Addicted to the Needles

Cutest Handle Hat

     Isn't this the cutest hat ever!!!  Its from the wonderful Stitch Marker.  I think I have made three of her patterns.  I love them!!  I am a slow knitter, so when I take on a project as a gift it is alot of work.  I am constantly looking for something that will work up fast with the optimum cuteness factor.  The Saartje booties are a good example of that, too.

This hat only took me about three hours, with yarn from the stash on size 4 DPNs.  She did the little loop on the top so cute by finishing it off with the kitchener stitch.  There was a large hole in the top that I seamed together.

I have to make another one exactly the same, as it is for a set of twin boys due any day now.  I am going to make a couple of pairs of the afore mentioned booties to go along with the hats.

Anatomy of a UFO

Picture of pretty scarf.  New knitting enthusiasm.

Try to knit six seven foot i-cords.

Knit, knit, knit.  Put away!

One year later....finally finish.

Lay on floor and weave six, seven foot long i-cords.

Have cat scorn you, then lay on scarf.  Find lint roller.

Finally finished!  Yay

Pretty!

Pretty!

Take picture of grandbaby in scarf.

Specs:  Woven Trellis Scarf
            Vogue Knitting Holiday 2006
            Size 4 and 6 DPNs
            Red Heart Soft Yarn in Wine
            One year and one month in the making.

 

Tinkerbella

    

     Bella is Tinkerbell for Halloween, of course, we called her Tinkerbella all day!  We have a wonderful zoo here in Toledo, and they do an annual thing for the kiddies called Little Boo at the Zoo.  She had to have a hat to wear in the 50 degree-100 mile an hour breeze, so I knitted her up a little punkin hat.  She is also wearing three layers of clothing!

     Yeah, this is fun!!!

     I used Plymouth Dreambaby doubled and it is so soft.  It almost feels like velvet or velour when you double it.  I can't believe how soft it is.  Just right for a little punkin head!

Specs: Billi-Jean's Pumpkin Hat (free pattern)
          Plymouth Dreambaby in Orange and Green
          Size 6 dpns
       I added a purl stitch every 10 stitches to make the pumpkin ridges and I didn't increase to 85 stitches.  I love the i-cord top!!!  So cute!

All bundled up from the cold.

     I also made another Montego Bay Scarf.  I had so much trouble with the first one, I was determined to start another so I could get in more practice.  I am happy to say that I finally got the concept of the pattern and could do it with my eyes shut.  It only took me a scarf and a half, but I finally got it!! (I'm a little dense sometimes!)

Specs:  Montego Bay Scarf from Interweave Knits
           Sock yarn from The Sheep and Wool Co.
           Size 8 circs
     I added four rows of garter stitch to each end and four knit stitches to both sides.

            

Tale of Two Little Bags

  Hi to all in Blogland.  Wow, I can't believe its been over a month since I last posted!  Things have been in an uproar here at the Morris household and there has been a serious lack of knitting and finished projects.  But, I am happy to say that things are getting back to normal and there are a few things to show you.
First up is the Little Grab and Go Purse.

  This is the cutest little purse and very quick and easy, and best of all, it's a free pattern.  I made this one for my daughter Rachael's birthday and I made another one for Kelly.  This is my first felted project, and I really enjoyed it.  I used Plymouth Galway for this one, and Cascade 220 for Kelly's.  I think the Galway felted much better than the Cascade, its much smoother and tighter.

     Looky how smooth!!
Specs: Little Grab Purse from All tied up in stitches
          Galway Highland Heather in color 732
          Size 11 circs
          Pewter button from Four Feathers Pewter

     I also made a pair of Fetchings.

   Exactly as pattern except I had to go down to a size 5 needles after completely knitting them and running out of yarn.
     And finally here is the other little bag and the reason things have been a little non-productive.

     This is a clear bag I am required to have at my new job.  I went to work full time at Dillards Department store.  I have never worked full time, that is, full time out of the home.  Being a mother and homemaker is more than a full time job!  I had be doing some babysitting and lost all the kids, so I decided to get a job instead of more kids.  (I didn't actually LOSE the kids, you know what I mean!)
     We also went on a wonderful Florida vacation for a week.  Fourteen of us went!  We had a great time except for the sting-ray my son stepped on.  Yep, it stung him.  More on that later.  Here is how tan Bella got.  Tanner than me, and she was never without 50 spf!!

         

Saartje's Booties

     If you have to make a baby knit, make these.  They are so adorable and tiny!  The pattern is fantastic and so quick.  I am a really slow knitter and I can't believe how fast I got these done.  Well, there are only 30 rows!  I have six pregnant friends all of the sudden, so everyone is getting a pair of these.  One of them is expecting twins! 
                                        Specs- Saartje's Booties free pattern
                                        Plymouth Dreambaby DK
                                        Size 2 needles
                                        Buttons from Joann Fabrics

    I am almost done with Clue 1 on the Mystery Stole 3.  I am working on this slow and steady and I am so shocked that I am knitting lace.  I really think knitting the Montego Bay has helped prepare me for this.  I am able to find a mistake without ripping the whole thing out and I love how it is coming along, I am so excited.  Isn't it purty?   I opted to not put in beads (too scary) and I am using the written directions (charts also scary).  So, I am moving along on it and not going to rush or feel intimidated that I am 4 Clues behind! ;)

     Bella says, "Gramma, you know those little booties aren't going to fit my chunky tootsies!"

Packages

   I have been anxiously awaiting several packages that I am supposed to receive.  Two of them arrived today.  First my winnings from the contest held by The Knitty Professor.  Michaele sent me a lovely skein of hand-dyed wool from Plain and Fancy Sheep and Wool Co. 

     It's called Turquoise, but it has every color of the rainbow in it.  Which is what I love, the more color the better!  It is so squishy soft!!  And look at the cutesy little duck creamer.  How adorable!

   Next is my order from Knitpicks for the Mystery Stole 3.  Since I have never done a stole or shawl, I waited to see what other knitters were using.  My favorites were the white and cream and the ones done in Knitpicks Bare.  I thought it was the yarn that showed off the pattern the best.

   I also ordered their size 4 circs.  I am really lacking in circular needles, so I used this chance to add something I didn't have.  And finally, this little guy was in my gazebo this afternoon.  This is the 3rd time a butterfly has been trapped in there this summer.  I have alot of butterflies this year for some reason.  I snapped this picture of him and took him out.

 

Sidetracked

     As you can see, I am easily sidetracked.  So much for finishing my socks and working on my Clap.  In all fairness though, I thought I had 4 or 5 skeins of the white that I am using on the Clapotis and I only have 3!  So that means finding the yarn and probably not the same dyelot, so you can see why I HAD to start another project.

     This is the Montego Bay Scarf from IK Summer 2007 in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock.  I love the colors, but I sure am having trouble with the pattern.  Its just k2tog and yo's, but I keep dropping stitches or not doing one of the yo's.  I have started it 3 times and the bottom of it is still alittle wrong, but I am not ripping it out again!!  I don't know if its the thin yarn on the bigger needles( not that 8's are that big) or what, but its not going to be as quick as I thought. 

It just looks like summer doesn't it?

     I just couldn't resist buying this yarn!!  Isn't it pretty?  I got a really good deal on it, too.  A seller on ebay named Yarnbow has amazing deals.  Go check them out. 
      Yay, a 3 day weekend!!!!  I really need it this week after having as many as 6 babysitting kids at one time.  Luckily its only for about an hour!!

Is One Sock a FO?

    I finished another sock.  Its Opal Petticoat #1295.  Just a basic sock and size 2's.

     No sooner did I get it done that I CO for this.

     This is Charade, a free pattern from the new Ravelry site.  Did I mention I love Ravelry?!?  I DO!!  If you havent been there yet GO NOW!  Anyway this is Plymouth Sockotta #816.  They are knitted on 1's so they are going to take me awhile.  I def have one-sock-syndrome.  Two socks done, another started, and no matches. HEHE   Oh well, Skeins Her Way  is having a contest to motivate everyone with their summer knitting.  So one of my goals will be to finish all three pair before fall.  Also, I have been wanting a big white scarf every since Kelly's SIL knitted one.  I decided to make it in the Clapotis  pattern, something I have been wanting to try for awhile.  I am using Lion's Wool-Ease in white with a glittery thread running though it.  It should look great for the winter.  I love the pattern, very nice and easy to remember.

    I hope you can see the sparkles.  I think this is really pretty yarn.  I picked it up at Michael's at Christmas time, so I am wondering if it was a special holiday yarn.   Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!

 

Ravelry

  I received an invite to Ravelry-LOVE IT!!! I am really impressed with the features and ease of use.  It will be so nice to go there and just post the basics when I am done with a project.  Then I will have all the info when I am ready to post about it.  Its also very nice to pull up a pattern and see everyones picture of it immediately.  What kind of yarn they used, what size needles, and how it looks.  Much better than goggling something and having to check sites only to find there is no picture of the project.
  I have made more booties.  I made these out of dishcloth cotton to match the little summer hat that I made for Bella.  The pattern called for Rowan Denim, which I have never used, so I thought I could substitute a different worsted weight yarn.  Needless to say they didn't fit Bella, they did, however, fit the little 3 year old girl I babysit for.  Her name is Elli and as you can see she is a little cutie!!

  One of my booties always come out alittle bigger than the other.

  Specs-  denim shoes from 50 baby booties to knit
              Sugar and Cream cotton   size 3 needles

  These are for Bella and they actually fit her.  They are a tad big which will be good since they look like little boots on her.  I think they will still fit her in the fall.  I really enjoyed making these because they have a hemmed edge at the top.

Specs-  lacey leaf booties  from 50 baby bootees to knit.
           Plymouth Dreambaby DK  size 6 needles.
Bella thinks they are a hit!

Computer Woes and a Bandwagon

What a man
What a man
What a man
What a mighty fine man

 My computer crashed on Tuesday.  Of course I had not backed-up my thousands of pictures of my new grandbaby, Bella.  If you out in blogland take one thing away from this post, let it be for you to go right now and back-up your pictures!  But, I am sure you are all much smarter than me!!  I just had a new hard-drive put in, who knew it would crash already.  I called my friend Evett sobbing and her wonderful husband Vinnie came over and fixed it.  Dave calls Vinnie the "Don" of computers and he is right.  He fixed it with no memory loss and I backed-up my pictures immediately!!  Thank you, Vince!!!! You are the MAN!!
     I jumped on the Chevron scarf bandwagon.  I mixed my Sakura with some Lorna's Laces.  I have posted before about the ugliness that happens when I knit up the Sakura, so hopefully the Lorna's will tone it down.

No sooner had I CO for it that I discovered this Sakura shawl from Smokin Hot Needles.

    I am going to CO for it and then decide which one I like better.  I can always find a different coordinating yarn to go with the Lorna's.  Here is my soap all wrapped up and ready to give.

  One of the wonderful pictures I would have lost.  Kelly took this and called it Bella Blue Eyes.