a few finished items, stitches

I am back to my non-regular posting schedule with pictures of finished stuff like once a month. Here we go.

First of all, bike helmet ear warmers for Niels

bike helmet ear warmers for Niels

No action shot because he doesn't like them. They're too tight under his helmet or something. Live and learn.

Next up, things knit with Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton that I got from the BobaKnit yarnswap. I was seized with the desire to knit it all up immediately.

Blanket for Pete and Surgirtha's baby (born a few days ago, I better send it off).

star blanket

star blanket

Baby Bolero from One Skein for Diana's baby, also born a few days go, also not yet delivered.

one skein baby bolero

Single Cable Scarf, also from One Skein, for my mom.

green cabled scarf

green cabled scarf

The two babies are also getting bunny buddies, of course.

more bunnies

I have no idea what this yarn is. My aunt gave it to me from my grandmother's stash, I believe. It's some kind of cotton plied with a thread so it's bumpy. It makes a nice bunny.

My Anhinga is also finished but it is blocking right now. I'm trying to see if the pleat stays in just from blocking or if I'll to sew a tuck it. We'll see soon, I hope.

Last weekend was Stitches West. I took a class on sweater finishing that was mostly about swatching, including washing your swatches so you understand your fiber and then about seaming. I do think I learned some new techniques that will help me improve my seaming but I could have lived without the instructor trying to convince me that I am allergic to dyes and not wool. Trust me lady, I am sure I'm allergic to wool, just ask my nebulizer.

As I mentioned, my lovely Boba friends gave me a gift card for WEBS. I used it to buy a sweater's worth of Seduce.

I also got the books I mentioned previously (Berroco booklet #294 and Norah Gaughan Vol. 6) from WEBS and Whimsical Little Knits by Ysolda Teague from Verb For Keeping Warm. I want to make Ishbel out of the Handmaiden Sea Silk that I bought at Stitches two years ago… I think? (I looked it up, yes, it was two years ago!)

pattern books

Last but not least, I got a few tools and notions.

tools

Three bone "wandas" by Lacis from Carolina Homespun, they're a crochet hook on one end and a knitting needle on the other. One of my friends described it perfectly: it's an "oh crap!" tool. Perfect for fixing things; the Sinature circulars were too hard to resist once I learned that the point rotates on the cable! If you knit on circular needles you'll probably understand right away why I think that's a wonderful idea; last up: highlighter tape, red from the wooden sock blocker people and yellow from The Mannings. The highlighter tape has already enabled me to go back to my tapestry cowl, a double knitting colorwork project with no repeats in the pattern. NO REPEATS. I might get it finished by the time it's cold again, which would be a Good Thing.

Just because they're so awesome, here are the points of my Signature Needles.

pointy points

I find Stitches to be inspiring and exhausting at the same time. It inspired me to finish my Anhinga and then to pick up two UFOs that had been hanging around but by Sunday night I was so tired, and I didn't even spend time in the marketplace except on Thursday evening and Sunday after my class. I'm not sure what it is: the crowds, the wool fumes, the sensory overload. I'm going with all three.

I'm glad Stitches is over and now I need to focus on finishing the projects I have planned with this year's yarn AND last year's! That sweater still hasn't been knit either. Oops.

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more bunnies!

Susanne's babies like these so much she asked me to make two more to have one in case one needs to be washed or such. You know I'm a sucker for bunnies, so I was happy to oblige.

blanket buddies

It was nice to see the bunnies after they'd be used and loved and washed for a while. The yarn really bloomed up in a lovely way. The ones in the front are the new ones.

twin blanket buddies

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oink

stefan’s pig

I made Stefan a pig for his birthday (Ravelry project details). I wanted to finish it in time for his party which had a loose animal theme, but I wasn't fast enough. He really likes it and Niels, my mother and one of Niels' friends have all requested pigs of their own.

I also made Nada Nother Bunny Buddy last week for my cousin's wife, who is pregnant (Ravelry project details). I'm hoping that it got there on time for the baby shower yesterday, so now I can post it, since she reads this blog.

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Justin Other Bunny*

I started making another bunny (Ravelry details), making him slightly larger as I said. Then I realized that i had missed a vital step in the first one, I hadn't made his paws! No wonder I couldn't easily knot the sides like it said in the instructions. So, Justin (as I've named this one) has better paws. I also made his head a bit rounded but I don't think that does anything for him so I'm leaving it off the next one. Yes, I've already started the next one. I think I might be hooked.

* This is from the old knock knock joke about Easter bunnies.

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blanket bunny

I decide that Kate's recipient's baby brother needed some knitted love too, so I whipped up a blanket buddy (Ravelry details) for him. I started it last night and finished it this afternoon. Stefan glommed on to this one too and is currently sleeping with it, so I'm going to make another. I was going to leave it without a face but Niels objected and I'm glad he did! I think the face makes it much cuter.

I'm working on the second one, I'm going to change him a little bit to make the blanket part bigger and maybe try to make his head a bit rounded. I think I'd like to make a few more in different yarns, actually!

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