In through the front door!

The newest knitter in the family!!

Afternoon Fun!

Ah... Spring is Here!

Finished Finishing

Topsy Turvy is finished. She was actually pretty easy to piece together, though it took a bit of time. I was most nervous about the hair, but it came out well. Here are some covert pictures, since the birthday girl can't see it until Saturday. She knows I made her one, along with Sheldon, but hasn't seen the finished products. I'll add a picture of sheldon when he comes out of hiding at the party.

Without further ado, here she is awake:

Here she is asleep:

And here is how she works!!

Froggy!

Well, finally I'm going to post the pattern for the cute froggy I made up. It was inspired by this pattern.

There is also a book coming out I am eager to give a try with the great name Making Felted Friends .

Froggy is very quick and took about 1 hour including writing out the directions!

Froggy

worsted weight wool (I used some leftover wool I space dyed, in daffodil)

gauge - doesn't much matter, I used size 8 needles

Start at the foot and worked up

CO 7 sts. Knit 8 rows.

Row 9: (K1 K2tog) two times, K1

Row 10: K

Row 11: K2tog, K1, K2tog

Row 12-29 (or until you like the leg length): Knit 3 st I cord.

Row 30: K front and back, Knit 2 (4 sts)

Cut yarn and put on holder.

Make a second leg the same, only do not cut the yarn.

Row 31: after increasing for the 2nd leg, CO 8, K the 4 sts of the 1st leg, CO 8. Join in the round (I had 8 sts on 3 needles)

Row 32-40: K

Row 41: (K10, K2tog) two times.

Row 42: K

Row 43: (K9, K2tog) two times

Row 44: K

Row 45: (K8, K2tog) two times

Row 46: K

Row 47: (K7, K2tog) two times

Row 48: K

Row 49: (K7, Kf&b) two times

Row 50-51: K 2

Row 52: (K8, Kf&b) two times

Row 53-55: K

I stuffed at this point with scrap yarn.

Row 54: (K2, K2tog) around

Row 55: K2tog around. Secure.

Arms

CO 5 sts. K 4 rows

Row 5: K2tog, K, K2tog

Row 6: K

Row 7-12- 3st Icord. Cast off.

Sew just below neck.

Eyes: I crocheted 10 single crochet into a circle and pulled tight. I sewed these on and then added a knot for the pupil (I was out of black yarn, hence the blue eyed frog).

Felting: I hand felted him since he is small. Then sit him on the counter to dry.

There is no place like home, right?

Well, we arrived home today after our minivacation at the Cape. It is always nice to be home, but I always look forward to going back. It will be at least a few weekends though. Next weekend is A's 6th birthday party and my stepsister's wedding shower. A surprise for her, which is nice. All women, which stinks! Ah well. I'm looking forward to getting back into the school groove. P just has a few more weeks of preschool and then A ends in June. It will be nice having them all summer, though I am sure there will be days I am wishing they'd go year round!!

Yesterday I decided to give this pattern a go. I had 2.5 balls of a black cashmere/merino blend I got on clearance at AC Moore in the same gauge. It looks ok and kniw quickly, but doesn't really fit well. I went back after casting off and added a few inches to the length but it still looks BAD. Ah well. Luckily I didn't invest much time and the yarn felt yummy.

Waiting for me at home, was this beautiful yarn that I got via a swap at Knittyboard. I've always wanted to try the Lorna's Laces yarns, but haven't wanted to pay the price. The color is called Vera and it is sportweight. I am very excited to give it a try with some simple sock pattern.

And, I this is a cute tank I made and just finished blocking. It is from Blue Sky Alpaca with their bulky cotton. I got it as a kit though I can't recall for the life of me where! The color is called Honeydew. I made the small. Only change was to add double crochet to the armholes and neckline.

Tonight I will work on the topsy turvy doll since she is on a deadline for the weekend!

Done! Now time to finish!

Done and finished are such different terms in knitting. While the topsy turvy is done (meaning all pieces knit), it is FAR from finished. There is still the stuff, sewing together, and mostly importantly the decorating. For a doll, this has to be the most important step. It is the step that turns knit pieces into a doll ready to be loved. So, topsy is going into the knitting bag. She will have to patiently wait to return home tomorrow where the finishing supplies are.

Since the weather has taken a turn for the better, we spent most of yesterday enjoying the coming of spring. We took a hike in Chatham, played garden in the side yard, and flew slingshot airplanes. Wook and the folks all arrived last night, so we are looking forward to going on a hike this afternoon. This morning, we head to Zooquarium, a fun place to stop if you find yourself around these parts. We only go this time of year since it is INSANE during the peak season. Well, everything is insane during peak season. Anyone who spends alot of time on cape knows that you need at least two ways to travel. The way you go during the season, and the one you use off season. So, as we enter the peak season, I say time to take the roads less traveled!!

On the road

We were on the road to our home away from home in Eastham on the Cape. Well, it is my folks place, but it feels like home. We usually stop for a walk along the way, but since the Nor'easter is still all around us, that was out of the question. Using McDonald's very cool map, I found one with a playplace and we made good use of it. They played and made new friends while I knit for an hour! All left happy. A and P are not big fans of the food, but love the toys (this was their third visit).

So, yesterday I jinxed myself. The doll was going quickly until I cast on the first of 2 dress pieces. Each is 144 sts to cast on and then 9 inches of st st. On size 4s. Endless. Mindless. So I switched back to my keyhole tunic. Finished the right side back. At McD's I almost finished the left back. So, progress is coming. I've brought both projects plus a bag of other stuff just in case. I mean, you never know, right? We will be here through the weekend. Wook and the folks join us late Friday (poor guys all have to work). My sis and her husband are also heading up. So, with all those people, the kids will be plenty occupied and I may just squeeze in some extra knitting. Well, a girl can dream, right!!

Dream job

Well, I had some excited news today. I was asked to be a sample knitter! I'll give more details when I have them. But for now, what could be better than getting paid to knit! I'm looking forward to the challenge.

On the home front, we had a great day spent almost entirely at the library. There was a short break for lunch at home, which we spent finishing a Bobbsey Twins book. A and P both got to have a snake around their necks inthe afternoon. I got to knit for an uninterrupted hour inthe morning and another in the afternoon. So, I finished both sets of arms for A's doll. Now, I have the dresses and a whole lot of finishing. Here is what it looks like:

They get put together and the dress along the seam. It should be really cute. I'm hoping to finish the knitting by the weekend and then have fun decorating it.

It's a Jungle Out Here!

Today is the first day of April break and the kids and I were treated to lunch by Auntie at Rainforest Cafe. I've never been before, so I was as excited as the kids. We got there just as it opened. And thank goodness. Since it is school vacation week around here it was insanity! We sat next to the gorillas and every 15 minutes there was a "thunderstorm." The gorillas shoke the trees, the monkeys swung, and the elephants trumpeted! Afterwards, we walked around a bit. Auntie decided to treat the kids to one of the smaller Build-A-Bear animals. P picked a puppy (of course) and A picked a Koala. As for names, also no surprise. A likes to name all animals in the most creative way. For example, the koala's name is Koala (notice the bows). Ah, well. At least I seem like a great mom since I always remember her animals' names. P decided his puppy's name is Woof. They are cute as can be and a very nice surprise. They are both always gawking at the store when we go to the mall (which is as little as humanly possible).

As for knitting, I managed to squeeze in a bit on the 30 minute car ride. I finished the body/head of one side of the topsy turvy doll. It is wearing a blue dress with a blue mohair stripe at the waist. Then I began the second body/head in pink and got as far as the head. So, it is moving along. I have until the end of the month so I will be done with plenty of time. I even bought a bag of random ribbon at AC Moore for $1 so I can decorate the dresses when it is finished. Tonight, after the kids are in bed, I hope to get the right back of the Keyhole finished. I'll take a pic of my progress tomorrow.

A place to begin

Well, at the beginning of course! After a few months of reading the blogs of others, I have decided it is time to join the ranks of the blogfull (as opposed to the blogless). I'm hoping it will help me keep track of the projects I am doing, planning, have done, or have destroyed. More on the projects later... My current project is Kate Gilbert's Keyhole Top knit with Plymouth Yarns Bella Colour in Lavender in Lace that I got here.

As for destruction, it is painful to frog. I knit a cable sweater for myself a few months back. Well, okay, it was in December on the way to a Jets game. Anyway, it came out very pretty until I put it on. When even my sweet Wook (my husband of 10 years) couldn't think of anything positive without a "Um, (long pause), it came out really well, " I knew where it was heading. Not to my dresser or closet. No, it was doomed to the frog pile. The frog pile is a hidden place in the back of my small closet. It is a place where only Merlin the Magical Cat dares to tred. So, today during girl time with my 6 year old (almost) daughter, I asked if she wanted to help with a project, which of course she did.

Very crafty that one. But in a good way! So, we pulled out the sweater and began to frog together. It took an hour. It was one of the nicest hours we have spent together. She asked what I was going to do with the yarn and I said I had no idea. She asked if I could use it for her. We looked through The Yarn Girl's Guide to Older Kid Knits and she loved this:

Amazingly, it was the right gauge and everything. What could I say but of course! And of course little brother MUST have a matching one in either green or blue. Luckily I have until next winter!