Lots to Share...and some Christmas spoilers

Hey Everyone!

I knew I hadn't blogged in a bit, but once I saw how many projects I've finished since my last post, I realized just how long it had been...yikes!!!  I actually have 9 projects to share, and a few that I've finished up, but am going to keep under wraps until after Christmas.

First up, The Diva's Bumbleberry Pie Hat.  I made another hat in the purple yarn I showed in a previous post.  This one fits perfectly, though I don't have a photo of the Diva wearing it.  I'll have to snap one this winter.

Next, a WCOBBS update.  As you probably read about in another post, I have been seaming blanket squares together to make some blankets for the WCOBBS.  I had some donated squares in boyish colors, but not enough to make a full 9-square blanket...so, I added a bunch of squares myself.  Here's the finished product (minus the border)...

On this blanket, I made the star squares in each corner, and the two burgundy squares (one is a dog bone and one is a football helmet).  I named this one "All-Star".  It took a while to finish, but was so worth it in the end!!

In other blanket news, I promised to post a photo of the blanket I made for my friend Jenn.  I wanted her to get it in the mail before I revealed it on here, and now that she's had it for a bit, here you go...

I'm really happy with how this blanket turned out, and I've gotten great feedback about the colors that I picked.  I like that it is girly, but it doesn't look like Barbie or Strawberry Shortcake threw up on it!!

Speaking of Barbie, here comes a Christmas gift spoiler.  I am quite certain that my niece H doesn't read my craft blog, so I'm not too worried about posting things on here.  So, Big Sis, if you're reading this, don't show the next few projects to your girls!!

I have whipped up a few items for H's growing Barbie clothes collection.  I plan on making a lot more, but this is the start. I made her a dress and sweater.  I also have plans for a fancy dress, some purses, maybe a hat or two, some pants...well, you get the point.

I think they look pretty good.  Because I have to use such small needles, I have to alternate Barbie clothes for H with American Girl clothes for her big sister A.  My hands can't handle all of the small needles!!  With the changing of the seasons, I have noticed my joints cramping up quite a bit when the needle size drops to below a US 6 or so.

Here is the outfit for A's American Girl doll.  When we were home in August, I showed A some patterns for AG clothes, and her face lit up.  I know she LOVES the color red, so I thought her doll needed something rosy red.

Here's a closeup of the skirt...

I really had fun making these!!  It was also fun dusting off my old American Girl doll so I could use her as a model.  The sweater is a play on the popular February Lady Sweater, and the skirt has a bit of texture, thanks to some carefully spaced ribbing.

Also in the works for A's doll, is a funky hat, some pants, another sweater, and possibly some socks.  Oh, and I found a pattern for doll slippers that match the ones I make all the time...do I smell a matching set??  Hmmmm....

Finally, I want to share some baby sweaters I made last week.  I am pretty thrilled with these...two sweaters in 3 days!!!  One of hubby's co-workers is having twins in a few weeks, and I thought they needed matching sweaters.  I didn't want to go all matchy matchy, so I did coordinating ones instead.  I used the popular 5-hour baby sweater for the girl, and the modified boy version as well.  I had fun making a "girl" sweater a while back for hubby's cousin's baby, but this one was so much better!!!  Not only have my knitting skills greatly improved since then, but my coice to use Vanna's Choice yarn instead of the Bernat Satin I used last time payed off!!!  The yarn almost has a woolly texture to it, and the stitch definition is so much better!!!

I sewed snaps into the garter borders this morning, and these sweaters are good to go!!  I hope to see some photos of the little ones in them!!! 

So, I think that's all I have to share today.  Like I said earlier, I have some other projects, but the people they are for might read this and see them.  I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises, so expect that after Christmas, I'll have a recap post that shows off all of the projects.

In the meantime, I have some more knitting to do...

Cheers and Happy Crafting!
Sharon

Christmas Knitting Update

Hello!!

Happy New Year's Eve!!! So, I thought I'd write a quick post about all of the handmade presents I made this year. Olivia lucked out with the most "stuff". She seemed to really like her American Girl sweaters, and she loved the hat that I made. I held up the legwarmer I made to her crazy long legs, and I was right...WAY too short!! Thankfully I went with my gut and didn't finish the second one!!

I gave my Mom her angel, even though I never got a chance to make it stand up...she liked it just the same, and might get out the fabric stiffener on her own.

I think that's it for gifts I made. I had a lot more planned out, but they never happened...oh well. I did manage to start a new sweater while I was in New England. Our friend's little guy is turning one in a week or so, so I thought he needed a sweater to keep him warm this winter. It is coming along nicely, and I am hoping to have it done and some photos taken shortly.

As for new projects on the horizon, I have another WCOBBS blanket headed my way. I started Pooh Bear and Friends back in July, and I'll be finishing him up as well. I also found out that Craig's cousin is expecting a little girl in March, so I figure I should make something to send to Boston. I was going to make another blanket like my Willoughby, but when I looked at their registry, I noticed that they had chosen pink and green as the nursery colors...hmmm...now I'm tempted to finish up The Floridian instead.

I also got lots of knitting related stuff for Christmas!!! I couldn't resist and I bought myself a teddy bear pattern book called, The Best Dressed Knitted Bears, by Emma King. The bears were too cute to pass up!!! Then, the hubby bought me all three Susan B. Anderson books!!!! I'm super psyched!!!! Finally, my In-laws spoiled me with an electric ball winder!!! I would have been thrilled with a hand crank one, but this thing is slick!!! I had to mail it to myself since it didn't fit in the luggage with all of our other new items, so I am chomping at the bit until it gets here! There's hope that my stash will some day be organized!!!! WooHoo!!!!

Well, I better end this post...the Diva is napping, the food is all cooked for our New Years Eve party at a friend's house, and I have a sweater that needs finishing...oh yeah, and I need to jump in the shower!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, and that 2010 brings you good times, great health, and lots of fibery goodness!!!

Blessings!

Sharon

Projects...Projects Everywhere!!!

So, despite the fact that I have been a huge slacker about posting, I have been getting some knitting done.

But, before I show you some of my finished objects...here is my knitter in training!!! She LOVES playing with yarn (who doesn't?) and she likes taking her sunglasses and clicking the ends together so they sound like knitting needles. The other day she even ran around the house saying that " 'Y' must be Mommy's favorite letter, because 'yarn' starts with 'Y'!" She also tries to "help" me knit by yelling "knit, purl" whenever I am working on something. It is so cute!!!

So, here is one of my latest projects. It is the
Concentric Squares Baby Blanket pattern by Fiber Fiend/Margit Sage. I renamed it the "Willoughby" since the green reminded me of Vermont, and I made it for some college friends back in Vermont. I hope their little boy (due in October) likes it!!! It is wicked soft and quite large. I made it with 4.5 skeins of Lion Brand Jiffy Solid in Grass Green.

The pattern is UBER-Easy!!! The squares are all made with alternating stockinette and garter stitches. The best part is that it works up so quickly that you don't have time to get bored with the pattern!! This took me about a week and a half to finish, and I wasn't working on it 100% of the time.

Oh, I also brought "The Floridian" back from hibernation. I plan on working on it in between other projects. You can keep tabs on my progress in the sidebar. I'm mid-way through the white section now, and I'll add three more stripes after that. Essentially, I am doing a basic rice stitch in each of the three colors, and I go until I run out of yarn. Pretty simple!!!

I also have some other finished objects that still cannot be revealed just yet. As for new projects, I am currently working on a WCOBBS blanket, Just Beachy. I should have photos of that by the time I post next. I also just bought yarn for Hannah. She wants a sweater, and since I have been doing so much knitting for others, I figured it was time to start something for her. I haven't cast on for that yet, but as soon as Just Beachy is mailed to the next knitter, I'll jump right on it. I'm also on the hunt for some cool Christmas presents, so that should keep me busy for a while!!!

Well, I'm off to lay down. I pulled a muscle in my back last night, and I have a hard time sitting for long periods of time in the Dining Room chairs.

Have a great week!!!

The Floridian Blanket

While on vacation in Florida, I started my latest blanket...appropriately named, "The Floridian". It is a more modern color scheme for a baby girl...now that Hannah is getting older, I am getting more and more distanced from pastel colors.

It is an improvised design, using a Rice Stitch pattern. I like it because it is reversible and warm! I am using one ball of LB Vanna's Choice yarn for each stripe- 6 in all.

Started: March 25, 2009

Finished Size: TBD