Sunday, December 30, 2012

Some Baby Knitting

Knitting items for babies is quite satisfying. They are usually simple patterns, that are quick to finish. I like making baby things when I want to make a quick project that will still be quite useful.
I had posted about a few free patterns here and I had the chance to make two of them:
 

The Owlie Sleep Sack and Owlie Hat:
Yarn: Mary Maxim Mellowspun Solids
Needle Size: U.S. 9 (5.5mm) circs
Pattern Source: Sleep Sack and Hat are both free patterns

 Close-up of the owl pattern
 
I really enjoyed knitting both of these pieces, and the sleep sack was perfect for knitting in class. The stockinette stitch was easy to do and I was able to get it finished quickly. 

Monday, December 24, 2012

Socks!

I have had these socks on my needles since August. I had started them off with the intention of finishing them rather quickly, but then Christmas knitting came around and I haven't had the time to finish them up until now. They are part of my Sock Knitting Master Class Challenge.
 
Terpander:
Yarn:
Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Brown
Needle Size: Size 1 (2.25mm) DPNs
Pattern Source: Sock Knitting Master Class
 

 
I think they turned out beautifully, but I hated doing them. The pattern was well written and easy to follow ... but ... I hate knitting cables, and this pattern involved a LOT of cables.
 
 
The next pair of socks that I made have a bit of a story attached to them. In the summer, I asked my sisters what they wanted me to knit them for Christmas, and my youngest sister said she wanted a dog pencil case. I was so proud of myself when I finished that project early and I didn't need to rush to get it done. Then a few weeks before Christmas she told me she would love another pair of socks. Ugh. I did not think I would have time to knit up a pair of socks on top of everything else I had to get done. But it kept bugging me... so 1 week before Christmas I started knitting a pair of socks. I chose a simple pattern (with no cables!) that I thought would knit up quickly. And I managed to knit the socks in 3 days. Unbelievable.
 
Christmas Miracle Socks:
Yarn:  Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Purple
Needle Size: U.S. size 2 ( 2.75 mm) DPNs
Pattern Source: Solar Flair in Simply Knitting 94, June 2012

 
I think they turned out great and they only had two repeats for the pattern, so it was easy to memorize. I had a few problems with the pattern, and I have listed them on my Ravelry project page for future reference.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmas Ornaments

I started my own Christmas tradition last year. I hand-make a pair of ornaments and I keep one for myself and give one to my mom.
 
This year I found a great cross-stitch chart for a snowflake on Keeping Things Simple. I bought some 3" wood hoops from Michaels and painted them red. I used some twine instead of ribbon to hang them up.
 
 
I think they came out so cute. I love both color combinations but I think I like the blue and pink the best!
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Cute Photos

With Christmas right around the corner, take a second to enjoy some cuteness!
 







 
 
 



Cross-Stitching


A friend asked me to make her a Christmas present for her to give to her boyfriend. She then showed me the pattern for this:



 
I had no idea what it was, until she explained that it was her boyfriend's favorite TV show.
 
It was hard work finding the original pattern for this (she had sent me a photo of a finished project), but I persevered and eventually came across a Tumblr account she's a carnival that had the pattern. My friend wanted the words changed, but other then that, I followed the pattern.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Baby Knits

I love knitting baby things. They are quick to make and just oh so cute!I have just been told that there will be a new baby in my family, so I am just really over-the-top excited. And of course what is the first thing I do when I find out someone is expecting? I go to Ravelry and start favoriting patterns of course.
 
Here are a few of the patterns I found (all free!).
 
Owlie Sleep Sack from Comfort Wool.
 
Owlie Hat from Comfort Wool (to go with the sleep sack of course!)
 
 
 
 
 
Baby Iselle's Blankey at Knit 1 LA
 
Those are some of the great patterns I found after a quick search. I absolutely love Ravelry!
 
Happy Knitting!
 
 
 


Monday, December 3, 2012

A Quick Knit

Just popping in to show you a fabulous pattern I was able to whip up in a couple of hours. If you are looking for some last minute gifts to make, this has to be the pattern for you.
 
 
 
Flower Headband:
Needle Size: US 7 (4.5mm)
Pattern Source: The Whitney Headband (a free pattern!)
 
The pattern includes a link to a free pattern for the flower to crochet and attach to the headband. The flower took me a while to figure out, since I don't do much crochet, but it turned out great. I would definitely recommend this pattern.