I started knitting for baby the day after we found out the sex. That 18 week ultrasound is an important one as it round the almost final corner of the crap shoot that is having a baby. If you’re having a normal pregnancy it will be your last view of the bugger until it pops out and starts screaming.

I finished the knit one week later. Fastest knit evah. It was so fun to make and I really enjoy the book from which it came (details below). I purchased some yarn during my trip to WEBS to make a few other patterns from this book so keep your eyes peeled.

Pattern Details:
Started: 09/21/06, Ended 09/28/06
Yarn: Nick’s Farm Merino? Purchased at SPA 02/06
Needles: Size 8 (I think)
Gauge: Need to check!
Size: I think this is 0-3 months but I really need to measure to be sure.
Pattern: Kai Cable Sweater from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms by Louisa Harding
Modifications: Made modifications for changes in gauge. Did not sew up the side seam on the neck’s right side. Baby is bound to have a huge head.
Notes: Babies first sweater from Mama. I loved this yarn. I have some left and hope to get a hat and maybe even some booties out of it!

Cross Posted At:

Knitty Bloggy Baby Bumpers

I am loving this new blog platform. Truly. I can see who you are! Where your websites are, what email you use…It’s fabulous, a dream come true.

Thank you for the compliments on the sewing. Did you see that my Mom even left one? Moms are great. She has a theory that sewing skips a generation. It seems knitting does not as both of my grandmothers knit. Have you all had this experience in your families?

And we are off to my other most recent finished object. I actually finished 98.7% of this many many weeks ago and it sat in the hat box next to my knitting chair. The part that stopped me? The collar. Picking up stitches for the collar. You see, I love to knit until it makes me think. Then it sits. However, picking up stitches for the collar does not truly require thought, just attention and motivation and well, see the alien inside of me uses up my allotted quota.

This pattern was written by former Beantowntown girl, La Gringa. This is a fabulous pattern. You should be proud Shannon!

I love the drape and fit of this sweater. I modified the neck from turtle to crew. I wanted to be able to wear this on cool summer nights. A turtleneck would have discouraged me. Added bonus? The ribbing at the bottom will expand to fit my new Hostess Cupcake habit! This is, by far, my best sweater yet. Claudia - I think I found my magic number! Hopefully it’s all up hill from here.

My hope was to use Shannon’s pattern as an opportunity to write up a tutorial on how to use Excel to modify patterns for size and gauge adjustments. I first did this with my Olympic Hourglass sweater and I found it incredibly useful. It allowed me to make changes on the fly, as I knit my “swatches” (known as sleeves to most people). In the end, I am going to have to hold off. I’m not the best teacher and the whole process involves a liberal dose of “fly by the seat of your pants” which, if you’re not comfortable with Excel or numbers, would frustrate you. If you are comfortable with Excel and numbers you could clearly come up with a spreadsheet on your own - it ain’t rocket science.

Pattern: A Very Necessary Sweater (link opens .pdf) by Shannon Culbertson

Started: 03/06, Finished: 08/06

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease (discontinued), Color:

Needles: Denise Interchangeables, Size 7 for body;, Size 8 for ribbing

Modifications: Modified Size to fit my figure. Modified neck

Notes: This is a well written pattern. I highly recommend it.

I spent much of the weekend tinkering with my website and trying to figure out how I was going to organize our ever growing photo archive. You should slowly see changes here as I find the time and the motivation to make them. If you see anything wonky, or just plain ugly please let me know. I view my site on Firefox and, from what I can tell from my stats, most of you do too.

I also pulled out the sewing machine this weekend. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again, I hate sewing! This is probably the largest disappointment in my mom’s life. She’s an excellent quilter and has always wished I’d find my way to her One True Craft. Ah, I found my own! Part of her quest was to gift me her old Bernina Machine. This is a nice machine that deserves a much better owner than I. In fact, this weekend was the first time (in the two years I’ve had it) that I pulled it out on my own. That is, without her here to prod me into it and/or make it work. The occasion? I needed to sew my knitting.

I am so dedicated to my knitting craft that I will sew. I will sew pretty. I will, surprisingly enjoy sewing pretty for my knitting. I will be inspired to buy this book: Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making your own Wardrobe by Wendy Mullin.

Okay, so I haven’t bought it. However, I am considering it. Mostly because the author is a Wendy…and well, I just CANNOT resist a Wendy. It also has gotten some wonderful reviews by people I trust. Now, mind you, I am not about to go making my own cloths. I am just pissed that I can’t. That a stupid machine can beat me. And well, that is just uncool.

Back to the project at hand.

I knit up the one-piece baby kimono from Mason-Dixon Knits (all the links and details are below). I seriously think that this is going to be too small for the giftee. Chalk it up to a failure to swatch (I NEVER swatch baby knits) and delayed gifting. So, I decided that if I was going to risk it not fitting. I should make it look really cute for sweet baby’s future doll dressing extravaganza’s.

I picked up some grosgrain ribbon, cut 4 pieces about 9″ long and used the machine tacked the edges down to prevent future fraying. I even used color coordinating yarn! I then thread the ribbons through the knitted garment. The two on the sides were looped around the seam to ensure a firm placement. I used the machine to sew the loop closed. Viola!

A long time ago I made some personalized labels for my knits using iron-on t-shirt transfers and ribbon. I decided that this knit deserved it’s very own custom label.

I sewed this in using the machine and, get this, I even remembered to change the bobbin so that the thread visible from the back of the sweater is the same color as the yarn!

I am a person who sews, here me roar!

Pattern Details

Pattern: One Piece Baby Kimono by Cristina Shiffman in Mason-Dixon Knitting

Started: 07/06, Finished: 08/06

For: Baby Daisy

Yarn: Brown Sheep Company Cotton Fleece,

Color: CW105 Putty, 2 skeins (barely)

Needles: Denise Interchangeables, Size 7

Modifications: None

Notes: I barely used the 2nd skein of yarn. I used a sewing machine to attach the grosgrain ribbon. I also made a tag for the sweater, “Handknit for Daisy”.