Running With Scissors

Craft Success!

Baby hats are the ultimate self-esteem project. They're small, cute, and generally easy so you are almost guaranteed knitting success.  I needed a lot of self-esteem, so I made six of these hats (Greenleaf Baby Hat on Ravelry) for my cousins who have new babies. So far, only three new second cousins (is that right?) in the last few months, with one still in the oven.

But I have faith that the other hats will be needed sooner rather than later. My mom had eight brothers and sisters who produced thirty-something (every time I try to figure out exactly how many I get a different number, so I've given up) first cousins. I'm the second to the oldest (Kim's number 1!) and the youngest is Elizabeth, who is 20ish (younger than Casey!). That is a whole lot of cousins still in the baby producing years.

I started making the baby hats for my cousin's kids with Emily's Christian in 2007 and I think I've made around ten. It only recently occurred to me to start stockpiling, but i think it's a brilliant plan. If there's one thing you can count on, it's Irish Catholic families expanding.

This is the little hats packaged up. I've upgraded from my beloved Ziplocs to treat bags and polka dot tape. From my vast scrapbooking stash I pulled out some material and made little cards to go along with the hats. And since I'm planning ahead, I made ten!

Wrote the yarn content and washing instructions on the back. Still didn't make a visible dent in the stash, but I can dream, can't I?

I also finally finished some socks for my friend Wendi. She bought the yarn a year ago and I knit one sock and then forgot about them.

They are superwash wool and poly-somewordwithalotofsyllables and they are a lot bluer than this really bad photo. Very thick and fluffy.

I made Wendi a little tag too.

 

Googly Eyes Make Everything Better

Baby hats by their very nature are cute. Teeny, tiny is essentially adorable. But sew on a pair of googly eyes . . .

 

and voila! Really, really cute. And kind of dorky. But still cute.  And look! Duck feet:

Here's the Ducky pattern if you want to knit up your own flock. 

And even more googly eyes on this brain-eating monster:

I have four (yes four!) cousins who are expecting little bundles of joy in the next few months, so I'm busy knitting my little fingers to the bone and I had to try out a couple of new patterns.  Here's the Brainmonster Hat Pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

Better Than A Plastic Bag

After spending yet another fun-filled half hour sorting through my Zip-loc bag full of double pointed knitting needles in order to compile a complete set of number fours -- so I could, like, actually knit something -- I caved and decided to make my own needle holder.

I looked at a bunch of tutorials (here's a pretty complete list) and just kind of winged it. Basically, you put two pieces of fabric together, with some batting in between, and fold one end up to make a pocket and sew. I added the little flap on top so the needles don't come flying out and some inopportune moment and bound the edges because I like binding.  Instead of a ribbon I used a button and a hair band to close it.

Easy peasy.

Is there anything cuter . . .

than a baby in a bunny hat?

 

Okay, maybe a bunny hatted baby sticking his tongue out at you!

These are the hats that I made last month.

It's so fun to see handknits in action!

Yes, More Knitting

Because I have been trying to spend a few hours a day at the rehab center with my mom, my quilting time has taken a hit (so has my writing, gardening, cooking, and cleaning time -- at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Fortunately, I suppose, knitting is easy to do while visiting.

These hats (is it just me, or is the term chemo cap just icky?) are for a dear friend whose two sisters and mother are all being treated for cancer. Yes, three family members simultaneously -- gee, who does that sound like? Anyway, I hope these make them feel a little better.

This is a free pattern from Elann (I'll look it up if anyone wants it) and I used Rowan Calmer yarn for the green hat and Elann Esprit for the other two. The Esprit is the yarn called for in the pattern, but I much prefer the Calmer -- it's a thicker, softer, nicer yarn, but it is also about three times more expensive. 

Baby Bunny Hats

Sorry about the grouchtastic post yesterday. My pity party is about over and if I have anything to do with it, today will be a better day.

Here are some baby hats I made for a good friend of my sister's  that recently had twins. The pattern is from Itty-Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson. I'm not sure what the yarn is because I lost the labels, that seems to be the story of my life lately. I suspect it is Debbie Bliss Rialto though. 

Bunny hats make me feel better.

UFO Siting

In knitting-speak UFOs are unfinished objects. Any crafter, or project person of any type, can probably relate to the particular pang of embarrassment that comes from revealing your own UFOs. In a perfect world, you would start a project and continue working on that project until it is, for better or worse, finished. Note that I said, IN A PERFECT WORLD. Unfortunately, the word perfect rarely applies to me or anything in my vicinity. Which is fine, really. I'm over perfection. Perfection is like, so last millenium. What I'm not over is unfinished stuff laying around my house mocking me. Oh yes, the UFOs mock, that's why I encapsulate them in plastic containers, so I cannot hear them talking smack behind my back.

I am going to expose to the whole, wide world four of my UFOs in the hopes that this will drive me to actually finish them. I wish that these were the only UFOs I had. But these are the ones that I have deemed most likely to be finished. The other ones will be left in my will to people I really don't like.

The first is that delightful sweater up there. The pattern is called Something Red by Wendy Bernard. The more observant among  you will notice that my yarn, is, in fact, green. So I am making Something Green. Which is just a tad ironic given that my favorite color is red, but heaven forbid I follow the directions exactly. Besides, the color of my yarn is called Pickle. How could I resist pickle-colored yarn? This is my third attempt at knitting a sweater and frankly, I'm not optimistic. I have already ripped it back to the necline once because I discovered a hole in a very conspicuous spot. I feel my enthusiasm waning already and it's all I can do not to cast this aside for a baby hat.

This is my first attempt at a sweater from about two years ago. It is beyond redemption, I'm afraid. I started this before I fully grasped the concept of gauge. I'm pretty sure this could be used as a pup tent. The problem is that it should all be frogged (rip it, rip it), wound into balls and made into something else. But what? That is the question.  In case you're wondering, sweater attempt number two is at Good will. I finished the sweater, tried it on, and realized that it was at least two sizes too big for me. So I thought I'd wash it and dry it and see if that helped. It didn't help.

This is my quilt. Isn't she cute?  I am quite pleased with the way she looks so far, the problem is that I am afraid to finish it. Because I've never really finished a quilt before. Okay, I made one in high school, but my grandparents happened to come visit and finished it for me (Score!). And when I was pregnant with Casey I made a crib quilt, and it looks finished, but I don't remember doing it.

This is a quilt too. Actually, it's a bunch of t-shirts and jerseys cut into blocks. Hopefully someday it will be a quilt. Before Casey retires would be good.

This is another blanket project. Do you sense a pattern here? It is a stack of deliciously felted sweaters that I would like to make into a throw. Well, I would like them to make themselves into a throw, but I suspect that is wishful thinking.

So there it is, the ugly underbelly of my craft lair. At least these UFOs won't probe anybody.

Knew Knitting

Yes, more baby hats. What can I say? I like instant gratification knitting. I'm working on a sweater for me now -- because that's what everyone wants to do during the summer in Southern California, right? At least it's cotton, so if I hurry maybe I can wear it during June Gloom.

I made another girly hat from the Itty Bitty Hat book (great book, by the way), but instead of knitting/felting a flower for it, I made one out of my pile o' felted sweaters. I like it, but that denim yarn is hard on the hands. And splitty.

I made another Hostess cupcake hat because I just can't help myself.

 

Baby Hat Mania

Visiting Mom at the rehab center (or the old folks' home, as my Dad so tactfully refers to it) has provided plenty of opportunities for knitting.  I have a new pair of socks going, but when I'm stressed out I need easy and instant gratification -- which equals baby hats. I've knocked off two in the last week, plus I finished up a pair of socks. Nothing like stress to keep those needles going. 

 

Clearly I have an obsession with cupcakes. I have no idea who is getting what hat. I figure when all the impending babies are born (or someone requests one) I'll figure it out then.

Aren't the socks cool? Love this yarn. I bought it in Wisconsin about 4 years ago.

Mom was eating fabulously today, so I'm taking that as a good sign. Hopefully she'll be sprung from the "home" soon.

I'm Seeing Stars

It's not easy being a knitter in Southern California.

First there is the whole wool thing. Not a fiber that is really appealing here nine months of the year.  Sure, you can knit with cotton, but it's hard on the hands. And my family seems really tired of dish cloths.

Then there's the whole clothing thing. When you think of knitting, you think of scarves, socks, sweaters. Scarves are cool. I've made myself a few and I wear them. Really, I do. But since it's cold enough to wear a coat for about 15 minutes here, they don't get tons of use. I love making socks. But again, this is flip flop country.  Maybe I should knit some toe socks? The sweater thing is a whole other problem. I've started two and they both suck. It could be my total lack of concern about gauge, but if I wanted to do math I would have been an accountant.

So, in my constant quest for interesting knitting I found these stars on Ravelry (which if you are a knitter, you should be on this site -- it is the greatest thing since Addi Turbos -- look me up, I'm grilledcheese).  Here's the pattern: Knitted Stars. I think they're supposed to be tree ornaments, but I really have no idea what to do with these -- maybe tie them on packages? Anyway, they're easy and fun to knit up and I don't have to worry about coordinating them with my wardrobe or decor.

The most difficult part of making these stars was trying to get a photo. Someone was bound and determined to get one of these for his very own.