I just finished Nathan's placket-neck pullover (Ravelry pattern link) minus the grafting the armpits and weaving in ends and I'm so relieved that it's not too big on him. I did some major adjusting to the sleeve and body lengths to ensure he'd get more than one winter out of it -- and because the sizing is for this pattern is just plain absurd.
The size I knitted for him, with a 25-inch chest circumference, states "2-4 years." Um, that's a gigantic size range, dear pattern writer. I measured Nathan's ever-lengthening limbs and just went for it. And I'm still a little shocked at how well it panned out. I wish I had a picture of him in it (yes, I tried it on him as soon as I cast off, with stitch holders and yarn ends dangling) -- he looks so cute in it.
I'm also finishing up a pair of newborn socks for baby #2, who should be here within the next few weeks. The pattern is my own, and I plan to release it on the blog soon as a freebie, hopefully later this week or early next week.
After loving All Creatures Great and Small and All Things Bright and Beautiful, I'm enjoying the short snippets of All things Wise and Wonderful. It's perfect for my short attention span these days and the few minutes I can stay awake long enough to read in bed before turning out the light.
Stay tuned for the free newborn socks pattern AND and update on the 2012 Stash-busting Challenge (are you still in?). I hope you've been putting a nice dent in your stashes, too!
Happy knitting,
Kelly
Tonight I shared a photo of what I'm knitting and what I'm reading on my Facebook page without even realizing what I was doing -- Yarn Along! So here I am with my first blog post in almost two weeks. HEL-lo!
I took this blurry cell phone photo to help motivate me to finish some WIPs before getting tempted to cast on a new baby knit. On the left is EZ's Tomten Jacket for Nathan, middle is the free version of Newborn Vertebrae (with a colorwork motif from Knitting Stitches Visual Encyclopedia) and on the right is the inside-out Milo vest, showing all of the lovely ends I still need to weave in. What a mistake that was, and not just because of all the loose ends -- these colors look hideous on the vest, but went together so well when I first bought them for Nathan's Sailboat Sweater. Oh well!
All three are stash-busters.
I had also planned on catching up on some One Thousand White Women, but then my husband crashed the party, grabbed the remote and on came Deadliest Catch. Maybe tomorrow night.
What are you knitting and reading?
After a few months away from knitting, I'm decidedly and happily back! Especially because
now I know we're having a baby boy, and I can choose the yarn and the patterns
more wisely.
I'm almost finished with the Gift Wrap sweater in size 6
months, and I really enjoyed the pattern. It was so fast and easy (and seamless!), and I'm a sucker for
stripes. I love the tone-on-tone brown of Lionbrand Fishermen's wool in Nature's
Brown and Brown heather, both from my stash.
I'm in between books right now, but I recently read These is my Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 and loved it. It's set in the Arizona Territories and life at that time and place blew my mind. The sequel is Sarah's Quilt; not as knock-your-socks-off awesome, but still a good read. I've more recently read a few no-tears potty training books (potty training can involve tears?) -- do they count?
Next I will weave in the ends of the Gift Wrap sweater and search for some coordinating buttons... and see what else I can make from my stash. I'm seeing tiny, little fingering-weight baby socks in my future. And a bulky-weight jacket to
match Nathan's fall jacket, which is still incomplete thanks to not having size 10 DPNs or circs in my possession. (I almost couldn't believe I didn't already own every size DPN imaginable. How is this possible?)
I look forward to writing
a stash-busting update soon. Be sure to check back and link up!
PS. In
case you missed it, check out yesterday's rant on blocking for my best blocking tips and instructions. They're finally out there for posterity's sake!
I haven't written a Yarn Along post in a long time, partly because I haven't been knitting as much (see recent posts on sewing and embroidery), and partly because the stuff I've been knitting is all neutrally colored baby stuff.... and I wasn't ready to announce my pregnancy until earlier this week. :) So. Now that the cat's outta the bag, I can start showing off all the bitty baby things I've been knitting.
First up is this sweet little newborn hat I'm knitting in Knit Picks Shine Sport on size 4 needles. It's Ginny's simple newborn hat with a touch of lace and I'm enjoying it, especially the lace portion.
I'll showcase some of the other baby knits soon, including what I made with that beautiful sunshine-yellow yarn from Creating a Family Home sponsor Brambleberry Yarns. I hope you didn't think I'd finish an object knitted with such lovely yarn and not report about it here. ;)
I finished reading The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse that Inspired a Nation, and I've officially classified it as the best book I've ever read. It's an amazing true story that is so well-written it's hard to believe it's all true. I look forward to reading it again someday.
Now I'm on to The Help, which I'm enjoying immensely even though I only just started the second chapter. More on this book next week. This one's gonna fly!
What are you reading and knitting these days?
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