That was then but this is now...

The Gift for the Girls blanket is coming along...half way into #6 of 9 skeins, two more to go in the main colour before the final ball in dark green garter edging.

Casting on, the colours looked like the British Racing Green and tan of a classic MGB Roadster.

Now, all I see on my needles is something akin to muddy greyed brown.

Switching from wooly wool to superwash at the outset was the right thing to do and knowing that made me confident in the switch.

Still I can't convince my hands to stop balking at the feel of this superwash yarn.

Starting/knitting the first half felt like a grand gesture.

This second half now seems more like a sacrifice.

Sometimes, even as a project moves along, the further and further it feels like it is from ever being finished.

Gift for the Girls

The wedding gift blanket is progressing.

Meanwhile I mourn the blanket that was to be but won't (at least not immediately).

Darling Daughter says the current one is just exactly what  the recipients will like/relate to so I need to focus on having that vs. something for me. (This is so much harder than it should be for an otherwise mature adult hmmmm...)

I've finished knitting three of the nine balls so I'm 30% in and feel like that's a decent head start.

A week and half working loooong rows has been hard on my hands and caused no end of knotting up across my shoulders so I'm switching up how I knit row by row.

On the straight knitted rows I'm working Continental style.

Purls rows; throwing with my hand atop the right needle.

Combination knit, purl rows; throwing with my right hand in a pencil grip.

Plus I'm making a point of getting up/moving around more aiming to knit just one ball per week into the thing.

At that rate it will still be finished before summer/weeks before the wedding.

Meanwhile I'm hatching a plan to make a spot for some kind of commemorative label in the final garter border. It could be something I knit into it or something maybe felted and applied or maybe hand embroidered/duplicate stitched.

It could include simple graphics copied from the wedding invitation or a heart with initials, the date of the wedding?...not sure yet. Still lots of time to think on that.

Little amusements all..."small things for small minds" they say.

Back to the Drawing Board

Just a note before getting to the meat of the matter - I'm feeling oh so responsible taking time and care to both plan and swatch and then, when swatching revealed something other than "what a great idea", I didn't whine, instead listened to the thing and moved on, better informed and hopeful of an improved outcome. How many, many years its taken me toe realize the value in such an approach! Better late than never though.

I'm told by my Review Committee (Darling Daughter - close friend of recipients),  my swatch for "Welsh Blanket" is "dingy" and I concede, it is. Important not to take offence that unlike me, she doesn't mourn the need to let go of one vision for another. She's quite free of passion for creative pursuits - more of a mechanic than an artist - and so just calls 'em as she sees 'em.

To me though, in that dinginess is the feeling of well worn denim - useful, comfortable, practical, ready for years of use filled with kids and dogs and family life.

For young women just starting out , thrilled with the prospect of a shiny, new, first married home" I get it might read instead a bit "university dorm".

Importantly I'm also told it doesn't look like something the recipients would choose for themselves if they saw it in a shop.

So back to Ravelry, where "Nebraska Throw" jumps out from among my favourites. Quince and Co. patterns have a rustic delicacy about them that to me feels quietly feminine, young and fresh - just what I'm looking for. "Committee" says absolutely perfect!

Then I focussed on searching superwash yarn (Committee says that would be preferable) in the rustic colours of the wedding invitation. 'Can't go wrong with those can I? Committee says "great idea!"

So I ended up with a less graphic design, hopefully to stand the test of time across many years of married bliss.

The web told me only Eweknit had enough Berroco Vintage "Oats" and "Douglas Fir" in stock so off we went and picked it up then I came home and cast on before the bulk of the snow started to fall yesterday.

None of this means I'll be returning the original yarn I picked up at Romni of course!

As soon as it seemed the Welsh Blanket was doomed My Beloved requested a "Dunaway" scarf in the blue yarn. (He's been coveting one since seeing the navy version Darling Daughter knit as a Christmas gift.)

As for the natural, buff coloured "baby" yarn, of which there's about 800 meters, it might become a rustic baby wrap of some kind...like a "Kelpie" shawl knit in a square or a vintage baby piece. Time will tell.

So "The King is dead, long live the King".  One project was swatched right out the window, another project cast on to take its place.

And there's new yarn and knitting aspirations in the house to boot.

All something to ruminate on while I bathe and groom a certain grimy cream poodle today.

Thanks for dropping by!

"Seathwaite" by Kate Gagnon Osborn FO

Pattern: Seathwaite by Kate Gagnon Osborn

Yarn: Yorkshire Spinners BFL Undyed

Source: Romni Wools

Size: One Size

Start: November 10 Finish: November 18, 2015

Modifications: None

Can you tell by the way this girl is smiling she was happy with this knit?

I had great luck with how knitted gifts were received this Christmas - this one getting it all going on Christmas Eve morning when she dropped by the house and I pointed out there was something under the tree with her name on it.

Seathwaite is the 5th installment of #FringeHatalong at FringeAssociation. It starts with a doubled brim folded over and knit together on the inside for a warm and springy start to a straightforward cabled beanie.

I picked up the yarn - West Yorkshire Spinners BFL - at Romni as I flew through the store mid December. Its the stuff I'm interested in knitting with at the moment. 'Must remember next time I'm in there to take time to look around for more.

I wet blocked it without pinning. It kept the cables nice and round while still opening up the ribbing of the band nicely.

Straightforward, error free, pleasant knitting, well received. Pretty nice!

Nice of you to drop by...thanks! 

Baby Hats Project FO

Four options from which I'll be able to choose to include with Tomten for a big or tiny newborn, a boy or a girl due in three weeks or so...

2 "Troll" Hats by Gabriela Widmer-Hanke

Source: Free Ravelry Download

Yarn: (Biggest Hat)Worsted size: Berroco Ultra Alpaca "Winter White"

        DK size (Second Largest Hat): Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino "Denim"

Size: "Baby" on 60 stitches

Modifications: None

'Love the neat, graphic decreases all slanting one way and the thick-looking garter stitch band across the forehead. It infers a watchman's cap roll without having to organize one on the baby and handily echoes the garter stitch of the Tomten. 'Bet this one goes onto a little head easily and stays put once its there!

After working up these modern caps I moved on to Vintage patterns beginning with one for a little girl...

Infant Girl's Bonnet

Source: Vintage Baby Book "Beehive for Bairns"

Yarn: Viola Sock "Blossom"

Needles: 2.25

Modifications: Affixed ties to alternate point and only sewed 1/4 of neck edge closed.

Another garter stitch piece, I followed the knitting instructions for this exactly but then moved the spot where the ties that go under the chin are affixed substituting blush satin ribbons for the knitted band with button closure.

I love the little detail on the sides of the bonnet where the chin strap is intended to go (That little band edged with eyelet yarn overs) and how about those adorable swirling eyelets around the back of the head!

I worked it up right on the recommended 8st/inch gauge but 50 years ago when these patterns were written people (and their babies) were a lot smaller. I don't think this will likely to fit an average newborn today.

Nonetheless I finished it and dove into another garter stitch vintage pattern. this time for a boy...

Infant Boy's Helmet-Style Bonnet

Source: Vintage Patons Baby Book

Yarn: Koigu KPM Sock "Cloudy Sky Blue"

Needles: 4mm

Modifications: Tacked sides back, substituted ribbons for knitted ties and buttons for ribbon trims

The pattern states this Layette is knitted on "big needles" and after the 2.25's of Little Blossom Hat, that's just how 4mm  dpns seemed. Despite the bigger needles on the same sized superwash wool sock yarn this one, on 10 more stitches than required for Blossom didn't yield a piece all that much bigger.

The zigs and zags in garter bring the finished piece "in" quite a bit I guess,

I felt the "zags" protruding either side of the ears onto the cheeks were a bit excessive so I tacked them back with a button detail when adding ribbons for tying under the chin.

I've wondered for years about this question of relative size for Vintage patterns and what the effect of using different yarns for newborns versus babies might yield with baby patterns in general. This little exercise has given me some idea about that and has me looking at my remnants with a newly enlightened eye.

And a new desire to cast on a hat for myself which is just what I did during the Super Bowl last night. Its a slouchy toque but in Aran weight yarn at a much larger gauge, its on roughly the same number of stitches as the two vintage bonnets which is kind of interesting.

Oh and by the way, I saw the expectant parents over the weekend and gave them "Gus in his Dog House". They were tickled by the likeness to their "first baby" as they call him. Pregnant mom noted I've given her gifts related to the dog in the past that she cherishes and so was very pleased to receive this as a nod to both dog and soon-to-be-arriving daughter or son.

Lots of finishing over the weekend=lots of fun over the weekend. 'Hope you had a good one too!

Baby Hats Project WIP

'Making hats this weekend to compliment the latest little Tomten. The first one is "Troll" by Gabriela Widmer-Hanke.

Remember what I said about putting that Rowan purelife Wool together with white...check out this pairing in worsted Berroco Ultra Alpaca "Winter White"...

Or a blue dk version in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino...

Then there's this one using a vintage Patons pattern from a collection called "Baby's Very First Woolies". Its in remnant fingering weight Viola sock "Blossom".

'Love my jerry-rigged tiny "straights" using dpn's and rubber stitch holders!

Tonight's efforts will be put against another vintage design, again in fingering weight, this time Koigu KPM in the evocatively named colourway "1010".  (Kind of matches the name of the collection from which this pattern comes - its called "Layette".

Hope you're having a good weekend - obviously I am! Thanks for dropping by!

Gus in his Doghouse FO by Susan B. Anderson

Pattern: Dog in the Doghouse by Susan B. Anderson

Source: Topsy Turvy Inside Out Knit Toys (from Local Library)

Yarn: Mondial Merino Special and Remnants On Hand

Needles: 3.75

Start: January 19 Finish: January 22, 2015

Modifications: Changed the Dog's Face and Used His Name Over the Doghouse Door

First a small disclaimer - I am not in love with how the doggie's face looks. The one in the pattern is much cuter but I'm going for something that looks like their dog "Gus" rather than a generic doggie face. Their pooch is a beagle/pug cross that has a very "puggish" puss. Much like this. So that is what I tried to replicate.

The instructions in the pattern stipulate that the head of the dog should be placed forward of the top of the body - likely to ensure it fits inside the doghouse so I did that but again, it creates something less than appealing to my eye at least.

I added this embroidered tail after the fact - again attempting to make it as "Gus-like" as possible.

The house has a kind of sloppy look about it - I think the designer's idea was to invoke something knocked together by a kid for his dog rather than a pristine puppy palace so I went with that too - right down to a kind of scrawled lettering over the door.

Whatever the details, the idea is super cute and making it look like their dog was fun to do and will no doubt be a great hit when its opened but also, I hope as baby grows.

I haven't made a toy in ages. I do enjoy all the quick shaping instructions and seeing how the designer uses them to invoke the image of something or someone. Fun! Just like knitting should be. Thanks for dropping by!

Drop Stitch Cowl by Abi Gregorio FO

Pattern: "Drop Stitch Cowl" by Abi Gregorio

Source: Free Ravelry Download

Yarn: 3 skeins Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky

Colour: 1010 Red

Source: eweknit Toronto

Needles: 10mm Circular

Start and Finish: December 18, 2013

Modifications: Added 10 sts at cast on.

Darling Daughter spotted the pattern for this cowl as I was scrolling around Ravelry a few weeks before Christmas said she liked it. Such statements are rare so I instantly resolved to knit it for her in time for the 25th using the wondrous Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky I sourced at eweknit.

The big feature of the yarn and pattern is that its BIG. So the piece should appear big on the wearer right? A quick glance at the designer modelling her work on the pattern revealed something on the order of "Petite" whereas Darling Daughter measures in at nigh on 6 feet. So I increased the number of stitches cast on by 10 or about 20% to yield something suitably substantial and use up all but 8" of the three skeins I'd purchased of this beyond soft, Super Bulky Alpaca & Wool, roving-style yarn.

Once I got to it, it was only a couple of hours before I was weaving in the two short ends.  (I opted not to block it - leaving it as thick and lush as possible.)

Obviously this was a great winter for big cozy knits and the colour was very complimentary on her so it saw lots of wear, indoors and out.

Thanks Abi! You're a clever generous woman putting this great pattern up free of charge!

Oh my goodness I feel so blessed to have raised a family in Canada!

If you embrace them, even tough winters are fun!

(Especially if you've lots of hand knits to wear!)

New York, New York, New Babies, New Approach to Christmas (2 Baby Tomten Jackets by Elizabeth Zimmerman FO)

The Backstory...

So my Cousin and his wife had identical twin boys on Christmas Eve. These people, both successful New York Creative Professionals, also have strong aesthetic opinions. I hardly dared hope anything I might make for the babies would ever see wear. 

Nonetheless my Cousin, really more of a brother to me, has made many, many beautiful things for me over the years (for example like designing my wedding gown and coat and arranging to have them made) and I kind of relished the challenge of maybe, getting it right...

On our first NYC trip last month we stayed with them so I took three colourways of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with me to see what colours would fit in their decor. If it looked good in the house they decorated and designed they'd probably like it on their babies too right?

The modern light blue-grey perfectly matched the nursery rug so I cast on with that while I was there for a baby-sized EZ Tomten jacket.  I made no pretense of hiding the wee start of the work and both mom and dad-to-be made passing favourable comments. Garter stitch and my first colour choice seemed to be good. I ruled out the darker blue I took along in favour of  a dark tan. It "worked" in situ and would suit the likely-to-be-blond babies.

Back home, the days of that next week were seasonally busy so the baby knits didn't exactly fly off the needles. By the time we left amid the blacked out ice covered city I still had a lot of work to do. Fortunately our digs in NYC were a suite of rooms  in midtown booked to facilitate comfortable hanging around for the whole crowd of us and they didn't disappoint. 16 stories above the street we were close to everything but also quiet and comfortable even with everyone "home" and doing their own things.

I could actually sit in the wide window ledge and knit while watching the yellow cabs and traffic way down below. Meanwhile Number One Son could spread out his drawing stuff all over the long dining table, Cousin could drop by from the hospital for a nap and a snack or a glass of wine (we stocked the little kitchenette on Christmas Eve) while his young son watched a movie. All this while Darling Daughter dashed back and forth from the shops nearby or checked in with her on line life  and my Aunt knit away on a lacy sock. (Like a good Grandmother, her baby knits were all done weeks earlier!) My Beloved - the self-appointed bar tender - keeping everyone's glasses full ! So even though the pressure was on and I was in a hurry it was a perfect situation for dragging those little knits across the finish line!

The FO's...

Pattern: "Tomten" by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Source: Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Colours: "Slate", "Mink" (3 Balls each sweater)

Needles: 3.25 Aeros

Start: December 10, Finish: December 26, 2013

Modifications: Outlined Below

The Tomten is a classic modular pattern lending itself to modifications for yarn, size etc. based on a multiple of any number. (I went with EZ's recommended #7)  I wanted a long snugly, hooded baby bag/coat kind of thing and I wanted it to look adorable even without a baby in it. The square cardigan shape of the basic pattern needed amending for this so I shortened the depth of the sleeves after using all of the suggested shaping tricks EZ proposes for the bottom of the garment...

• CO 10 fewer stitches than called for, worked 1.5 inches then increased the 10 sts evenly across the back of the sweater invoking the idea of where a  wee bum might be cradled.
• Used short rows across the back after every 7th row to make the back longer than the front, to fight riding up and further enhance the long cozy look.

I was making two sizes - one for a 3 and one for a 4 pound preemie (as the ultra sound images were predicting)

 For the sleeves, the smaller jacket had 14 ridges - the larger 21 instead of the called-for 28 - all multiples of 7- which, sure enough, instantly created, by the relative scale of sleeves to length, the coat-like baby bag appearance I wanted.

With the sleeves done I worked the shaping at the back of the base of the hoods outwards either side of the centre rather than in a straight line upwards and I loved the result! Its departure from the linear quality, along with the other shapings really evoke the notion of the naturally curled up infant posture.

For the closing, zippers seemed too hard for preemie-wear. Mom-to-be had stated she didn't want to dress them alike so I thought treating the buttons differently would be a great nod to that.

For the smaller one I worked a little rectangular band to match the look of the unique sleeves. On one side I fastened the band with the button as a "dummy". On the other side, a real button hole for the button.

On the bigger sweater, as I cast off an added trim around the fronts and hood I worked two, 3 stitch crochet chains a few stitches apart yielding vertical slots to catch the two buttons sewn just opposite.

In the craziness of trying to get out of town amid the ice storm I had neglected to pack small needles or thread for the buttons and it came time to affix them in the wee hours of the 26th. Fortunately that amazing man I married - that seasoned business traveller - had a little sewing kit in his shaving case - complete with multiple colours of thread! Phew!

I had packed ribbon and tags and we had bought tissue during our errands on Christmas Eve so by the time we headed out for a day of shopping on the 26th, both sweaters were done and ready to be wrapped (once Cousin saw them) so he could take them on to the hospital after Boxing Day dinner with us for the new mom to open.

So were they a success? Yup! So much so Cousin posted pics of the knits on his Instagram Feed (They got 400 likes from his thousands of followers within a couple of hours of going up.) He said they might be used for going home from the hospital in a week or two! After that they thought about framing them to put up in the Nursery. I nailed it! How fun is that?

It was a great way to cap off a fabulously novel Christmas for us.

They loved the knits, the teenaged boy, twenty-something female and Grandmother loved the trip and the New York bunch loved it that we were there for their very special Christmas this year. After making it all happen, My Beloved and I loved having our efforts appreciated. What more can you ask for?

(Okay it would have been nice if the taxi ride all the way down to Purl Soho after calling ahead and getting a busy signal hadn't been only to find a locked shop, closed for the week. Why wasn't that on the store Voice Mail?) But other than that, it was all just perfect!