Blocking makes all the difference...

Remember my Summer Vest? After I wrote my FO post about the vest I decided to see if I could block the vest to make it stop rolling and give it more flow.  I used wet blocking and stretched it out on a big beach towel using my blocking wires.  It surprisingly dried over night :).

And the result?  PERFECT!!

Crafting for preemies

This past weekend was the North Jersey Fiber Arts Festival held in Ridgewood, NJ.  This is a yearly event that is now in its fourth year and it brings together crafters of all different fiber arts.  There are knitters and crocheters, hand and wheel spinners, lace makers, sewers, quilters, etc. and it keeps growing every year!  I've visited the festival each year since it began and I must say that it is always a nice time.  

I think my favorite thing about the festival is that each year they have a different charity project that they ask festival goers to donate to, if they have the time.  I actually had not decided if I was going to have the time to make it to this years festival until maybe a week and a half ago.  I decided that I would definitely make the time to get to the festival because I really wanted to donate something to the charity.  

This year the charity they were collecting donations for was Care Wear.  Care Wear is an organization that collects items for preemies and newborns (and I think maybe even older children) and donates them to local hospitals.  They look for hats and blankets as well as kimonos, toys, burial gowns, and other handmade items.  So, to benefit Care Wear, the festival asked for donations of preemie hats and blankets.

Prior to a week and a half ago I had never made an item for a preemie.  Once I started making a few hats I was amazed at how TINY they were.  It totally touched my heart that a baby could be born so small and still be alive--and not just living, but fighting for his or her life!  I knew that I had to make as many items as I could in the weeks time before the festival.  I was able to knit and crochet 7 hats and 3 blankets by the deadline that I set for myself (Saturday morning).  I also had found something in my closet I had made a few years back that was going to be a blanket for myself...but that I fell out of love with...and it seemed the perfect size for a preemie blanket!  I donated that one too.

So in total I gave 11 items! 7 hats and 4 blankets.  I used up yarns from my stash that were really soft and of course washable.  I tried to make the items as pretty as I could.  Starting clockwise below you see a knit square blanket that is striped and made up of left over baby yarns, next is a pink flower blanket (that's what I made years ago and fell out of love with), then a pastel granny stitch blanket with a purple ruffle, and finally a knit square blanket with multicolors, green, and a heart.

I made two different sized pumpkin hats (itty bitty preemie and larger preemie), a teddy bear hat (the ears were just too cute), a pastel colored knit umbilical cord hat, two crocheted hats with little loops on top, and a simply blue and white beanie.  These hat patterns (minus my little embellishment of ears and top loops) are available on the Care Wear website in this lovely 70+ page book of guidelines, patterns, and stories.

I plan on making more items to donate to hospitals.  I really enjoyed doing this.  Each little hat or blanket I made, I stitched with love hoping that it would help a little baby get stronger, healthier, and be able to come home to their families.

Matt's Yoga Mat Bag!

Back in July I introduced my best friend to hot yoga...and of course he loved it! (Seriously it is addicting...if you haven't tried it yet, I really encourage you to go take a class.)  After his first class he was so excited about yoga!  I had made myself a bag for my mat a while back.  Matt asked me if I could make him one as well in blue.  So I searched my stash and I found some organic cotton by Patons and got knitting!

Here's the finished product.  I made his strap shorter than the one I made for myself and also a bit wider since it will stretch due to the weight of the bag.

Just for reference...this WIP picture shows the color most accurately :).

WIP Wednesday: Staggered Squares Blanket

One of my works in progress, as there are many at the moment, is the Staggered Squares Blanket.  This is the second part of the gift I'm giving to my cousins who are expecting their first baby.  The other part is the orange-and-blue shelled Sheldon the Turtle.  

I usually crochet baby blankets, but I fell in love with this pattern.  I believe it is a Bernat patter that I got free from Michaels.  The yarn I'm using is something that I had in my stash.  It's an acrylic sport weight yarn that is VERY soft.  I was hesitant about using the lacy pattern with this yarn (even though this is one of the yarns that is recommended for this pattern) because I thought that the pattern might get lost among the colors of the yarn.  The larger it gets, the more I like it.  I'm knitting it on US 8s, which is making it go a bit faster than I anticipated.  I can do about 1 pattern repeat (16 rows) during my daily commute (8 rows each way).  I should have this blanket finished by the end of the month if I can keep this pace or make it a bit faster.

I also think that I would make this pattern again because it's fun to do!  I would also probably use a yarn that I could block--perhaps one of the sock yarns from Knit Picks.  I am really happy with this blanket--it is soft and light weight--perfect for this soon-to-come baby!

Sheldons!

I've been a very busy crafter lately, even though I have not been blogging about it. Tsk tsk on me.  One of the patterns that I've just fallen in love with is Sheldon the Turtle from Knitty.  Sheldon is a pretty quick knit and makes an excellent gift.  One of the best things IMO about Sheldon is that you can remove his shell and make him other little outfits to wear instead! How fun is that?  Anywho, I went to my bf's niece's 1st birthday party in August and wanted to bring a little gift for her.  I figured that something hand knit would make a nice gift, so I knit her a Sheldon with a pink and purple shell.  Since this was a gift for her first birthday I embroidered they eyes rather than using safety eyes or buttons.  It's totally child friendly!  It was really cute when she opened her present because she gave Sheldon a big kiss! :)

So...Sheldon is *such* a great pattern that I decided to make another one as part of a gift for my cousins' who are expecting their first baby.  This one took even less time to make.  I really love making the shell!  They expecting a baby boy sometime in September (I think).  I'm also making them a baby blanket and I picked colors for Sheldon that match the blanket.  I've also embroidered the eyes to make it totally safe for a baby.

I also really love that I've used yarn that I've had in my stash for both Sheldons!  I love making use of things :).

Are you ready for some football?

It's that time of year again, football season!  Now, I have to be honest...I'm not much of a football fan, but I don't mind watching games (in fact, sometimes I really enjoy it!).  My bf, however, is quite the football fan.  He LOVES his Giants!  So what better to make for him than a football hat?  He was so happy with the hat :).

I also recently met his 11 yr old nephew, B, and when I met B he asked me to make him a dog (because I made his sister a Sheldon the turtle)...well I was told that he's too old for a stuffed dog (which I'm not sure if I agree with).  I don't want to ruffle any feathers, so I knit him a football hat too (and I'll probably knit the dog later :)).  B's hat is a surprise and I haven't given it to him yet.  Hopefully he'll like it!

New Fall colors announced!

Every season Pantone announces the new colors for the season.  I honestly find this to be very exciting...and mysterious!  Isn't it interesting that they can predict the colors that will be popular?  Or perhaps they just set the colors that will be popular and everyone follows along!  Regardless, I still think it's fun.

You can view the color announcement here.

Pantone also lists the women's

 and men's fashion colors of the season.  Both of these images are not mine, they are from the Pantone website.

Both of the previous images do not belong to me.  They are from the Pantone website and can be found at the following two links: Women's and Men's.

I also think it's fun that Lion Brand matches up their yarns with the new color palette.  You can read all about that in this blog entry.

My favorite has to be "Rhapsody" (I know...it's purple ;)).  I've been eying Vanna's Glamour in Purple Topaz for a LONG time now...probably since it was first released.  I think this will be the season to make something out of it.  I also really like the Ultramarine Green (which is the teal color in both the men's and women's color palettes)

So, what is your favorite color for the fall?

FO: Summer Vest

In the middle of July I knit myself a summer vest in an orange color.  I'm super happy with the way it turned out.  These photos are pre-blocking, but after it was blocked it REALLY opened up and no longer rolls (and is much more flowy).

FO: Spring/Summer Cardigan

Back in the beginning of July I finished crocheting myself a spring/summer cardigan.  I found the pattern free online from DROPS and I used Cotlin yarn.  I'm overall very pleased with how it came out.  It was a very quick project to make!  I think it might be a slight bit large, but that's ok.  Without further ado, here it is!

Ta-DA!!!!! Owls is done!

So the Ravellenic Games have been going on since the start of the Olympic Games.  Like I said in a previous post I was going to knit myself the Owls sweater.  Well....last night I finished it!!! I actually knit myself a sweater in just over a week!!! I'm SO very excited and proud of myself!!