Baby Crazy

As I'm sure you are all aware, it seems like everyone I know is pregnant at the moment. One little boy was born on August 2, and another baby is arriving any day now.

For the impending arrival, I knit up a few small items for a gift parcel and posted it off today. I wrapped it up in cute paper with baby feet on it, and some ribbon with teddies & hearts on it. Aww.



A breakdown of the contents:



You've seen the Star Booties and the Whooo Loves Ya Baby bib already, but here are the others.



First up is a bonnet that I've made before.
Pattern: Drops Bonnet in Alpaca in wavy pattern (Garnstudio come up with some doozies for their pattern names)
Yarn: Garnstudio Drops Alpaca, 1 skein in cream
Needles: 3mm

A lovely old fashioned baby bonnet that I think is super cute.

Next we have another pattern from Knit One Knit All:



Pattern: Surplice Baby Jacket (Ravlink) From Knit One Knit All by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Yarn: King Cole Bamboo Cotton
Needles: 4mm

I loved making this! Although I did make a huge boo-boo that required ripping back over half of the garment. That's what I get for not reading the whole pattern through before I start. (I know). Doesn't it look great? Adorable.

I hope the new Mammy likes them!

I've also been knitting up a storm on my Ethereal Top. I took it out of the bold corner and got back to it. I've finished the body, knit the square neck (which contains some really cool garter stitch mitred corners) and am on the first sleeve. I really hope to get it finished soon.

I also cast on for a new project. I was 13 years married last month, and apparently that anniversary is lace & lingerie. I do have the book Knitting Lingerie Style (Ravlink) but I figure it would be kinder to humanity if I knit some lace instead. :)
I was chatting on twitter about it, and myself and another Twitter Knitter have decided to do a KAL of sorts and make an Aeolian shawl. I'm using some really scrummy Hedgehog Fibres Silk Lace in the shade Magic Mushroom. Hope it doesn't make me go loopy!

Progress so far:



I'm about 2/3 of the way through the first set of charts, the Yucca chart. I'm making the largest size as I have 1000yds of this yarn. I discovered that the designer subsequently released an alternative edging for the shawl for cases where you might be running out of yarn, so I might end up using that one. We'll see how it goes.

Alice & I have been busy bunnies too. There has been lots of cardmaking going on! Here's a slideshow of them all so far. I hope it works.




Good knitting!

M.I.A.

Where has the time gone? I've been so up to my eyes over the last 3 weeks, I haven't had a chance to post at all.
I apologise in advance to those people whose blogs I usually comment on, I feel bad for ignoring you all!
It's been a real roller coaster ride. We got a complete new kitchen installed, and it's been a nightmare. The mess! The noise! The lack of a kitchen to cook in! At one stage I had the fridge in the living room. Which was good for speedy access to ice-cream, but that novelty wore off quickly. The kitchen is almost finished, tomorrow it BETTER be. It's just a last couple of niggling things. Pics next post, it's AMAZING.

I have been knitting though, I got loads done. I couldn't block any of it coz the house was so filthy with dust, so it all queued up and I did a huge block last night. Loads of FOs!

A fellow Dublin knitter lost her husband tragically young to Leukaemia last week and the funeral was last Saturday. It was the first humanist ceremony I'd been to, and while it was desperatley sad, it was also a beautiful send off for a lovely man. It was so personal.

In memory of her husband, a few of us have decided to knit some items for the hospital nurses and the Irish Cancer Society. Brendan bravely blogged his way through his illness here: http://www.zen.org. While he was in hospital, he took up knitting and was attempting his first lace project, the Party Lace Scarf. In honour of this, we all agreed to make one ourselves. Here's mine:


Pattern: Party Lace Scarf by Lisa Sisk, co-owner of This Is Knit
Yarn: Feza Kid Mohair, 1 skein
Needles: 4.5mm

It was quite emotional knitting this. I put lots of prayer & good wishes into it. I decided to make something else as well, every little helps, right?


Pattern: Multnomah by Kate Elsa
Yarn: Zettl Treviso Sock Yarn
Needles: 3.25mm

This was a lovely shawl to knit, nice & easy pattern to memorize.

I also finished my Kip Wip socks.

Basic 64 stitch socks with my usual slip stitch heel. Meh. I don't really like them. Should I donate these too? I haven't worn them.

I also whipped up this adorable baby bib:

Pattern: Whooo Loves Ya Baby by Elaine Fitzpatrick
Yarn: Granstudio Bomull Lin, 1 skein
Needles: 4mm

I loved making this bib. Can you see the Owl pattern? The designer has loads of cool bibs for free on her site, Down Cloverlaine. My owl obsession continues.

I've been off work for a week already, so 5 more to go! I plan on getting out & about a fair bit. I had to sit in every day last week waiting for workmen for the kitchen. Drove me nuts. I enrolled Alice in a week long summer camp at the local Aquatic Centre which started today so I have from 10 - 4 every day to myself! Squee! I started by going shopping this morning.
With the help of loads of lovely Twitter-ers I bought a dress! OMG! I never wear dresses, but I would like to feel a bit more feminine.
I settled on this one.



Sorry about the crappy picture, it was taken on my phone in the changing room so I could tweet for help! I don't like the cardi, I didn't buy it. I bought this yarn instead to make something:



It goes well, don't you think? It's DK weight cotton. Now I need to pick a pattern! Any suggestions?

I've loads more news, but this post would go on forever if I let it. I'll be back soon (promise) with kitchen pr0n. I heart my new kitchen!

Good knitting!