Inching Along....

I am still in Massachusetts and getting used to being here. I ventured into my old Fabric store the other day searching for buttons for my latest baby sweater and was mesmerized by the huge collection of beautiful fabrics! Made me want to get out the old sewing machine again and start sewing something..... Anything! Back in the day, I used to have fabric stashes, and sewed like crazy! I had to tear myself out of the store because just like yarn, fabric beckons to you, and can be even more seductive.

I haven't grown those ten extra hands yet, therefore I only have two new articles to share. One is a sweater for a lovely little baby who lives in Southern California named Selena. Quite the little Queen that one.. and the other is a scarf I knitted as a contribution for my online Charity Group. The scarf will be one of many donated to Woven Lotus; a group of caring individuals who helps those who have been sexually abused in one way or another and are in crisis. The scarves and shawls are given as gifts of Love in hopes that the individual will somehow feel that he or she is unconditionally loved at a time when they most need to be.

Here are the photos:

I have knitted this pattern once before and I really like it because of the lacy-leaf design along the front. The seed stitch adds texture, and I really don't like to knit large areas of it, but it gives this pattern 'just the right touch.'

A slightly different view...

Here is the back view of the sweater. The pattern instructions required that I knit the back plain; but I love the leaf pattern so much, I incorporated my own version on the back. I think I might be ready to start knitting larger lace patterns... I have been searching for "just the right" shawl or scarf.

Here is the scarf. The lighting was 'off' the day that I took this photo and parts of the scarf appear more pink than others.

The Latest Projects and A Yarn "Report"

I haven't gotten as much knitting done on winter-hiatus as I should have. It seems I have to 'work' knitting into my day, and if I am not feeling in a "Zen" mode, I don't pursue anything of a creative nature because the "love" won't freely stream from my fingertips into the yarn as I weave a fabric that will eventually envelope someone's body. I am learning a lot about how living in a highly populated area blocks your energy. You don't even have to be "out and about." The "energy" finds you and "builds," causing an underlying irritating 'stress.' That stress blocks creative energy. This is why you will find the more highly creative people living in a rural area, or a lightly populated town. They must be in an easily accessible nature-filled setting. It makes all the difference in the world.

When you live in a place like that a peace opens your thoughts to the universal mind of Creation, and it is from this place you develop a two way communication with what needs to come into the world through your hands. Whether you knit, paint, crochet, woodwork, weave, make jewelry, sew, quilt, etc., you are always inspired through the universal mind of Creation while doing your work. Enough for now of my experience with "spirituality" and back to knitting.

I wanted to knit another Baby Surprise Jacket and did, although it seemed to 'drag on and on' and I could not wait to finish it. I used Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" acrylic. A few members on my charity knitting group raved about it and I had to send away for it because it isn't sold in the 'usual' yarn stores. Only the Hobby Lobby stores do, and unfortunately, it does not have outlets in every state. They do have an online store http://www.craftsetc.com/ that gives great service and the prices are about as fair as everywhere else. Also; you get free shipping if your order is $25 or more. And free shipping today is a wonderful thing....

I love Hobby Lobby's private brand of yarn. I'm waiting for my third shipment. Their acrylics are superior to other brands. The yarn texture is not skimpy; is soft, but not 'wimpy' as some other brands can sometimes be. Their worsted cotton is much better than what I have been using for years (Peaches and Cream), soft and silky. It makes wonderful dishcloths and washcloths and doesn't "stiffen up" on you when dry. It dries quickly. The only complaint I have is; there is a limited color range but they have added variegated colors, which is just great!

They have also added a wool yarn: worsted weight which is 93% wool and 6% polyamide; 219 yards for $5.99. Colors are limited, but maybe they are waiting to see who's interested before they expand the collection. I would say their wool is more of a heavy worsted weight because they recommend using a size 9 needle. I have ordered one skein to see if I like it.

Here is the baby sweater I knitted with their acrylic:

The Front...........

The Back.........

For the Knitters who are reading this; I have included a photo of "I Love This Cotton" along side the acrylic "I Love This Yarn" ($2.79) so you can see how large the skein is. The cotton is $2.99 but well worth it for the quality. I have knitted with several other cotton yarns, and this one is ..... well, let me say that I will lean towards this brand for my dishcloths. For facecloths, this is the only yarn I will use because of the silky, sensuous texture when it is wet and soaped. Nothing 'scratchy' about the woven fabric at all.

These are dish and washcloths made with "I Love This Cotton." The washcloths are being donated to a Nursing Home in Virginia. The dishcloths are mine....... Geri; if you are reading this, some are coming your way in the future. You will love them!

I am also working on a Shawl for no one in particular. I want to see how it turns out first. It's a dig through your yarn stash and knit away shawl.

Here is an updated photo after adding another color.

I found a local neighborhood yarn shop (which is as scarce as hen's teeth, believe it or not) in Boston that sells high-end fibers about 2 miles from where I am staying. I went in, looked around, came out with 4 skeins of yarn and $40 less in my pocketbook! It has been so long since I have actually touched or looked at "new, fresh skeins of yarn," I was beginning to feel 'deprived.' I actually felt 'yarn-sick' and something was coming out of that store with me whether I was excited about it or not!

Here is what I came out with..........

The Lamb's Pride I already had; but the two skeins of Noro is what I took a chance on, and though I LOVE the colors in each skein, I do not like the feel of this yarn. It is scratchy like Lopi. I don't think I will buy it again unless a project absolutely has to have it and there is no substitution.

Here is a 'close-up' of the pink variegated....

And a close-up of the blue-green

The Lamb's Pride ..... is a good value for the combination of wool and mohair mix. It is most definitely a warm wool. I can personally attest that it has been tested in the sometimes 'artic' cold of Maine.

Here is the other yarn I purchased. A nice soft, yet firm wool. Not like some worsted wools that are 'air-whipped' and actually leans towards being a light-worsted weight.

When my new shipment of yarn comes in I'll have to purchase another clear zipper storage bag to store it in. The bag I brought from home is packed pretty much to the gills. I left a hefty 3 storage bags of yarn at home and travelled with enough yarn to keep me 'busy' knowing full well how much I love to add to my stash which I have been doing....

Way Behind, But I Am Catching Up

It seems like 'ages' since I have posted but calendar-wise it hasn't been that long. My problem is I think I should be able to start something today and finish it in two days; and while there are some people who are nimble knitters and capable of knitting much faster than I, I have to accept that I am not superwoman.

I was finally able to finish the hat and scarf set for my friend Steve who lives in Arizona. He walks his dog Riley in the wee hours of the morning and for those who don't know, the desert can reach uncomfortably cold temperatures before the sun rises, especially in the fall and winter.

I was also sent photos of little Ruth wearing a hat and scarf I knitted for her this winter. She looks adorable and she is a natural for the camera. You can judge for yourself...

Here is Ruth, modeling her hat and scarf. She is 2 and a half years old and quite the fashionista! She loves clothes already.... Today's little ones are quite different from the 'old days.'

Here is Ruth with her brand new baby brother Andrew. I knitted a car seat blanket, sweater, hat and socks for Andrew as well; but he wasn't in the mood to model when this picture was taken. He just felt like relaxing and living the kingly life....

Here is the scarf and hat for Steve. I used Brown Sheep's wool and mohair blend.

I do have two pairs of adult socks, a shawl, another scarf and a vest on my knitting list, but I am not "feeling it" right now. Do you ever feel that you need to take a vacation from the usual things you do and turn your attentions elsewhere?? That is where I am right now. I have tons of reading I need to do. I've ordered three books and have only read about 20 pages so far. So to obtain more of a balance in my creative energy, I have already "pulled back" from the everyday 'picking up the needles.' I have drifted into 'casual mode.' It's time for me to languor and relax; to spend time looking at who I am and who I want to become over the next few years. It's time to nourish and nurture myself and spend a lot more time on me..... It's something we all need to do from time to time so that we won't get burned out.

Latest Off the Needles.....

It's been quite a while (at least by my standards) since I have posted photos of finished knitting projects, so here it is.

These items have been delivered to the Drake family in my town. It's not my first delivery, but this winter they added to their family and now have a baby boy named Andrew. So here's to little Ruth and Andrew Drake!

Here are some photos......

Here is a Car Seat Blanket for Andrew

Socks in wool for Andrew

Thumb-less wool mittens for Andrew...

Sweater and Hat for Andrew. The hat was knitted in wool for extra warmth

Sweater, Hat, Mittens and Cabled Scarf for Ruth. The scarf, hat, and mittens are wool.

The back of the sweater.........

Close-up of the hat......

As you can see; the background is SNOW...... That dreaded word. Thank goodness it was only about 3 inches of the stuff; all crusty and hard!

And Yet, Another Attempt

I have been "at it" again with the Baby Surprise Sweater. I can say that this time, my decreases finally 'lined up' properly, but I created a problem when I switched brands of yarn to add a color ( turquoise) and it was not the same 'thickness' as the main color, even though both yarns are listed as worsted weight. But I'll know better next time, and this only adds to my 'learning curve.'

Oh; I almost forgot to add that I increased the sleeve length to the Baby Surprise Sweater. The original pattern has sleeves about three-quarters long. That will never do in the cold weather, so I added length and ribbed cuffs to keep the cold out.

Both of these sweater sets are being given to two wonderful little children in my neighborhood. One, a boy is a year old, the other, a girl will be two years old in a few months.

When I create cold weather items for babies, I like to make the mittens and hats out of wool and "felt" them so that little heads and hands don't suffer.

Anyway; here are the photos of both. In case you are not aware; you can click on any picture and get a larger view of it.



This isn't a Baby Surprise Sweater. The pattern can be found on the Lionbrand website for free.
The hat is one I created myself.



Here is a close-up of the top of the hat



Another close-up of the side of the hat



Here is the Baby Surprise Sweater. I added a separate button closure along the side of the collar.



Here is the back of the sweater



Here is a close-up of the side of the hat



And a close-up of the top of the hat.

Here's the Latest....

Here is my latest attempt at knitting a Baby Surprise Jacket. This one came out somewhat larger because I used a thicker yarn. I would say it will fit a one-year toddler.

I also knitted a beret in green wool and a scarf in merino wool for my Aunt Lilly who lives in Baltimore. It was knitted using a sock-weight yarn and worked up pretty fast and has the most incredible bounce-back to it. Machine wash and dry too..

Here are the photos....


Here is the latest Baby Surprise Jacket and Green Hat. Not that the two were made to go together. They weren't. I got the hat pattern online and just had to see if "I could do it."


Here is the scarf



Here is a 'close-up'

A Few Notes on the Baby Surprise Sweater.....

Perhaps I should say that according to the DVD instructions, you can knit this pattern to fit anyone from a baby to an Adult. All you have to do is use different yarn weights (or hold 2 or more strands together) and the appropriate needle size to accommodate the weight of your yarn.

Meg Swansen explains that the baby sweater will stretch to accommodate baby's growth for a few months because it is knitted using the garter stitch (which is very "giving").

I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn and a size 6 circular needle. I consider the Simply Soft yarn to be a light-worsted weight. If I had used Red Heart or Vanna White worsted yarn, I would have used a size 7 needle. Before knitting this sweater I strongly advise knitting a small swatch using garter stitch to see if the stitches are too loose. This is something you DON'T want because once you begin knitting this pattern, you CANNOT change needle size. It will throw everything off shape-wise.

The sweater when buttoned measures approximately 17 inches in circumference under the sleeves. It can easily stretch to 21 inches. Shoulder to hem is 12 inches in length.

Sleeves measured from cuff to cuff is 18 inches; but Ms Swansen says that the sleeves are knitted to come just below the hollow in the elbow. She says that it keeps the sweater from being chewed on by baby, and getting wet. However, the sleeve length can be added to once the sweater is knitted.

The sweater pattern also 'increases stitches' to accommodate the bulk of wearing a diaper across the hip section.

For the newborn baby, instructions call for 3 ounces of Shetland wool (6 stitches to the inch), and will 'grow' with the baby. Yarns knitted at 5 stitches to the inch should yield a size to fit a 1-2 year old or older.

I used a 6oz skein of the Simply Soft. I had yarn left over, and the skein has 315 yards. I would say I had enough left over to knit a baby hat. I also used a coordinating color on the sweater (the green one) but only for 24 rows.

I haven't done so, but I would imagine you can make a preemie sweater using baby-weight or fingering yarn and the appropriate needle size. No matter what size sweater you intend to make Ms Swansen says that you cast on the same amount of stitches which are 160. From there you either knit each stitch without decreasing or increasing, or when it is time, you increase or decrease every other row to achieve the shape of the sweater.

As I have said; the thickness of yarn and needle size will determine how large the sweater will be when completed. You can use any type of yarn you desire, but you must keep in mind how you would like it to look once completed.

I was at the yarn store yesterday and picked up two skeins of Caron's Painted Yarn (it's variegated) to knit another Baby Surprise Sweater. Also picked up some Vanna White yarn (which is heavier, or maybe I should say that it is a heftier worsted) to knit a Baby Surprise Sweater.

Instructions are also given for a baby bonnet (which I haven't tried yet). So..... Hop on the bandwagon! The Ravelry Community http://www.ravelry.com/ has over 3000 project photos of this sweater, so there must be something exciting about it!

What's on my needles now?? I am still working on a vest for a young friend. Luckily she doesn't need it until this winter (smiles). I am still working on a hat and scarf for my friend who lives in Arizona. Last week I knitted a wool Seaman's hat for a friend to wear this winter while attending to dairy farm chores as a 50th birthday present. And after these are done, I have at least eight things I need to knit as necessities for friends, relatives, town neighbors, etc. Can I get those wool socks for Yvonne in there somewhere by this Winter.....????

My Stash has been increased too.....
Here are a few photos!


Here is the Seaman's Hat I am knitting for my friend in Arizona. I really do not like knitting with double-points because it takes me a while to get a rhythm going. So; since I just finished knitting the same hat for another friend, I thought I would cast on stitches for this hat while my brain and mind was "in the mood."


Here is what the above hat will look like. This hat will be worn by my friend Randy Bates while tending to his dairy farm this winter. I used Lamb's Pride Worsted yarn. One skein does the trick (190 yards per skein) with a bit left over. Here is the pattern. It opens as a .pdf file:
http://images.acswebnetworks.com/2013/1271/SeafarersCapPattern.pdf
Here are photos of the cap modeled on a human:
http://pegotty.blogspot.com/2007/12/international-seafarers-ministry.html
I used the Watch Cap with a Cuff knitted pattern.


Here is the Caron "Paints" yarn I was talking about. I live in a rural area and close by Walmart is "it" for acrylic yarn. I do have about 4 Yarn Shops that sell natural fibers nearby, but each one is a minimum of 25 miles round trip. Augusta, Maine has Michaels and now an AC Moore store and this is where I went yesterday to get additional 'yarn stash.' Augusta is about 90 miles round trip. Yes; I do order online as well. Stash arrives "by any means necessary" in this house!


Here is some Vanna White Yarn manufactured by LionBrand. I love the feel of this yarn. Nice weight, plump. I haven't knitted with it yet. But this yarn will be used on a Baby Surprise Sweater as will the "Paints" yarn above.


And last; but not least. Here is some Paton Classic Merino Wool (223 yards per skein). Toddler and baby hats and/or scarf out of these. Geez! AC Moore was selling this for $4.99 and I thought I had a bargain! I just looked and Knitting Warehouse is selling these for $3.64! Time for an online order! Can't beat that with a stick if you order 10 or more along with their $5.99 flat rate shipping.