Walter

We met under unfortunate circumstances, my uncle-in-law's funeral (this little boy's grandpa), but I got to take a quick snap of 2 week old Walter in his "Puerperium Cardigan" at a pizza joint the night before. I'm glad the cutie has a bit of filling out to do, which means that it should fit perfectly this Fall.

What's even better was that I was told that he HATES to be cold. Even in the summer. A knitter's delight to hear after knitting him up a sweater...

Writing.

This afternoon, I've taken every spare second that I could get my hands on while my parents and husband were playing with the boys to write three full pages to the "Hooded Honeycomb Jacket." Although I only have size 12 month down to the part where I haven't finished completing (the actual sleeves), the bones are there and I am joyous at the fact that my notes, that were spread about the house like the seven wonders of the world, were each located and reassembled so I could write this pattern up. I'm going in overly ambitious with the intention to write 5 sizes: 3mo., 6mo., 12mo., 24mo.(2T), and 3T.

I am going by the standard waist/hip fitting measurements for babies & toddlers, which tell me that my  20 month old boys, who are preemie, are really around a size 12 month body. The thought that my kids are that behind in bulk is kind of scary. They are healthy though. Skinny, but healthy.

It's going to be a slow, but exciting process for this whole ebook thing. I'm still in brain-storming & designing mode for other tid-bits for babies & toddlers that are quickie knits, like: mittens, socks, hats, etc. I'll let you know when I figure out what exactly will be in this book.

Lost & Found WIP

I've been using a different camera out of convenience for so long that I didn't realize, until I uploaded a few recent photos, that this cardigan was still on the camera's memory disk. These were edited already and destroyed along with everything on my laptop before I could post them. So here is the (WIP) hooded "Honeycomb Cardigan" for a toddler that I designed a while back (and hibernated) after working half of the hood. {"Startitis" at it's finest.} Well, I shouldn't say that. The reason why I stopped working with a vigor is because I started catching on that the colorway was too feminine for my two boys. There goes my whole anti-procrastination thing for this Fall. I thought it would be more "Rainbow-y." You know how those hidden colors in the ball have a way of luring & playing you for a fool. I had no idea it would stripe evenly, and my lack-there-of instincts thought that the purple and pink would be more minute and scarce. Maybe it's the hidden woe in me that I probably will never mother a daughter. :((  Oh well. It's still good for design.

Even though there are cables everywhere, the technique is cable-less. I was going to do a tutorial on that to compliment the pattern. I guess If I ever want to compile this theoretical "baby & toddler" ebook one day, I'll finish her up.

In the meantime, I do have an actual sweater clicking about the needles right now that does have purple in it, but you'll see why it's "okay." 

The photos are actually a little more "earthy" in real life, and not quite as vibrant.

FO: Ribbed Toddler Socks

The ribbed toddler socks have been completed. The second pair was sitting in a basket for a while, knit up to the gusset before I stopped.

This was intended to be the first a few sets of "toddler socks" that I hoped would one day be an e-book of toddler knits. This was going to be the easiest (well, besides pure stockinette stitch). 

Pattern: Toddler Knits: 2 year old Socks (KUAS)
Yarn: fingering weight yarn from an unknown brand of hand-dyed yarn.
Needles: size US2 dpns, set of 5.

Hey, Mom! Look at my neat kicks.

 My little models remind me of the Olsen twins when they were young toddler actresses. Except, mine are fraternal. While one was camera-shy or misbehaved, the other got the spot in the camera light.

Hey, you're taking photos of me!! let me take these off for 'ya so you can get a good shot! 

 Don't you wish you were that flexible still?














Because my twins are a few months away from being two, I made sure the socks are a bit larger, so they don't outgrow them for a while. By the time they need them, they should fit perfectly.

 

Free-form pattern: Elaine

Pattern: "Elaine" (the Stitch Novice original)
Start date: 7/9/12
Completion: 7/9/12
Yardage: 3/4 yd

Read more of my adventures of this quickie tank at the Stitch Novice blog!

Happy Independence Day!

A Happy Fourth of July to you all! Wishing us all the joys of freedom in this great country!


This is an oldie, but in the spirit of the day, here is the "Let Freedom Ring Hanging Towel" pattern from 2009. Happy knitting & celebrating.

DIY: Bead & Wire Toy Tutorial

Hey knitters,
Here's a fun & quick DIY product for those of you who are more adventurous when it comes to knitting baby/toddler toys. If you're sick of knitting clothing and stuffies, try this out.

Bead & Wire Toy Tutorial:

Note: this project isn't rocket science...the wire gauge, wood size, beads, etc. are all relative to what yarn thickness you use, and how durable you want to make this toy. Mine isn't too extremely durable, it was more a trial version, so keep that in mind when picking out your materials...you'll probably want thicker wire, bigger beads, etc.

Materials:

 -leftover sock yarn (fingering weight), 20 yds or less for each wire puzzle. The more colors, the more stimulating.
-Wire: the thicker, the better. Just make sure you can bend it. You can find it in the beading section of a craft store.
- Beads. Make sure it is a lot bigger than the wire. It should slide easily around the i-cord that you knit around the wire. (The bigger the better.) The amount is based on how many puzzles you do, and how many you want per puzzle. I did about 4 each.
-Wood base: this depends on how big you want your toy. Just make sure it's not too flimbsy. You'll want the base to be at least 1 inch thick.
-Power drill: I used a 1/4'' drill-bit for my medium-thick wire. The bit you need depends on the size of the wire.
-Ducktape
-2 Dpns: size 4's seems to work out well.
-Darning needle.

Directions:

1. Cut the wire the size you would like the "puzzle" (each i-cord activity) size to be, adding about 6-8 inches extra for "binding off and threading through the wood holes" allowance. If you want, you don't really have to cut the wire yet, but it makes for a more difficult knitting experience.

2. Cast on 3-4 stitches (depending on how thick your wire is. I casted on 3, but my wire wasn't too incredibly thick) and knit an i-cord around the wire for your desired length. Make sure you leave a tail of a few inches on each end of the wire. If you've never done this, you can watch THIS tutorial on knitted earphones (essentially the same thing as wire), or google tutorials on i-cords if you haven't done that either!

3. Once you're done, BO and secure the wire in the bind-off edge. i just wrapped the wire through that last stitch a couple of times. Weave your dangling threads through the i-cord.

-OPTIONAL: you can stain the wood something darker if you want...but I didn't because who knows if my toddlers find that wood tasty!

4. Figure out what shape you want your puzzles to be, and draw dots on your wooden board to mark where you will drill.

5. Drill holes. 

6. Thread your beads onto the i-cords.

7. Do the bulk of your puzzle-shaping now, or forever hold your peace.

8. Thread the wire through the holes, and bend the wire so it's laying flush against the base of the wood.

9. Duck tape the entire bottom of the toy a few times so that everything is secure. Smooth it out so that the little ones don't pick at it.

10. Finish shaping the puzzles if they were bend out of shape in the process of doing #9.

Enjoy! Let me know if you end of making it. I'd love to see photos.

 P.S- I finished another dress! Check out my latest Dress on my sewing blog. Another success!

FO: Sexy Red Dress

Project: See & Sew dress B5546
(a.k.a "Sexy Red Dress")
Start Date: June 22nd, 2012
Finish Date:  June 28th, 2012
Store: Joann Fabrics (pattern & fabric)
Fabric: Jersey knit
Yardage: 2 yards


Read more...

FO: Puerperium Cardigan

My husband's cousin just had her second baby, and what better thing to shower her with than this cute, masculine cardigan that was on the brink of being finished anyways. That's why it's great to knit baby things ahead of time (even without anyone in mind), because if you're like me...and you have startitis, it makes for a quick completion when you hear about a baby ready to be welcomed into the world. Soon.

Project: Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker
Baby Size: 0-3 months
Made for: Walter
Yarn: 1.25 skeins of Bernat Satin Sport Ombres, colorway "Seashore."

Needles: size US7 circular and dpns

Start date: February 22nd, 2012

Finish Date: June 25th, 2012

 

Although it's already summertime, restaurants and air conditioned homes make for chilly babies, and this should be perfect because it's just acrylic; it shouldn't be itchy or too warm.

Pretty cute, huh? I'll have to knit one of these again. An acquaintance of mine is at the beginning of her pregnancy...

FO: apron!

I'm so proud of my first real sewing project, I'm just gonna copy & paste my post from my new sewing blog, the Stitch Novice, instead of teasing you with one photo:

Done! I completed it yesterday, before dropping myself onto my bed in a vegetative mode to prop up my complaining foot (I had surgery on it to take out part of my outer bone, two weeks ago). I didn't have too many bumps on the road, but it wasn't all idiot-proof.

Project: Stitch 'n Save M6536 Apron
Start Date: June 17th, 2012
Finish Date:  June 19th, 2012
Store: Joann Fabrics (pattern & fabric)
Fabric: Cotton
Yardage: 1.5 yards- main color, 1 fabric quarter- contrast


When it came to doing the top of the apron, where the orange fabric is, I had to fudge it around so it fit correctly. Either I cut the pattern wrong in width, or maybe it was supposed to fit like that..who knows, but to me it seemed like a red-flag zone. I felt like it should be longer in height.

The tubing on the armpits also gave me some trouble. The instructions wasn't clear enough for a newbie like me. After sewing the wrong sides together and flipping it over...and then sewing it to the other side, the tubing was pretty narrow on the outer-most edges for the apron tie that had to be threaded through it.

Sewing the Pockets to the apron.

Stitching on the pockets: not so bad?

I decided not to do the rickrack ribbon and such embellishments that the pattern called for. I'm much too simple in taste for that. I just went plain-Jane and let the contrast fabric and one piece of orange ribbon do all of the talking. I think it looks a little more sophisticated that way, even in a cutesy fabric pattern.

Other alterations to the pattern were: going size Medium on the chest and size Large for the body of the apron, and also shortening this apron by around 2 inches (it's still pretty long). 

Rolled up Apron tie. Love it!

On to my next mission: that sexy red dress number!

The Stitch Novice

Hey gang,
While I've been couped up on the couch...not doing a whole lot besides reading "Mockingjay," "A Million Pieces," "Ash" and now "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," (I haven't been inspired to pick up any of my WIPs lately, although a couple are on the brink of being finished--it's just too hot), I've been itching to try out sewing. I know how to thread the machine and sew simple things like pillowcases...but following patterns and making form-fitting things, well, I'm a newbie! I actually had both grandmothers over at one time, and we all decided to head out to Joann Fabrics with the twins (yeah, they really don't like the store. boys.) so I could pick out an easy pattern to start with. Yup, I crutched around the store. Boy did I start getting a Charlie-horse by the time I was waiting for the fabric to be cut.

Anyways, I picked out two patterns: an apron & a sexy red dress number. I'm starting with the apron first, of course, although both are supposedly easy. Supposedly.

I've started a side-blog, "the Stitch Novice" (www.thestitchnovice.blogspot.com) to document my adventures in sewing so I don't clutter this blog with too many non-knitting things. Come check it out in it's infancy...there's a few posts already.

Shawl Pins: green

Here's my preliminary adventure in the clay shawl pin world. I started out with a green-scape to match the shawl resting ever so nicely on "Victoria," my iron model.

I used Sculpey's Granitex "Polymer Clay" to shape them similar to the wooden shawl pins that are (outrageously) expensive. Not that the craftsmen/women don't deserve their pay...but I'm not willing to fork it up.

I picked a few colors: grey, light and dark green. I rolled each into a long coil and then rolled them all together. I shaped it into a ball, pressed it flat and carved out the middle. The hardest part was smoothing the edges out without distorting the color.

Check out the Eskimimi Makes website for better tutorial instructions & photos. That's where I got inspired in the first place. (Hers looks better anyways. I think I'll use wooden sticks next time.) Let me know how yours turns out though. I'm hoping to make other colorways in the near future.

I made an oval and a round version. I didn't use a toilet paper roll like Eskimimi, but I did use the handle of a metal whisk! lol.

I baked it for 15 minutes according to the instructions of the Polymer Clay, and after it cooled I brushed on a Polymer Clay glaze that just air-dries. 

Update

An update on what's going on since the surgery:
I just learned yesterday that my surgery's outcome is due to nurse malpractice. My surgeon couldn't figure out why the bone anchor went all the way through the hole he drilled instead of staying directly in the middle of the bone....until he realized that the nurse's "strict protocol" at the hospital was not followed. The nurse handed him a bone anchor with a gauge too small, which made it go farther than he intended. I don't know if I'll still be fine (up for grabs), but it's awful thinking I may have to go through this again (even putting all this stress on family helping me almost around the clock when Joe isn't home) for another 5 or more weeks if this doesn't pan out. The doctor seemed really worried about me sueing...because he's been going well out of his way to help me. He wasn't supposed to be in the office yesterday, but he made the 40 minute trip to explain about the surgery for me. I told him I was feeling short of breath and anemic/fainty, he wrote up a referral to go to a blood lab place that will tell me the results within a couple of hours..and he later called me up to highly suggest me going to the ER (which I did end up taking his advice) because he was worried about a blood clot if I'm out of breath. I don't have one, but they did find a minor infection. He called me when I got home from the hospital to check up on me and said he would call in a couple of days to see how I'm doing even though my next visit with him isn't until the 17th. He is a very nice doctor/surgeon...and I don't believe this was his fault. He trusted the nurse on good faith that she was handing him the right tool (which I'm sure he will now double check on his own). I told him the only thing I ask for, is the hospital putting a note in my file that if I have to go through surgery again to fix this, they are taking care of the bill.

Anyways, today I still feel out of breath, and I almost fainted this morning and had a heat-rush and nausea as if I had the flu. I hope it's nothing serious still.

I'll leave you with one of the cutest videos of my children this week...

Just a slice

Hey gang,

Yesterday, I had my foot surgery. I've been walking on a non-union fracture for about 4 years, and even with a "bone-growth" stimulator and wearing a boot for 6 weeks 3.5 years ago, my doctor says that it was all for naught because when he went in to remove the outer metatarsal bone yesterday...it was just hanging there, not connected to anything but half of the tendon running next to it. Yeah, doing nothing put pulling on that tendon. The good news was just that though. It was an easy removal. He anchored the tendon to the good bone with a bone anchor and patched me back up.

...But, I have 19 month old twins, and it's hard just sitting there. I mean, half of the time they are getting into trouble: standing on top of chair recliners, couches, tables, etc. We planned it so that my MIL (whose a teacher finally off for the summer) could babysit during the day while I was off-duty.It's really lucky that she was able to help. My mother just found out several days ago that she has shingles!! Talk about joining the pain-club.

I was having trouble sleeping, again, and of course my brain was firing wild with new ideas...how to embellish a tanktop with knitting/crocheting for the 4th of July...making shawl pins...or how to make a home-made table weaving loom! I really, really am excited to get a head start on those, but oh yeah..I can't walk. Le sigh. However, I am working on a baby toy that was dreamt in my head a while ago, and It's half way into production. No photos yet on that, but I will take some soon of the building process.

The baby sweater has been put on hold for a bit. I think I'll pick it up again in couple of days. I was hurrying up to finish the Host, and the books Catching Fire and MockingJay that was due at the library today. How was your Mother's Day? or Memorial Day? I know I've been a little quiet after the pooping-out of my laptop (We haven't taken it to Best Buy yet to get fixed--hopefully fixed!). Ours was nice...visiting family, and..uh, buying a Kindle Fire for myself! :)

How in the heck does the Yarn Harlot finish her projects soo tootin' fast? Dang. I think I need to sit down and perfect continental, cause gee-wise folks...I guess English style isn't able to pump out a pair of socks in a day, and a shawl in like a few days...

Sad day.

Dear readers,
Today was a sad, sad day. One of those crack-out-the-wine-and-chocolate-and-still-feel-crappy days. My external hard drive bit the dust a couple months ago when my son pulled it off of the island...and I thought that was heart-breaking. Today, I found out that the remaining photos of my children, my videos, my documents, compositions and music, etc might be gone because when I turned on my laptop, it made the "click of death" and said "operating system not found." It might have been from a power-surge from the big storm a couple of days ago, because the charger was still plugged in. I can hardly think about it without crying.  If there are no photos of the Honeybee jacket that I've been working on-that was ready to be posted about-for a little bit, it's because I'm without my beloved laptop. I had photos/documents stored on my husband's computer from things "pre-children" (about two years ago), but everything after that might be gone if we can't get it restored. Uh! The catcher is that about a few days ago, my gut was telling me to at least back up my photos because I don't want to have another "episode" like the external! The other catcher!!!...my husband was going to give me a new external for mother's day!
Losing documents and such is a huge downer, but losing most of the photos of your children's first year- -in-a-half is devastating. This sucks to smithereens... learn from me.

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.