GRATEFUL FOR YARN

The second little baby sweater set for a future great grandchild is now added to the box.  The little bit that was left over of the sweater yarn was just enough to make a pom-pom on top of the hat! Thank you to whoever suggested it to me in the comments!

I am making progress with the mitered squares blanket--the colors are coming out oddly but I am enjoying this and I will just keep knitting for at least another two rows. 

 No, I am not bored with all the garter knitting! 

My plans for finishing the quilt on the frame didn't happen. 

 A migraine put me down for the count.  A dark room, quiet and laying flat on my back took up most of the day 

but I did do some knitting later in the day as its grip let up.

 

OH, SO PRETTY!

My hibiscus are finally blooming again after the freezes of last winter which knocked the bush back to a stubby few sticks!  I am so glad they came back!

The second baby sweater is finished but buttonless right now.  I am heading to town on Tuesday to the dermatologist AND to pick up my sewing machine which has been fixed finally! (My Cadillac machine has been waiting for a part and is now repaired so I don't have to use my portable class machine that I have been using since June!)   While I am out and about, I will be getting buttons for it!  My friend, Mary, is going with me so we will make a day of it-doctor's, pick-up the sewing machine,  lunch, Michaels and then Hobby Lobby!  

And look how pretty my orchid is!  Bill did a good job of caring for it while I was in NY!  There are 11 flowers on this stalk!  It's stunning!

 

YARN LOVING!

The buttons have been sewn on the little sweater;  I used buttons from my Mom's and her Mom's button box so I added the love of the past generations into this.  This pattern has no buttonholes knitted in because you use buttons that will fit between the stitches-this way, you can make a sweater and not worry about which way to button it up;  I like that kind of freedom!

I have also cast on the feminine version of the sweater--I started it but will save the rest to make on the air plane home next week-I have to plan ahead!

The knit blanket is taking longer but progress is occurring--see the colors changing finally!!!  Right now the blanket is 22" wide so about the halfway mark.  It is very relaxing to work on it, I am glad to admit!

 

SWEETNESS!

Finished---One cute 6 month sized sweater and hat 

for my to-be-determined future great-grandchild!  

The yarn is Babe from Knit Fever; I used a skein and just a bit of the second one which would be about 220 yards for this set and I probably have enough for a pair of little socks! 

 I have a cotton/acrylic skein to start the next sweater today!

 

A SPECIAL BABY SWEATER

I thought I would take a page from my Mother's book and knit a few baby sets for my first great-grandchild which isn't a reality but I hope it will happen in the next five years!  This yarn is from two skeins from my daughter so I thought it would be a fitting use for this yarn--to be used for her first someday grandchild!    Sharing the joy already...

 

DECEMBER DELIGHTS

The poinsettias are right on time!  These plants stand about 4' tall--we've had them for years!

The baby sweater crocheted in Granny Stitch is done and I even made a Granny Stitch beret to match!

I can't wait to gift it to the new baby.  This is the 3-6 month size so it will fit all winter here.

 

FINDING COLOR

A friend has just delivered a new baby girl and I wanted to gift her a sweater and hat.  I want a beret for the hat and I haven't found one yet, but I will!    (it's from MJ's off the hook blog)

Every morning there are new camillias on the bushes!

There is just one bush that is behind the others but it is always the last one!

This bush has several shades of red, red/white and red/pink.  This one is my favorite, though~

The robins are here!  We usually see them by Dec 1 so they are a few days early!  This cold snap has blown down the whole east coast so it convinced the birds to head south!  But even here we have a freeze warning!  So unwelcome around my yard! lol

 

FINIISHES FOR THIS FRIDAY

The baby sweater is finished; 

 ready for the baby shower on Sunday!  

I made this for a little boy at church.  He always has such interesting stories about what he was going to invent that I suggested he draw them for now so he will remember all of his great ideas.  

I think he will very happy with this notebook just for him!

I have finished half of the latest dotz picture!  

 

BABY SWEATER

After knitting the baby sweater for my niece  in the winter,

 I misplaced the pattern!   Well, I placed it where I looked for it 10 times but it was in a knitter's chart minder which I never thought to open when pawing through my knitting shelf! lol 

 When I found it, I began right away--I only have 10 days to make it before I need it for a shower gift! lol

 

Yarn and Fleece

 

 The first little shrug is completed;  it is a size 12 months.

I will start another one is size 2 years today for big sister!

It is a thin yarn but has a halo so it is going to be very soft to wear!

I fluffed up the washed fleece outside so I could pick out and shake out some vegetable material.

Today I will put it in the pot and dye it a light sage before I card it and spin it.

It takes a big of time but enjoyable every step on its way to becoming yarn!

This is one pound of Gulf Native Fiber.  

I have several skeins already spun from years past in natural

and two in light rose which I had dyed from Prickly Pear Cactus fruit 

so I think the sage will make a good complement for some colorwork knitting ahead!

Sweet Azaleas

 Another baby sweater-are you tired of the yarn yet?!  

It sure works out nicely for all of my experiments, though.

This one is the 2 hour baby cardigan but it took me almost 2x that long!

Maybe on  my fifth one I will hit the two hour mark!

This is about a size 6-9 months and is knit from front to front all in one piece 

even with the raglan sleeves! 

Once I began to understand the instructions for the sleeve portions, 

I could then move right along!  

I even knit the front bands without a hitch-well, almost--the extra 4 rows on the front bands 

messed up the center of the sweater fronts--they are too wide just that little bit which makes a little centering problem. 

Sigh.

  Noted for the next project!

I blocked this and steamed the edges and then crocheted the edges around neck, 

hem and sleeve hems.  

I'm ready to buy a skein of this yarn for boys and keep up the practice roll!

Come on up my Azalea lined driveway for a visit!

It's the same colors as the yarn!

FO But Not Blocked

A little knitting is happening in spite of a major back spasm.

A pinched nerve?

Pain...

I can knit, if I don't move too much,

don't yank the yarn out of the skein,

don't turn to look at my notes.

The sweater was a quick finish on the machine-

I did add the button bands and neckband by hand--

I can't skim that carriage back and forth.

I like the lace at the front and back hem;  it was a good exercise in design.

And the only exercise I am doing right now!