Miss E's Modern Log Cabin Blanket

Pattern: Modern Log Cabin Baby Blanket, Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Swish Superwash from Knit Picks in Aloe, Bubblegum, Ballerina (all discontinued) and Sunshine.
Needles: US 7
Notes: Edging was changed to an applied I-Cord. Instructions for this can be found at The Purl Bee.

It's finally finished! I feel happy and giddy, it's such a big thing, but also a little sad about it. I started this just before Miss E turned 1. And now she's over 2. And lately, she's been growing more and more into a girl... and not my baby any longer. She tells me she loves me, can sing songs on her own and has even used the potty a few times. (Not as much as I'd like!) I feel like this blanket is the same. I knit it while she was a baby, and now both have grown up. :( Sappy Mommy Moment.

I will admit there were times that I was not liking this project. Any big project becomes a slog-fest at times right? After reading the passion for log cabin knitting in the book, I wanted to feel that way. It sounded sooooo charming. I was not charmed. Why? Because I could not stand all the casting off and picking up of stitches. I have seen where someone has done it by putting the stitches on holders and holding them for later. If I log cabin again, I will definitely be doing that! I do love the look of log cabin's so I am sure this is not my last. With that modification I suspect I'll get along with it's charming ways just fine.

There are two things I'd do differently here. I should have used a size 6 needle. The 7 is just a little looser than I'd like. And secondly, I'd find a better way to weave in the ends in garter stitch. They really show on the front. I thought washing it would help alleviate that, but instead, it made it even more obvious. Oh, and I might even do it the way the pattern has it laid out and not the mirror image I did here. (snicker) That was an accident on block 3 and I just rolled with it.

So how does the recipient feel about it? Well, lets just say it's hot out and she's far more interested in Daddy calling her to the swimming pool. But come fall, I'm sure it'll see some love.

Off she goes!

Too much laundry!

Sorry, no blanket pictures yet. I'm blaming the mountain of laundry I've been doing. No room to fit the blanket into the rotation yet.

Soooo... here's some things I'm working on...

Peppermint Mocha Socks... oohhh... ahh... so very ME. I love them. And that's my first little picot edge up there too! Last night I finally got to go to knit night. I think it's been months, literally! Apparently this yarn is very Bridgit too. I was a little scared she might try to steal mine. :)

Hub's Horseshoe Socks. These are S L O W going. My wrists have been bothering me some. I was afraid at first it was due to the knitting, but have since figured out I've been sleeping really strangely on top of my folded wrists. I'm trying really hard not to do that. It's helping, but I keep catching myself doing it. It also bothers them to work on these socks. So I don't much. They were for a KAL and there's no way I'll make the deadline. A bit of a bummer.

Hub's Hat. Yup, it's an actual hat for Hub. Something weird happened with the picture file there... sorry about that. I have no idea. And no time to go take another so it will have to do. I might move this onto a longer needle and magic loop it. The 16" circ is also bothering my wrists... sigh. If only I wasn't quite such a spaz...

And, take two on that baby sweater. This is a whole different look I know. I just happened to have just enough of these two colors in the stash and decided to go with it.

So there ya go! WIP's on Friday. Never conforming to the schedule am I?

Attached I-Cord

You know what all that attached i-cord means right? Miss E's blanket is FINALLY done! Nearly 16 months in the making. Once I clean my bathtub and give it a dunk I'll have a real photoshoot! I can't wait!

BTW, the attached i-cord is THE way to go if you ask me. All that garter stitch can be heavy and super stretchy. The i-cord gives it some stability around the edges. It was easy to do, and, pretty quick too!

Catch Up

Pattern: Stacked Eyelet Cowl Recipe
Yarn: Dashing Dach's Dach Sox: Sport, Anniversary

Is it possible to keep up with knitting, blogging and life in the summertime? I've got TWO FO's here in this post that I don't know that I've mentioned. I tried this yarn as socks last month, but they wanted to pool horribly. Blotchy, non swirling type. Not ok. When I saw this idea on Ami's blog I decided to give it a try. It worked out beautifully. I have no idea who it's for as it doesn't go with my winter coat, but hey... gifts on hand are always good right?!

Pattern: Elongated Corded Rib, Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Panda Cotton, Caribbean Blue

These were the gift socks I was keeping hushed. MIL was here this weekend for Miss E's dedication at church and she got her very late birthday present. She loved them. They are actually the only pair of socks I've knit this summer that actually qualify for SOS 08. Thus far none of the 5 pair I knit met the requirements. Oh well. My OWN SOS I've knit 6 pair. :)

Now back to that crazy summer...

Sweet Little Socks

Pattern: Lacy Baby Socks
Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock, Beach Glass

Pattern: Better Than Booties Baby Socks
Yarn: Louet Gems Fingering, Fern

Pattern: "Little 16" Newborn Socks
Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy, Deep Seaflower

Did I not promise cute? I made these over the 4th of July weekend. Much of them in the car going to and from the parade... bbq... etc... New little babies need new little socks!

The problem with gift knitting...

Is that you can't blog about it! I have some things, wee bitty baby things so cute they'll make your teeth hurt, that I finished over the weekend. I sent them off yesterday so perhaps by the weekend you'll get to see them. And I started another project yesterday... even took pictures, but realized I can't blog it either. If you are on Ravelry you can go peek there. The gift is for a non-knitter so I'm safe there.

I DO have some lovely things to show you though!

First up... prizes! Last month the Knitspot Fan Group on Ravelry had a contest to create a new button and banner. The group all voted on them and I won! The funny thing is I actually voted for and liked the second place banner better. Ah well. I won't complain! The prize was a gift certificate to the Knitspot Pattern Shop and the group owner sent some goodies my way as well.



Rosi G, The Soapy Knitter, makes her own bath products. The little picture of herself on the label totally cracks me up! And that scrub, Mango Lassi, smells SO good! The yarn is a fingering weight lace yarn. Miss N thinks it's hers since it's pink. (eyeroll) It may well be... it's the perfect amount for a wee little girl scarf. We shall see...

Also... last weekend Hub (again trying to beat out all other husbands for wonderfulness) took us all over to Coeur d'Alene. He dropped me off at a LYS I had not visited yet... and he took the girls and did our shopping at Costco. I told you, wonderful! Harmony Yarn was delightful. The owner was so hospitable and friendly and the yarn selection quite varied from the other stores I've been to in the area. Miss N came inside to get me and managed to leave with Hershey's kisses in several different flavors. I left with this Malabrigo...



I'm not sure what my thing with green is lately, but I like it. I don't wear it... I look like I'm about to toss my cookies when I do. But I like it. Go figure. The darker one is destined to be a hat for Hub... you know... one of those hats I've been promising him since I started knitting... And the brighter, I don't know. I just liked it. I was thinking I might be able to talk Hub into wearing it. He's trying to talk me out of it. lol! Now I've set my sights on my crazy younger brother Max... or maybe even my Mother-In-Law if she likes it. What do you think Mrs J?

I never do these things...

But this one I've been reading everywhere it seems and I actually find it interesting... so here goes...

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
It was the summer after my "senior" year of college. But I stayed two more. SO... I was in Moscow, Idaho working... although I can't tell you what I was doing. I can't remember. TOO many summer jobs along the way. It could be that I was living in Boise, Idaho. Actually I think I was. I was to spend the next semester down there doing a special study on city planning. I was majoring in Architecture. So, living in Boise and working at McGrath's Fish House. Hardest job I ever had (besides motherhood). Tip your waitress well! Especially if she's carrying big heavy plates all day and night!

2) What are five things on my to-do list for today?
1. Go to Credit Union and Post Office
2. Go to Costco to restock now that scary holiday crowds are gone
3. Find something fun to do! Maybe head over to Coeur d'Alene to check out one of their LYS.

3) Snacks I enjoy:
1. Cereal
2. All things chocolate
3. Popcorn

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay off everything! Be free!
2. Move to Alaska and build a beautiful house on the water where I can see my Dad and Brother coming and going in their fishing boats. Well, actually I think I'd make my Dad retire. ;) So perhaps I'd just watch him pass by on his way down to his cabin.
3. Buy my MIL a house and a gardener and a housekeeper so she could rest for once!

5) Places I have lived:
1. Seattle, Washington
2. Petersburg, Alaska
3. Moscow, Idaho
4. Boise, Idaho
5. Lake Stevens, Washington
6. Spokane Valley, Washington

6) Jobs I have had:
1. Waitress
2. Concessions Supervisor for U of Idaho and WSU
3. Accounting Assistant (I have no idea how this came about... this is SO not me!)
4. Architect
5. Mommy

2&3 were pretty easy... the others, not so much. lol!

So... what about you?

Time for SOS 08

To kick things off I knit up a couple pair of real quick ankle socks in STR Heavyweight, Knitty Rocks.

I also cast on a pair I designed for Hub. I'm down to the heel now, but you get the idea here. These are Horseshoe cables. Hub has fond memories of playing horseshoes with his Grandpa Frank. The yarn is Dream In Color Smooshy in Chinatown Apple. This color is so pretty... when the light hits it just right you see green in it too. They named it perfectly!

I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!

Claret Baby Cardigan

A little surprise for you. I didn't intentionally not blog about this in progress. It's just that it only took about four days to knit. So fast. So fun! So totally not the size I intended! lol!

Pattern: Knitting Pure and Simple Easy Baby Cardigan
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: US size 6

So... once again, the whole sweater gauge thing bit me in the butt. I am starting to think I have a curse. I have regularly gotten the right gauge with this yarn and needle combo. I have no idea what happened here. Seriously annoying. I was making it for a baby to wear this winter, but... that won't work. So I suppose I'll be making another soon so I'll still have a gift to give! And unfortunately it is too small for Miss E. It would have fit this past winter, but it's a little too small now and will be way too small by the coming winter.

Lets ignore the issue of it not having an obvious owner. Lets talk about how happy I am with how every other aspect turned out shall we?

The color... so pretty. Not screaming baby girl!, but with the details I added still feminine I believe. I heavily debated it but am glad some knitter friends pushed me to go ahead with it. The pattern was for a plain sweater. I added the garter stitch eyelet detail in the collar and hem and then flowery pewter toggle buttons. I think it's really lovely. Just not the right size for anyone...