Baby Penny Candy Socks

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Jen

Necessity is the mother of invention. I was not planning to spend the whole day designing and knitting these, however, my dearest sister-in-law Patricia so kindly asked if she could commission me to make some baby socks for her niece who is ‘expecting’ …how can I say no?

So I seized the opportunity and decided to let it be a good reason to design something. Why not a mini verson of Penny Candy Socks’ pattern ? And so voila !

Downsized from Penny Candy Socks, I have designed a baby & toddler version with picot edge and twisted cord tie closure. Cute as can be !!!

Stay tuned, as I will be submitting a pattern just for these, as well as adding the pattern to the existing Penny Candy Socks Pattern , and updating it in Ravelry sales soon ! (If you have already purchased or have been gifted the Penny Candy Socks pattern, you will be sent an automatic update as soon as I submit it 🙂

Mini Tee

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Jen

In between knitting bonnets and planting a spring garden, I have been diligently slaving away like an ox on two more Spring Pin-Striped Sweater Tee’s, in fingering weight sock yarn, in a size 34 and 32 for some big kids. (Jeff’s nieces who live in Vancouver, as we’re going to visit them in May.) In addition to the original pair I made around the vernal equinox (first day of spring) for my nieces in 28 & 32, I will say, that I am going dizzy with the little tiny stripes, miles of them, unending. I will be going for more long knit-walks in the next weeks to get these critters off the needles, because as of yet, I am only 1/3 along the way of the first... panic! I am refining the instructions with this last two tee’s, so that I might hopefully have a pattern of some sort together in another few weeks (cross fingers) before summer.

But wait, that’s not it ! I never showed you this one, knit a few weeks ago. I had opportunity to quickly knit (read ; rabidly knitting for two days, ripping & knitting over, ripping & knitting over again) a wee tee for a darling wee girl.

Totally improvovised, ever so slightly bell-shaped, I couldn’t even say as to what I did, as I just needed it done, and made it in 2 days with some left-over sock yarn I had handy . . .

Here’s Mini Tee,

((event being a very recent Easter hunt))

on a Super Mini Model . . .

I was rather suprised that the colors worked ! How cheery and old-fashioned even !

“Firecracker Red” and “Tranquil”

color combo really came together for us.

* * *

Project details on Ravelry HERE

Nora’s Birthday Sweater

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Jen

Is Finished! After carrying on about i-cord, and deliberating over buttons, then giving the last finishing touches…

At long last this little sweater can go to it’s wee little child. In fact, her birthday is just three days before Easter this year, and it *does* happen to look very much like a painted Easter egg!

A Wee Sherpa Hat

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jen

Emma and I have been busy.

Recently I visited an old friend in this post and decided it was time for me to do more totally improv hats again. I am very interested in using up bits of stash yarn , perfecting these hats ! My brother is wild about these and well, his birthday is in April. But this little hat for little I decided yesterday afternoon to make for a present, as the one for who it is made is two months old and I’m attending a party for her tomorrow. This wee hat is first in a series of “Sherpa Neuveau” hats I will knit up lots in the foreseen future… my brother’s to be next.

Here it is, inside out.

In nice dappled light on the piano, angled so you can see the relief of the purl rows

I’m very satisfied with my improvising, though the crocheted edge is done badly (I don’t crochet, I improv’d that too, I was trying to tame the curling ear flaps !

It’s quite a cute little hat, perfect for a 2month baby-sized head. The colors don’t seem as vivid in the photographs as they are in person ( I need to get the hang of lighting in photography). The light purple and green backgrounds are alpaca , with little filled in color from various wool and wool blends I have hanging around. Adorable I might say myself.

Nora’s Alpaca Cardigan

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Jen

I finished this little cardigan well before Christmas , but couldn’t post it until now. So, here it is, Christmas morning and little Nora (who is already starting to walk at eight and a half months) will have her sweater to wear. Nora is a big baby girl, so I made it plenty big for growing, for hopefully through winter, and into spring.

This was a first in many ways. My first Top-Down knit, my first baby sweater, my first alpaca sweater, as well as little Nora’s first Christmas. I adapted the pattern from this free pattern from Ravelry. I improvised my way through all of the yoke increases, not necessarily following the pattern exactly, but it was a great guideline to have.

I incorporated an edging I’ve been working on for a few projects and suppose it to be a bit of a signature now ~ a sort of hybrid of rib and moss stitch, and now with a vikkel braid stitch bordering the rib on the inside. I also edged the moss stitch yoke bands with vikkel braid stitch, which I think is an absolutely charming and modest detail.

Nora’s Cardigan is ravelled here. Note ~ the little bunny in photo was my mom’s when she was a little girl, probably given to her on Christmas, probably about 75 years ago.

Have a Very Merry Christmas !

Loveliness.

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Jen

Nora & Her Mom

This photo is likely months old already, but I was sent it only just now, telling of how the baby blanket I knit last April for Little Nora is getting good use. I’m so flattered!

Baby Boots

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Jen

The white pair is knit from some white Huacaya alpaca I spun up just for the project,

These booties are knit especially for this little baby.

Pattern is Saartje Bootees , a generously free download.

April Baby On The Way

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Jen

A blanket knit of pima cotton ~ designed by me ~ for a very special baby girl who is due to be born in the beginning of April.

I love cotton. Don’t get me wrong, I really do, but it is very lifeless yarn to knit for such a large thing as a blanket, or even a sweater for that matter. I never really thought I would be opinionated about yarns, and maybe being a spinner has something for my penchant for wool in particular. I love wool. I love, love, love how it is resilient and alive and has ‘bite’ on the needles, how it can be so well tensioned around fingers, and feel so natural.

But this is really about the April Baby blanket.

It turned out huge, by the way ~ slightly larger than 36in x 48in ~ after it was washed and tumbled on medium heat in the dryer, to try to get it to shrink. On the bright side, it’s a perfect ‘crib blanket’, for baby to grow with, at least until she’s three. Or five. The fluffy 2ply pima cotton boucle just makes one want to dive right into it and take a nap.

Detailed on Ravelry