hoot

Hey little fella.

Pattern: Owl Cable Knit Coffee Cozy

Yarn: Lion Wool-Ease Worsted in Mustard Yellow

FO Wednesday

Julissa is off the needles! I chose this project because I wanted to push myself a little (as well as recover ASAP from a froggy debacle). The cables and lace pattern is very well written but definitely not "potato-chip knitting". I'm so glad I did because the end result is, well, pretty darn awesome.  

I take a lot of these "smiling on the inside" photos. Taking photos of yourself is hard! meh.

I adjusted the sleeve length and bottom ribbing to accommodate my shorter frame.

I used magic loop for the sleeves. Fell in love with my Knitpicks nickel-plated babies again.

The Malabrigo is so cushy soft and after blocking (and even a whole lot of petting by me and the girls). I didn't notice any pilling at all.  

I could live in this sweater! Too bad I live in a season-less city now! I'm sure I'll find some occasion to wear it in the dead of winter here...without a jacket. haha. 

Hello Kitty! 

Can you tell I have girls? 

Although I can tell you I know of at least 2 very cool little boys who think Hello Kitty is the "cat's pajamas". Too much? I though so too.

Happy Wednesday everyone! Don't forget to check out the linky party for this KAL at luvinthemommyhood. 

sneak peek

Oh, what's this?

That's right, people. It's a sleeve.

One glorious sleeve of Julissa down (which, incidentally, means the body is DONE).

I don't seem to be exhibiting the symptoms of Sleeve-itis this time around, so hopefully I'll have an FO, not an WIP to show off this Wednesday! cross yer fingers.

mmm, homemade pizza!

Another wee chef, blinded by the California sunshine.

I made this jumper for Noelle quite some time ago. She's growing up, not out, so it still fits her. 

I told her it was a jumper and she interpreted that as a dress for jumping in. hee hee.

My sewing machine is still sitting in the box! The girls really don't need new sewn clothes, so I'm concentrating instead on getting a few useful knit items whipped up for them. Excited! 

Is anyone else's house haunted by a mysterious cookie phantom?

Rosebud and more minnis

It is so nice to be able to knit a pattern using the yarn it was designed for. I have been coveting this hat pattern for quite some time and I can't believe it's finally mine! I love each and every one of Jared Flood's patterns and this is no exception. So well-written and a breeze to knit.

Rosebud by Jared Flood for Brooklyn Tweed

Yarn: Shelter in Colorway thistle

The yarn felt a little "crunchy" while I was knitting but it softened up nicely with blocking. I appreciate that the yarn has a little heft to it because it helps to maintain the integrity of the cable and the shape of the hat.

shmoosy cable goodness

love all the garter stitch. 

Reminder note for all those purl-haters out there, every other round is purled because it is knit in the round. Just sayin'.

me squealing with delight (on the inside) because I love.this.hat.so.much.

As anyone with more than one child knows, you often times have to buy two of everything. Especially in the case of flowery little slippers. So, here are the mini-mini's little slippers, in baby pink. 

Minni slippers in action!

mini-me slippers

Noelle had worn and loved these shoes to death. Ellie even took a pair of scissors to them after I threatened to throw them in the trash (selective hearing). After the threat had passed, Noelle said "Hey Mama, can you make me some new ones?" 

How could I say no?

The pattern: Minni Slippers 

yarn: Sugar 'N Cream in Robin's Egg Blue

My mini-me's mini feet. 

With Noelle in school Ellie is really blossoming. She is adjusting remarkably well to big sis being gone (too well? haha) and we are having fun getting to know each other better. 

Is that weird to say about your own kid? 

 

sweet little ballerina, packing her purse for a night on the town.

Rosebud

Knitting 100% rustic wool hat in the dead of summer? Perfectly logical. I have been searching high and low for a free pattern similar to Rosebud, but there is nothing quite like it, with its puffy cables and cool shape. Plus, I had a skein of Shelter, which the pattern was written for. 

it's aliiiiiiiiiive!

mini-cable action. my first time doing 1/3 cables.

At first I was like "gah! A chart!" having forgotten with my short memory that I actually enjoyed working with the last cable chart which was, yes, another Jared Flood pattern. 

This time around I'm armed with a highlighter and it's going along swimmingly. I'm sure I'm not the first to have this idea but it really helps to focus on the right row. 

I highly recommend this pattern. 

Happy weekend! 

wednesday already!

I should call this "wtf wednesday" instead of "WIP Wednesday"...as in I can't believe a week has already passed! Noelle's being in school definitely contributed to the days flying by. She is so excited to be in school and is loving her new friends and teachers.

Finished the waist decreases on my Julissa...

Another Just Knit It

 

This is Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock in Mist colorway.

This poor skein has been through a lot because of my indecisiveness, but as you can see from the bunch of squooshy garter fabric it has finally found its match! 

The Downton Cowl post blocking, for SHANNON

I've been wearing it constantly!

WIP Wednesday - Inching along

To say I got distracted from my KAL project would be a great understatement. 

I'm working on it again and I love it just as much as ever. 

I'm toying with the idea of making short sleeves. What do you think?

 Ellie is both excited to have time alone with Mama in the mornings, but still misses her sister.

Heck, I miss the little bug when she's at school! After seeing my "just knit it" she really wanted a scarf for herself so I started making bulky version of it and connected in the back after knitting a few inches.

It kind of looks like a bandana cowl. in pink, of course.

just knitted

Just Knit It by Susan Ashcroft

This is one of those great patterns that allows your yarn to shine. 

Madeline Tosh Merino light in Citrus Colorway

Mary Maxim Gemstones in Garnet

"i-cord bind-off".

I was confused by the various strategies written up about this bind-off. 

I finally settled on "knit 2, kfbtbl, slip 3, etc." I actually abandoned my Continental ways for the bind-off as I found that holding the yarn my usual way made it even more tedious to knit. 

The size is more a shawlette size. I made it smaller so that I would have enough of the Madtosh leftover for another project. I hate having leftover yarn that sits and sits. 

toddlers and tiaras, anyone? hee hee

love this little face...

smooch attack!

Lady Hannah

A cowl inspired by my obsession, Downton Abbey? Yes Please.

The Downton Cowl, 

pattern by the multi-talented Shannon of luvinthemommyhood

The yarn is the sproingy, hand-dyed goodness of Sweet Fiber Cashmerino Sport. I had a skein left over from the Rustic Shawl  which I ended up giving away. It was time to make something happen with this yarn - perfect match in my opinion!

The lace pattern is simple and I was able to memorize it by the second repeat. It's good and bad that I've reached a stage in my knitting life that I can recover mistakes (the bad being that I still make mistakes, haha).

I love how the lace is a sharp design but the fabric came out squooshy and lovely. 

Reminds me of  Lady Mary...a tough cookie with a heart of gold.

I named it Lady Hannah, though, because it's MINE all mine. 

I'm happy to report the girls are doing well.

 Sunbathing

Having tea parties on the playground.

and just being darn cute in general.

Happy Friday everyone!