Xmas Presents

hmmm...it's how many days before Christmas and how many hand-made items are there?

well, there's one. The Icequeen.


I used Crystal Palace Merino in a light blue and blue seed beads. Easy pattern, I might have to make another one for another one of my friends...

Stats:
Started December 14 2008
Completed December 15 2008
Needle US 5 / 3.75 mm & US 7 / 4.5 mm
Yarn Crystal Palace Yarns Kid Merino
0.9 skeins = 216.0 yards (197.5m)
Colorway 4681
beads #6 seed beads (I didn't count)

oh, the recipient is Z's kindergarten teacher. She's getting a gift card for Borders and this. I hope she likes it.

Shel for G

Did I mention I needed to make another knitted item for another child's first birthday? Well, yes, I do. My group of friends (from 2nd time mom's group) are all having birthdays. As a lark, I had gifted a knitted item to the first child, and then I gave each child a knitted item as they turned one. I figured that they'll get lots of toys and books, but how many would get handknits?

So, with G, I decided another toy. I started on kangaroo (Joey) from World of Knitted Toys, but am not enamored with it enough to actually make mommy.

Then I decided to make a ear infection germ (all their kids always get ear infections). I thought that would be humorous, but z & a's dad reminded me that the parents might be a tad offended. So, that project will go to another child who's parents will think it's weird, but very funny.

Anyway, I knit Sheldon from Knitty for him. It's originally done in sport weight, but I chose to do it in worsted. Then I decided I'd better double the yarn and knit w/ US6. Woah! what a mistake. I finished knitting the body, only to decide that a smaller Sheldon would be much cuter. Not only that, but I don't think I had enough yarn.

Finished stats:

yarn: worsted acrylic in limeade green and 'baby blue' from lb of love
needles: dpn US3 (clovers)
time: August 21-23, 2007
size: 13inches long

mods: I did make one for the body instead of kfb. Instead of choking-hazard-eyes, I used felt and cut out circles for eyes which then I sewed on. I had such issues trying to knit together the shell while doing the attached i-cord that I ended up doing the attached i-cord to the top shell, then sewing the bottom on. I also put the shell on Sheldon before I sewed on legs. Unfortunately, this means that it'll be difficult to take him out of shell.

Well, it goes to a new home tomorrow. Hope he likes it.

Knitty Convertible almost ready to go

Instead of working on the edging for the curved shawl, I finished convertible instead. I have been stressing about the length of the the thing...what a cliff hanger...will it or won't it be too long? will it be too wide? should I block before I'm finished to figure out the length? oh, what to do what to do?

Yeah, right. I'm going to preblock. That would just drive me batty if it still didn't turn out properly. I decided that if it didn't block out properly (either the sleeves are too wide or long), I'll just wear it as a summer shawl. And hey, I won't have to do the fiddly buttons. How many buttons do you need?

Without further ado, here's my finished convertible.

stats:
yarn: almost a cone of dk weight navy 100% smooth silk from colourmart
pattern: Convertible from Knitty (go look it up)
needles: US6
time: 3/6/2007 - 3/20/2007
finished size: 23in X 76in (a bit larger than expected, but oh, well, that's what happens when you don't block a swatch)
modifications: cast on 77 stitches and did 5 pattern repeats.

My thoughts: this yarn is steam set by colourmart and it cost $2 more than if you just ask them to wind the strands on a cone. Is it worth it? for me, it was this time. I've got some doubled silk yarn that I'd like to try and see how that goes. The only time I split the yarn was when I wasn't paying ANY attention -- and it serves me right.

So now I've got to think buttons. I was going to connect them via Knitty's suggestion using wire, but apparently, that's difficult to do and the wire sticks out and such. Instead, I'm almost thinking some sort of frog bead closure thing. a loop that a bead can toggle through. hmmm...when I have that done, I'll of course show it off. Until then, I've got a pretty darn nice summer wrap (at least it's sunny today).

Bubby for a Bubby

This gift is already gifted. This was for a lovely boy who just turned one at the beginning of the month. He's a doll. So I knit him a bubby.
This knit was fiddly. But cute. And it hurt my fingers knitting tightly. I am not a natural born tight knitter. (sigh) Remember, I'm the loosey goosey kind of gal.

The directions were followed, except that I used doubled Woolease with US5 needles. I did add a tail and a bellybutton. For the tail, I crocheted a chain of 4 and tied a knot and sewed it on. For the belly button, I used the yarn used for putting the tail on and came out through the front, and back into the back. Put a bit of tension there so that you got a little 'insie' and that was that.

I will have to make one of these for my little girl child too. I wonder if I can knit it and felt it to get that tightness?hmmm...I've got some lovely worsted weight 100% wool in a pink that I really shouldn't use for anything but toys. I may even try to make a dinosaur, for my boy z (but maybe not in pink).