Afghan update

So I'm halfway done with the afghan. As I said below I've been using odd balls - so the color combinations are a little crazy - but I think it still works.

The Unfinished Sweater

Last year I had the great Idea that I would make my mom a sweater for her birthday (it's in March) - I knew that she wanted an aran style cardigan so, I found a fancy pancy pattern and got started.

Everything was going fine (well, kinda fine, I did have to rip out a bunch of rows on the back due to a mix up of rows) until I got to the sleeves. I've always been told, and regularly do, stitch both arms at the same time to ensure uniformity. Well - these arms were very heavy and I decided to risk it and do one at a time - OF COURSE they didn't match - and OF COURSE this didn't become evident until the 2nd one was nearly finished - SO, I burned out - I put it down and I haven't picked it up since. In fact it turned me off of knitting for quite a while.

Now I'm feeling a little guilty - like I guess i should just start over with the sleeves - and maybe I will - it just seemed so daunting, just a little while ago.

I pulled it out of the "bag" this weekend - here's a picture of the back - it really is lovely....

The Family Aran

I found this on a clanaran.com - a website that has the different arans of the Irish clans (or what they claim to be) - Now I know that my grandfather would bristle at the mere mention of the emerald isle - but I think it's pretty cool. The website sells sweaters and kits - but I'm going to (along with, hopefully, some help from my aunts) try and recreate the pattern. it's, basically, a trellis flanked by cables and what they called "blackberries" -

Yarn binge

Went on a yarn binge this weekend - at both Michael's and AC Moore. AC Moore was having a sale on cotton ($1 a skein) which Suzanne bought a bunch of for me to use to make bibs and other baby-type items for her nephew-to-be. Michael's had a bunch of crazy sales on different types and brands of yarn. Got Lion Brand Suede to make a throw for Suzanne; some Paton's Devine to supplement the yarn that Katie had chosen for Suzanne; some Paton's Pooch and Fun Fur to make a handbag; more Lion Fun fur (stripes and patterns) just for "fun"; some worsted weight rose colored yarn for the afghan WIP; some more Dream for a requested scarf -

I'm sure there's some I'm missing.

The craft stores have SO much more yarn and variety than they used to - especially Michael's - AC Moore has increased their stock of high end yarn - you can now get hand-dyed peruvian wool by the hank - I'd need to have a special project in mind to invest in much of that - it can get a bit pricey. It's a little overwhelming when you are just "browsing" - I don't know what to look at first!

Now I'm lamenting that I didn't get more yarn for Suz's throw and "devine" project - hopefully it will all work out.

Christmas Yarn Extravaganza

This past Christmas my mother gave me some $$$ to buy yarn - actually, it was a little "iou" that she wrapped and put it in my stocking - yes, Mom still fills my stocking (which, incidentally, was hand-knit by my aunt, the master knitter) -

ANYWAY - this December Michael's was having the best yarn sale - on novelty yarns, anyway. The majority of their Moda-Dea stock was 70% off (YES, 70%!) - I bought a bushel of great stuff, including...

Moda- Dea's - Tutu, Wild!, Ticker Tape, Eden - made scarves out of petal pink and lavender Tutu (see photo below); also made scarves out of blue Wild! (see photo at left) and red Eden (couldn't be softer)

Paton's Twister, Allure, Brilliant - I LOVE the Allure - I got it in navy (sapphire) - it is so plush and rich when knitted - I did a stockinette stitch with a garter border - you can't really tell - but it looks so awesome.

Lion's Fancy Fur - I made Suzanne a little muffler - black with purple and blue bits

Afghan madness

As reported below, I'm in the planning stages for a bunch of baby blankets - I started one for a friend and I soon decided that I'd rather keep that one and make another for her - fickle, I know.

It's a really basic shell chevron - the pattern is only 11 stitches across and 4 rows - I'm using up a bunch of "odd balls" to basically match a green/pink decor. My color inspiration comes from a checkerboard rug. I need to get some rose yarn (one color I don't have).

Because I'm using different yarns, some weightier than others, the effect of the pattern is kinda lacey - I'm pleased - with the maroon and greens it was looking pretty christmasy in the beginning - I toyed with the idea of gathering it at the top to make a christmas tree skirt - but I think I'll go forward with the blanket.

So I'm still shuffling through ideas for the blankets - I'm leaning toward a fan and feather for the one -

I'm going yarn shopping this weekend!!! whoo hoo!

Katie's Sweater

I made this sweater for katie last year. The kid loves bright colors, and, at the time, was just learning her colors, so the sweater was a good teaching tool.

It's all cotton - the basic "T" sweater in stockingette stitch with a roll collar. The blue is supposed to be the front, but she always wears it with the yellow front facing. She wore it for her pre-school pictures and spilled chocolate milk on the yellow side - so they flipped it around for the picture - fate, I'd say.

Katie's crayon purse

Katie picked out this yarn for herself - a little eclectic for a 3 year old - but she is an exceptional girl.

I decided to make her a little purse - complete with gold star button. The purse itself is very simple - just a rib patterned rectangle sewn up the sides. The strap is an I chord (which I love making, btw) and the clasp is a simple crochet chain (I do not crochet - but I can do a chain).

While intended to be a purse, Katie soon found a more efficient use - she now carries her crayons in it - it's the perfect size.

Batting my eyelash

I love eyelash yarn. It is so much fun to work with and I'm tickled by the results. Fun and Fancy Fur from Lion Brand are staples - I've made many a boa for adults and children. I've enjoyed using some of the other brands as well. Paton's Boa (clever), Twister, and so on are also great.

Try knitting some Fun Fur together with a boucle - the effect is so rich.

One of my all time favorite yarns is one that a friend brought back for me from Germany - she brought back 2 skeins of a variegated orange, rust, gold and I knitted it into a scarf. To my delight the effect was a "magic stripe" with bold blocks of each hue. It is a gorgeous scarf and another attention getter - one night at a restaurant a gal came over to ask me if I had knitted it - it started a great conversation! Lion Brand has come out with a striped eyelash - I just got a couple skeins this weekend - I can't wait to try them out!!

Penn State Gear

My college alma mater is another of my inspirations - nearly every Penn Stater I know has some sort of Navy and White creation.

My best tailgating buddy, Suzanne, gets a new scarf every season. Attached is a picture of the first PSU scarf I made for her - It's navy and white boucle - I cast on like 200 stitches - to get the vertical "racing stripe" - and then I added boucle fringe which doubles as pom-pons at the football games.

My one sorority sister, who keeps having babies, gets blue and white baby blankets. I make dish rags, potholders, etc for the football faithful.

After I first returned to knitting I made myself a "harry potter" type scarf - very long with broad stripes. (I made a miniature version for another PSU friend with a little boy - however, I catch her wearing it) I used baby weight yarn and smallish (7US) needles and the simple garter stitch. It took forever - but I love it - and I always get tons of compliments when I wear it to football games.

Dream Scarf

My friend's daughter, Katie, is one of my muses. She's been the recipient and inspiration for many of my projects. Last month I got to go yarn shopping with her (she's 3, btw). She helped me pick out a variety of yarn - for different people we know, including herself and her little sister.

She picked out this green Dream (by Moda-Dea) yarn for her sister. I knitted a small little scarf (which couldn't be softer) - the yarn didn't lend itself to much of a pattern but I did do a reversible "diamond" pattern - if I look really close I can see it - I doubt that anyone else would notice.

Wee hat

I made this hat without a pattern. It ended up being too small for a normal sized child - but it's so cute I had to keep it. It was knitted on straight needles and then sewn up the back.

I did put it on an 18 month old - but it kept slipping off her head - although it did look very cute.

Let's get it started!

Here is a blanket I did for my friend (well, for her baby, really). She had said, while expecting, that she wanted bright contrasting colors for the baby because such is supposed to stimulate brain activity.

So, I found the craziest pattern I could - I found it on the internet and I've seen it called by different names.

I did this one all in cotton = with contrasting solid and multi-colored yarns. Each striped block is made by decreasing in the middle so that the striped fold toward the center. It's an awesome result. The blocks are then sewn together into groups of four - it ends up looking like the log cabin quilting pattern - and the blocks of four are pieced together to make the blanket. For the baby blanket I pieced 3 blocks of four by 4 blocks of four.

I was so pleased with this project and my friend really appreciated it. Her daughter is now 1 year old and says that it's her (mom's and baby's) favorite blanket - just the right weight and because it's cotton - it washes up wonderfully. She says that she catches her daughter just studying the blanket and knows that her daughter is going to be smart because of it.

That's pretty high praise, but I'll take it! Unfortunately - it would seem that she (the baby) is growing so quickly that she's going to need a bigger blanket soon - maybe I should have them send it to me and I'll just add a couple rows.

ANYWAY - here's a picture... btw - in the pix they have it folded over so you see a bit of the "wrong side"...

Madgirl Knits!

So I've decided to chronicle (ie immortalize) my knitting projects. I had been on a knitting hiatus during the summer (it was so dang hot) but I'm really back into it now.

Part of my motivation is that every married woman I know is expecting this winter/spring (seriously, every single one) - so I'm mentally bogged down with ideas for shower/baby gifts.

My memory is not what it used to be - so I can now use Blogger to help me keep track.

I get most of my patterns from online sources or old pattern books. I usually try to find a pattern to "fit" the yarn I have (people are always giving me yarn) rather than purchasing yarn to fit a particular pattern (although this has been known to happen).

I learned to knit as a pre-teen but I didn't really keep up with it - About 3 years ago I picked it up again, and "re-taught" myself via the internet and instruction from my aunt (master knitter). I really enjoy it - and people really appreciate homemade gifts - which is nice.

I love all the novelty yarns; they're usually a lot of razzle-dazzle for relatively little time and energy.

Cables are probably my favorite "effect" - unless I miss a stitch or skip a row - then I kinda hate them ;)