WIP Wednesday

Hello, again!!

Here we are on another hump day and I've barely made any progress. Of course, I am trying not to mope or make excuses...but I do have a good one. You see, I take a medication and... I'm blessed. This year I found a medicine to take away my migraines. Unfortunately, when I started it and when I change doses it also takes away feeling in my extremities and my mental acuity and other things for about two weeks. It's a challenge, but worth it. Needless to say, I haven't knit much for the past week. I did, however, manage to pick up three things and considering it took me quite a while to get the tiny needles moving again I consider this quite an accomplishment. So, here goes:

I finished the back of the Valentine's Day doll sweater and seamed the top of the sleeves. This means all that remains is to seam the underneath of the sleeves, weave in any ends and add some of the Cha Cha trim at the neck and cuffs.

I cast off the blue sock last time and included it in the picture this time. I need to fold over and sew the cuff so it has a clean picot edge. I took some time on Monday night and cast on the mate. I actually cast on at least three times, truth be told. Got it right finally...or close enough.

Last, but not least, I made progress on the pink and yellow sock's mate. That is the one that sits in my keyboard tray as I work at home. I have a laptop so that tray isn't used for anything but a financial book and yarn (WIPs). You won't tell anyone, right? ;)

How was your week?

WIP Wednesday

Ok, I know it is cliche to do this but I really do think I need a recurring post theme or I'm not going to get my butt in gear to keep posting on a regular basis. I love to write I just need to do it.

So, here goes my Works-in-Progress post. I actually took this photo on Friday last week, but since then I've done very little so there's not much change.

I laid out all my works on the round glass table in my living room. You can barely see the cool sculptural base, but it's there.

Let's start at the top and go clockwise, shall we? This is a skein of Lion Brand Homespun sitting next to a pile of the simple fingerless mitts I mentioned in a previous post. I've waited to seam them as Alex is so curious about how on earth a rectangle becomes something that can be worn as a mitt. I tried explaining it, but as we all know, some things just need to be seen to be understood. Needless to say, I haven't taken the time to sit with her and show so I have at least three pair waiting to be sewn. The mitt that is on the needle in this picture was later torn out as I realized the cable I was trying wasn't coming out as planned because I'm a dingbat. Still learning about cabling afterall. *sigh* At least these are quick and I frogged and restarted and finished the mitt all on Friday night while my girls were at the bounce house for an hour. All is well and I've cast on for its mate. The color may or may not come through well on your screen but in person it is a rich coral and these are actually being made for a co-worker who is just a tiny young woman who is always shivering in the office. She was sick for at least two weeks recently and I though this might be a nice thing for her to come in to one day. Can't hurt, right?

Next up is what was supposed to be the Valentine's Day doll sweater. That's one ball of Paton's Cha Cha in a bright red and one of Lion Suede in a bright red. I wasn't sure I'd have enough of the suede to do the whole sweater so I added stripes of the Cha Cha and will add it to the collar and cuffs as well. So far so good, but it isn't making it to Cher in time for this Valentine's Day. Sorry! :(

This rainbow colored puff ball is yet another fantastic doll sweater made from Paton's Cha Cha. This stuff is the most incredibly soft yarn to work with. Its sad that it is discontinued. Cher was kind enough to buy out her source and send me a box full of different colors so this is just one of many that will be popping up as works-in-progress and finished items. Yummy yarn to work with and this color does the striping all by itself!

 

Next up is another doll sweater in one of my favorite yarns, Caron's Simply Soft Eco. You may remember that I adore Simply Soft in all its colors but the Eco brand is even more a favorite as I'm kind of a hippie chic and this speaks to that side of my personality. This cornflower blue sweater is one of my "signature" sweaters that I've got a little dress to match and will pack away for a Fall/Winter launch on my Etsy shop.

Next up are what were to be Summer socks for my girls. We were at the local yarn store (Spin A Yarn) and I let the girls pick out what colors they'd like. I spent many a day knitting row after row on the tiny needles as the girls played in my parents' yard or rode bikes or scooters. Still, I did not finish. Carebear's are the pink and yellow and one is complete. The picture shows the beginning of the second one. LexiLoo's first is pictured and is now off the needles but its mate has yet to be cast on (I think...better check on that actually). I'm hoping to have these done for their March birthdays. Wish me luck!

I was stressed and well, as knitters I'm sure we can all relate to the call of a yarn shop within walking distance. One of my favorite bosses stopped by my desk in the morning, rubbing his hands together making comment that there was no heat in his office. Oh really? Well, he is one of my favorites and has even passed along knitting and sewing supplies from his deceased wife. I think he deserves some fingerless mitts to warm those hands, don't you? Of course they must be made of some great wool, and of course I had a lunch break to wander to the store. Hunter green and ivory and I've charted a pattern for our company name and...oy! I'm using this pattern from Mary Keenan at Hugs for Your Head so I can get the basic stitch count and the length. I've never done a twisted rib and find it so soothing.

Last, but not least, is the hat I'm working on for me. This is the Rainbow Boucle Patterns yarn that was given to me by Alex and Spike as a Christmas gift. I've struggled a bit with it as cables don't appear, nor do some simple knit/purl patterns. So, I'm just knitting along in the round and thinking it may be a very long toboggan type hat when I'm done, which will be quite some time from now as I have an ever growing "to do" list that piles in ahead of this one. Still, it is there and waiting patiently with one of my favorite markers on it.

WIP: White 18" Doll Outfit

I've decided it is time to make a serious commitment to blogging about my craft. I love to write and to knit so I may as well merge the two. Also, this will be a way for me to look back and realize what I'm doing and hopefully what I've accomplished.

Here's one WIP (work-in-progress):

White doll sweater for 18-inch doll (on needle at bottom). My loyal customer noted that when she paired my last white sweater, hat, and scarf with leggings and boots that it sold in only three days. White is hot and has sold well every time. So, on the needles (short, straight sz 3) I've got a sweater with picot hemline and a butterfly eyelet pattern. I have matching socks. The yarn is a soft baby yarn (Bernet Softee Baby in White).

So far so good!

WIPs: Mittens times 4 and Stripey Socks

I've blogged before about a very special pair of mittens that are underway. I've made a lot of progress and think I will be able to finish without a problem, before Christmas (knock on wood). I've finished the two mittens using the soy/wool combo yarn. Now, I've moved on to using Caron Simply Soft to knit the liner pair (the inside-out mitten shown below). This will, I hope, eliminate any scratchiness from the wool as the recipient reportedly doesn't like wool next to her skin. So far I have one liner done and it fits in fine and my hand will, too.

When I'm done with these I think I'm going to cut some leather (from an old coat) to use for the palms so they can also be worn for driving. As I may have said, the recipient has very, very cold hands.

On another set of needles is a sock for my youngest. I'm using two size three, sixteen inch circular needles. My daughter went through a phase, when I purchased the yarn, where she adored purple. Shortly after she went back to thinking everything has to be pink. So, I used the purples I had intended (Caron Simply Soft) and stole some pink from the yarn for her sister's pair, making the heel. Not sure how long I'm going to make the cuff, but so far it is turning out pretty well. The foot part is striped and the cuff will be solid in the darker purple. Quirky, like that daughter.

Happy Knitting!

Fall Hits Arizona (FO)

I've been waiting...even forgot a few times. Then, the other day I got an email from a friend. Yes, Fall has hit in Arizona and now that days are down near 70 degrees she was taking a moment to try on the socks I knit for her (in honor of ones her Grandma used to make). Thanks, for sharing a photo:

These were knit on two straight needles and seamed along the sides and heel. I like that they are a bit thicker yarn (sport or worsted weight) and larger needles (sz 3 or 5) so the socks work up faster than traditional ones. I've since altered the oh-so-basic pattern and put it on two circulars and knit toe-up. I'm thrilled and can't wait to make more to share.

WIPs

I used to hate those abbreviations like the title of this post and still get a bit confused by some. So, for anyone who doesn't knit or crochet or is new or confused, WIP is work-in-progress. If you've been to my home you'll know that I'm one of those many knitters who have far too many started but not complete items. Right now I'm working on the following:

• Doll sweater #1: Blue and white, empire waist, long sleeved
• Doll sweater #2: Thinking this may be an elephant Halloween costume, but I'm undecided
• Doll sweater #3: awaiting frogging (ripping out-rip it, rip it, rip it like the sound of a frog) or trash can. I knit what I thought was a pretty simple pattern until I had seamed everything and knit all the edging to find out that one side was significantly longer than the other. That should be a warning to me to stop knitting so much when I'm exhausted.
• Socks for LexiLoo: Pink with three purple stripes right above the toes-first time toe-up, two circular needles, and no seam. First sock is at cuff and now I'm ribbing 1x1 for a few more inches before I can bind off and begin again.
• Socks for Me: toe-up but seam at heel sides-green and blue striped. First sock is complete but bind off edge is a bit tight around foot when pulling on and off. I really don't want to pull the edge off so I'm working it out (I hope).
• Aran Knit Sweater: Lavender baby yarn to keep my 89-year-old Grandma warm. Only about five inches of the back done so far. Frustrating, to say the least. I wish I'd chosen a pattern worked in-the-round before I committed to this one. Too much money invested in the new needles and too much time on the three inches of ribbing to frog it now. Next time...
• Mittens for Carebear: One is done and the other just has some ribbing. They are two needle items worked from the cuff up. These are wool, some kool-aid dyed, and will be felted. These have a matching hat made completely out of the kool-aid dyed yarn. LexiLoo's set is fully knit. Christmas is approaching fast so I have to finish the mitten and get everything into the washer.
• Socks for Carebear: not yet started. I have new purple yarn, at her request, and think these will be two shades of purple and pink or just pink and purple-I can't decide yet. I'm using Caron Simply Soft for most of these socks as it works quick and will keep our feet toasty warm as the Fall progresses and turns into Winter. 
• Socks for a Friend: purchased another skein of a new favorite colored baby yarn. I think I'll knit some simple, happy socks for her feet to lounge in. Not skinny socks but warm ones for winter wear or around the house.
• Mittens for Family Member: Someone I know has very, very cold hands and I found some wool that I think will do the trick. Soft and fuzzy but warm as can be.

I'm laughing a bit as I typed all that and thought of the afghans sitting patiently in the other room, or the yarn for shrugs for the girls this Summer that never made it to the needles. This is in no way a comprehensive list. These are just the highest priority in my mind, for the moment. LOL!

Ok, time to log off and go wash Carebear's cup for daycare tomorrow. I had promised myself a reasonable bedtime to help fend off this complete exhaustion. Here's hoping. :)

Going Green (FOs)

I am, at heart, a liberal environmentalist. No, I do not compost all my waste and yes, I did use disposable diapers but mostly because of location not will. I'd love to do so much more than recycling and reusing shopping bags and such. Still, all this is a start.

What I have started doing it reusing clothing rather than throwing out items with holes or stains. Instead, I try to find a use for the good parts. It is fortunate that I have two little ones who can always use new items made from larger old ones. I also have been dragged into a world of doll clothes which I'm loving and they are certainly small enough to reuse material.

So, this weekend I put the finishing touches on a four-piece ensemble for 18 inch dolls. I've written a bit lately about trying socks and while I was knitting for my daughters my mind wandered to a doll pattern I'd come across in my stash. I didn't want to get that complicated, but why couldn't I adapt the easy, two-needle pattern from person size to doll size? Let's try. Out came one of our three measuring tapes and calculations began. Then the real trial was keeping my kids occupied for the tiny bit less than an hour it took to knit the pair. I used some green yarn I had sitting on my table from my eldest daughter's socks. I love green so this was added inspiration and the soft baby yarn doesn't hurt.

I finished the ankle socks and put them on my doll and voila! I couldn't resist. Now she had to have something to go with those.

Onto the needles went a sweater in the same yarn. My "normal" go-to pattern wasn't large enough around but I wanted to play anyway so I did a basic pattern, adding a cable to the front plackets and short instead of long sleeves. Then I finished with a crocheted scalloped edge and tie closure.

The doll I have doesn't look right showing her "skin" so I chose to recycle some clothing for her. I took the pockets off a pair of old jeans and sewed them together for a skirt. Then I cut part of the lace sleeve off an old nightgown to use for a tube top under the sweater.

Put it all together and here's what I got:

Crafting for Kiddies (FOs)

I want my girls to be Gap girls! I can't help it and I don't know why. I was talking to a friend the other day and confessed that I almost spent $50 on a pair of non-waterproof boots after seeing the cutest commercial ever last year and wanting desperately for Star to "fit in". I am so NOT a Gap girl. Our family never had the money to shop there and even if they had I don't know as I would've quite fit in to their clothing or image. In fact, for years I'd wander in and check out baby stuff and get snubbed by the sales associates.


The last few times I've been in have been different and I've actually been helped. I still don't look a thing like a Gap customer, but they treat me nicely anyway. When we were school shopping I couldn't help but wander in. Star oohed and aahed at some jeans and when I asked her what she liked about them, if they were a "must have" she commented that she really just liked the belts. So, we looked around for just belts and they weren't selling any so we moved on and added belts to her shopping list.

So, from my trip to the Gap here is one of the pairs of jeans (hover over the patches) and here is one of the belts. Last night I pulled out the remnants of a pair of jeans that I had cut apart to recycle for a blanket. I took the seam ripper to the back pockets to use them for a doll skirt. When I removed them I noticed these were awesome. The very faded washed jeans had very dark spots where the pockets had been. This got me thinking that maybe I could use the remains as a skirt for Star. We talked and measured and picked patch fabric and today I sewed and tried on her and sewed more and tweaked here and there and then cut and ironed and starched and sewed and so on. Until, drum roll please.........I came up with this (my knock-off of the jeans and belts):

The back where the pockets had been.

Woven belt with D-ring closure. I wish the photo was clearer as it really is cute if I do say so myself.

Saved the best for last...the whole skirt, front view.

I'm usually pretty humble, but for these five minutes I'm feeling pretty good about the skirt. I wish I were young enough to wear it myself.

Back to humble, I knit two pairs of simple two-needle socks. Each of my girls got to pick her colors, so there is no intentional Red Hat Society reference. Unfortunately, even after measuring my youngest's foot and knitting to the "right" length, I got hers about an inch too long. At least she can wear them around the house and look forward to something to grow into that is all hers instead of a hand-me-down. She loves the stripes anyway.

The picot edge was my addition as the original pattern had a ribbed cuff. I like this one a bit more and will probably do more pairs in this style.

Happy Feet!

Both wanted short socks and this is about as short as I can go with this pattern or they start to slip off the back of the heel.

All this crafting was amazing and fun but I'm stuck wondering if I'm just a "too cool" Mom or if I'm sending my daughters down a road of loathing me and being mocked by classmates. I pray it is the former as my eldest is heading back to school with a handmade skirt from last year and a shirt I embellished to match. She's very excited, but I do worry.

Mondays

Let me start by saying, I'm sorry for the quality of the photos. I often think to take pictures only after the kids are in bed and my lighting is great for relaxing but not for photography.

I know almost a week has passed already, but I've been meaning to chat about Mondays. I'm a single (not-by-choice) Mom of two marvelous little girls, ages 6 and 4. So, as you all probably know, that leaves very little "me" time. I work a normal "9-5" job and then at night I try to keep up the house and knit custom orders as much as I can to "make ends meet".

I have tried, however, to keep a bit of time for me and unfortunately it is due to tv. I found that I like the PBS show, Antiques Roadshow. Then, over one summer I discovered History Detectives and now I'm hooked. I am disappointed when summer ends and that show disappears from my Mondays. I therefore make time to just relax on Monday nights during the summer. It is strictly observed for me, and me alone.

I was in the middle of a knitting project this Monday (a doll sweater for order) when I thought I'd really make it a night for me. I had recently finished a pair of simple, two needle socks for a dear friend. We were chatting one day about my knitting and she mentioned she liked the ones I had photographed on my feet as they reminded her of ones her Grandma had made her but were now getting holes in them. Her Grandma (Alice) is still alive and relatively well, but carpal tunnel syndrome has made it so she doesn't knit anymore. So, I started a pair of red and white striped socks for my friend and finished them over the weekend. She was thrilled.

When Monday rolled around I was eager to translate that simple pattern to toe-up socks on two circular needles, two techniques I've only read/heard about. It can't be that hard. Well, so far I'm loving it!

Don't get me wrong, these will still not be the best darn socks ever, but for me it was a foray into self-value. I put down my work-for-hire item and concentrated a whole evening just on me. What a wonderful feeling! The yarn is Caron's Simply Soft and it feels fantastic on my feet and in my hands as it slides through my fingers and over the needles. The colors, as they don't show very well here, are a bright lime type green and turquoise. Oh, and these yarns were ones I had purchased for a custom order so I'm helping ease my stash as well. Win-win!

That glee ended quickly the next morning when I made the mistake of showing my little ones and they promptly whined about not having any of their own hand-knit socks. So, the rest of the week was spent staying up late knitting the two needle type for my eldest...a picot edge and stockinette stitch instead of the rib that was the cuff on the others I've made.

I've just begun the mate to this one but should have it done well before school starts and hopefully the littlest one's pair as well. I didn't want to get too far into the second without having my daughter try it on first...read on...

The first night I tried socks for my eldest I looked at my own sock and figured my 6-year-old's foot should be about 2/3 as wide as mine (size 7 but wide). So, I cast on and knit striped goodness until midnight. The next day I brought them to her foot only to discover that, with quite a bit of stretching, the sock might just fit my 4-year-old (who vehemently refuses to wear those colors). I was too exhausted to begin frogging that sock and figure maybe I'll finish a pair and donate them to a toddler somewhere who can tolerate yellow and orange.

Ok then. It is Friday night and my weekend is full to the brim with tasks and knitting. So, I can just now click on a show and relax for a few minutes before I fall into bed and dream of Monday night, when I can pick up and work on my sock again.