A Dorm Blanket for My Baby Niece

My baby niece is in college.  I still remember her first smile.  She was so cute.  So I am making a blanket for her dorm room.

The pattern is Alora from Berroco Designs and I'm knitting it in Berroco Comfort.  Here is what I have so far.

It has a 7 inch garter stitch border, which is... boring nice to do while watching t.v.  I don't have to think.  The middle is a very complicated cable pattern, though, that will take some concentration.  I hope I don't screw it up. 

My goal is to give this to Amy when I get moved home and can go see her dorm, etc.  I. will. not. cry.  I promise!

Blog? What blog?

I have a blog?  Who knew?!  Oh ya... I did.  And so did you!  (If you are still here anyway.) 

Yes, I've been knitting.  No, not every day.  Its called morning sickness and it sucks and it makes knitting hard.  I'm just sayin'.  However, I think we're past that stage and I've been knitting up a storm!  Ok, not really, but I'm doing better than I was. 

So I will update the Finished Projects and Current projects on the side in a minute or so.  Most of my yarn is packed up, though.  I am moving home to my parents' for the deployment and yarn that won't get used before the beginning of November has been packed.  (Don't worry.  I can still get to it if necessary.)

Things I have finished...

Matching Suntops for Morgan and Emma.  They turned out super cute!  They sent me a picture of the girls in their tops and they actually fit, too!  I'm getting better at this!  ;) 

On these, I lengthened the back strap and put buttons on the front.  They both needed size 4-5, but I made Morgan's shorter because she's such a peanut!  :)

I also got a lot of bibs and washcloths done.  Not as many as I would have liked, but enough.  :) 

Right now, I'm making a scarf and hat for Sheryl.  It is in Crimson Bernat Satin.  Very pretty.  The Scarf patten is Falling Water Lace. 

The Scarf is done.  The hat is about half way done.  It is from Bernat Satin's Cable Hat, Scarf and Mittens set.  I'm just using the hat, though.  I might try making the mittens another time.  They look cute.  And warm.  :) 

That's all for now.  I'll update more later. 

The Great Gift Switch of 2010

O.k. so it wasn't that exciting.  However, my husband's stunning inability to tell me about baby showers BEFORE they happen struck again and things had to be rearranged.  (See why I want a stash of said baby items to give away on short notice?)  Apparently, Flores had a baby shower!  When did Jerry tell me about it, you ask?  The Monday AFTER it happened, of course! 

Soooo... in order to not look like a total loser, I pulled a gift switch.  Amy's bibs and washcloths never got to her, so guess what... I pulled the card and voila!  Flores had a gift today.  I have no earthly idea when I'll see Amy again, so I have time to get something done.  See how that works?  Hehehe...

Now I am working on the Melara twins' bibs.  Sgt Melara is moving soon so I better get on this.  Jerry told me today "Melara is leaving soon."  So this could mean he's leaving tomorrow, at the end of this week or in August.  Who knows.  I better be prepared.  I have 1 washcloth out of 4 done and 1 bib out of 4 almost done.  I'm kinda getting tired of the bibs and washcloths.  Although, they are stinking easy and nice to whip up quickly for baby gifts.  (Especially with the aforementioned habit of the husband's.)

I guess I better get back to knitting on that bib!  Jerry could come home tomorrow and tell me Melara has already gone.  And then said bib will probably become Amy's!  I am evil, aren't I?

Where did the month go?

It went to Kansas and Indiana!  Or at least we did.  We left New York on May 11 for a 3 week vacation.  Yes... 3 weeks.  Seems like a long vacation, right?  Well, in some ways it was and some ways it was too short.

We got to my Mom's on the evening of the 12th after our normal stop at my favorite Aunt's house in New Castle, PA.  Then we spent a day at Mom's to let the Boy stretch his legs.  Back in the car, we went on the 14th and headed to Kansas with a stop over in Missouri.  Favorite Step-Daughter's high school graduation was the 16th with a graduation party following on that day.  (Pausing to point and laugh at my husband who is old.  He has a child that has graduated high school.  Ha!)  We enjoyed spending a couple of days with Tarissa, Jerry's Mother and a few other people from Jerry's family. 

On the 19th, we got back in the car again!  We chose a different hotel on the way back through Missouri and got to my parents' on the 20th.  We stayed there and visited friends and family until the 31st.  We also got to see my niece graduate high school.  (Pausing so the husband can point and laugh at me for being old enough to have a niece graduate high school.  Fair is fair.)

We got home the evening of June 1st.  8 days of driving and we drove about 6 hours each day.  Approximately 48 total hours of driving.  Seriously.  2 whole days of our trip were spent driving.  Dude.

Want to know how many projects I finished while in the car for that long?  None.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  My ability to call myself a knitter may be revoked.  Its not that I didn't knit.  I did.  However, there's this short person that calls me Mommy and expects me to help him with things like food, drinks, entertainment and his DVD player.  Also the taller one let me help drive the first 2 days. 

I did get a washcloth done.  However, I can't count it because the total project included 4 of them and 4 bibs.  I have a bib almost done. 

My sweater pieces are one and I started sewing it together, but my seam was wrong.  So I had to put it away until we got to Indiana and I could talk to my favorite Yarn Store owner, Cammie.  I then found out that  Cammie is closing the store and cutting her hours.  So I didn't get to see her until the 28th.  Bummer. 

However, one of the best moments in my knitting life happened!  I got approximately $150 worth of yarn from Cammie for FREE!  Seriously, she gave me the rest of my beloved Berrocco Comfort!  She's having trouble selling it and so she just gave it to me!  Wow!  Love! Her! 

I have all sorts of new projects cued for it too!  I'm so excited!  :) 

Picture Day!

Here are some pictures of the knitting... I know, I know... I've been stuck to my Crackberry too much lately to blog.  I'm sorry.  Here is Sue's Shawl.  I get to give it to her in a week or so!  :) 

And here is Ari, the sweater I'm making for me!  :) 

We leave Tuesday for our trip.  I'm bringing plenty of yarn for bibs and some other things.  I'm hoping to keep occupied in the car.  Although, I'm sure that the Boy will keep me plenty busy.  LOL  Not sure when I'll be able to blog again.  Have a wonderful time everyone!  :) 

Crackberry and other such distractions

I've been knitting a little bit.  Not much, but a little.  I think I'm hitting my goal of a 1/2 hour a day, though.  Most of Amy/Alfred's bibs and washcloths are done.  I just have to finish 1 side of the Icord on the last bib and I'm done. 

I've decided to work on the Melara Twins' bibs and such in the car on THE TRIP.  I'm pretty sure I can get them done on the first day or 2 and then I'll be really bored.  Kidding... I'll try to take extra projects just in case.  :)  We need to buy a van or SUV so that I can bring more knitting on trips.  Good idea, don't you think?  (That one got the raised eyebrow from Jerry.  LOL)  I mean... really... 4 days in a car out to Kansas?  I'm going to need quite a bit to entertain me. 

So part of the reason that there has not been so much knitting... Crackberry... I mean Blackberry.  Yep... The Gustafsons have entertained this century and gotten Blackberries.  Only because the phones were free, though.  LOL  Our plan will go up a bit, but we're cutting back in other areas to afford it.  Like... cutting down the cable.  We're going to basic.  We really don't watch it much anyway.  We got our Wii disc for Netflix and guess what... that's all we watch.  So why pay for something we don't use?  Anywho...

The Boy's birthday party was Friday night too.  So not so much knitting Friday and then there was the recovery from said party.  LOL  Today is his birthday.  He was born 2 years ago at 8:22 p.m.  Where did the time go???

I've decided that I am going to start a sweater for me.  Sort of.  Its a bolero type cover called Ari.  I want to wear it over a dress of mine.  I might make this for the brown dress too.  However, I have a nice light blue Berroco Comfort left that will look nice over a dusty blue dress of  mine, I think.  :)  This is a test to see how this sweater knits. Then Wendy wants one for HER dress.  LOL  I may just go into the shrug/bolero making business. 

Well, that's how things have been going over here in my world.  Crazy as usual!  ;)

Finished Projects

Today is a day of finishing things.  Sue's Dragon Wings Shawl and a washcloth for Alfred are done.  I just did the finishing on them a few minutes ago.  Now I'll finish the other bib and start another washcloth for Alfred.  :) 

Next up are bibs and washcloths for the Melara twins.  Those need to be done before we leave on the Kansas trip.  Speaking of the trip... I'm not sure how much knitting is going to get done on the trip.  I doubt I'll be able to bring much yarn.  We only have so much room in the car.  Unfortunately, yarn is only a life sustaining priority to me and I am not the head of this household.  (In all fairness... The Husband isn't bringing his Xbox 360.  Fair is fair.)

I have to admit that I did a stupid thing today.  There could have been more finished things tonight if I had been using my brain today.  We went to the zoo in Syracuse this afternoon on a last minute whim.  And since it takes approximately 1.5 hours to get to said zoo... you'd think I would have thought to bring a project, right?  Ummmm... no. 

Stu... pid...  The drive was long and boring.  Especially since, once again, Google Maps screwed us and we got lost.  Then we got lost on the way home too.  So. much. knitting. could have been accomplished.  Oh well... I would have knit on the way, but probably not coming home.  I was tired, hot and hungry.  It was a lot warmer at the zoo than we thought it was going to be.  We weren't dressed too badly, but I would have rather Gabriel been wearing shorts. 

Anywho... I did get some things accomplished today in the knitting department.  Have a great remainder of your weekend!

So tired and unmovtivated its crazy!

I haven't been knitting.  I'm sorry.  I did knit yesterday during naptime, but not last night.  The last few days I have been tired and extremely unmotivated.  Not sure why.  And I don't mean that I've just been feeling lazy.  I actually fell asleep on the couch last night.... at 7 p.m. 

Yesterday, I started one of the washcloths for Alfred.  I didn't feel like doing I-cord.  I have to be in the mood for I-cord.  It hurts my fingers.  Sue's shawl only needs about 3 more rows, so maybe I'll do it today during naptime and get it ready to go.  We leave in just a few weeks, so I need to start making lists of what we need to take with us.  :(  I hate that part.  The packing and hoping we have everything.  I love the visiting part.  I just wish I could beam in and out to avoid the actual travelling part. 

Anywho... that's where we are on the knitting.  Have a great weekend everyone!

We have a line jumper!

Well, that list of babies and their due dates just changed drastically.  Alfred Aron Betts was born this week.  6 weeks ahead of schedule!  So he jumped the line a bit.  Luckily, I had been working on the dinosaur & steggie bibs anyway.  Dinosaur is done and steggie is almost done.  I'm just finishing the I-cord.  So once that's done, I can crank out the washcloths in 2 episodes of Lost.  ;)

A Butterfly Washcloth

After shopping with Wendy on Friday for Ali & Amy's baby shower gifts, I really wanted to make Ali a Butterfly bib and wash cloth.  The bedding that she registered for had butterflies on it and was an adorable purple color.  So yesterday, I looked for a butterfly washcloth.  Not very hard, though.  I just looked 2 places.  Then I decided to do it myself. 

It took most of the day, but here is what we got.  I think it turned out pretty well!  This first picture is the charted picture.  This was the hard part!  (It would help if I could find knitting graph paper with larger squares!  My old eyes were getting tired very quickly!)

Then there was a test knit with no borders or anything.  Not sure if you can see the pattern very well.  I used some leftover white cotton. 

After a couple of adjustments, here is the finished Butterfly Washcloth!  :)  It is a nice soft green and ready to be put in Ali's gift bag.  O.k.... I'll weave in the ends if you insist!  ;)

Now, I am NOT artistically talented.  I think I can do basic drawings, though, as long as they don't have to be complicated.  (Stop laughing, Kira!)  However, I think this butterfly turned out very nice!  I'm pretty proud of it and will definitely keep the test piece.  This one is going to Ali, though, as I have too  many to turn out to hold one back.  ;)

I'm thinking tulip and basic flower next.  What do you think?

Holy Bibs, Batman!

The current count of babies needing bibs by the end of July... 5.  2 bibs and 2 washcloths each makes 20... TWENTY! knitted things for babies coming up.  Here is the run down:

Amy Betts: Boy due June 1st or 2nd?  (My cousin is due 1 of those days, but her bibs, etc. are done & mailed to her.)
Flores: Boy due mid-July.  (Soldiers don't have first names, I've learned.)
Melara: Twins, sex unknown due in August, but shower is May 15th. (Another soldier, but I know their names.  Michele & Kelvin are the proud parents-to-be.)
Ali Brown: Girl due mid-July

So while I am working on Sue's Dragon Wings Shawl every night after Boy's bedtime, Naptime is now dedicated to baby bibs & washcloths. 

In other news... Michael's has now closed their yarn section.  I almost cried!  They are moving to a larger store in a better location and the moving process has begun.  They claim they will re-open at the end of the month.  I may not be able to wait that long!  :(  As this is the only decent source of yarn within a hour of here... I am lost.  2 whole weeks?  Really?  I guess I will have to make due with the 2 closets full of yarn that I have now... *sigh*

Also in other news... I have decided to try to design my own bib pattern.  Ali seems to like butterflies according to her Target gift registry.  So I'm going to give it a try.  I'll take the basic down coverlaine pattern for bibs and see if I can put a big butterfly in the middle instead of a dinosaur or something.  We'll see what happens.  If it works out... well... let's just see what happens, shall we?

A yarn giveaway! Woo hoo!

Not from me... sorry...

Erin Wallace is giving away yarn!  Click on her name to find out out to enter her giveaway!  I'm entered already!  While you are there, check out her free patterns and her Etsy shop!  She's very talented!  :)

Something for me

I have finally decided to make something for myself.  I'm going to make something for me to wear!  Yay!  See... a while back, I bought a dress for $20 at DressBarn.  Its really nice, but its sleeveless.  I am not so much a fan of sleeveless things.  I have fat arms.  Nuff said.

Here is the dress. 

Not sure if you can tell, but its a nice chocolate brown with cream stripes.  I really like the dress.  However, being uncomfortable showing my arms... well... I haven't worn it. 

On my new favorite website, though... I found this:  A Shrug to wear over it!  AND I have cream colored yarn in the right weight and amount!  Awesome!  So this Shrug has been added to the project queue.  Not sure when I'll get to it, though.  Not before Mother's Day.  Maybe I'll wear it on a date with Jerry before he leaves.  :) 

**Note** I just noticed that the yarn I have to make the shrug and Abbie's Cardigan to the right are the same color.  So that will be the color of the little sweater I make to go over my dress!  :) 

I love purse size projects!

Some people like to carry those little dogs in their huge purses... I carry knitting.  LOL  I've had a lot of doctor appointments this week and so having a small project in my purse to work on has been a huge blessing!  

I had started the Dinosaur Bib so that I could teach Sandy to make I-cord on Wednesday.  I got it all worked up to the point of needing to do the I-cord on one side last Tuesday.  Then on Wednesday, I taught "I-cord class" and put it back in my purse!  I left it there. 

This worked out great!  I pulled it out in my dentist's office on Thursday.  Then on Friday, I pulled it out in the oral surgeon's waiting room.  Awesome!  I'm a worrier, so having a project in my purse has been the best thing for me this week.  I think from now on... there will be a smallish project in my purse in case of emergency (i.e. downtime w/o the Boy!).  LOL

O.k. so here's deal with all of the dentist appointments....  Ya....  That wasn't a part of my old wisdom tooth that came out.  That was part of my jaw bone.  Neat!  So they have to go in and pull other parts of bone that may be infected out and clean it up.  Then they will sew the gum shut over the jaw bone to make sure it heals properly. 

The nice thing is that I don't have to be put completely out for this.  The bad thing is that maybe I'll want to be?  Kidding...  The whole thing will take a 1/2 hour and then I'll just be sore for a couple of days.  I'm hoping this is the end of the health problems.  That would be nice... *sigh. 

In other news... all indications point toward Jerry's leave getting approved.  So we will be heading out May 11th!  I'm excited!  I want to see my parents' house so badly!  Plus, we will see Tarissa graduate and spend some time with her before she heads out to the Air Force.  Then we get to spend some time in Indy with family and friends.  That will be nice.  I'm ready to be home for a little while.

Dragon Wings Pics

Here are pictures of the Dragon Wings Shawl.  This is a close up shot of the pattern. 

And this is how far along I am.  :)

Its coming along pretty well!  :) 

Dragon Wings, Take 3

The good news is that I finally figured out what I was doing wrong on the Dragon Wings pattern.  The bad news is that I had to frog it and start over... AGAIN!  However, now things are moving along just fine and I have even made it past the first section of the pattern!  Yay! 

Today, we're making Easter cookies.  I think Katie is coming over with her boys, so that should be fun.  And messy!  Then there will be knitting and window washing.  Possibly some time getting out the patio furniture since its supposed to be 77 today!  Yay!  I can knit after the Boy goes to bed.  I really want to get ready for summer!  I'm thinking I can knit while he plays outside if I set things up right.  :)

Frogging Again

This time I made a mistake.  I was so concentrated on figuring out how to do the chart, that I didn't read the instructions correctly.  There are 2 charts for Dragon Wing and you alternate charts by section.  The sections are set apart by stitch markers.  Well, I worked Chart A in both of the chart sections and I was supposed to work Chart B in the 2nd chart section.  Oh, well... live and learn, right? 

I realized this problem when I didn't understand the instructions. I got the whole first section done, but then I was really, really confused.  I even considered finding another pattern.  However, I read through the instructions again... figured out that I screwed up... and frogged the whole thing to start over.  At least I was only at Row 25ish. 

So today during naptime, I will get back to where I was last night and move on.  :) 

Dragon Wings for Sue

Yesterday, I did decide to frog the Friendship Shawl and try another pattern.  I picked Dragon Wings, which is beautiful!  I got it on a PDF download on Ravelry, so I can't post a link here.  :(  Trust me... I would if I could.  You all need to see the beautiful dark red shawl that the pattern designer made.  Gor!Geous!

I cast on last night and so far, I am loving it.  I think Sue will too.  The yarn looks really nice with the pattern so far (although I am only about 14 rows in) and I'm thinking it will just be very, very pretty when its done.  I'm very glad that I changed patterns. 

Also, I am learning a new skill.  Reading a chart.  The pattern is charted and so I was a little intimidated at first.  Its going well, though, and frankly really easy to read!  I always thought charts looked super scary.  Luckily, its a chart/line pattern combo deal.  The pattern will say K1, M1, K1, work chart from marker to marker....  I can do that.  This is a really good first charted pattern for me.  I'm learning a lot!  :) 

Sandy picked up Abbie's Cardigan last night and I'm kind of sad that it left.  I may make another for my future daughter (if I have one).  I have enough yarn.  We'll see.  I'm getting a very pretty lavender yarn that I think would work too, so maybe I'll make it in that.  :)

To Frog or Not to Frog

I am about 7 inches in on Sue's shawl.  Here's the problem, though.  While I LOVE it... I'm thinking it won't be wide enough.  This particular shawl is a wrap type shaw and therefore, is basically nothing more than a large scarf.  Its about 22 inches wide and 65 inches long when complete.  Very large scarf. 

I just think Sue would rather have  triangular shawl like the one I made Peggy.  Soooo... today I am considering frogging it and choosing another pattern.  I will have to ponder this for a while and obssesively look at patterns some more. 

O.k. here's the pic:

So anyway... I'll let you know tomorrow what I decide to do.  Today is my doctor's appointment, so I may not get to worry about it until tonight after bedtime. 

I love it!

When a plan comes together!  Or some knitting!  LOL  Abbie's cardigan has buttons and has been through the wash.  And all seams stayed together and everything!  I'm so very impressed with myself its not even funny! 

Actually, I'm just proud of myself for finishing it and doing it well.  I hate to give gifts to people that I'm not proud of... especially when I made them.  Although, since every knitted thing that I'm not proud of got frogged and never became gifts, that has never happened... me giving a gift I'm not proud of, I mean... so ummmm... anyway... I digress.

I'll give Abbie's Cardigan to Sandy Tuesday night at Bible study.  Today I have to finish 1 side of the I-cord on Leslie's last bib and then its ready to mail.  After I finish that, I will cast on for Sue's Shawl. 

I've been through pattern after pattern on Ravelry looking for the perfect shawl for Sue and I think I found it.  The funny thing is... I queued it for Sue about 2 weeks ago, but now I've decided it is the best shawl for the yarn.  (I've thought that before, though, so we'll see after I cast on.)

I have more pregnant people to knit for.  I ran into Amy from my Bible study at the pharmacy Friday and she is due June 1.  So I'll be making her some bibs and washcloths.  I tell you what.  Those Down Cloverlaine bib/washcloth patterns are saving my life!  So many babies on this base, its insane.  There's no way I could get baby blankets done.  Plus, I don't know most of the people well enough that I would make a whole blanket.  I do, however, know them well enough (or Jerry does) that a gift is called for. 

So bibs and washcloths it is!  I think I'm going to order cones of cotton from Yarn & Thread by Lisa.  A cone of almost 700 yards of cotton is only $9.  If I get up to $150 worth of yarn, I get wholesale price.  I'm not ready for that, though.  If I decide to do the craft show, maybe. 

Oh ya... on the craft show... there's no way I can get enough knitted things done for a craft show in the small amount of time that I have.  However, Jerry is deploying this fall and then I'll have a whole year of trying to keep myself occupied through knitting.  So there you go.  I'll knit a bunch of them and put them away and then I'll have a couple of options... reserve a booth at the craft fair... or keep them on hand for all of the babies that will be conceived upon the Aviation Brigade coming home from Afghanistan.  Or the babies that were conceived during R&R leave.  LOL  There are always babies on an Army base.  Always a need for a gift!  :) 

I've decided that people I know well will get sweaters now.  I liked making the sweater.  It was fun!  Acquaintences will get bibs/washcloth sets.  If Kira, Heather, or another good friend decides to have another child... they get blankets.  I think there has to be levels of friendship in my knitting otherwise I will never get anything done.  Oh who knows... we'll see.  You know me... I may find a baby blanket pattern I'm dying to make.  LOL