Tiny Knitting

Behold.  The first completed project in a constantly growing queue of sweaters that I plan to make for this little man joining our family.  I love how soft the yarn is and I can't believe how tiny the sweater is.  I'm thinking this might be perfect for him to wear home from the hospital and I'm very tempted to make the 12 month size as well so that I can relive the magic of knitting this sweater all over again.

I'm pretty sure I screwed something up on the collar and I accidentally put an extra button hole up at the top but guess who has four thumbs and doesn't care?  This mama and her baby boy.

The pattern is called Baby Sophisticate and you can find the details for this particular sweater on Ravelry.  I'm off to cast on my next itty bitty woolen item.  Wish me luck!

Giveaway: Vintage Modern Knits

Please allow me, for just a moment, to gush over this book.

First of all, the sweater on the cover. And don't even try to tell me that you don't judge knitting/craft books by their covers. We all know you do it, it's okay to admit it. Anyway, the fetching sweater on the cover is called the Adelaide Yoke Pullover. If you've ever wandered into a yarn store there is no doubt that you've seen a yoke sweater and if you're anything like me, you've dreamed of making one. The Adelaide is an updated version of the classic yoke sweater. It has been designed to have a more flattering fit and soft colors while maintaining the traditional fair Isle patterning. As blog is my witness, 2011 will be the year of the yoke sweater for me, and I will be using this pattern.

The idea of taking a traditional method and modernizing it is what Courtney and Kate's new book Vintage Modern Knits: Contemporary Designs Using Classic Techniques is all about. While the two authors come from different knitting backgrounds, they share a love for vintage styles and the different techniques found in knitting. In the introduction of the book, Courtney and Kate explain that "each project has its roots in a particular style or technique that has been updated for a modern application and aesthetic." And as I flipped through the projects, I quickly learned that with each design there is a bit of history to be learned, and a new method to master.

So, to briefly recap: Vintage designs featuring traditional techniques that you use to make handmade knits with modern flair. Um, sold? I mean, what's not to love about this book is what I would like to know.

Here are a few more of my favorite projects:

Brigid Jacket—how cute is this take on a traditional Aran cardigans?


I am fairly convinced I would be much nicer if I were wearing the Whitby Stockings right now. These are cute enough for me to give up my sock knitting boycott.


Yvette Roositud Hat—Roositude is an "Estonian inlay technique" that looks similar to embroidery. I can't wait to learn this technique so that I can incorporate it into other knits.


Yangtze Cardigan—the 1950s cardigan of my dreams. In mustard yellow, please.

{all photos courtesy of Interweave}

So, enough gushing already! Do you want to win your very own copy of Vintage Modern Knits: Contemporary Designs Using Classic Techniques? Well you can! It's easy! The kind folks at Interweave are offering a copy of Vintage Modern Knits to one lucky Narrating Life reader.

Please leave a comment on this post: Do you judge books by their covers? You can be honest. Make sure I have an email address linked to your comment so I can reach you.

Spread the good word!Tweet, blog, facebook, (or whatever social media-type-thingie you're obsessed with) about this giveaway and link back to this post for an extra entry! Please leave an additional comment for each additional entry.

Comments close on Wednesday, February 16th at 10:00 PM MST. The winner will be announced on this post. Closed

Bravo to Courtney Kelley & Kate Gagnon Osborn
Thank you to Interweave
And
Good Luck to all of you!

Want to hear more praise for Vintage Modern Knits? Check out past and present stops on the blog tour here!

Congratulations to Marilyn who said: Oh, I'm terrible. I buy books by their cover, wine by their label, etc. I sure would love this book

Marilyn, please email me ASAP to claim your book!

Baby sweater complete

For heavens sake I finally sewed the buttons on this little purple baby sweater and delivered it to Baby E. while we were in Denver.

I'm so pleased with this sweater, though I am a bit confused about why the arms seem to be so incredibly long. Perhaps my gauge was more off than I thought? Yes, that is very very likely. Curse you, gauge.

I spotted this pattern on Alicia's blog and happily copied the white crochet border around the edge. (Alicia's precise stitches and perfectly smooth lines in her sweaters are amazing to me.) I wanted to put gingham buttons on my sweater too but the fact is I probably wouldn't finish it for another two years if I had actually followed through with that. And so, plain old white buttons it is.

I am happy to say, this looks adorable on Baby E. You'll have to trust me since I didn't take any pictures. She is a tiny little thing. But she looks stunning in purple so I have my fingers crossed that this sweater will last her two, maybe three winters!


Details on Ravelry
Pattern: b18-10 Jacket by DROPS design
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish DK in Eggplant
Needles: US 7


P.S. I have an incredible back-log of posts in my brain since I was such a slacker last week. Check back later today for more Makes Me Happy posts! Happy Tuesday!

Sweater Sneak Peek

I am this close to finishing the sweaters I've been working on and I can't wait to show you.

Any day now these will be done. Both of them are blocked and awaiting buttons. Mere buttons! Arrgh! It's always those tiny details that slow me down at the end. Although...this means that I get to go on a search for the Perfect Buttons--and I do love a good challenge.

In which I try to inspire new knitters

**I asked my friend, Peggy, to help me write this post. She is a much more experienced knitter than I am so if you don't believe me, maybe you can believe her. Her thoughts are in red.**

Ever since I started talking more about knitting on my blog, I have gotten lots of emails and formspring questions from new knitters and people who want to be new knitters. I love it! Your questions are always welcome here. My most frequently asked question comes from knitters who have already learned the basics and want to know the next step. This is what I would like to address today.

Ahem.

You've already learned that my favorite first-time knitting project is a dishcloth so I don't need talk about it again. (Except that seriously, they're fast, easy, non-technical, useful, okay enough.) But when it comes to a second and a third project, I hesitate to make too many suggestions because of one crucial thing: Your next project has to be inspiring. It has to be something you WANT to knit. What would you like to accomplish with your knitting? Do you want to be able to make small gifts for your friends? Decorations for your home? A sweater for yourself? Or do you just want to have something to do with your hands while you watch Arrested Development and don't care at all about what you make? (If that last one is the case then I'm going to throw the dishcloth suggestion out there one more time.) These are the questions that will guide you as you choose your next project, and the project after that, and the project after that.

What to tackle after a washcloth is a difficult question because it totally depends on what avenue you'd like to explore. Texture/Fancy Stitching? Lace? Hats? Sweaters? Blankets? Toys? Cabling? Felting? Soakers? Fair Isle? It really comes down to what inspires you, because you can find easier and harder patterns in all those categories.

Okay. So when you know what it is that you want to knit, you can search for a pattern that meets your criteria. This is where Ravelry is going to be your BFF. You can search for patterns on Ravelry and narrow your search by technical level. Many of Ravelry's patterns are free or available for download and you can see pictures of the finished product. Even better, you can see all of the other people who have knit the same pattern to see how it looks with different colors, yarn weights, and skill levels. (Pssst....if any of you need a tutorial for using Ravelry, let me know.) This has made such a difference in my knitting. In fact, I'm a little bitter I didn't have Ravelry when I first started. Instead, I felt like I was limited to pattern books and random internet searches. I spent a lot of time sorting through some horrible patterns because, let's face it, for every great knit item there is in the world there is an equal or greater number of knit items that are truly horrible. But no worries for you! Now you can browse patterns to your heart's content and only knit cute things all of the time! Plus! The novelty yarn craze that was in full swing when I started knitting has passed! Thank heavens.

I think it's more important to pick a pattern you're excited about than it is to pick one for "a beginner." With all the how-to videos at your fingertips, it's pretty safe to jump in. Of course, it's always nice to know what you're getting yourself into, so if you read through the pattern and don't understand something, it is a good idea to figure it out before you start.

Perhaps it's more important to choose a well-written pattern than a pattern for beginners. I always recommend Susan B. Anderson's patterns. She has three excellent books primarily for children and many patterns for adults on her blog (susanbanderson.blogspot.com) and her other blog (http://www.spudandchloe.com/blog/). Some designers make too many assumptions, but I've found that Susan explains things really well. In addition to that, she is very accessible if you have questions.

Maybe now you're thinking, "Fine, Miranda and Peggy. That's great advice but it doesn't change the fact that I paid a lot of money for this yarn and I don't want to ruin it or make something that I won't like." Good point. I think the biggest hurdle that new knitters have to jump is fear. Fear that you will mess up, fear that your end product will look like crap, or fear that you will bite off more than you can chew. All of those things will probably happen. But that is what learning new things is all about right? You rarely ever do something perfect when you're learning and knitting is no exception. After the dishcloth days I went through a phase of downright crappy knitting. I made a baby hat that was acceptable and fit le bebe for almost a week. Then I made a hat for N8tron that didn't fit at all because I used the wrong weight yarn. Then there were some attempts at lace knitting that ended in a Tazmanian Devil type fit with pieces of mohair strewn about the house. My knitting got put away for a while. But when I started up again when I was pregnant with Z-cakes, things were much better. Now I had a baby to knit for! I had Ravelry! I had an inspiring yarn shop mere miles away! I had tons of inspiration and wasn't afraid of what could go wrong anymore.

Peggy's first knitting project was a fair isle sweater in-the-round which, okay, THAT is probably not the best project for a beginning but anyway...

Don't be afraid to try a pattern that inspires you, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. In fact, a very important knitting skill is being able to fix mistakes. When I picked up knitting again after a few years, I completed several projects before I discovered that I was knitting wrong. I'd been knitting through the back of the loop on every stitch, which resulted in twisted stitches.

There's no shame in frogging (that means unraveling the entire thing) a project or deciding to move on to something else (for a while or permanently) if you're not enjoying yourself.

Enjoy knitting. That is the most important thing about knitting. Once you've gotten through the initial tension of learning, put up an inspiration board, find your favorite spot, and knit whatever you want.

Hope this helps! Keep your questions coming and happy knitting. Also, if you are a knitter PLEASE add your own words of inspiration. I'd love to hear them! Thanks for your help, Peggy! You are my knitting idol.

For the golfer in your life

Over the last couple of years my dad has become obsessed with golf. Obsessed as in, he golfs at least twice a week (if not three or four times) and is otherwise trying to figure out when he can go golfing next. At first this development confused me. He had always golfed a couple times a year while we were growing up but he never seemed to care that much about it. Then some random factors lined themselves up and suddenly he was a man possessed. I decided to get over my confusion and just embrace this new development; especially when I realized that it opened up an entirely new realm of gifts!

Of course there are the practical, legitimate gifts for golfers: clubs, balls, magazine subscriptions, etc. But I was more excited about the horrible and kitschy gifts that would soon be filling my dad's office courtesy of moi.

Does he have a clock that has golf balls for numbers and says, "It's Tee Time!" yet? Nope...but he will.

Does he have a bumper sticker that says, "I'd rather be golfing?" Just you wait.

Does he have an astro turf golf hat ala Bill Murray? I'm saving that one for a Christmas.

Does he have knit golf club covers with giant pom-poms? Well, as a matter of fact, yes he does.

Yesterday was dad's birthday and for the last three days I have been in a flurry of knitting in order to get this club cover finished in time. I knit the entire thing right in front of him and he never seemed to notice. It's likely that he was too busy watching golf.

The pattern I used is available for free at Lion Brand Yarn. The instructions say to knit the cover flat and then sew up the seam. Uh, no thank you. I just knit mine in the round--easy peasy. I also decreased stitches on the last two rows so that there would be more of a rounded top. The pattern will adapt easily to match bigger and smaller clubs, especially now that I have the general idea. This was the first time I've ever done any duplicate stitching and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. More knitting jargon on Ravelry.

When I first came up with this idea, I totally intended for it to be tongue-in-cheek. But the closer I got to finishing the more I thought, "no, these are totally rad." Dad's golfing buddies are going to be so jealous.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Where my stitches at?

I'm scrapping the plan where I give you updates about our move. I'm sick of talking about the move. Let's talk about crafting. More specifically: Knitting.

Even more specifically: knitting giant cowls with giant, squishy, soft yarn and giant circular needles. Heaven. I don't think there is anything that calms my nerves more than knitting. We have to move in less than two weeks? I'm going to sit down and knit. Our house is a shambles of boxes and junk? Where is my knitting? We don't have anywhere to live? I think I'll do some knitting. Thank heavens I had the presence of mind to keep my knitting stash accessible amidst all of the crazy packing and moving. I even carried it with me to the movie tonight--a type of security blanket, if you will.

Want to see what else I've been up to knit-wise?

This is one of my favorite recent projects. I found a plastic bracelet at target for 99 cents! This bracelet is a perfect project for scraps. I don't think I'll be able to wear it much until next Fall because it is so warm...and that makes me sad.

Those of you who knit may understand why these two skeins strike fear into my little heart. Mohair is notorious for being difficult to knit with, if only because it all fuses together as you knit making it horrific to try to unknit any of your mistakes. But I can't resist, it's just so gorgeous. And it is going to make a lovely drapey bias shawl. This was also my first time walking out of a yarn shop with Rowan yarn in my bag. A milestone.

This little ball of colorful yarn is currently being turned into an adorable hat for a friend who is expecting a little girl. It is a soft cotton yarn that is so bright and pretty I want to take a bite out of it. The only thing that is funny about this yarn is that the color changes occur with a knot in the yarn. Weird.

This beret is patiently waiting to be felted, aaaaaand not worn until next Fall. Dang you knitting for being so seasonal. This hat has an entire post dedicated to it coming soon.

Finally, this lovely Malabrigo yarn was recently frogged and is waiting to be wrapped into a fresh hank. Any suggestions for what I should make with my "new" yarn?

Writing about all of these projects made me realize that my Ravelry account is in dire need of updating. Perhaps that is what I will do in the time between looking at rental homes.

FYI: I'm getting ready to start another round of baby booties. If any of you would like a pair, this would be a good time to speak up.

Lots of knitting

Suddenly I'm in a flurry of knitting. Loads of baby booties, a beret for myself and a sweet accessory that I'm eager to see finished. But my most recent knitting success....the pinnacle of my knitting career so far...is the hat.

Z-cakes chose all of the yarn for this hat. Though I may or may not have talked her in to including a few that weren't just PINK. There's no question that this girl knows what she wants and I can't say I disagree with her taste. The colors of this hat are so beautiful and vibrant that it kind of makes me want to eat it.

I'm planning to put a gigantic pom-pom on the top of it and wasn't going to show it to you until I did. But when I saw these pictures that GrandpaB took, I couldn't resist. As you can see, the hat fits her perfectly right now. It may even be a little snug. So that kind of blows my idea of the hat being for next Winter. Oh well. Guess I'll just have to make another.

This was my first attempt at fair isle knitting and I must say I'm completely taken by it. The tension is quite tricky but I know I'll get better at it with time. Good thing I'll be making another hat!

Pattern found here along with other to die for kids knits.

The post about knitting

First of all...these booties. Couldn't you just die? I can't wait to wrap them up and send them off to my sweet expectant friend. The pattern is Saartje's Bootees which can be download it for free on Ravelry! These are easily knit in an evening or two (though the pattern may not be for a brand new beginner). They are just so dang tiny that I can't stop myself from cooing over them every time I look at them.

And now...on to my wise and mostly unsolicited advice on knitting. I've been knitting every Winter for the last five years with a few Springs and Summers thrown in between. Clearly, I am an expert.

I credit N8tr0n for the fact that I knit. We were newlyweds living in Bellingham, WA where we were both going to school. I had just finished my first quarter of graduate school and was trying to "decompress" with very little success. The evening of my last final (I kid you not, I couldn't even relax the first evening of my break) I was pacing around the house. N8tr0n was playing video games and I was whining about how I didn't have anything like video games to quiet my mind. All of my scrapbook stuff was packed away as we had no room for it in our little tiny apartment. I didn't own a sewing machine yet. It was raining outside. "I just need something to do with my hands" I sighed over, and over, and over. N8tr0n, already being an attentive husband in tune with his wife's needs (and entirely done with the whining thing) decided to get me an early Christmas present.

He came home one afternoon with this book,


a skein of kitchen cotton, and a pair of bamboo size 8 needles. I ran out and bought this book,

because my sister-in-law had recommended it, and I was set. I practically read Stitch n' Bitch from cover to cover and I made three dishtowels over the course of my break. N8tr0n teased me about all the work that went into those dishtowels saying, "Man, I can't wait to run that thing over a greasy pot...." but you know what?...we did. We used the heck out of those dishtowels and I still have two of them in my drawer right now. I didn't mind at all that the product of my work was going to be used for a dirty job. The memory of my early knitting days sometimes make the task of washing dishes a little more pleasant.

I often recommend that people try something like dishtowels when they're learning how to knit. The reason being that it is a great way to learn new techniques without committing to a huge project or even a monotonous project like a scarf. Making dishtowels I quickly learned how to knit and purl, and then I realized that every other "advanced stitch" after that was basically a variation of those two stitches. Now of course, dishtowels aren't very cute. They aren't warm and snugly. And they're not tiny and destined to be on a baby's feet. But if you're looking to learn and establish a good technique before you start cranking out gifts, I think they're worth a try.

Okay, that's enough of the dishtowel soapbox (I really like the words dishtowel and soapbox together but can't think of anything else to say about it), how about a bulleted list?

:: I love Stitch n' Bitch. I think it is a fabulous book for both learning and reference. I keep my copy out on my bookshelf at all times.

:: Start with good yarn. Something that isn't to bulky, nubby, or novelty. You want to be able to see the stitches and learn the "anatomy" of a stitch. Don't buy the cheapest acrylic yarn that Michael's sells either. Yarn that feels good in your hands will reinforce your desire to keep going when you get frustrated. It doesn't necessarily have to be baby alpaca, but it doesn't have to be squeaky synthetic either.

:: Most books will give instructions for right-handed, or English method knitting, and left-handed, or Continental method knitting. I would recommend you learn the Continental style. This advice came from my friend Sirrku who I have deemed a Finnish knitting goddess. She owns her own yarn shop in Washington and she actually IS andexpert knitter. She explained to me once that the Continental method was faster and easier on your joints, and probably some other really important thing. Basically all she needed to say was "knit Continental" and I would have said "okay." Already learned the English method? Have no fear! I learned the English method too but re-taught myself when Sirrku told me too. It isn't too late to change.

:: Find a knitting buddy. Grandmas are great for this. Books are great and all, but there is rarely any substitute for in-person guidance.

:: Join Ravelry. It's basically like Goodreads for knitting. I could write an entire post on Ravelry but instead, I'm asking you to trust me. Get on there. Oh, and let me know when you do, so we can be friends!

:: Knitty and Petite Purls are both great websites for free patterns.

:: Finally, Be persistent. Just like everything else, knitting is one of those things that is hard in the beginning, and gets easier with time. When I first started, it was NOT very relaxing. It was NOT very therapeutic. But now, it is my go-t0 craft if I need an escape. And still there are things I knit that throw me for a loop. For example, this hat:

Even after knitting this very same hat on two previous occasions, I could not catch a break with this one. I knit it and ripped it out three times before I was satisfied with the end result. And I mean satisfied...not happy. Fortunately the model is dang cute.

What about you? I would love to hear any advice that you knitters out there have. I always love to hear from you fiber folks.

Good luck and happy knitting!

weekending & knitting

It'a done! My ruffly scarf is off the sticks, pressed, blocked, and wrapped around my now toasty warm neck.

I love it.

I love it as much as I knew I would. It is the perfect length for wearing around all day. For those of you who were wondering, the yarn is Malabrigo Sock. It is smooth, soft, and basically fabulous. If you've never worked with fingering weight yarn before I think this would be a great yarn to start with...although it is certainly not the cheapest.

I spent a good portion of my weekend on Ravelry trying to decide what to knit next. I get a bit anxious if the time between knitting projects spans too long when I have the urge to knit. It's like when I'm about to finish a book and I get antsy about what I'm going to read next...like the limitless number of options stops me in my tracks. Of course my knitting options are not limitless as I need to make something with yarn I already have in my stash. I'm thinking about some fingerless gloves for friends, but what I really want to knit is the "Just enough ruffles scarf" that is on Ravelry. Michelle has a picture of it here (it's the third one down in pink). To be honest, the name is what hooked me in the first place. "Just enough" of anything sounds about perfect don't you think?

Anyway, to keep my fingers busy I knit up another Meathead hat for a friend in Idaho. For some strange reason I had trouble with the tension so, even though I finished it in one night, I was unhappy with the finished product and frogged the entire thing. The sticks and yarn are now sitting in the corner thinking about what they've done for a while. In the meantime, I've got some baby booties "on the sticks" for a friend whose baby cakes will arrive in February. Brrr...those toesies will need some soft wool.

I'm thinking about putting together a post about knitting resources that I enjoy. Any interest?

We spent the rest of our weekend "hunkering down" as I like to say. We had a nice snow storm on Saturday night and church was cancelled on Sunday. I made a delicious pie from the other dessert cookbook that I've been dying to tell you about (it will happen soon I promise) and we had dinner with friends on both Saturday and Sunday night. The perfect weekend, no?

Happy Monday everyone.

From the chair by the window...

We have a giant recliner/rocker that sits next to the window in our living room. It belonged to N8tr0n's parents. Then his brother and sister-in-law. Now us. I believe the color could be described as gold. It was once gold. Like, 70s gold, you know? It is really comfortable. When Z-cakes went down for her nap, I practically ran to it. I felt like I needed to escape and for some reason that chair + a blanket felt as far away as anywhere else. Here's what I saw from my chair:

It feels so good to be knitting again. For some reason knitting is a very seasonal thing for me and last fall/winter I hardly did any at all. I started craving it much earlier this year and have had the urge to carry it with me everywhere. Last Friday I spent Z-cakes' entire nap browsing Ravelry (a must for all of you knitters out there) when what I really wanted to do was take a nap, so I counted my time spent marking favorites as productivity. The project you see in my lap is this scarf. I bought the pattern from Churchmouse while we were on Bainbridge. I think it will be the perfect ruffly accent. Stylish and not too overpowering. I'm taking my time with this one, and trying to enjoy every minute of it. The yarn feels so soft in my fingers and the stitches are easy and repetitive. I think I'm subconsciously using knitting to ward off the weepies that I fear are creeping into my system again.

These are the books that my sister-in-law got me for my birthday. Yes...I have a very sweet sister-in-law indeed. How did she choose the exact books that I would be the most excited to receive off of my wish list? First of all, I pretty much want to be Amanda Soule. Second of all...just look at the cover of The Joy of Jams and Jellies, I mean...come on. Am going to have to start brainstorming Christmas gifts for her with more vigor. She is one of my favorite people to shop for.

I picked up these two books at the library yesterday. I just love the library. I can't begin to guess how much money I've saved checking out books instead of buying them. And I've told you about how I like to check out cookbooks from the library right? I try to make as many recipes from them as I can so that I can decide whether or not I want to buy them. Sometimes I like to take said cookbooks and place them on hot burners on my stove...but that is rare. Of course I love to purchase the occasional new book...new page smell and blah blah blah...but saving money is pretty crucial for us right now. Like, we need to save money so that we can buy our pumpkins from patches.

I checked out Eat This Not That! mostly because all the cool kids were reading it. I'm enjoying it so far...it's like a giant magazine. The Martha Stewart book is one that I've had my eye on at Costco for quite some time. This is one mammoth book about taking care of your house in prose that only our dear Martha could stamp her name upon. Am looking for some help with my home cleaning routine crazy mess of a house. I'm having a hard time actually carrying out weekly chores like laundry, daily chores like dishes, and hourly chores like picking up whatever it was I just put down. Am hoping to get back into a routine. Wishing that when I returned home from vacation it wouldn't take me the same amount of days I spent on vacation to get back to living. That can't be normal.

N8tr0n got me these shoes for my birthday. They're TOMS. I love them.

That's what I saw today from my chair by the window. It's snowing outside right now so chances are that I'll be seeing many of the same things tomorrow. It's highly likely that I'll be adding a cup of this to the mix...and wishing I owned one of these so my arms could stay warm while I knit. Feel free to join me.

It's About Time...Look What I Made!

When I was pregnant with Z-cakes, I posted this post about my need to make something for my coming baby. I had decided on a cute little baby sweater since she'd be born in February.

Last weekend I finished the sweater. LAST WEEKEND. My friend Sarah was only too right when she said "good thing it will still fit her." Still, doesn't it feel so good to actually finish a project even if it took you 10 months to make? I'm so proud of myself.

Here's the other thing I made while desperately trying to release some creative energy. I got the idea from this website, Unnecessary Necessities, which has made me increase my to-do list ten-fold. I think it's so adorable hanging in Z-cake's room. I'm thinking about making another one because this one is completely full...yes she has that many head adornments. That's what you've gotta do when you're a bald baby.