Where has the time gone?

Oops! Has it really been two months since I've blogged!? I guess I just spend all my "blogging time" updating Kaylen's blog, so I never get around to posting anything here.
I have been busy the last two months. I've finished over half of a simple lace shawl (the Invisibility Shawl from Charmed Knits) Unfortunately, I don't have any recent photos.
I do have a photo of my latest creation though! It's a sewing project! Gasp! I hardly ever bust out the sewing machine, but I saw this cute pattern and had to make it.

I actually bought the pattern months ago, then remembered I had it, and had to admit to myself that summer is quickly zooming by, so I whipped it up in two evenings. I think it turned out really cute.

Next Knitter?

Could this be the next knitter in the family?

Gryffindor Socks

I did it! I finished my Gryffindor socks!



This was my first time knitting two socks at the same time using the magic loop method. I think I'll definately be knitting my toe-up socks that way from now on. It really cures that "second-sock-syndrome" problem.



Anybody else find it difficult to be creative with your foot/sock modeling poses?




Well, I tried.

Sirius Black!

My Sirius Black socks are finished! Can you tell that they're more than just plain black socks?



I had this wonderful idea that my Sirius Black socks should be, well, black.
Unfortunately it has effectively hidden all my pattern work. I was able to get the prison numbers that run down the side of the cuff to sort of show up a tiny bit in this photo...



There's also dog toes on the top of the foot (because Sirius Black turns into a black dog in the Harry Potter books)



And dog toe pads on the bottom of the toes! I think they're cute.



This pattern came as part of my Harry Potter Covers sock club from Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers (she's on Etsy). They were supposed to be knit up in a variegated yarn that came with the pattern, but I'll probably knit that skein up into plain socks to show the colours. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm obsessivelly knitting up my Gryffindor yarn that I received from my HSKS4 swap. Those socks are coming along nicely and might even be finished by next weekend! Look for pictures next week!

She Likes It!

It was Kaylen's first birthday yesterday! And, she likes her care bear! Yay!

I can Crochet!

Yay! I finished Kaylen's Care Bear in time for her birthday next week! I hope she likes him (her?).

This was my very first Crochet project and I'm happy with the way it turned out. The clover on the tummy was supposed to be crocheted, but after my third frustrating and unsuccessful attempt, I just cut one out of felt and sewed it on! I know, I know, that's cheating, but I'm sure Kaylen won't mind.

Done, almost

The ladybug sweater (and hat!) is finished! Except for the buttons. I'm still hunting for the perfect set of buttons.

I know that pockets are pretty useless on a baby sweater, but they're just so cute!!!

Yes, I'm still here

Okay, so it's been a while since I've posted. Sorry.
Yes, I'm alive.
What have I been working on lately? Well, I've been working like mad on a ladybug sweater for my cousin's baby due in March. It's nearly finished now. I just have to put it all together and add the buttonband and pockets. I'm also thinking of making a little hat to go with it (depending on how much yarn I have left over)

It really looks a lot better in person than in this picture. My camera has a problem with colours.

My Little Weasley

My latest finished project:
The Weasley Sweater from Charmed Knits by Alison Hansel.
I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It was really hard to get Kaylen to hold still long enough to get a good photo though.



As you can see, I had some major troubles with this yarn for the duplicate stitch letter on the front. Luckily for me the Weasley sweaters are famous for being "homely" so I'm sure Molly Weasley would be proud!

Baby Santa Hat Pattern

I've received a few pattern requests for the Santa Hat I made for my baby this year.




Well, the thing is, I couldn't find a pattern, so I just made one up as I went along. I did write it down as I went though, just in case it actually turned out okay, so here it is........ please note, I've never written a pattern before so forgive me if it doesn't make sense.



Baby Santa Hat



Yarn: I used Bernat Satin Sport : less than 1-85g. (3oz) ball each of

MC: Red

CC: White



Guage: 22s = 4" in st st.



With CC cast on 88 stitches

Join in the round and work in K1, P1 rib for 12 rounds

Knit for 12 rounds in st st. (Note: if I was to make this hat again, I would just do these 12 rounds in ribbing too)

Switch to MC and knit for 26 rounds

[K9, K2tog] to end of round

Knit 6 rounds even

[K8, K2tog] to end of round

Knit 6 rounds even

[K7, K2tog] to end of round

Knit 6 rounds even

[K6, K2tog] to end of round

Knit 6 rounds even

Continue in this pattern until you get down to [K1, K2tog]

Knit 6 rounds even

[K2tog] to end of round

Break Yarn and pull through remaining stitches, secure.



Make a pom-pom with CC and secure to top of hat.



(Note: My baby tried to eat her pompom constantly, so please supervise small babies when wearing this hat!)

Sally Update

Sally Scarecrow is coming along nicely. I had to take a break from her while I was sewing Kaylen's Christmas Pajamas, but I'm back at it now.
She's stuffed, and has a few bits added (panty frills and shoe straps). Her skirt is finished but the bottom edge is rolling up so badly that I'm going to have to add some sort of fold-over hem to the bottom. Now she just needs arms, a face, hair, hat, accessories and, well, the rest of her scarecrow family!

Fun "Little" Knit

I've got enough done now of Sally the Scarecrow to take a picture.
This pattern is from Jean Greenhowe's Scarecrow Family Booklet.

I'm planning on making the whole Scarecrow family for Kaylen. I was thinking I would have them all done for her 2nd birthday. (she's only 8 months old) These little dolls are a LOT of work!!!

I have the main body finished and now I just need to make arms, clothes, accessories, hair, stuff the body, sew on all the little extra bits and make a face. Oh geez, what have I gotten myself into???

Oh yeah, and one more thing.... Here's a picture of Kaylen's recently finished "Harry Potter" Hogwarts Vest!

In Gryffindor colours of course!

Kaylen's Vest (on Kaylen)

Okay, okay, as requested, a picture of Kaylen in her vest.

(she does look cute in it.... of course I have a slightly biased opinion, being her mom and everything)

Vest for Kaylen

I just finished knitting a little pullover vest for Kaylen.
Monkey is modelling it until Kaylen wakes up from her nap to try it on.

I'm a little concerned about the neck hole.... it might be too small. I'm planning on making several more of these so maybe I'll make the next one with just a rolled neck edge.

I'll post pictures on Kaylen's blog when she tries it on. (well, IF she can get it on over her head!!!)

Update: It fits over Kaylen's head... but just barely. Picture on her blog.

A simple ball?

Okay, here's a bit of a non-knitting rant.....
My daughter, Kaylen, is crawling now, and she likes to crawl after the dog's ball at Grandma's house. Very cute, but we can't let her have it because, well, ew. So... we decided to go out and buy her a new ball just for her. We went to two department stores that have very big toy sections.... Did we find a ball? NO!!! What the!?!?!?!? We found plenty of toys with lights and sounds, and dolls that talk and pee, and baby keyboards to attach to your computer, and little kid treadmills (are you freakin' serious!?!?) but no balls. What happened to regular TOYS!?!? Why does everything have to DO something? Do kids have no imagination anymore? I mean, come on, I can't even buy a simple ball!?!? This is just ridiculous! Is anybody else disturbed by the over-designed, sit-on-you-but-and-never-go-outside toys out there? (seriously, a little kid treadmill???)
Okay, that's enough of a rant. My husband and I are going to try Toys-R-Us.... hopefully they will have something.

Hedwig Socks Completed!

I stayed up late last night and finished my Hedwig socks!!!

They turned out great! I had a lot of fun knitting these... I even finished both socks! (that's pretty good for me as I tend to suffer from single-sock-syndrome) I think it's cool how well they match the book cover... I can't wait to start the next ones!!!

Heeeeere's Froggy!

Aw, Dangit! I finished the gusset decreases on the second Hedwig sock and tried it on.... it was pretty loose... much bigger than the first sock. Hmmmm... So, I held up the first sock, and held up the partially completed second sock and realized, dangit, that I had actually messed up on the first sock. I decreased every row instead of every other row. It actually worked out for the best because that sock fits perfectly. So... I had to rippit, rippit, rippit on the second sock, back to the beginning of the decreases. I'm now re-knitting WITH the mistake on purpose!

My Big Prize!

My prize from Knit & Purl Mama's blog contest arrived today!!!
Check out my loot! I'm so spoiled!



Wanna know what I got? Well....
There's a copy of Interweave Knits, a Sock Pattern (I chose Thelonious... it looks soooo cool!), a Sock Blocker Keychain & Mini-Sock Pattern, Regia Sock Yarn, Knit Picks Crayon Yarn, THREE sets of Stitch-Markers, a deck of cards, some Trident cinnamon gum, a cute luggage tag, a cool green beaded necklace, and some FunDip (I loved fun dip when I was a kid.... so much sugary-goodness)
Thanks Robyn!!! You Rock!

I also received my October Sock Club Kit from Robyn's Nest.
Wow, the colourway is amazing! I love it!



The picture doesn't even do it justice... the colours are so intense and awesome. My husband saw the yarn and claimed it for himself.... he wants me to make him a pair of socks. He doesn't usually ask me to knit him anything so I'm definately going to grant this request.

One Done

I finished the first Hedwig sock last night.
It turned out great.... and I cast on the second sock this morning!

Sock Progress

Okay, so I was able to steal the computer away from my husband for two minutes.... just long enough to upload and post this sock progress photo.
Enjoy.