nikatayknits

Miss Bea's Rainy Day

I have been working on a little special treat for my cousin's first baby girl Caroline. She turns "One" in a few weeks and she is so cute I just have to make her a unique little outfit to call her own!
I have been back travelling on business in Colorado and stopped into a precious shop called the Knitted Peace in Littleton. This is such a fabulous shop! They carry some beautiful fibers in stunning colors!
While perusing through the book collection there I came across this adorable little book.

It has about ten knitting patterns from ROWAN for babies and children up to four years old by Louisa Harding. The book includes instructions for simple cabled knitwear!

Since they did not have any Rowan cotton - I substituted it with Mission Falls 1824 Cotton in color 206 Peony. Don't you just love some of these colors?

click for colors

Mission Falls 1824 Cotton is an aran weight cotton available in 50 gram (1.75 ounce) balls. Each ball contains 77 metres (84 yards). The tension is 18 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches (10 cm) on a 4.5mm (US7) needle over stocking stitch. I knit tight so I go up a needle size. It knits up fast, especially for children's garments. They have spectacular colors. This is a quality cotton with an outer wrap of fine cotton, which reduces stretching, and helps to ensure that the garment will keep its shape. This cotton is machine wash and dry.

Knitting with cotton is not my favorite. I feel as if it puts more strain on my hands, as I am a tight knitter. This yarn does pose quite a challenge for me with due to the outer wrap. But I knit through it as it does finish up nicely and doesn't stretch like some cottons due. The end result is quite nice!

So little Caroline will be pretty as a posie in a lovely "Peony" colored A line dress with cables up the front. This dress is called the "Thinking Dress". Hmmm - I wonder who came up with that name? Me thinks the name is a bit bizarre:)

I have finished the front and hopefully will be starting the back tonight. When I return to Boston I will post some pictures of the finished pieces!! I think she will not be able to wear it right away - but she will certainly grow into it! Little tikes grow like weeds!

Make Way for Ducklings

First Day of Spring Saturday was quite a bit brisk and overcast but we still managed to explore in town anyway. On our way to our favorite paper and more store The Paper Source, Will managed to stop and play a bit with the Ducklings in the Boston Garden.

As you can see the snow is still on the ground. All those little daffodils and famous tulips who call the Garden their home may have to wait a few days to show their splendor until the snow melts.

Watching little Will this weekend made me realize just how fast he is growing! I started sometime ago a little gentleman's sweater from the Rowan Juniors Book. It's called Sid knit in Rowan Big Wool White Hot.
Now as fast as this was to knit up - I put it down when it came to finishing because I just wasn't a fan of the Big Wool and working with those incredibly large road flares they call size 19 needles. But looking at Will I decided I would pull it out and finish it off before he outgrew the thing.

It is such a little grown up boys sweater. I do like the photo of it - but I just am not pleased with the actual outcome - It's really bulky. I pondered "Ribbit'n" it out and trying on a smaller needle - but I am afraid I do not have enought yardage to pull it off. So I began it's finishing today and hope to have a completed picture for you tomorrow! If I can just find the dang buttons I bought like a year ago!

Green with Envy

Now I looove frogs. Anything “Frog” I just have to have – anything Frog related makes me happy! The wonderful Becky has created a site for all her French Knitting Friends. You have to ease drop and see what she has created! I love the concept of the page and of course their logo! Not to mention the cute little froggie at the bottom of the page – isn’t he just adorable! Again I am amazed at what Becky creates!! Stop by and take a peek!

Je souhaite que j'étais dans tricoter de Paris!

So tonight I have finished the pieces of a J-Crew Inspired roll neck sweater for my adorable little nephew Will (see photo album for new pictures).

The pattern I followed was a Yankee Knitter Designs Roll Raglan - Pattern #21. The pattern has both Adult and Child and is so easy to follow! Quick to knit up as well!

I used Plymouth Encore Colorspun - worsted weight, machine washable. Very important to have machine washable for little boys!
Here is a color swatch of Colorspun

I used the second one in from the left - color 7303.

Here are some of the pieces ready for blocking tomorrow!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I'm back!!

So after a few weeks of “coughing up a lung” and feeling like I was “run over by a mack truck” I am slowly feeling like my old crazy self again! Which believe it or not is a good thing!
Here are the lovely flowers that my co-workers sent me for a quick recovery for "walking" pneumonia. Aren't they lovely?

Speaking of lovely - here is my Mum in a felted Bucket-O-Chic that I finished around Christmas time but did not have a model to show it off. I snagged my nursemaid (who was so nice to me during my recovery - it's grand to be babied by Mum no matter how old you get) to don my hats. The felted hat was done in “Cascade 220” color # 8012 (100% wool 100g/220yds 4½-5sts = 1in). I love knitting with Cascade – it’s a really nice smooth wool and the colors are just fantastic!! Every color you can imagine! Check out the new quatro colors – I think I need to try some!

I change the ribbon depending upon what outfit I have on. I have a thing for ribbons – I have a huge plastic storage container with all sorts of cool ribbons I have collected from different shops in Boston and NYC. Now I have a place to display them!! I was a little upset that this Bucket-O-Chic did not end up with a flat top. I must have ran it in the washer like 10 times to get the result I desired. I think that it turned out OK for my first Bucket-O-Chic attempt.

For attempt 2 I chose to forgo the felting and save some water. Here’s my model in a chic pink - I still used the Cascade 220 color #7805. I love the color but I think the Cascade isn’t bulky enough to hold up – it kind of flops and looks silly.
The side profile looks nicer than the back. I’m going to attempt to do a little felting to maybe strengthen it up a bit. Keep your fingers crossed that I don’t ruin it.

Bronchitis Got me Down

I have not posted in a while. I have been fighting Bronchitis! Traveling every week with work and fighting the coughs has made me a bit sluggish and overwhelmed with things to do. I have been getting in knitting here and there - picking up old projects and starting new! I will post soon with some pictures and updates!