This One's a Hoot

I am not going to let myself go crazy with newborn projects, but I can't resist a little bit of fun. In this case, "fun" equates to the Newborn Vertebrae cardigan pattern by PEKAPEKA design studio. I hesitated at first, because an essentially frontless cardigan doesn't seem very practical to me from a warmth standpoint. But when I read why it's designed that way (great for skin-to-skin and also less likely to be soiled by spit-up), I decided it was worth a go.

This was a relatively quick and easy knit (certainly easy for a sweater!). I accidentally knitted a few extra increase rows, but left them in -- partly because I'm lazy, and partly because I'd rather have it a bit too large than a bit too small. 

I made the sleeves a bit shorter than the pattern called for, and also decreased a few stitches near the cuff. I did make a mistake in the ribbing on one cuff (acidentally knit two instead of one, which resulted in a purl two to resolve the problem), but since it was hardly noticeable I left it in. I'm human, after all. 

The yarn is lovely -- SMC Select Extra Soft Merino Alpaca, which I found at Tuesday Morning. They had so many gorgeous yarns, including some English wool that was hard to pass up! But I'm *trying* not to build an enormous yarn stash (so far, I've been only partly successful). It created a unique texture that I haven't encountered in my knitting before, and I'm wondering why? Hopefully you can see in the photo below, because I don't know how to describe it other than that it's not the typical "V" stitch, but more like stripes with diagnoal stitches in between. Perhaps I did something wrong, but I like it!

I mistook the yarn for fingering weight when it is in fact DK. *cough* While it may have knitted up a little tight (it didn't feel tight, though!), the needle size I was using fit into the recommended range from the yarn label, so I'm not too worried.  

The body of the sweater might also be a tad shorter than called for -- I incorporated the owl pattern from Brenna Kotar's Hoot Cardigan (so glad I found one knit top down!), and 5 owls fit in perfectly (perhaps it's a good thing I increased too much at the top, so I had a few extra stitches to work with).

I added a few stitches to just one owl on the back, as a little detail. 

Hopefully this will keep our newest family member cozy when he makes his appearance next year! Still on the menu? A blanket (in the works) and a hat. I'm not going to let myself knit endless hats, as tempting as it is. But I had to do just one -- especially when that one has cables and looks like an old-fashioned aviator helmet. Too much to resist. Not that I'm trying...

Raveled here.

Getaway

A few weeks ago we had the chance to get away for the weekend -- not far, but enough to feel that we were *away.* 

Spending so much time together was such a treat -- and showing our littles new places is such a delight. They're at that age where their curiosity is boundless (and so is their energy!)

Add to that crisp temperatures and plenty of natural beauty.

As I think more about "formal" home education (Little Man is almost four, after all), I've found myself realizing just how much there is to be learned informally. Every walk, every outing is an opportunity to share something with my children -- the name of a flower, the many uses for trees, the glory of God's beautiful creation. I knew that it would be this way, but knowing is different than experiencing. 

I feel like I'm rediscovering the wonder of life itself as I tell and explain and watch their minds blossom. And I feel like that's a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Anchors Aweigh

Within a few days of our 19 week ultrasound, I placed an order on Knit Picks -- I had restrained myself from placing an order any sooner, which I was sorely tempted to do. But while I'm all for gender neutral newborn clothes (why not be able to use a garment for multiple children regardless of gender, especially considering how short a time they fit?), I knew I'd want to celebrate the gender reveal with a little "specific" knitting.

Namely, the popular Pebble manly baby vest, knitted with Knit Picks CotLin DK in "Raindrop." 

Not sure why the left neck/shoulder area looks a bit wonky in this photo -- while it's 
not picture perfect, it's not quite as "off" as it looks in this snapshot!

I incorporated the motif from the free Anchors Away (do they know it should be "aweigh?") dishcloth pattern to give it a nautical, masculine flair. Not to mention a little nod to the Navy! I worked up the anchor pattern in a scrap yarn first, and I am so glad that I did -- it was a bit tricky for me and included several new stitches (bobbles, for instance), so the practice was well worth the extra time and effort. I was just glad to find a raised anchor motif! I've never tried color work (and didn't have another color yarn, anyway), so this was actually the easiest option for me. 

Serendipitously, the anchor pattern fit nicely into the Pebble vest pattern. The only real change I had to make was to change the center body panels to purl instead of knit stitches. I actually rewrote the vest pattern with the anchor motif included, just so I wouldn't get confused. Quite honestly, I prefer the way it looks (I don't like the deep "recessed" look of the center area that I've seen in several finished Pebbles, plus I think the purl blends better with the borders), and will probably do the same on any future vests even if I'm not adding the anchor. Oh, I did also reduce the amount of border on the bottom edge, because I needed a few extra vertical rows to fit the anchor.

The shoulders were another area that I played around with -- I didn't think it would work as written, so I adjusted the number of rows. This was also my first time trying Kitchener stitch (joining two sets of "live" stitches), and while it didn't come out perfectly I'm very pleased. My only real disappointment with this project is that my edges are not *just so.* I tried a purl-wise slip at the beginning of each row, but either I forgot to do it on every row or something went wonky when I was taking out rows (which I had to do at multiple points!), because they're not as nice as I'd like. But overall the project turned out as I'd envisioned and the less-than-perfect edges are not very visible, so I'm not going to fret too much over that.

I can't say enough good things about the yarn I used! It's a mix of Tanguis cotton and linen, and has the most delightful hand. It's almost silky, in fact. The finished vest is relatively stretchy, so I think our little fellow will be able to wear it a bit past the newborn stage. The color is perfect -- not pastel, but not too "lively," either. Oh, and it was supposed to require two skeins, but ended up taking only one (with a smidgen left over). I went ahead and hand washed and blocked it, even though it's supposed to be machine washable and dryable. Is dryable a word? Hmm.

I'm so enjoying being able to knit things myself now -- my limited skills are gradually improving, and I feel each project teaches me something new. Even better? Finally learning the identity of the squirmy little one who seems to take delight in rearranging my insides. We can't wait to meet you, baby boy!

Raveled here.

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

If the title of the post isn't enough of a clue, perhaps this photo will seal the deal:

My husband agreed to let me share the gender as long as there was a firearm in the photo. Appropriate, perhaps -- one of the
first outfits our son will wear, along with the first pistol he's likely to shoot!

Our baby on the way is a boy!

We are so thrilled -- especially for Little Man, who was keen on having a brother. When we would ask what he thought the baby would be (long before we had any idea), he would always say "A boy, because I love baby boys." I'm so glad that, Lord willing, he'll have a male playmate relatively close to his own age. On a personal level, I had absolutely no preference, so I was guaranteed to be entirely satisfied regardless of the outcome!

And, of course, finding out the gender was a perfect excuse for more sewing. You may remember the little jacket above from this post -- the "gender neutral" jacket that turned out a bit masculine? Fortunately that won't be a problem. But there was quite a bit of the $1 thrifted Orvis shirt left, which meant that a pair of matching harem pants were in order. 

The pants pattern is self-drafted and very simple. Hopefully we'll find out in a few months if they fit (and what size they are -- I'm hoping for newborn, but I'm thinking 0-3 months is more likely). I used my last scraps of brown knit to bind the cuffs, a little patch pocket for the back, and the front drawstring.

But even after the pants, there was too much fabric left to just throw out. I used Zaaberry's baby hat pattern, adding a little argyle detail that I saw on Make It & Love It. I stitched about 3/8" from the edge (no serging), just to make it a tad smaller. I don't really use knit hats after the first few weeks/months, so I want to make sure it fits while it's still useful!

Those two little brown diamonds for the argyle pattern? They were cut from the very last fragment of brown knit!

It's so satisfying to have something else to tuck away for the baby, and so gratifying to use up every last bit of an upcycled garment. I'd say it's a happy ending, but I'm hoping for a happy beginning, instead.

And Now We've Got the Chillies

The cold has come -- perhaps temporary? I've known too many "short sleeve Thanksgivings" (and sometimes even Christmases) in Florida to feel confident, but right now it is deliciously cold and crisp. Yesterday was the first real cold day we've had -- complete with rainy drizzle. The perfect day for a lunch of scrambled eggs (with raw smoked cheddar, otherwise known as the absolute best cheese I've ever tasted), homemade toast, and honey. 

The littles recently learned  "Criss Cross Apple Sauce, Spiders crawling up your back, Worms sliding down, Cool breeze, Tight Squeeze, And now you've got the chillies" from their aunts, and have been reciting it at all opportune moments. Squeezes from little chubby hands are the best, aren't they?

Do you see those cheeks? They are so plump and inviting that I kiss them at least a hundred times a day.

Potted mums are gracing our table (until I manage to kill them, that is), bringing a little Autumn cheer inside. Several of the $10 pots were marked down to $3 at Lowe's, for no discernible reason. They might have been a tad less full and healthy than the other pots. but they were far from clearance material in my opinion. 

Rosa is keeping warm with a new infinity scarf, knitted with leftover yarn from her "Meret." I'll have to do a post on it soon -- I used a simple lace pattern from a vintage needlework book, and made it long enough to go around her neck twice. It looks so sweet with her beret! Mittens are on the horizon for both kiddos; I think I have enough courage to attempt them.

Fortunately some successful emergency coat shopping has me set for the cold weather -- and a stop at JoAnn's resulted in more fabric than I anticipated. Why is it that for every fabric I use up or every project that I finish, two take its place? A universal law, perhaps?

I have a few knitting projects for the one-on-the-way to share soon... which just may give a clue as to the gender of our little one!

Worthy

Worthy are You, our Lord and God, 

to receive glory and honor and power, 

for You created all things, 

and by Your will they existed and were created.

Revelation 4:11