FO: Knitting from Holiday Season 2014 to Now

In the past year, I haven’t been able to post much due to a very hectic schedule.  It’s strange how life will suddenly get so busy that it is dizzying thinking of the things to do and see.  Despite the busy schedule, I have managed to knit a few little items here and there.

Pickle Ornament

Blueberry Pie Baby Rattle

Penguin Ornament

Baby Bow Booties

Gifts for Baby G

Little Hat to match the Baby Bow Booties

Gifts for Baby F

Apple Hat

Gifts for Baby H

FO: Passionate Meeting Point

When I bought my birthday yarn, this project was what I had in mind.  I didn’t get to start the sweater until September and almost well out of the warm weather that it was intended to be worn in.

More purple knitting

Starting the bottom of the sweater in September

Birthday Yarn from The Yarn Mart!

I used Size 7 knitting needles which are smaller than the pattern originally used because, everyone said that this linen yarn stretches a ton and I didn’t want a sweater that reached my knees.  Before I blocked the pullover, I had been a little worried that I had made it too small.  However, the linen yarn shocked me with the stretch-ability in the blocking process.

Blocking made easy with stretchy yarn

I had a few mistakes while knitting the bottom front that resulted in my meeting point being a little off-kilter in the front.  In addition, I had some issues with knitting the right sleeve.   When I was half-way through knitting the right sleeve, I realized that I had been knitting the sleeve backwards as the sleeve pattern on the right side didn’t match either the pictures of the sleeve or the rest of the sweater body. I frogged the right sleeve and reversed the sleeve directions to have a right-side-out right sleeve. My copy of the pattern doesn’t mention a difference between the sleeves and I’m not sure if there needs to be an errata (or if I just need explicit instructions when knitting). 

I bound off with a size 8 knitting needle due to my tight binding off tendencies.

My Passionate Meeting Point sweater (and me)

Despite my mistakes and confusion with the sleeve, I love this pattern and the resulting sweater.  I can’t wait to layer it with other long-sleeve shirts to wear for the remainder of the cold fall and winter seasons.  It will look equally lovely as a swimsuit cover up in the summer or a light pullover in spring.

 

Ravelry Project Pages:  Passionate Meeting Point

Patterns: Meeting Point from Holla Knits!

Needles: Size 7 dpn and circular (Size 8 to bind off)

Yarn:  Berroco Lago in Passion Flower

 

 

 

 

 

FO: Lots of Baby Hats & A Knitting Needle Bracelet

With lots of my friends and coworkers being either pregnant or having adorable little babies, it seems that I have been knitting baby items for awhile.  Here are some of the little helm-protectors that I have finished lately:

Little Pom-pomed Earflap hat

Gender neutral for a little one

Little Pumpkin hat

Little scallops for a little head

Also … I’ve been drooling over knitting needle bracelets or bangles ever since I saw them on Etsy years ago.  A few weeks ago, I managed to make one of my own.  I used this online tutorial, but the temperature setting for the metal needles only worked well with the smaller gauge needles.  This bracelet was a size 1 needle.

Knitting needle bracelets – beautiful and dangerous 😉

 

 

 

 

 

FO: Jilted in Gray

Back in April, I finished a sweater that been on my knit wishlist for a few years.  Alas, it has been too warm to wear the adorable sweater.  However, with fall upon us, I am enjoying this warm knit in the chilly weather.

 

More dropped stitches

Dropped stitches are scary – except for this sweater

April 2014 Jilted

October 2014

I only altered the ribbing from the pattern.  I omitted four rows of ribbing at the bottom of the sweater and on the sleeves; however, my measurements were roughly the same as the pattern’s finished measurements.

My sweater was even featured in Holla Knits! KAL (knit along) finished object highlights!!

 

Ravelry Project Pages: Jilted in Gray

Patterns: Jilted from Holla Knits!

Needles: Size 6 and 7 dpn and circular

Yarn:  Bernat Softee Baby in Flannel

 

 

FO: Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli Baby Gifts

Some Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli baby knits happened.  Hayao Miyazaki is the Japanese film director who has created such gems as Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, and Spirited Away.

 

Kiki’s Bow Booties

Totoro Baby Hat

Little Calcifer Rattle

 

These cute knits were made to pay homage to the fire demon, Calcifer, from Howl’s Moving Castle; Kiki’s big red hair bow in Kiki’s Delivery Service; and My Neighbor Totoro.  Let me know what you think.

 

Ravelry Project Pages: Calcifer Rattle, Totoro Baby Hat, and Kiki’s Delivery Bow Booties

Patterns: Top Down Bonnet with Anime Character for the totoro ears, My Basic Baby hat, Bows Before Bros, and Blue Flame Special

Needles: Size 1, 3, 5, and 6 dpn

Yarn: I Love This Yarn! Sport Weight in Red; Bernat Softee Baby in Flannel; Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Terracotta; and I Love This Cotton! in Black

Notions: Red satin ribbon; Yellow, white, and black felt; black embroidery floss; needle and thread

 

 

FO: Woodland Baby

These cute woodland knits were made for my co-worker’s soon-to-arrive bundle of joy.

 

Mushroom or Toadstool Rattle

Foxy Baby!

My gifts!

Baby Fox Hat and booties

Ravelry Project Pages: Baby Fox and Mushroom Rattle 2

Patterns: Woodland Fox Baby for  the foxy ears, My Basic Baby hat, Chaussons Mignons, and Toadstool Baby Rattle

Needles: Size 1, 3, and 6 dpn

Yarn: I Love This Cotton! in Buttercup, Black, and White; I Love This Yarn! Sport Weight in Red; Vanna’s Choice in Terracotta; and Bernat Softee Baby in White

 

 

 

Crafting: Glitter Office Art

Almost a year ago, I got a new and interesting job – which meant getting a new office to decorate. Finally, I had a reason to make some of my glittery Pinterest dreams come true and I can definitely say that creating office art is fun.

To honor my state, I choose a DIY State art.  It was one of my simplest art projects – a 10″ x 10″ canvas painted turquoise with scrapbook red glitter paper in the shape of Arkansas glued to the middle.

Glittery Arkansas

I also made another artwork similar to Papery and Cakery’s Sprinkle Artwork.  I used another 10″ x 10″ canvas, tons of craft glue, two different type of red glitter (micro and normal), and blue glitter letter stickers.  My kerning isn’t the best, but I like it.

Tons off glue, glitter, and love

 

 

 

 

FO: Bundles for Baby C

More baby knitting … But these precious items are for a friend whom I have known since fifth grade and who is expecting her first child. The colors and chevrons were chosen as a surprise to match her bedding.

Chaussons mignons in light blue

An adorable headband to grow with Baby C

Love these booties

Light blue hat with a beautiful purple flower

Owl rattle

Grey and White Chevron

My Ravelry Project Pages: HBC Hat and Booties, HBC Fancy Booties, and Baby HBC’s Chevron Blanket

Patterns: Saartje’s Booties, Chevron Baby Blanket, Chaussons mignons, headband based on Baby Headband, Owl: Two Ways, and my basic hat

Needles: Size 8, 6, 3, and 2 in straight needles

Yarn: Bernat Baby Coordinates Solids in Soft Grey, Bernat Softee Baby Solids in White, and Berroco Vintage in Gingham

Notions:  blue and purple felt flowers, white felt and black felt (for owl’s eyes), Shibui Sock Yarn in Orange, and 4 buttons

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crafting: Mother’s Day Cards

Happy Mother’s Day!! For Mother’s Day, we decided to make cards that weren’t your average store-bought cards – which is great because we tend to disagree about what type of card to get (sappy v. silly). When I found this spinner card, I knew immediately that we could agree on crafting this card.

Crafting Cards – Z wrote messages on two cards while I wrote messages on two cards

However, I should really avoid crafting around this time of the year. With a ton of birthdays, Z in the middle of finals, and our seasonal allergies, my crafting took on an appearance that I can only imagine resembles the crafting of a mother who just realized that her child’s holiday party was two days away. It wasn’t pretty and there may have been pouting.

Finished card with envelope

The directions for the project are on the free printable from Farouche Shop. My two variations were using paper fasteners (instead of brads) and larger envelopes ( 6″ x 9″). Despite the frustrations while crafting, I love these cards and I hope that the recipients love them as much as we do.

 

 

FO: Big Sister Medal

After finishing the pink earflap hat and booties set, I realized that they would be a perfect fit for a couple that is expecting their second little girl. I started to knit up a cute rattle when I remembered what it was like for me when I became a big sister. When you become a big sister at around three or four years old, it’s like you have lost your audience. All the cute things that you do become eclipsed by the new baby and the cute things that the new baby does. That’s when I decided that being a new big sister deserves a medal.

Finished and big sister friendly

I’m not too proficient in children’s cartoons these days, but I hear that one of the children’s cartoon characters has a badge/medal and this particular little girl is happy that she can be like that character.

My Ravelry Project Page: Big Sister Medal

Pattern: Military Medal Deux

Needles: Size 2 in dpns and straight needles

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpacas Silk in White, Caron Simply Soft Solids in Plum Wine, Loops & Threads Impeccable Solids in Rogue, and random scrap yarn

Notions: Sticker with ribbon and pin clasp