Oh, Baby...

Life has been really busy as of late and that really cuts into my knitting time, which is not good at all. I have so many things I want to knit, but I just don't seem to have the mojo to do it. Don't you hate that feeling? I went a long time without knitting a project until I found out I was invited to a baby shower. Slowly, my mojo started to come back because  I love knitting for babies. The projects are quick, easy to take places and are oh-so-freakin' cute.

Remember this dress from a few months ago?



Well, I made this shrug to go along with it.



I love the shrug! It was a super quick knit and perfect for the dress. I love the texture that the Rich Man's Garter stitch gives to the sleeves. It really "dresses up" the stocking st pattern. Plus, I finished it over the weekend, so it really didn't take much time at all. The pattern is called "Vinni" and you can find it here.

But, you can't just give one knitted gift at a shower. You have to knit some more things, right? Well, I sure did.

I made this little adorable hat.



I love the texture that the purl rows gave to it. You can find the pattern for the "Purl Stripes Baby Hat" here.

Then, I used The Dishcloth Turned Bib pattern again and made two bibs to give as well.



Come to think of it, I made a headband to match the dress but I forgot to take a picture and I forgot to wrap it with the dress. Oops! I'll have to blog about that next time.

Although, when I knitted these, my mojo slowly began to come back. Plus, it just so happens that a friend of mine asked if I could knit four dishcloths for someone. She said that this person wanted fall colors, and it just so happens that I have a good anount of fall tones in my stash right now, so this is what I came up with.





So, lastly, that leads me to what is on my needles. Currently, I have two projects on the needles, but I just don't feel like working on either one. I'm working on another potato chip scarf and an infinity scarf, but for some reason I just get so tired of working on scarves. I think I'll try to start something else tonight, but I'm not sure what yet.

Until next time...

More FO's....

Well, I didn't go too long without updates this time. Maybe there is hope for me after all! Yesterday, we went up to Geneva and it was so relaxing that it made me think "I should blog about this." And I did...without it taking a couple months. Score!





And I even did a little of knitting....


I started and finished two Bottle Sox from The Lunatic Cafe . I didn't have all of my DPNs with me, so I knitted them on straight needles and seamed the side. They were a really, really quick knit and I just love them. They totally do what they should and used up some of my scrap yarn.



I used up my leftover yarn from The Scrunch Scarf I blogged about a little bit ago, and I used some of the wool that I dyed last year. At first, I wasn't crazy about the yarn I dyed, but once it was knitted into something it came out okay.



Next up is this set of four dischloths.



You see, I have a very awesome "cousin-in-law" who is going to help me with some career stuff next month, so I wanted to knit her up a thank you. Her kitchen is very modern, it's green with black appliances and I thought of her when I saw these patterns.



I knitted The Grid Cloth from this site in black and the green pictured above.



Then there are two of these Greek Key Cloths from Ribbed For Your Pleasure. They're fun  and different and I think she'll really like them.



Lastly, there is something that I finished a long time ago. I mean...months ago.



Yes, yes! It's  Saroyan from Feministy. I actually finished knitting it the night of the Bones Season 6 Finale. (SPOILER ALERT:  -------------------------------------> BOOTH AND BONES ARE HAVING A BABY! .......... Sorry. I seem to do that anytime someone mentions Bones. I still can't believe it! I can't wait to see where the storyline will go in season 7.)



I really liked this. The pattern was very well written and another pretty quick knit. Plus, it was fun to knit when I was watching Bones. ;)



I even decided that I am going to wear this the day Season 7 of Bones airs. You know...to celebrate!

Finally, I got two new knitting books today. The sock one is really cool with so many pattern options. I've never knitted socks before, but I can't wait to start now that I have this book. I think I'm going to have to go buy sock yarn so I can knit some during free time at band camp in a few weeks.

FO's from Long Ago

Alright, one thing that I think we've established is that I am a terrible blogger. Really I am. I always say I'm going to try better, but I just get lazy.

Although, just because I haven't been blogging doesn't mean I haven't been knitting. I actually have several FOs. I can blog about a few now, but the others will remain top secret for just a little bit longer.

First up we have The Scrunch Scarf from Spud & Chloe. It's a really cute, different pattern and I enjoyed knitting it. It works up in almost no time at all and the results a great.



Next up, we have The Potato Chip Scarf. I searched everywhere for a pattern like this until I found the one I was looking for at Krafty Kash's blog. I was glad I found it because it worked well for the yarn. My friend bought me this yarn for Christmas, but it wasn't really my style. All she kept saying was "Isn't this so cute?" She really, really liked it, so I knew that I had to make something for her with it. It was really hard to find patterns that worked with this yarn, but like I said, it worked very well with the Potato Chip pattern.

It was the very first time I knitted this pattern, and I must say, when I started I was pretty nervous because I knitted a few inches but I didn't think it was curling the way it should. Have no fear, though! Krafty Kash had a video how-to for the pattern. Isn't that awesome?! It really helped and made me realize that I was doing everything right, I just had to keep knitting a few more inches before it would start to show the "potato chip" part.



Lastly, for now, we have the Baby Sweater Dress from the Lion Brand site. I knitted this up in two days - only working on it for a few hours each day. I like it, but I didn't like the seaming. If I made it again, I would probably convert it so it could be knitted in the round for most of it.

I've also worked on a few things to go along with this, and they are finished, but I haven't had a chance to soak/block them yet, so I won't be blogging about that for a few more days.



Even after blocking, the dress still curled a bit, so I crocheted a few extra rows and that solved the problem.

Okay, that's all for now. Hopefully, it won't be a super long time before my next post. Fingers crossed!

FO: Purses

Okay, everyone, it's story time! Don't you just love story time? No? Well, then, just pretend you do for a moment or two because a story goes along with my new finished object.

Last Saturday, my nana was at the jewelery counter at Macy's buying something when the worker behind the counter noticed the purse my nana had (it was the one I knitted her for Christmas). My nana said that this lady fell in love with the purse and even called a co-worker over to see it, too. This lady even asked my nana if she thought I would be willing to make her one and she gave my nana her number so I could call her.

Of course I was willing to make her one. It's always more fun to knit for someone else, anyway, so I called her. She was so nice and she actually wanted two (one for her two year old daughter) and was willing to pay me an awesome price.

So, enough of my rambling. I finished these the other day:









And please pardon the crappy pictures. It's been rainy and dreary and sunshineless which makes impossible to go outside and get some nice pictures.

FO from Forever Ago

I finished this little set of things on March 20th, the day of my great-grandma's funeral, and I gave it away to the recipient that day. I had very good intentions of blogging about it, but a lot of things happened and I just forgot.

So, here it is:


The caterpillar was from Spun Magazine.
The Child's Play Beret was from Ravelry.
The purse was something that I made up. When I get a chance, I'll write up the pattern.

Another Cardi-Shrug

I don't like knitting the same thing twice.

Okay, technically, that is a lie because I've made the same toys and dishcloths more than once, but I don't like making the same bigger projects more than once. You know, like shrugs and blankets and so on.

Well there is always an exception. For instance, I made the Cardi-Shrug last summer when I needed it for a wedding. The shrug was perfect. It was the style I was looking for, it looked great with the dress, and it was easy (granted it does become rather boring at times). I mean, really, it was a win-win situation and let's be honest, I love win-win situations.

Well, a few years ago I bought a dressier tank top, but it just sat in my closet because I had nothing to wear with it, but when I was looking through my stash one day and found the perfect yarn to match it and I decided to make a shrug. I looked at several patterns, but nothing seemed to jump out at me. So, after a little bit of thought, I decided I would make The Cardi-Shrug again.

And here it is:


Once again, you can find the pattern at The Knit Monster.

I'm going to learn...

...to crochet.

My crocheting skills are very basic. I learned a few simple stitches at school when we made Warming Up America Blankets, but it didn't stick at all. I couldn't get into it and the lady who taught me wasn't exactly the friendliest teacher either.

Now, a few posts ago, I talked about the fact that my amazing great-grandmother (Mimi) passed away. Well, in the post, I didn't mention that my Mimi was a crocheter.

Granted, she was a self - taught crocheter and her skills were very limited, but she did a fantastic job. She was the person I turned to three years ago when I had to crochet three squares and I had no clue what to do.

Well, last summer, it was nearly two years since I had ever picked up a crochet hook, but I had a sudden urge to learn again because I wanted to make the awesome potholders that my Mimi made.


Like this.

So, I called up my Mimi and told her I wanted to learn to make the potholders that she made. She told me she'd be glad to teach me and I went right over. It wasn't a complete disaster, but I think it would have been better if I had a crocheting mojo or something. She taught me how to do the trim on the potholder, but my rectangles still looked like crap. She kept wanting for me to keep practicing, but I kept "forgetting". I regret that now...a lot since she isn't here to help me anymore. It almost feels as if I disappointed her.

When we were cleaning out her apartment after she passed away, my Nana found my Miimi's little yarn stash with her learn to crochet book and her hooks. My Nana gave them to me and told me that Mimi would want me to have them. That was the moment I promised my self I was going to learn to crochet (...actually crochet rectangles that look nice) once and for all.



And in the bottom of the bag I found these unfinished potholders. I think since all I will have to do is crochet them together and add the trim (I can actually do that pretty well!) they will be the first "project" I am going to tackle.



Wish me luck?

Finally A Knitting Post!

Yes, it is finally here!

An actual finished object (well, three, technically!).

Okay, so I just love knitting for babies. Who doesn't it? It is just so much fun, it's quick, the yarn is so soft and baby patterns are just the cutest! Don't you think?

See, that's why I am very grateful that I have a huge family. I may be the youngest girl of the first cousin's on my dad's side, but it's okay because I have sooo many second cousins to knit for!

Although, there are many boys on my dad's side of the family and I always have a hard time finding decent patterns (any suggestions would ALWAYS be appreciated!), so when the opportunity came about to knit for a girl I was pumped! Really, you do not know how excited I was!

So, without further ado, this is the finished set:



There is no pattern for the blanket, it was just your typical, easy-peasy, kinda of boring dishcloth pattern. But hey, when you are on a time crunch, you gotta make some sacrifices when it comes to picking a pattern!

The bib is just too cute for words, isn't it? You can find the pattern here at "Cheryl's Knitting".

And the headband was so much fun to make, too! Even though, I miscounted and CO on a stitch less, and by the time I realized, I didn't want to start over again. But that's okay, I like the design it gave. There is no pattern for the flower that I attached to the headband. I looked at the suggested ones, but they were to hard for my fairly new knitting skills, so I racked my brain to remember some of the crochet skills my great-grandma taught me and that is what I came up with. Not too bad for someone who can't crochet to save their life! Anyway, the pattern came from I'd Rather Be Knitting.

FO: (Finally) Bunny Blanket Pattern

Finally, I have something knitting related for whomever is reading this. My nana asked me if I already had a baby gift knitted that she could give to someone. The answer was surprisingly "no". But, if she wanted a knitted gift, then I was going to knit one.

...and so I did. I chose the ever so easy Bunny Blanket Buddy from the Lion Brand Website. It was such a great, quick knit (I finished it early Sunday morning when the girls I babysit were still sleeping). The pattern was very easy to follow and overall I was very impressed. I would love to make more of these soon and work on using up some of my stash yarn.

But, for some reason, I misplaced my knitting mojo and I haven't knitted a stitch since Sunday.




On another note, I hope to get back into the 30 Day Challenge again tomorrow...I got waaaayy behind.

This Makes Frogging Anything All Seem Worthwhile