Just a Little Bit Longer

Everything in our lives feels like it's on the verge of being finished.  I'm in the last trimester of my pregnancy.  Spring is fading into summer.  The last coats of paint are drying on our new bedroom walls and our three year old is rapidly losing his baby face and baby ways. 

Yesterday, I managed to finish something.  I sat and chatted with a friend while sewing on buttons, which is probably the most civilized thing I've done all week.  The buttons in question were being sewn onto my own version of "Ella Funt" by Pamela Wynne. 

I began this project on a whim and did not pay any attention to the yardage required.  This is a very bad way to begin a sweater unless you're the kind of person who doesn't mind making it up as she goes.  Thankfully, I am exactly that kind of person. 
I had two balls of "Shepherds Wool Worsted". One ball was a soft petal pink and the other was a bright leaf green.  I thought I'd have enough of the green to knit the body of the sweater and plenty of pink for the elephants on the yoke.  It only took me a couple of inches to realize that there was no way that I could knit the whole body with the green yarn, so I improvised.  I had to do a bit of ripping and re-knitting, but it turned out just the way I had hoped it would.



The finished sweater is far too big for a new baby.  I'm guessing that our little girl won't be able to wear it until she's at least two.  I don't feel badly about that because, if I've learned anything about knitting for children, it's that knitting something that is too big is never a problem for long.



The yarn is heavenly.  It's incredibly soft, but with a good firm twist.  I don't get the impression that it will pill much.  There's enough yarn left over for a hat, but I'm afraid a matching hat might be over the line.  I want her to look loved, not like a victim of her mother's knitting obsession.



I'm struggling to pick out the next baby knit.  I already have so many baby cardigans, bonnets, blankets, booties and hats that it feels a bit silly to be adding to the pile.  Maybe I ought to knit some sweaters for the boys.  Our three year old will be starting school in September.  I'd like to knit him something special, but it's always a little dangerous knitting for someone who is capable of expressing their personal preferences.  I think I'd be better off knitting the boys a few new hats instead.  I guess I may try my hand at a little woolen dress.  I think that's probably just the right way to pass my knitting time while waiting to meet our new baby girl.

February in April

We finally managed to get this little sweater in the mail.

 I finished the knitting weeks before my cousin's baby was born, but somehow we couldn't seem to get to an open post office. Baby Beatrix (I love that name) was born more than a month ago, but the sweater languished in the cabinet.  Finally, today, my husband was making a special run to mail out some tax papers and the sweater was liberated.

The pattern is by Elizabeth Zimmerman and it's called the "February Baby Sweater".  The pattern can be found in "The Knitter's Alamnac".  I love that book for so many reasons.  The directions are a little sketchy, but I've knit this before and the lack of instructions didn't slow me down.  The yarn is hand dyed, French merino.  I dyed the yarn with scotch broom flowers and I think the color can best be described as "butter".  I even managed to knit a matching cap.  I had to do a tiny bit of ripping back and calculating, but it came out just as I'd hoped it would.  I will venture to say that it's the best looking "February Baby Bonnet" pattern that anyone on Ravelry has come up with.

This is my hundredth post.  To celebrate, I'll include my "pithy" instructions for the bonnet...... along with some very good news.  It seems that I've got a good reason to knit another cardigan and bonnet.  We're expecting our own little girl in July!  I've always wanted a little girl. Our whole family is thrilled.  Within two weeks of hearing the good news, I'd already finished three sweaters for her.  She is going to be a beloved and extremely warm little girl.

February Baby Bonnet

CO 70 sts. knit 8 rows
beg. gull pattern and knit for 4.5 inches ending with a WS row
RS knit one row
cont. in garter st. knitting all WS rows and dec. on the RS rows.
1st dec. row (K5, K2tog) to end of row
2nd dec. row (K4, K2tog) to end of row
3rd dec. row (K3, K2tog) to end of row
4th dec. row (K2, K2tog) to end of row
5th dec. row (K1, K2tog) to end of row
6th dec. row (K2tog) to end of row, 10 sts remaining
7th dec. row, K2tog to end of row
thread a tapestry needle through the remaining 5 sts and cut the yarn leaving a 12 inch tail.
Using the tail, sew up the garter st. crown of the bonnet, I used the mattress st.
RS, Pick up 60 sts. evenly across the bottom of the bonnet, I skipped every 3rd st or so.
Knit 3 rows in garter st.
RS eyelet row, K2 (yo K2tog, K4) repeat to last 2 sts. ,K2
Knit 3 rows in garter st.
BO all stitches
Knit a 3 st. i-cord or find a ribbon to use as a tie.
I didn’t do the extended collar because the gull st body of the bonnet doesn’t seem warm enough to warrant a big warm collar.

Baby Surprise

     I've finished my first "Baby Surprise Jacket", pattern by Elizabeth Zimmerman.  This pattern has been calling to me for a long time.  I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get around to it.  Maybe it's because the whole thing is a real act of faith.  It's such a bizarre shape.  It doesn't look like it could possibly fold into a tiny sweater, but of course it does.  The ladies at my knit night were very curious about the whole thing.  They looked at me like I was some sort of knitting witch.  I think I'll have to show them how to knit one.  It's such a fun little trick.

    The yarn is Noro "Silk Garden" in two different colorways.  This yarn was bought for a scarf but I'm glad that it ended up as a baby sweater.   Let's face it, scarves are a drag to knit.  It took about 3.25 balls.  The garter stitch really eats up the yardage.  I have enough for the matching bonnet, but I started knitting the bonnet and ended up with the beginnings of a bonnet big enough for a four year old.  I'll have to rip back and re-size.  The buttons are wooden and pretty boring as buttons go but I suppose, with yarn this loud, boring is probably better.

    The sweater has ended up looking like it belongs to a very small pottery professor.  I'm hoping that the parents to be like it.  They are both professors, so I think it's appropriate.  It's always tough knitting gender neutral baby items.  I usually error on the side of knitting something slightly more masculine.  It's mostly because I know that if it's the least bit feminine the new parents won't put it on their boy.  I made of my boys wear blue lace and I can attest to the fact that they will both use a Barbie as a hammer.  I'm of the opinion that we should go back to making all new babies wear extra long dresses.  I hate dealing with pants over diapers.  All of this gender specific stuff is foolishness.  If babies were influenced by what they wore half of our children would grow up and decide to hibernate for the winter.
    I've got another baby sweater and bonnet finished, but I'll have to wait to post about them.  I don't want to spoil the surprise for the parents.

Babies etc.

My only excuse for not blogging more in 2012 was that, after 2011's lainius festivus maximus, I was not in the mood to look at knitting or spinning or dyeing.  All I wanted to do was garden and spend time with my family.  2012 was a perfectly lovely year, but it did not involve much fiber craft.  Well, it's 2013 now and I'm ready to get back on the sheep.

I'll start by tying up some loose ends.  This lovely, but far too big, sweater is called "Levenwick".  The pattern was written by Gundrun Johnston, who is a fantastic designer.  I can't fault the pattern for my gauge issues.  She wrote a perfect and very detailed pattern.  For whatever reason, I seem to think that I'm two sizes larger than I actually am......and also, that I'm shaped like a Viking.....a male Viking.



The wool is "Shelter" by Brooklyn Tweed.  It's easily one of my favorite yarns.  It's a little rough and rugged, but I'd rather that then something that pilled and stretched after two wearings.  It's a true woolen spun yarn.  Which means, that it is both light and warm.  The tweedy colors are fantastically complex.  This colorway is called "button jar", which is exactly what it reminds me of.
 Speaking of buttons, these are some way back when buttons from my very own button jar.  I'm not sure how old they are, but I'm guessing that they are from some time during the 20's or 30's.  I love them.



I have another good reason to turn up the knitting dial.  We are experiencing a sudden baby boom amongst family and friends.  There's nothing more exciting than tiny sweaters for the pudgy legged stroller set.  Baby cardigans have all the fun of an adult sweater without the fit issues or endless sleeves.
I've already finished a February Baby set and am starting another little sophisticated, but gender neutral, cardigan.  I'll show post about them as soon as I get them blocked and photographed.  I'm particularly pleased with the February baby bonnet as it is a pattern of my own invention.  It's always nice to feel clever.
There is an adult sweater on my needles.  I don't want to jinx it by saying too much, but it's flying off the needles and the yarn/pattern combo seems inspired.  Hopefully, I'll have it done before I find a way to muck it up.  I don't have a very good track record with sweaters for myself.  I really hope this one fits.

Waves

    This week has been full.  There have been five parties, minimal house keeping, out of town friends, tourists on the roads and lots of swimming lessons.  We're in the middle of a searing heat wave.  The pool is a shining rectangle of turquoise in a field of bone colored grass and curling leaves.  Every evening we suit up and crunch across the wasteland towards our own personal oasis.  

A good part of my childhood was spent in a public pool.  I have only fragments of memories from a time before I knew how to swim.  Water is my second skin. 



Sitting on the bottom of the pool and watching the pale legs of my family, I forget that I can't breath water, that for many people this is a hostile environment.  It makes me feel like a kid again, like I never want to get out of the pool.   



The heat is not inspiring me to knit.  Also, the new fall collections are out and I'm finding it hard to love the miles of purling and 1x1 ribbing that are dominating my knitting bag.  The only thing that's keeping me honest are two seasons worth of "Downton Abbey".   While the children are napping, my husband and I spread out on the sofa in front of the fan.  I drag out a sock or a sleeve and we melt into TV land.

I love the dog days of summer.  
  

Dusk

My knitting is going nowhere.  The garden has stolen my heart.

No Sleeves Here

The other day I came across a pair of almost finished socks at the bottom of my knitting bag.  I'm not sure why I put these down, but I'm so glad that I found them when I did.  I was about to go insane from sleeve knitting and these were just the medicine I needed.

I finished them in less than two hours.  They are my new favorite socks. 



The pattern is "Aran Socks" by Madeline Weston from "Country Weekend Socks".  The yarn is J.Knits "Not You Average Washable Worsted" in colorway "Wheeling".  The yarn is soft, but very very splitty. 



 I'll probably be knitting another pair of these.  There are a few things I'd change about the construction, but I'm pretty pleased with the results.  Now, it's time I return to the sleeve-a-thon.