I have finally been able to knit the last few weeks.  DD prefers to be held or worn in a front carry/sling for most of the day, so for right now it’s pretty easy to knit.  I finally finished my mystery shawl KAL and I finished the surprise Tulip sweater for my sweet friend and her sweet baby girl.  I haven’t blocked my shawl or my DD’s matching tulip sweater, so I don’t have pictures of those yet.

I did get inspired by my knitting friend Jen.  She wrote in her blog that she was doing the Scalene shawl and I love the idea of the keyholes so you can wear it a lot of different ways.

I also started socks for my super talented sister (she’s a writer and really good at it).  Go check out her blog!  You should see what she can do with 100 words!

I’m still really enjoying the idea of knitting all the socks in my Toe Up 2-at-a-Time book (by Melissa Morgan-Oakes) with different sock yarns and reviewing each pattern and yarn along with how well the socks wear.

Random thought – I’ve toying with the idea of learning and using Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato Heel for my socks.

Here is a link to the discussion group on Ravelry

And a link to the Yarn Harlot’s blog post regarding Sock Summit 2014 (look for the post on 2/28)

What I finished =

Here’s the finished sweater turned into hat for a gal in my Toastmasters group that had a baby girl.  I’m not sure I’ll even get to see her baby, so instead of stressing out about a baby sweater and not having enough yarn I just decided I do a make shift hat.  I think it’s a bit big, but hey…that’s ok.  She’ll be able to wear it for a while!  Best part of this hat?  Learning how to make a tiny crochet flower.  Now I want to make a whole chain of them!

I also finally finished the Variation on a Jayne Hat today.  But I didn’t snap a picture before I gave it to my pastor this morning.  He promised he would take one and send it to me!

Future Time!

Three pretty skeins for three pretty projects.   (From left to right) The first two are going to become fingerless gloves.  The last one is destined for a shawl/scarf pattern I saw at Urban Fiber Arts and I couldn’t resist.  I have already made Francisco a pair of fingerless gloves and every time he wears them I get jealous that I don’t have a pair.  (Don’t worry it’s mild.)  My cold little fingers need some yummy coziness!  Honestly, I’m not sure what I’ll start next haha because I also want to knit more socks.  Oh I’m a bit hopeless.

I also need to start this …

Yes … it IS that cute.

Let’s work in order of my Ravelry Projects page:

WiP one … unfortunately it’s a secret. I’m not sure if the person reads this blog or not, but to make sure it’s kept a secret I cannot show you a picture.

WiP two … a baby hat! This little hat was supposed to be a sweater, but I didn’t have enough yarn in my stash of the colors she preferred and I didn’t think I should stress anymore.  So now it is a hat.  Start date = 3/14/12

WiP three … Mystery Shawl KAL!  I haven’t been focusing on this.  I’m afraid I’m getting too far behind.  Of course this usually doesn’t keep me down for too long.  (Unless of course you are a dreaded 2nd top down sock.)  Start date = 3/1/12

WiP four … Express Lane!  A second toe-up sock being done as a shop sample.  The first was finished during the Rose City Yarn Crawl.  Start date = 2/22/12

WiP five … Variation on a Jayne Hat!  This hat is being knit up for my pastor, because he saw my husband’s original Jayne Cobb hat and wanted one like it.  Of course he didn’t quite get the significance of the colors and wanted his own colors, dark green & dark blue.  All I have left is the pom-pom.  Start date = unknown … sometime in February I believe.

Those are all my current WiPs.  And you even got to peak at my cute project bags.  I know I have a lot projects started, but that’s just me as a knitter.  Don’t feel like we have to be the same.  If your brain prefers one at a time then more power to you!  Sometimes you need more than one going on so you can engage different parts of your brain.  Or maybe I just tell myself that as an excuse haha!

Keep up the knitting friends!

Wee girl is still cooking away.  I have 4 more weeks until she’s officially ‘done’ but we all know that doesn’t mean much.  Babies tend to arrive when they’re ready.  I’m definitely anxious to meet her!  I still haven’t knit anything for her, but I’m starting to get the urge.  I think my timing is a bit off.  I did receive the cutest little knitted items from a knitting buddy of mine!  They’re amazing!  The hat is double knitted, so that makes it reversible.  I love them.

Since the last post I wrote had that huge list of projects I was still working on I thought I would do a final tally of everything.

- finishing a crochet baby blanket for a friend 2/3 of the way done!! (secretly dislike working on this project…I think because it’s so huge)

- a gifted baby blanket for a baby due in January Done!!

- a gifted baby sweater for another baby due soon stuck again because I can’t find enough yarn she likes that’s already in my stash.  I decided to ripe it all out and stop trying to out do myself.  I made a wee baby hat. 

- 2 hats for a father and son son’s hat done and I’m told he loved it!  All I have to do is make the pom pom for the other.

- a kitchen towel for a family our church adopted done!

- a present for my roommate done!

- a present (hopefully two) for my husband just got one done : / but he loved it!

- a hat for my sister and her friend just started these… Done!!

- a present for a good friend almost ready to start!  Done!!

Then there are my own projects:

- The Clapotis done!

- a knitted vine necklace making slow progress.  I think this will be an on going project.

- a second sock (darn it) still glaring at me. Done!!  I’m no longer stuck with SSS!

I’m excited to say I don’t feel so overwhelmed.  I finished a sock for a store sample.  I also knitted up a pair of socks for Caress Luxury Yarns so she could show off what the sock yarn looks like in a sock.  I’m also knitting a Mystery Shawl KAL with Jen (she’s so good at these) and finally started a baby project for me!

Now that I have a camera I think it will be easier for me to be inspired to post.  Look for more soon!

At the moment I’m trying hard to finish all the baby gifts I promised people!  I suppose that is what happens when you don’t have a lot of disposable income to spend, but you have a useful skill.

I taught my husband how to crochet!  That was fun.  Although I taught him how to knit 3 years ago too and that didn’t seem to take.  I think he prefers the simplicity of his crocheting projects.  I suppose that crocheting amigurumi toys is also another reason that crocheting captured his attention.  He tells me he wants to design and make Star Craft creatures.  I’m excited to see what he comes up with.

Our daughter is still cooking away.  I’m at week 28 and doing great.  Obviously more uncomfortable, but that’s to be expected.  Our sweet pea already has her own stash (I’m innocent lol), but I haven’t been able to start any projects for her yet.  I plan on making matching shrugs for us as well as matching sweaters for her future best friend.  Ok, I can’t predict that, but it’s still fun to think about!

Updated list from this post:

- finishing a crochet baby blanket for a friend 2/3 of the way done!!

- a gifted baby blanket for a baby due in January 2/3 of the way done!!

- a gifted baby sweater for another baby due soon stuck again because I can’t find enough yarn she likes that’s already in my stash.

- 2 hats for a father and son son’s hat done and I’m told he loved it!

- a kitchen towel for a family our church adopted done!

- a present for my roommate done!

- a present (hopefully two) for my husband just got one done : / but he loved it!

- a hat for my sister and her friend just started these…

- a present for a good friend almost ready to start!

Then there are my own projects:

- The Clapotis done!

- a knitted vine necklace making slow progress.

- a second sock (darn it) still glaring at me.

Since my digital camera broke pictures are difficult to come by, but I’ll be posting a few soon!

Christmas Trees

Super easy to do!  3 different foam cone sizes, 3 different Christmas colored yarns, and possibly some sparkly fuzz balls (if you’d prefer).  Don’t forget your hot glue gun!  We started by gluing at the top and then tightly winding all the way down.  I glued every once in a while, but you don’t have to.  Just make sure you had a line of glue to the bottom row or 2.  Once that is done you can either leave the yarn just the way it is or add the fuzz balls!

Also … here is the kitchen towel I finished for the family our church adopted. 

This pattern is quite easy!

- finishing a crochet baby blanket for a friend

- a gifted baby blanket for a baby due in January

- a gifted baby sweater for another baby due soon

- 2 hats for a father and son

- a kitchen towel for a family our church adopted

- a present for my roomate

- a present (hopefully two) for my husband

- a hat for my sister and her friend

- a present for a good friend

and so many other things I wish I could make….

Then there are my own projects:

- The Clapotis

- a knitted vine necklace

- a second sock (darn it)

and of course all the other things I want to knit for myself.  Do you think maybe I got in over my head?  I’m pretty sure that I will be giving away half finished projects.  Then again look I’m writing a blog and not knitting.  haha

1 out of 2 second sock syndrome problems solved.

One more pair to go.  Seriously … from now on toe up 2 at a time is my way to knit socks. 

My husband designed this (you can click on it for a larger image) and he did an amazing job!

I’ve received many compliments.  I’ve sold 4 so far!  It’s a big deal to get such positive affirmation from other people.  I will be honest, again, and say I am working on affirming myself and being content with that.  I plan on getting the pattern tech edited and put up on Ravelry.

I have another simple design for a cowl done as well.  Not sure if this designing bug will catch for me, but it’s fun to say I know enough to be able to do it.