No Sahara Yet

I'm sure I'm just biased, but are these not the sweetest feet you've ever seen! I could just eat those little rolls on her ankles. The Sahara has been sidelined for a few days because I decided that she needed an equally sweet pair of socks for those toes. I'm using a pattern (changed for a larger size, etc. Basically I just used the idea and went from there.) from the latest Debbie Bliss book and some baby cashmerino that I had in stash. I know a lot of people have problems with DB patterns, but this is the first one that I just haven't liked. I wanted a little something before I knuckle down and work on Sahara. I figure I'll wait until I can have some alone time this weekend to get started.

Here are the finished socks... (They're cuter than they show in the picture. I had trouble getting her to hold still long enough to snap a picture.) They'll keep those piggies warm and feel so soft for her. I'm sure she'll outgrow them quickly, although there is a bit of extra room, and I'll have to make another pair for the Fall, but they were pretty quick so I don't mind. H wants a pair of socks as well. He's requested that his be red (it's all about red.... red sheets, shoes, sweats, t-shirts. Our house would be red if he could convince me. I keep thinking he'll outgrow the red phase, but it's been this way for 2 years. Half of his life has been devoted to his search for red... He cracks me up!)

Also, still plugging along on my pair of Opal socks. I'm ready to start the heel, but just haven't done it yet. Maybe I just need to get it done before I start my Sahara... then, I can start another pair of socks (for my secret sock pal??) before we go on our trip to New Orleans in May. Usually socks don't take me this long, but I think it's just the plain stockinette. I'm looking forward to something with a pattern and trying toe-up.

Jenn

So, What Was I Doing?

Doug's been gone this weekend. I finished the hat for him to take for little O.K. H has been sick with the croup and with L getting teeth it leads to me getting little sleep or time to knit. I always stay up too late when hubby is gone. I get to pick the channel, knit without hearing snores from the other couch and just have time alone! Short supply of that around here. I'm not in any rush to wean L, but it would be nice if she was done by August so I could go to Stitches Midwest! (Right now I'm lucky to get a couple of hours away... anyone have any tips for getting a 10 month old to use a sippy cup? Our tries at a bottle were not met with a good reaction! We have a VERY opinionated daughter!) I've always wanted to go, but life gets in the way. I'm trying to convince Doug that we could make a vacation of it... visiting friends and family. I might have to find someone to bring my stash enhancements home for me though!

Last night I went through all my yarn, books, etc. and organized everything. That was something I've wanted to do for a while. I feel confident I can find any yarn needed. (And, if I can start a spreadsheet with all the colors, amounts, etc. that I wrote down, I'll be set. I really am a knitting geek!)

We got 2-3 inches of snow Friday evening/Saturday morning. I promised H we could go out for pancakes this morning. L had me up around 6, so by 8:30 a.m. we were out in the snow.

Everyone went to bed early, but I'm still up. Just working on the Wine and Roses mitts. Maybe I'll have a picture on Monday (there's not much to show yet.)

Jenn

Another Hat and One Mitt

You may have seen the little pigtail hat I made for L. It's a bit tight (I'll rip to the Chinchilla again... third times the charm, right?) and she won't leave it on. So, I was inspired by Grumperina and the beret she made for her grandmother. I was shooting for less of a beret, but not a kufi. I thought it would look cute on L. I made this from Frog Tree chunky alpaca. She seems to like it and will even leave it on for a while (or maybe I'm finally wearing her down. She takes it off, I put it back on.)

I've got one of the mitts done for my husband. I just cast on 48 stitches with some Chocolate DB Cashmerino Aran (#8 needles) that I had in my stash, knit 2x2 rib, knit 8 stitches on scrap yarn to add the thumb later, then continued in rib until he deemed them long enough. He asked if I was going to make them fingerless gloves, but I envisioned him being able to slip his thumb out and push them to the wrist, when needed. (He'll be using them when fly fishing, among other things. I can picture my "hard work" floating down the White River if he actually had to remove them.) He's headed to the cabin again this weekend, although I doubt he'll try any fishing (we just got about 3-4 inches of snow and it's in the low 20's right now.) I promised I'd have them done for the weekend. That means, while he's gone I can work on a project that I want to... namely the Wine and Roses mitts. I've worked a bit on the wrist of the first, but I noticed a problem when I picked it back up today. I think I'll have to rip and start again.

But first, I need to come up with a little hat. Doug is also headed to Springfield this weekend and will be visiting our friends Kenny and Laura! They had little Owen Kenneth (O.K.) last week (her water broke during Survivor, just as predicted by a friend.) and I need to come up with a hat to go with our baby gift. Guess I need to go look through the stash again!

Jenn

Nothing New Here

Well, I'm still plugging away at the sock. (It's not that I don't like knitting socks, but I just keep thinking of all the other things I could be knitting!) The kids have had colds and I've been up a lot. All my knitting energy has been drained. Hopefully, I'll have at least one new project to report on in my next post. Since I don't have anything exciting to report I just thought I'd post a couple of pictures of FO that have been outgrown and are being packed away.



This is from Debbie Bliss "The Baby Knits Book: The Ultimate Collection of Knitwear Designs for Newborns to 3-Year-Olds" and done in Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine. I enjoy knitting with this yarn and LOVE the colors. I did this sweater (almost exact same colors) twice before for baby showers. (One was for Amelia's big brother, Leo. Now she'll get to use it as well.) Doug liked it so much he requested one for L. She did get to wear it some before she got too big.



This is Trellis from Knitty. I saw ChrisKnits post one quite a while ago that she had done and fell in love! I made a few changes and knit it in one piece to armholes (I think she did this as well as making a change to the cables... my mind is a bit fuzzy today.) L got a lot of use out of this one. I knit it in Cotton Fleece by Brown Sheep and it turned out well. I also made one before this for a baby shower.

Well, I'm off to fix dinner, bathe children and (hopefully) work on the sock.

Jenn