Sweet Scottie Dog Cardie

Every now and then, I drop into my favourite wool shop, The Bee Hive, located in Victoria, BC.  I'll spend an hour perusing, imagining the possibilities, and going through their binders of patterns.  I love Scottie dog motifs so when I came across Sirdar Pattern 1894, I knew that I had to make the sweater.  I decided to make it for my nephew Ethan's first birthday.  This little sweater ended up being one of my favourite knitting projects of 2011.

I used Sirdar Snuggly acrylic yarn in a turquoise blue and added a black trim.  In the original pattern, there is a black decorative stripe around the button band.  However, I finished the sweater while I was vacationing in Ontario and forgot to bring my skein of black yarn with me.  Looking at the finished sweater, I actually like the plain button band better and would skip the stripe if I were to make this sweater again.

Rather than using intarsia to add the Scottie dog, I hand stitched the motif using an embroidery needle.  I have attempted intarsia numerous times but it always ends up in a big mess.  What irks me the most is the way the wrong side ends up looking.  It's a disastrous mess.  Clearly, I must be doing something wrong.  Plus finishing all the ends is a pain!  Please tell me there's a better way! I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I love knitting but I hate finishing.

I came very close to keeping the sweater for my son, Mackenzie (shown in the pictures modeling the sweater).  Mack looked so cute wearing it but I vowed to make him one as well.  That is on the "to knit" list.  Maybe I'll make my boys matching sweaters.  How cute would that be?

Finally, My Own Personalized Gift Tags

For years, I have wanted to have my own personalized knitting labels.  They are available on-line from the U.S., but because I live in Canada, they tend to be very expensive, especially once you factor in shipping and customs.  More generic labels are available at my local crafting store but I really wanted something with my name on them.

Recently, I searched Etsy and I found the perfect alternative – a personalized knitting stamp. I ordered mine through Modern Art Stamps on Etsy.  For $10, they will customize a rubber stamp.   Naturally, I chose a ball of yarn with knitting needles for the graphic and added my own text.  Please note, for $10, Modern Art Stamps only sells the rubber part of the stamp.  I mounted my stamp on a clear acrylic block (since I like to see how my stamp is aligned on paper before stamping), although it could just as easily be glued onto a piece of wood.

Now when I give a gift, I can personalize a card with a picture of the finished product and washing instructions.  My first personalized tag was for a Bandana Cowl that I knit using Cascade Ecological wool in a washed out blue.  (Yes, I’m still trying to work through my stash of yarn – but I promise, it is getting smaller!).  It was a very quick project for a cute and functional accessory.  It is the ultimate pattern for a last minute gift (I finished it in two sittings while watching t.v. in the evening).  The bandana cowl is the perfect accessory for spring or fall when you’re just not sure if you need a scarf while you’re on the go.  It’s small enough to scrunch up into a deep pocket, yet warm enough to cut the breeze when out for a walk.  I found the pattern on purlbee.com which is my new favourite website for knitting and sewing patterns.  Their ideas are fashion forward and beautiful.  Best of all, the patterns are listed for free.  So many new ideas!  What to knit next?

Get Your Bootie On!

As I mentioned in my previous post, there seem to be so many more styles of baby booties for girls.  When I found out that a family friend had a baby girl, I just had to make her something ultra-feminine and cute.  SO…  off to Ravelry I went.

I made baby Elaina Rose slippers with cross straps. The pattern (free at Saartje Knits, courtesy of Saartje de Bruijn) called for fingering weight yarn.  I happened to have fingering weight yarn in my stash, but after finishing the first slipper, I thought it would be too small.  How wrong I was!  I had forgotten how small newborns actually are.

I made them again using a combination of Debbie Bliss’ Baby Cashmerino (pink trim) and another baby double knit weight.  They turned out beautifully and the best part was that I knit them up in the morning of my visit.  O.k., I admit that I had to finish sewing on the buttons during the visit, but oh well!  The end result, using the double knit weight yarn, was a size 3 - 6 month slipper.  The pattern was easy and the final product was satisfying.  This will definitely be one of my go to patterns for baby gifts.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

Well, at 9 months, my son Adrian is far from walking but these little boots will sure keep his feet warm over the winter.  I wanted to knit a pair of booties for Adrian and had a hard time finding the right pattern.  I scoured the internet and found more often than not, the bootie patterns leaned to a more feminine design.  I came across Christy Hill's Boot Style Red and White Baby Booties pattern and saw the possibilities.  The design is darling.  They have a gumboot shape and the contrasting colour gives the appearance of a sole.  I am hoping that the high boot will prevent Adrian from kicking them off easily.  Fingers crossed - he's quite the Houdini!

Looking at completed project pictures on Ravelry, it seems that most knitters have used acrylic worsted yarn for this pattern.  Acrylic yarn is a sensible choice when knitting for kids as it can go in both the washer and dryer.  However, on my first run at this pattern, I tried using turquoise and white acrylic yarn from my stash and the finished bootie looked too feminine.  I think it was a combination of the bright colours and the shininess of the acrylic.  So, I tried again with Cascade Ecological - a bulkier yarn with more muted colours.  I sized up to a US 5 needle and got the results I was looking for.  The Cascade Ecological gave the booties a more rugged feel and look.  

Christy Hill's pattern is very clear and easy to follow.  It took me about 2 hours in front of the tv to knit each boot.  Seaming and tucking in the ends seemed to take just as long (not my favourite task when it comes to knitting :)  This pattern is a keeper and I will certainly be knitting more of these beauties for gifts.  

Mastering Color Knitting

Years ago, when I picked up a copy of Stitch 'n Bitch Nation, I discovered that I love reading about knitting techniques.  It was in that introductory chapter that I discovered how to adjust sizing by using simple math.  I knew high school algebra would come in handy one day!  Another introductory chapter that comes to mind is Stephanie Jepel's Fitted Knits.  That chapter explained in simple terms how to customize a pattern for yourself.  That blew my mind away.  I have a long torso and most knit sweaters fall short on me.  After reading Jepel's chapter, I realized that I can make virtually any sweater pattern fit for my body with some simple alterations. I love reading about techniques because sometimes simple adjustments can make incredible improvements.

Nowadays, I often go to my local public library and sign out a pile of knitting books at a time.  Sometimes I find an interesting pattern, but I am more interested in reading about technique.  One gem that I found yesterday was Mastering Color Knitting by Melissa Leapman.


I am by no means an expert on colour knitting.  I just really enjoy playing with colours.  But I still have some issues with inconsistent tension which leads to puckering.  Since I am currently working on a My Favourite Things Infinity Scarf, I thought it would be prudent to read about stranded color knitting. 

I've only read a third of the book so far but it seems like a fantastic resource.  I may have to purchase this one for my personal library.  There is a very interesting section about understanding how a colour wheel works to get desired effects with colour combinations.  I found that fascinating.

More specifically related to stranded knitting, she describes three ways to hold yarn so that tension is consistent.  I have been just dropping the non-working yarn and picking it up when needed.  Well, not anymore!  I am now trying to hold one colour in each hand.  I admit that it feels awkward but I'm going to stick with it for now to see how it goes.  I selected this method because Leapman says, "By holding each yarn in a different hand, you ensure that the yarns never get twisted together."  Ah, yes please!

Mastering Color Knitting includes many Fair Isle charts which will come in handy as I continue to pick designs for my scarf.  I am looking forward to reading the chapters on intarsia and double knitting.  I have tried intarsia once before and it ended up being an incomplete tangled mess.  Prior to reading this book, I had never heard of double knitting but I'm all about learning how to create a reversible swatch.

My Favourite Things Part Deux

Well, I've scrapped perfecting the Color Theory Cowl.  I started making a second one with brighter colours and it reminded me of a candy cane.  I came to realize that I just didn't like it all that much.  Worse still, to make it worthy, I would have to change the edging.  I have a different plan in the works for the purple yarn that I purchased for Vickie, but that will have to wait for now because...  

After writing about making the My Favourite Things Infinity Scarf, I decided to make one for myself - and keep it this time.  So I cast 72 stitches in the round and in two days, I have completed 3 sections.  Each section has a personal significance to me.  For example, I knit the chevron pattern with maroon and gold - the colours of the school where I worked for 11 years.  I also created a band with the year that I got married and my initial plus my husband's initial.

I can't emphasize enough how creative and enjoyable it is to make this scarf.  Half the fun is in coming up with the ideas for each band.  Like the first scarf I made, I am going to use an animal motif.  It adds a bit of whimsy.  I am also going to integrate national colours of countries that I've traveled to.  And of course I will create a band to represent each of my sons.  Oh so many ideas!  I'll continue to post pictures of my progress as the scarf develops.  

My Favourite Things Infinity Scarf: fun with colours!

My New Year's resolution for 2012 was to use up my abundant stash of excess yarn.  I called it Operation Stash Be Gone.  I spent many evenings searching through ravelry.com for free patterns and I came across Jill McGee's My Favourite Things Infinity Scarf.  It was perfect. First, it allowed me to use up odds and ends of worsted yarn that was in my stash.  Second, I got to practice knitting with a variety of colours.  Since the scarf is knit in the round, the carried stitches on the "wrong" side are hidden.  This was a major bonus as the mess of the reverse side makes me twitchy - it's the perfectionist in me.  Finally, it was really fun to make.  

McGee's instructions includes different fair isle patterns to get you started, but the whole point of the scarf is to find your own favourite patterns.  I went back to ravelry and searched for stranded mitten designs.  I also found colour charts on Pinterest and on Google.  I decided to go for an animal motif and included birds, elephants, and even sheep.  What I loved most about this scarf is the way it emerged.  After finishing each section, I got to choose the next colour combinations and pattern.  It truly was exciting!

The scarf took me a couple months to knit - mainly because I was juggling three knitting projects at the same time (oh, and not to mention two small kids and a masters degree).  I was going to keep the scarf for myself but when it was halfway done, my best friend Melana saw it and fell in love with it.  Her birthday was in May so I gifted it to her.  I am planning to make one for myself - hopefully in time for winter.  For my scarf, I'd like to integrate designs that represent some of my favourite travel destinations.  Trickier to visualize but I'll come up with a plan.

     

Perfectionism: a blessing and a curse

Have I mentioned that I'm a perfectionist?  I can't stand good enough.  This applies to all aspects of my life - school, work, and especially crafting.  With knitting, I am constantly unravelling and reworking rows - changing needle sizes, yarns (yes, plural), or even re-knitting entire pieces with alterations to make them better.  It is time consuming, not to mention curse inducing.

I mainly knit at night in front of the t.v. and my husband has learned that it is best not to ask if he hears a prolonged angry groan or an emphatic "Ai yah!".  When my Asian heritage starts to bubble over, he knows that it's time to duck and cover.

Fortunately for me, he totally gets it.  Doug, a woodworker, is meticulous with his craft.  He has created beautiful furniture for our home and certain flaws, which are invisible to the untrained eye, still bother him. I suppose errors in woodworking are more permanent and costly to change or redo. 

So, yesterday, I finished Vickie's cowl (Color Theory Cowl - by Xandy Peters) and I've already started thinking about ways to improve it.  It's not that there's anything really wrong with it, it's just that the edging isn't quite the way I want it and the yarn I used isn't all that soft.  I'm not satisfied with the colours either.  Bottom line, it looks a bit amateurish and I'm not overly thrilled about it.  I think that I can make it better and that's what I am going to do.  

I've already started casting on a new and improved version: Color Theory Cowl 2.0    

Winter is Coming...

No, this post has nothing to do with The Game of Thrones.  Although, I do wonder whether or not "Winter is coming" will become the new "You had me at hello" or "Keep calm and carry on" catch phrase.  There is something about August that inspires me to start knitting again.  It happens every year.  Something triggers and I start searching for new patterns for cozy shawls, cowls, scarves, and the like.  This year is no exception.  Why, you ask?  Well, with the onslaught of back to school advertisements and the hint of cooler weather to come, I can't help but think, "Winter is Coming" and what better way to accessorize than with customized knits.

Of late, I have been working on three projects - all scarf-like cowls.  The first, a birthday present for my best friend Melana; the second, a thank-you gift for my friend Karina; and the third, a 40th birthday gift for my friend Vickie.  Of the three, I only finished one on time.  I always underestimate the time it takes to knit a project.  It's terrible, really.  Full disclosure: Vickie turned 40 last December - her gift will be 9 months late!  It will be completed today, I swear!  Granted, last December I had a newborn baby.  Oh, and I should disclose that the yarn I purchased (in her favourite colour, purple) has experienced 3 incarnations.  

In December 2012, I started a chunky double stranded scarf.  About 10 inches in, I got tired of fighting the tension so I pulled it out.  The yarn was speaking to me and it was saying, it wasn't meant to be this kind of scarf.  So, in February, I decided it was destined to become a shawl with a ruffled edge.  I finished the body of the shawl only to realize that it wasn't going to be something that Vickie would wear.  Arghh...  What to do?  

And that's the thing.  When knitting gifts, it's more than the thought that counts.  Why give a knitted gift to someone if it'll likely end up in the bottom of a drawer or in a donation bag to Good Will?  I don't want to be compared to the kooky spinster aunt who gifts matching Christmas sweaters for the entire family!   

My motto is that it's better late than never!  So I have transformed the purple yarn into a striped cowl.  I'm hoping it's something that she can throw on with a light jacket when she's out for walks with her family.  The diagonal stripes give the piece a youthful funkiness.  Best of all, I used the purple yarn and was able to add black worsted yarn that's been in my stash for ages (originally purchased for one of many sweaters that I never completed).  I will include a picture of the finished product in an upcoming post.

Knitted Baby Hat with Earflaps: My Signature Gift

Two of my favourite baby hat patterns come from Zoe Mellor’s Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots.  The hats truly are adorable and have become one of my signature baby shower gifts.  One of the patterns has cables and the other is striped.  I have used a number of different double knit yarns for the hats.  

When my son Mackenzie 4 months old, I used Debbie Bliss’ washable Baby Cashmerino in the round on Addi Turbo US 5 circular needles.  The hat was silky soft and did not irritate his skin in any way.  Prior to Mackenzie's hat, I often used Wool Gatto. The  Wool Gatto knit up well but had less stretch than Baby Cashmerino.  However, from what I understand, Wool Gatto has been discontinued - what a shame.

I have also made these hats using Sirdar Snuggly.  The acrylic Sirdar Snuggly is surprisingly soft and knits up well.  I love that it does not squeak on my needles like other acrylics.  Not only is it affordable, but II love using Sirdar Snuggly for baby projects because it is so easy to care for.  If it accidentally ends up in the dryer, no problem!  God forbid if a wool gift ends up accidentally felted.

For Christmas of 2010, I whipped up the striped ear flap hat in red, green and white Sirdar Snuggly.  It was a hit!  I have kept that hat and plan to use it for Christmas pictures with my second-born son, Adrian (who will be a year old in December).  Now, I just need to find a cute Christmas hat pattern for Mackenzie, who is now 3!  It's August, I have time!