Monday, October 04, 2010

Five UFO's disappeared!

What a wonderful weekend! I had been discouraged with a project that was challenging but fun to knit because I do not think I have enough yarn. Instead of stewing over it, I started looking for something else to start. Lo and behold, I found a basket of projects to finish! The result was extremely satisfying!

The lacy baby cap is from a Brunswick Babies pattern book (volume 696) that I have had for about 25 years. I have used several of those patterns multiple times! The yarn is Brunswick Delf-Baby, in a pastel ombre colorway. I have no idea how old the cap was- all it needed was to be sewn together and to have a crocheted cord. Apparently Brunswick is no longer in business
.
The Buttercup Baby Sets (Creative Knitting May 2009) were both knit with Simply Soft on size 10 needles. Since I know my ribbing is usually tight, I did not change to a 6 when I reached that part. Also, I do not enjoy sewing seams. The yellow one needed the sleeves sewn- not my favorite thing to do, which is why it has been languishing in the basket! For the white one, apparently I had decided to try to do the sleeves in the round. One had been (almost) completed, so  I finished it as well as the second sleeve. I do not like the way the sleeves come together under the arms, so I need to do some further research. (I have another UFO baby sweater somewhere that I think I used a different technique that worked better. Maybe I'll finish it next weekend!!)

I had the ribbon in my stash, but I'm not sure if I like it- I may remove it and just use a crocheted chain.

The two pink sweaters are Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jackets. The are made with some really old Coats and Clark Red Heart Baby Sport Pompadour and some relatively new Caron Simply Soft. One needed only buttons; the other needed the top seam sewn and buttons. I think I knit these about a year and a half ago. Great intentions, poor follow through! I may try to make cuffs on one to see how they look. I need  to see a BSJ on a real baby to check the proportions!

The buttons were in my stash.


 Everyone is happy, except the bunny, for some reason.




Maybe he is uncomfortable with the two holes in the bunny buttons...

Saturday, October 02, 2010

Decision #2

This decision was based as much on timing as it was on yardage. Time won out (completed August 2010,) but I had enough yarn left that had I not been working on a deadline I could have made the scarf into a more wearable shawl for me.

The Anne Shoulder Scarf, made with Schaefer Anne hand painted yarn, turned out just a bit too small for my liking. When I started it, I knew it was more of a scarf than a shawl, but I still carry in my head the image of my body from 40 years ago!! I thought it would "look bigger" on my perceived frame, and draw attention away from the problem areas. Of the original 560 yards, I had over 200 yards left. I wish I had knit a few more rows, so it would BE bigger and possibly hide more! I was trying to finish this to wear to a wedding in the Georgia mountains in August. Even warm summer evenings have been almost unbearable, though. "Hot," "hotter," and "hottest" best describe the summer of 2010. I ended up not wearing the scarf after all, and have been eating more fruits and vegetables and fewer carbs to try to shrink the tummy. Who knew that a scarf could make a person look fat!

It is perfect, however, for my daughter.