Some quilts and other things

Well, for a break today from statistics and all things boring, I'm posting some delayed quilting.

First up, a butterfly quilt for a friend having her first baby girl. Samir and I made this jointly in a crazy sewing session that lasted about four hours, the morning of my friend's baby shower (this is likely why the pictures are not ideal-- I seem to remember being quite late and needing to run to take a shower, and saying "come on! take it! got to go!"). There's nothing like a deadline to get you going! I liked it particularly because it wasn't too "baby". The back is just the butterfly fabric and it comes through nicely in the second picture. I would have like to angle it, but unfortunately this was just some scrap fabric my mom had lying around so I had to make do with less than I would need to do so.



This quilt I probably made two years ago now (yikes!) and although I distinctly recall taking pictures of it myself, I have never been able to find the pictures. So, we'll have to settle with glimpses available in pictures my friends have taken of their kids where the quilt makes an appearance. It's a lovely little ladybug fabric with red, white, and black, originally made for friends' first baby, but happily used extensively for friends' second baby. I loved this quilt because the cottons I used ended up being super soft. It was considerably larger than the quilt above ("toddler bed" or "crib size" in quilting terms), so took awhile. I was sad to part with it because it was my biggest quilt made to date, but my sadness quickly turned to sheer delight when I saw my friends actually used it. (As I'm sure you knitters can share in, the most heartbreaking part of gifting handmade items is if the recipient does not use the gift. Samir also sews quite a lot but refuses to sew any gifts because of this problem.)


In other happy, artsy things, my sister painted this mailbox for my parents. I love it!


Finally, I thought some of you (not HEB) would appreciate this. Awhile ago we foster parented some adorable, adorable kittens that were abandoned by their stray mother after being powerwashed. My mom found them while out canvassing for some election, and we took care of them for a few weeks until they could eat on their own. They were so sweet! (Like I said, sorry, HEB). They generally cozied up to any and all yarn available. Here, two of them decided to snuggle with a baby blanket I was in the middle of knitting. Unfortunately the intended recipient had a bad cat allergy, so I ended up knitting a new gift for that friend and giving this to someone else.

knitting and other happy-making things

I've sent off a few handknits in the last week or so, so I figured I should also post them to the blog. The first package included this hat: Foliage, in Plucky Knitter cashmere fingering weight in Rustica.
I worked the hat with two strands of the yarn on US 6s. Hat mods here. The matching wristwarmers were knit with one strand on US 4s. (Details here on adapting the hat pattern to wristwarmers.)
As with many lovely yarns, I struggled to capture its color but think that the first shot of the wristwarmers probably gets it the best. As far as cashmere yarns go, I think this one is a great value, since this whole set used less than 1.5 skeins (hat: less than 1 skein; wristwarmers: less than 0.5 skeins).

On EW's orders, I am posting two non-knitting, but happy-making things to the blog. First up: flannel pajama pants that my mom made me. The fabric is Amy Butler flannel from Stitchers Crossing. She was working off a pattern, but, apparently, they were turning out odd so she basically winged it. I am so happy for cool nights when I can wear these. (They have shrunk a little in the wash since this photo, but that's all for the best.)
And my new fall bag, which is what came of having too many lovely birthday gifts.
I hope you all have time for knitting and other happy-making things!

Black and White

I finished the white linen lace sweater I started in January, just in time for summer. I coudn't work on it during the blizzards. The yarn was totally unforgving - no stretch - and I'm not totally happy with it. The judges at the county fair gave it a second place - calling it equisite but "a shame there are mistakes". There was some short row shaping in the shoulders I'm not sure I got right, but also a few places whre I picked up dropped stiches tha they may have been referring too - with the stiff yarn you couldn't really even out the stitches after picking up stitches up the ladder.

I'm happier with the black short sleeved cardigan, though it's a little too small in the sleeves. I used the 60/40 cashmere/merino yarn I bought the Atlantic Expo I attended in Baltimore two years ago with a vintage pattern from Interweave magazine.

My current project is a wool pullover of Jasper by Berroco - body finished and working on the sleeves. I'm also looking for some Malabrigo yarn and pattern I saw in Interweave. I ordeed the pattern on-line but it was backordered. I bought some Noro silk/wool Garden Party yarn for it, but I don't think it's quite right. I may return it if I can get the Malabrigo on line after the pattern comes.

Ishbel and an Injection of Color

Ishbel in Plucky SMF, Nora Charles (rav link)

A little neck warmer/shawlette for my Mom's birthday. (Shh, don't tell.) 

Also, spy that bit of orange in the upper left?  Yep, I sewed myself some new curtains!  I remember why I quit sewing back in college (oh my god, the inexplicable behavior of thread!  STOP GETTING TANGLED, THANKS.), but I love these curtains so much!!    They have brightened up my living room amazingly.

Another Quicky Baby Sweater

This was for a baby shower for a young colleague. I posted it earlier, but she sent me the picture recently of baby Will wearing the sweater, which should still fit next winter. It was knit with two skeins of knitpick sock yarn. I like the way the zigzags (or lightening bolts) appeared.
My main project now is to finish the white linen summer sweater while it's still summer -I'm on the sleeves and will post soon, I hope.

Stranded knitting, how I love thee

Progress on my transition gloves!   Rav link.  

I keep being amazed at how quickly these knit up, but I guess knitting on 3s instead of 1s really does make a difference.  (The stranding definitely helps too.)  I've loosened my gauge up a bit for this second glove, which is good.  They'll both still benefit from a blocking, but the first seemed a little overly stretched in places and I think this one is just more even over all. 

I'm a little worried about running out of the brown, since the directions called to finish the hand 1 inch BELOW where your knuckles start.  This is clearly crazy, and I knit up several inches past my knuckles.  It may just mean I have to do the thumbs in teal, and that might be pretty awesome, so I'm not too worried. 

Genmaicha Rav link.

I realized I never showed off these quick mitts.   They're one of the very first patterns heb and I got as a companion to our yarn membership, and I've been wanting to make a pair for a couple of years.  When heb wanted to get rid of this lovely shade of pink (I know, I'm horrified too you guys), I knew just who would appreciate it.  These were fun, a quick waffle rib on the wrist and pretty easy cables along the hands.  I had to decrease the total number of stitches to account for my loose knitting, which worked out totally fine.  However, I forgot to do the same for the thumb, so they ended up being all huge.  I did some k2togs to take them in a bit, but that turned out a little weird as well.  They're recipient claims she likes 'em though, so I think it worked out ok.

The Never Ending Knitting

Honeybee Stole

I thought I'd share the project that's been taking up most of my knitting time these days.  Eventually it's going to be a lovely, amazing scarf/stole thing, but in the meantime, it's tons and tons of fiddly lace knitting.  Not that I mind, but I'm halfway through the central pattern and then there are two more large pattern pieces for both sides of the shawl that I'll have to do.  Hence, the never ending. 

 Transition Gloves

I did finally come to terms with this and cast on for a pair of fingerless gloves I've been craving for ages.  I'm using Plucky "Mallard" and ShibuKnits brown.  The Shibu yarn is a bit thinner than the Plucky MCN, but I think it'll be ok.  I also decided to actually use the needles suggested, given my discovery that I knit less loosely when doing colorwork than when working with one color alone.  It seems to be working (and also seems to be knitting up so quickly!) so I'm feeling good about it at the moment.

I am anticipating a lot of baby knits in the near future, so if anyone has a blanket or other item that's been a particular hit, I'd love to hear about it.  (or be reminded, if it's already on the blog.)  The umbilical cord hat is definitely on the list, as soon as I can find my SNB.