From the Top! Budgie #2

So when I found out that Budgie was not top down I knew that I was going to make two from the start. One mostly as written found here in part 1 and the other "from the top"! I bought yarn for both sweaters at the same time. As soon as I was done knitting the 1st (noticed I did not say "finishing") I moved on to figure out how the heck I would convert it to be a top down totally seamless venture.

NOTE: I totally just "cowboyed" this whole dang thing (which means I made it up as I went. Although when I looked it up on line to see if other people use this term, it has a whole different meaning. Mine is better and I'll stick with it) so don't go thinking I actually know whats going on. Mine turned out really great for me. Sure you can kinda tell where the increases are but I must confess I did not block this sweater. When it was done it went right into use because kids grow up faster than I can knit!

That being said here is how I went about doing the pattern from the top for size 18-24 (both sweaters are the same size)

The down and dirty details:
Size: 18-24 months (it's in this post twice because I forgot it in the last post. Oops!)

Gauge: 21.3 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Needle size: US 6 for main body US 5 icord trim
Yarns: (Color A)Fibranatura Yummy 1 skein in grey dawn (370 yards)

(Color B)Debbie Bliss Rialto DK 2 skeins in grey (230 yards)
(Color C)Debbie Bliss Rialto 4 ply 1 skein in red(198 yards)

For this version I played with adding buttons instead of using a zipper. I think I prefer the zipper but those fish were just too darn cute.

With Color C cast on 51 Stitches and knit 5 rows ( 3 garter ridges) Break yarn and join Color A

**Working in Straight Stitch and switching between colors A and B every 2 rows

1st increase Row (RS) K3, *M1, K2; repeat until last 4 stitches* M1 K4 (83 sts)
P row in color A. Join color B (do not break color A)

Work 4 rows in pattern **

2nd increase (RS) K2, *M1, K3* (110 sts)

Knit 9 rows in pattern

3rd increase (RS) K2, *M1, K3* (146 sts)

Knit 11 rows in pattern

4th increase (RS) K2, *M1, K4* (182 sts)

Knit 8 rows in pattern

Sleeve row: knit 27 sts, place 36 sts on a piece of scrap yarn or holder, knit 56 sts, place 36 sts on a piece of scrap yarn or holder, knit 27.

Knit until desired length in pattern. I personally prefer to make my sweaters for kids and babies a bit on the long side. This way it covers their back when they reach up and play. I never understood why many store bought sweaters and sweater patterns are short and boxy.


You will end as Budgie begins although backwards from working 2 rows in MC to the bind off. You will do the contrast bind off instead of cast on. *NOTE If this does not make sense I'm sorry but I really wanted to be careful not to put the whole pattern up here. I am working on the assumption that you already have the Budgie pattern and are just looking to modify it for top down.


Sleeves:

Working in Straight Stitch in the round and switching between colors A and B every 2 rows

Place 36 sts from hold onto needles Pick Up 8 sts (44sts) from armpit area ( I'm bad at this part but I fix any holes when I weave in ends)

Knit in pattern until the sleeve measures 3 inches from armpit

Decrease round 1: K2, Ktog, knit to last 4 stitches, K2, Ktog. (42 sts)

Knit in pattern for 11 rounds

Decrease round 2: K2, Ktog, knit to last 4 stitches, K2, Ktog. (40 sts)

Knit in pattern for 11 rounds

Decrease round 3: K2, Ktog, knit to last 4 stitches, K2, Ktog. (38 sts)

(Done with decreasing) knit 11 rounds than finish as the sleeves begins but use contrast bind off instead of cast on. (*see note after end of body)

Finish as for zipper in Budgie or with buttons if you choose!

Wow, that was a lot of typing. I hope if you do try following these directions that all goes well. I did knit a second top down budgie and it was also fine. Good Luck!

A Tale of Two Budgies: Part 1

A soon as I saw the pattern for Budgie on Grumperina's blog I though it was the pattern I had been searching for. Finally a baby item with a zipper! Yippee!

I quickly downloaded the pattern and read through it so I could gather my yarn and needles to start right away and then ... BAM! In my mind it was a top down seamless sorta thing with the amazing addition of a zipper. No, sorry, it is a bottom up patten and the sleeves are knit flat.Ok, ok I am not going to let this stop me because the sweater is too darn cute.

I decided to follow the pattern with one minor exception: I knit the sleeves in the round using the jogless stripe technique from TECHknitting. I felt confident in my ability to pull this off since I used this very same technique during my pant madness last winter.


The down and dirty details:

Gauge: 21.3 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Needle size: US 6 for main body US 5 icord trim
Yarns: Fibranatura Yummy 1 skein in grey dawn (370 yards)

Liliy Chin Gramercy 2 skeins in light blue (254 yards)
Elsebeth Lavold Cool Wool 1 skein in orange (109 yards)


Stay Tuned For Part 2: Budgie from the Top!

NOVEMBER 2nd? Time for a new hat!

It can't be! It's not for lack of projects that I have been away once again. I am spending ton's of time knitting and sewing and planning projects. This leaves me with little motivation to hop on the old computer. I also just got an Iphone (my husbands hand me down, but Woot!!! just the same) and, well, it's just so easy to do the basics (email and facebook for me) that my computer has been getting a bit dusty these days.

I whipped up this very basic ear flap hat last month. The weather is only just getting around to being cold enough that it's needed.

"No, no don't eat the leaves Astas!"

The Details of said whipped up hat:

Main Yarn: Baby Alpaca Grande Trim yarn: Malabrigo Worsted
Gauge: 3.5 stitches = 1 inch
Needle: 10

Ear flaps were knit 1st (at the same time) then I cast on stitches in between for the front and back. It was knit in the round using magic loop. The trim is a basic crochet edge, the leaves are free hand embroidery and the top is a simple tassel. All in all less than a day to make from start to finish!

Summertime Rolls

or how I've missed blogging for nearly an entire season.

Where did the time go?

We Swam.
We went to a fair or two.


Have you heard the song by Jane's Addiction from my blog title "Summertime Rolls"? The slow rolling melody reminds me of how my summer floated by. It was lovely and I am in total denial sitting here in jeans, fleece jacket and slippers. This is also my excuse for not blogging. It was so perfectly warm or HOT and well just so darn summery that I could not force myself to sit down and plunk out a few posts.

Even with all this summertime fun and laziness I was a busy crafty Mama. I have so many projects in so many states from just started, needs a zipper to all done that I have lost track.

My older son loves birds and little things he can hold in his hands, so I made him this:
Knit Details:

Pattern: Egg to Bluebird and a Little Nest Too! from Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan Anderson
Yarn: Just random scraps of cotton yarn I have around
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1 inch
Needles: Size 4 Addi Turbos (magic loop technique)

Modification: Instead of knitting the head separate from the body I picked up stitches from the body for the head (if that makes sense?) I also did this for the beak. I made the wings a tad bit wider and longer to account for curled edges.

Totally Late Drumroll Please!

Tutorgal YOU ARE A WINNER! WHOO HOO! Sorry for the delay in picking a winner.

What Yarn Is This?

Contest/Giveaway closed. Winner will be announced Wednesday June 30th!

Birthday Baby Bear (more on him in the next post)

If you can tell me then you can enter to win one (1) of the following:

A Kookababy bunny or2 skeins of outback mohair colorway 807 or 

1 yard of fabric from my stash.

A closer view of the yarn can be found here.

Leave your guess in a comment on this post with a way for me to contact you if you are the winner (If there is no way for me to contact you I'll have to redraw). The winner will be chosen randomly from the correct guesses. Some rules: Contiguous US residents only (sorry). Contest/givaway ends 6/22/2010 12pm Eastern Standard Time. I guess per person please.

Check this post out for a hint!

Cloth Diapers Rule!

Astas Rockin' a Bumgenius All In One while doing some sort of secret hand signal.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned before that we use cloth diapers around here. I love them and you couldn't pay me to switch to a disposable. Besides being functional they are too too cute. Check out my post on The Little Seedling Blog!

Cute bootie shot!

Stay tuned for contest details. Yes I am aware that I am stringing (LOL) you along. Sorry I have just had no time to spare lately.

Had a plan, really. I did!

It all went out the window.I think it's quite hard to want to blog when it's nice out. Or do much of anything but be outside. You should see my house. If you think my blog is neglected well...At least my kids are soaking up the sunny rays at the park and getting covered in sand and "muddy mook" as Loki would say.

And on the not so sunny days we have been having fun in our table hammock

I have also been working on a cardigan.

Progress shot

 I have stalled out on my previous project do to the need to use the sewing machine. For some reason this seems to be the hardest thing in the world for me these days.

Slow progress

In the interest of an up and coming giveaway (what? Did she say giveaway?) I will be leaving details out for another week. Just wanted to post progress.

Teaser Tuesday

It is Tuesday right?  Seems the days tend to all blend together.

Just a little something I'm working on for 

the little something in my life.

Back to our regularly scheduled knitting!

Why yes! That is yet another Moderne Log Cabin Baby Blanket (ravelry). 

I think I have a thing for them!

Some blanket details:

Who's it for? My little sister Daina (well her baby boy to be)

Size: 40 x 30

Needles            US 10.5 

Yarn               Knit Picks Comfy Bulky

How much?     10 Skeins

This was a quick knit in the bulky yarn. I'm not a huge fan of cotton for blankets but my sister requested no wool so..

You may notice if you compare all my blankets (Loki's and Astas') they are all different, not just the yarn and colors but the layout of blocks and the sizes. I have a good/bad habit of winging at least part of all the patterns I knot. I think it's my inner designer trying to push me to finally design my own patterns. Someday... someday.

(sorry about the weird layout, blogger was being all kinds of crazy and I had to crank this out before the wee ones got up from naps.)

Blame It on the Rain.

Well, actually blame it on the sun shine,breezy weather and...

the need for lots of outside babywearing walks!

 (ignore the snow in the background)

As my two amazing little boys grow at warp speed I find that I really need to spend less time in front of the computer and more time outside playing, getting together with friends and knitting as fast as my hands will go so that what I'm making will actually still fit while still being seasonally appropriate.

Loki turned 3 last weekend which is not sad, really it's amazing and hard to believe he was ever a tiny baby. What gets me is that we are hurdling towards Astas' 1st  birthday. He is my last baby (sigh)  time is moving at a rapid pace and I find it hard to hang on as the days slip right past me.

I also look at all the frilly little girly clothes and feel a pang of longing as I know I will never make or need any of those type things (really big sigh)

4 years later!

I may have exaggerated in my previous post about how long these were on needles. I'm pretty sure I started these sometime in 2006 perhaps? I really cannot remember. Who cares anyway because thanks to Ravelry and the Ravelympics 2010 I begrudgingly finished them. WHOO!!!
Although after wearing them for the day I think I've come to a realization: I'm just not that into hand knit socks. Don't get me wrong they look wonderful, they just don feel wonderful under my feet. I feel the stitches and it's not my knitting. It's that fact that they are knit that bothers me. I think I like the super fine store bought ones better. Ah well, I'll stick to pants and other things guess.

Pants, an Addiction.

I have finished another pair of pants, this time in just over a month start to finish. 

I'm in love with them. 

I went with a drawstring waistband instead of elastic or overall style.

Cute baby action shot!

I have already managed to complete the legs on another pair and am brainstorm a top down version. I love knit pants on babies! They are easy to make, fun to make, look adorable and because they are wool help keep little ones warm or cool.

Knitterly details 

Yarn: Swish wosted 

(yet again, due to over ordering for Astas' blanket ) 

As for how much, um??

Pattern: My own made up after cutting my teeth on Cargo

Needles: Size 8 Addi Turbo w/40 cable for magic loop.

Gauge: (ugh, gotta get up and measure) 5 stitches = 1"

Size: 6-12 months

TA DA! Shalom!

This is another post where you may want to sit before reading because of the possibility of fainting from absolute disbelief. Brace yourself: This post is not about anything baby related. No, seriously it's not. I know very hard to believe.

I actually made something for myself and I did it in about a months time (another shocker!)

It all started with a post from Soule Mama in which there was a sweater that I loved. It linked back to Ravelry which is where the magic began . If you don't know about ravelry and you are a knitter or crocheter then please check it out right after you read this post.  After looking at the pattern and decideing that I had to make this sweater I used the yarn suggestions tab to see what had been used and Ravelry told me I already had a yarn in my stash that would work. Ahhh? WOW! It turned out I had the perfect amount required for this project. I cast on that very day and here are the results!

Shalom by Megan McFarlane

(With Modifications that can be found on Ravelry)

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay color Wildflowers (113)

and a tiny bit of yarn I spun (the dk purple cuffs)

Needles: 10 1/2 Addi turbos

Different shirt and flash

I have to mention the buttons because, well, it's kinda like someone saw my sweater and then made these buttons for it. The teaser from a few posts ago is a close up of a the button. I searched for about a half hour , was just about to settle, when I bent down to pick something that had fallen to the ground and there they were. Perfect wouldn't you say?

Crafty Mama Sidetrack

(Small departure from knitting and sewing)

As you may or may not know I am totally obsessed with babywearing (not to mention cloth diapers) I sold my beloved Pfau and have moved on to a colorgrown waves. It comes in a really blah kinda brown, but has great "cush" factor.

Astas in a double hammock pre dye.

Totally gratuitous cute baby shot.

I naturally had to have it but couldn't live with the brown so I ventured into the world of fabric dyeing. Not that I hadn't been there before, but it's been a while (collage 1994 or 1995)

I used Procion MX dye  in Lavender and mostly followed directions from Dharma Trading for vat/machine dyeing . 

Astas in a messy Wrap Cross Carry post dye.

Here's how I went about dyeing my wrap:

First I dissolved about 1/2 a box of kosher salt in a bucket then added it to the full washing machine. Then I made some chemical water to make my dye slurry (pulling from my fashion school dye experience) I have no idea if it helped or not. It certainly didn't hurt. I added the dye to the salt water in the washing machine and let it mix in before I plunked the wrap in. I left the lid open (so the water wouldn't drain out if I left it to long) and spread an old towel over the opening so no dye water would jump out and get the whole place purple.  

I must be honest and tell you I did not time it at all. I just checked the wrap here and there (with rubber gloved hands) I freaked out a tiny bit because it seemed way dark. So I took the wrap out and put it into our utility sink while I added the soda ash (which I had already dissolved in warm water) I let that swish around a bit then put the wrap back in for 'um' about 10 min I think. I was way less worried after adding the soda ash. The color seemed to mellow a bit after adding it. I let the color drain out,rinsed,washed and...

Viola, lavender waves!

I did all the dyeing in my washing machine (ack!) I 'm a bit scared to wash anything for fear it might also turn purple (I'm sure it won't but..)

Sorry for the sidetrack but I just had to post about this because I'm so excited it turned out well. The project that was supposed to be here is in fact finished this is not just another stall tactic, I swear.

Such a Tease

I have a project in the works that I am wanting to post about but of course am hung up on the finishing. Next Week it will be up.

Peek

Until then here are some things I'm also working on.

More leftover yarn?

Ohh oilcloth!

Moving on...

One of the main reasons I finally got that quilt done is because I was itchin' to buy new fabric for a new quilt and it's here!

The 4 prints on the left are from Wendy Slotbloom's Frolic line

The two greens are Lyndhurst Natures Palette. The little leaves are from Moda Love U

Somewhere in between quilting, Christmas and cold weather I managed to get some mittens done for Loki.

Vitals

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lanaloft in Marmalade

Amount: Leftovers from Loki's slippers

Needles: Size 7 Addi Turbos

My Gauge: 5 sts = 1 inch

Pattern: p2designs basic cuff up mitt

I'm also working something in my size that is "this" close to being done so check back soon!