A Teddy Bear for Rowan

You probably know by now that I think a great gift for kids are knitted stuffed toys. Ever since I knit my first one, I was hooked, and knowing that the child will not outgrow it (at least in size), and that they will get some enjoyment from playing with it, the knitted toys are still my go-to for birthday gifts.

I’ve already knitted up quite a collection that have since found new homes: a giraffe, a hippo, a frog, an elephant, a penguin, and a small bear. I like to think that these toys have become favorites of the kids I’ve given them to, and I was happily delighted when my good friend Shannon told me her little girl can’t get enough of her pink hippo. So much so, she has requested a second in case the first one gets too much love. And maybe a penguin so the hippo has a friend. Since these are fun to knit, I, of course, am happy to oblige.

But first, let me share with you this teddy bear, which I knit for my friend Christine’s little boy. I knitted this stuffed bear, keeping it neutral in colour and adding a little blue scarf to finish it. I thought it was a cute little gift for a very cute little boy.

The thing I like best about knitting these toys is that you can have a lot of fun choosing the colours. They don’t have to be traditional and they don’t have to be expensive. Often I’ll find I have enough yarn in my stash to finish a project, and then it feels good to both create something and use up extra yarn. But of course, shopping for new yarn is always the most fun, as with any project. I’ll be heading to my yarn stash to see what I can find for the Hippo for Chloe, but if nothing strikes my fancy, I might just have to head to my new local yarn shop. 

Ribbit! Ribbit!

Nope, I’m not talking about frogging yet another project (although I do have one that’s just sitting there, asking to be undone). This time I’m talking about an actual frog. Or, more specifically, a knitted frog.

I’ve been on a mission this summer – before I buy any more new yarn, I wanted to try and use up my constantly growing yarn stash. You knitters out there can probably relate. A typical scenario: you’re browsing the yarn store, just to pass the time, telling yourself that you don’t need anything new. Then something catches your eye – a colourful and exciting new yarn! But wait, you don’t have a project in mind, so you don’t know how you’d use it or how much you’d need. Doesn’t matter. You can’t just walk away from it. And then you touch it, and you’re hooked. Somehow you’re already at the cash register, digging in your wallet for your debit card, thinking of a way to hide this new little gem from your husband (if he’s not already with you) when you get home. Yup, that’s generally how it goes.

So, one Saturday afternoon as I sorted through my stash of yarn and half-finished projects tucked away under my bed, I pulled out new balls of yarn that I bought on a whim and have since hidden away. I began to look at them with fresh eyes and wondered again what they could become. And what did I find? A little ball of variegated green yarn, all coiled up and just waiting to be knit. I think at the time I bought it, I had thought to turn it into a scarf and give it as a Christmas present, but that obviously didn’t happen. With only one ball, I had to be creative in thinking what to knit. My first thought? What’s green and small and ribbits? Not leftover moldy cheese in Tupperware, but a frog, of course (was that funny to anyone else but me?!). And wouldn’t you know; my niece had a birthday coming up. And I do love knitting stuffed toys. So, let’s count this stuffed froggy as a win for one less ball of yarn under the bed!

I love seeing kids’ faces when they get something new, and when Ava saw this frog, she smiled and swung it around, a good sign that she liked it. And then her big sister saw it and asked where hers was. I told her that it was Ava’s birthday, but maybe she’d get something for her birthday next February. She promptly put in her request for a pink elephant. And a purple elephant. And the pink one should be bigger than the purple one. Guess I’ve got my next project.

I’m sad to say that I have not successfully accomplished the above summertime mission. I broke down and bought myself some Cascade 200 Heather (my ultimate favorite yarn to knit with) in a gorgeous burnt orange colour (but it was such a good deal!). I am restraining from starting to knit with it, however, until I finish up a few other projects I have on the go, but a knitter can only have so much will power! Plus, with all the fall magazines out on newsstands, I'm sure to be tempted...

To Make: Braided Knit Necklace

As the summer weather takes a turn for the better, with warm air breezes and sunny skies, my knitting needles have been unusually inactive. Where I once had three projects on the go, I have finished two of them and am slowly making my way through the last. All are warm weather sweaters, which will have to wait until fall to be worn, so the urgency isn’t quite there to finish them. (I will be posting about my finished two projects shortly, but I’m having issues with photos for those ones. I need to find just the right light and angle to show them off, but they are coming…eventually.)

In the meantime, I stumbled across this neat little knit necklace and think that this is going to be one of my summer projects. It was just the inspiration I needed to get back on track. I’ll be checking out my stash of yarns to see if I have something that will make this piece stunning…perhaps a grey or silver? Maybe even a two-toned one? These could even make nice Christmas gifts. I know THAT holiday is still a distance away, but crafty gifts take some planning!

And if I don't have any yarn at home, well, it doesn’t call for much, so why not splurge a little? It’s been weeks since I’ve picked out any new yarn….

Diane's Rectangular Sweater

If you know me, you'll know that I always have something on the go, and more often than not, more than one thing. It helps to be working a couple projects to keep the knitting fresh and interesting. Some projects can get a little tedious (knitting is very repetitive, after all), so if I have projects with different levels of complexity, it helps to keep my attention (I can also vary the project by television show/movie, depending on how much I actually need to pay attention).

As of late, I managed to cross off a number of projects that I have had on the go for a while. The first was the sweater for Matt, which I started way back in early spring of last year. Other projects were thrown in there at the same time, including one or two that probably got finished before his, so I had to make finishing his a priority.

Next in line was this project, a lovely mauve sweater for Diane, which was a gift for her birthday in January. I managed to finish it for Easter, a mere three months later, and yes, she knew it was coming. It was a pattern that I knew she was interested in knitting, so while she was visiting for her birthday, Matt and I suggested that she pick out the yarn and I would knit it for her. Being a knitter herself, she knew it would not be a fast process, but I had given myself the Easter weekend as my deadline to finish it.

This pattern was interesting in that the entire front and back were knit as one giant and long rectangle, with slits for armholes knit during the process, and sleeves knit separately and then attached. It was knit it stockinette stitch, which is the most basic of stitches, and because of this, I was able to knit it up quite quickly. I also chose to knit the sleeves at the same time, which gives them a good chance of ending up the same length (a good thing in sweaters, don’t you think?). But because of that, it meant I had to seam them together (something which I’m not terribly good at), which normally I try to avoid, but in this case, I thought it was a better idea. And after piecing everything together, I think it turned out quite nice. At least Diane likes it, and that’s what matters.

Next to post is my grey/teal moss stitch cardigan...

Crafty Find: Eternal Plants

I stumbled across these very clever and beautifully done felted terrariums and loved the complex details but also the simple idea. Plus, I loved that these plants won’t wilt and fade away one day, much like my condo plants seem to. Seeing this first one, I had to do a quick Google search to see what other creations were out floating on the net and I wasn’t disappointed. I found a selection of lovely plants by some crafty people, and also got inspiration to make my own (knit and crochet patterns are readily available online.).

I especially like the old apothecary jars that house these plants; it’s a really nice charming way to display them. And yes, I even think the mushrooms would be something I might make. They are cute to look at, but just gross to eat…  

Zip Up Cardigan - Take Two

You might remember this sweater I knit for Matt about two years ago now. I spent months working on it, ran out of yarn twice, found more online, and finally finished my first zippered cardigan. Matt really liked it and wore it a number of times before it was time to wash it. I made sure to carefully read the washing instructions on the yarn label before putting it on a gentle cycle in cold water in the washing machine. Fast forward to opening the washing machine lid….

I’m sure you can already guess, since I’m writing this blog about a new sweater, that the old one didn’t make it. Yup, all that hard work and months of knitting were washed away in the spin cycle. What happened was when I ran out of yarn, the replacement yarn wasn’t the same kind, and it ended up felting slightly in the wash, in effect shrinking the back and ruining the shape of the sweater. You might say I was kind of bummed.

But that brings us to today, two years later. After frogging the old sweater and picking out new yarn, I have finished, yet again, that exact same sweater (with a different yarn) for a second time. It didn’t take me two years to knit it, but almost a year with other projects mixed in between. The yarn I chose was much more lovely and soft than the first one, so I’m very happy with this finished result. Plus, the techniques I learned on the first sweater meant I was more skilled at putting together the sweater the second time. Needless to say, this one is dry clean ONLY!

And all was not lost with the first sweater. I was able to salvage pretty much all of the yarn and put it towards a new project. In this case, a cabled tote bag for myself that I’ve already started working on. I’ve heard about a lot of crafters that will often head to Good Will to unravel old sweaters and use the yarn for a new project; it’s a great and very creative way to up-cycle.

Finishing up a large project brings both happiness and relief. It means I’m free to start thinking up new projects to work on (you can find a list on the right hand side of the blog with Works in Progress), and I get to see Matt wearing his new sweater (doesn’t he wear it well?), at least once before the warm weather arrives.

Crafty Find: Inked!

Tattoos are a very personal preference. Some love them and love to have lots of them. Others love them just enough to get one or two. Some do not see the appeal at all and can’t imagine why anyone would permanently mark his/her body. I would say I fall into the middle category; I have a couple personal ones, but I’m done and happy with the ones I have.

When I came across these crafty tattoos, it made me think that these people are extremely dedicated to the craft. Having a large knitted mitten that spans most of you back is way more impressive (and permanent) than simply wearing your own knitted mittens, don’t you think? While I’m not too sure I’d go this far to let people know of my affinity for knitting (this blog takes care of that), I thought I’d share some of the ones I came across. I like that some also carry a clever message.

Crafty Find: Yarn Bombing

Have you heard about this? Perhaps you've seen it around town. Maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about! This week’s crafty find is all about yarn bombing.

I stumbled across some great examples when I found this little gem of a site (knithacker), which encouraged me to do a bit more research on the topic. I had seen pictures before on the web that had always peaked my interest, and a quick Google image search will reveal plenty to take a look at. I’ve include a few good ones to whet your appetite, but feel free to follow the link for a bigger collection. They come in all shapes and sizes; some are big undertakings, while others just leave a little piece behind.  

 According to Wikipedia:

“Yarn bombing, yarnbombing, graffiti knitting, guerrilla knitting, or yarnstorming is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. While yarn installations – called yarn bombs or yarnstorms – may last for years, they are considered non-permanent, and, unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but it has since spread worldwide.”

The most recent yarn bomb I’ve seen includes some clever marketing, using a QR code that smart phone users can scan to get more information. I think this is such a great way for artists/crafters to differentiate themselves.

I’m sure there is much more I could share with you on the subject, but I’ll leave you with this last piece of info: June 11th is International Yarn Bombing Day. I’ll be keeping an eye out for some knitted graffiti; perhaps you’ll do the same near you. It might be fun to join in with the spirit of the day and leave a little something behind, too. Looks like I have a bit of time to think about it. Anyone want to plan something together?

Crafty Find: Knitted Chair & Ottoman Covers

Is this not an amazing creation for your home? I stumbled across this item while browsing my usual craft blogs. It's sold on Esty, and if you want one for yourself, she'll knit one to your chair's specifications. Mind you, she's based out of South Africa, so be prepared for some hefty shipping costs.

She also has an ottoman cover to match.

I immediately want to knit one for myself. I don't have a chair in mind, yet, but this would be such a conversation piece in your house. I'm going to add it to my pending project list, which keeps getting bigger.

I love the creativity that crafty people have, and there are certainly a lot of them out there. I've never really of thought of myself a designer but rather a crafter; I don't seem to have that certain creative quality. But I can follow directions and patterns, and I do have a bit of imagination of how to make a project my own. So I really love to see what other people are doing with their talents...and then maybe borrow an idea or two for my own...

A vest for Ronan

My posts of late have been mainly skewed towards food related topics. That’s partly because I do love food – love to cook it, love to eat it - and partly because cooking is faster than crafting sometimes. While I haven’t posted many things about knitting, I am always knitting – in the car, watching TV, on the train… It really is another passion of mine that I sometimes can’t get enough of. I would love to work in a knitting shop where it’s completely OK to knit at work…. Ah, to dream.

While I have several works in progress (WIPs), I do have a finished one that I’ve been meaning to post for ages. It was a gift for our friend’s son who turned this fall. I finished shortly after our trip back from Italy in October (yes, still a little tardy), but I only managed to give it to our friends this week! My biggest concern now is that it will fit him. I did knit it for an 18-24 month old, so hopefully he will get some wear out of it still. I spent a lot of time working on this one, too. While it was a vest I’d made before, the pattern for it was new and a bit more intricate than anything I’ve tried before, but the end result, I think, was this very adorable grey/teal vest (I’m biased, I know…).

Other WIPs at the moment include:

• a blue cabled zip-up sweater for Matt to replace the one that was ruined in the wash (grr….). I’ve only got the two sleeves left to knit up and then sew everything together. With any luck, he’ll have it before the winter is over. 
• a lovely mauve cardigan for Diane for her birthday. She picked out the yarn for the pattern, so she knows I’m working on it currently. This one is a pretty cool pattern, as the front and back is knit as one giant rectangle, with the sleeves knit separately and sewn on after. Depending on how this one turns out, I might have think about knitting one for myself.
• a grey and either teal or white (undecided which colour just yet…) moss-stitch striped cardigan for myself. I had this grey yarn for another project in mind but then found the pattern for this cardigan and decided to give it a try.

I still have the Italian yarn I brought back with me, also, that I simply cannot decide what to do with. I sweat I’ve started 5 different stitches with it by now… I think I just need to be inspired by something. Anyway, that’s my knitting update for you.

A Special Christmas Knitting Project

Where last year I hand-made many of the gifts for our family and friends, this year was quite different. It was probably mostly due to a lack of time on my part, but we also tried to scale back Christmas this year. Instead of exchanging gifts with friends, we enjoyed a good meal and good laughs together. We’re all at a point in our lives were we really just don’t need any more “stuff," and getting together for a potluck dinner is almost preferred.

But there was one gift that I did knit, and it was at the request of one of Matt’s uncles. His daughter has posted a couple times on her own blog (http://littleloghousechronicles.blogspot.com/) of a knitted shawl that she really quite admired, and Ken, knowing that I was a knitter, had asked if I would like to make it for her. Of course I was delighted and said yes immediately. I know Melissa reads my blog, so I was sworn to secrecy until after Christmas.

But this project wasn’t without a few hiccups, let me say. I had to track down the yarn, of which no suppliers in Canada had any in store. So off to search the web I went, and even when I found a place in the US that carried it, she, too, was out of stock. She ordered some in for me and then sent it along, but the ironic thing is that the yarn is actually hand-dyed here in Canada! It took a bit longer than I had anticipated, and with my mailing deadline looming (it had to go all the way to BC), I was really quite anxious for it to arrive so I could get started. Thankfully it arrived about two weeks before I needed to put the parcel in the mail, and my full attention was turned to knitting this shawl up.



I was trying to be creative with my photo...

The project went rather quickly, and I had almost completed the body of the shawl in about two days…until I realized I had made a small error and would need to rip the whole thing out. Sure, the error wasn’t that noticeable, but I couldn’t very well send it out knowing that it was not perfect. So, take two. I completed it correctly this time in the next two days, and now it was on to the leaf detail. This wasn’t all that difficult, but it sure did take some time. At last, it was completed, and after blocking it to make sure the leaves were flat, I was so happy with the finished shawl. I wrapped and shipped it off to BC, and I heard that she was really happy with the gift (Melissa, I’m sure you’ll comment yourself…).

It was a really neat thing to do for both Ken and Melissa, and as this was my first commissioned project, I guess BusyBeeBets is officially in business! This might be a venture I pursue more in the future, but I couldn't resist doing up some labels to attach with the gift. At least she knows where it came from...

Change is good!

There have been some changes in our little household over the last view months, and unfortunately, these changes seem to have adversely affected my blogging time. You may have noticed that posts have been somewhat sporadic and sparse (I probably think more about it than you…), but I’m back in the saddle, baby, and ready to blog again.

But a little more about these changes, for those who might not know. At the end of August, my company decided to do some restructuring, and in the process, felt I was no longer a necessary part of that team. Bummer, right? The adjustment to being unemployed, however, really wasn’t all the difficult, as my work-at-home job was currently in the slow season. So instead of getting up each morning and following the same routine (gym, shower, eat, answer emails), I now just did the same without having the pesky work part involved. Needless to say it was a complete shock to be let go, but honestly,  I didn't mind the extra free time I was about to have. 

Being unemployed meant I now had a LOT more free time on my hands, and the couch and crappy/mindless TV became my new caffeine addiction. I got a lot of knitting time in, plus a lot of napping, but there always seemed like a good reason not to look for a job. Sure, I was updating my resume and casually searching online for new opportunities, but I don't think I was quite in a hurry to get back into the workplace. Also, we had our honeymoon approaching in just a few months, so really, I thought I’d start looking much more seriously after that. But the sitting on the couch being lazy Beth also didn’t give me much motivation to blog…

I’m happy to say, just 3 months later, I am again gainfully employed with a great company in a new and exciting industry. This one is a full day of office work, the 9-6 type of gig, which, I’m not going to lie, is taking some getting used to, but I think . Before I had the luxury of finishing up work early (and starting late, not to mention almost the entire summer off) and could easily find time to prepare some delicious yet time consuming meals for dinner. This is probably my biggest challenge of the change – less time at home. But some planning ahead has proven to be a useful tool and our dinners thusfar have not suffered. I mean, sure, sometimes we don't eat until 7:30....

And it’s not that I have a lack of things to blog from my time off; I’ve been knitting, baking, and cooking up a storm! Now it’s just trying to find the time to tell you all about it, because I’m sure you all want to know about my buttermilk biscuits, apple-smoked pork chops, not to mention carrot oatmeal muffins! And that’s just a start….

Viva Italia Yarn!

Matt and  I just got back from a wonderful two week honeymoon in Italy. It was by far the best vacation I've been on, and Italy had lots to offer. I'd be lying if I said we didn't partially pick Italy because of it's very attractive and delicious food, but the sights we saw were equally as wonderful. 


I'll be sharing more of said food and gelato and coffee in coming posts, but I'd be remiss if I didn't post something on the Italian wool I picked up in Florence. Prior to leaving for Italy, I finished reading the sequel to Friday Night Knitting Club, in which some of the club take a trip to Italy. I didn't know this when I started the book, so it was a nice surprise and made me look forward to our trip even more. Of course, when they mentioned knitting and the yarn in Italy, I thought I should do a bit of research to see if there were any good shops in the cities we would be visiting. 


Turns out there was. I had read about a little shop by the Duomo, and after a quick bite to eat one afternoon, we stopped in to see what their selection was like, and to see what an Italian wool store compared with ours back home. It was a nice little store, and the selection was pretty good. Most of the yarns didn't have labels on them, so I didn't necessarily know what I might be purchasing, but there was a lot to choose from. And the prices... really unbelievable! We got to the store about 12.30, just a few minutes before their afternoon closing, so luckily we didn't have to come back (I think Canada should adopt the afternoon seista closing hours!). 

My eye was immediately drawn to this lovely grey yarn; the different shades intertwined together I thought made such a great find, and the sign said only 1.50 Euros/50 grams. Not sure how much one ball would weigh, I took it up to the sales clerk to ask. Turns out, each one is only 50 grams, so I picked up three in the hopes of knitting myself my very own Italian...something or other. I limited myself to only three balls, but in hindsight, at that price, I should have picked up way more (you know my history of running out of yarn, afterall...). 

Along with the yarn, I noticed a big Italian fashion trend for bulky sweaters, scarves, and hats, for both men and women, and found this to be quite interesting and great for inspiration. I snapped a few photos to bring home for later use. You can see that grey is the IT colour for fall.  

Upon returning home, I had ideas of a cabled scarf similar to those I'd seen in the window displays, but my first attempt told me this wasn't the yarn for that (on revisiting that attempt, I think the needles were too small). My next thought was to knit a plain vest pullover, but after knitting several rows of that, I quickly realized I wouldn't have enough yarn to complete the project. So, idea number three is currently on the go: a moss-stitch scarf. I know, not the most exciting, but when I wrap it around my neck on a cold winter's day, I'll remember our time in Italy. 

I Heart Vest

I think I've finally managed to knit a piece of clothing for myself that I actually like! It wasn't actually love at first sight, but now I truly "heart" this vest, due mainly in part to the very neat 'button' I picked up yesterday. Without it, the vest wasn't quite complete, and I had been on the hunt for just the right button since I completed this vest over a month ago. 

The original pattern called for a round button with a button hole knit in, which still might have looked good, but I opted for a pin type button so that it would be interchangeable if I happen to find another one I like. I saw this one yesterday while I was at Romni and thought it was just what I was looking for. And when I put it on this morning, well, perfection! I had tried the vest on before with a simple white shirt and jeans, before I had the button, but something about it didn't seem quite right, and I was honestly wondering if I had knit yet another piece of clothing that I was probably not ever going to wear. But it turns out, after putting it on this morning, I really quite like the look of it! It might be the stripped sweater I have underneath it, but I think this vest has potential. It's a keeper. 

And the best part about this vest? It was almost absolutely free! Thanks to the generosity of Diane, my mother-in-law, the yarn hoarder. I think she told me that she bought this yarn a long while ago to knit something up for herself and then just never got around to it. If you're a knitter, you've probably done something very similar and have a yarn stash of your own. I try my best to make sure I have a project in mind when I buy yarn, but sometimes you pass a sale and think you simply have to have that yarn! It might get knit into something some day... or it might get passed along to someone else... thanks, Diane! 

Should it stay or should it go... ?

Sometimes you knit something and it looks wonderful and fits just perfectly. Other times, not so much. This was the case with a sweater I knit for myself about a month ago. The yarn was a great deal, and with my excitement to get started, I decided to knit up just a very simple short-sleeved pullover. There were no real design elements, and partly the reason I decided on a simple stitch was so that it didn't take much thinking as I worked away. It worked up really quickly, especially working in the round and having no seams to sew up afterwards. But after blocking and shaping, then trying it on, I wasn't convinced it was the sweater for me, and the idea of 'frogging' it out bounced around my head...even after the hours of knitting. 

On the hanger, it looks really nice, and others have said the same. My mom gave me the great idea to even roll the sleeves to give it a different look, which I really liked! But on me, the person, well, I'm not convinced that it looks that great, and since I will be the one wearing it, well, it should probably fit me properly and I should feel comfortable in it. Part of the problem might have been that I knit the wrong size (I never knit a gauge swatch as EVERY pattern recommends...maybe I should start...). Even though the measurements were the same as mine in the pattern, they probably didn't work out that way...hence why you knit a swatch. I'll learn one of these days. 

So, the question is, should it stay or should it go? I mean, I enjoy knitting a lot, so the fact that I get to start a new project without having to purchase any more yarn is a big plus. And, essentially, the sweater I knit is kind of like my gauge swatch, so now I also know that I have to knit a bigger size, so that's also a huge plus. And lately with my projects I've been taking on more challenging designs and patterns (more on those in later posts), so this would give me a chance to experiment more. Hmm... lots of pluses to start frogging, don't you think? 

On another note, I also knit up a really cute hat to match the sweater. I had been looking forever for a pattern for a similar hat I received as a gift from Matt on Valentine's day, and finally found a free one! It had everything I was looking for - cables and a brim. You can't really see the cables in this picture, but they run around hat and add a really nice look to the entire thing. It's been done for a while, so now to just wait for the colder weather to get here to wear it out (don't worry, I'm not really in a huge rush for that. Sometimes I just wear it around the condo for fun anyway....). I won't be frogging this one any time soon. If anything, I might have to knit up a few more in a variety of colours to match all my other sweaters. Now, that would keep me busy for a while! 

Stuffed Bear for Baby Mia

Good friends of ours recently had their second child (the wife is a blogger, too! She blogged about her experience with her second pregnancy, and how she felt about going from one to two). They delivered a beautiful little girl named Mia Elizabeth Ann (and from one Elizabeth Anne to another, that's a great name...).

We had to drop by to introduce ourselves, and we couldn't come empty handed, after all. I had just put the finishing touches on this little bear, and while note completely girlish, it would make a nice gift. We also made a loaf of lime yogurt bread, something for the parents to enjoy. Sounds like a lot of people do baking as gifts, because they certainly had an assortment of treats to serve us.

The photo doesn't really do the bear justice - it does have some bright and vibrant colours from the variegated yarn I used, but I couldn't quite get a shot I liked. Plus, the lighting in our kitchen is not that great.

Shortly after we left we received an email from the couple with this photo: looks like the eldest might have already gotten his hands on it...

A finished pair!

Way back in November of last year, I set out to make a pair of socks. I made one, and it turned out great. I then was so enticed by knitting in the round and finally mastering my double pointed needles that I moved on to knitting mittens and the second sock just never got made (I guess I could always say I lost it in the dryer...). At the time, I had picked up enough yarn to make two different pairs of socks, so when a friend's birthday came due, I thought I'd finally get around to making that second pair of socks. Of course, I tried to make them on a deadline, and well, that never seems to work out well for me. But I did finally finish them this past weekend, so I'll be giving them a little wash and putting them in the mail.  

The great thing about the sock yarns are that they are often self-patterning, which means all you have to do is knit and knit and watch the pattern unfold before your eyes. I find this the most exciting thing about these yarns, and keeps knitting, which is a very repetitive motion, interesting and fresh. These grey and black ones turned out really lovely, and will keep your little feet nice and toasty. However, one turned out a little longer than the other, but this taught me a very important thing about knitting, and its something I NEVER do (partly because I'm a tad lazy).

All patterns tell you take time to check your gauge, and I do not (partly because I'm stubborn, partly because I'm just too darn anxious to get started on the project). But that little skipped step has bit me in the tush this time around. I knitted the first sock while measuring all the way, making sure that the sock came out the right size. I then looked at how many rows to an inch the first sock turned out (which is technically what checking your gauge is), and for the second sock to finish the pair, instead of measuring, I just counted the rows. Well, I guess my math and/or measuring is not that great, because not only did the second sock come out a tad bigger than the first, I also ran out of yarn! (I am certain that I am now cursed with this sad fact for the rest of my knitting career...) Luckily, I had a bit of black in my yarn stash and I was able to finish off the last little bit of the toe in a solid colour...whew! I have certainly learned my lesson.... isn't it great what we learn from trial and error?

Frogging is Fun!!

I think it's really great when I can learn something from my friends who read this blog (thanks, Jess, for sharing the tip on Frogging!). I have also since learned the origin of the term - since you're essentially ripping out the yarn, row by row, the "rip it, rip it" reflects the sound a frog makes! How clever, us knitters are, eh?

In any case, I happily frogged the striped grey sweater (once you start, there really is no going back...), which took a WHOLE lot less time than actually knitting it up... and then I found just the prefect little sweater to knit up, and basically, I've been working on that non-stop for the past two weeks, taking a break only to finish up the knitted dress for Ava.

And now, I'm happy to say, it's finished. And I love it! It's now a sweater that I can wear out and that I think looks decent (I say decent, because I think I made it a bit too short, but I'll just put a tank on underneath or something). This was knit completely in the round with ZERO seams to sew up (something that often takes a lot of time), and casting off and then on again, you create the two arm holes. There is even a nice little detail at the top of a few small pleats, which I think really adds a nice touch. And since there isn't a front or a back, you never have to worry about putting it on backwards!

Since the striped pattern is uneven (the light gray has a wider stripe), I was left with extra of the dark gray yarn, so now I might have to make an accompanying piece. Not quite sure what yet, and I have been tempted to pick up an additional blue/teal colour in the same texture, so that might be my next project. All my major projects seem to be wrapping up, so it's time to move on to something else! Ah, the possibilities...

A Rainbow Summer Dress for Ava

If you remember back a few weeks ago now(It's the little things in life...), I had just picked up a great new ball of colourful yarn that I was very excited to start knitting. I began work immediately...and then ran out of yarn (I really should plan better, eh?). So, back to the yarn store I went to pick up another yarn to finish off the project, but in the meantime, I had gotten involved in other knitting projects, as is often the case. So, even though I now had the yarn to finish the project, it sort of just sat there as I continued working on other things.

But there was a looming time line to get this finished (this past weekend), so I had to turn my attention to it and just finish off those last few darn rows. It really didn't take any time at all, and now that lovely little ball of yarn, I am happy to report, has turned into a sweet little jumper for our niece Ava, who turns 1 in July. 

This was a pattern I had previously knit for another friend, but decided this time to knit it in the round to avoid having to sew up any side seams (it's a great little sun dress for girls, and I like to keep it in my repertoire. If you change up the yarns, it's a whole new dress each and every time!). The only thing I didn't count on, however, is that you have to then knit the front and back portions separately, and using the variegated yarn, well, that presented me with a slight issue of being able to match the colours. But in the end, I figured it wouldn't really matter all that much. If you look at the pictures below, you'll notice the slight difference at the top of dress between the front and the back, but I think this also makes it unique and one of a kind.

I really like the versatility of this dress - in the summer you can wear it with a short sleeved top, and in the winter, pair it with tights and a long sleeved shirt. I think the only downside is that you have to hand wash this dress, (sorry Erin!) which in future versions, I might aim to avoid.

I know have almost a full ball of this yarn left over, so I'll be thinking about what I can knit with that. I really loved the rainbow effect, and part of the reason this dress knit up so quickly is simply because I couldn't put it down! I was so excited to see how the colours evolved that I had to keep going. That's the part of knitting that I really love...

It's all unravelling...

I finished up a project last summer (look at that wonderful tan!!), spending many hours knitting at the cottage and during our long car rides to and fro. Well, to be honest, I don't think I've actually put it on and worn it out. It's not that I don't like how it turned out, because I do. It's warm and cozy, but I just don't think it quite works for me. Of course, when I put it on to show people what I mean, they say it looks just fine, even cute. But I know myself that if I haven't worn it in a year, I'm probably not going to wear in the next year (it's kind of like cleaning out your closet...just pull the band aid off already, and forget about it!) But I love the yarn, and so I am very tempted to just unravel the entire thing and start fresh on a new project. And I know that once I pull out that first row, there's no going back!

The original pattern is from Americo, a really great little knitting shop on Queens St. They have some really fabulous yarns, and a lot of really creative and unique patterns that the owner designs and knits to display in her store (the catch, of course, is that you have to buy the yarn in order to get the pattern). The picture to the right is what the original pattern looked like finished.

It was actually really neat how you knit it: first, you start by knitting a long rectangle, which you then folded lengthwise to create the arms and the back (stitching together equal seams on each side to create the sleeve). Then, using circular needles, you pick up and knit in a giant circle, over and over again, to create the wrap portion around the front and back. It did take some time to work it up, but it was pretty cool to see how it all came together finally. I may not be describing it very well, but you might be able to see what I mean from my finished sweater in the picture. I used two different colours of grey to create a striped pattern, thicker on the back, thinner along the front. It was a great colour combination, too, so I know I'll like whatever it turns into next.

Now, don't try to talk me out of it - I've pretty much made up my mind. Besides, what fun is knitting a project that you're not going to wear? All that time plus the lovely yarn would just sit in my closet. So, I'll shed a single tear as I unravel it all, and then move on to something else that I know I'll enjoy knitting and wearing. Now, the questions is, what?!