Knitting In The North

A Taste of Spring

Here is the finished February Baby Sweater!  Nothing seems more springy to me than a bright, grass green sweater with happy daisy buttons, and how fitting to debut this little treasure on St. Patrick's Day!  (Totally unplanned, of course, as most of my clever moments are.)  I had a heck of a time getting this shade of green to show itself properly in these photos, but the top one is most true.

Particulars:

Pattern: February Baby Sweater, Knitter's Almanac

Yarn: Knitpicks Shine Sport, Grass, just over two skeins (about 107g by weight, before buttons)

Needles: 3.75mm

Modifications: The only change I made to this pattern was to knit the sleeves in the round, so as to avoid seaming entirely.  EZ isn't overly helpful in explaining this sweater, and it gave me some measure of frustration as I tried to figure out what on earth she meant in her sleeve explanation.  I went to bed exasperated, and woke up inspired the next morning, quickly jumping out of bed to get the sleeves properly underway.  I love this pattern, and have some Classic Elite Skye Tweed in the stash that I plan to use for a sweater for Liam (minus the lace).  I've been impressed by all the great versions of this pattern I've seen out there, and am happy I gave it a go.  Usually, when I see a really popular pattern that so many people are knitting, I am less interested in trying it myself, I'm so glad I didn't discount this one!  I had planned to use simple wooden buttons, but fell in love with the daisies instead.  They just seemed to fit so nicely, and I hope the soon-to-arrive recipient gets a lot of wear out of this.

Sullivan Street Bolero

I got to debut my little bolero at the second meeting of our new Prince George Stitch n' Bitch last Sunday, and, bonus, had Stuart take a few pictures!  This is definitely a wearable little piece of clothing, but I can see I need to stretch out of my boring wardrobe a little more.  Stuart thinks it looks a little funny over my big belly, but I don't care.  I love it.  The leaf shawl pin I'm using was a gift from Ruth, when we visited her this past summer.  I really, really enjoy wearing things that hold special memories, and this item is surely one of them.

The SNB was really good, again.  This time there were a few different people there, one of whom is a carpenter by trade.  This sparked a really interesting conversation on women in trades, which I found fascinating.  I'm intrigued by the whole issue, and have seriously thought about pursuing an electrical apprenticeship once Liam is old enough.  I was certainly given some great food for thought, which was just what I went for.  Intelligent adult conversation, plus knitting time - what could be better?

Indulgence

I have really been focusing on using yarn in my stash lately, and actively trying not to buy new yarn.  I found a big sale on at Yarnsale.ca, though, and indulged in one order.  Above is a lone skein of Noro Iro, in a red colourway.  My mum noticed the tea cozy I knit for myself, and really liked it, so I thought I'd take this along on my trip to Winnipeg next week, and offer to knit her one while I'm there.

Here are 3 balls of Rowan Plaid, in the Spicy colourway.  These are for Katie - she was soooo happy that I found a bright yarn, with orange in it, that didn't also have pink!  I'm planning some winter outerwear for next fall with these, for sure a hat, and then something else with whatever's left.  I had no idea this yarn was so nice, and am having a hard time not ordering more, in a different colourway, for myself.

This is Debbie Bliss SoHo, in Magenta/Purple.  These are for Gwenyth, also for winter outerwear for next fall.  I will admit that I am a real sucker for Debbie Bliss yarns.  I don't know what it is about them, and I know there are other yarns just as good, but if I find Debbie Bliss anything on sale, I have an incredibly hard time resisting.  I was pretty proud of myself that these two were my only DB weakness.

My largest purchase was several balls of RYC Soft Tweed.  I was going back and forth between this and the Jaeger Natural Fleece I bought for the Drops sweater that I've been drooling over, but Stuart finally stepped in and told me to go with the Natural Fleece (he doesn't think red makes me look tarty at all, and also feels that I don't wear enough colour, so he's constantly making colourful suggestions for my wardrobe).  I'm really unsure what to do with this yarn now.  I have enough to make a really nice sweater for myself, or even a long sweater coat, but I'm really loving the Juliet pattern as well, and can totally see it in this yarn.  I guess I have lots of time to make a decision, I'm still buried in Katie's hoodie, Gwen's sock yarn sweater, and have started a little Sheldon for my daycare guy.  What I didn't show in the pictures was I also bought myself a copy of Knitting on the Road, full of lovely sock patterns!  I'm thinking Conwy will be the first pair, that Welsh name just grabbed me.  Now I'll have the fun of digging in my sock yarn stash for the perfect yarn! 

Too-Too

I finally got Stuart to take some modeled shots of my recent finished objects, and here is the little hat I knit up last month!  I had the need for a new winter coat this year, that I could actually do up.  Stuart picked out a red and white parka for me, and I didn't think anything of it until I realized that all my hats and scarves were knit in greens, browns, and burgundys.  When I found this great Natural Fleece on sale, I knew it would be perfect.

Particulars:

Pattern: The Not Too-Too Beret, by Wendy at Knit and Tonic

Yarn: Jaeger Natural Fleece, colour #527, Damask, 1 ball

Needles: 7.5mm

Started: February 16, 2008

Finished: February 17, 2008

Modifications: This was a super fast pattern, I started it one night, and finished it the next, although I'm sure most of you would be able to have it finished in an evening.  I cast on 50 stitches, and increased to 75 for the body of the hat because I was worried about the diameter.  I kind of wish I'd knit it just a couple of rows longer, there's not quite as much "beret-ness" as I was hoping for, but I'm still happy with it, and it is really soft and warm for our final cold days this winter!  I purchased 3 balls of yarn, unsure how many I would need, and have 2 and about a third left over.  I'm trying to decide whether I want to do mittens, or fingerless gloves, or a longer scarf, or maybe fingerless gloves and a short neckwarmer...  We'll see.  Winter is quickly fading up here, so I may just pack it away and see how I feel about it in the fall - there are so many other things I want to focus my knitting attention on!  Here's a final shot of the top; I like the way the decreases work in, and really like the random red and white colouring with this yarn.  Red is a colour I've always had trouble wearing (it always seems a little tarty to me), even though I love it, so I'm trying to work it into my wardrobe in small doses.

Green

Winter is slowly, slowly melting away, leaving us in that dreary gray, wet place that you arrive at before spring sets in.  Because of this, I've enjoyed, more than I would think, looking at all the blogs that have been participating in Green Week.  The amazing images have soothed and inspired me, and so I really felt I had to start this:

This is an Elizabeth Zimmerman February Baby Sweater, from the Knitter's Almanac.  I'm knitting it in Knitpick's Shine Sport, and modified it just a bit by knitting the sleeves in the round, making it completely seamless.  I've never knit a seamless sweater before, and I will admit to being smitten.  What a wonderful feeling, knowing that when I cast off, all I'll need to do is weave in a few ends and sew on a few buttons!  This is a gift for the soon-to-arrive sibling of the little boy I take care of, and I'm hoping to knit him up a little Sheldon the Turtle, as well.  That should give me enough of a green fix, until I can enjoy some of the real thing for myself!

A First Time For Everything

As hard as it is to believe, I have never felted anything before.  I have a whole stash bin of wool yarn, ready for felting, but have never buckled down and just done it - until now.  The little boy I take care of during the day turns 2 this weekend, and I knit him a pair of felted slippers for his birthday.

Particulars:

Pattern - Family of Slippers, from Knitting at KNoon

Yarn - Plymouth Galway, the leftovers from my Log Cabin Socks

Needles - 7.5mm DPNs

Notes - I made this pattern exactly as written, for the short cuff.  I didn't double strand, because I wasn't sure I would have enough, but the slippers felted fine, anyway.  I was amazed at how quickly these knit up, and am in awe of the whole process of felting.  It was very exciting, and even Stuart was impressed (which is hard to do!).  I used fabric puff paint on the soles, to avoid the slip factor.  (Gwenyth, when she wears her knitted socks, complains that the tile floor is "icy", and I didn't want to make the little guy kill himself over a pair of slippers.)

I cleaned out my "yarn basket" the other day (a garage sale purchased wicker picnic basket, that I store all my leftovers and single balls of yarn in), and found a ball of Patons SWS in a pink colourway, so I think I'll knit up a pair of these for Gwenyth, she's recently outgrown her last pair, and is pretty footwear obsessed right now.  I don't know where she gets that from.... it must be her father.

Biting the Bullet

I had an awesome experience this weekend - a few local Ravelers decided to meet up for a knitting session at Starbucks!  It was very intimidating for me to go, I really don't like meeting new people, or sitting in a noisy place surrounded by moving bodies, but I went anyway, and really enjoyed myself.  There is something so thrilling about meeting a group of people who are joined by a love of knitting and fibre.  One of the women I met shared that she is more and more likely to frog something she's not happy with, and those thoughts came to me last night as I was working on the Cabled Hoodie.  Suddenly, I knew, I just couldn't take it anymore.  I wasn't happy with it.  I didn't want to finish it for myself and have a second-best piece of clothing.  It needed to go away.

This afternoon, while small people napped, I indulged myself.  I watched Boston Legal, drank a Coke, ate a Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, and ripped it all out.  I was expecting some angst, but there was none.  It felt liberating!  No more do I want to keep knitting a Mistake, something I know I'm not going to enjoy wearing, something I'm not going to love.  From now on, I want to make Good Stuff - not just for others, but for me, too. 

Blocking and Unblocking

Here is my Impulsive Sullivan Street Bolero, blocking out nicely on my dining room table!  This was a super fast and easy knit, with the only yucky bit the 320-ish stitches I needed to pick up all the way around to finish the edges.  I hate picking up stitches, and it seemed to take forever, but once that was done, it was clear sailing.  I think, too, that I might prefer this pattern with a tiny sleeve, even just a cap, but it is still fun, and I'm hoping will dress up my boring wardrobe of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt.  Plus, I know it will look super cute with a sundress or tank top in the warmer weather.  PLUS, it's something that I can knit for myself, and wear, even though I'm growing huger and huger by the day!  I hope to have some modeled shots later in the week.

Once the bolero was finished, I turned my attention back to Katie's Cabled Hoodie, only to make an unfortunate discovery.  Remember how I said it was going to be soooo big, it would even fit around me?  Yup.  Obviously, my math was just not good enough, and so Kate's going to have to wait just a while longer for a new sweater.  Groan!  I'm seriously thinking about finishing it (with the really bulky yarn, I could have it done in no time, now) for myself, to wear over the next few months.  I dug through the stash last night, and came up with some solid turquoise DK wool, that is a much better fit for this pattern, so Katie and I have agreed that I'll give it another go.  Once I finish my new maternity sweater, that is!

New Obsession

Thanks, everyone, for all your concern and notes and good wishes for Stuart!  He's fine, although a little sore still.  It's such a strange feeling, though, seeing someone that is usually so... invincible, sitting there in a hospital bed.  We joke around here that Stuart's kind of like Superman, but it's not that far of a reach.  He's one of those big strong guys, who can do pretty much anything he sets his mind to.  Not one who is generally vulnerable, or needs to be taken care of.  But also, it's been fun to have so much time with him - we've had lots of time to sit around together, talking, watching shows, just hanging out.  I love that.

I've been overtaken by a serious urge to do some sewing lately.  Because I'm me, I of course have a super-duper plan in place to accomplish this.  First, I've bought some small pieces of fabric to take to Winnipeg with us later this month.  I can get my mum to help me with a couple of crayon rolls, while I refresh my machine skills.  Then, when I come home, I can start on a cradle-sized quilt for Liam.  (This is where I got a little impulsive - while buying fabric for the crayon rolls this weekend, I feel in love with this fat quarter selection, and had to buy it for the baby quilt.  Aren't they beautiful?)  Finally, if that all goes well, I can progress to other sewing stuff, and believe me, my mind is churning out more sewing projects than I'll ever be able to keep up with, especially since I don't want to lose any of my knitting time.  Where to fit it all in?

I'll leave you today with a shot of Gwenyth this morning, all ready to do the two most important things in a little girl's life - jump in puddles, and go shopping!