Tuesday, July 8, 2014

International Footwear

While most of the socks I make for people are birthday socks, sometimes situations arise that call for unbirthday socks.  

Australian climate doesn't often allow for woolies, but where there's a will, there's a way.  Socks are always in season.


An Aussie came to visit me this month and I couldn't let him fly home without something special made just for him.  Knit with Patons Kroy Socks in Eclipse Stripes, he seems to love them.  Considering he put them on, took a picture, and sent it to me with no prodding whatsoever.

I see more woolies in his future.  If only he needed warm knits... 

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Kindness of Strangers

Many years ago, I was moving into my apartment and rushing like mad to get everything ready before Christmas so Jack and I could be settled.  It quickly became apparent that there was no way that deadline was going to be met, but my little boy asked Santa for a new bedroom and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure he got it.  I enlisted all of my closest friends, many of whom have received baby blankets featured in this blog somewhere, and we got all the painting done and carpeting laid and furniture moved in.  But Jack was missing bedding for his new room and my bank account was hovering dangerously low.

One afternoon, a friend of mine showed up with a Christmas present for me.  She refused to say who it was from.  I was to believe in Santa and accept the gift without question.  Underneath all that wrapping paper was a complete Lightening McQueen bedding set.  It seems one night after hours of painting, she had stopped at the local pub.  A good friend of hers, and someone I barely knew at the time, asked her why she was covered in paint.  She told that friend my story and mentioned the bedding conundrum in passing.  My anonymous benefactor instructed her to purchase whatever Jack needed, even though we were mere acquaintances at best.

I did some detective work and eventually found out who my Santa was.  I knit him cabled socks that year as a thank you, cloaked in my well-known desire to knit socks for everyone.  

That was several years ago, and he recently told me that the heels were wearing thin.  And so, all this time later, these are my official Thank You socks.  I have no idea if you'll read this, and you may not think it was much, but you were integral in helping make my son's dream come true that year, and for that I will be eternally grateful.


May they warm your feet for years to come.  And know that there will always be another pair whenever you need them.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Time Must Have A Stop

I don't know how it's April already, but it is.  I'm woefully behind on the blog but I have been taking pictures of the few things I've actually managed to complete so here they are…

Back in March my little man turned 9.  He's been to my LYS several times and always ogles a skein of Cascade Jewel Hand Dyed.  He bought this with his own money and I promised to turn it into a scarf for him.  The color is "Jewel Box" and it's 100% Peruvian Highland so it's quite warm and toasty.  Hopefully he still loves it next winter because he only wore it for a few weeks this season.




And as is my custom, everyone gets birthday socks.  I bought this yarn a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and have no idea what it is or what color.  Jack decided these are his "kinda camo" socks.  I think that's accurate enough.

And then just because he loves them so much and always wears them before his store bought socks, I made Jack a pair of Easter socks.  These are Supersocke 100 in "Emotion."  




















They didn't make it to Easter, he stalked the needles and put them on the moment the ends were woven in.  They haven't been washed or blocked but they are happily on his stinky little feet and that's the important part.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Second Sock Syndrome

I dove into the stash a few weeks ago and decided that it was time to finish some of the projects that have been living in my works-on-progress bin.  I came across a bag that contained two single socks.  Not a pair of socks.  One sock in one yarn and one sock in another yarn.  Second Sock Syndrome (SSS) seems to have struck twice.


The benefit of SSS is that you often stumble upon something that can now be completed in half the time you set aside for it.  In the time it would have taken me to make two socks, generally 1 pair, I made two socks and got 2 pair.  Voila!


I have long since discarded the yarn bands for these lovelies, but I can tell you that the first are my standard sock recipe, and the second are Circle Socks.

I should dive back into the progress bin and see what else I can finish up, but I somehow found myself at Sarah's this weekend and there is a bag of fresh new yarn on my table that is begging to be knit.

Any bets on how much of that will end up in the progress bin?

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Quite a Mouthful

This latest project combines my two favorite things.  Three favorite?  A lot of favorite things.
1 - Tiny Humans
2 - Yarn
3 - Entrelac
4 - Things that Match


I don't know what is going on with my camera, but the pink is not reflected even somewhat close to the real life color.  This looks sort of red or orange and a bit plastic.  At any rate, these are entrelac blankets in a yarn that is way too hard to pronounce.  It's no longer available so there's not a link, but it's called Ornaghi Filati Punto su Punto Bla Bla Bla (yes, that's part of the name) in #601 and #606.  A Superfine Merino and Acrylic blend, it's soft and machine washable.


The yarn being a mouthful is perfectly paired with the name of these new babies.  Leonardo and Letetia  will be snuggled up together in their matching blankets by the weekend.  Just in time, too.  This polar vortex is still moving through the area.


Nickel's mommy is dutifully sending me pictures of her little guy in all his woolly goodness.  This is a tri peak hat, the pattern for which is misplaced somewhere in the depths of my stash closet.  I did manage to track down the yarn.  Knit Picks Chroma Worsted in #25258 Midwinter.  Seems fitting.


I think these colors really complement his tone.  Stay warm little man.

Speaking of staying warm, I went to a wedding in SoHo this weekend and NYC is always windy and colder.  I decided that I would want something to keep my ears warm walking to my train while not messing up my painstakingly straightened hair.  I made a little headband for myself.  Made with Patons Soy Wool Stripes it knit up in a few hours and worked like a charm against the brisk Manhattan wind.


And the wedding was beautiful.  Congratulations Carly & Ceri.  May you always be as happy as you are in this moment.


(Sorry for the blurry.  Much whiskey was had).

Monday, January 13, 2014

Small Miracles

I've mentioned several times how much I love making blankets for the tiny humans.  And with the exception of one little guy who made his appearance a bit on the early side, there hasn't been a baby born on my watch without a blanket to come home in since I started this endeavor.  

Sometimes, the blankets have more to do with the mommies than with the babies.  Such is the case with this blanket.  This mommy had a long and difficult path to mommydom, and for a very long time believed that all of her children would be of the four paws variety.  Sometimes the universe has a way of granting wishes when we least expect it.  


The leaves symbolize the coming of spring, new life, and small miracles.  With a mid-march due date this little girl is fully embracing her season.  The cables, of course, are standard Celtic symbols and she will be shooting whiskey and darts in no time I'm sure.


The pattern can be found here and is available for just a few dollars.  It was easy to follow with both charts and written line-by-line instructions.  Knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport in Oyster Heather, it's hand wash and dry flat which can sometimes be a no-no when it comes to babies but I decided to risk it anyway.  Next time I will use a heavier weight so it works up a bit more quickly.

Little Nickel is seen here showing off the vest that finally fits him.  I have absolutely no recollection of the fiber or pattern for this number, and frankly I have no desire to find it.


You're a dapper young man, Mr. Nickel.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Gifts For Others

A few years ago I made a quick little headband for an old high school friend.  The next year, she asked me to make her 2 for Christmas presents.  Then I noticed that I still see her wearing that original headband on her facebook page whenever the weather feels a little brisk.  Last week, she asked me to make 2 more for Christmas this year. 


These are my favorite gifts to make.  The kind I know will be worn and I know are loved and wanted.  The pattern is free from Knitty and can be found here.  I used Patons Soy Wool Stripes and it really worked well.  I hope their intended wearers like them as much as I do.


I also finished the red and white scarf I started a couple of weeks ago.  It's ridiculously long and thick and easy to care for.  It never got as annoying as I thought it would, except for the tassles on the end but those are always a bit on the finicky side.


A little Dinosaur came to visit me on Thanksgiving and even though it was intended for Christmas, I couldn't resist giving him the Dinosaur Hood.  His old dinosaur hat was very well loved and too stretched out to fit properly any more.  


He wore this for about an hour in my warm apartment and I couldn't get him to stand still for a picture.  When it was time to leave, both hats were left out and he chose this one to wear home.  Coming from a very particular 4 year old, I don't think a greater compliment exists.

Next up for him is a matching pair of mittens.