Tying up Loose Ends... Literally!

I showed you the finished craft room in hopes that I would cut into that fabric and whip up some baby bedding - all voila!! Unfortunatley I got very stuck in the millions of pattern options you can create with six different fabrics and a 28"x14" panel and 'analysis paralysis' set in.  Luckily I have some good friends who came over and pulled me out of my rut and got me back on track.  I now have all the panels sewn, the ties sewn, the piping basted and thought I was soo close.  Unfortunately - piping is trying to be the death of me (or this project anyway) and we have had some issues.  First basting the original piping and then pinning it to the panels.  Now, I've recut the fabric for piping and re-basted.  Alas, we are on track again, so we'll see.

Design for bedding

In the meantime, while my mom was here and I was showing her all my great handiwork knitting for the little guy she might have noticed that most of my 'finished' knitting projects had some ends hanging off of them (or millions of ends hanging off of them in the case of my striped baby blankets).  So we made a pile and she gave me a goal of two/week to finish and ensure they are all ready for Little E when he gets here.

So far so good with one baby blanket done, one bib, one washcloth, and one vest blocked and ready to receive his buttons.  :)  Some finished pics coming up!

Big Plans

Well its been a LOOOOOONG time (again) but normally when I show you my craft room all cleaned up ...

then I have something up my sleeve in terms of crafting.  Although I have been up to ALOT of this...

That's not why the craft room is clean (knitting can be done anywhere - and believe me there has been alot of it going on that I'll fill you in on soon).  The craft room is clean so that I can start working on baby bedding :)  Our little man will be here in December and I've got ALOT of work to do!  Starting with making sheets and bumpers for his crib.  I found some amazing fabric from Monaluna (absolutley adore it and it has *almost* the exact colors I had in mind and it also has woodland creatures)

I subsidized the Monaluna with some orange pearl bracelets from Lizy House (Red Letter Day) and some stripes from Children at Play

And I think its gonna work out just BEAUTIFULLY!  :)  I am soo excited.

Catching up...

So I went MIA again... I hope that doens't mean you'll quit stopping by.  Excuses I know - but the new job is GREAT - but also means I work alot more (and blog alot less!)  Hopefully my work/life balance will adjust over time and I'll keep you better updated. 
In a short knitting synopsis I finally finished a baby kimono that I knit almost three years ago (I know...) but after knitting the kimono I had no idea how to 'close' it and never finished it (weaving in ends etc).  Some friends of ours had their little girl baptized and it finally seemed like a good time to finish it up.  I decided to add (caute!) buttons to close the front of the kimono and weaved in my ends.

I also finished knitting ANOTHER pair of socks (2010 may just be Nikki's year of Sock Knitting - but as long as they come in PAIRS I'll continue to enjoy it!)  These are my THIRD pair of Jaywalkers.  I absolutely ADORE this yarn and love the way it striped. 

Unfortunately even though they are FINISHED (I promise - they are!) I can't show you a picture b/c um well, they don't fit.  See... I always knit socks on size 2 (or 1.5) needles (ahem, or used to always) til a knitting friend of mine mentioned that was 'cheating.'  So I decided to knit these on size 1's.  I knit my purple Malabrigo socks on a size 1 needle as well - so thought I could continue - but beware!  The rumor about Jaywalkers having a narrow heel is true - esp knit on size 1 needles.  UGH!  I plan to block the ever-living life out of them and see if I can't get them to fit.  We shall see...

I also started a new sweater.  This is a Zephyr Pattern called Tree Sweater and I've been affectionately referring to it as my 'tree hugger' sweater b/c its green too!  I wasn't too sure about it to start with but after trying it on (twice now - in two different stages) I actually REALLY like it alot and think it looks pretty cute.

The yarn is Miss Babs Yowza Whatta Skein (so fun to say!) and so far I am REALLY loving it - very soft, not splity, easy to work with and HUGE skein (so less ends to weave in - thank you Miss Babs!)  I do have to say though, knitting a turtleneck sweater in SC in the summer - not the best idea.  Even in the car you have to have the AC cranked up for it to be on your lap.  But I am loving it so I'll let it slide..

So - not only knitting to update you on... but also (some) sewing....

You might have seen on the 'regular' blog that we are restoring an Airstream trailer.  My job in this restore is to make it 'pretty' inside.  New curtains, new beds, new pillows (quilts!!  eeek!!) and all other inside updates are up to me!  My hubs did have very specific ideas about fabric though (no flowers!) and we both wanted a 'vintage' look to the fabric we chose.  Fortunaltey (or unfortunately) we found a great fabric line that we both thought was PERFECT for our trailer and agreed upon.  The unfortunate part is that it is Arcadia by Moda (aka out of print) and hard to find and EXPENSIVE when you do find it.  We scoured the internet though and could not compromise on another line of fabric so Arcadia it is.  I have a post coming up to show you what I really mean by scouring for the fabric - but first a sneak peek at the pillows I am working on...

This pile of fabric strips is actually the honey bun I was working out of to create the String Quilt blocks (ala Ashley).  I plan to use the large block alone in one pillow front, and the smaller ones blocked together as her normal quilt blocks.  I really enjoyed the technique (it is a bit time consuming) but I am LOVING the outcomes.  I have some other ideas I'll share with you later too! 

So ... thats about it (for now).  Not too bad for a month's hiatus - eh?  Hopefully enough to keep you coming back for more - b/c I have more.  I know - crazy right?!?  But we haven't even TOUCHED on the gardening part of my summer!  TTFN!

The Moment You've All Been Waiting for...

The reveal of Drew's baptism blanket.  It turned out FANTASTIC!  I really love it.  The chalice pattern looks great and the Knit Picks yarn really knit up wonderfully (although it did shed on the suit my brother had on a bit).  Without futher ado... The Blanket

and the slipped stitch edge (great idea I got from a Ravelry friend)

and being blocked (which my wonderful hubby again helped me to do)

and finally - on the big day

I am back from my trip to Chicago (and a quick week off betwen jobs!) and now back to work and hopefully real life.  I have alot of fun crafts to show for my week off (can you say socks - ha ha ha!) and I sewed again too!

What have you been up to?

Friday Eye Candy and...

More baby gifts.  

My standard baby shower gift has become burp cloths and a taggy blanket.  I like to think these can be considered 'boutique' burp cloths and the mothers appreciate that they can be more of a  'going out' burp cloth.  By that I mean "looking as cute and trendy as a cloth babies are spitting up on possibly can!"  ha!  Anyway - more burp cloths, gender neutral this time and a patchwork taggy blanket (new to me - I'm loving the idea of a TINY quilt - just one square of patchwork) - but cute!  Still minky on one side and patchwork on the other.

Before you think I'm cheap for just giving burp cloths - Eric and I did make a great diaper cake again!  Meghan is planning to use cloth diapers (which makes the idea of a diaper cake hard) - but we used one cloth diaper and the Earth's Best disposable diapers (she was registered for) this time.  There is a bottle brush through the middle, a bottle, some toys, pacifiers, a rattle and lotion etc.  I enjoy making these - they make a great decoration, a fun gift and I hope the moms like them too!

(I just have to say - stupid dumb flash - but the ones without are worse)

And now for the eye candy.  I bought some new sock yarn (surprise) to finish up my very own sock club (you might have seen it in the picture before).  Its Colinette Jitterbug (and I LOVE IT!) in Toscana.  The possibilities are endless of what to knit with it - but I'm really excited.

We have a wedding this weekend so I won't be sewing :(  I was really hoping to complete a top for Spring Top Week 2010 - would have been my first clothes sewing experience.  I was really hoping that contest would spring me into action (and it did somewhat - I found the main fabric and a pattern - but realized too late I didn't have enough fabric for the trim and tie).  Oh well - hopefully I'll still make it just for me when we get back.  But the wedding does mean lots of car time which means lots of  knitting time!  (well - if Eric will drive!)  So I should have something to show for my weekend after all!  Wonder what it will be?!?!  :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

I still sew...

Burp Cloths (for my favoritest little nephew Drew and his new best buddy, Will)

They each have a matching set of these

Brown is Alexander Henry's Zoo

Green and Orange are Lizzy House's Red Letter Day

And another set for Will

Blues (top and bottom) are Lizzy House's Red Letter Day

Green is Anna Maria Horner's Garden Party

I hope they (or more their styling moms!) enjoy them!

And...if I can get my computer to cooperate tomorrow - eye candy!

Just keep knitting, knitting...

That is what I have been doing lately.  I was in a huge knitting funk (and a sewing upswing) over the Winter.  I would have figured it to be opposite b/c wool is hot and heavy and not something you want on your lap when it gets warm - but knitting is portable.  And that's been key.  We have been here and there doing this and that and the knitting has been coming along. 

This is me in Chicago working on the BSJ I showed you.

And then more recently a friend of mine (who just started knitting) did a knit-a-long with me.  We each made a calorimetry (which is probably why the upswing in temps to the 80's has come around). I made mine in a little over a day.  I really enjoyed it this time (I think the first time I made one I was pretty new to knitting and concerned about what I was doing and if I was doing it right etc...this time I just really enjoyed it).

And I loved the yarn I used (although I can't tell you what it was b/c it came wound from Jimmy Beans and I have no idea what I did with the ball band).  But, I love the yarn and colorways so much that I decided to try another old standby Knitty pattern - Fetchings - with the rest of the yarn.  Those are also going pretty quickly (and I am enjoying them more the second time as well).  I think when you get in a knitting funk it might be a good idea to go to Ravelry and see what 10,800 other people have knit already (BSJ, Caliometry, Fetchings) and knit them - they promise to be quick and easy and make you happy (otherwise 10,800 people are wrong!)

And I will leave you with some more baby love (in a handknit).  I took these of Drew in his pod while we were in Chicago.

Sooo cute!

Ravelympics Wrap Up

So I mentioned a couple times I was knitting my little heart out for the Ravelympics.  I chose to not follow any rules or join any team - but to make an effort to knit every night while watching the Olympics (and man, I really enjoyed watching them this year!)  Don't know if that's because I got to enjoy knitting at the same time or b/c I'm getting a bit older, but they sure were fun!  Recap of what you have already seen that I started and finished in this 2+ week period...

The OSU hat for Drew

The PeaPod Hat for Drew

 

  

and new to you... I also started and finished a "boy hat" for me

 

  

 Lorna's Laces sock (held doubled) in Dec 2009 limited colorway

and the second sock of my mmmm malabrigo set
 

 

(no more lonely sock! one down - two to go!)

I also started (but didn't quite yet finish) my Wrenna sweater

 

(front)

 

(back)

Made from Lions Brand Bulky - in taupe.  QUICK knit - but I am debating about adding more rows - it looks really short right now and I'm supposed to end it (just add 3 rows of rib).  I think I need to add the 6 more rows of the lace chart like the medium size - thoughts?!?

All this knitting has inspired me to work on another second sock (yea!) and so far that is going really fast.  I'm also inspired to try to make this ala Lindsey Vonn - but I guess I have four years to get on that!

Finally, a parting shot of me - in my finished socks watching the Olympics - oh sweet victory!

 

Baby Crafts

So...since the arrival of little Andrew - I haven't been making much other than baby stuff.  I first sent a package with the nursing cover (which was already made before he came) ...

 

(sorry most of the pics are camera pics from Chicago for now!)

And I also made a hat for Drew that matched his Daddy's OSU hat I made him for Christmas..

Drew in his hat...

and Chad in his...

  

( I can't wait to get a better one of them in their hats together!) 

Anyway...Drew was born a Buckeye's fan, no doubt

  

and its cold in Chicago in February, so he needed another hat to cover his sweet little red head...

*gratuitous baby shot - sorry - love the red hair!*

The next package I finished up quickly this weekend, first the hat to match his pod 

 

  

  

and of course a quick set of blue burp cloths - now that we know he's a boy!!

 

front two

 

back two

The list of baby things I want to make to spoil my nephew rotten is about a mile long.  So there will be lots of baby crafts around here for awhile and probably alot of gratuitous baby pics just so I can show him off!

Again, I'm still knitting away (Ravelympics oh how I love thee...) but geesh - knitting takes sooo much longer to produce a finished product to show off!