Little bitty swatches

I've spent the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday swatching away. Five swatches, to be exact to get the right gauge for a new pattern that is in the works: the Honeycomb Jacket for Babies and Toddlers.

I've done swatches on size 11's and size 10's with the Stitch 'N Bitch yarn that I originally was going to use on this honeycomb Jacket...but decided that I didn't literally want a "honeycomb" colorway, but a multicolored colorway that was thinner so it was a lighter type of jacket meant for Spring/Fall weather or a chilly house.

Enter: new type of yarn, the Bernat Mosaics that looks like Noro yarn. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for real wool, but I couldn't resist the charms of these yarns. They stripe in several colors when knit up...and it looks like I did all of the work! (Not to mention I got these for a great deal, so I bought more colorways...)

Enter: me knitting up a jacket for the size of an 8 year-old...because the smaller swatches lied. (Frog.)

Lot's of hours later after swatching, math, more swatching, more math...the gauge seems to be near-exact.

Of course I plan on knitting it in what my preemie toddlers fit at 18-24 months as tiny-beanies...which is a standard 12 month old waist! I know! I am going by the standards of the "Craft Yarn Council." When I write up the pattern, I will hopefully hit the standard fits (of normal weighing babies & toddlers) of Newborn, 3 month, 6 month, 12 month and 24 months. That's the plan. Now, let's just hope the cabling pattern obliges all of those!

The shape of this jacket is inspired by Elizabeth Z's "Tomten" jacket, where there is a big cutout in the jacket for the sleeves. And it will be hooded as well. And Zippered (yay!).  Everyone loves a zippered jacket.

Oh, and did I forget to mention my favorite part? The cables are done without cable needles. (I'll make a video tutorial later on that if you want.) It's a really nifty trick when you have C3F or C3B all across the row.

I'm currently 6'' in. 

The "Dummy Clap" Shawl PDF & Video Tutorial!

The "Dummy Clap" Shawl PDF

Alright guys. I'm officially checking out for the weekend...so this post will be nice and short. This all took a lot longer than anticipated and I'm cashed, since I had to do everything "off-hours" with the boys and all. The video tutorial will go over all parts of the pattern, so if you don't know how to do things like a "knitted cast on," or "Co1 using a twisted loop" or want to see how the stitches get dropped...there you are. :) I hope you all enjoy the pdf/video. It's long over-do, I know. (You might have to update your acrobat reader for the font.) once you click on the pdf button, it will bring you to acrobat, and hit the "download" button on the top.

Something exciting coming your way!

Hey guys,
I've received dozens and dozens of emails since the birth of a particular free pattern, the "Dummy Clap Shawl," to explain or do multiple things for them: take out all crochet, include directions to make the dropped stitch gap smaller, teach them how to drop or do the bind off, make it PDF'ed, etc.

I've was pretty adamant about keeping the crochet since it's just a simple chain or single crochet stitch for the edging and that's how mine was done...but now I have decided to tinker with an idea that I had that would eliminate any necessary crochet in the pattern and make it 100% knitting...as I've found out a lot of people would really, REALLY prefer.

So here is what I am going to do, which is even BETTER (lol)...I'm going to rewrite the pattern, include two versions of drop stitches, pdf-it and more excitingly, MAKE A VIDEO TUTORIAL to go over how to knit this shawl from start to finish.

---The pattern & video should be uploaded sometime this weekend, so stop by soon if this is what you've been waiting for! :)

Spring has sprung...

...and so have many of our projects! It feels like forever since I've posted, and this is why (yes, it's more like a book than an update, lol):

We are busy finishing the fence in the backyard because at the retaining wall in the back it's really like a mini cliff leading to the lake (they call it a lake, I call it a large stream). We are also building their "Little Tikes Endless Adventures Lookout Swingset" that we just bought them, and we have to re-mulch, plant a couple of Sunset Maples that are waiting patiently in the backyard, and hopefully get to the stone pathway on the side of the house that leads to the fence's gate.

I've been busy putting out fires with my toddler's dangerous endeavors, like standing on the windowsill next to the couch, or standing at the edge of the couch, climbing over gates that lead to no-good, picking up my children off of the kitchen table, etc. All that good monkey climbing stuff. They've been really clingy for a month or two (to the point were both of them are at my leg crabbing), and Jacob has been waking up 4 times a night. I think it's separation anxiety, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I "dream" about "sleep."

Unfortunately, I put my baby cardigan on hold when it got so nice, even though I only had one arm left to do. I figured that it might not even get used, so I'll make my cousin's baby some cute loafer booties instead and save the cardi for another baby. I also casted on for my MIL's "tree pose" yoga bag that was supposed to be for her birthday, but I casted on soo late that I stopped. I plan on frogging and reknitting it since her birthday was Saturday and I was dissatisfied with the crocheted bottom that resembles something inappropriate. I'll just give it to her for Mother's Day.

I do have pictures of the dino curtains that I sewed my boys about a month ago...and I finished within a weekend because I was a sewing-fiend. I've been trying to spruce of Jacob's depressing room...

I'm happy with the results. I mean, I don't sew and somehow the curtains turned out identical (the same length, the ribbon matching in the same area, etc). Winner. The color is more true to the first photo, even though it's a dark one. Oh, and there are two windows, so that's four panels that I had to sew up.

I finished a few books: It Takes a Witch, Firelight (romance novel) and Hunger Games (that my husband and I are going to read. We figured that since twin parenting takes a toll on a marriage, we needed to do something in common to connect again more...something besides watching tv series or laying on the couch like a veggie...and that's were the book came in. I finished it in 3 days. It was good! I hate the children-forced-to-kill-other-children premise of it, but it was a quick, interesting read. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the theaters.

I recently went back the the podiatrist because my non-union fracture from 3 years ago (yes, 3!) has never completely healed. Back then, I was given a foot-growth stimulator and a boot and after a few months the bone fused a little, and somehow the doctor was satisfied and said that the scar tissue might give me a little trouble but I wouldn't need physical therapy, or surgery and sent me on my merry way... Well, the pain has never gone away completely. It flares up when the foot is bent a certain way, and it is about a bad as when I first went there. With this current xray another doctor told me that it will never heal without surgery and that he would need to take out the bone fracture and pin the tendon onto the main bone of my foot if I wanted to get back to normal. *le sigh* Toddlers and food surgery do not mix! I'll probably hold out until the middle or end of summer when my husband has earned enough time off and I am guaranteed more help from family...It all really stinks since after what felt like a long Winter of cabin fever, and with Spring having sprouted, I've been thinking of nothing but enjoying it outside. Walking. Getting back into shape. Anyone have magic healing dust?

I'll leave you guys with a couple nice photos of spring from my phone camera while going out on a walk:

Ah, "stroller sedatives"...love it.

Always something brewing...

I've been working on the "1 year old" baby socks for my boys on and off, but have recently casting on for a baby cardigan for my cousin's newborn baby maybe 4 days ago. Meanwhile, I've started getting into composing piano music (my first one's a short and fairly classical piece from two Sunday's ago and the second is a vocal/piano one from the last couple of days because I could picture the voice and lyrics in my mind, unlike the first one).

Surprise, surprise...the knitting is being put on hold until I can type up the official copy on my music writing software (if you're musically inclined and haven't heard of it, it's called Musescore, and it's completely FREE and very similar to the 300 hundred dollar programs like Sibelius. It just doesn't turn the song into a audio-file...that I know of...and you have to input the notes by hand). It's really exciting seeing it work together and typing it up "all legible" on the computer, but I have to say that it's more time consuming than actually handwriting and thinking of the darn thing into entirety. All I have left to do now is the right hand part (the treble clef). I've studied for 11 years with a concert pianist (and I'm a singer), but aside from teaching piano and participating in choir...I'm kind of a "closet pianist," so it's kind of shocking to most people that I'm starting to get into composing. I've never really ventured there because I didn't believe that I could really formulate anything worth anything except for the main melody..but I guess I was wrong. When I turn that part of my brain on, I do get little snippets of a new melody (like in the shower). I think I should have ventured into composing earlier...and I can't help thinking whether or not I was meant to do this right now, or if I've missed out on years of amateur composing experience.

Photo of the snowstorm we had in the midwest a few days ago. We have massive, wet snowflakes that coated everything. Several large branches from our neighbor's large trees snapped and are hanging over into our yard...there was that build-up. Between the windstorm and this, these mature oaks are really taking a beating.

The reality is that I'm into too many things. I've always been creative. I was THAT student who did their "leaf project" in middle school with construction paper, glitter glue, special-edge scissors, "blow pens" (remember those??), and put it into a nice, plastic sheet protectors in a binder. My closet is still filled with several bins of craft supplies unrelated to knitting. It's a blessing and a downfall. There is not enough time, but too many ideas. It stinks, but at least I'm getting smart enough now to have a little pocketbook to write them down because for me, if the idea is not written down fast enough, "out with the old and in with the new."

Oh, and I recently finished "Hooked on Murder," the first book in the crochet murder mystery series. I have to say, it wasn't completely horrible...it had its moments, but the author is definitely going all prejudice with "knitters think that crocheter's craft is work from the dark side." I know that people joke around with the whole "crocheting" and "dark side" and such, but this author really seems convinced that a lot of crocheters and knitting will not craft together because they are so prejudices...which knitters are in the blame for. I think that's kind of silly. There's probably some people like it, but she almost seemed to hint that it's more than sparse in example, and knitters put up this whole "righteous" act. *sigh* and another *sigh*

Well, hopefully within a couple of days I can show you the finished product of both WIP's. I have to finish the cardi soon or it will be outgrown. lol. My boys are playing with the little keyboard I found in my possession...and they turned on the non-stop chord harmony button and it's getting too repetitive!

Knit. Censored.

I did end up making something for my Valentine in time.

See it on Ravelry, unrated. hee. hee.

I added a little beading for extra pizazz. I think it turned out relatively well. Maybe a black one is in the future? ;) It's really a quick knit. Be sure to read my notes on doing it dpn-style like the designer of the pattern so you don't reknit it 4 times like me.

Still can't believe I knit one. Ha ha.

Orange Zest Whole Wheat Pancakes

If you're like me, you're probably thinking of ways to make a guilty pleasure less guilty. Or, equally important, trying to figure out ways to get your picky toddler(s) to eat something. ANYTHING. Especially something that will keep them full.

I've mixed together a tasty recipe that is healthy and hearty...as much as delicious.

Yields about 15 medium pancakes

Recipe Ingredients:
2 Cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
zest of half an orange
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups of reduced fat milk
3 tbs agave nectar (I used the organic "in the raw" version)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice

Directions:
Preheat your griddle to 375 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, and combine the wet ingredients into a separate bowl. Whisk the eggs well first before adding all of the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl to help make the pancakes fluffier. While stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add the wet into the dry ingredients. Don't over-mix. Butter the griddle's surface and add about 1/2 a cup's worth of batter per pancake. Flip when bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes. Enjoy with reduced fat butter/margarine or syrup.

Try it with blueberries in the batter next time!

Valentine's Day knits?

Are any of you secretly knitting something for your Valentine? There's some quick knits out there...it might be fun to search the pattern page on Ravelry and see what you can whip up in time. ;)

Modular Striped Vest:: finished

It's been a very long week. Very long. Did I mention how it's been a long week? *Eugh* One of our worst nightmares was realized. Monday, Jacob got the stomach flu. Tuesday, he started getting better and then I, my husband and my other son Sam got the stomach flu. A very bad case. If you don't have kids, or if you've never had the "privilege" of having a gut-wrenching ailment while your child(ren) are sick-oh how completely helpless you feel- what an experience! There's nothing like not being able to get out of bed without blacking out while your child is that sick. We were VERY fortunate to live closely to our parents and to have them risk their own health to take care of the young'ins. I don't know how we could have taken care of them.

But, anyways. Here we are in the present. The boys are pretty much back to normal one week later, and I have finished the Vest.

Weaving in ends...quel nightmare. Wasn't looking forward to doing it. Eventually, I lost count while sewing.

Pattern: Striped Modular Vest by Andra Knight-Bowman
Yarn: 4 skeins of Yarn treehouse "Daisy," in bulky and 1/3 skein of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride (heavily) worsted yarn in black.
Needles: US9 straights
Project started: December 28th(?) 2011
Project finished: January 29th, 2012
Modifications: arrangement of squares to form an "X," Crochet edging & for sewing, no collar, bottom edge with seed-stitch.

Above, the back.

The front.

The vest is a little large. I might even felt it a touch to get it to the size needed. We'll see.

Take the squares challenge... I dare you.

Hey everyone.
I'm finally done with the eight squares for the Modular Vest. All I have left is the bottom edge where I'm supposed to garter for a few inches, and then of course piecing them all together. It took a while to figure out which configuration I was happiest with, and I thought of a neat little challenge for you. Can you guess which positions I chose? I'll start you off with half of the answers, so take your best guess. It'll be cool too see if someone can guess correctly. I apologize now for the color variances. The sun kept changing the lighting.

The squares will be turned so that all of the cast on edge (the edge with the most stitches) touch eachother.

So...if you'd like to play the "squares challenge," here's four answers to start you off:
A= 3
B=?
C=?
D=2
E=5
F=?
G=?
H=7

1 ,8, 5 & 3 are the smaller and upper squares:

2, 7, 4, & 6 are the bigger and lower squares

Is your head hurting? I know mine is.

OK, a little more help., I guess.

Project Complete: Ribbed Baby Jacket #2

I guess I made an unofficial New Year's resolution to post more, which means that my little short time to myself after the boys go down is starting to be spent more on knitting, and not just being slumped half-dead on the couch after a long day of taking care of the boys & the constant cleaning. Even after a year or so of motherhood, I'm still not used to the never-ending mess. They literally undo the tidying at the same rate, and I feel like I can't quite keep up with the 'Jones.' Gone are the days when I did one or two loads of laundry a week.

You're looking at the second baby jacket...and now the boys can each wear one! The real jacket is a lot browner than in the photo I took during the morning light. They will have to grow into it a bit, which means success! I'm one step ahead of them...

Project: Ribbed Baby Jacket by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in a tweedy brown; 2.5 skeins
Needles: US7
Project started: October 12, 2011
Project completed: January 11th, 2012

I think that this version is fairly better. I changed the pattern from the first jacket to have ribbing continuously on the bottom. The button's loops are more snug, which helps. The color is better, and tweed is always handsome as a sweater.

What's next? I'm slowly working on the modular vest. It's almost 3/4 done. I'm tying to get shake off the "startitis itch" to make the boys a colorful rug...and socks...

Roundabout Shawlette Complete!

The shawlette is blocked, folded, tagged with care instructions and shipped off to its recipient! Yay!

Pattern: KUAS' "Roundabout Shawlette"
Needles: US7 circulars
Yarn: MacKintosh Chubby Sock Yarn in "Minotaur" and KUAS fingering weight yarn in "Morning Roast"
Started: November 8th, 2011
Finished: January 8th, 2012

I think it turned out well. The roundabout circles are a little more distinguishable now, post-block.

Plus, it kind of looks cute as a curtain.

This one was plastic-wrapped in photoshop. Looks wicked weird, but cool.

Cutout version, good for showing off the ruffled lace edging.

Roundabout Shawlette: blocking

A little peak at what's on the brink of completion...

Edging: done.
Soaking: done.
Blocking: commenced.

Morning Roast & Knitivity

While the babes were sleeping, I got the chance to dye up a colorway to match the "Roundabout" shawlette that I'm knitting because I ran out of yarn like yards before the end of the pattern. This will enable me to do the edging that I looked forward to doing. The colorway is brown with redish tones. It reminds me of coffee (a mother of twins with caffeine always on her mind). I think it matches pretty well. The base is merino and alpaca, and I'll most likely have to double it up because it's fingering weight versus the sport weight of the shawl. A little beading is in its future, with simple single crochet & lace edging.

My mother tagged along to the mall the other day because the boys were trying out their free Gymboree class (it would have cost $110 for that one 45 minute class for both boys to attend!!). It was a lot of stimulation that the boys are not used to...all go-go-go-go with the teacher, and the boys were a little freaked out, so I decided to start out with "open gym" passes, because quite honestly, it would almost be the same thing since it's not one-on-one.

Anywho...we went to Barnes & Nobles afterwards and found this cute book that my mom forced me to buy. She even mentioned that she (the person who WILL NOT knit because she doesn't have the "patience") wouldn't mind helping me knit up the "knitivity" scene. Ha ha. I didn't take her claim for face-value because I knew when it comes down to it, I'll be the one who will end up knitting the whole thing, but I had to admit that it was a good idea as a Christian & knitter to make one for myself (or for others). Did I mention that it was practically 60 percent off? I love to do my shopping for next year's Christmas a day or two after Christmas because they still have the good items leftover and because things that add up in the long run (like 5 dollar wrapping paper!) are dirt cheap this time of year...and why not stock up before you put the decorations away?

The book includes a crib and also the background scene to the set.

I think it's a really neat concept because it encourages you to knit different versions, like pregnant Mary and sitting Mary and standing Mary to suit your needs. This Nativity scene would really be great for the whole Advent season. Why shouldn't you have pregnant Mary out right before the "big night?" Or Mary riding a camel next to Joseph? I think that would impress a few people. Stash-buster? I think so!

...Not to mention, they make really great gifts next year!