Land o’ Sunshine

Well, the dad reported in that it does indeed fit!   YEAH!!!  Here’s a picture to prove it:

It looks like it won’t fit much longer (the jacket anyway).   That hat will fit for a while. 

The email with the picture also asked if I could make on in green with a hat.   She’ll pay for the yarn and my time.  Should I do it?  Don’t answer that.   I’ve already said I will.   (SUCKA!)

After sitting on beside my knitting spot for almost a month, the MDK Baby Kimono is finished.   The child is now well over 2 months old and there is no way it will fit.   Sunshine Husband took it to work today to give to said child’s father.   The hat will fit.  Small consolation.   I should have knit another Feb. sweater.  Oh well. 

Pattern:  MDK Baby Kimono & Simply Baby Hat

Yarn: Bernat Denim.  I really liked knitting with this yarn.  Comfy stuff.   The look grew on me. 

Needles: US 7 for the Kimono and US 8 for the hat.  

Thoughts:  Love, love, love this hat pattern.   The little stubby umbilical on top is too cute (IMHO).  The kimono pattern was good.  If I make it again, I will make it longer and the sleeves seem a little tight to me.   Hopefully, she doesn’t have chubbo wrists.  I would also put a ribbon tie on the inside.  I should have done this, but I was sick of sewing the ribbon. 

The EZ sweater on two needles (aka February sweater) is complete with the exception of the buttons, which are waiting for payday and some “alone” time at the Hobby Lobby! 

Pattern: Sweater on two needles from Knitter’s Almanac by E. Zimmerman.

Yarn: Vanna’s Choice in pink (??) 1.25 balls.

Needles: US 6

Thoughts:  What a great pattern.  I started last Monday evening and with the exception of the buttons, it is complete.   I had some brain wrangling to do when I started work on the second sleeve, but the simple solution worked the best.   The yarn is growing on me.   I love the colors, but when it is knit up into a garment, it doesn’t feel as soft as it does in the ball.   I am thankful for the TONS of information on Ravelry and the Zimmermaniac site for the insight into the pattern.   I think I would have had a couple of other problems with the pithy directions.    The sleeve looks pretty wide and short, but hopefully, the parents won’t care.   Booties and maybe a hat to follow.  

I have been knee deep in baby knitting during the past two weeks.   My cousin is having a baby and this one is (for a change) a boy!  Hip-hip-hooray!   Baby boy F. is “scheduled” to be in utero for a few more weeks, but his knitting is done and will be making its way to Massachusetts for his mommy’s baby shower.  

Pattern: Elefante

Yarn: Cascade 220 scraps in red, orange, liliac, grey, light blue, and navy.

Needles: US 4 dpns

Thoughts:  This is Eli.  What an awesome knit.   My only modifications were the ears.    I don’t crochet (I don’t know how) and although I could have fidged it, it didn’t seem right.  I used the elephant ears from Last Minute Knitted Gifts and then totally changed them to garter and reduced their size and how they decreased.   There are cuter elefante ears out there, but I’m ok with that.     I hope my coz will forgive the use of a non-masculine color (read: light purple), but it was better than hot pink.  

Pattern: Baby Yoda Sweater

Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool in lake blue

Needles: US 8 dpn and circulars (go seamless!)

Thoughts: This worked seemless was awesome.   Next time, I’ll figure out how to pick up the sleeves though.   They seem a bit bulky to me.   I did I-cord for the first time.  WOW, what an awesome little trick that is.  Love, love, love it!   Need some I-cord?  I might have some extra around here….

Pattern: Saarjte’s Booties.

Yarn: Moda Dea Washable Wool in lake blue. 

Needles: US 2 dpns

Thoughts: These booties are actually three of a kind.  Bootie #1 and #2 were not the same size.  I lost track of my row count and that does make a bootie bigger.   Bootie #3 was the correct same size as #1.   These booties are too cute for words.    What is that noise you ask?   It is my ovaries asking for the road to baby-ville.  

Pattern: Sweet & Simple Baby Hat

Yarn: Oh, you know…

Needles: US 8 dpns

Thoughts:  Could my hat problem be fixed?  I hope, though the hat seems  a bit large for a baby’s head.   Simple, quick and, hello, I-cord!   Just as the name implies, sweet & simple!  

I hope she likes these.  She is a non-knitter and I just don’t know.   They have AMAZING oooh and ahhhhh value and I am counting on that with a house full of girls, someone will dress the child in the booties at least (please God, let him get his mother’s small feet!).  

Wow, November 1st was the last time I even looked at WordPress.   There are reasons, most of them not worth the time to write out.   All is forgiven, move on!

Completed objects since last blog:

• Gave Dad his felted slippers.  He says he wears them all the time.   I do believe him.  Gifts of the wearalbe type have been known to languish for YEARS in this man’s closet.   Never one to use a gift before its time, Dad is making me feel good about making this gift. 

• Hats for the men in the family.   ALL OF THEM are too big.   I won’t bore you with the pictures, but here are the deets: variation of the Seaman’s Cap but for giants or least giant sized heads!   Sunshine Dad’s hat has been frogged.   He is coveting one of Mandy’s hats, but he better pray the Giants go to the superbowl in 2009, because there won’t be a Giants hat for him in 2008 (unless he can bribe/beg/plead/pay Mandy to do it!). 
• Angelina Ballerina was completed and given to Sunshine daughter.   Her clothes are a little wacky looking and the slippers are missing, but I love Angelina and hopefully, so does SD.   I used the mouse pattern from Knit2Together and then made the clothes, tutu, and shoes myself. 

• Sunshine son #1’s Wallaby was completed.  It is big, the yarn is pilling and looking particularly craptastic, but he likes it and wears it.   Considering the abuse it gets, the price tag for the yarn–$7.47 for the whole sweater, one big hat, and two mittens with LOTS of yarn leftover–is perfect.  

• My cousin’s baby is due in the next month or so and the Baby Yoda sweater is complete for little Master F. to arrive.   I hope she likes it, because I LOVE it.   Is it normal to be SO enamored of ones handknits???
• Pair of Saarjte’s are finished.   Confession, there are THREE done.  bootie #1 and #2 were not the same size.  Too many garter ridges.   Bootie #3 matches #1, so there is a matched set.  
• The Quinn purse is finally lined.   I used an old pair of jeans and some pick striped fabric for a cell phone and pen pocket.   The handles are bamboo attached with chocolate velvet ribbon.   I love it.   The handles look a bit big, but I don’t care.   The cables came out awesome.   The lining was a witch to get in and no you can’t see the inside (does that say something).   A fellow PTAer said she like the purse, so I’ll take that as a compliment of the highest order.  
• I made another crown for a princess birthday.   Anyone need a crown?  I LOVE making those things.   SO QUICK!!!
• Mini sweaters for the christmas tree.   They were fun and I did each one a little different, but three was enough.   I used my sock yarn samples from Cider Moon and my sockapolooza pal.  The hangers were pipe cleaners chenille stems.  These are my kind of sweaters!!!   :) 

More regular posting, because really, what else have I been doing?   See ya!