A Few New Changes

A couple weekends ago, my wonderful husband organized 8 of our friends to come over and paint the second bedroom so we can start to convert it into a nursery.

(please excuse the mess; this was only a couple days after painting)

As a bonus (and because we were ready for a change in the living room), they also painted the living room a cheery yellow.  :)  I love how it looks when the sunlight pours in with its bluer light.  The table lamps are a little warmer in color so I've been on the look out for bluer LED bulbs to swap them out.

So far I have a handful of hand-knitted baby items made up (mittens, socks, hats, one blanket and one sweater) but I feel like a slacker that I don't have more sweaters and more longies made up.

A few of the smaller items I have collected for Baby.

These bibs + washcloths are from BeastiesBabies

Lots of knitted socks + mittens

I also keep thinking I need to make a few outfit pieces (sweater dresses/jumpers and sweater vests).

What item(s) would you most recommend I make a priority to knit before baby is here?  Is there something that you are so happy you made and use all the time or highly recommend now that you have a little wisdom under your belt?  Please let me know!  

Christening Set

While in Gatlinburg, TN with my husband's extended family on his father's side, I continued on my baby sock marathon with a few variances.

1.) I made a pair of socks in white

2.) And, to break up the sock monotony plus to go along with the Christening theme, I tried out a bonnet pattern that's been on my list well over a year.

I was surprised how quickly it whipped up and may have to try it again with the proper hook size (I was using one size smaller than the pattern called for) for baby gifts.

Now I guess I have to find a dress pattern to go with this set.

Goals for 2013 - New Items

Continuing my goals for 2013, I have a few new items I'd love to add to the shop:

Longies & short-leg soakers (What do you think about these?  Do you think they would sell well?  Do you know someone looking for these?)

More Baby Blankets/ Lap Blankets.  Maybe even some Chevron that's been taking off on Pinterest and in Etsy shops.

Socks - this would be the first made-to-order item in the shop.  

Baby clothes (booties, hats, sweaters) & toys - these are still on the back burner.

And then there's this crocheted flower bouquet that has me scratching my head...

Is there something else you'd like to see?  Please post it in the comments :)

Socks - Completed!

Lynn contacted me at the end of November to knit up some socks for her two grandkids and herself, two pairs each.

Six pairs, that is!

little girl's pair #1

little girl's pair #2

boy's pair #1

boy's pair #2

Lynn's brown & pink stripe pair

Lynn's oatmeal pair

And I'm happy to say I now have my basic sock pattern memorized!  Maybe there will be socks for the shop in the near future...

Christmas Crafting: Knit Gifts

This year I loved the opportunity to knit a bunch of gifts for the some close family friends. Here are just a few of the knitted gifts they received:

Mittens

He modeled his pair and I made a few pairs for the shop.

Hand Towels

This was a host gift to a very close friend of my husband's. I made this the weekend we stayed with them.

Washcloths

One of many custom orders for co-worker gifts. I always love seeing the colors come together!

Hand Knit Socks

This beautiful variegated blue sock is one of six pairs in progress. These will be a post-Christmas gift.

More Mittens

The latest gift, fresh off my needles are these adorable little mittens for my cousin's daughter.  I made them start to finish on Christmas Eve.

More to come as we celebrate with other family members.  :)

Pesky Black Socks...

Finally!  I got tired of looking at those unfinished, too big black socks.  So over the weekend I wripped out BOTH socks & started them again.  This time I used my size allowance (since my feet are about an 8 1/2 to 9)

and went back and forth between both socks as I completed each step (ribbing, leg, heel flap, heel turn, gasset, foot, & toe shaping).  I couldn't believe I was able to finish the PAIR in just 3 days!

I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with how nicely they turned out, too!  Definitely more up to the quality I expect of myself.  Maybe I'm finally starting to get the hang of this sock-knitting thing?

Back to the Sock(s)

So I left off after the heel turn, and ran into a speed-bump once I came to the toe.  Thus why I haven't updated about their completion yet. .... Because I'm still working on that, hehe.

Where the "speed bump" left me.

I still think these are going to be too big.  They are definitely big on me, but then again, my size varies from a size 7.5 to 9 (depending on the store & the brand).  So I just keep hoping I'm wrong & these'll be perfect for house slipper-socks if nothing else.  What do you think, Tess?

Sock Update

After a couple hours of work; taken 2-20

(Also the book that I am working from)

This is finishing the heel turn.

You can kind of see the bump that is the heel in this picture; 

unfortunately it didn't come out in focus.

After the heel turn, I'm starting to worry that it is going to be too big.  I went along with the largest size in my book because I wasn't sure what measurements would correlate with a size 9.  My feet size are anywhere from a 7 1/2 to 9 so I didn't want to go by my feet and then have them turn out too small.

So, Tessie, if they are too big or look too big in these pictures, let me know and I can make them smaller before I send them to you.  Otherwise I will make a smaller pair and find another home for these. 

I'm also happy to report that this sock has been coming along a lot smoother and more intuitive than my first pair.  Socks-made-from-memory, here I come :)

Latest Challenge = Socks!

Yup!  I've put it off long enough (sometimes I think I psych myself up too much about how "difficult" socks are; afterall, I dream of being able to knit them without thinking...).  The first sock is started and nearing time for the heel-turn (the dreaded, hardest part of making a sock according to most who attempt it).  I started it yesterday (Friday) evening.  I'm hoping to have the pair done by the end of next weekend?  One can hope.  :)
I'll get some pictures up eventually following my progress.  I haven't taken any yet.

More projects to add to the Custom Orders List:
*2 grey cowls for 2 friends (one has already paid me before she left for Australia; the other is trading me an hour massage) :).