Baby Surprise

I have been working hard knitting samples for the store and for classes. I am going to be teaching Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket at Unraveled this month and next.
So of course it is a good idea to actually knit the thing a few times so that I can make most of the mistakes first, I mean, isn't that why we take a class? So we don't have to figure out the mistakes ourselves?

Here are two of them. The largest size would fit about a 1-2 yrs was done in Berroco Comfort which I loved. It is so soft and squishy.

and the small one, new born size, in Lang Jawoll Jacard sock yarn. The colors and the stripping are so wonderful.

Then I had to make these little botties. You can find the free pattern here.

I have a few more things to knit for the store and then I need to find something that I want to knit for me.

I wonder what it will be?? Not that I don't have a cue full of things to knit over at ravelry. But now I will have to choose something.

Friends Make Anything Beareable

Today at the store I spent part of the day taking out the "green jacket". It was a frustratingly slow process and if I had been at home by myself alcohol would have been involved! But since there were others there to keep me company in my misery it all went rather well. Thank you L, L, & H.

I came home, knitted a few rows with the yarn I had frogged and then decided to put it into the frog pond where it belonged.

Now I will hang it out to dry in the shower for the entire night.

Tomorrow will be a new day and The "Green Jacket" and I will have a fresh start.

New Blogs and Other Things

There are two new blogs in blog-land. I know that there are probably several blogs that start and end every day. But these are two "knit-sibs" that I know and love. Already they are much better bloggers then I am.
They post often!
Imagine that!

They are really great, passionate, obsessed knitters. Lisa, aka mom, knows everything there is to know about yarn, including color names, and could probably open her own shop. She is very talented and has a great color sense (a lot like mine so of course it is great).

Hannah is not only a great innovative knitter, that brings her young, fun, indivual style to everything she does. Did I metion that she is also a great writer.
Put all this together and their blogs promise to be worth reading and subscribing to.

I have started Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket. It is pretty simple but for some reason my stitch count kept getting off and I had to basically restart it 3 times. That seems to be my way with new patterns, begin, rip out, begin, rip out and finally begin and then I have it. I look at it as getting the most enjoyment for my yarn dollars!

I finished the Toddler Coat that I am knitting for someone and had it almost sewn up when I realized that I had miss-shaped the two front pieces. I had done arm-hole shaping on both sides!! Why oh why could I have not noticed that while they where still on the needles? Or before I had sewn everything up.

I have timed it out for a day or two and then I have to take out seams and rip-out the two fronts and pretty much start all over again. Alcohol may be needed to get through this one.

I am noticing that I am knitting a lot of baby stuff these days. I wonder if that is one way of mourning that my two grown babies are not coming home for the summer? Hmmmmm

Classes

I have spent a lot of time over the last week getting a new class up and running, "Hairpin Lace Connecting Up".
It is the next class after you learn to make hairpin strips. I did a lot of research on different ways to put together the strips. After making all the samples I spent Friday night writing all the instructions up. This is my favorite join so far.

I had a lot of people in this class and they were all very excited about doing hairpin lace and moving on to bigger projects. We are talking about doing the Stitch Diva Hairpin skirt as a KAL, we'll see.

One of the students found these encredible antique hairpin laces using the thinest thread and real hairpins to make the strips on.

Can you imagine actually doing this? I sure cann't.
But what a treasure, and she gave them to me so I can show them when I teach this class. Thanks Camille!!

Almost done with the cheveron scarf.

I love this thing. I think it is one of my most favorite items that I have made in a while. It just makes me happy to knit with this yarn (koigu) and these colors.

The simple joys are the best, don't you think?

What to Knit

I have been knitting a lot for the store and class samples over the last few months. I am trying to figure out what I really want to be knitting now. I am looking at a sweater for my mom for christmas. It will be fun since I am starting it so early and there is no pressure. But it is more obligation knitting.

I am not even sure what I really want to be knitting.

But while I am trying to figure that out here are some of my FO's.

Flower Hat Pattern in Itty-Bitty Hat book
yarn- rowan hand knit cotton for the hat and Tahki cotton classic for the flowers.

I followed the pattern straight out of the book. I did stitch the flower together on the sides once I had them sewn onto the hat. It seemed to help them lay better. I also did not go all the way around the back for the smallest hat. I felt that the babies would not like laying on the flowers. For the toddler size I would do the flowers all the way around.

Crochet Hat
I used RYC cashsoft which is just wonderful to work with.

This is a felted stash bag I put together with a lot of leftover yarns. Super simple and fun. I lined the bags and put a cardboard bottom on it so it is really sturdy. I used leather handles from Trendsetter that just clip on the bag. I love the handles, there is no sewing and they are really sturdy.

This is a great little crochet bag. I made it with Rowan Tapastry yarn. I don't like the handle too much. I will change it next time.

Last but not least I finished a pair of socks for myself!!
Pattern: From Sensational Socks the slip-stitch rib pattern
Yarn: Socks that Rock Fairground color
Needles: 2 circulars #2
Modifications: None.

So what is next??

Lots of New Toys

Since no one comes to our house for Halloween (we live on the wrong side of the tracks here in So Pas. All the fun is to be had on the other side of Fair Oaks), we went out and Looked at New Cars, New TV's, and had some food. Best of all, I bought a New Camera!!! Yeah!!!

Now I have no excuse for not blogging, and if you believe that...

I received some fun things in the mail over the last few days and with my new Canon Powershot A540 (the best deal is at Target of all places) here are pics of what I got.

I ordered a small Project Bag from piddleloop.com.
Jillian(the enabler that she is) was going on about how much she liked hers and so of course I had to go check it out and I had to buy one for myself.

I love it. It is just the right size, has places for needles and one of the best things is the hole for the yarn to come through!

They even send freebies with the package.

The other package that came the same day was the new "Socks that Rock" club yarn.

It matches the bag perfectly! I even put their little emergency skein that comes with the yarn on my new bag.

So there you go, new play toys all around. Doing the Happy Dance!!

Great Day

I had a great day! We are having a sale at Uraveled through tomorrow. Many of my SnB group came this morning. I had so much fun helping them spend their money.

I love working at a yarn store!!

I also brought in all my finished Shrugs and we talked the beautiful Mary into modeling for the pictures.

The Finished Projects Extravaganza

Bergamo Shrug from Weekend Knits
I used Cash Soft by Rowen
color Poppy
There were no modifications. I loved using this yarn it feels like butter and drapes really nice.

Crochet Shrug

Pattern is the Cover of the Tahki Stacy Spring Crochet Book
Yarn: I used Blue Heron Cotton/Rayon Tape
Color: Old Gold
Kertzer Kitty Railroad yarn
Color: Stain

Modifications: I made the small shrug. I didn't have enough yarn to do two rounds of the trim. But it looks fine with one. If you make the larger size you will have enough for the trim.

The railroad yarn adds a lot to the look of the shrug. It is a great way to use railroad to spark things up.

Last but not Least:

The Twisted Float Shrug

Pattern is from the Fall issue of Vogue - the cover

Yarn: Lorna Laces shepherd Worsted Superwash

Modification: none. But the next one I make I will make the circle larger so the shrug is longer.

There is a good picture of this on the Twisted Float Shrug KAL

Now it is time to figure out what to make Mom for Christmas. Have no clue. But it is too blessed hot to do much but socks. But as we discussed at the last SnB

"I am not a sock knitter" wink wink