this charming yarn

French Press Cozy

2008-03-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

I have an awesome stainless steel french press but the coffee does cool down a bit quicker than I can drink it. I used to use a tea cozy, but I what I really wanted was to be able to make, plunge and pour the coffee all without removing the cozy.

This is essentially a big toque, knit in the round from the bottom-up. I CO'd a few sts for the spout, and at the top there is a "neck" for the plunger. My plunging knob is quite large so this is very accommodating.

Wee Chux, the little cat was quite fond of the cozy.

Minerva Louise

2008-03-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

I named my chicken Minerva after this book which I loved as a child. Minerva was knit up for a work activity last Easter... something to do with team building and making an Easter display with each other... it was really lame. Anyway, my team was already pretty built (we worked out) so our "display" was quite outrageous... including a scarecrow and a wire bunny... but that's a different blog. The pattern is free, fun and so easy you could make twenty. Minerva is made from this pattern for an egg cozy, great for hiding Easter goodies or just sitting pretty under the Christmas tree. Jen C. also knit a chicken and the two of them lived on our desks for months and months. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "That is not a hen, that is a rooster!" You may be correct, however my chicken is made of yarn and I have therefore decided to stick with Minerva, the hen (with a red mohawk).

You should make one, it's Easter!

Six more weeks of winter!

2008-03-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

The word on the streets 'round these parts is that Environment Canada predicts six more weeks of winter, with record breaking low temperatures. This is the best news I've heard all winter! Can you tell I'm a fan of the season?

Today I worked two jobs, both quite eventful and slightly stressful. I am home now, on the couch with a cat and some tea ready to post some pictures. I don't think I'm very good at blogging yet... so this might be boring. Here we go!

First up: More baby stuff! I started these baby bell bottoms before winter hit... I first used a heavier worsted yarn and thought the pants would be to big, so I frogged them. I used a sport weight the second time around and was very pleased with the results. I thought by the time I finished knitting them Orlaith would be too big to wear them, but I was wrong-- they fit great and with room to grow! I was very glad to see them on Orlaith and they looked very comfy.

I will try and get a photo of Orlaith in her pants because they really do look very cute. If you know or have a baby girl, you should knit up this pattern. It is a fun and rewarding knit.

I'm still alive

2008-03-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll admit that I'm addicted to Ravelry. I can't blame Ravelry for not updating my blog but I can say that while I should have been posting, I was lost in Ravelry. Do you blame me?

If you don't know what Ravelry is, I do apologize but you just don't understand...

I will update again soon. I will also be posting a pattern for baby bottle cozies...

...Pictured here on lotion bottles since there ain't no babies 'round these parts.

Later!

Baby-O !

2008-01-12T21:33:00.000-08:00

There is a baby in my family, her name is Orlaith. She is an energetic and amazing baby girl for whom I love to knit! Here are some of the garments I've knit for her since she was born on October 15, 2006. (This is also an excuse to show her off!)

First is Debbie Bliss' baby raglan pattern. I used Patons Decor and it turned out lovely.

Here is Miss Orlaith at three months wearing her new sweater!

Next, we have some bibs from a free pattern found online. Unfortunately, I can't find the pattern anymore but it's obviously super easy and the size could be easily adjusted. I used Lily Sugar'n Cream and Bernat Handicrafter cotton.

This free pattern for a baby kimono was very easy and fun to knit! The entire garment is knit in garter stitch, and I added a blanket stitch border. It calls for a snap, but the yarn, Bernat Satin Sport, was so soft and the fabric was so stretchy that a snap would have been troublesome. I used tight loops and marble-like buttons instead.
Pattern here.

Check out the labels my mom had made for me! (Hand knit by Auntie McChu)

This next free pattern has become an all-time favorite of mine! It is SO friggin easy to knit you really have no excuse. It is an extremely fast knit, portable and amazingly easy to re-size. Use any yarn, add stripes, add a picture, create fair isle-- the possibilities are endless!
Pattern here.

So far, I've only used variegated yarn but I have a feeling there are more to come... First shown with Patons Classic Wool on Orlaith at seven months.

Still fits with room to spare at her one-year birthday!

Second vest is a bit bigger, I used .5 mm larger needles and Bernat Soft Boucle, which is chunky weight. The vest is about one-inch larger everywhere, and I did straight stocking stitch for the bottom hem since it was always rolled-up anyway. Looks super cute on Orlaith!

A not-so poncho-y poncho? I'm not the hugest fan of ponchos, but they do look cute on little girls. This free pattern was irresistible and enjoyable. I used Bernat Cotton Tots.
Pattern here (sign-in required).

This FACE is irresistible!!!

Thanks for reading this far, that's all I could come up with for now!!!!!