WiP Wednesday - This Week, I'm a Trader!

Thanks again to Tami for hosting these WiP Wednesdays on her blog!  I really enjoy browsing through all the links people post there - if you haven't yet, check it out!  And feel free to join in!


I have to admit, since last week I haven't put the work into my WiPs that I had hoped.  I got sidetracked...

...my fingers needed a rest from knitting :)  

So, my WiPs remain the same as last week - the Hippo and the shawl - both with no progress worth mentioning.  I plan to cast on a hat this week for my friend's 5-year-old son.  He had a very specific request for me.

I hang out at their house a lot and he had been watching me knit for a couple of months.  Every time he would ask what I'm making and who I'm knitting it for.  He would even remember a week later what project I had been working on the last time I saw him and ask if I was finished and, if not, when I would be.  A few times went straight for my knitting bag, pull out my project (still on the needles) and, before I could tell him to be careful, ask me what it was and who it was for.

One day, I was working on a project in the morning as he left for school.  When he came home, he immediately asked if the sweater for baby Lucy was done - it was.  He laid it out on the couch, smoothed out all the wrinkles and said, "Ohh!  This is really nice!  Baby Lucy is really going to like it!".  Heartwarming!  

Then, one day he put in a request.  He asked if I could make him something - a hat with a duck part, as he showed me with his hands a shape coming from his forehead.  In red.  I said I could.  So I went on Ravelry.com and found some patterns for duck hats.  "Like this?" I asked, "but in red?".  "Yes", he replied, "but without the eyes".  I confirmed that he wanted the duck hat in red, with the yellow duck part but no eyes.  No, that wasn't what he wanted.  After a lot of questioning and clarification, I realized that he wanted a hat with a bill!  Nothing resembling a duck at all - just the duck PART!  Oh, and it was to be "like a hard hat", so that he couldn't ruin it.  I explained that I would make it so it wouldn't fall apart, but that knitting would not be as hard as a real hard hat.  I don't think he actually wanted it hard, perhaps he was trying to tell me he wanted it to be stiff?

So, I eventually got the yarn and got his approval, but finding a pattern was not easy!  I did find one that I think will work in the book Son of Stitch n' Bitch by Debbie Stroller; it's called the "Half-Pipe Hat".  I need to learn the tubular cast-on; looks like some people on Ravelry gave up on it and used a different cast-on.  I'm determined to learn! 

I need to get on it, the poor kid requested it back in the spring and now is the perfect time of year for him to wear it!  Pressure is on - I'm already worrying that he won't like it!

FO Friday - Baby Booties

Oh, what a process it was to finish the booties.  I won't totally get into it but let's just say I finished the first bootie a long time ago.  When I went to finish the second one, I couldn't remember what size needles I used.  Good thing I had it on my Ravelry project page, right?  NO!  Wrong size needle on there.  I also wrote two needle sizes on the pattern - one saying "3 to 6 mo." and the other "bigger size".  I must have made the 3 to 6 month size, made sense.  NO!  Ok, must be the "bigger size" - yeah...NO.  Let's just say I now have 3 booties without a pair in all different sizes and I learned my lesson about being sure I update my project info once I start it!  Good thing I had a vague memory of knitting the first one on grey needles...

Anyways, it was worth it.  These were a quick knit and are SO cute!  The pattern is Saartje's Bootees on Ravelry.  The yarn is Rowan RYC Cashcotton 4-Ply which is a great yarn for this project - nice and soft and easy to work with.

Sophie is about 3 weeks old and they fit her perfectly - they won't fit for long though!

I've shown most of what I included in the baby shower gift for little Sophie in my previous posts but here's a pic of the finished lot!  Two slouch hats, Spud & Chloe's Buga Baby Bunting, the booties, the Elefante, and then I whipped up a minky blanket with tags on two ends.  I really had fun making it all!

WiP Wednesday!

Thanks to Tami for 'hosting' the Work In Progress Wednesdays on her blog!  It keeps me blogging...and knitting! 

I have two WiPs to share this week.

~1~

I started another project this week.  This one has no deadlines attached (it's a 'just because' gift for my niece) but I don't think it will sit on the needles too long because I can't wait for it to be done!

I'm making the Hippo from Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Toys book.  I'm using the same yarn I used for the Elefante.

Here's the beginning of the body - the blisters and tenderness on my fingers still hasn't healed from the Elefante (tight knits!) so I'm going to have to pace myself :)

~2~

I've made a bit more progress on the Travelling Woman lace shawl.  It's a project I really have to focus on so it's not a good knit to work on late at night while watching tv (so it's taking me a while to complete).  I'm looking forward to completing the knitting and then blocking it - I think blocking is really going to make a difference on this project.

FO Friday - Elefante!

I was planning to have two FOs to show off today.  I started a pair of baby booties a while ago and I planned to have the second one finished by today.  I couldn't remember which size needle I used - I had two sizes written on the pattern that I got from reading other people's notes on Ravelry - one said "bigger size" and one said "3 to 6 mo.".  Then, my Ravelry project page had another needle size (the one that the pattern actually calls for) so, I figured that is the size I used.  It wasn't.  And now I have a teeny tiny bootie and one that is likely the 3 to 6 month size - so, today I will be knitting another one on a bigger needle.  Good thing they don't take too long!

So, my FO is my Elefante in Pink.  She is SO cute and I can't wait to give her away this weekend (ok, that's a little bit of a lie because I sort of want to keep her for myself).  I made extra sure that all of her parts were securely attached since this is a present for a baby.  I was sure to pack her with the stuffing so, when it starts to compress, she will still hold her shape.  More info on this pattern in this blog post and on my Ravelry project page.

WiP Wednesday: Elefante!

Since last week I have one WiP to add to the list.
~1~
I came across this Susan B. Anderson pattern on Ravelry and had to knit it up!  (It's available at that link for FREE!)  I'm hoping to have it finished in time to include it in Sophie's baby shower present.  Then, I plan to knit the Hippo from Susan B. Anderson's "Itty Bitty Toys" book in the same yarn for my niece Lucy (who is Sophie's cousin, once removed...or something along those lines).
 

By the way, I just received "Itty Bitty Toys", "Itty Bitty Hats", and "Itty Bitty Nursery" as a gift and the patterns are to die for!  I want to knit them all!...but will start with the Hippo :)  I would definitely suggest these books for anyone who knits for babies.  Be sure to check out Susan B. Anderson's blog for corrections to patterns.  The links to the corrections can be found on the left-hand menu.
 
The yarn I'm using is Schachenmayr "Boston Fashion Color".  The color is 01485 and it is mostly a deep pink color with some lighter pinks and oranges in it.  It's perfect for this project!

The pictures are taken with my phone so excuse the poor quality.  I'll have her done by Friday and I'll post some better pictures of the finished product!

Here are the feet, ready to be stuffed and the beginning of the body:

A couple days later, the majority of it is done.  All she needs is ears, eyes, a tail, and then to join the head to the body:

She is almost done now and she is SO cute!  I'm going to have a hard time giving this one away.

FO Friday!

I will attempt to make FO posts on Fridays - if I have any to share, that is.  I'm happy to say that this Friday I have material to post!

Both patterns are from madmonkeyknits.com.  I found the patterns easy to follow and they were quick to knit up!

First, the Baby Superfast Slouch Hat.  The pattern says that the hat will be finished in 30 minutes...but it took me one hour (I'm still learning this knitting stuff) - not because of the pattern, I'm just not a speedy knitter...yet.  Also, my yarn was a little thinner than the pattern called for so I made the size medium hoping that it will turn out size small, which it did.

I used Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash color 859 (Lake Chelan) - I love the color! You can see a better picture of the color here.  The yarn is made of wool so the end result was a hat that was a bit more stiff than the pattern intended - it still slouches, just not on its own (you just have to push it down at the back).

The hat is adorable and I can't wait to include it as part of my baby shower present for Baby Sophie.

The second hat I made was Baby Silver Silk Super Slouch.  Another beautiful hat.  I love these slouch hats for babies!  So cute and fashionable.  Plus, they are stretchy enough that I think next winter Sophie will be able to wear them as non-slouch winter hats!

For this one, I used one of my favorite yarns, Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo DK.  I love the feel of it and the sheen it has.  Plus, it comes in some great colors!  This yarn allows the hat to slouch nicely.

Now, back to work on my WiPs!

WiP Wednesday

Here is what I have in progress at the moment!
~1~
I'm finally going to finish these booties so I can give them to Baby Sophie.  I'm really looking forward to finishing this WiP for two reasons:

1. I don't like having "half-finished" projects hanging around.  They just keep getting pushed to the back of the line for more urgent and exciting projects.  
2. I started knitting these booties when a friend was pregnant and I didn't know what she was having - hence, putting the project on the back burner!  Well, that friend had a boy and I decided I wouldn't finish them until a little girl came along...and she did!  So now I have the perfect baby girl to finish this project for!

For Sophie's baby shower gift, I'm putting together a few knit projects.  Sophie's mom always admired the knit projects I did for my niece.  She mentioned on more than one occasion that she hoped I would knit something for her baby.  So, I think she will be thrilled with what I'm giving her.

The pattern is Saartje's Bootees on Ravelry.com.

Here is my progress so far...I think I will add little round 'pearl' buttons to finish them off:

~2~

My second WiP is a bolero with a lace edge I'm knitting for my niece, Lucy.  The pattern is by Sirdar. 

You can see a picture of the yarn and a part of my work, so far, in this blog post.  I've knit the back, the two front pieces and am now working on the sleeves.  The needles are quite small so it's taking a while for me to finish this project - especially since I'm working on other projects in between.  

The size I'm making is 1-2.  Since there can be quite a difference in size between a -1 and a 2-year-old, I held up the pieces on her last week and it looks like it's going to be the right size when it's finished.

~3~

My third WiP is a lace shawl, Travelling Woman.  It's my first attempt at lace - I had to restart it a few times but I'm on a roll now.  Just need to find the time to work on it!  You can see a picture of it on the right-hand side of my blog under "What I'm WiPping Up".  I have a bit more done than is in that picture and I will post more as I get more done!

That is all I have on my needles right now...but I have more in the queue!  Must. Get. Knitting.