forget about a work in progress, this is all about patience

Mason Dixon Baby Moderne Blanket

I started this blanket in February of 2007.  I am still knitting it.  And I have just realized that if I'm still knitting it in February of 2012, I will have been working on it for FIVE YEARS. 

This is when I start thinking about all of the things that have happened in my life since I started knitting this thing.  Off the top of my head, I can say that I've acquired a dog, a marriage, a second home and a career change since I started this blanket.  This is not to mention all of the amazing things that have happened in this world since I started knitting this blanket.  I am stuck between fascination and despair - fascination that I could let something take so long and despair over the fact that I have literally let it take so long.

What I have failed to mention is that this blanket has always been an intended gift for my husband.   And he has patiently waited, birthday after birthday, Christmas after Christmas, for the long promised blanket.

Now if that's not patience, I don't know what is.

fo:: argosy baby blanket

This project has been unfinished for so long that I don't even remember starting it.  It was definitely a work in progress for 3 years! If you think that's a long time, then, don't catch the post where I finally finish the Moderne Baby Blanket - that's been four years for sure!

This blanket has no intended recipient.  I started it because I inherited a bunch of acrylic yarn and I thought that, when finally complete, it would make a great car or stroller blanket.  The acrylic didn't really soften up in the blocking process, but it's still cute and warm.  And I like the color.

Project: Argosy Baby Blanket
Yarn: old old old acrylic yarn from The Bay
Needles: 4.5 mm addi turbos
Modifications: none

I would knit this blanket again in a heartbeat, now that I know how rewarding it is when it's finished.  It's an easy pattern to memorize and is overall an enjoyable knit.

Finally, it doesn't get much cuter than this, now, does it?

Long time no see:: Birthday Cowl as FO

Birthday Cowl in Red

As you can see, I haven't exactly been a faithful blogger over the last two years.  Sometimes you just have to take a long time off.  Studying to make a job change, a job change, a home change and job stress don't always make time for knitting.  However, as is the cycle of life, things have calmed down for now and I have found myself with a renewed inspiration towards knitting.  Projects that have languished in dresser drawers for two years are being welcomed into my world again and are slowly being worked toward completion. I look forward to sharing them.

In the meantime, I will feature projects that have been finished in the last two years but haven't been written about.  Given that I have recently celebrated turning 38 (38!! - crappers! can't believe it!!), I will start with the Birthday Cowl....




FO:: Birthday Cowl
For: me
Completed: Winter 2010
Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly DK in red
Needles: 4 mm
Link to pattern: here

Comments:  I made no modifications to this cowl.  It was an easy knit and I wear it frequently in the winter because the yarn is soft and it's super comfy to wear.  I can't stand anything itchy on my neck, so this is a frequent go-to accessory. The color also pops nicely against the brown and black coats I wear in the winter.

Return

It's kind of like coming home.

Sometimes you have to leave something entirely to realize that there are parts of you that want to return to where you were.

And so I return.

Life has been so busy and there just hasn't been time to do this, there's just been time to do other things. However, you realize after a while that if there's time to do the other things, then there is time to do this as well. So, here we are.

I kick off this return with a list of things to do. It's Spring Break for me and I have a list of things to complete:

- drop off drycleaning; get coats repaired (March 14)
- cutlery for downstairs kitchen (March 14)
- curtain for kitchen window
- call insurance company; cancel house insurance (March 16)
- call banks to change account names; order cheques (March 15)
- pick up parcel at post office (March 14)
- mail package to friend (March 14)
- lunch with Karen (March 14)
- dog walk with Jen
- paint ceramics with Kathy (March 16)
- clean out car
- clean out basement storage room (in process - started March 17)
- blood work (March 17)
- taxes (March 13)
- spa appointments (March 17)
- order new contacts (March 16)
- office supplies at Staples (March 13)
- yoga

..... I'll let you know how I do. When an item is complete, I'll write the date of completion next to it. Cheers!

fo: special day silk hat

Did you know that baby hats are the perfect one-skein stashbuster? I have been so obsessed with busting my stash by knitting baby hats that I actually forgot to post here in the month of April! I knit four hats, though, so at least there has been knitting happening at my house!

Here are the details:

Pattern: Special Day Silk Hat from Baby Beanies by Amanda Keeys

Yarn: Rowan Soft Baby in a beautiful butter yellow shade

Needles: 4.5 mm/ 16" circular - addi turbos

Modifications: None

Recipient: My mom purchased this from me this morning to give to a former neighbour's little baby.

Thoughts: Great and easy pattern but the ruffle is created by a k3tog pattern which was extremely difficult to knit. The result, however, is worth it in the end, wouldn't you say?

Happy May!

fo: springtime cowl

This is stashbusting project #3. The previous posts were all a part of Stashbust 2009, but this one is particularly relevant because this wool had been sitting in the stash for a while. I have two huge balls of this yarn and I just didn't know what to do with it - but the cowl craze seems to have hit me, so I decided that a cowl would be a worthy project for this yarn.

This project is also particularly relevant because I created this pattern on my own! My first real pattern! It alternates rows of stockinette with rows of garter stitch, but in between the those two types of stitch rows is a row of yarn-overs every second stitch. This creates a really cute row of eyelet lace - which I also recognize is super difficult to see with this yarn. I had originally thought that the eyelet lace would be a pretty accent because it was spring and having a lace pattern would be okay in a cowl designated specifically for spring time (you know, it's less about warmth and more about fashion). However, in the end, the cowl was way too big and I realized that if I wanted to actually wear the cowl, I was either going to have to gain 40 pounds on my neck, or I would have to turn the eyelet lace row into a makeshift row of button holes!

So, this actually works out quite nicely because I simply sewed the button onto the cowl and then, when I want to wear the cowl, I can decide how snugly I want the cowl to fit and simply loop an eyelet around the button. It creates a snug fit, but also a cute little ruffle that dresses up the cowl more than I ever could have imagined.

This is how it looks (sorry for the bad perspective, it was the first time I had really tried the timer function on the camera to take a picture of myself!):

You like? I like.

Finally, special thanks to Lolly for Project Spectrum 2009. This year's focus is on the Cardinal Directions and the March/April color choice of green had me MORE than motivated to use a little of this fancy yarn.

Project Details:

Pattern: Springtime Cowl by ME!

Yarn: Soft Delight by Yarn Bee

Needles: 5 mm addi turbos, 16 inch circular

Basic Pattern Details:

Springtime Cowl

Cast on an uneven number of stitches (I cast on 91 stitches but it was toooooo many!)

Join together, being careful not to twist

Place marker at join

Rows 1-4: garter stitch

Rows 5-8:stockinette stitch

Row 9: eyelet lace row - starting at marker *k2tog, yo, repeat from * to last st, k1

Rows 10-14: stockinette stitch

Rows 15-18: garter stitch

Repeat pattern until cowl is desired length (width? height? - I don't know). Be sure to finish with 4 rows of garter stitch.

Cast off with bigger needles.

Sew in ends.

To create ruffle (optional), sew button at front and in middle of stockinette section of your choice. Use eyelet lace rows as button holes and loop over button to create a snug fit.

Enjoy!

fo: berry bramble hat

This month's goal is to post at least three times. I'm already up to two - so this is going very well so far!

I finished this hat a few months ago and the picture even sat in the computer file for a while before I realized that I had the time to blog about it.

This pattern is the Berry Bramble Hat from a very cute little book called Knit One, Embellish Too by Cosette Cornelius-Bates. It's a glorious little book that appealed to me because I am currently under a binding agreement with my mom to "stash-bust" and this book offers lots of ideas for accessories just perfect for stash-busting!

Pattern: Berry Bramble Hat from Knit One, Embellish too
Yarn: Ella Rae Palermo, color 2
Needles: 4.5 mm addi turbos
For: Me! It's my dog-walking hat.

Modifications: The hat is actually supposed to have a cute little tree embroidered on the front in a contrasting yarn and buttons, but I did not have the patience to do this. It's also supposed to have a crochet-chain edging along the bottom of the hat, but I didn't do that either!

Comments: I love the hat and the way it looks, however, next time I would use a thicker yarn and maybe knit it in a smaller size. This was meant to be a dog-walking hat, and I have worn it to walk my dog, however, it just doesn't keep my head warm at -40 degrees (which is the only real time I think about wearing a hat). In any case, it's a jaunty little knit and I recommend it to anyone!