Knitted - As In Past Tense

I believe that all of the photos in this collage were taken in late 2011. It was the year that I actually accomplished something - at least in knitting. Since then, I've knitted...

...absolutely nothing. Not a single project.

I need to get back into this. It was fun, not exactly relaxing, but a sense of accomplishment when I finished the project. I have friends who can knit and watch TV. I definitely cannot do that. And I definitely can't knit and blog or knit and read or knit and make soap.

The little hooded (or not hooded, if you prefer) sweater is from the booklet, Lillie's Little Sweater (see below). It is quite easy (I know that's a relative term), but even I managed to knit three sweaters using the pattern, which is written for 0-3 mo (6, 12, 24, 36). I used Vanna's Choice Barley, Vanna's Choice Oatmeal, and Wool-ease Dark Heather Rose. I knitted hoods for the boys' sweaters, but not for the baby sweater.

Scarf:  Yarn Harlot, free pattern for quick scarf.

Apple Hat: Knitting Pattern Central, Sara Galley

White and blue stripe hat with ear flaps:  This hat is a variation on a theme. Found as the adult hat in the Stitch'n'Bitch book by Debbie Stoller, I cast on fewer stitches and did several rows of seed stitch, then made the crown taller than it would have been for a baby hat so that it could be turned up. Okay, to be honest, the taller crown was a mind-wandering accident. But it turned out to be perfect for folding the brim up. I would do it again, if I could. Unfortunately, I can't usually repeat happy accidents. Stitches are picked up at the bottom of the turned up brim, then earflaps with I-cord are knitted on. Wool-Ease 402 Wheat for the main color and 107 Blue Heather love that color of blue!! is what I used for the stripe.

Watermelon Hat: Free on Spud and Chloe website.

Fuzzy Knitted Lamb:  'Beautiful' yarn, free pattern found online at fuzzymitten.com

Cupcake Tea Cozy:  from Ravelry

Medieval Knight's (or German Shepherd's) Coif: I found this somewhere online, probably free, and although I printed out the instructions, I do not have the URL. You'll probably be able to find it, doing a search on 'Child's Winter Helmet Pattern' 'Knit.'  I made it in gray, obviously. What knight do you know wears a purple or blue striped coif??

Purse: I made this from Lopi Icelandic wool and by guessing at how many stitches to cast on, etc.

Except for the year before, when I made about 15 hats of various colors and sizes, this is the extent of my knitting repertoire. I hope by the end of the winter I will be able to tell you that I knitted something - anything - in 2015.

 Shoe pockets, over-the-door

Where I keep my yarn and 'tools.'
I need to dust it off and get busy!

 Photo I took at

Darn Knit Anyway, a yarn shop in Stillwater, MN

The two youngest grandchildren are still waiting for theirs.
And I call myself a grandma?? 

Have a wonderful day, friends, and I hope you have a very productive 2015. I haven't even added the birthdays to my new calendar yet!

 

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties:  Amaze Me Monday and Inspiration Monday and Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective and    Treasure Box Tuesday and Vintage Bliss Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Our World Tuesday and Tuesdays at our Home and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Vintage Inspiration Wednesday and A Creative Princess and Ivy and Elephants Wednesday and Adorned From Above  and Artsy Corner Thursday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Saturday's Critters

Children's Knitted Sweaters

Henry's Sweater

Vanna's Choice 'Barley'

These two little hooded sweaters, size 2, were knitted before Christmas to give to the two youngest grandsons. I had intended to knit Glenn's sweater for his April birthday, but when I found that I had a couple weeks to work on it before Christmas, I decided to give myself the challenge of getting his sweater ready too! As it turned out, I was finishing it and putting the buttons on while the family was here for Christmas!

Glenn's Sweater

Vanna's Choice 'Oatmeal'

I used size 8 Addi Turbo circular needles and Vanna's Choice yarn. I love the look of the Oatmeal and Barley yarns. They look so natural and so preppy! And, I was able to find buttons that went perfectly with the two sweaters and still didn't cost an arm and a leg (as buttons are wont to do).

Admittedly, the sweaters are a bit big on the boys now, but I figure it would be way worse if they were too small. So, they'll grow into them.

The pattern I used is from Cottage Creations, 'Lillie's Little Sweater.' I had to add my own notes to it as I was knitting, for even the simplest of patterns has to be translated in my own wee brain after I've worked out the sticky bits.

Poor Henry - Most of the problems were worked out on his sweater. Still, I'll tell him that it carries the 'family heirloom -  first sweater that Grandma ever knit' title, (so we'll pretend that's worth something. :-)

And then in January, I knitted this little sweater, same pattern, with Wool-Ease Dark Rose Heather for a darling little baby girl named Priska. Isn't that the cutest name!

I love the little flower-shaped buttons!

If you look closely, you can see where I totally messed up on the cuff. But I was working with five needles at the time and felt like I was fighting a porcupine! It was horrid! I figured that Priska could use this as her work sweater, wearing it when she goes out to feed the chickens, perhaps. Oh wait. She is only a month old. That might not work.

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This post is linked to some or all of the following: Mop it Up Mondays and Skip to My Lou and Bedazzle Me Monday and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday and  Made from Scratch Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and Overflowing With Creativity and What's Cookin' Wednesday and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Threading Your Way and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog and Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and  Home and Family Friday

Lillie's Little Sweater

I had to show you the sweater that my friend Beth knit for Baby Henry. It is the most darling thing ever! I love her choice of colors, an enchanting frog green. And the leather buttons make it look so preppy!

Lillie's Little Sweater is the pattern she used. In fact, she once started me on this pattern but I think I wasn't ready for it at that time. I'm not sure I'm ready for it now, but I may just give it another try. I'm so inspired by this cute little green sweater she made.

Look at this sweet little hood! There's just something about the hood that really makes it a spectacular little sweater!  

You can find the Lillie's Little Sweater pattern at Halcyon Yarn. The yarn she chose is extraordinary, a beautiful, soft, washable wool by

 

and I think the color she chose is 'Happy Forest.' You can see some of the other colors at Dream In Color's website.

And, a photo of some of the Dream in Color yarn I found at the 'Darn Knit Anyway' shop in Stillwater, Minnesota.

I'll be sure to post a pic of Little Henry in his Lillie's Little Sweater - as soon as he's wearing it! By the looks of this latest pic, it shouldn't be too long. :-)

This post is linked to Just Something I Whipped Up Monday
and Motivate Me Monday
and Making the World Cuter Monday
and Meet and Greet Monday