The Land of Wool and Honey

WIP Wednesday: Baby Fever Edition

The newest project on my needles--a Lucille shop sample that I started on Sunday afternoon with Canopy Fingering.  LOVE.

Tiny needles, tiny yarn--the first of many wee samples in the shop's quickly expanding baby section. 

Holy Cute

Certainly 2012 is not the Year of The Production Knitter.  (What I lack in volume, I make up in adorable.)

Pattern: Bear and Panda Hat and Mitts by Linda Cyr

Started: Saturday, February 11th, 2012

Finished: Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Yarn: Shepherd's Wool Worsted in Brown and Zinnia Pink.

Needles: US 6 Addi Lace 24" circular and US 4 & US 6 in Brittany dpns.

Notes:  Ridiculously darling.  But not the most intuitive pattern I've ever knit.  (Isn't that typically the case with freebies?)  The ears?  Gah!  I know there must be a better way to knit them.  (And a much better way to write the pattern than "Sew ear seams."  Seriously?!?)

When I first saw these hats and mitts, I knew they had to be shop samples.  Tomorrow, Saturday February 18th & next week, the 25th from 3:30 to 5:30, I'll be teaching a class on this little set.  And for those of you who live too far away for classes, I've put together kits in both Classic Bear (brown/pink) and Panda (black/white)--they can be found here.

Sparkle, The Christmas Elf

I don't know about you, but I've been experiencing a huge influx of tiny elves in my circle of friends lately--everyone I know seems to be welcoming a Santa's little helper this season.  What better way to welcome the season than a ridiculously cute silver cap--one that's shaped almost like a Hershey's Kiss.  This pattern is easy enough to whip up in a weekend--just in time for those holiday photo shoots.  Who wouldn't love to see this hat on their favorite little elf?

Pattern: Sparkle, The Christmas Elf.

Started: Wednesday, November 16th, 2011.

Finished: Thursdasy, November 17th, 2011.

Yarn: Schulana Mosco in Silver, one skein.

Needles: US 3 16" circular & dpns.

Notes:  I knit the sample in a newborn size (0-3 months), but the pattern is written for four sizes: 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and 9-12 months.  The only problem is the fact that I haven't seen it on a baby yet. 

C'mon, ladies--anybody want to humor me?  

For Ashlea

 

You could totally knit this.

(For everyone else: the orange stripes are completely optional.  Unless, of course, it's your signature color.  In that case, carry on.)

The Eight Hour Sweater

While I wouldn't recommend actually doing it, it can definitely be done.  You can totally knit a sweater in a day.  

 

It just might be sweater that is only big enough to fit a six-month old baby, but whatever.  It's a sweater. 

Project: Baby Pullover by Knitting Pure & Simple--one of this week's 30 Projects for $30 (And Under!) at the shop.  (I am waaaaay behind this week.)

Started & Finished: Wednesday, May 11th, 2011.

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in Playa--1 full skein. 

Needles: Addi Turbo US 8 & 5 16" circular, plus Brittany dpns in US 8 & 4s.  ( I didn't have 5s at home.)

Size: 6 months.

Mods: None.  I've knit this sweater so many times, I can almost knit it in my sleep.  Which would be helpful, because I've got so many things to knit before the weekend, I have a feeling I'll be knitting continuously for the next 96 hours.  Sleep, I fear, is not on the schedule. 

 

Very Cherry

Introducing Wool & Honey's  newest pattern--Cherries Jubilee!

 

Pattern: Cherries Jubilee--of my own design!

Started: Friday, May 6th 2011.

Finished: Saturday, May 7th, 2011.

Yarn: Be Sweet Cotton Candy.  One full skein in White and oddments in Lime and Brick Red.

Needles: US 5 16" circular and dpn.

Size: 6-12 mos.

 

Notes:  I've wanted to knit a cherry baby hat for a long time.  Now I have!  (And a good thing, too--it seems that everyone I know has a bun in the oven!)  Featuring a wide, floppy brim to keep out the sun, a hemmed edge and a tie created from a cherry stem, this hat is sure to be a winner at the next baby shower.  Look for a matching pair of cherry-laden booties to follow!

This pattern is now available for purchase in a convenient PDF format.  Enjoy!

 

This Little Piggy

 

For the past week and a half (two?), I've been working on another little sweater, although this time I cast on fewer stitches and I'm substituting the garter ridge neckline for a J. Crew style rollneck. 

I'm also working on a pair of fingerless mitts (also in Malabrigo Sock),  another pair of thrummed mittens (red & white!  for kits!) and a cardiganized style of the baby sweater (Wool Candy Meringue Merino in Slate). 

While nothing's come off the needles in the past week, I feel a finishing rampage sweeping over me. 

And the urge to knit at least one more of these cute sweaters.

Twee

Introducing my newest favorite knitting genre: the mini knit.

 

Pattern: Sock Yarn Sweater by Hannah Fettig.  (Sorry, Rav link!)

Started: Saturday, February 26th, 2011.

Finished: Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011.

Yarn: Fiberphile Super Squish Sock, one skein in Organic.

Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm), 16" circular. 

Size: 0-6 mos.

Mods: None.

Notes: I think this sweater is almost maybe the most perfect marriage of yarn and pattern I've managed to put together.  Ever.  Of course, I don't have a baby (and again, not pregnant!), but I can't imagine a more versatile garment for a tiny person.  It's super lightweight (tiny stitches), super soft (superwash Merino) and super practical (again with the superwash, plus a wide neckline).  

This yarn had been in my stash for about six months and every day since, I've wanted to knit something with it.  I've even started a few projects with this precious skein, including a pair of plain vanilla socks (too boring) and a Pogona (too many stitch markers for a girl in a bar to count), ripping both of them out after an hour or two.  This pattern?  Bingo. 

And the color.  Arguably, it's a little mature for a newborn, although if your offspring is lucky enough to have that gloriously olive skin due to Italian or Indian decent, it'd be smashing.   It's the most complex shade of mossy, pea-soup green, with five or six little pindots of dragon's blood red spattered across the entire sweater--the true mark of an artisan yarn.

Go.  Raid your sock yarn stash, visit your LYS, free your abandoned WIPs from their earthly chains size 1 dpns.  Go forth and multiply. 

The knits, people.  Make baby sweaters.

On Staying The Course

The hardest part of starting a routine is sticking to it.  Who knew that three days in, I'd still be here?

So far, I've finished a project (blocking right now!), started designing a new pattern and blogged every day.  Pointing out the fact that we're only three days in would be rather hurtful on your part.  To me, it's kind of a big deal. 

 

However, I have deviated slightly from the path.  The 'Persimmon Pudding' (the orange skein from Tuesday's post) got knocked out of rotation.  This equally lovely skein of 'Slate' is standing in its stead. 

If things go as planned, at the beginning of next week I will have finished knitting a baby cardigan with bell sleeves, seed stitch borders and cherry red buttons.  According to my calculations, there is also a 17-million dollar check arriving in the mail around the same time.

On goal-setting: go big or go home.

Baby Booties

 

Pattern: Wool & Honey booties, modified from Zoe Mellor's roll-top booties pattern (Rav link).

Started: Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Finished: Friday, June 4th, 2010

Yarn: Claudia Handpainted fingering weight in Desert Dusk--less than one skein.

Needles: Susan Bates US 1s--10" straights (there's a first!)  and Lantern Moon US 1 dpns in Ebony.

Size:  6 months.  Shop sample for Wool & Honey. (Again, sorry about the broken link--we're working on putting the new site live!)

Notes:  I'll be teaching a class on these cuties on Saturdays, June 19th & 26th from 2-4 p.m.--I figured I had better get a sample done!