New dress for the Spring

This dress grabbed me and I really want to have it ready for warm weather and maybe some trips to the shore over the summer.

I subscribe to Red Heart's newsletter and sometimes I'm really impressed with the patterns that they put out and this one looks really great.

It's open and airy, has a simple but hopefully, flattering shape, and is FREE.

I started it with the hook recommended, but of course, my gauge was off and I went down a size. Unfortunately, the stitch height it slightly short, but that I can deal with. I'm slightly worried that blocking will really make it to big, but we'll see.

Project page here.

This is where I am so far. Just beginning the increases for the skirt.

Excited

So this Saturday is Rhinebeck and I can't wait to go. My sister-in-law, a fellow fiber lover, will be coming along with me.

It's not so much all the buying options, but just seeing how many people are into what I'm into. It makes me feel like less of a weirdo. Some people think it's strange that I knit and crochet because I'm not a little, old granny hanging out in a rocking chair knitting up booties. Despite the recent "blow up" in popularity of the fiber world, it still remains quite a small blip on people's radar.

In other news, my Marshall sweater is chugging along quite rapidly. The pattern is easy and mindless so I 'm plowing through the body of it now. I haven't taken any photos of my progress because, even if I did, I probably wouldn't take them off my camera for days and days anyway.

I've stalled on the shawl. I think it's because I've pulled it out 3 different times, so now I have to kind of grin and bear it to get through the first bunch of rows before it will become fun again.

And since I have no content driven photos, here's a picture of something pretty.

Brush off the dust

I know in my last post I said that we had found our stride. I think that I might have been lying. 

Sometimes, that feeling of being in control is hovering just out of reach and it's covered in a slippery coating that is impossible for me to hold on to. Other times it's so far away that I don't see it at all. The worst part is that other people seem to have figured it all out, but I feel as though I'm not even close. Between guilt for working full time and being too tired to play with my kids at night and feeling rundown, it's as though I'm burning my candle at both ends and the middle is rapidly approaching. I almost have a feeling of impending disaster. Is this normal? If I could just put together some kind of strategy, maybe things would smooth out. At the moment, that is my priority; figuring this crazy life of mine, out.

I try to draw inspiration from people who have more challenges than me, because, truthfully, my life is good. I have a house, a family, a good job, and live in a safe area. Everyday, I work to remind myself that I have these things and even though everything is unbalanced, it's all good...

Step one, really, is to let go of the pressure. Let go of the self imposed, idealized versions of my life. I can't be super woman; I can't have a job, run a household, read all kinds of intelligent books, design patterns, write my own book, and care for my children, perfectly. That's the rub...perfection.

So, while I struggle to find my stride, maybe I will find time to log it all in here, and maybe I won't.

In my snippets of free time, I have been crocheting and knitting like mad. I've started a sweater as a Christmas gift and a shawl. The sweater is coming along ok, I had a few gauge issues, but I think I've worked it out. The shawl is still not working right. I used to knit/crochet very tightly and it was an annoying thing, but now it seems I'm the exact opposite and my gauge is way off. The sweater worked by going down a needle size, but the shawl...gosh...driving me nuts. You can see my tribulations on my Ravelry project pages.

And just because she's cute, here is a picture of my daughter.

WiP Wednesday - FO Edition & Home Update

Although I have a new WiP, I didn't get a chance to spread it out properly and get pictures, so instead I will show what I have totally finished....there was a few FOs that needed to be blocked and finally I got around to it this week.

My maternity leave has been a whirlwind of appointments, household chores, and cooking for after the baby comes.  I have to say I've done really well with that.  I've gotten lots of batches done and in the freezer.  All together I think I will have cooked about 22 lbs of chicken and 26 lbs of beef.  I did not keep track of the pounds of veggies that goes with all of this though.  Needless to say it was an expensive up front cost, but to keep us all fed and healthy for the first couple of weeks with a newborn at home, it was worth every penny and the hours on my feet, in the kitchen.

But I did squeeze in time to knit and crochet, and you will get to enjoy seeing the fruits of that labor....

Serriform Shawl :

Oaklet Shawl :

Simply Soft Blanket : 

WiP Wednesday - Back to the Vest

So, I've taken a break from the baby blanket to work on my vest again.  Just ready to knit for a little while.  I like this pattern, it's simple and I can watch TV while I knit.

I'm having such issues with this yarn, and although I already complained about the first faulty skein, I'm debating to complain about the second.  Likely, I will not, but it's really got me annoyed with the large number of extra ends I'll have to weave in.

Ravelry Project Page
Pattern Page

In the last picture you can see all the ends....

WiP - Baby Blanket

I went on to Little Knits the other day.....and I saw this yarn.  It's discontinued, but I knew it had to be a baby blanket and for the price, I couldn't pass it up.

Since it's such a busy yarn, I figured I wouldn't bother with any kind of fancy design; you wouldn't be able to see it anyway.  Instead I chained about 150 and did double crochet until I ran out of yarn...about 10 rows.  I grabbed my Bernat Baby Sport in Kiwi to make an "accent" row of tilted squares, using Mypicot's Openwork Lace # 2042.  I can't link directly to the pattern, but her site is awesome.

The first time, I used the same size hook as the rest of the blanket, but it pulled a little tighter than I would like, and that was with me actively trying to keep the stitches big and loose.  So the second accent row was done in a hook that was 0.5mm larger...so from 4.5mm (body of blanket) to 5.0mm (H hook).  I think it works out much better now.

Here is my Ravelry Project Page.  Don't worry, I'm still working on my vest, but my issue is that I keep finding breaks in the yarn.  Although Knit Picks has compensated me for the one skein, another one has had multiple breaks and weak spots...it's getting rather frustrating.  I'm on my third skein for the project and I have about 30 ends to tie in already.

WiP Wednesday - Mashrabiya Vest & Shawl

I started this a few days ago and I really like it.  The pattern is easy to follow, except for the beginning where it doesn't exactly tell you what needle to use when and I think I guessed wrong, but I can deal with it.

It goes pretty fast once you get the hang of it and the lace pattern is quite pretty.  I do plan to add the armholes to make this more versatile and I'm pretty excited to wear this once the baby is here...no way am I squeezing that poor shawl around my waist...It's almost a moot point as I really don't have a waist.

So the pattern is Mashrabiya Vest & Shawl by Sarah Wilson, The Sexy Knitter.  I also read and follow her blog, go, check it out.

The plan is to use this KnitPicks yarn that I got a few months ago for a different project, but never got around to it.  It's shades of green and I plan to make it stripey...fingers crossed that it won't look cruddy or make me look fat with the horizontal striping.

Here is my Ravelry Project Page and a picture up to my switch to the second color.

WiP Wednesday - Girlie Dress

I have yet to block the monster blanket, or finish the one I started for my little girl, but I need a break from blankets for the moment, so I've made and finished a sweater (I'll post that tomorrow) and I've started a dress.  Ironically, it's not any of the dresses that I have featured on some of my Monday posts about baby girl stuff, but it's quite lovely anyway...

The pattern is called, Angel Wing Newborn Pinafore and so far, it's chugging along at a good rate.  I would say that her patterns aren't very elegant, but they get the job done.

My gauge seems to be off, the pattern is coming out much larger than normal for me.  Usually I have to go up a hook size as I tend to crochet tighter than gauge, but not with this project.  I'm not sure this will fit a newborn...maybe more like 3 months.

This yarn, the Bernat Baby Sport is really nice.  Good stretch and it's very soft.  It also comes in these huge skeins, which is nice for churning out a bunch of baby stuff that all matches (if you're into that....which I totally am).

Here is my Rav Project Page.

WiP Wednesday - Home Stretch

Almost there, just a quarter of that final skein left and then this thing is ready for blocking and end-weaving.  Once it's blocked, I'll decide if I want to add the border that I chose.  It just depends on if the edges looks hinky or not.

Here she is in all her almost-finished glory:

WiP Wednesday

I didn't take a picture this week because, even I am sick of seeing the slow progress of that thing.  I will say that I've managed to get the last stripe started, so I'm hoping to finish that by this weekend and start on the edging.

I've decided to do this edging.  I'll just do it in the yellow color before I block the whole thing and weave in my ends.  I really want this thing done.  I'm kind of tired of it.

I have this huge list of baby girl things I want to make AND the baby blanket for my own little lady to finish....

My Ravelry Pattern Page

WiP Wednesday - Baby Blanket

I'm almost half way through now.  I think I like it.  I also think that I will love it once I add a yellow border to tie in the colors better together.

It's so simple to crochet, that it's mindless, unfortunately, I have a really hard time keeping sticky, little toddler hands off of it and so I can only work on it when the little man goes to sleep.

Ravelry Project Page

WiP Wednesday - Simply Soft Blanket

I like working on this blanket, but I'm not sure yet how it will look.  Once I finish the yellow stripe and start with the ombre again, I think I will like it better...we'll see.  I haven't worked on the blanket for my little lady at all.  I've barely had time to crochet.  Too many social things going on and then working on the house to get it ready for the baby is keeping us busy.

Tomorrow my son goes in for surgery to remove his poly dactyl thumb...my heart is a little broken over it and the fact that he has to wear a cast on his entire, little baby arm for 4 weeks is awful.  Wish us luck.

Ravelry Page

WiP Wednesday - Another Baby Blanket

I started on the other blanket and now have two on the hook.  I haven't worked much on the blanket for my girl since the last picture I posted, but it's coming along....

Here is the one I'm making for my SIL's little lady who is on the way.

This picture seems small, but if you click here, then you can see my Ravelry project page and maybe get a closer shot.

Hmm...well, maybe this picture you can see some of the stitch detail.

The pattern is from a baby blanket book that I just got, The Best of Terry Kimbrough and it's called Simply Soft.  The pattern stitch is fairly subtle, so with this wild yarn, you can't really see it, but it makes a fluffy and warm fabric, so I think it will be great.  I plan to stick a border on it, but I have no clue yet where that will go...maybe something simple or something really girly, like lacy ruffles; we'll see.

WiP Wednesday - Abstract Cats

Well, I had some hopes of finishing up this blanket in the past week.  In fact, I've barely had time to work on it at all.  A few rows here and there, but my son was needy and we had some company over, so no rest and no crocheting.

I want to make all of this baby girl stuff, but I have requests for two baby blankets....yes...two...so those will probably come first; cute little, frilly girl dresses come second, and third is that new pattern from Ysolda for her mystery shawl KAL.  I want to make that in the worst way, but I know if I start it before the other "must do" projects, I won't get the baby blankets done.  I've been browsing patterns and will likely start another one this week.

I don't have a picture today, because, really, it looks fairly similar to last week, so you'll have to stay on the edge of your seats to see how it will look next week...ahem

WiP Wednesday - Baby Blanket

I'm halfway through this little pink fluff now....and on the horizon is another one.  I promised my SIL that I would make one for her baby girl too.  I have the yarn in mind, now to dig up a pattern....hmmm...so many possibilities.  Anyway, my current blanket is flying off the hook and I'm hoping to be done by next week; it's hard to say because sometimes my son lets me crochet and other times...well...he doesn't.

Ravelry Link

WiP Wednesday - Baby Blanket

I'm tearing through this blanket.  Baby blankets are so fast and I love it.  This pattern is really easy to remember so it's rather portable, despite the color changes.  I'm just about halfway through and my mind is already on the next thing for the little lady.
I've been favorite-ing like mad on Ravelry, trying to decide what to make...I think I might be in a serious relationship with bloomers.  They are just silly cute.

Anyways, here is the blanket in all her halfway-finished glory:

Ravelry Project Page

WiP Wednesday - Messy

I have this messy pile of yarn that I plan to turn into something for a little baby girl that is on her way to live with me.  Right now she has taken up residence in my abdomen and has given me, mostly gentle, nudges to keep me on my toes.

I've started working on the Abstract Cat Blanket.  It's just too cute to resist and is a relatively easy pattern to follow.

Check out my Ravelry page for details.

Here's my progress so far.

WiP Wednesday - Starke Scarf

This worked up really fast, now I just need to block it....I think I will go with the hang it on a hanger, wet with some clothespins on the edges....

The only comment I have about the pattern concerns the cast on row of foundation hdc.  It's a rather stretchy way to start something, but with the chaining throughout the rows, the body of the scarf is tighter than that starting row.  I'm not sure it really matters, but it might be better to start with chaining with a larger hook and then doing a regular hdc row with the hook you plan to use throughout.

Here she is in all her unblocked glory, blocked photos to follow at some future point.

Starke Scarf

Ravelry Project Page

WiP Wednesday - New Thing

I have about 50 projects probably in the works....some will never be finished and some might some day be finished, depending on my perseverance, while others are long term and I get kind of tired plugging along.  So, I decided to search through my stash, find some sport or dk yarn and crochet something up, something quick and fairly simple.

The start of this project isn't exciting, so I'll share a photo of the yarn instead....(sorry for the bad quality, poor lighting).  It's Jawoll Magic by Lang; the colors are fairly soothing.  I had a tough time choosing between this colorway or the vibrant rainbow one that I have in my stash.

WiP Wednesday - Granny Stripe Blanket

I've been in the mood for some mindless crocheting lately and have put on quite a few rows to this blanket.  It has grown more than a foot.

Oh....Happy New Year ! (almost forgot)

Rav Link

Here she is: