One More Time.

What did I tell you? Another project done. :^D

I am so happy with this one. And it used just over 50 grams of yarn. Win-win all around!













The pattern is the Transparent Cardigan someone kindly shared on Craftster.

Precious Little Headband

*** Looking for the pattern? Scroll to the bottom! ***

I should be finishing some things up in the next few weeks. It's the upside of cast-on-itis. I keep casting on new things and have a ton of WIPs, and just work on them for ages... then all of a sudden they all seem to get finished at the same time!

Have a look at this one. I started this headband ages ago (as in well before Christmas), with only a vague idea of who it would be given to. I have a friend who just had her baby girl, and my cousin has a little girl who is right around 15 months. I think...

Well, I got to see my cousin over the holiday and her little cutie is just starting to get her hair. My friend's baby was born with a head full! Two weeks now and the newborn has hair halfway down the back of her neck.

So... I figured my cousin's little girl would get the most use out of it. :^)

I started with the idea of following another pattern, but I have altered it so completely that the only resemblance to the original pattern is the fact that it is a headband at all.





The little scrolls don't really show up this well in real life.






(Also makes a nice garter, hey? Hehe).

It can be worn with the flower in either position, although the butterfly might seem a little upside down. The butterfly is on the seam - I think I did a pretty good job with it.

The cable pattern for the band follows:

--------------------------- Headband Pattern ---------------------------

Gauge: Unimportant.
Yarn: Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Cotton, Size 10
Needles: US #2

Pattern:

CO 12 stitches with twisted cast-on.

1. Purl across.
2. K2, P1, K6, P1, K2.
3. Purl across.
4. K2, P1, 3x3 cable, P1, K2.

Knit in pattern until piece measures the circumference of the baby's head when stretched an appropriate amount. (Stretch the headband, not the baby's head). End on row 4 if at all possible, and keep your stitches live.

Seaming:
Cut about 6 inches or so of yarn and thread a tapestry needle. Start a kitchener stitch on your live stitches by inserting the needle through the last stitch knit-wise (the needle with your live stitches should be above with wrong side facing you, and your cast-on edge should be below with right side facing you). Insert the needle from the right outside edge and behind both bars of the right-most stitch below the cast-on edge. Continue with the kitchener on your knitting needle: insert the tapestry needle purl-wise through the stitch and drop it off, then insert the needle knit-wise into the next stitch. This time, insert your tapestry needle from the front and right side of the next stitch, pass beneath both bars of this stitch and bring the needle back to the front. You may notice that your seaming on the cast-on edge strongly resemble mattress stitch. Continue in this manner, occasionally tugging very gently to give this "row" similar tension to the rest of your knitting, until all stitches have been bound off. Weave in your ends on the back, and finish by tying the two ends in a tight square knot. Slick cotton is sneaky.

Now make some leaves, flowers, butterflies, bugs, etc and embellish to your heart's content. I used crochet but there are also knitted patterns for nature motifs. Embroidery is also pretty on this headband.

Copyright 2008 © Elizabeth Thomas
Free for personal use. Do not sell this pattern. Do not distribute this pattern (except by linking directly to it here). Do not sell items made from this pattern without my express written permission.

Very Close Now

I have been working on the sample and the pattern for Thalia a lot lately, and I am delighted to report that there is only one small bit left to do (pattern diagrams) before sending everything in. Whew!

I had originally thought that this yarn would be perfect for my pattern... but the gauge was a bit more different than I realized at first. So I had to tweak for my row gauge. Kind of a lot actually, although the gauge wasn't off that much. The pattern is very involved around the straps and I had to work through each size separately. Again. Hahaha.


Here is the sample of Thalia, pre-blocking. I extended the armhole by half an inch after making and wearing my prototype a bit, and I was delighted to find that this version fits very comfortably with the adjustment.







And the final completion, blocked and all. I didn't try it on after I blocked it... I don't know if I was superstitious or what! I'm going to wait and enjoy seeing it on Sanguine Gryphon's model (and hope that she doesn't have an extra-long torso, haha)!












And what else have I been doing? I did get a pair of felted slippers finished for my boy.



They took a fair bit of felting, and I did a few sessions of hand-felting to get them small enough and shaped right. They're from a Drops pattern, I made the smallest size with one strand of patons wool.




I also made a couple of hats before Christmas, for my nephews... and of course I forgot them when I left to visit family. Dur. But I remembered to bring the hats with me for their birthday (they're twins). I'm still working on the youngest nephew's hat, or rather I should say I'm still neglecting it with little left to be finished.


This is from the One for All Cap by Tuulia.






This is the Skull Hat by Gina (check the sidebar for the pattern).




I'll show the last hat if I ever finish it.

Fitted Pocket Diaper Pattern

Well, several asked and I have finally finished writing it up. Please check the sidebar under "My Stuff to Share" for the pattern.

I need to warn you, this is not a pattern for the faint of heart. Or the beginner (sorry!). If you have questions or difficulties, don't be afraid to contact me and I will try to help you. :^)

The Ravelry Ate My Blog Posts

It's true, I swear. I have been very good at posting on Ravelry, and not so good about keeping up with my blog.

But I do have some things to chat about. Remember my pattern, Thalia?

Sanguine Gryphon has accepted my submission (pending a few details). It will highlight her yarn Dance, which is 100% silk noil. I've started working on getting the pattern into the appropriate format for her, and I'm going to be knitting a sample piece for her too.

I've knit up a cute little raglan for my boy in the same yarn in the Merengue color. (I ran out, haha, so I had to switch to a different yarn at the collar). He loves this sweater. Such a good boy. :^)

The spiraling on the sleeves is a defect of my method with DPNs. Ah well, it's better than ladders and has become less noticeable with wear.





I have some more things to add (as always), but they will have to wait.

P.S. - I have started on the Knitted Fitted Pocket Diaper pattern, but it's going to be a while before I finish it with a toddler around. I've gotten to a section that requires concentration (partly to remember what on earth I did, hah).

Knitted Fitted Pocket Diaper

I thought I would try out a pocket diaper, but I didn't feel like buying or sewing one so I knitted it instead.









It still requires a diaper cover to be worn with it. It's just nice because it has the gussets on the side (which is kind of a luxury for us because we normally just use prefolds).

I'm thinking I might try to figure out a sewn version later. This one is really a little too stretchy around the waist.

Sneaky Raven

Ooh, something shiny! Mine!









Sometimes I forget to take pictures of the pretty things I make before I give them away, but this time I remembered. I think I like this origami presentation, don't you? I had the idea the other day and just started going with it. It just makes it kind of impossible to write in pertinent details, like materials and recommended needle size.

I have some knitting pictures I need to catch up, but I don't have time to do it right now.