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.