Hey, picture uploads to Blogger worked! Finally, some COLOR on my blog! I've been working on two new baby sweaters. The first one is ANOTHER baby tank, only this time I've used six colors instead of two. I didn't really intend to make this but I have a billion itty bitty balls of KP Shine kicking around the bottom of my knitting bag so this is an attempt to clean up! I think it looks pretty good. We'll see how it looks once I put the trim on. I'm a little skeptical of how a turquoise trim will look with the light blue top. Then again, *I* don't have to wear it! No baby will care if the blues don't look perfectly matched.

The second little sweater is actually a project that two other women from my knitting group are working on. They saw a pattern in my Phildar Layette magazine that they liked and wanted to knit it. I'm helping out with the French knitting vocabulary so I thought I'd make the sweater so they'd have a model to look at. I used Lion Brand Cotton-Ease. I've clearly not woven in the ends. I also need to make a button hole at the back neck. While I like the look of the openwork pattern, I didn't particularly find this pattern very enjoyable. Perhaps because I made the 3 mos. size, I felt like I always had to have the pattern on me, since there were lots of changes in the pattern once I reached the openwork.

Finally, I thought I'd upload a couple of dog pictures. I figure that if my baby knit tank tops are boring you, the pups might jazz up the blog. It's really cold today so Jacques and Petunia are forced to sleep next to each other on the couch to stay warm. Jacques, the black dog, doesn't have much hair so he shivers when the temperature drops below 70 dregrees.


The second picture is from earlier this weekend. I took it because I thought Jacques was starting to look way too comfortable on the furniture. Check out the leg. *sigh*

After wrestling with photos and Blogger, I'm thinking of hosting my blog elsewhere. I have lots of pictures to post but I keep getting Blogger timeout errors. Stay tuned for updates. There might be a URL change in my future.

A million thank yous to my wonderful SP7, Jody!!!! She sent me a beautiful final package with skin cream, pretty sticky notes, a really cool pen that glows in the dar, candy and, of course, yarn. :-) :-) I really enjoyed my first SP experience and I'm planning on joining SP8. I hope all of you SPers had a good time this round!

I'm just going to link to the pictures I have on my Flickr account so I apologize for a boring text-only post. When I read blogs, I usually look at the pictures first and start reading only if a picture catches my eye. I know, that means I'm really shallow. Agreed. I'm a sucker for pictures.

Over my spring break a few weeks ago, I made a bunch of maternity clothes and used up some fabric scraps for cloth diapers (more here and here). I found a pattern for an all-in-one diaper at One Stop Diaper Shop a few years ago when I was working on one for a cousin. I bought PUL waterproof fabric, birdseye cotton and flannel for the diapers and used fabric remnants for interesting exteriors. I'm really happy with how they turned out. I still have some finishing to do. I can't decide if I want to use snaps or velcro. Any strong opinions out there in blogland?

Also, I've put down a little baby cardigan (another view here) that I think is cute but I suspect the sleeves are too long. I put a lot of work into this because of those edges (gauge is 7sts/in on sz 4 - picking up all of those stitches was such a pain!) I don't know if I can knit the second sleeve and sew the whole thing up. I need some distance from the project so I've put it down for now.

Here is a finished newborn tank. I might take the neckline out and add a button tab to make sure the neck hole is big enough for a newborn's head. We'll see.

Finally, I've returned to one of my favorite patterns. It is so unbelievably simple but I just love it. It's a garter stitch hooded jacket from Phildar Layette Fall 2004. I'm making it out of white Lion Brand Cotton-Ease and using seed stitch instead of garter stitch.

I've been using up leftover balls of Knit Picks Shine from several recent projects. Last summer, I made a bunch of little striped baby tank tops. I used the tank top pattern in size 0-3 mos from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits book. Like all Debbie Bliss patterns, the sizing was way too big and the 0-3 mos size actually fits 6-9 mos. I've been meaning to adjust the pattern to fit a newborn, 0-3 mos, and 3-6 mos. I think a set of these tops in each size would be a really cool baby shower gift. They've been a big hit with recipients. Here are the two tanks I knit up last week. The blue one is the standard 6-9 mos size. The little one is for a newborn.














For the blue one, I used KP Shine in River and Sky. The newborn sweater is made out of KP Shine Sky and Green Apple.

I'm bent on using up the rest of these scraps. I have some Shine in Cream, Turquoise, River, Sky and Green Apple. Any ideas? I've thought of making hats to match but hat sizes can be so variable with babies. On the other hand, this yarn is pretty stretchy. I'd have to make a lot of hats to chew through my leftovers. I have about a full ball of each color and a little more of Sky.

I've been coveting some Cascade 220 Superwash that is CHEAP on eBay (so go buy it knit bloggers - keep me away from it!) Back in December, I was so distressed by the amount of yarn I accumulated in under 6 weeks that I decided I'm not buying ANYTHING until the stash is reduced. This includes Cascade Superwash, which happens to be my most favorite yarn on the planet. At least, it is this week.

*sigh*

Happy knitting, everyone!

Enfin, a new blog post! I cannot believe it has been a full month since I blogged but in truth, I did very little knitting until the last two weeks and I'm committed to only blogging when knitting so here you go. There will be more updates to come because I am on spring break and I'm fully over my post-Christmas knitting funk!

By the way, have all of you discovered the new lines of Knit Picks???? I really want to order some Shine Worsted but I'm still getting through the $50 Knit Picks order from December. Do you know how much yarn $50 will buy you at Knit Picks? Take my word for it - HEAPS!

Before I show you what I've been up to, check out this amazing baby blanket my secret pal sent!!!!!!!! It's the kid's first hand-knitted gift - how exciting! We haven't bought or planned anything for the baby yet so maybe this will inspire us to start.


THANK YOU SECRET PAL!!!!!

Beth has inspired me to try a couple of diaper covers. She gave me a wonderful pattern that I've used to make these two. Sorry for the links to my flickr account. Blogger won't let me upload more pictures for who knows what reason.

Also, I bought this Phildar layette magazine last year so that I could make this one.

I hadn't made it yet because I didn't know anyone who was having a baby girl and planned to use cloth diapers. I still don't know anyone like that but I just wanted to make the little culotte so I did. :-) I also learned how to do intarsia so something good came out of the experiment.

Here is another sweater I've sort of finished. It needs a zipper. I don't know how to sew in a zipper. I need to do some research before I tackle the finishing process.

My current project is a little brassière from the same Phildar book (Layette Spring/Summer 2005). I don't know what this kind of sweater is called in English but it has a cardigan-style back for ease of use with a small baby. I'm using Kona Superwash wool for the first time. I might knit a swatch to see how well it washes and if it is machine dryable.

I'm spending the first few days of my spring break to sewing. I hate to sew but this mission is entirely outcome-driven. I found some patterns for maternity clothes and I thought I'd try to make them. With labor costs aside, I'm not saving a significant amount of money but I just wanted to make my own stuff. I've discovered that it is nearly impossible to find maternity clothes for women whose pre-pregnancy waists and inseams were under 30". If this graduate school gig doesn't work out, I might open up a factory to make maternity clothes for 1) short people and 2) people who exercise. Only Fit Maternity makes apparel for real exercise. This is a major source of annoyance chez moi.

I'll leave you with recent updates in the belly picture series.

Check out the goods from my dear Secret Pal!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a great Vday surprise!! I must say, however, that the candy she sent is not pictured. I'm sure you can imagine where it went! So thank you so much, S.P!!!!!! The washcloths are so cute! What a good idea. I haven't decided what to make out of that yarn but it's one of my favorite colors!!!!

On the knitting front, I have to finish that variegated yarn garter stitch scarf soon. I'm close but not there yet. Maybe this weekend.

I have been so busy with school and sick/tired with pregnancy that I just can't wait until the weekend comes. I'm glad to hear from several other bloggers that they weren't able to knit much while pregnant. I'm sure I will get motivated in the summer!!!!

Lots of things to catch up on! First, many many thanks to my kickass Secret Pal who is making my knitting life way easier. I received these two handy tools recently - a yarn cutter you wear around your neck and a cool little sheep tape measure! I haven't opened the cutter yet (and apologies for the sideways pic) but I'm planning on bringing it to my knitting group on Sat. I always end up there looking for something to cut my yarn with - usually it's a butter knife from the cafe so this will be a MUCH better alternative! Also, I'm so excited that my little sheepy measure is black. I identify completely with the black sheep!


And speaking of black sheep, I would like to hereby declare that I think I am the only knitter on the planet not participating in the Knitter's Olympics. My knitting friends are doing it, bloggers I read are doing it, my Secret Pal is doing it - even a lady from one of my LYS is in. I realize that 2500 knitters signed up - if anything, that makes me want to boycott the games on principle. Why? I'm a black sheep. :-)

Finally, here's the best reason I have for being a complete bum about exercising, knitting, blogging and responding to email:

I've been too busy running to the bathroom and wondering when morning/midday/afternoon/evening/night sickness will end. They say 12 weeks. I passed 12 weeks and I'm waiting patiently. Don't get me wrong - I'm happy about the kid thing. But if another old lady tells me how wonderful, happy and FUN pregnancy is, there will be violence...

Anyway, the kid is due 8/17 (the first day of classes, I might add!) Well-timed, eh? We aren't going to find out if it's a boy or girl - I am just content to know that there is only one in there!

I wish I could say this means lots of baby knitting but until I feel better, there will be no knitting happening. Besides, I'm not so sure how I feel about knitting for my own kid. Isn't that like counting the chickens before they've hatched??? Am I crazy? Opinions???

While I have no knitting content to report, I've been doing a lot of sewing in the last week. My mom sent me the diaper bag turned knitting bag she used when I was a kid. It was made of lime green corduroy and lined with a green and pink calico. I have always wanted a bag like it and so my mother-in-law showed me how to measure the original bag to make a pattern. Soon, I had three bags made! The first bag was electric pink canvas with a light green polka dot liner. Once I realized how easy the bag was, I made two more - an electric blue one with large blue flower print on the inside and a red one with a black polka polka dot liner. I only thought to take pictures of the pink one. Anyway, I hope this will be a great knitting bag. It will certainly hold multiple projects!

Also, I've just learned that the baby I've been knitting for will be a girl and she's due in a week or so. I found some flannel print for a little blanket for her as well. I bought the flannel because Ihad a blanket as a kid made out of the same stuff and I just like it a lot. Here's the baby blankie.

I'll be back to knitting soon with some FO pictures from the blue baby sweater. Thanks to everyone who emailed me about the Colinette. I think I will stick to the scarf - you are all right - it is good scarf yarn!

Not much knitting but CHECK IT OUT - Phildar entered the modern era and now you can order yarn online. The new site is great. Also, the free downloads used to come without pictures. Yeah, I know - how helpful is that??? Now, they have pics. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, this marks the end of my knitting funk. Check out their site!

In other news, the knitting group exploded! Normally we have 3-4 knitters. I counted 14 on Saturday! It was great. I'm really excited that there are that many knitters around interested in the group.

Finally, I'm really looking forward to Secret Pal 7! I've corresponded with both the person I have for a pal and the one who has me. It should be fun. My pal is a runner and a student too so I've got some good non-knitting ideas too.

Here comes the Secret Pal 7 Questionnaire:

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
Only somewhat. I love Lion Brand Cotton-Ease and Wool-Ease isn't bad either but I won't use Red Heart. I don't mind acrylic (especially if it makes the yarn washable) but I don't knit with anything that is 100% acrylic. Also, even though I'm vegan, I use animal fibers. It's less a political thing and more a dietary thing for me.

2. Do you spin? Crochet? Nope.

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? In some pretty vases that never get used for flowers.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I learned first as a little kid but I really got started six years ago. Intermediate to advanced.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Amazon list only has a couple things on it. I'm more of a glutton for my Knit Picks wish list. Email me if you want that. I warn you in advance: it's long and frivolous.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I can't say I'm really into scents. I like a lot of things just nothing too overpowering.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Sweet tooth, you bet. Unfortunately (well, fortunately for my health, I guess), I'm vegan and don't eat anything with meat/dairy/eggs. That cuts out a lot of sweets. I'm a sucker for dark chocolate without milk or butter.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Knitting is really my only crafty habit.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Anything but country and metal. I love classic jazz and world music. Yes, I can play mp3s.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? I love blue. There aren't any colors I dislike but I admit to being the only knitter in blogland that doesn't like variegated, multi-colored, pooling and self-striping yarns.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Married with two smelly dogs (see flickr account).

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Scarves, hats, mittens, no ponchos.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? I'm currently going through a Knit Picks phase. I don't buy expensive yarn- I'm really cheap. I like washable yarns like Dale of Norway Falk, KP Shine, Essential, Cascade 220 Superwash, Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, etc. In addition to being cheap, it appears that I'm also lazy. When it comes to socks and baby knits, I don't intend to do any hand washing. I readily knit with feltable wool for scarves, mittens, hats, etc.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? 100% acrylic, poofy scarf yarn, self-striping yarn

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I'd have to say either baby sweaters or mittens. Maybe socks. I'm just looking below at old blog posts and that seems to cover it.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? It depends on the season, my mood and how cold I am!

17. What are you knitting right now? A blue baby sweater (see picture below).

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes!

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Straight. I know it means sewing (which I dislike), but I like the feel of straight needles better than circs.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo or any kind of wooden needles.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Nope.

22. How did you learn to knit? My mom taught me when I was 6 but my little brother taught me when I grew up.

23. How old is your oldest UFO? Oldest UFO that I haven't abandoned entirely? Probably a year.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? I love dogs and I wish I could adopt ten. I don't watch TV so I couldn't name any animated characters.

25. What is your favorite holiday? July 4th because there are lots and lots of fresh tomatoes around then. I could live a happy life with only fresh tomatoes to eat.

26. Is there anything that you collect? Bad habits? No, not much else.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? None. I never buy mags. Occasionally a Phildar one but it's pretty rare. When I started knitting, I went a little nuts on books and now I'm not really pattern-deficient!

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Not really (see above). I have a pretty decent collection of books and more size 8 needles than I'd care to admit. I'm always game for yarn. :-)

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Steeking. I'm way too scared to actually try it without adult supervision. Maybe in another lifetime. Besides, my fair isle knitting is confined to small projects like mittens, hats and socks.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I love socks. I'm sort of a slow sock knitter. I didn't know what to measure so here are three different spots:
Around lower part of calf: 11"
Around ankle: 8.25"
Length from heel to toe: 8.75"

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 12/03

Well, in an attempt to lure myself out of the knitting funk, I started a small baby sweater for a baby that's due in less than a month. It's going quickly but eh, I'm not really into it. Here's a progress pic:
The pattern is from Debbie Bliss Baby Knits and I used Knit Picks shine. It is a little old man sweater:

Also, I received a couple of balls of Colinette Prism as a gift but I'm really struggling with a purpose for them. I never knit with hand-dyed yarn and I'm not really fond of it. Still, it is gorgeous yarn. I started a garter stitch scarf but I'm not sold on it. Any ideas? Here is what the yarn looks like. I have two balls (about 240 yds) and it calls for size 10.5 needles.


Happy knitting!