Crafting Like Crazy

I can't remember the last time when I sat down with nothing to do. Keeping up with the three boys and all my projects has left no time for boredom (thank goodness!).

Last week we had a pirate birthday party for my oldest boys. I remember why I usually go somewhere and have their parties - somewhere with no set up or clean up! It was a blast though. I think all 18 kids and about as many adults had a good time. We had this kids "walk the plank", dig for treasure, go on a treasure hunt and break a pirate pinata. But, my biggest project for the party was this board. I've had something like this in my head for years, so it was good to finally create it. I'm also blessed to have a husband that can help with the logistics of my crazy ideas.

The kids had a blast having their pictures taken. They had even more fun when we had the dads stick their heads in for a water balloon cannon ball fight!

I also just shipped off my third sample knit for Knit Picks. That's been a fun adventure for me. I'm also working on a test knit for Stitch Sisterz. They're starting up a new online store and wanted some people to test some yarn for them. The nice part is I got to pick the yarn and the pattern - and I get to keep the final project!

I picked two shades of their Taiga L'Attitude yarn to make the Lace-Tipped Striped Scarf from Closely Knit. I have to say I've really enjoyed knitting with the yarn. It's a pure merino wool that is so soft and has great stitch definition.

I've seen several similar scarves (although not as detailed or as pretty) popping up in stores lately. So, at $3.50 per skein for 295 yds I think I may have just hit the jackpot for my Christmas gifting!

Perfect for a Pretty Little Girl

Pattern: Sunday Brunch Jacket from The little Sublime hand knit book

Yarn: Magic Garden Classic 4-Ply Baby Yarn, about 4 skeins for size 6 - 12 mo.

Needles: US 3 & US 6

I just love all the patterns in this book! This is the fourth piece I've made from this booklet. It turned out too cute!

I made this a little big so my friend's little girl can wear it when it turns cold. I sewed on three different buttons before I had the perfect ones. I didn't make any mods - perfect as is!

Eileen Tank

Pattern: Eileen Tank by Jillian Moreno
Yarn: Shine Worsted, 6.5 skeins
Needles: US 6 and US 5 for finishing around neck and arm finishing

This was my first Sample Knit project for Knit Picks. I still can't believe I got paid to knit! What a dream!
The lace pattern on the back of the tank is gorgeous! I love the Shine Worsted yarn and the color – beautiful! The pattern is well written, despite having a huge gauge discrepancy. I’m not familiar with the recommend yarn for the project, so I don’t know how it compares to Shine Worsted or if I’d really get gauge in the recommended yarn using US 2 needles. I did notice on Ravelry that others who have made this piece also got gauge using size 6 or 7 needles.

If I were making this top for myself I’d make a few changes. I'd add about 3 to 4 inches to the length and I wouldn't make the turned-under hem in the front. As I mentioned in my Leaf Yoke sweater blog, I'm not a fan of that particular hem for heavier weight yarns.

I'm anxious to use Knit Picks' Shine Worsted again for some of my own projects. I'm also looking forward to sharing some of my other Knit Picks projects in the coming months.

Leaf Yoke Top in Teal

Pattern: Leaf Yoke Top by Angela Hahn, Knit 1 Spg/Sum 09
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in New Age Teal, 2.5 skeins
Needles: US 7 & 5

I love this top! It is one of my all-time favorite knits! I've had good luck this summer because my Zickzack Tunic is another favorite of mine. Maybe it's the teal color thing!

I have 2.75 skeins of Cotton Fleece left over from my Apricot Jacket that I used for this piece. I was sweating it for awhile worried that I wouldn't have enough yarn. As it turned out, I ended up with a fair amount left over.

I did make a few mods to this sweater. I don't like turned under hems in bulkier weight yarns. They tend to pucker and don't lay flat. I also like my sweaters at least 13 to 14" in length from the arm shaping, so mine is about 13 inches vs. 11.5 inches.

After seeing this same pattern knit with a decorative trim instead of the hem I decided that's what I would do too (Thank goodness for Ravelry!). I created my own pattern and I like the way it turned out. I tried to complement the lace yoke portion. I added one row in garter stitch to help prevent rolling a bit. Then, I bound off with the I-cord edging.

I also used US 5 needles and only picked up 45 stitches around the armholes. That's my one complaint about this pattern - the armholes run a bit big. I think on my next one I'll modify the armholes a little more and bring them up a little.

This is a great top and I can't wait to finish my next one in Wild Orange!

Vogue Ruffled Cardi

Pattern: Ruffled Cardigan, by Faith Hale, Vogue Spring/Summer 2009

Yarn: Patons Brilliant, 5.5 skeins (if I remember correctly)

Needles: US 6

The recommended yarn for this piece is Tilli Thomas Disco Lights, which is a stunning silk yarn with sequins. However, the $40 per skein price tag makes this little cardi a luxury item pretty fast.

For mine I chose a more economical yarn - Patons Brilliant - in a light blue from my stash. It has silver thread running through, which gives it a little sparkle like the Disco Lights. Other than price, the biggest difference in the Tilli Thomas and the Patons is drape. Patons Brilliant knits up a stiffer fabric than the Tilli Thomas, but it worked OK for this piece. The Patons Brilliant is a chain-constructed yarn and it is very splitty, making is a bit of a pain to work with at times.

I did go up a needle size to get recommended gauge for this project. I also made a few mods to the pattern. I knit 6 row ruffle repeat a total of 4 times and then I knit three rows in garter stitch, binding off on the last row. This helps the ruffle from rolling backwards a bit. And since the hem on the lower sweater edge is also knit in garter stitch it works pretty well.

My biggest mod was the sleeves. I did not like the funky sleeve cap at all. I frogged back and knit straight. Then I added a short-row ruffled sleeve cap instead.

I like how this piece turned out. It fits great. However, this is not a piece I'll be able to grab from my closet, throw on and rush out the door. It does take a bit of time to adjust the ruffles so they drape evenly.

This is one reason we moved back "home" to Colorado. The boys have had so much fun spending time with their cousins.

This is one reason we moved away from Minnesota . However, this photo was not taken in Minnesota. What?! After a close call with a twister in Minnesota last summer, I was looking forward to a typically more uneventful storm season in Colorado. However, yesterday afternoon my NOAA alarm (which I highly recommend) sounded - a tornado warning! I checked our local news. Nothing. Went upstairs to wake my little guy to go to the basement. I looked out his window and this what I saw!

This is a project I finished last week. It's a cute, simple top from Ella Rae Book Seven. I knit it in 5 skeins of Ella Rae silkience on the recommended US 6 and 7 needles. I wanted the lace portion to have more positive ease than the bodice, so I blocked it about 3 or 4 inches larger than the schematics showed. It's a cute top and I'm happy with the results.

FO: Sleeveless Button Tab Top

Pattern: Sleeveless Top with Neck Detail, Sirdar Just Bamboo

Yarn: Gedifra Cotton Merino

Needles: US 9

I started this top back in January and just now completed it. This was the project I kept in my car for all those times I had to wait for the kids to get out of school. It's knit almost entirely in stockinette stitch and has minimal shaping. The hardest part of this piece was getting the button tabs attached evenly. I would have made this top a tad longer, but I was using leftover yarn from another project and I was worried there wouldn't be enough yarn if I lengthen the piece.

By the way, can't you tell I LOVE getting my picture taken?!