Picture Practice

Two sweaters in progress for Miss Lily Catherine (not yet born):

Do you ever overdo it when you find out someone in your family is having a little girl? I do. Even though I love baby boys, too, I have the most fun knitting for baby girls. So when I heard that my cousin's wife is having a little girl this spring, I really got busy going through my patterns and my yarn.

It took a while to narrow things down to just two sweaters, but eventually I chose an old favorite (Erika Knight's Garter Stitch Cardigan) and a pattern I have wanted to make for a long time (the Mardi cardigan from Posy Gets Cozy).














I hope Lily Catherine (named after my wonderful grandmother) does not mind knitted goods. Between me and my mother, who also knits and crochets, she is really in for it!

Bright Mittens and a Farrow Rib Scarf

Another project, quickly finished.
Malabrigo mittens, in the color Molly, for my daughter:

Pattern: Breathe Deep (from Through the Loops)
Needles: size 7

This is a fun pattern and it works up very quickly. I ended up having blocking issues with the Malabrigo, though. The mittens really stretched when they got wet, and I had to throw them in the dryer with some damp towels to get them back into proportion. I don't think I can get away with that again, so I'm not sure how I will wash them next time.










And here is more Malabrigo, in Emerald. I am making a farrow rib scarf for my husband. So simple, and so soft! Still, even though it's only been on the needles a few days, I feel like it's dragging. I tend to have this issue with scarves, which is why we don't have more in the family winter accessories basket.

Camera Issues...Among Other Things

I know I have not been blogging as much as I intended, and here is the reason: I am having camera issues. There is definitely a lot of knitting going on around here, but my pictures have just not been of a quality that I feel good about posting. I've put some things on Ravelry (because I can't help myself, Ravelry is so fun!) but I'm not loving the image quality coming from my camera. Everything is either washed out or too dark, and the flash is pretty much worthless.

I guess the question I am asking myself is whether the problem is actually camera related, or more of an amateur photographer issue. Before two months ago, I had not taken a picture in years. I just do not come from a picture taking family. So although my camera is an under-$100 model (which I personally think is plenty of money to spend on just about anything, besides yarn) is the problem really just that I don't know how to use it properly?

I had a friend here from out of town a few weeks ago and she let me try out her Canon. (I think it was the Powershot? Something like that.) It definitely took nicer pictures, but the conditions still had to be ideal for it to work properly. I'm not sure if it's the model I'm looking for. I don't want to jump into buying a camera without thinking about it, because I have a feeling I'll be stuck with the next one for a really long time. I'm like that with electronics. I just don't get a huge kick out of buying this year's model of whatever.

So that is what is going on here. Lots of knitting, not much blogging. For the above stated reasons!

The Everything-Must-Go Ripple...Plus a Couple Other Projects

It has been a busy week. Also, a fun week. I have been working on a writing project, and knitting and crocheting and reading a lot. It's a great life, isn't it? I feel very lucky.

Here is the progress on my new ripple. It is moving very quickly, because I am not over thinking it. This was a conscious decision on my part, because I have so much yarn that needs to be used up. In fact, the theme for this project is everything must go! I am planning to send this blanket to my brother's kids, who love to go through my yarn when they visit and pick out the brightest colors for their dream projects. (Who doesn't, right?)




I am also working on lots of second socks, as well as a first sock.















Pattern: Heelless Sleeping Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks.
Yarn: Socks That Rock Lightweight, in Hot Flash

I love the patterns in this book but have only made one or two of them. This one is really fun, but I think I might put a heel on it when the time comes. I have a feeling my daughter (the intended recipient) will get more wear out of it that way.



And finally, for today, here is a sweater project:

Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan
Yarn: Elsbeth Lavold, Silky Tweed.
Not sure about the color. I got the yarn on basement sale at Webs, so it was a good deal. I love all the Minimalist Cardigans on Ravelry, and have been meaning to make my own for a while, so it was fun to finally start this after Christmas.
















Sweaters tend to move pretty slowly for me, but I am hoping to push along on this one so I can have it in time for spring. It seems like the right weight for a mid-west spring day.

Hey...how about another ripple?

I really don't know what came over me last night.




I have about five (not an exaggeration) projects going, not to mention all the kid-and-dog-and-husband-and-home stuff I am trying to stay on top of, but for some reason I felt compelled to start another ripple.

A BIG ripple, unlike my last ripple, which, sadly, turned out to be not wide enough for non-toddler human use. Not to worry, though, because this new ripple will be big enough to wrap a six foot tall teenage boy in acrylic comfort while he watches football on a big screen TV. (This was the plan that came to me when I should have been doing laundry.) I will keep going with this ripple until it is REALLY big. I will not get bored and declare it done before it is really done!

Well, we'll see. Anyway, here it is, the new ripple. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft and Red Heart, I think, although it is hard to tell because I was pulling random balls of yarn out of my back closet for this and some of them had lost their wrappers. I like the Valentine's Day feel of these colors together, and am debating doing a repeating stripe pattern of just these colors. But I did a repeating pattern for my last ripple, and that got boring pretty fast, so maybe I will live a little this time and just keep adding more colors as I go.

Wow! It's been a long time...

One of my goals for the new year is to revamp (or actually remember to use!) this blog. I have a new, already trusty camera that my husband got me for Christmas, and I am trying to figure out how to take interesting pictures featuring knitted objects that do not look like they have been tortured to death in the quest for an original shot. Here are a few things I have recently made:

Monkey Socks
Pattern: Knitty
Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL
Needles: Size 2
A gift for: My MIL

Okay, this is a weird shot, right? But when I tried to take a picture of these socks 'straight on' the color came out wrong! I am going to be working on figuring out why that is this year. Meantime, here are a couple other things I finished in the past month or so...

Garter Stitch Cardigan
Pattern: Erika Knight
Yarn: Sublime Merino DK
Needles: Size 5
A gift for: Orinally for a boy who turned out to be a girl. Now it is for my neighbor's new grandson.

I think we can see what I mean about this photo being a little styled. I mean, I almost put mascara on the poor little sweater. Still, this is a super cute pattern. I have made it three times for three different babies, and would be making it again in pink for my cousin's baby if I hadn't found another adorable pattern that I want to try instead.











Moving right along, here is another project, recently finished and ready for its close-up:

Pattern: Chevron Blanket from the book Vintage Crochet
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic
Hook: size G
Chained: 144. Will go bigger next time!

I love ripple blankets and finally learned how to crochet last year (thanks, Steph!) so that I could make my own. I found this pattern a little challenging, but I love the ridged fabric it makes.



And a final note for today, here is a terrific book for anyone (Mom? is that you reading this?) who is looking for a good read: The Inheritence of Loss by Kiran Desai. Wonderful! I don't want it to end.