Speed Knitting: A Recipe for Disaster

I've learned something about myself since I started knitting less than a year ago. I do not work well under pressure.

This weekend was my 1 year-old niece's birthday party. I already had a baby doll to give her, but I also wanted to make something for my niece to wear. I started a dress, but was not liking how it was turning out, so I scratched that. Then, I was browsing thru a magazine that I bought off of eBay and found the perfect thing--a jumpsuit with a kitty stitched on the chest.

It's cute and girly, something my very petite niece can wear and still crawl around on the floor in. So I started it on Friday afternoon. The party was on Sunday at 6 pm.

The backside I knitted up without a hitch. "Cool," I thought. "I'm making good time. I'll get this finished no problem." Then I started the front, and the knitting gods struck me down.

I forgot to change needle size when I was supposed to and had to rip one whole leg and re-knit it. I forgot to decrease when I was supposed to and had to rip back a few rows. Needless to say, this was as far as I got by Sunday at 6 pm.

::sigh:: I should finish it up by Thursday and will get it to her then.

On a happier note, I got some new sock yarn in the mail on Friday! Regia Black and Gold Nations Colorway. Enough to knit up a couple of golf club covers for my Dad's birthday in August (he's a graduate of the University of Iowa, who's colors just happen to be...black and gold.) And, also, to knit some new socks for my DS the Elder to wear on Black and Gold days at school during football season.

See...I already started the golf club covers.

Finally, I started on the baby presents for my next door neighbor's twin girls that are due in 7 weeks. One down, three to go.

Later daze,
Mel

Of Ladybugs, Pirates, Cupcakes and Other Things

Finally, I got DD to pose in her new sweater, which is actually a Xmas present for her this year. (Hey, she's 3. She's not going to remember.)

It was a near thing finishing this up in time as this was my KWC project. I watched/listened to the final game. I was rooting for Italy (Viva Italia!) but as I was down to the wire, I was cheering for a tie and OT. As I was seaming up the last arm, I was cheering for PKs (that's penalty kicks for all you non-Soccer fans out there.) I got my wish!

And as you can tell by the smile on her face, the sweater is a definite hit!

I started this after the sweater:

Yep, matching socks! As modeled by DD's foot:

I'm going to have to futz with them a bit more. I'm not happy with the ladybug band. It's tighter than the rest of the sock, and if DD's foot grows between now and Xmas (and you know it will) she won't be able to get her foot in them. Colorwork doesn't have as much stretch, so I'm going to have to add a few stitches. Which is fine cause I'm not liking the repeat in the pattern. So I will cast on for a new one and put this one on a holder. But these will have to wait a bit unti I finish this....

Since I blogged last, I have been working on DS the Elder's birthday present (due August 11), the Jolly Roger Sweater from the Knit.1 Spring issue. When I last wrote about it, it had been banished to the naughty basket.

Well, I've made definite progress on it, and I figured out how to do intarsia in the round. I've just split the front and back off to make the armholes.

DS the Elder knows I'm making this, as I have to try it on him to make sure the fit is good. I am using WoolEase Chunky, in the Black, instead of T&Q as called for in the pattern. I made the gauge smaller so that the Large size of the pattern fits him perfectly. (He likes his sweaters big and roomy.) I am however using, T&Q for the skull and crossbones motif to make it pop more.

And here is my Homework project for Knit Wit night all done:

It's a cupcake from the book, One Skein. I used pastel-colored brads for the decorations on the "frosting" part. According to Rachelle, she got them from the scrapbooking section of one of the local craft stores. Quick and easy, and no sewing! (And as you all know, I'm all about the Quick and Easy!)

Finally, I got an early anniverary prezzie from DH yesterday! The UPS man dropped this off yesterday morning:

I had to wait until DH got home from work to open it. (He couldn't wait 2 weeks to see my reaction.) And this was inside!

Yes, dear readers, that is an Apple i-Pod Shuffle! I am now firmly launched into the 21st century! Of course, I have no idea how to download songs onto it. The TechnoTech (aka DH) had to do that for me. Did he show me how he did it? No, but that's okay. It makes hime feel useful. (Though he is slightly appalled that he has an Apple product in his home. But hey, he won it in a contest, and he's never one to pass up the free stuff!)

Now the only question is: do I need to knit a cozy/carrier for this?

Goooooooooooal!

Yes! The camera has been found, and I have pictures to show!

First, my KWC project:

The team did their job and scored their first goal. Both sides done. Will do a 3 needle bind-off after I have finished knitting the sleeves because I'm not sure how long I will be making them.


The inside of the sweater. Started weaving in the ends.


Started some of the duplicate stitching on the ladybugs. It's going very quickly.


The sleeves are being knit as I type. Doing two at once since I need to increase every inch, that way the sleeves will come out identical. Now the only question, will I finish in time?

And now...drum roll please....

A Finished Project...

New socks for DS the Younger! Knit these in two days over the 4th of July festivities. Used Knit Picks yarn, Simple Stripes (now discontinued) in the colorway, Crayons on DPNs size 3. The pattern is the generic sock pattern from Melanie's site, http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com It worked like magic.


DS the Younger likes them too. He hasn't taken them off all day. It's so nice to be appreciated.

...And a Half!

(Not the best pix, but it's hard to take a decent picture of your own foot unless you're double-jointed, which I am not.) I finished the first sock of my pair. Haven't cast on the second yet as I got distracted by DS the Younger's socks. Will cast on for the second as soon as my KWC project is done.

Peace out,
Mel