Clara's Vesty

I finally finished the vest I started back in July. It kept getting put on hold so I could knit more pressing things and then at the end I just was so SICK of it I couldn't knit it. I could barely look at it. However I can look at it all I want now, because it is done done done. Clara seems to love it. She has an eighties sense of style as it is, so pair this little vest with some leg warmers and a jean skirt and she is golden. I added a couple applique knit hearts for flair. 

Next up is a scarf for the husband. He asked for one--how could I say "no"? It's a cabled scarf in brown, orange, mustard and light gray. More on that later.

freezer paper stencils

Yesterday I co-hosted a baby shower for my friend Becky. I am not a big fan of shower games, so we opted to do a group craft instead. We stenciled onesies, side-snap shirts, and burp cloths. They turned out very cute and I have had a lot of positive feedback on them. I'm going to lay out what I did for anyone interested.

1. Buy freezer paper. This is harder than it sounds. I finally found it at Ace Hardware. Also buy baby clothes you want to stencil. And fabric paints. And brushes. I used little silicon cupcake liners as paint cups.

2. Do an image search for stencil ideas. I would search things like "butterfly silhouette" to get just an outline for a stencil. Once I had all the images I needed, I put them on PowerPoint slides and cut the freezer paper to 8.5" x 11" and printed them. (Note: print on the non-waxy side to prevent smearing.) Next time I will print in a light gray instead of a black. My fingers got pretty dark from working with them.

3. Get out your cutting mat and an X-acto knife and cut out the stencils. Carefully!

4. Iron the waxy side onto your clothing until it sticks. Don't use steam.

5. Paint in a couple light layers, let dry, and say a little prayer for no smudging as you tear your freezer paper off. Ta-da!

I hope that helps someone out there in cyberspace! I always wonder if anyone is actually reading this blog...doesn't really matter; I like talking to myself. 

otto's boots

My next project is a pair of felted boots for each of the kids for Christmas. Starting with Oliver's chunky feet.


I am attempting a completely homemade Christmas for my family this year. Traditionally I get the kids a pair of shoes for Christmas, so this year I am knitting them. The pattern is knitting up quickly. It looks like it will take a lot of seaming, which stinks, as I am not a sewer, I am a knitter! Oh well. I am a bit worried about felting them in my front loader, too. I hope it doesn't take too long.

I scored the boot kit for free at Needlework Unlimited. If you spend an obscene amount of money there, you get $20 in free merchandise, and guess what? I spent that obscene amount and used my $20 on this boot kit. Once finished, they should look like this:


Here's hoping.

more baby goods

For real, my friends are getting knocked up left and right, so there are plenty of opportunities for itty bitty projects. I love them because I have a very limited attention span. I keep contemplating a sweater for myself but I am worried I will give up halfway because I get bored using the same yarn and needles for longer than a week. Still, I think there is an owl sweater that is calling my name...more on that after Christmas. 

I scored this newborn sundress in a clearance section for $5. My friend is having a baby shower on Tuesday and lives in the South. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of summer clothes on the racks these days. Anyway, I was lucky and found this cute dress that was begging for a shrug and I happened to have the right color yarn just waiting for me. The shrug is washable wool, but I figure it will work fine for the chill of the AC on hot days...right? I had to add a little felt and button flower. It's all about accents, I am told.

In other knitting news, the capitan hat is still torturing me. What do I do with it? I might just have to reknit it with smaller needles to see if that makes me happier. I hate giving a gift when I am not 100% sure it is perfect.

Capitan

I finished my great-aunt's Christmas gift. It's a newsboy style hat called El Capitan. I hope she likes it. She requested a similar one that was crocheted in China. Um, hello! I will knit you a better one (and save myself some moolah in the process). Only problem: it is a bit on the large size. I went up a half size on the needles and I guess the yarn must be bulkier than the one called for in the pattern, but the end result is very loose on me. I have a smallish head, so I can only hope she has a largish one. I may sew some elastic on the inner back edge of the hat to tighten it up. That will probably improve the look overall anyway. There will be a matching cabled cowl with matching vintage (looking) brooch buttons. I wish someone would knit me a set!

oh sweet booties

I want to lick them, they are so sweet. Maybe not lick, but you get the point. I think my baby girl set has turned out adorable! I can't wait for the shower to give it to her. Now I just need to order a couple matching cloth diapers and it is done. 

Saartje's booties is a genius pattern. Knit on straight needles, you don't know if it is ever going to look like a bootie until--voila!--suddenly it is one.

Oh, I love them. Squish, squish. 

Berry Hats for Becca

Double post today - whoa. Slow down, Kristy.

I've been meaning to post my berry hat pictures. These turned out cute. 

Funky birthday

I am in a knitting funk this week. Cue the whiny voice: I just don't feel like it. Waah. 

That's the thing with knitting; it takes you so far and then leaves you high and dry before enamoring you all over again. Unfortunately I must plug on in this marriage of yarn and needles because Christmas is a'coming and gifts aren't going to knit themselves. 

On another note, Clara, my baby girl, is turning three years old next week. It is so cliche, but time really does go quickly when you have kids. I remember waiting and waiting, as she was five days overdue, sitting on the couch with my feet up, watching TV and knitting itty bitty cloth diaper covers and longies for her. Those five days felt  an eternity, as anyone overdue with a baby will attest. I do believe they were much longer than the next three years would be. Here are some samples of the hand knit lovin' I have bestowed on my girl in her first year of life.

Newborn Clara:

Sleeping with the daisies:

St. Patrick's Day shorties:

Rose soaker:

Crankypants knock-offs (these were actually for someone else but I love them so had to include them): 

First birthday longies:

Happy birthday, Little Bear! You are a spunky little thing and I love it. 

Lacy Dress/Tunic Thing: DONE

It's finished! It's finished! I blocked it last night and it looks so cute! A little side note, but blocking is so important. What good is knitting a beautiful project if it looks all wonky and crooked when you are finished? Just get it wet, pin it to a big towel, and let it dry. Then you will have a perfect finished project. Plus, you can tell everyone that you had a block party the night before. (that joke is courtesy of Ben). 

I was starting to think it might never get done, but lo and behold, it did. I think I will stick to projects on larger needles; size three is just kind of torturous. I am wishing I had picked a different green. The olive is a bit murky all knit up. Oh well, no going back now. I need to get some buttons for the back still, too.

My next project is a couple of fruit hats for a friend. Ann Norling's pattern is very smart and satisfying. My agenda is one little raspberry and one little blueberry. 

Those should be a piece of cake to whip up this week and then I will go back to my size three needles for a little pair of mary jane booties.