Holidornments

I've been working on Christmas presents which double as Christmas decorations this year. Not much knitting-related presents, except for my son's stocking, which is a free-form design I'm making up as I go, hopefully will finish it by Christmas! And one secret quilting project.

Some of the projects...


The secret quilt project...


And the stocking in progress...

Season's greetings!

auntie work

I am now an aunt of a beautiful little girl. Of course, this means I now have a very special little girl to make things for! I managed to make some bibs and burp cloths for the baby, whose mother is fond of Winnie the Pooh (Aldy modeling).





And have put to good use the sweater and bonnet I made that looks a little too feminine on Aldy.


And the Heather Bailey bitty booties I made that never fit his big feet!


What to make next?!?

Raglan baby

I finished a little raglan sweater last week -- this sweater was knit almost completely while I do my pumping when I'm at work. I used leftover yarn from a poncho I made for myself with Sisik in Dalegarn 115. The poncho is one of my favorite knitted items I've made for myself. The only problem with the yarn is that it sheds and gets on baby's face... urgh.





I didn't really use a pattern -- borrowed here and there from a raglan pattern in The Debbie Bliss Baby Knits Book, and then just eyeballed sizing. It fits my big boy pretty well. And blue is his color. Hopefully this will fit for another month or two. I may have to add a ribbed border on the bottom to keep it from riding up.

Vintage Vogue Cardigan with Cabled Details

I finished this lovely Cable Cardigan pattern for my sister-in-law's baby, expected in November. The pattern, "Cardigan with Cabled Details," was originally published by Vogue in 1950. I found it in a book I picked up at a library book sale in Stowe, VT called "VOGUE Fair Isle & Textured Knits". It is very 80's.



The pattern was pretty good -- I did a doubled button band, which I'd never done. Can't decide if I like it. My favorite is the shoulder yokes on the sleeves -- two cables decorate these little strips. I thought it would look wierd, but the shoulder yokes really tie the sweater together nicely!

I knit this with Knitpicks Essential sock yarn, and I don't know that I'll be making another baby sweater with sock yarn, this is the second one I've made and it takes forever. I am too impatient. Anyway, it turned out beautifully :) so no complaining.

new person presents

To help my friend welcome her newest addition to her family, I sent along a few treats.

Vintage baby quilt.

I have to say making this little quilt was a lot of fun. I found these lovely vintage hand-quilted blocks at a consignment shop and knew I could give them the life they deserved. The colors- dark blue, beige, brown, with hints of red, orange and green, are perfect for a little boy's quilt, or for the back of a rocking chair. I found some reproduction cotton in a coordinating vintage pattern for the backing at my local fabric shop.

Flannel drool set.

I have some of these burp clothes that my mom made for me when I had a newborn a few months ago -- they are a good size and are so stylish. And I whipped up a little matching bib. This fabric almost has a holiday/festive hint to it -- perfect for the little guy as we enter the holiday season.

Welcome little one!!

grandpa pants

I made some pants for Aldy out of some of my late father's shirts. I thought it would be a nice use of these shirts, and makes me feel my dad's presence. Plus, the plaids are very masculine and kind of 1950's styled. There just aren't enough good boy clothes, I have to make things myself! I used the side and bottom seams of the shirts (straight bottomed shirts) in the pant design, and made up my own pattern.

my little bruiser...

adornments

Some knitting for me -- projects finished up this summer...

My own prayer shawl - knit out of leftovers from various projects I've knit in the past 3 years.

And a shiny scarf out of Louisa Harding Sari Ribbon yarn... will look great during drab winter days.

Trellis sweater from Knitty

Here is a picture of aj in the Trellis sweater I made for him while I was pregnant. I love this color on him -- it makes his dark blue eyes sparkle. Hopefully this sweater will fit him during the fall -- he is running a little big, though!

Sock knitting

I had originally given this yarn to my mom and after two years, she finished her socks when she was staying with us after Alden was born in early June. She made them ankle length for summer, so she had an extra skein leftover and gifted it to me! So I made some ankle length socks too.

Pattern: modified Dublin Bay Socks (I made them shorter, and added a row of crochet at the tops, and used the afterthought heel, and knit them toe up on size 2 needles).
Yarn: Regia Silk Color - 1 skein with some to spare.

Overall, I am happy with these, as I can wear them this summer and they look good with Birkenstocks. I like the silk yarn -- it is so soft and stretchy! And it is more fun knitting with a baby on your lap :)

Baby Tomten Jacket

Made this for the cherub - he wore it to see fireworks, but first he did some stretching in it. Very stretchy!