FO: Kick in the Ribs Shoaker

I finished this:

• Pattern: Spare Ribs Shoaker

• Yarn: Malabrigo worsted (DROOL...I only want to knit a million more things with this yarn...too bad it's so expensive).

• Verdict: Very cute soaker. I knit it on size 6 needles so it might be a bit dense. Perhaps I will try again on 7's because 8's were way to loosey-goosey for my tastes.

I'm hard at work on two sweater wips and a baktus scarf. This baby is due in about 34 days and I really need to get this stash down. Some people feel the need to clean the house when nesting. Not me. No, no. Not me. Cleaning is the last thing I want to do at the moment...even though it really does need to happen...I'll somehow convince my loving and supportive husband do that for me. :) So, sweaters shall be my focus until baby comes (with the obvious exception of the irresistible baby knit here and there)!

Here's one of them:

• Pattern: Lush and Lacey Cardigan

• Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic

• Progress report: I am nearly finished with the back! Problem is, I have a wicked cold/sore throat and this is mohair. I sat down with this today and felt like my throat was getting worse and worse the longer I worked on it. I blame the mohair. I can't think of any other explanation. I guess I'll have to focus on the other sweater until my throat recovers. :(
  

Well, that's all she wrote for today's post. Cheers.

On Weaving

I love it. Setting up the loom is a lot of work...but I love it. :)

I finished my first weaving project. It's a scarf for Maxim.

• Specs: 10 dent heddle, simple weave. 58 ends. What other info do people give in weaving projects? I'm new to this and don't understand it all yet!!!!


• Warp: Silky Wool

• Weft: Creatively Dyed Steele in Topdog colorway
  

• Recipient: Max, my love. :)
  

I also finished that soaker from my last entry:

• Pattern: Adirondack Soaker

• Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted...Hand dyed by me!

• Modifications: None

• Verdict: Cute and easy! I'm definitely going to make another one because I really only used half a ball to do this one. You can never have too many soakers!
  

AND that obnoxious potholder:

• Pattern: Your Nana's Potholders. That's not a Ravelry link, so anyone should be able to click to see it! :)

• Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream (stash yarn!)
  

• Verdict: Love!

Well, that's all for now. More to come soonish. :)

FO's and WIP's (Image HEAVY)

First up, I finished my Slouchy Entrelac Tam:



Apologies for the nightgown and scummy mirror.

• Pattern: Slouchy Entrelac Tam by Linsay Ingram

• Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (2 balls)

• Modifications: Pom pom! I did one extra round of 8 stitch squares to use up more yarn and add more floppiness. I blocked it on a dinner plate.

• Verdict: Love it! I've worn it a million times (well, not really)

• Link to my Ravelry entry for this project here.

Second in line, my Moderne Jacket is finished! And I didn't run out of yarn! Phew!

• Pattern: Moderne Jacket--free pattern from Lion Brand

• Yarn: This was a stash extravaganza! Cascade 220 Heathers and random Japanese stash yarn (cashmere content)

• Modifications: I fudged a few of the numbers in an attempt to get between two sizes. It didn't really work, lol. No buttons or buttonholes.
  

• Verdict: I didn't do a great job seaming because I'm not quite sure where to pick up stitches with crochet. Also, the seams might be a bit tight in some places. Again, I'm not super experienced with crochet...yet. I think it looks quite adorable without buttons as an open "jacket" thing. My favorite thing about making this was how much yarn it ate up! I only have one ball left of the Cascade 220 and just a scrap length of the blue Japanese yarn! Woot!

• Link to my Ravelry entry for this project here.

First up in the WIP's department:

We have a nearly finished soaker! All I need to do is figure out how many stitches to pick up around the legholes and do some ribbing. The pattern doesn't specify how many, all it says is pick them up "evenly."

Let's just say, I've already tried that once or twice. I'll figure it out eventually.

• Pattern: Adirondack Soaker

• Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted...Hand dyed by me!

• Modifications thus far: None

• Verdict thus far: Cute and easy!

And finally, yet another WIP:

• Pattern: Your Nana's Potholders. That's not a Ravelry link, so anyone should be able to click to see it! :)

• Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream (stash yarn!)
  

• Verdict thus far: Oh, so very kitschy! Love it!
  

You might have noticed that I am all about the crochet lately. I'm sure it's only because it eats up tons of yarn and is fast, fast, FAST! I'm still predominantly a knitter, but I am loving the change and challenge (and it's good for the brain!). :)

Turtle Butt

• Pattern: Turtle Butt Soaker by Melanie Hoffman

• Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Turquoise and Orange

• Recipient: Armen Uel (aka, "Womb Monster.")

• Verdict: Adorable, as expected. I think with this pattern it is nearly impossible for it not to be cute. I'm only making this one in the newborn size because it was a lot of work for something that will only last a few weeks. Also, I won't make any more in this yarn. It's just a little bit too fuzzy for my liking. I have a ton left over, and I'm thinking of making a striped sweater or something with it.

So, you might have noticed above that the Womb Monster now has a name. That is because we had another ultrasound about a week ago and found out "it" is a "he," with 80-90% certainty. He wiggled around too much and when he was sitting still, it was an awkward position. So, we are just going with "It's a Boy!!!!" and leaving it at that. :)

Soaker #2

Earlier this week, I finished another soaker:



Pattern: same as in last post, Wool Diaper Cover by Ottobre Design.

Recipient: Unborn Womb Monster

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky Handdyed in Cherry Cordial colorway

Size: Newborn, but knit on bigger needles this time. It's slightly larger than the last one.

Verdict: LOVE! SQUEE! GULP! CUTE!

I've also been up to no good making some fleece soakers in a newborn size and have dastardly plans to make them in a few bigger sizes as well. I'll post them once they are finished. I might even decide to sew a few diapers, because I found an awesome free pattern online that looks really easy! :)

Today, I have my 20 week OB appt. We aren't having an ultrasound or anything exciting like that...something that I've heard is standard (so, of course I go to the office that DOESN'T do it as a standard). Grrr. I think we have decided that we want to know the gender (despite having said this entire time that we wanted it to be a surprise). SURPRISE, we don't want a surprise anymore!

Here's what I look like now:


20 weeks means that we are halfway there. Hopefully everything will be fine at today's appt. :)

Another Cute Thing

I knit this soaker for the unborn womb monster:


Pattern: Wool Diaper Cover, free pdf on Ravelry

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Bulky. I will not use this yarn again for soakers because I later learned that superwash is not a good choice as it doesn't wick as well. The yarn was really nice to work with though, and I can see myself using it in the future for other items.

This thing took me no time to make. I've already started another one, in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky Hand-dyed! I'm also working on this soaker (Ravelry link) in Lamb's Pride Worsted. Let me tell you. Soakers are quickly becoming one of my favorite things to knit. It's almost impossible for them not to look cute!

I've also been chugging along on Max's argyle vest:



I only have 1.5 more repeats to go until the armhole decreases! My plan is to have the knitting completed for this vest by the start of the Ravelympics on February 12th so that I can do all of the finishing (which will include steeking for the first time in my life!) as a personal challenge during the events!

Wish me luck!