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!