Put a Fork in Me...

...I'm done with the Umbilical Cord Hats. I don't think I could knit another one if my life depended on it. I don't know how some people knit or crochet the same thing over and over again!

This one was knitted in Cascade 220 Tweed #7608. I added the flower to cover up a mysterious hole. I have no idea what happened.

Can You Date This Photo?

Me and my first car: a 1969 VW Beetle Convertible. August 1987. University of Arkansas at Monticello.

I wish I still had that car.

Plodding Along

Another Umbilical Cord Hat for charity:



One completed sleeve on the Easy Baby Cardigan:

Itty Bitty FO

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat from SnB

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool #021

Needles: Size 7 24-inch Addi Naturas

Modifications: None

Thoughts: Fast. Easy. Cute. Gauge came out to five spi rather than the called for four, but this is fine for a charity hat. You only really need five inches of I-cord for the top knot. I'm going to try to make several of these before the deadline.

I've also made progress on the Easy Baby Cardigan. More on that when I finish. Surely the sleeves will go quickly.

I'm trying to resist casting on for a Monkey. I started a DK-weight sock, but the larger needles seemed cumbersome after using twos for the baby socks. I bought some size two Sox Stix, and I'm chomping at the bit to use them on the Monkeys.

I realize that my posts lately have left a lot to be desired. My enthusiasm for blogging has waned since I joined Ravelry. It seems redundant for me to blog now because Ravelry accomplishes all that I intended for the blog to accomplish, and then some!

Introduction to Lace

• Pattern: Cabled Lace Bookmark by Sivia Harding, 2007 Knitting Pattern-A-Day Calendar (The calendar has been a great disappointment, on the whole.)
• Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Fingering Weight in Baby Girl (Look familiar?)
• Needles: Size 5 Lantnern Moon DPNs
• Modifications: None

What else can I say? Now I get the lace thing.

Crochet Interlude

I haven't knitted a stitch in a week, and I'm having withdrawals! The reason being that I've been preparing for the beginning crochet class I began teaching last night. My preparation included making the Shelly scarf from CrochetMe. It will be our final class project.

Pattern: Shelly

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue (less than one skein)

Hook: K/6.5 mm

Modifications: 78 rows rather than 68, and it still could have been longer.

Easy. Fast. Inexpensive. Impressive looking for a beginning crocheter. Free pattern. Large hook. Met all of my criteria for a class project.

I WILL KNIT TODAY!

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Earlier in the week, Alicia mentioned a Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe that I was inspired to try, and I finally had my chance this afternoon. I've been looking for a simple, delicious pound cake recipe that I can make with ingredients I have on hand. Since I usually have buttermilk for making our weekly pancake dinner, this recipe seemed to meet at least one of my criteria.

The cake WAS simple to make. It turned out beautifully after cooling fifteen rather than ten minutes, and the use of almond extract rather than lemon extract made it taste...

Mmmm... Exactly what I've been looking for!

FO: Basic Baby Socks

• Pattern: Basic Baby Socks by Theresa Gaffey (Pattern purchased at LYS. I could not find a web site for Ms. Gaffey.)
• Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Fingering Weight in "Baby Girl"
• Needles: Size 2 Brittany Birch DPNs
• Modifications: Rather than have a turned down cuff, I knitted 18 rows of ribbing per Miriam Felton's baby sock pattern. (The Felton pattern is free from her online store. Go here to get the pattern.)

The pattern is excellent—extremely well-written, and I am pleased with the looks of the finished product, but they do look a little large for a newborn. I am sending them to the intended recipent today, so we'll see.

Once I got about halfway through the first sock I began to enjoy myself, but it may be some time before I attempt to knit an adult sock using fingering weight yarn. I just don't have that much knitting time at my disposal!

(After viewing the photo again, I think I'll block the socks first before I send them on.)

Progress Report

Slow and steady progress...

I have completed one baby sock, and I am halfway through the ribbing on the second one. I actually enjoyed knitting the second half of the sock, but I still can't imagine knitting a pair of adult-sized socks in fingering weight yarn!

I have about three inches of stockinette left on the body of the baby cardigan. I'm expecting the sleeves to go more quickly sans purling. (I hope I am not disappointed!)

And I am moving along on the ripple blanket. I work on this primarly during our Friday night video watching time. At the rate I'm going, I should be done in a couple of months. However, it is more likely that as I near the end, I will be motivated to finish it, and I will kick the crocheting in high gear.

Despite all of this activity, I'm trying to resist the urge to cast on for a pair of socks for myself!

NH Knitting Mama Contest

NH Knitting Mama is having a contest. She has designed an adorable knitted bag called "Mandy's Candy Bag" and has posted the pattern on her blog for free. Check out the pattern and related contest details here.