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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

a boy in knits

Does anyone remember me talking about the Cabaret for the Cure? My friend's leukemia fundraiser? Well, it is next week, so last weekend I got my tushie in gear and fixed the Montego Bay Scarf I'd knit for her.

Yeah. Um, no.

We won't speak of that scarf again. I wove in the edge that got caught, and I spent 1.5 %&$^ hours carefully unpicking the part that had torn and ripped (of course it wasn't the side that would unravel easily), and used new yarn to bind off, and wove in all the ends. Then I looked at it.

I had to admit that it was now a) a good 2 feet shorter, and b) still looked really fuzzy from getting attacked in the washing machine by some stray velcro. I did the only thing I could think of to tame the fuzz...I let it soak in Eucalan for 10 minutes, rinsed then gave it fresh water and a squirt of hair conditioner. I worked the conditioner through then put it in the dryer. Much of the fuzz was flattened, but even at this new, softer feel I had to admit that it still wasn't good enough to be a charity-auctioned scarf. Hell, it wasn't good enough to be a raffle prize!

I kept looking at another project I'm doing with the proper yarn, and realizing that I should never have skimped on the yarn for that project. Well, I didn't really skimp to save money. I just honestly thought the sock yarn would be cute, since there was one in my LYS that was made with sock yarn and it was great. I should have realized that particular sock yarn was Regia Bamboo, which had a much silkier hand and feel than plain old sock yarn.

I didn't want to leave my friend empty-handed or renege on my offer of knitted goods, so I looked around to see what I could offer. In the end I am giving them 3 sets of knitted goodies: all stuff I'd knit for Jakob. I don't feel bad because a) I missed the boat on some articles that are already too small for Jakob, b) they have never been worn, c) they were knit with love, and d) they will go to make someone else's child warm and happy, and that is much better than staying here and sitting in a bag.

Since they WERE originally knit for Jakob I took some photos of him wearing them, just to have for my records, and I will show them to you here.

This is the "Ice Cream Cardigan and Hat" knit from 2 balls of Regia Canadian Colors- Ottawa. I used my leftovers to knit "Christine's Baby Booties" to match.

Jakob was all giggles that day and I can't help but crack up when I see these photos!

I think this one (below) was my favorite of his silly grins. He looks like a roly-poly little toy and I just want to pinch his cheeks!
I will be giving away the Just Ducky Hat and Socks set. It is still too big for him, and I think by the time it would fit he would be too old to wear it.

I'm sorry...I think I'm going to gush here...but I LOVE this boy's face!

The last set I will be giving away is the Froggy Hat and Socks set. I don't know why but the hat is way too small but the socks are too big...it would have been cute when he was smaller but that would have been May and too warm...all in all I feel quite comfortable with giving it away.
More of his favorite face...sucking in his lip. (He didn't stay that way for long, I think I tickle-bombed him right after this photo was taken).
Finally, some other knit photos to share. This is the Baby Cabled Cardigan I finally got around to finishing last week. I don't know if this photo properly shows it, but the cardi is baggy and the sleeves are too long, which means it should fit for another 3-6 months- or until the Winter is over. But you can clearly see that the length is too short. Every time he moves his arms it rises, and since it has a hood the weight of it pulls the back down and the front rises up to about his mid-chest.
I'm going to fix it once I finish my secret project.

The hood however...let's not go there.

Cute elfin look- yes. Practical and useful hood- no. In theory the hood would fit a normal head, but the cables pull it in too much. I really don't feel like knitting a border, and I can't pick up more sts at the neckline and work up since the hood already grows up from the front edges of the cardi. So the hood will be purely decorative. I'm ok with that.

Labels: baby booties-Regia, Baby Cabled Hoodie, Cabaret for the Cure, FO, Froggy Hat and Socks, Ice Cream Cardigan and Hat, Just Ducky Hat and Socks, Montego Bay Scarf

posted by Jennifer Lori @ 9:42 pm 3 comments

Monday, April 16, 2007

FO: Regia Ottawa Baby Booties & progress update

Ta da! So tiny and so cute!

They're wee!

My hand included for scale.

Project Specs:

Pattern: Christine's Baby Booties, found free online here

Yarn: Regia Canadian Colors sock yarn, color Ottawa

Needles: 2.5mm

Size: Pattern only gives one size. To make bigger, use bigger yarn and/or needles.

Cast on to Bind off: April 14 - 15 2007. I would have been done on the 14th if I didn't get visitors, but the visit was worth it. ;)

Would I make this again: YES. I've already memorized the pattern just from making this pair. They are so fast and easy, and CUTE. Plus the pattern has a nice stretch to it. Great, great pattern.

What did I do yesterday? My mom and I spent the morning going shopping. For some reason I hate shopping when its for me but love shopping for the baby! First we went to Thyme and I picked up a nursing bra and a pair of pjs with peek-a-boo slits for breastfeeding with some modesty. Then we went to The Wool Shop and I bought buttons for the Ice Cream Cardigan set. I'll sew those on later then post another FO here. I ran into Uniprix to buy their verson of baby laundry detergent because we were going to go to Zellers but ran late, and had to be at T.O.M.'s for 2pm. The cake and coffee went really well, Laura and Mike (T.O.M.) were great hosts and had snacks out for us and everything. It was VERY amusing to watch my 19 year old sister play hostess. T.O.M.'s parents were very entertaining and we spent the afternoon telling stories and laughing non-stop.

I got some gifties, which is always fun. My brother Aaron gave me a belated Chanukah/birthday gift- this book. I'm so excited to go through it! The only thing holding me back is knowing how many WIPs I have going on already. Then, for no reason at all, T.O.M.'s parents gave me a gift for the baby! Two little outfits! That was so sweet of them, especially since it was the first time we'd met.

We left there with enough time to run to Zellers before they closed and we did some shopping fo the wee one. I bought a few t-shirts, some wash cloths and a blanket, and my mom bought a few onesies.

It was so late when I got home- I'd left the house at 11:00am to pick my mom up and finally walked in the door shlepping all my parcels at 6:45pm. It was a LONG day and I was zonked, but I knew if I didn't do any of my self-imposed "chores" right away then I would never get them done. I was much too tired to handle packing house stuff, but I could tackle my hospital bag. First things first meant I had to wash all of the baby's stuff so it would be ready and then I could choose the outfits for the hospital and be able to pack them. I went through all the bags of clothes we've been given so far by family and friends, and the few items I'd bought in Florida on our honeymoon when we found out we were pregnant. I pulled off all stickers and plastic tags and set everything out on the table to see what we had.

Holy crap!

This kid has A LOT of clothes! Not even born yet and already has a full wardrobe!

It took me 2 loads of laundry and staying up until 11:45pm to get it all washed and dried, and I didn't even get to wash the handknits yet. Those don't matter so much because most are sized for 9 months to a year, but I want to wash the Alphabet Blankie and I'd left it upstairs by mistake. I'm going to do another load of baby stuff today when I finish sewing on the buttons for the Ice Cream Cardigan so I'll wash all the stuff I'd knit then.

It took me until 12:30am to fold everything and put it away, and since I had to be at the hospital at 8:15am this morning for my latest checkup I didn't get around to packing the hospital bag. That's my chore for today.

Trying to fit all this stuff:

plus clothes for me, clothes for the baby, toiletries and other assorted stuff into the black bag in the front. Thank goodness Yannick is bringing his own bag with a change of clothes and some snacks!

Labels: baby, baby booties-Regia, baby knits, FO

posted by Jennifer Lori @ 12:25 pm 3 comments

Sunday, April 15, 2007

I can't commit.

I had 2 things on my list for tonight. Just 2. Start packing my hospital bag, and knit as much as possible on the Baby Einstein Coat. Did I get either thing done?

Nope.

I got distracted.

I had so much Regia Canadian Colors left over from finishing the Ice Cream Cardigan and Hat set (no FO photos yet, just need to add buttons to the cardi first) and after blog browsing I was reminded of Christine's Baby Booties. The pattern looked fast and easy...I figured I could whip up a pair THEN knit on the coat.

Yeah.

The first bootie took 3 hours. Not long, but I had to stop for supper, and then Julie and Rich came by to surprise me (they knew I was staying home while Yannick worked). After they left I ate my stupid last snack of the day (I HATE having to eat before bed) then cast on for the 2nd bootie. I would love to have finished both tonight, and had I started early it would really have been possible, but it's 12:30am, I'm tired and have a lot of stuff to do tomorrow. I'll just have to be content with finishing them tomorrow. THEN working on the Einstein Coat.

And, uh, packing.

Labels: baby booties-Regia

posted by Jennifer Lori @ 12:25 am 1 comments

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