A Simple Baby Blanket

Boy it has been a long while since I last wrote. I can't believe how fast time flies. I have finished several projects but have been unable to publish them here. It has been so busy at work and I just haven't had the time. Work is still busy but has calmed down just a little to be able to write something today.

I finished this baby blanket back in April. It is for my son's little cousin. I had tried to give it to his parents on several occasions but our schedules never allowed the time. So, I decided to mail it to them. I really hope he likes it and is able to use it for many years to come. This pattern was my own creation. I did take the pattern of the first baby blanket (in yellow) I made several months ago but I removed the center pattern that would have taken longer to knit. The border is garter stitch and the center is stockinette. I believe it turned out just as nice even though it was simple. I want to make another one for my beautiful son, Matthew, but now that he is getting older the pattern and color should be one that a little boy would like.  *.*.*.*.*  :-)

The Caddy Tam

This is a cute hat that was a snap to knit.  It was very simple pattern taken from the KnitScene magazine winter 2008/Spring 2009 (page 85).  I finished back in July and I hadn't had time to post about it.  For this pattern I used a bulky yarn which was ok (not premier).  Towards the end the yarn it was breaking into pieces.  I plan on making another one in a different color and yarn.  So, that I can give one of them to a friend.  I think I want to keep this one for me but I am not sure yet.  I am also wondering if I would have used the yarn that was used in the magazine (Tahki Montana) would I have had any issues with the yarn. ?? I may end up getting that for the second hat I do.  Regardless, I enjoyed making it.  The pom-pom was fun to make and it adds a touch of fun to the hat. :.=

Another Hat for Mom!

I think I am starting to like making hats.   I finished this one last weekend.  This one was a cute pattern that once I saw it, it spelled "MOM'S HAT" all over it.  This is my second hat for her.  I haven't shown her this one yet, but I am hopeful that she will like it.  The pattern was really simple and quick to knit.  (BTW: I do most of my knitting between 10:30pm - 12mid.  It is the only time I have after my 4yr old son has gone to sleep).  The pattern called for a cotton yarn and while, I haven't used cotton just yet, I felt like using Bernat - Satin Yarn again, but this time in Lavender.   This yarn is great for making some patterns stand out and in this case I think it definitely looks great.  I used the Beauford Knit Pattern found here http://ahknits.typepad.com/knititude/files/beaufort_hat_pattern.pdf.  Check it out and you'll fall in love with it as well.  I plan on doing a scarf with the same pattern but right now I don't feel confident enough to do it just yet!  Maybe in a couple more months and a lot more projects finished then maybe I will get courageous and write one.  Once again I am feel great accomplishing another project.  I makes me feel good that I can finish them.  Keep in mind, I have very limited time but the time I do have I try to make it my knitting time.  

I have three other hats that I am working on that I will write about soon.  These are using DK, sport and fingering yarn.  Two of the patterns have charts and this once again was new to me.  I had to learn how to read patterns.  Once you get the hang of it, it is actually quiet easy.  They just take a little long because they are using thinner yarn.  I will be posting pictures of my progress in the next couple of days.  :-:

Sue's Cable Hat

I finally had time to blog about this.  I finished it about a month ago and until now I had time to write about it.  This was the first attempt at cables. I really like the way it turned out.  It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  This is a pattern from the Andrea Tung's Hats, Mittens and Scarves card deck -- Alexis Cable Cap (I think I will do another one in a different color).  It was really simple and I used Dolce Merino Forest Green.  Is it a very yummy color?  I did show it to my sister (I knitted it for her), and she loved it.  Yeah!  That always makes me feel really good.  Now I am looking for a mitten pattern to match this hat, one that includes a simple cable pattern.  There aren't many that are just plain with one cable running through it.  I think I found one but I am still not 100% sure.  I better be quick because winter is coming and my sister is really looking forward wearing both.  This is technically my 4th hat ever and I think I did an ok job  :-) ---::

New Projects - Joanna's Dress, Sue's Hat and a scarf for a friend

I love working on several projects at the same time.  I discovered that doing several projects at the same kept me from getting bored.  I also like working on different types of projects such as hats, scarves, small dresses and blankets in different yarns and weights.  Learning how to read patterns that include forming a garment such like in the case of Joanna's dress is fun.  I love challenges in my projects.  I am close to finishing the skirt part of Joanna's dress.  Once I have that finished it, I will be starting up the bodice.  I have to say that I really like this yarn,"It's A Wrap" from Sensations but it may be a bit heavy (75% Nylon 25% Wool) after the dress is done.  If that is the case then she can wear it in winter time and be nice and warm. :-)

The other project which I just recently started is a hat for my sister.  Since I finished my mom's hat, I wanted to start another hat.  For this new hat pattern, which incorporates cables, for me it has been exciting because it is the first time I have embedded cables in any pattern.  The yarn I chose is really nice and soft and the color is so yummy.  It is by Universal Yarn, Inc - Dolce Merino 50% Fine Merino 50% Micro Fiber.  Here is a view of stage I am in with this new hat.   I can't wait to finish it and see it completed.

The next project is a just a simple scarf for my friend.  She doesn't know about it yet so, I won't mention who she is just yet.  The nice thing about this scarf is the yarn.  It is so soft made from 49% Acrylic  51% Nylon from Sensations called "Beautiful" but it looks like mohair.  I hope she likes it.  I am almost done with this one! ~

A Ray of Sunshine Blanket

This blanket was my first real big project which I finished back in February 2010.  I was extremely happy and pleased with it.  It was just using two main stitches, knit and purl.  The pattern is extremely simple and fun to do.  And after the first two times of knitting the pattern, I had memorized it.  And even now, I still remember it.  :-)  The pattern is located at http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/free-knitting-patterns-for-baby-blankets2.htm. It took me a long time to complete mainly because of it's size and my limited time. The blanket was for a co-worker who's wife was having a baby due in January 2010.  BTW, I was trying to finish before the due date but the baby came a few weeks early.   :-)  Whenever I work on a project for a baby, I always think about them while I knit.  As they grow in their mother's tummy, so does the blanket with every stitch.  It is very special to me to make something for a baby because babies mean so much to me.  They hold a special place in my heart.

Fancy Hat for Mom

Since, this is the first entry in my blog, I'll share with you my latest work.  I am very proud of this mainly because it was very challenging for me given that I haven't knitted for a very very long time.  While I was working on my first knit blanket for a friend who was having a baby (will post about this later), my mom asked me to knit her a hat.  She gave me a hat that she loves to wear and said, "Can you make me this hat in black?"  I looked at it and quickly determined that is was not knitted but crochet (I also know how to crochet but I prefer to knit).  I didn't want to disappoint her so I told her, I would figure it out and try to duplicate it.  Well, I looked and looked for a crochet pattern that will be similar to her hat.  I found one that I like and began to crochet it.  Even though it was crochet, I still enjoyed it and in the end it was an OK hat.  It was slightly too big. Oops! When I gave it to my mom she graciously accepted it.  I was not happy with it because first it was not knitted and second it was too big for her.  So I set out to make a knitted hat with a nice and complicated (for me) pattern.  I found it in the KnitScene Winter 2008/ Spring 2009 magazine.  It definitely looked very intimidating, but I worked through it and in the end I was extremely pleased with it and proud that I was able to do it.