, I have made a Clapotis.  I used almost every last ounce of the single skein of yarn I purchased - much cheaper than the 3-4 skeins of Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb that the pattern calls for. 

It still needs to be blocked, but who knows when I will get around to that since it will not be appropriate weather to wear this for at least four months, so I figured I'd go ahead and share it now.

Project Specs:
Pattern: Clapotis
Yarn: Brooks Farm Duet
Needle: Addi Turbo 8 or 9's?
For: me
Started: March 2007
Finished: June 2007

Project Mods:  After reviewing Amy's Clapotis notes and suggestions, I chose to k tbl before and after the dropped stitch on the knit side and p tbl before and after the dropped stitch on the purl side.  I also didn't do quite as many increase rows in order to ensure that I had enough yarn.  And before starting the straight section, I weighed how much yarn I had used to make sure I reserved enough to do the decrease rows at the end, so I just knit the straight section until I only had that amount left.

Thoughts: this was a fun knit.  Dropping down the stitches was really pretty cool.  It was also excellent law school knitting as it was pretty mindless.  And once again I really liked the Brooks Farm yarn.  I'm gonna have to pick out some more project to use their yarn with as it is quite enjoyable and the colors are great. 

Posted by Becky at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)