FO: Cropped Cardigan

Pattern: Cropped Raglan Sweater from Lion Brand (can be found here)
Yarn: Misti International Pima Cotton/Silk in Pink - 3 skeins
Needles: size 7 and 8 circs
Modifications: I made the body longer by 1 inch and lengthened the sleeves by 20 rows for more of an elbow sleeve

This yarn was actually meant to be another sweater which I lost interest in. I'm really glad that I did because I really love this one! The yarn is so soft and this style is so versatile - I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this cute little sweater. It is so great for the spring weather. It took me a lot of searching but worked out well in the end.

The construction of this sweater is worked from the top down with the raglan sleeves incorporated. It was my first time knitting a top down sweater and it knit up very quickly because everything is knit at the same time and it had very little seaming in the end - which is perfect for those knitters who loathe seaming. I don't mind it but it was nice to not have to do it!

Stripes

The latest project on my needles and my first foray into color knitting.

On The Block Where We Live

In our city, there is a beautiful gated park and only the residents that live on the perimeter have a key to get into the park. We happen to be lucky enough to be one of those residents. We have this lovely park as out "front yard" and are of only a few that have access into it. Now that spring has sprung, it is so nice to take Oliver out for a stroll and wander around the park, taking in all of the new growth. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as we enjoy these sights everyday.

Roar!

I saw this on Anny Purls' blog (she always has the best ideas! :-) ) and thought it was just too cute to pass up. So I knit one up for Oliver. A lion washcloth for the tubby. What a great idea!

The pattern is Grrr by Alice Bell and can be found on the Summer '07 Knitty. The yarn I used was Lion Brand Cotton Ease on size US 7 needles. I thought the pattern dimensions were a bit too small so I increased it by 8 stitches and 8 rows. I wanted it a little bigger just in case I wanted to test it out myself - ya know, like how I test out his Legos when he is taking a nap. I can build an awesome airplane and a pretty mean dream house.

The real question is: How does it hold up in the water? Well, let's go to our little product tester and find out.

Looks pretty good to me. I think he really likes it! Oh yeah - the back side is pretty cool too. It is nubby for a gentle massage on baby's skin.

What's funny is the quote from the washcloth description on the Knitty site: "Perfect for kids (of any age) who need some encouragement into the tub." Uh huh - like this little monkey needs any encouragement.

Socks!

I just finished my very first pair of socks! Ya Baby! They came out pretty darn good if I do say so myself, seeing that it was my first time. They fit perfectly and they are so cozy. Love them! I used just your basic sock pattern- I didn't want to get too fancy or complicated my first time out of the gate.

Pattern: Classic Socks by Yankee Knitter Designs
Yarn: JaWoll Color by Lang Yarns
Needles: US 2
Mods: I shortened the ribbing at the top and shortened the leg by 2 inches for a more feminine look.

Crazy thing is, whenever someone came to visit and saw that I was knitting socks, they wanted a pair too. It must be my mad sock knitting skillz.

Now, I am totally on the sock bandwagon! I had so much fun with this pair, I ordered up some more (and better) sock yarn so that I can keep on keepin' on. My latest additions to the stash are some pretty handpainted wool from Socks That Rock:


That second one there is for my sister. A personal request.

Thinking Spring

Rain, rain, go away!

Even though it has still been chilly (very chilly) and quite dreary and grey around here, I have been thinking ahead to the warmer, sunnier days of Spring. They have to come sometime, right? I just cast on a cute cropped cardigan in anticipation of the warmer weather.

This wasn't my first choice. I originally cast on a sweater that I had my eye on in Vogue Knitting since last Spring. It was one of those things that because I sat on it for so long, the sweater lost its appeal. But I cast on for it anyway, ignoring my intuition. About a quarter of the way up the back I realized I made a mistake a few rows back and because the entire thing was yarn overs and knit 2 togethers I decided to knit backwards to correct the problem instead of ripping it back. Hassle. Big hassle. Somehow during the process my needle snapped and broke. I would usually get a little bit upset about something like that, but felt that it was the universe telling me that this sweater wasn't meant to be.

Now, I had this beautiful yarn and no sweater to knit. After searching (and searching) I finally found the perfect match. All I need now are those warm sunny days.

FO: Sweater Vest

I have been working away on a few projects and now I finally have one off the needles! This was a really quick knit and took me no time at all to knit up.

The pattern is "Tank Top" by Erika Knight in her book "Classic Knits". The yarn is Rowan Big Wool in Smokey and I used size US 15 and US 17 needles.


I like this - but I don't love it. The pattern has some flaws. And it is too short. I should have listened to the complaints on Ravelry and knit this at least an inch to an inch and a half longer. I feel like I am always pulling it down. Also, the shoulders are a bit too bulky - the pattern bind off was really weird. I should have used a 3 needle bind off and disregarded the pattern. Other than those little complaints, I think it is cute. I will definitely get some wear out of it.