Some things

Well, I'm officially full term with all this pregnancy business. That's a big deal. We only have 14 days until the due date. So, there's that going on...just waiting. So much waiting.

To pass the time, we took some belly shots. Here are a few of my favorites:



These were taken at 37 Weeks, 4 Days. :)

I have been sewing diapers. Here they are:




I used the Rita's Rump Pocket pattern for them. The first four (dogs and monsters) are "stuffable" and the other two (frogs) are "done stuffed and ready." I'm going to keep making the "done stuffed and ready" variety, but I think I'm going to try out a different pattern to see what I like the most. Another thing I am hoping to change is the material that I use to make the soaker pads. I have a ton of polyester fleece fabric and that is what I used, but I think I'd rather use a few layers of thin cotton batting and flannel. I just have to find some. I'm not sure that 100% cotton batting is something I can easily find at Joann's. Not being a quilter, I've never looked at the batting they carry.

I hear pregnant women can be crazy. I guess I am no different. On a whim, I decided to start two shawls. One of which is of the beaded lace variety: Aeolian. It's actually moving along quite quickly. I am surprised because it looks like it should be really complicated. Of course, I'm only on the first chart. I might be singing a different tune in a week or so when I'm juggling a complicated lace pattern and a newborn on close to zero sleep. Yeah, didn't really think that through...because I also bought needles to start a Shipwreck Shawl...and hope to get it started as soon as said needles arrive.

Here's the Aeolian in progress. I've done a few more repeats since the photo was taken:


The second shawl I started is less crazy making and I'm loving it because I'm using my handspun! It's the Citron shawl, but my yarn is much thicker and I'm using size 8s instead of the 6s called for in the pattern. It's also working up quickly...but I'm going to have to spin up the rest of the yarn soon or it will be stalled indefinitely!


See? It looks good in my handspun! :) I don't knit with handspun very much, but I really should make more of an effort to do so. I'm so much more proud of the results when I know I made the yarn myself.

Well, I don't know what else to say. That's about it. Maybe next time I blog, I'll have a baby to show you. I'm really hoping he comes sooner rather than later. :)

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.

Mitt Envy FO

I knit a pair of these:


Pattern: Mitt Envy by Weezalana
Yarn: Louet Gems fingering (only used a partial skein, have a full skein and half left...dammit)
Verdict: They are cute. I miss-crossed one cable on each mitt...but didn't care enough to tink back and fix it. They are for me, so who the hell cares?

Falling behind, catching up

So, I have not updated the blog in a while. I have been avoiding it. It isn't that I don't have anything to share. It's more that I just didn't want to sit still for long enough to write about it all. :) I have been knitting. A lot. An awful lot. I have much to show you.But before the knitting, I will show my latest weaving project (albeit, a few weeks old now).




The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky wool in various colors. Stash yarn, all. Weaving really uses it up. I have a few other things planned for other pesky yarns in the stash that just can't seem to find appropriate projects. :) Yay!

As for knitting. Where did we leave off? I'm just going to plow through and not give much detail here, because there is a lot of stuff!
First, this is a gift that I pulled together for my BFF who is due only a few weeks after me!:



Patterns here and here. I fully intend to make matching ones for our little guy. Squee.

Here is another super easy crocheted soaker:


It's not as cute as some of the others I've made, but it will fit for a long time and that is possibly more important. :) Pattern here.

I was commissioned by a friend to knit a yellow vest for one of her ACEN cosplays this year. I worked my bum off and managed to finish with time to spare! The convention is May 14th-16th.



The actual color is more yellow in person. It looks really light in the photo. It fit her. Success. I will post pics of her wearing it with the rest of the costume (which I didn't make, for the record) after this weekend. :)

Finally, I just finished this vest over the weekend. It is from a Japanese pattern from this book. It was comically small before blocking, but now it fits just right! This was another stash buster project. I've gotta get through it before the baby gets here!




I'm starting to feel very cluttered and panicked over the state of the condo. I don't feel like any room in the entire place is up to my standards at the moment. We need more bookcases, and storage. I need to go through every cabinet in the kitchen and re-organize it all. I need to fill up a few boxes for the Salvation Army...trouble is, I don't know what to fill them with! All I know is that there is way too much going on in this tiny space and I am SICK TO DEATH OF IT ALL! I know that this is all a part of nesting and completely normal, but I'm definitely working myself up over it. I just feel like I don't even know where to start.

Otherwise, this being pregnant thing is a good experience (can that go on my resume someday?). I've not had many issues or discomfort...just a bit of acid reflux/heartburn and sore and swollen legs. I don't sleep as well either, but I think that's just nature's way of preparing me for the sleepless nights to come. Thanks a lot. I really like making my husband do things for me...like the laundry and sweeping. :) We thought we had decided on a name a long time ago, but now we are changing our mind and haven't made the final decision yet. For certain, his middle name will be Uel after my great-grandfather.

The baby's room is slowly coming together. Pics when it is more presentable. We have a crib and a glider/ottoman (thanks to the in-laws). It's looking cute (but cluttered) so far. Oh clutter. Hopefully our trip to IKEA tonight will help with that a little.

OK, that's enough of an update for now, I think.

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!). :)

Slow and steady...

...wins the race.


That's what I have to keep telling myself with my Blomsterknopper cardigan. At this point in the game, I have five decreases completed on the body of the garment, with 12 more to go. This thing is killing me, but I know that it will be more fun to work on once I get a few more decreases under my belt (because there will be fewer stitches!). Right now, one row takes me approximately one million years.

I really want this sweater finished before baby Armen (aka "womb monster") arrives in June because it is a major project (not to mention, the yarn takes up a lot of precious closet space). I should really adopt a regimen of complete project monogamy, but that hasn't really been happening.

Article 1: Slouchy Entrelac Tam (pattern by Verbena Knits)


I have had this yarn in my stash waiting for this project for a few months now. It's Noro Silk Garden (which is in my list of favorite yarns that I rarely have an opportunity to use). I'm loving it so far and it has been working up really quickly!

Article 2: Baby Romper


I couldn't resist casting on for this one. It's in Crystal Palace Maizy, which is made of corn fiber! It's really nice to work with, kind of silky but softer than silk. I love it! I can't wait to put a human in it. :)

Article 3: Moderne Jacket


I'm crocheting this out of leftover (purple Cascade 220) and stash yarn (a cashmere blend I bought while I was still in Japan a million years ago). I will probably run out before it's finished. If I do, I'm not sure what I'll do to rectify the situation. The Cascade will be easy to find (I know finding the same dyelot would be nearly impossible, though). The other yarn is the tricky bit. I guess I will just have to find a yarn that is nearly the same color and weight. Since the yarns are held doubled, dyelots might not be that big a deal. Still, I can worry about that if I need to. I might end up having plenty of both. We shall see. This garment takes no time at all on a size N hook! Big crochet is definitely the way to go!

Other than those three new projects, I'm still working on that baby sack I was supposed to finish during the Ravelympics (but didn't). I don't pick it up too often.

I've also been weaving. I'm not sure if I mentioned this on the blog, but my amazing husband bought me a 24" Kromski Harp for Valentine's Day. :) Weaving is a slow process for me, but I'm definitely getting the hang of it.

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. :)

Ladylike Pullover, and other lady-ly things

Well, the last Ravelympics project came off the hooks at somewhere around 10 on the final day of the events! That means I finished an entire crochet pullover in less than 17 days (keep in mind that I didn't start the sweater until a few days into the events!). All in all, I'm happy with the results. Crocheting is super fun, yo!



Pattern: Ladylike Pullover, free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn: Full O' Sheep (one of the new Stitch Nation yarns) in fuchsia
Modifications: I omitted the turtleneck because I noticed that this yarn is incredibly WARM and somewhat itchy. I thought a turtleneck would be too much. Also, I made necessary modifications to correct the pattern, which was messed up (as I ranted about in the previous post). Otherwise, the sweater was knit to pattern specifications
Verdict: I like it. It sort of fits me now (over my big prego belly), but I don't think it will fit me after I'm done having babies. :/ It might go to my mother next winter. It looks nice on her:


Wouldn't you agree?

I also crocheted this for my mommy in two days:



It's a cowl/hood thing knit out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. My mom picked and purchased the yarn and then put me to work. It was done in no time. I LOVE the yarn. I've decided to make another one for me because it was so fast, easy, and OMG SOFT.

Snug (and Ravelympics Day 15)

I finished that cute baby sweater.



Squee.

• Pattern: Snug by Hinke
• Yarn: Cascade Eco + (half a ball, if that)
• Modifications: I believe I made the sleeves a bit longer than suggested. This is because they can be rolled up and maybe this thing will get more wear that way!
  
• Verdict: So very cute! Because it is garter stitch, it is super stretchy. That's a good thing for baby clothes! My only complaint is that I bound off perhaps a little too tightly on the front button bands, so there isn't as much give there as I would like. Still, I think it will be ok.
  

The fuscia pullover is coming along, but not without rage.


Yes, it looks pretty on the dressform (you can't see how it sags in the back, but I knew it was going to be a looser fitting sweater than I'm used to and it doesn't bother me).

Ok, now let's rant. This pattern is easy. Because it is is easy, it shouldn't be "wrong." It is wrong. The pattern is wrong. If you do what the pattern tells you to do for the smallest size, you will have a wacky number of stitches and not at all the number of stitches they tell you to have (not even close!). I discovered this after finishing the bust section and had to frog back and fudge the directions to make it work.

All was supposed to be well after that, right? Wrong. I finished the first sleeve, all my stitch counts were spot on. On the last row, they have you slip the first 9 stitches and double crochet 31 stitches to create a gap for the underarm...much the same as was done on the body. The only problem here is that it creates quite a larger gap than that created on the body. My stitch counts are right, so I'm leaving it, but I'm a bit worried that I'll be having some difficulty when it comes time to connect those underarm seams. I'll have to seam 10 stitches to nearly 20 stitches, which might make things bulky. Bulky underarms don't make me feel "Ladylike," they make me feel sweaty and gross.

A resounding "ugh" of disapproval. Maybe this underarm worry is all premature. We will see how it turns out. If I can keep up this pace, I might actually get it done by Sunday and "win" a "medal" for this in the Ravelympics. We shall see.

We shall see.

Nerd Hot (and a Ravelympics update)

Well, since it's finally finished and done blocking...

The Nerd Hot Vest:




The last photo is a better representation of the colors.

• Pattern: #B65 Argyle Vest (bonus pattern for subscribers) from Verena Knitting Magazine. Ravelry link here. I named it Nerd Hot because that is exactly what it is! :)

• Yarn: Cascade 22o in purple and gray.

• Modifications: Original pattern is knit in the flat. I converted it to be knit in the round with arm and neck steeks.

• Verdict: I LOVE IT! It fits him perfectly. I was really worried when he tried it on before blocking it because it was small...comically small. It's amazing what a good block will do for colorwork!

So, mark that one off of my Ravelympics queue! The little baby sweater is coming along as well. All I have to do is sew on buttons and take pictures! I'm pretty sure that the baby sack and the crochet sweater will not be finished in time, but I am chugging along just the same. :)

On Progress

Max's vest is finished and is currently blocking! I had to stretch it pretty violently to get it to the specified measurements, but I think I got it under control. Once it's dry, there will be pics of Max wearing it...assuming it fits.

In the meantime, I thought it might be fun to show how this whole thing came together.

Here's what the steek stitches looked like before being reinforced with single crochet:


Here's what the steek stitches looked like after reinforcements were added (doesn't look much like a vest, does it? lol):


Here's the first armhole, with the steek already cut open:


Here's both armholes, steeked and finished:


Here's a scary picture of the neck steek being cut open:


Here's a picture of the result of that cutting (at this point, it actually looks like a vest!):


And finally, here is the finished piece, blocking and drying:


Yay for me! I'm calling this steeking experience a success. It was really fun and it doesn't unravel at all!! Now, I want to cast on a million colorwork cardigans just so I can steek them! I'm crazy.