february wrap-up: month #2 of the love your library challenge

How did you do this month on the love your library challenge? I happily maintained my momentum with two completed projects ....

First, the shawl collar baby sweater out of The Expectant Knitter.

And earlier this week, the bobbles and cables cap out of 60 Quick Knits.

I'm so happy to be keeping this up! And now plans for March .... I'm thinking, keep things simple this month. I've been sitting on a copy of Noni Flowers by Nora Bellows for almost a year now, and this feels like the perfect time to finally knit some blooms!

 

What are you planning this month? Leave a comment and let us know how you're progressing in this challenge!

bobbles and cables cap

The Bobbles and Cables Cap is done! What a fast, fun knit! And bobbles? Love them! I could see how they could become tedious when used too frequently, but this pattern had a good balance I thought. The cables and bobbles were infrequent enough that it kept things interesting, while giving me plenty of brainless, relaxing knitting too. I ended up using maybe 175-180 yards of my skein of Cascade 220 and knit this on one size smaller needle (size 6) than the pattern called for based on the comments on other Ravelry project pages (my Ravelry project page). It's comfy, but not quite as snug as I generally like in my hats so next time I knit this pattern I'll try going down to size 5's I think. This is project #2 out of my library for the love your library challenge this month--hurrah!

 

What's on the needles next? Take number two at making a baby sweater that actually fits for my little guy! This is the collar of the telemark pullover, which I'm knitting with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in the Ascot colorway (which I'm loving!). 

 

sunday's stitches

sunday's stitches: a moment to slow down and savor whatever your stitching on

I'm slowly but surely filling in the sky in a counter-clockwise direction ... didn't feel like much, but actually good progress compared to last week!

sewing and stitching

Was your three-day weekend productive? Mine was! I got tired of having my messy in-progress subway-tile Christmas quilt occupying my dining room table, so I finished assembling the backing (that cute green polka dot flannel you see above), put together the quilt "sandwhich" and did some very, very basic outline machine quilting. Now I'm on my favorite step, sewing the binding. I know you can do this in one step with your machine, but I find hand sewing the binding so satisfying. Especially during the winter when you get to snuggle under the quilt while working on it!

As for knitting, I casted on for something new, of course! This is the Bobbles and Cables Cap from 60 Quick Knits. This project will achieve another one of my crafting resolutions for this year--trying a new knitting technique. Bobbles! I've never knit them before, so we'll see if I like them ... a word of warning to others who have this book: there are errata for this pattern, specifically with the bobble instructions. You can find it on the main pattern page on Ravelry, so be sure to check that out before you get too far into this pattern.

sunday's stitches

Starting sunday's stitches has re-energized me on this project! I've finished the blue sky, and have begun filling in the remainder sky (a light gold color) ... I'm doing the easy stuff before the shades of white and gray for the horse that remains ... I'll be relying a lot on the chart for that part! Happy stitching!

too big, but done

 

I just finished sewing in the ends on the shawl collar baby sweater! Thanks everyone for your feedback ... after trying it on baby boy, I decided my more polo-style collar looked really cute! So no frogging for me ... the bad news however, was that the sweater ended up being humongous. So I'll be saving this one for next winter ... I haven't knit that many sweaters for my own kids, and I'm slowly learning the lesson that knit pattern sizes are in no shape or form equivalent to purchased clothing sizes. Sigh. For example, baby boy is wearing 12 month sized clothing now at nearly 9 months old ... and I fully expect we'll be moving into 18 month clothing by the end of spring. So I knit this sweater in 18 month size, so we could get more wear out of it. Actually, I cast on for the 18 month width, and knit for the 12 month length. And this looks like a dress on him! If I had made the 12 month size he still would have had tons of room ... so I'm thinking that knitting pattern sizes correspond more closely to the actual age of the child ... anyone else have these kind of sizing issues with children's knits?

Despite knitting the wrong size, I still love this pattern--I will be happy to finally put this use next year!

wip wednesday: shawl collar baby sweater

Compared to last week, a ton of progress has happened on the shawl collar baby sweater! I've finished the back, front, and the collar. That's the first sleeve in progress. I'm a little uncertain on the collar, though. I didn't follow the pattern instructions, which called for knitting the collar separate and seaming it on (seaming? ugh!). So I picked up stitches instead ... but I didn't pick up stitches in a way that will let me truly replicate the shawl collar as designed ... instead of being completed sewn down, it'll flop open as seen above. I'm not fully sure I like that. My plan is to finish the sleeves and try it on baby boy before I frog anything--it's totally possible I will completely love this look. I'm just not 100% sold on it yet. What do you think?

sunday's stitches

I have big needlepoint dreams ... for the past year, I've been plotting to make new needlepoint pillowcases for my couch. Not to mention finish this adorable horse needlepoint I started back in middle school ... oh yeah, and the floral needlepoint kit I purchased last year. Like I said--big dreams! I finally realized that the only way I will make any progress on these goals is to devote a little bit of time each week to my needlepoint. So every Sunday, you'll see how much progress I've made this week. Have your own stitching dreams? Feel free to join me in this weekly project by posting a comment!

quick valentine's day bookmark

The lace heart bookmark is off my improvised blocking board and already in use! This was the first project I'd ever really blocked, and I'm won over .... I'd avoided blocking before because it seemed like a pain, but now I see how magical it is. Before blocking, this bookmark curled at the between the garter stitch border and the stockinette sections. After blocking? Flat, even, smooth ... ahh.

Pattern: Lace Heart Bookmark (pattern website, Ravelry project page)

Needles: Size 2 

Yarn: Red Heart Crochet Thread

Next time I'll use lace weight to make for an even thinner bookmark!

work-in-progress wednesday

 

I'm three inches away from finishing the back of my shawl collar baby sweater ...  I'm loving how this colorway is knitting up! I would be farther along on this project if I didn't have knitting attention-deficit-disorder ... I cast on for this cute little lace heart bookmark with some crochet thread I had in my stash. Super quick knit, I have it blocking now on a Flor tile sample, of all things!

Have fun checking out all the other works-in-progress at TamisAmis and YarnAlong!

month #2: love your library challenge

 

It's month two of the love your library challenge! Let's see if I can keep this momentum going with another successful month! 

 

This month I feel the need for some instant gratification knitting. You can't get much better than baby sweaters for that! So I've cast on for a the shawl collar sweater for my baby boy out of The Expectant Knitter. I personally really dislike how the neckline appears in the project photo published in the book. But if you check out the project photos on Ravelry, this project looks pretty cute. I'm guessing the sweater is way too small for the model in this case--doesn't it look like the shawl collar is choking him? Shudder. I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash Paints in Colorway #9958, which is a variegated red/dark maroon color that I'm hoping will end up maroon enough to wear to spring Mississippi State University sporting events. I have a feeling it will end up closer to Alabama colors, though!

 

 

I also hope to do some more sewing, specifically the pomme potholder project out of the Spring 2013 issue of stitch magazine. Cute, huh?

 

 

What are you planning for this month of the love your library challenge? Link to your planning posts below! Newcomers, feel free to join in!