The Only Christmas Gift I Made.

I decided not to stress myself out over handmade Christmas gifts for last year (2009). Instead, I concentrated on making a blanket for my niece's first Christmas. She was the only new baby born last year in the family, so it made my task easier.If any of you have made any blankets before, you know that it takes a good amount of time and dedication to complete one. I chose to use a free crochet pattern I found on the Internet, but sadly it is no longer available when I checked tonight to link to it. The blanket is crochet diagonally all in one piece. You increase until the desired width and then decrease. The stitch is called Diagonal Box Stitch and there are free tutorials if you do a Internet search. I found this one on Ravelry that is the same stitch.Although the blanket doesn't need an edging to finish it, the pattern had an optional edging. I thought the edging added a nice finishing touch to the blanket. With the edging, the blanket measures 30 inches by 35 inches. It's a good size for her to grow into and it can be used for quite a while. She is only 11 months old, but she is in the 97% growth rate, so I am glad I made the blanket bigger.
Here is my niece, Celina, being wrapped in the blanket by her mother. My sister-in-law squealed in delight when she opened up the box. Both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law loved the colors of the blanket. I felt truly happy when she told me that it will be an heirloom and something Celina can treasure for a long time.

Pattern: Diagonal Box Stitch Blanket
Hook: 5.0 mm (H)
Yarn: 7 skeins =1050.0 yards of Plymouth Yarn Encore Colorspun DK in color : Pink, white, gray 7990. 1 skein = 197 yards of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solids & Heathers in color: Grey Heather
Size: 30 inches by 35 inches

Sea Lace Necklace

Recently, I had the opportunity to test knit a pattern called Sea Lace. It's a necklace knit with a lace yarn that is made with wool and stainless steel. I have never knit with beads or this kind of yarn so I was looking forward to it. I met the designer, Sarah Punderson, several times while taking 2 different classes at the Lion Brand Studio. We both took the Master classes with Nicky Epstein and Lily Chin.

I bought a cone of LB Collection Wool Stainless Steel and rummaged around my bead collection to find something suitable. I ended up using these tiny seed beads and the color is rainbow clear. My only other option was black seed beads and black on black had no contrast at all.

The pattern is easy and after a while, I had the pattern repeat memorized. I used bamboo needles because it's all I had, but I definitely would use metal needles the next time around. She does state that in the pattern, but I wanted to get started right away. Bamboo has too much give, and for something like this, you want a sturdy needle. At first, it's a little fiddly because you are using size 0 needles and knitting with what feels like thread, but it's a lot easier once you get a couple of inches done.
When my sister came to visit for one day last week, I asked her to model for me. As you can see, it's a very flattering necklace. It's delicate looking, but the material is strong.

You don't need much of the yarn, so I have plenty leftover for more necklaces. On my next trip to the bead store, I plan to get more seed beads in different colors. I think these necklaces would make great gifts. It really doesn't take that long. For the clasp, I used a small sterling silver toggle clasp instead of the clasp she stated on the pattern. Again, for me, it was about using the materials I had on hand.

Pattern: Sea Lace by Sarah Punderson, you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.
Needles: US 0 / 2.0 mm
Yarn: LB Collection Wool Stainless Steel in the color: Raven
Length: 16 inches

She calls him, Snow.

I can't believe that it's time to cast aside the Thanksgiving decorations in favor of Winter Holiday decorations. Although, the tree has not been put up yet, this Snowman has now taken the place of the Turkey. It's much larger in size and stands prominently next to the TV in the living room.

I test knitted this pattern for Daniel and I was very happy with how nicely it turned out. It's knitted from the top down, so the head, chest and bottom is all in one piece. Practically no seaming at all! There is an additional bottom piece that is attached so that the Snowman sits upright without falling over. How I love clever constructions! One of my favorite parts is the hat, knit in the round with simple increases that shapes it. The hat really makes the snowman complete. The tree branch limbs are done in i-cord and is also made in one piece.

I told Melody that it's called a Snowman once and now she obsessively calls it Snow. Whenever she sees it, she points to it and yells out "Snow!". Now, Snow will be a permanent part of our Christmas decorations.How about making your own "Snow" for your holiday decorations? There is still plenty of time.

Pattern: Snowman Toy by Daniel Yuhas, you can purchase the pattern from Here or on Ravelry.
Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm
Yarn: Various Worsted Weight Yarn, specifics are on my Ravelry project page.
Size: 10 3/4 inches tall including the hat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the only turkey that I made for Thanksgiving this year and it's not even edible! The whole family loved it. I think DH might have claimed it for himself.

This turkey started as a Mystery Knitalong hosted by Susan B. Anderson on the Spud & Chloë Blog. It was fun to log into the computer each morning to find the next clues. I followed along diligently until the last clues which was the tail feathers. I let this sit around until last night because I had some more urgent projects that needed my attention. I wanted to have it done for Thanksgiving Day, so I took my yarn and needles to my knitting group meet up and whipped out those tail feathers. I sewed them on after I got home. But not before I baked my Thanksgiving desserts.
Pattern: Tiny Turkey by Susan B. Anderson, Free pattern HERE.
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm
Yarn: All done with Worsted Weight scrap yarn. I listed all the yarns I used on my Ravelry project page.

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So, what did I bake this year?
Apple Cake adapted from this recipe. For the batter, I grated 1 medium apple and mixed it into the batter. And used 1 medium apple for the apple slices on top of the cake.John's Pear and Almond Cream Tart. I omitted the jam layer and used only 1/2 tsp of salt in the almond cream.
Maple Nut Tart, which is also from Everyday Food Magazine. I could not find the recipe link on Martha's website. It uses real Maple Syrup and equal portions of Pecans and Walnuts. The smell was heavenly as it was baking.

So, I have made these desserts plenty of times before and I figured the tried and true route was the way to go. The little one has been keeping me so busy these days. I really didn't have the energy to try new recipes this year. The only thing I omitted this year was a Cheesecake. I hope my friends won't mind.

Only a few more hours before we get into the car and drive over to my friend's house for a huge feast of Chinese Hot Pot and a Roasted Turkey (for the kids). I can't wait to slice into the desserts. I hope all of you are spending time with friends or family and enjoying this holiday.

The determination to make something work.

I bought the pattern, Cozy Bolero, to use with my ArtFibers yarn, Zoftig. It just did not look right. This pattern calls for size US 19 needles so it made the knitted fabric look very holey. Not the look I was going for. I tried another yarn in my stash and it still didn't work. Finally, I broke down and just bought the yarn called for in the pattern. Luckily, it was on sale when I went to Michaels. The Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick is very soft and creates a very warm sweater.

I had lots of doubts while knitting this pattern. First of all, the raglan increases are not mirrored on the left and right sides and using those broom stick sized needles still produced a very loose fabric. It was so awkward using such huge needles and the plastic cable between the needles is hard to maneuver.
I followed the exact instructions for the size 32-34 inch bust, but I think that I could have done one size smaller. It's slightly roomy around the underarms and bust area, but I don't mind. I am thinking of adding a extra button so it can be pulled in tighter at the chest.

If you compare my pictures to the pattern and other people's finished boleros on Ravelry, you will notice that mine did not turn out to be a bolero at all. Mine turned into a cardigan. I am short (under 5 ft tall), but I was still surprised at how long it turned out. It's a top down construction so I was able to try it on the whole time I was knitting it. The bottom hem hit my waist perfectly when I tried it, but my needles were too short to try it on when I was knitting the rib border. When I bound off and tried it on, it bunched up unattractively right at my hips. I may be short, but I am hippy in that area! I blocked the heck out of that area and now it lays flat. Phew! I was so worried I would have to rip back.Overall, I am satisfied with how it turned out. This is my First Official Adult Knitted Garment and it's for myself! It was fast, only took a few days of knitting, and it uses so little yarn. And I learned a new technique while knitting this cardigan. My knitting pal, Penelope, taught me to knit the sleeves in the round, 2 at the same time using magic loop. A very neat technique! This pattern could use a little tweaking if I make it again.

Pattern: Cozy Bolero by Jane Richmond, Ravelry Store Link
Needles: US 19 / 15.0 mm
Yarn: 2.5 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in color: Charcoal #149
Size made: 32-34

Another Baby Gift Set

I love making Baby Gift Sets. It's so much fun picking out patterns, yarn colors and then the making of it. I wish I could make a living out of it. But then again, maybe it would take the fun out of it.

Remember, the Mirabilis Baby Blanket that I made as a test knit? I knew I would find a home for the blanket. No sooner had I finished it, my friend announced her pregnancy. So, I waited until I got the baby shower invite and then used the leftover yarn to make a Owl Baby Vest and a Bear Rattle to make a complete baby gift set. I work better with a deadline.
This is my 3rd Owl Baby Vest and I still love it. That's saying a lot because I hardly ever repeat a pattern. It's because I love making new things and there is always a new challenge or pattern to try. But this pattern is quick and cute, and only takes a skein of yarn. I actually do see myself making more of these. I used worsted weight again so I could get a 12 month size.
This Bear Rattle turned out huge. In my opinion, it's too big for a baby to grasp. If I made it again, I would reduce the size of the handle part. I inserted a brass jingle bell in the head so that it will make a soft jingling sound when you shake it. Overall, I think it turned out really cute.

Pattern: Owl Baby Vest (Ravelry Link)
Needles: US 5 and US 6
Yarn: 1 skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Gold

Pattern: Bunny Buddy by Vicki Howell ( Crochet Today! May/June 2009 issue), shorten the ears to make the bear.
Hook: 3.75 mm (F)
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Gold, small amount

Red Hot Lavalette

Yes, my love affair with shawls continues. I loved this pattern at first sight when Kirstin showed preview photos on her blog. She has graciously offered the pattern for free, but suggests that you make a voluntary donation to Alzheimer's and dementia research. Fair trade, right? Plus, it's a worthy cause. My grandfather in Hong Kong is suffering from Alzeimer's and Parkinson's Disease and we just got word last month that it is getting worse. Currently, my mother and my aunt are in Hong Kong visiting my grandfather.The pattern calls for a Lace Weight Yarn, but I was inspired to use a Worsted Weight by JulieFrick (Ravelry Link) when I saw her version of the shawl made with 1 skein of Brooks Farm Riata. I happen to have 1 skein of this yarn in my stash from my 1st trip to Rhinebeck 2 years ago. The yarn is made with Wool, Mohair and Silk, so you can imagine how soft it is. The color is amazing and I only wish that I could capture the color better with my camera.The pattern is super easy and it's easy to remember the repeating rows. Having said that, you may notice that one of my stockinette sections are shorter than the rest. I had put down the shawl for a couple of weeks and misread my notes when I picked it back up again. Whoops! Oh well, it's a just a design element that I added to the shawl. I really didn't want to rip back.As always, I feel that a shawl transforms itself when it's blocked. It's like magic. The beauty of the shawl does not reveal itself to me until it's dry and I take off the pins. I get so excited when the times comes to release the shawl. Stunning!

Pattern: Lavalette by Kirstin Kapur
Yarn: Brooks Farm Riata, 1 skein = 365.0 yards (333.8 m), color: MR89
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Size: 56 inches wide by 29 inches long from top to bottom tip

Hoot Hoot!

I made one vest for Melody before she was born and that was one of the most used garment. A vest is really useful because it keeps the baby chest warm while not over heating her. Plus, it lets their arms free to crawl and play, while a sweater could be a bit bulky some times.

My MIL had made a few vests for her during Christmas. My husband's pet peeve about them was that the neckline was too small while the rest of the vest was big and roomy. The arm holes were huge. He finally ask me to donate them to Good Will or Salvation Army because he was so frustrated from trying to struggle to pull it over her head. She would always cry and scream.

So, when I was making this Owl Baby Vest for my cousin's baby, Marcel, I was very aware of the neck hole. I redid the neckline stitches twice to ensure a bigger neck hole. I think I picked up at least 80 sts and it worked great. I even tried it over Melody's head (she's older than him) and it slipped over head effortlessly. No crying baby!It's a great little vest that takes about 1 skein of yarn. And it's done in the round, so there is only the shoulders to seam.Here is Marcel wearing it on cool day at the park. Look at that cute smile!
Pattern: Owl Baby Vest free PDF pattern via Ravelry.
Yarn: 1 skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Grey Heather
Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm and US 6 / 4.0 mm

Of course, I had to make one for Melody. I had a skein of Patons Classic Wool Merino that I had kool-aid dyed a while ago and it worked out well. It did not use up the whole skein even though I made it a bit longer. I did drop down the needles to a US 4 and US 5 because it's a slightly heavier gauge than Wool-Ease.
Please excuse her bed head. She had just woken up when I made her try on the vest.This picture shows the amazing depth of colors from the kettle dying I was experimenting with. I had not liked the original outcome of the yarn, so I over dyed the whole thing after it had dried. The color became Raspberry and I was still not excited by it when I wound it into a skein. But, my mind quickly changed when I knitted with it. The knitted fabric really shows off the many colors that went into it.

Pattern: Owl Baby Vest free PDF pattern via Ravelry.
Yarn: 1 skein of Patons Classic Wool Merino, kool-aid dyed by me
Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm and US 5 / 3.75 mm

Playing with Hand Dyed Yarns.

I recently had the pleasure of knitting with some beautiful hand dyed yarns. Liz of MacKintosh Yarns needed some knitted samples made with her yarns and I happily volunteered. After looking at my Ravelry page, she asked me to make 2 baby sweaters. She would send me the yarn and I could choose the patterns. This gave me the opportunity to try some patterns that have been on my queue for a while.
I have to say that this was my favorite color. It's called Submerged. This worsted weight is soft and it's superwash. It knits up quickly and produces a wonderful baby sweater.
It held up well even after I frogged it many times. The collar has stepped increases and it kept coming out wonky. I finally decided to omit the increases and cast on the full 62 stitches. It worked out really well. I could easily slip this whole sweater over Melody's head without having to struggle.

Pattern: Striped Outfit for a Stripeknight (Free PDF pattern via Ravelry)
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm
Yarn: MacKintosh Yarns Skye Worsted Weight, 1.2 skeins = 300.0 yards (274.3m), color: Submerged

Victoria is a very rich color. It was along the lines of reddish purple, but very deep. At times, it almost looked like a reddish brown to me. This is just as soft as the Worsted Weight above.This sweater was a time consuming knit, but I am so happy with the final result. I knit it with Size 3 needles and it felt like it took forever. The pattern calls for fingering and this yarn, Chubby Sock, is a sport/dk weight. So, I used a slightly thicker yarn and bigger needles. I followed the directions for the 0-3 month size and the final result is a 6-12 month size.

The sweater is a top down raglan, but the sleeves have to be knit flat and them seamed. I made the mistake of using DPN's and thought I could knit them in the round. The lace pattern has to be done flat, so I had to rip back. The pom pom i-Cord ties are such a cute addition to the sweater. I will definitely be knitting this one again.

Pattern: Betty Lou Lace Cardigan from the book, Vintage Baby Knits.
Needles: US 3 / 3.25 mm
Yarn: Yarn: MacKintosh Yarns Chubby Sock, 1.7 skeins = 425.0 yards (388.6m), color: Victoria

The sweaters are on their way to Liz of MacKintosh Yarns. They will be displayed in her booth at Stitches Midwest. Are any of you going to Stitches Midwest?


My canning adventure continues! I turned all the apricots and peaches I have been receiving from the CSA into marmalade. The soft chunks of fruit are so delicious on a slice of toast. It was a lot of work blanching and peeling the skins, but it's worth it.
The winner of the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving is Micki. Micki, please email me your address so I can send you the book.

Vanilla, Cinnamon, Blueberry, Chili, Olive, and Bay leaf.

Strange combination? No, I am not cooking with these ingredients. These are the names of the colors of Lion Brand's new yarn, Alpine Wool Yarn. A while ago, I had the opportunity to knit some samples for Lion Brand with this new yarn. It's a soft 100% Wool Roving Yarn, single ply, that comes in these rich and deep colors. The bulky weight makes it perfect for quick knits.The first hat was made with Vanilla, Bay Leaf and Cinnamon.
The second hat was made with Olive, Blueberry and Chili.Hats may be the last thing you would think of knitting during this Summer heat, but it's never too soon to prepare for Fall and Winter. The hat has a wide brim that folds up, so it's perfect for those cold windy days where you can pull the brim over your ears. In anticipation of Fall and Winter, I am already day dreaming about knitting sweaters. Are any of you thinking about Fall and Winter Knits?

Pattern: Bunny Slope Hat, free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.
Yarn: Lion Brand Yarn, Alpine Wool Yarn: One skein each of Vanilla, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Chili, Blueberry, and Olive.
Needles: US 10
Size: Adult size, 19 in. (48.5 cm) circumference

Shawl Addiction

It may seem like I only knit shawls these days, but I swear that I have been knitting other things, too. It's just that a lot of it has been secret knitting so I can't reveal anything for a while. So, my knitting group decided to do a KAL (Knit-Along) for the Aestlight Shawl by The Shetland Trader. I jumped right in as soon I finished up a recent big project.It was fun to help each other choose our colors for the Shawl. I actually had a hard time deciding on which yarn to use because I needed the right yardage. Everything I wanted to use was short on the yardage requirement. I dug deeper into the stash and found a beautiful skein of sock yarn that had 550 yards. That would allow me to knit the largest size of the shawl.The construction of the shawl kept me captivated during the whole project. The triangle garter stitch portion is knit first. It was so easy to pick up the stitches for the border because of the yarn overs made during the garter stitch triangle. No guessing involved, just pick up the yarn overs with your needle! The triangle edging came last and it's knit sideways and attached to the live stitches of the border.I love the Bird's Eye Lace portion of the shawl. Do see the wires running along the shawl? I recently got the Knit Picks Lace Blocking Wires and this was my first time using it. It took some time to thread the wires through, but after that, it makes it so easy to form the straight sides. I am so glad that I bought them.This shawl turned out really big, but it could be due to my severe blocking of it. If I drape it over my shoulders, it hangs over my butt. I love the size, but I think it might look nice on someone much taller. So for now, it will be tucked safely in my Knitted Gifts Basket. Plus, I seem to have a problem with keeping anything for myself. I feel guilty for some reason. I kept the Green Shawl for myself recently, so I don't want to too greedy.

The shawl may be big, but it's light and airy with a beautiful drape. The yarn was a delight to knit with and very soft, so it's perfect for something against your neck.

Pattern: Aestlight Shawl (ravelry store link)
Yarn: Ruby Sock Yarn by RubySapphire Yarns in the colorway, Bethany. 550 yards of fingering weight. I had about 50 yards of yarn left over even though I made the Large size.
Needle: US 6/ 4mm
Size: 58" wide and 29" long (from the top to the bottom point of the shawl)