olympic knitting

How is your Olympic watching activity so far? I’ve held my breath with every jump a figure skater makes, elbowed my husband watching short track, half-closed my eyes watching half pipes, and cheered silently for cross country skiing. All the while, I knit, knit, and knitted.

I’m knitting Amelia as part of Ravelympics 2010. I’m half past the second hank of yarn -yummy Lorna’s Laces worsted in Grapevine- that translates to about 35% doneness. Funny story about the yarn, I was walking around my local yarn store when I happen to look down on the sock shelves and there it is, the same yarn for Amelia in the same color as the designer makes! Now, I rarely go to the sock yarn area since I’m not a sock knitter. And they have  only 5 hanks in that color, or any color for that matter. They only have 5 hanks of purple worsted weight Lorna’s Laces, people! No other hanks in any color! Five hanks are the required amount. With so many coincidences, I just had to buy them to make the cardigan.

I just read that paragraph again, and I have to add: there’s just no way you go to a yarn shop (or fabric shop) with the intention of just browsing. Trust me, going to that kind of store is like looking for trouble, you will buy something.

I don’t put high hopes on my cardigan though, my Ravelympics 2006 sweater is still waiting for one sleeve.

Other lovely things happening in webland:

• Heather Ross for Spoonflower! I’ve ordered some gnomes in plum, wildflowers in apple and gold, all in quilting weight fabric. I want to see them in person then most likely I’ll order some more in upholstery twill or linen cotton for bags and pouches.
• More Heather Ross, it’s blogiversary for another Heather! She’s having a fabulous giveaway on her blog. You should go check it out because the prizes are awesome!

greetings and winter knits

A self portrait on a grubby mirror showing some winter knits, a scarf made from Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Socks and Evangeline. The scarf is lightweight enough for me to wear it wound a few times around the neck without getting suffocated. The nice bright berry color goes with everything in my closet, so I’m wearing it almost every time I go out. As for the armwarmer, I only knitted the left one, but I just can’t wait to show you. Who doesn’t love cables, right?

And look what just came back from the long-armer! I’ll tell you more about it after it’s all finished and all wrinkled from the dryer. It’s still wanting some binding, but it’s already good enough to be a play mat for a little someone who’s starting hold his head up high. He already drooled on it successfully! Big sister seems to like it too.

I have lots of holiday cooking to do. Well, not that much, only something to bring to Papa’s workplace tomorrow and one potluck dish for Christmas Eve. It’s just that I’m not in a cooking mood since last week. I have no inspirations, no exciting recipes, nothing! I just want to curl up on the sofa and knit. I need to think of something super fast.

Meanwhile, have a merry and safe Christmas!

back to our regular program

I can’t get enough of this pattern! This is a part of my plan for a handmade Christmas, a quilted tree skirt made from one block of Single Girl pattern. Made mostly from Denyse Schmidt fabrics with others mixed in. Unexpectedly, my favorite patch is the little cat wearing a red dress, cut from an Ikea fabric. Can you see her? The quilting lines are inspired by Ashley‘s quilt. The binding are ugly though, I didn’t have the time to sew it by hand so I just sew it down with my machine. I have never done this before, and it’s just plain ugly and uneven. I can live with it. I promise myself I’ll do it properly after Christmas. Think of it as basting, not a real binding. The middle part is not bind either, also an after Christmas project.

More Christmas project, the stockings are done, except for the names. I’ll do that next year, so I’ll need something to do next year, right? Besides, Papa said that he might want to change color next year so I am making the right decision not to embroider it now, ha!

And some selfish Christmas knitting for me, Evangeline (Ravelry link). Made from plain ol’ Cascade 220, so that it would stand everyday wear. More on Christmas knitting, I forgot if I ever told you that I’m knitting a Christmas sweater for Papa? Well, never mind if I ever told you or not because it’s not here anymore. It’s been completely frogged because halfway through I asked him to try it on and it’s huuuugee! I carelessly knitted without checking my gauge. I guess another after Christmas project for me. He already knows that I’m knitting it for him so I HAVE to finish it this winter, if not for this Christmas.

I’ll be back tomorrow with photos of the stockings with my new plan for identifying which one is for who.

baby boy’s outfit

I finished baby boy’s bootees and hat yesterday and here’s his complete coming home outfit! The bootees and hat are made from Koigu Premium Painter’s Palette Merino in a pale blue shade that I got years ago from Purl in New York. And the bootees pattern is from this book, my go to book for simple baby knits.

DQS7 partner, are you wondering where I am these days? I am still here but there’s been some laptop problem so posting is a definite no no. Baby boy’s going to be due in a month so I’ll try to finish my share of the DQS7 before he does.

every day in may – 2

Jumper and kerchief from Hillary’s pattern, made from Karabella Soft Tweed and Lamb’s Pride worsted.

kicking bag for baby

What is this you may ask? Why would a baby need a bag? Well, you just put the baby inside the bag and suddenly it’s a kick-proof blanket. I saw it a long time ago on SouleMama and loved it. It’s knitted from stashed sock yarn. I never knit socks so this is a perfect pattern to use that neglected yarn. I finished knitting this morning and promptly took pictures without blocking it first so you got lots of bumpy stitches there.

It’s been cold cold cold around here, with a little flourish sometimes, and I’ve been home since Monday. I’m not even going out for Abby’s story reading at the library. I did do some sewing for Elizabeth’s quilt along and lots of pattern tracing for clothes I might want to make. I love tracing on my Swedish paper and thinking about what fabrics to use (or buy!) for this pants or that top. Some are for gifts, some are for Abby, and some are for me. Nothing’s been actually cut yet except for this dress. Yes, it might be a little ambitious for me to wear it now. It probably won’t fit me until next summer, which is why I took a safe route and just make the dress with the exact same fabrics as the one in the cover. Maybe it’ll get sewed sometime before the end of the week of the weather keeps on the lower side.