Blankets for a Baby

I've been wanting to share just some of the beautiful handmade gifts that we've received for Baby Luscious. I managed to scope out a local swap group on Facebook for several days and snag a quilt rack for only $20. It's simple enough that I can put it in any room I want later, and it will be fine in a boy's room for a while. Score!

 

So let's start with those in the front. You've seen these before. The one on the left if the Mini Sunny Spread and the one on the right is the Thistle Baby Afghan. These are both made by me. 

This quilt is huge! Well, at least in baby standards. It's probably big enough to get good coverage on a full size bed. It was made by a woman who used to work in my dad's office. She recently (like in the last year) took up quilting and this is only her second quilt! We received this at my baby shower in California back in June and I was very appreciative to receive such a thoughtful gift!

 

Finally, on the left is the crocheted blanket that my mother made. She used something like 8 or 9 skeins of Plymouth Encore Colorspun for that little blanket (each skein is 200yds). That crocheted ripple stitch sure is a wool eater. While I'm not a big fan of Encore, I am really surprised by how soft and nice it feels after a run through the washing machine and dryer. I'm very excited to have this to add to the collection. You may remember the blanket my mother made that I still use to this day (albeit mine's a little larger). On the right is a lace blanket made by my friend Amy. I am in love with the pattern and the gray yarn. I think she said it was Knit Picks Comfy. It has this really nice microfiber-y feel to it. 

There will be more to come this week!

Birthday Stash

I think it could be said that around the time of my birthday I tend to want to shower myself with gifts. Last year my yarn stash saw a bit of an increase. This year however, I'm not really feeling like knitting for myself since I can't fit into anything. I still have the itch though, but how to scratch it? Luckily, I was the recipient of some pretty awesome gifts. 

My brother sent me 60 Quick Baby Knits. Very appropriate considering my birthday fell on Mother's Day this year. I've already started planning a few projects for Baby Luscious. 

My friend Amy gifted me with The Knitter's Life List. This is a really fun read with a lot of ideas on how to expand your knitted horizons. 

And the big hit of the night...

was my new set of Addi Clicks! How did my husband know this is exactly what I wanted? 

It may have had something to do with the email and link I sent him in March. 

Now I really want to cast on for something new but can't decide what. I finished my Featherweight Cardigan last night so I'll be sharing that soon!

New Stuff

Last night I cast on for something new with a skein of Malabrigo that has been lingering in my stash since 2009. I had balled this yarn way back when I didn't yet have a yarn ball winder. Today, I received my very first yarn bowl! And if you're wondering, since I had already cast on my new project, instead of pulling out the few rows I had, I unwound the entire ball of yarn only to thread it through the hole and wind it back up. 

 

This was made by the computer teacher at my school. We arranged to have a trade of one yarn bowl for one pair of hand knit socks. I haven't started on her socks yet (I'm going to have to get cracking on that this weekend) but this morning she came in with five yarn bowls for me to choose from. She hadn't made these before but said she was just trying out some fun things now that she had.

I love it!

Just Stuff

Just thought I'd give you a quick update on what's going on around here. This past week has been super busy with work stuff and I still have my sample knit on the needles, so there isn't anything finished quite yet. I am almost done, however, and I can guarantee you this is going to be another fabulous and comfy knit from Hannah.

 

This was also a great week for mail because I won a great new crochet book by Linda Permann on Robyn Chachula's blog, Crochet by Faye. When I got my package I found that Robyn had included a skein of Spud & Chloe Outer in the color Sandbox! I love Spud & Chloe so I'll have to brainstorm something fun for this skein.

 

I also received a wonderful birthday package from my online friend and blogger, Zina at His Glory Hand Knits. In it was a great skein of fingering weight yarn she had hand dyed herself as well as a little project notebook and some really darling stitch markers. I felt very spoiled!

 

To top it all off, guess what I found this morning?

Small Project Swap

Today was my knitting group's Small Project Swap. My spoilee was Juniper and she had asked for a beret or tam from her Ravelry favorites. So for her, I decided to knit the Ishbel Beret.

 

 

Pre-blocking

Post-blocking 

I blocked it twice, the first time being a bit too beret-y and not tam-y enough. The second time turned out much better. This pattern uses a fingering weight yarn but knits up pretty quickly. I had some issues messing up the lace pattern in the first repeat but eventually got the hang of it.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and am still dying to knit myself a hat. 

 

Pattern: Ishbel Beret by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Cascade Heritage

Needles: #2 (brim) and #5 (lace) 16 inch circulars

Began: November 14

Completed: November 23

Ravelry Link

Amy had me for the swap and knit (and felted) me a pair of my very own French Press Slippers!

 

I've already taken to wearing them in my house and tried to get a decent picture, but it sure is cold outside right now. So I just went back in the house. But thank you Amy!!

 

The scene on my deck a minute ago.  I was trying to set up the self-timer on the camera and realized I didn't feel like standing in the cold in order to do so. Notice Timber trying to drink the frozen water in the dog dish.