Christmas Cardigans

The nieces and nephew recieved cardigans this past Christmas

This is Wes (4mo.) in his old man sweater. I love this picture, he looks like such a little gentleman.

The Pattern: Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down
Size: 6-12 mo.
The Yarn: Berroco Vintage™ Chunky 1 3/4 skeins of Crackled Pepper 6107 (227.5yds/208m)
Needle size: US 8 or 9, sorry I forgot :'(

Started: 11/23/10
Finished: 11/30/10

This is a very easy to follow pattern and I love the shawl collar. I also really liked the yarn, it was nice and soft.

These plastic buttons fashioned to look like woven leather really helped complete the look.

Continuing from youngest to oldest...this is Anna (2 yrs 8 mos). with my brother. She is wearing Tiny Tea Leaves

The Pattern: Tiny Tea Leaves by Melissa LaBarre
Size: 3/4 yrs
The Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport in Grass 4.5 skeins (495yds/452.6m)
Needle size: US 7 and 8

Started: 11/13/10
Finished: 12/20/10

I was worried about the neckline. A lot of projects on Ravelry seemed to have loose necks, which I didn't want. So for garter stitches on the yoke I used the smaller needles. It helped tightened up the neckline, so it didn't look sloppy.

The yarn was from my stash. I had started making the hexacomb cardigan with it, but didn't really like how it was turning out so I frogged it. I think it worked well for this project though.

And here is Megan (4 1/2 yrs). I started out planning to make the Lion Brand hooded raglan cardigan, but realized it required a lot of seaming. So I switched to the Duck Soup pattern eliminating the knot on the hood and replacing the garter stitch edge with a 2x2 rib.

The Pattern: Duck Soup by Anny Purls
Size: 4/5 yrs
The Yarn: Lion Bran Wool Ease Chunky in Wheat 2.25 skeins (344.3yds/314.8m)
Needle size: US 11

Started: 12/20/10
Finished: 12/23/10

I had already bought the yarn called for in the LB hooded cardi, but it is a lot heavier than what is called for in the duck soup pattern. So I followed the instructions for the 3 mo. size for the stitch counts (remember that you still need to follow the vertical height measurements for the 4/5 size).

In order to do the 2x2 edging along the button bands and hood I eliminated 9 stitches on each side. When you get to the raglan increases start the row with K1 M1 place marker M1 work 2 sts for the sleeve M1 place marker M1 following pattern instructions for the number of stitches along the back then M1 place marker M1 work 2 for the sleeve M1 place marker M1 K1.

When you're finished with the hood and body pick up stitches along the edge to create the 2x2 rib. I used a 2:3 ration. Remember to add evenly space button holes on one side of the band.

If you look at the first pic you'll notice I knit the sleeves a little too short the first time around, so I had to go back and lengthen them. Unfortunately I didn't get a new pic.

Kiki Mariko

I've basically been finished with this for over a year now. I've been waiting to post it 'cause I kept thinking that I would get around to binding the edge. But I don't think that'll ever happen :)

The Pattern: Kiki Mariko from Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner and Ann Meador Shayne
Size: 42.5 in x 35 in (108 cm x 89 cm) before felting
        37.5 in x 29 in (96 cm x 74 cm) after felting
The Yarn: Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky 2 balls of Chocolate and 1 ball each of Lime, Navy, Red-Purple, Burgundy, Pumpkin, Gold, and Oatmeal (108yds/99m)
Needle size: US 11 - 8.0 mm

Started: 6/6/10
Finished: 6/13/10

This is a colorwork project knit in the round, so you basically end up with a big tube.

A checkerboard pattern is knit at the beginning and end of the round to form the steeked egde.

To felt the rug I placed it in a pillow case and put it through the hot wash cycle of my washing machine.

As you cut through the middle of the checkerboard pattern your knitting will not unravel because the separate strands of yarn were fused together during the felting process.

The steek should be cut while the rug is still wet from washing, so that you can shape the rug. It took a lot of pulling and stretching to get the rug into a even rectangle. With a little more effort I could have also straighten out the edges. But I liked the slightly wavy look, so I left them alone.

The felting creates a nice tight fabric.

This is the edge that I had meant to bind in brown using a whip stitch. I just never got around to it and after a year I don't think I ever will. And I like the checkerboard pattern just as it is anyway.

Vertical Weave Fingerless Mittens and Flatbread

So I've been MIA for quite awhile. I returned to school in the fall and have been super busy. I've still had some time to knit, but I haven't found the time or motivation to post anything until now.

So lets play catch up, starting with...

The Pattern: Vertical Weave Fingerless Mittens by Me!
Size: 8 inches around forearm, 7 inches around hand, and 2 1/4 inches around the thumb
The Yarn: 1 ball of Cascade Yarns 220 Wool in Teal 9420 (220yds/201.2 m) or 1 ball of Paton's Classic Wool Merino in Dark Gray 000225 (223yds/203.9m)
Needle size: Size 7/4.5 mm

Started: 10/22/10
Finished: 10/23/10

This is two pairs. Not a pair made up of one teal and one gray, although now that I'm thinking about it wearing one of each color would be cool. It only takes about half a ball to make one pair

When I started this project in October I took detailed notes because I was going to post the instructions. Then I put the instructions in a really safe place. Which has proved to be so safe that nine months later even I can't find them. And unfortunately I gave these away, so I can't even use the mittens to jog my memory.

The mittens are pretty much a tube until the thumb. Then, like most mitten or glove patterns, there's some increases to add the thumb gusset. The vertical stitch pattern came from Knit Stitches & Easy Projects Beginner's Guide from Leisure Arts.

This is no knead garlic cheese flat bread. The recipe is from the King Arthur website. This bread is soooo easy to make. You mix the ingredients, let the bread rise, pour into a sheet pan and bake. I cut them into strips and dipped in marinara sauce. Yum.

Happy Halloween Weekend

The Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan by Ruthie Nussbaum
Size: 35 1/2
The Yarn: 11 skeins of Valley Yarns Sugarloaf in Sienna (891.0 yards/814.7m)
Needle size: Size 7/4.5 mm

Started: 10/16
Finished: 10/24

This is another project that has been in my queue for a while. I might wear it like this.

Or like this.

I wish I made the smallest size, because it came out a little baggier in the shoulders and arms than I'd have liked.

I really like the texture of the moss stitch. I'm also really happy with the yarn. I love the color and the squishiness.

It's pumpkin season, so I made this pumpkin bread recipe that I found on Tasty Kitchen. It makes 2 loaves, I have only been making a half recipe at a time. Partly because J and I won't be able to eat two loaves before they go bad. But mainly because I only have one loaf pan :)

The recipe calls for shortening. Instead I substituted coconut oil and butter. Coconut oil is supposedly very good for you.

Hey look crocheted baskets

An interesting product I saw at the MoMA design store a couple days ago. The set goes from $220. MoMA lists them as knitted baskets, but up close it is clear they are crocheted.

They are made out of neoprene, a flexible rubber used in the automotive and plumbing industries. Interesting material, soft to the touch and holds the bowl shape well.

The designer is Rosanna Contadini. She and two other designers, Isabella Nardone and Analia Restrepo, design handbags, home decor products, and jewelry all produced from neoprene. Check out there other items at Neo