Summerlins

Pattern: Summerlin by Alice Schnebly, dress option
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease
Needles: US 6
Size: 12 months
Fabric: unknown (a cotton lawn from my mum's stash)
Raveled


My gauge was a bit off but I decided to see what would happen. Finished band measurement was 17 inches. My guess is that this one would suit most 6-month-old babies, although it might work for 9-month-olds, too. The knitting went so quickly. As I eased the gathered skirt in place, I noticed there was some play in the knit top. I was easily able to encourage the top to be a bit bigger than the relaxed measurement. Upshot: It fit the recipient (a smallish 13-month-old at the time) perfectly.

Pattern: Summerlin by Alice Schnebly, top option
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Cotton Rich, color 3417 (orange)
Needles: US 7
Size: 2 years
Fabric: Cotton print from Freshcut line by Heather Bailey
Raveled


This is a heavier yarn than I used for my first Summerlin--probably too heavy for a warm-weather garment. After washing the bodice, I concluded that I should’ve gone up yet another needle size to get the fabric I was after. Maybe I should have tried the Cotton Rich DK instead?

Baby bunny

Pattern: Knitted Bunny
Designer: Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer
Made for: coworker's baby shower
Needles: US 5
Yarn: a very lovely single left over from spouse’s first knitting project. I believe it was a German blend of silk and merino.
Started: July 10, 2008
Completed: July 10, 2008


He has a most excellent little tail, if I do say so myself.

Fresh from the oven

Can you tell I was anxious to get these to dry?



Just in the nick of time for Offspring the Younger to give to her teacher at the end of the school year.



Pattern: Garter Rib by Charlene Schurch
Size: Men's 9
Yarn: Abundant Yarn & Dyeworks Naturally Dyed Sock Yarn
Colorway: Donovan Should Wear Red
Amount: about 400 yards
Needles: US 1 dpns
Started: April 7, 2008
Completed: June 10, 2008

Ravelry'd here.

Documenting the year

Well, I haven't been so good at keeping up this here blog in 2008. Perhaps there's still time to address that shortcoming...

This is the first of my long-done projects just now seeing light on the internet:

Emma's patchwork-y pillow




A birthday gift from one of the offspring to a cherished friend. Did you know you can find quite cheap pillow inserts at IKEA?

Keep those birthday party invitations coming

HPIM1794, originally uploaded by scribblearts.

I love having opportunities to try out new projects. Here's my first attempt at Pink Penguin's patchwork fabric basket, made for one of Offspring the Younger's friends. Great tutorial, and one I highly recommend. Plus, the results are just so dang cute!

We popped in a few small containers of fun bath products, and this:

a reversible headband. You can find a tutorial for this project at The Long Thread. With practice, maybe I can make my edges at neat as Ellen's...but I'm still very happy with my results. And can I just say, free tutorials rock! Thanks so much, generous crafters!

In a dark place no longer

Although I haven't been documenting it well here, I have been busy making stuff these last few months. I also managed to finish off a UFO that had been hanging around forlornly. The Iris Mermaid scarf is now at home with my husband's stepmother, who lives in a warm climate and celebrated a birthday this summer.



Just the fishtail lace pattern, knit up in Brilla. I was disappointed when I came to the last of my yarn and saw how short the scarf still was, but it blocked much better than expected. I have to say that I like the back almost as much as I like the front.



More details on Ravelry.

Look, a helicopter

My life is full of distractions. I try to make the most of them.

This is a birthday gift for the August sibling, based on the great 1-hour bag tutorial by Jodie at Ric Rac. Took me perhaps five times as long as it took her, but that's--oh, look, a helicopter.

"It almost looks like an A."

-- My mother, when she caught sight of this ornament on her gift bag

Um, yeah, Mum...that would be because it is an A.

Or my best attempt at one in wire and beads. Must practice, apparently.

True to form

I suspected when I started this blog that it would fall victim to my nature--in other words, it would become wildly inconsistent.

Tah dah.

I can't even blame the advent of Ravelry. I've had this affliction for a long time.

Catching up on some of this year's projects (in no particular order):


A Christmas gift for Mum. Colors are her choice and suit her perfectly. She also chose the lining fabric, a Kaffe Fassett print.


Pattern: The Bag
Designer: Wendy Wonnacott
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Frappe, approx. 2 skeins (318 yards) in 012 Field Mix and 1 skein (159 yards) in 001 White (cream, really)
Needles: US 4/3.5 mm Addi Turbo, 24" circular

I didn't think much of the garterstitch straps called for in the pattern, so I cranked out about 10 feet of I-cord. I'm very happy with that mod.

If I recall correctly, my row gauge didn't match that specified by the pattern, so my finished bag was squatter. I remedied this by making a shallower gusset (about 1" as opposed to 3"). Another happy mod.

One source of great frustration: Even though the Field Mix colorway was not intense it bled like crazy all over the cream when I washed and blocked the main piece. The effect grew uglier as the bag dried. (The knitting looked like I'd used it to rub down a rusty car.) In desperation, I threw the bag into the washing machine on hot with color-safe bleach and some Cheer. That did the trick!

This little project entails quite a bit of finishing work. Nice--but I don't think I'll make another one.

From the archives

Pattern: Maddy's Mitts
Designer: me
Yarn: Royal Fiber Spinnery Royal Platinum Alpaca, 100% baby alpaca, double stranded
Needles: US 6 dpns

Offspring the Younger and I picked out this yarn at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in September to make a birthday gift for OTY's friend. OTY is primarily responsible for the design. This yarn is so soft and fuzzy, and the color had people drooling. The finished project met with a very favorable response.

On deck for this winter solstice

* The Bag (pattern by Wendy Wonnacott) for Mum
* Knit slipper socks for Gram
* Polar fleece slipper socks for Gram
* Baby Alligator scarf (kit from Morehouse Farm) for Mr. W
* Sewn gift bags
* Something special for Gram's 90th birthday (December 24)--You go, Gram!