Summer Accessories?

Hats are not usually my knit of choice.  I have recently found out that I have quite a small head.  Despite having shared DNA with a brother who we nicknamed Charlie Brown, on account of his rather large noggin, I have a small head.  Maybe even 'circus' small.  My kids (who are 5 and 7) can almost share hats with me.  Maybe this is why I embraced the big curly hairstyles of the nineties with such gusto.  To create an optical illusion for my rather puny head.  Either way most hats seem to accentuate this problem instead of disguising it.  I am going out landsailing for the fourth of July and while during the day the temperature in the middle of a dry lakebed, in the middle of the desert, is sufficiently hot enough to want me to shave the aforementioned small head, the nights are frigid.  Tank tops and shorts are gratefully traded in for down parkas, wool gloves, and hats.  This makes the campfire that much more enjoyable because while you are cooking your s'more you are warming yourself as well.  Anyway....back to the hat.  The Hinagiku hat was just what I needed (a free Ravelry download).  Snug at the bottom with all that lovely slouchiness at the top to create the illusion of a proportionate head :).

I don't have the tags for this yarn....just something I had stashed.  I didn't knit the pattern up as written.  Instead of the daisy stitch for the crown I just did moss stitch.  K1P1 for two rows and then P1K1 for two rows.  It looks very close to the Daisy stitch but it is a lot simpler.  Other than that small alteration I knit it up just as written.

Now while taking these photos I realized that I have a bit of sun on my shoulders from a weekend at the lake.....and I'm wearing a sundress and hoping the wind will die down so we can go swimming later...let's pretend that its winter and I'm heading out for a sleigh ride with my new tres chic hat.  A hat that is warm and comfortable.  Now if you were blessed with a head that is just the ride size, lucky you, don't be put off my this hat.  I assure you it will look good on any size head....I had my kids try it on and they are of the "charlie brown head" camp.  :)

Happy summer knitting!

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Our Fairies

After many months of no knitting....I'm back.  I have a few things finished and ready to show but I thought I would share this knit because it would make a great gift for Christmas.  I know it's only June and over here we are definitely gearing up for the beach but if you started now you could easily have a family of fairies knit up by December and ready for whatever children are in your life.

In April I knit up some fairies for my kids and a couple of their friends.  Unfortunately I did not take a single picture of all four fairies together so you will have to make do with the two that live here with us.  This is the fairy I made for Avery.  With all the fairies I chose the child's favorite color to match the flower case, the skirt/hat and a strand of their hair.  My kids both have blue eyes so their fairies match them. 

This is the fairy that I made for Jack.  My boy is partial to red so a red hat it is....

Here is the back of our girl fairy.....love those wings. 

This is the flower sack in which each fairy lives.  Jack couldn't find his flower, which is red, so here is the purple flower.  I made sure each fairies skirt/hat matched their flower....

Here is the flower all laid out.

So far this spring our fairies have been hanging from tree branches, and playing in the flower beds....

Here is the ravelry link to the magazine that the pattern was found in.  All four fairies are much loved and played with so cast on....

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The Best Laid Plans

I had planned on showing some finished pictures of Aidez but after incorrectly calculating stitches once I joined the sleeves and started on the yoke and having to rip it back twice I am finally on the home stretch.  Since the first day of Autumn has come and gone and I don't have a cardigan to show for it yet I thought I would share my knitting bag. 

Please don't judge me...I know it's awful.  I use it for its form and function not necessarily its beauty.  This is an old bag I think I used to tote around baby stuff at one point.  The reason I like it so much is that it is surrounded by pockets on the outside.  An easy way to divvy up my stuff and the kid crap that I am inevitably toting around.  The inside is a large main compartment that is divided by a zippered divider pocket.  It also has a small zippered bag that is attached by a hook.  I have all my various accessorises in the outside pockets and on the inside is where I keep my knitting.  I just got The Knit Kit in the mail so a little reorganizing of my bag was in order.  I had to the knit kit because I was buying some birthday presents and needed a little bump to get my free shipping... right?

All of those notions are packed away inside the little knit kit.  Up at the top of the knit kit you can't really see it but there is a stitch counter.  It has a tape measure, scissors, stitch markers, crochet hook, point protectors, and a needle.  The perfect knitting "first aid kit" I ordered mine off Amazon, best price, and highly recommend it.

The next thing I carry with me in my bag is my mp3 player.  I realize most people have smart phones but alas I have a 'dumb' phone.  It only makes phone calls.  I have music, movies, pod casts, and audio books.

The next little bits I carry around are a pen, my notebook (not seen here), lip gloss, a hair clip, hand sanitizer, a calculator, lotion, eye drops, and the little polka dot flip-flop is a small nail kit.  These all tuck away nicely in the small outside pockets.  I usually have a pack of cards and a couple small toys to keep my kids busy (helps me get more knitting done)

Lastly I have a small knitting project in there.  This isn't my current knitting project it's a small one.  What if I run out of yarn in my current project??  The HORROR!  So in addition to whatever I'm working on I have this little number tucked in the bag.  A small zippered pencil case like you would find in a Trapper Keeper (do they even make those anymore?) holds the directions, extra needles, an extra stitch counter, and cable needle. 

My long term goal would be to either find a replacement bag that has all the same pocket appeal or sew my own.  Until then this little baby is usually close by to assist me, my MacGyver knitting bag.  What do you keep in your bag?

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Seeds Hat

Awhile back I won a giveaway that Chris had on her blog and by awhile I mean six months ago, eek this year is flying by.    She gave away one of her patterns (they are all gorgeous) and the yarn to complete it.  In the last few months I have totally lost my knitting energy and in an effort to reclaim it I grabbed my winnings and cast on.

It was so nice to pick up some knitting and know that it would all work out beautifully because the author of the pattern sent you everything in order to complete it.  My fingers got quite the workout....along with my brain because I am not a practised color work knitter.  Isn't the top gorgeous? 

I also did my first hem with this piece.  The brim starts with plain stockinette and after a bit you switch to the color pattern and then when that is long enough you hem it as you knit.  So neat and finished looking I love it.  Not to mention that it tucks in all the loose ends from the start and so you have hardly any finishing when it is done. 

This was just the thing I needed to get my knitting desire back.  Something small that was easy to tote around with me and quickly finished.  Perfect!  Thank you Chris for the pattern, I loved it!

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Maine Morning Mitts

A few years ago I loosely followed along with Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter Almanac and May was for mitts.  I really intended to make a whole slew of mitts this last May but only one pair was finished.  The Maine Morning Mitts. 

It is hard to get a 'catch your eye' photo of black mitts knit in a rib pattern so how about you check out my manicure, or at least what is left of my manicure :)

Last Friday night I went out with some girlfriends for a belated birthday celebration and we got manis and pedis and margaritas.  You know you are having a good time when one conversation (at least what seems like one conversation) lasts two hours. 

This next shot shows that the mitts aren't too long and that the nail polish is coming off the tips of my nails....hence the reason I rarely get manicures, the polish is off within days.

And last we have the modeled shot by my four year old son complete with airplane pajamas.  I swear the mitts have thumbs.

These are a fast and easy knit, as most mitts are, and definitely masculine enough to hand off to the nearest man.  Very comfortable and the pattern is free.  Perfect thing to work on if summer has hit your neck of the woods and the temperature is climbing.  We are heading out of town to the mountains this weekend to cool off.  I'll be back on Monday!

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Pedicure Socks

Happy Monday everyone!  Finally some knitting.  Here are my pedicure socks.  I won this yarn from Suzanne forever ago and it has been calling me from my knitting basket ever since.  I haven't really knit socks in my short knitting career.  I don't know where my hesitation stemmed from because these socks came together so quickly and were perfect for some evening TV time with my family. 

The perfect knit for spring/summer in my opinion.  Fast, easy, and perfect if you are an at home pedicurist. 

My feet get so dry when the weather changes but I really am not a fan of wearing socks so this is kind of the perfect solution.  Slather my tootsies up with creamy lotion put on my new socks and my feet don't get hot or suffocated.  I can do my toes and not mess up the polish (something I mess up all the time).

The lizard was added by my "assistant"....because he is so cute.  Um...okay honey, thank you.   You can get the pattern here (free).

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Sorry for the time out

Hello all and hello spring.  When I was last in this space we had snow and quilts and lots of heavy knits....now we have spring with less blankets on the bed, coats being put away till next year and some smaller knits in the queue.

 I did not mean to take such a long break.  Avery goes to a year round school so instead of one long summer break she gets November off, March off and 6 weeks in the summer.  When she went off track in March I just kind of immersed myself in all things family and turned off my computer.  If I knew that I wouldn't be back for a month I would have checked in or something and left a message (I really appreciate everyone that checked in with me!) but it just kind of happened.  So here I am over a month later with many blogs to read and much to catch up on with all of you. 

I don't have much to share since along with blogging I also closed the door on any grown-up crafting and did all children crafting.  We made rainbows to hang up to try and attract some leprechauns.

We made leprechaun catchers complete with a trail of gold....

Sadly we didn't catch any leprechauns but they left cookies for the kids :)

Last but not least I did finish my slouchy cardigan finally!! 

 The whole sleeve cap issue was easily resolved when I went back and just followed the pattern to the letter.  I had read so many  notes on Ravelry and was all set to have my sleeve cap not fit so I went straight to Ravelry notes.  After many attempts I finally frogged them back completely and just went with the pattern.....they fit perfectly with not one extra stitch.  Finally a sweater that I love to wear all the time and it looks great with jeans or jammies!  I wish all of you a wonderful week and thanks for checking in with me here.  XOXOXO 

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A wintry holiday weekend

We finally had some snow days complete with cancelled school.  So much fun.

We played in the snow, made hot chocolate, watched movies, played card games, played in the snow, made hot chocolate, ran around the house with walkie talkies playing spy, played hide and go seek, played in the snow, made chocolate chip cookies, did art crafts, and had a bit more hot chocolate.  I also finished one sweater and started another...can you believe it?

This is the sweater Maxim from Berroco #303 pattern pamphlet.  I already made arshile blogged here and I really want to make this and this and well I want to make knits for the whole family out of this one pattern book. 

I used some jaeger roma in pink for the sweater and a bit of the same in purple for the contrast on the sleeves and neck.

I think it is adorable on her!  The fit is perfect, the pattern was easy to memorize, and I really got to practice cabling without a cable needle (which is super easy once you get the hang of it).

I am hoping that she gets a lot of wear out of it.  The day was a bit grey for taking pictures but I have to strike when I can to get pics of these kiddos.

Finishing this pullover was exactly what I needed to get a little motivation to finish my other knits.  My mind is whirring with projects queued up.  Of course as we finished taking the pics there had to be some running because "it really isn't cold outside mommy and soccer is good exercise".  So we played a bit :)

I hope you are all having a wonderful Monday and start to your week!

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Happy Heart Day

There has been a lot of heart crafting going on over here.  We made boxes to collect Valentine's at school.

We did some ribbon barrettes for the class party.  Did anyone else make these growing up?  Well I already have requests from Avery to make some for St. Patrick's Day, 4th of July, & Halloween...just to name the few holidays she could think of that are coming up :)

I made some small heart shaped treats for breakfast Sunday morning.  Monday morning will be too rushed with school and work to do anything super special.  Thank you Larissa, I saw this on one of your posts awhile back and bookmarked the recipe.  Healthy and yummy and we added the chocolate chips like you did.

I made my Avery a messenger bag from Greetings from Knit Cafe.  I made it smaller and instead of a guitar I did a heart. 

I would have loved some better shots but the kids were collecting bug specimens that day and had no time for a photo shoot.

I did make both the kids pajama pants for a little something for Valentine's Day.  Spider man for Jack and princesses for Avery.  I am happy to say that they promptly put on their new cozy clothes Sunday morning and never took them off.  I really am not a fan of pattern sewing but these were made just using a pair they already had.  Soooo easy!!

 

Last but not least I won a giveaway over at Doodles in Strings.  Christ sent me the pattern for her Seeds hat and the yarn to knit it up with.  I can't wait!!

Wishing all of you a wonderful Valentine's Day and a fantastic week!

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A Whole lotta WIPs

In the last couple of weeks I have been suffering from an acute case of 'no finishing'.  I think since the holidays are over and everything has been put away and restored to 'normal' I just can't seem to really get the energy to finish any of my projects.  I started off all right but I have spiralled downwards into -let's start this and not finish that-.  So in an effort to spur myself to the finish line with all the various projects I have lurking around my house I am going to list them here and hopefully seeing it all laid out together will help me :)

First up is a cardigan for my son.  I have knit the thing three times and every time it doesn't come out right.  It is just a bit too snug for my liking and so I get to the point where all I need to do is weave in ends, add pockets, and a zipper and I frog it.....three times people....So now it sits and I just don't have the heart to frog it again but it is still just a bit too snug despite my meticulous measuring and measuring and measuring....

Next I am working on two little bears for my babes for Valentine's Day.  The knitting is easy, the pattern is free, the yarn was in my stash, but the seaming!  Oh not my favorite thing so still they sit in pieces...maybe this weekend.

A slouchy cardigan for myself.  Love the yarn, love the repetitive nature of all that stockinette, so conducive to movie watching, but like everyone else on Ravelry has described I just can't get my sleeve cap right so until I have some undivided time to sit and calculate it is languishing in my basket.

A quilt top.  I ordered some charm packs awhile back to attempt a quilt and they sent me an extra pack on mistake and when I phoned to tell them of the extra pack they told me to keep it.  So I am attempting my first lap-size quilt.  The top is 3/4 the way done I just need to finish that part up so I can measure and get backing material....

And if I didn't have enough going on I also started a sweater for my daughter.  I had the pink, the pattern is adorable and it is winter so what they hey?  I have nothing better to do right?

The one thing I have managed to finish recently is a small case for my little camera.  I have a beautiful Canon that I love shooting with but it is a bit bulky to tote around so last mother's day my husband and children purchased me this little camera.  It is the perfect size to always have with me at all times and has come in very handy.  All I needed was some bulky yarn leftover from a sweater, knowledge of moss stitch, and the measurements of my camera.  Nice and thick it is perfect to keep the camera protected in my bag. 

So now I think you all have a small idea of what my to-do list looks like and this isn't even complete....there are still a few things hanging out there.  Hopefully my weekend will include some much needed downtime to finish some of these items....what is on your to-do list?

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No hat lovin

I wish my kids loved wearing hats.  I love to knit them hats.  I love how fast they are and how quickly they are finished.  But no matter how many I knit or how much input they have on color and type they just don't get worn.  "My head is itchy" is all I hear and off comes the hat.  I have seen some tutorials for lining a knit hat with fleece which is on my to do list but until then here is one solution for my daughter. 


A headband.  Which at least will get worn. 

Something that is at least covering her ears.  Warm and soft.  Do you notice how still these shots are?  All I heard was.....when can I run?  I held her off as long as I could so I only got a few shots before she was off around the yard.

Of course it is pink.  This girl was born loving pink....I swear it wasn't me. 

A very quick knit.  Pattern can be found here (free).  I just used some scrap yarn from something and followed the pattern.  The best part is that the center lace pattern makes it easy to size for any head.  Just sew a button on one end and use any part of the lace as the buttonhole.  So maybe instead of my daughter raiding her mommy's closet I can go raid hers :)

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