Aidez

Its January . . .its cold. ..and all I want to do is snuggle under a warm blanket in my pjs and knit something warm with cables.  This pattern is Aidez which is free and can be found on ravelry.   Its been around for a while and on my list of knitting desires.  After finishing my Christmas knitting gifts I decided to pull out the stashed yarn and cast on.

Unfortunately this is not my first attempt.  I previously knitted 18 inches of the back and then realized the sizing was not going to work for me.  I gave a quick sigh and then pulled it out to start again.  Oh well right??  I guess I really don't mind if the finished project is a good fit.  Its worth it in the end. 

Yarn is Cascade Ecological wool.  I like the look and the feel of the yarn and the price. . .great price point for sure.  

I am please to say that I am past the 18 inches and into new knitting territory.  But looking back at the new product after pressing it for sizing. . .I now know I made the right decision.  

My next dilemma will be the sleeves . . .from what I hear they knit very slim or narrow so I might need to go up a sizes for the sleeves.  Hmmm . . . I still have time to ponder.  

Valia and Blithe

Its been a long time since the last completed sweater project.  This sweater, I sheepishly admit has been on the needles in a bin for two years. . .bad bad bad.  I finally decided to finish it when cleaning out my craft room for painting.  There are just way too many unfinished and planned projects in there.  I needed a regroup.  So I have set out on a mission that I go from bin to bin and pull out project . . .I either knit it or get rid of it!  It has to go!

So to start i ripped out Valia (pattern here) all the way to the beginning.  I just could not figure out where I left off.  I actually think that is why it kept getting stuffed back in the bin.  But I am serious about this mission so I took a breath and started ripping and began reknitting.  Inch by inch I got through the knitted yarn and to fresh yarn.  It felt great!

The yarn is Malabrigo in burgandy.  All of the yarn is from the same dye lot, however one skein was a little darker and one of my sleeves is darker than the other (left sleeve).  I didn't notice (mostly knit at night) until I took the photos.  Oh well. . .gives a little character right :)

I really enjoyed the pattern.  The lace work is eye pleasing but not overly complicated.  I also like the long turtleneck at the top.  I am a huge fan of cozy turtleneck sweaters.  It gets cold here in the winter and especially in my old breezy house.

I am hoping I can take some photos outside in the fall with the bright autumn leaves.  This color will look perfect . . .maybe my apple picking sweater???

So with Valia complete . . I reached into the bin and out came Blithe!  Once again. . . . RIP RIP RIP!  I will say. . .the rework is coming along nicely!

Finishing an old project

As I am in the process of cleaning out the house and prepping it to put on the market for sale I have been slowly going through my yarn bins and reviewing old unfinished projects.  What to do with them?    They have two choices. . .finish them or sell the yarn . . .they can't live here anymore!

This project was started in 2009 according to my Ravelry log.  The Pattern is Vaila by Gudrun Johnston in Malabrigo (very yummy to knit with).  I started it.. . . put it down to work on something else and then couldn't find where I was.  GRRRRRR I hate that!  So I put it away in a bin until last week.

Here is the hard part:  I took it out and ripped it all the way down to the rib!  I was at the point photographed in the picture above too!  Very painful!   But I did it and now I am past that point and onto the sleeves!  Woohoo!  There is hope for this project yet!

Really enjoying this sweater now.  I am so glad I took the plunge and did it.  It's beautiful yarn and deserves to be worn and enjoyed not stuffed in a plastic tub!  Revisit your old unfinished projects because you never know what kind of excitement you might reignite :)

Time to tip things back in balance after the holidays

This Christmas was a special one.   The first year that Brooke really understood what was really happening and the first year she was truly animated about it.  We watched Christmas movies, sang Christmas songs and I actually enjoyed wrapping Christmas presents this year (that's a first ever!).

Christmas card photos were such a blast this year since you could actually get her to pose without feeding her food and snapping shots at the same time, just hoping that you got something in the process.

The owlet sweater I made her was perfect for our Christmas card photos.  She looked so great with her little brown boots and her red and white striped leggings.  Not sure if it gets any cuter than this?  But I say this every year and some how we seem to pull off another great card the following year.   Just glad I have a cute subject to photograph.  This photo card was designed using the Stampin Up MDS software.  This was the first time I have made a digital card or even played with the software.  It was fun, but a little sad. . I do love the paper and stamp cards . ..I just did not have the time with all I had taken on with making gifts this year.

Still, I would highly recommend the software.  It is just like working with paper and stamps. .without the paper and stamps.  They have all the paper, stamps, eyelets, punches, etc that they offer in the catalog all at your fingertips.  And rather than the preset cards they have online, I can design my way!

How could you not love that face!

Now on another note. . .finding balance again.  I love the idea of making all my gifts, it really does truly make me happy. . .but not getting it all done timely makes me feel awful.  Starting earlier in the year in my game plan for next year.  I made so many things that I didn't have time to photograph before gifting them away.  Bummer :(

My felted carrots looked good enough to eat so I did good on the felted food front.  

I made my first bucket hat (free pattern by Oliver + S) came out great.  I even made one as a gift.  But I didn't get a photo of this before gifting away.  I think I will make more as gifts and Brooke will need a few more for the summer.  The pattern is fairly easy and it has a really nice professional look to it.

And Brooke's expression on Christmas morning after I had been at the sewing machine for hours on end proved completely worth it.  

She said "Thank you Mama for all the presents.  Mama you are so proud of me." 

I am proud of you Sweet Pea. . .my cup runneth over :)

Christmas gifts weeks 5 & 6 . . .

The past two weeks have just been incredibly SUPER busy.  Between trying to get all these pajama sets done (and photograph them), my office Christmas party, the Christmas card photo shoot for our Christmas cards, and then the normal work routine and raising a 2 1/2 year old . . .just crazy.

I will say that I am enjoying the thought of Christmas so much more since I decided to make my gifts this year rather than buying them.  There is just something so much more organic about making your own gifts that really represent the spirit of the holiday giving season.  I find that even though its stressful to get them all done, the act of personalizing each gift is so much more rewarding.  I hope that my daughter will always enjoy them.

When I got to this set of pajama pants I decided to go with a different cuff.  I decided to use the technique that I used from the lady bird pink dress so that you get more of the cuff pattern.  You do lose a slight bit of the length on the pants but maybe a 1/4 inch I think.  I like the look much better!  I actually have many more pairs finished.  I just haven't had time to put them in front of the camera.  I am hoping to today.

I also finished the owlet sweater for Brooke to wear in our Christmas card photos (will post photos later).  I love this pattern (Katie Davies - you can find on revelry) but this time I knit it in a bulky weight adjusting the pattern size to get the size I wanted based on the gage.  So I knit the baby size in a bulky and got a 2T.  The yarn is Cascade Lana Grande in a off white.  I also chose to knit a two by two rib for the neck to make it a turtle neck sweater rather than a straight neck.  Gives it that warm cozy winter feeling I think.

Red buttons for the Christmas season.  

So excited about this sweater!  The photos came out amazing and were so much fun this year.  Keeps getting better every year.  

The one thing I did have to give up this year is making my own paper cards.  There is just not enough time and something has to give.  So this year I used the MDS from Stampin Up to design my own digital card.  Its a digital card . . .but at least it is my own design.  I like it and will post later.  I am now eagerly awaiting for them to arrive in the mail so I can mail them out.

Nemo Sundress and a Fall Sweater

I finally put together a dress my daughter will always want to put on.   What's the secret. . .Nemo!  She loves him.  The cartoon. . .her swimmers . .the stuffed animal.  She hugs and cherishes anything with the character Nemo on it.

So of course when I saw this fabric I instantly picked it up.    

And I will say that it was worth the excited look on her face when her jaw dropped to the ground and her voice got all high pitched as she squealed with excitement.  

I also finished another project for Miss B this week.  A fall sweater that I am picturing with a jean skirt, white long sleeve undershirt and brown boots!  This sweater is called: In Threes: A Baby Cardigan by - Kelly Herdrich which can be purchased on Ravelry.  Easy to follow patter that can be used with various types of yarn depending on your style and preference.  This is a 2T/3T size.  The pattern goes from 0-6 months all the way to 4T/5T.

Yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash . . .used 1 1/2 skeins.  Buttons are just some buttons I found in my scrapbooking supplies and I think they came from a big button package I purchased at Joann's years ago.

Time flys. . .

When you are having fun. . .December has come and gone in a blur . . .but boy was it fun. Passed number 3 of the CPA exam. . .almost ready to take number 4 . . . and the final exam (yahoo!). Had a blast baking cookies, breads, scones, and all sorts of goodies for Christmas gifts. I have really missed baking. . .so glad I picked it up again. I really look forward to the days of having time to REALLY bake. Especially with Brooke. She loves baking so much that we got her a kitchen set for Christmas so that she can bake with Mommy with her OWN pots and pans. The past few days have been filled with "baking" and "taste it". . . .baking does really come from the heart:)

In the middle of all this I was able to finish Brooke's Owlet sweater and take a photo shoot a few weeks ago. I really love this sweater. . .pattern was easy and its just so adorable on her. I highly recommend!

In the mist of all the studying and baking I was some how able to put together 50 Christmas cards this year. . .it was like a card production line and by the time it was over . . .I was carded out! Its was another "Dear Santa" on the outside. . .and on the inside it read. . ."Got Milk?"

I really hope that every Christmas card is this much fun. . . .so far its been such a blast. Now to come up with an idea for next year. . . . .oh boy!

Today is the day. . .

the beginning of the Christmas season. That's right . . .I am at home in my woolies knitting, baking and listening to my Christmas play list. . . .oh so happy!! It's still hunting season . . .and I am actually not in a bad mood!

I absolutely love Christmas music! And I would have to say my all time favorite is the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. Being a big lover of jazz it is just the perfect mix of jazz and Christmas music.

So my bread is in the kitchen rising, Brookie is playing, and I am cozy knitting away on her owlet sweater while songs of cheer and chestnuts roasting are in the air :)

An enjoyable knit or two

Brooke and I had a wonderful trip to the NY Sheep & Wool this past weekend. I barely noticed the yarn or fibers because I was so busy chasing her around the sheep barns. We really had a great time. I left with my best knitting bud, two skeins of beautiful yarn, and a happy sleeping baby dreaming of jumping sheep. What more could you ask for in a perfect day:)

Later that night just before bedtime she had two stuff animal sheep in her arms and said . . ."mama. . .two sheep!". Not bad for an 18 month old. Sheep are not only great for knitting but for counting as well.

So this weekend I finished snowbird by Heidi Kirrmaier. Really easy pattern to follow, knit from the top-down so you can try it on as you go and tailor to your own shape. I chose Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed. Yarn is soft and has beautiful flex of color throughout for a nice tweed look. This yarn has a nice feel to wear and work with and I think it will hold up nicely over the years.

With this project finished I decided to go with something that would have a little more speed coming off my needles and a little more portable as well. I am at the half way point in my race for my CPA license so Topiary by Michele Wang seemed like a good fit. Yarn is the suggested Brooklyn Tweed Shelter. This is a really great yarn. Colors are to die for and the feel is a good soft quality wool. I am very impressed and would buy this yarn again in the future for sure.