Super Secret Knitting

I finished (and gifted) the super secret knitting I was working on. Might have been so secret that I didn't mention it. A set of washcloths for my sister's birthday.

She has some from our grandmother's stash and a few that I've knit for her before out of cotton but (a)she prefers the acrylic (like Grandma's) and (b)they get a whole lot of use because she really does like them. This is Sirdar Snuggly, left over from a baby sweater that I knit a few years ago. It's really pretty nice to knit with.

I've also been working on El's soft and fuzzy blanket - it's coming along. I'm trying to figure out how big to make it and therefore, if it's almost done. I've got a baby quilt pieced,well, except for the thinking part. And I finished sewing on the binding for the frogs and bugs quilt. I need to sandwich up some quilts and quilt. I've got a whole bunch queued up. Just need to send the boys off to game night.

Breaking in the new machine

Dude. I really like my new sewing machine. So far, I've made....a smallish quilt top, 3 pairs of elastic PJ pants (2 for El, 1 for La), a nightgown for myself, and a small "whole cloth" quilt. You know, just to try it out.

Oh, and I finished the 9 flannel baby blankets I had queued up. And piecing El's quilt top. And putting together the coordinating doll blanket. And sewing patches onto DH's new Boy Scout uniform (You can never have too many).


And I had this old quilting swatch laying around. I added a zipper and sewed up the sides to make a pouch. I used the wrong kid of zipper - this one is like the ones you would use in a hooded sweatshirt. It comes apart at the end. But you know, whatever.

Almost Done

This semester has been a doozy. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, T-Ball, Tutoring, Growing Teeth. Wow. We're on the home stretch - but it's that part where they jam a whole lot (even more!?!?!) into two weeks. Ugh.

My sewing machine has been out of commission since the last post too. Well. I had just gotten the machine back from servicing. I started making baby gift receiving blankets. And the zig zag was berserk. So, I did what any sensible person would do. I bought a Bernina. But it took from March to May before I got a chance to do the sew-in, and I still haven't found time to take any classes. So, hopefully, I'll get back to the gazillion sewing projects I have lined up. Plus La and DH have been queueing up projects for me too.

I've been knitting. Lots almost done there.
1. I finished (almost. except for the ends and the buttons) this sweater for El. It's Swing Thing, and it was a lot of fun to knit. The blue is the Lion-Brand Cotton Ease I got for Christmas. The green, I just picked up cause I liked it.


2. I finished the RPM socks for me. These were also highly fun to knit. The yarn and the pattern I'd been saving for a long time....the yarn is Colinette Jitterbug, and boy did they turn the bathwater green when I washed them.


3. Hats. These are similar to the Kaleidescope Super Bulky Button hat. Except they're not super bulky. The one with the star is the "first draft" and is now for La. The one with the flower button is for me. Delightfully, I think I've used up nearly all of the Classic Elite Beatrice. Like the sweater, they still need the buttons sewn on. Maybe the ends woven in too. But dude. It's May in Florida. I have plenty of time.


So....that means on the needles I have....a square for the Barn Raising blanket, a pair of socks for me, a super-secret birthday gift for my sister. Luckily, none of it is complicated.

A tale of two sweaters

1. It was the best of times:

I've been working on this sweater for El for next winter. The pattern is "Swing Thing" and it's delightful. I guess it's an old Mag Knits pattern. It's a seamless yoke cardigan, and I think it uses slingshot acceleration or something. Good stuff. The yarn is Lionbrand Cotton-Ease, a Christmas gift from my Aunt Marilyn.

2. It was the worst of times.

Last weekend I had some quiet time (and no sewing machine) so I finally figured out the saddles. Really neat. There's a whole best of times/worst of times just with this sweater. Had DH try it on. Too small. It fit him like he was a teenage girl, and I do not think that is the look he is trying to acheive. It was too small for the monkey too. So, I'll finish the pits when I get to it, bathe it, and hang on to it just in case. Not going to knit a sweater for DH anytime soon.