FO Friday: Cardigan and PINK! Purse

I mentioned yesterday that I have a few more FO’s (besides the Jaywalkers) from my blogging hiatus.

I’m combining these two since they went to the same place at the same time – sorry I only have one picture of each, but I cut my deadline a leeeeetle close. I’m hoping I’ll get pictures of the knits in action (ahem…Aunt Sheila, that’s a hint).

The first is a raglan cardigan for my baby cuz’ Zachary:

The buttons are courtesy of Mom (thanks!) but I think they make the whole sweater. The pattern is the Raglan Cardigan with Fully Fashioned Shaping from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss. I used Caron Simply Soft in Dk. Country Blue (easy care and all) and got guage with size 6 needles. Definitely a quick knit, but I would like to try it in the round to get rid of some of the seaming.

The second FO was for Zachary’s precious big sister, “Just Allison” (she calls me “Just Joy”). She loves purses, and loves pink, and so this seemed only right:

It’s a pattern from the 2007 daily knitting calendar, and it took about 4 hours total in Bernat Softee Chunky with size 10.5 needles. Color? Bet you can guess, but it’s Hot Pink. The button came from Wally World. I can only imagine Allison strutting her stuff with it!

Next up for this side of the family are some treats for the other lil’ cousins – Amber, Wilson, and Wyatt!

Next FO post will feature more socks (unfortunately, some of them are unbloggable with Christmas coming and all, but check ‘em out on Ravelry – er, once I get some pictures up…)!

I’m off to my first softball game of the season – be afraid…

Good News and An FO…and Sadly, Frogging.

The good news? I almost have a sock that fits!

Here’s the sock at the Atlanta Jazz Festival last Saturday…

…where it was inspired by great weather and great music and has grown and grown so much since then – I think I have 2-3 more inches on the foot and then I’ll be able to start my first toe! W00t!

The FO: Monica #1 is finished…

I decided not to continue the ruffle on the back – I think this is already going to be a smidge big for it’s intended recipient and didn’t want to overwhelm the poor child with quite so much ruffle. Hopefully I’ll get it in the mail soon and then get some pictures of a human model, although the bear was quite cooperative. I think I’m going to do Monica #2 in the round – no seams sounds like a grand idea to me. I’m torn between using the same color combo as Monica #1 or doing the reverse – the variegated for the body and pink for the ruffle. The pink is a little more lightweight and might make a softer accent – what do YOU think? (Also? Does anyone have another word for ruffle? I’ve said it 124 times in the last three sentences…)

The Deets:
Pattern: Monica from Knitty, Spring ‘07
Needles: Addi Turbo Circs, size, 32″
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby in Pink and Pink Parade

What else?

Oh. The frogging. I made an executive decision to rip Ester and cast on again for the next largest size – there seems to be an emerging sizing problem with it coming out just a bit smaller than expected, and I am so in love with the pattern and the yarn that I couldn’t bear to not have it fit in the end. More on that at the KAL.

And now back to the blogging.

I haven’t blogged in a week. It’s because I’ve been knitting. You understand, right? There’s been a singular focus on finishing the Top Secret Graduation Gift, and then there was blocking, and seaming, and weaving in. Now my eyes are uncrossed (almost) and my hands are uncurled and it’s done and done and done some more…but I can’t show you pictures yet. I’m sorry. After this weekend, all will be revealed.

In the meantime, I’ll catch all of you readers up on the other WIPs – you know, like a Week in Progress, Work in Progress post. Catchy, eh?

First up, and farthest along, we have the front of Monica:

I gotta say, I don’t do pink, but this? This is cute. Yessiree.

Next is the Dream Swatch Scarf (scroll down on left for pattern):

Then, the revitalized brown sock. Once upon a time, this sock was a Jaywalker, but it tried to strangle me from the feet up, so I decided it needed a gentler pattern in order to corral it’s aggression. Hence, the Woven Stitch from SKS:

And last night I cast on for the Ribs & Lace Tank from the Spring ‘07 IK. Nothing to see here on that front yet. I think it will be my traveling project this weekend….

In closing, Katy would like you all to know that she is glad the Top Secret Graduation Gift is done, so that she can go out and play instead of looking at me like this whilst I knit and kneglect:

My first baby knitting project!

Once upon a time, there was a need for a baby shower gift.

Why not knit a hat, I thought?

And so, I did. I think it turned out ok, but I don’t think I like knitting hats flat and then seaming them. (I think that’s because I’m not so great at seaming yet, but that’s a technicality). Plus, I somehow got one of the cables all screwy, and I’m also not good at fixing mistakes yet, so if you look closely enough, you can see it. So don’t look closely.

As far as a model for the picture, I do not have a baby and the kids would not cooperate, so the bear will have to do.

Project: SweaterBabe’s Cable Baby Beanie
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Celery (Color Number 11, I believe)
Needles: Size 9

Megan’s Baby Blanket

My first baby project – and also the first of thousands of things the nieces will get! I finished this as a gift for Megan’s christening and was pretty pleased for my first non-scarf project.

It is knit in garter stitch throughout, and ended up being about 28″ x 24″.

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Knitch for giving me the pattern idea and directing me to the right yarn, as well as helping me knit a gauge swatch and all of that stuff beginners don’t necessarily know about!

Also thanks to Mom for taking the picture, and the model for being so very helpful as well. Hardee-har-har.

Project: 28″ x 24″ Baby Throw
Yarn: Cascade Sierra in Mauve & Charcoal
Needles: Clover Bamboo 29″ circulars, size 8