Mittens for Rachel

One of the problems with being a crafty sort of person is that I default to making people stuff if I'm not sure what else they might like. I was kind of stuck for Rachel this year, so I started making her these mittens. Then I thought, "Man, why am I doing this? Maybe Rachel already has a million pairs of mittens! Maybe she doesn't need another pair!" So I sent her an email saying, basically, "I love you and want to make you something but don't know what that might be. Ideas? And sorry for being so blunt and pragmatic." She emailed back saying, basically, "No problem, lady, I love you too, and I could really use a pair of purple/mauve mittens." At which point I thought: this is why we're such good friends. Even when I don't know what to make for her, I'm still making the right thing. She didn't get these until her birthday party after Christmas, but they match her new scarf and hat perfectly - as if they'd been made purposely for each other. Note to self: do not question the knitting mojo. It works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
Pattern: adapted from Knitty's Cigar Gloves
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Midnight Derby;" Noro Hakuto

Socks for Bri 2010

Bri seems to appreciate getting hand-knit socks from me, which makes for an easy gift for him. I wasn't sure if these were going to get done, but they did, and a very manly sock they are too, I must say! I'm always worried that they'll be too big, and then they always fit just fine. I'll try to remember that for next time.
Pattern: the Yarn Harlot's Good, Plain Sock Recipe
Yarn: Online Supersocke 6-ply in "Desert" colourway

Handprints

This was a bit of a last-minute gift idea for my parents this year. Sarah had mentioned to me at some point the idea of incorporating kids' handprints in to a quilt, and it occurred to me that this would be the year to do it for my parents: Neva, at age 8, would still be young enough for her handprint to be cute, while Ewan, almost 2, would be old enough to actually produce a decent one. I contacted Bri about getting him to get his own kids' handprints on some fabric, and somehow it all came together. It was fun to make, and I incorporated the names of each of the kids in the stippling underneath each flower-hand. I think it's kind of neat to have this memento of my parents' six grandchildren: both Bri and I are done having kids, so this is the complete picture of the third generation. A tear or two was shed when this gift was opened on Christmas Day, and the kids were excited to find their own hands on the quilt. (From left to right: Miranda - age 4, Nicolaas - age 6, Ewan - 22 months, Neva - age 8, Hugh - age 6, and Rory - age 3.) Fun to make, fun to receive, and meaningful on all sides: a great gift for everyone involved.
Pattern: from my head, but similar ideas could be found in this book
Fabric: cottons from Fabricland and Quilt & Stitch in Kingston; fabric paint for handprints

Neva's Dress for Brad and Karine's Wedding

Here we have the dress for Neva to wear to Brad and Karine's wedding (a mere 2-and-a-bit weeks away in Mexico). She chose everything: the style (she wanted the same as the pink sparkly dress I'd made her previously, because the skirt was just the right fullness), the fabric (the bottom is actually drapery fabric, and the top is pure silk, but they match perfectly and I think I made these two work together quite well), and - of course - the butterfly embellishment (about which there was much debate and discussion about whether it should have been a flower, or a cluster of flowers, etc). I had always said that I would let my kids wear whatever they want, and I am doing my best to stick by that. This is by no means the dress I myself would have made or designed for her if I had been the one in charge, but I must say that I think it has turned out beautifully and her choices are perfect for her and the age she is right now. She is delighted with it, and I'm very glad. And even though she saw me working on it every step of the way, she still said at the end: "Mommy, did you make this?" And you know: sometimes I know how she feels. "Really? I MADE this?" Indeed I did. And I'm glad.
Pattern: Butterick 3714
Fabric: Silk, Embossed Organza, Broadcloth; purchased embellishments

Hallowe'en Costumes 2010: Neva and Hugh

So here we have Neva and Hugh in their Pokémon costumes: that's Cyndaquil on the left and Chikorita on the right, or as I like to call them, "Green Blob With Leaf" and "Platypus on Fire." These were actually super-fun to make. I used a standard McCall's dinosaur pattern and just adjusted the details accordingly, faking my way along when necessary. (As I said at the quilt retreat weekend last month: I feel like I've been doing this long enough that I can break the rules if I want to.) I've also learned that it's the details that matter, especially when it comes to costumes. The kids seem very happy with how they've tunred out, and I know them well enough to know that these will get used long past Hallowe'en. (Give me credit for making the fire detachable, so I can wash Hugh's costume as needed. A 6-year-old boy in a mostly cream costume? I know how that story ends. With muddy knees, at the very least.) So far, so good. Now I just have to make a Dora the Explorer Head for Rory to wear, and we're all set. Talk about "faking your way through."
Pattern: McCall's 6185
Fabric: Fleece and some random sparkly stuff for the fire

Socks for Nancy

After talking about it for several years, I have finally gotten around to making a pair of socks for Nancy. These were given to her for her birthday this October, and were very fun to make. I love the yarn, and love the pattern. I hope they keep her feet toasty warm for many winters to come!
Pattern: "Waving Lace Socks" from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Midnight Derby"

Rainbow Wall-Hanging

This past weekend, Nancy took me on a quilt retreat. (These sorts of craft retreats are becoming more and more popular, I think; several women at the retreat this weekend also go to scrapbooking retreat weekends, and recently there was a knitting retreat weekend held on Wolfe Island.) Nancy had gone to this quilting one last year, and really liked it, and offered to bring me along this year as my birthday present. I must say: it was great. The sewing machines were humming all weekend; meals were all prepared; and everything happened in one big room, so you could leave your machine to grab a bite to eat and head right back into crafting mode. There were 24 women there, and seeing the variety of projects was inspirational, to say the least. It was great, and I'd gladly go again.
While there, I started and finished this little number: a wall-hanging for my office, to brighten up my lovely cinder-block walls. I found this pattern at our local quilt shop, Quilt & Stitch, and bought it immediately (I've learned that in the world of crafting, if you see something you love, you need to pick it up then and there because there's never any guarantee of finding it again). I modified it slightly, and turned it into this lovely rainbow riot of colours and shapes. It's funny; everyone has a different opinion about what they see in it, which I love. I also did some serious stippling for the very first time, and am very pleased with the results.
Pattern: "Eclipse of the Moon"
Fabrics: from my stash

Fall Cowl

I went to the cottage all set to make a poncho for Hugh, but when we arrived, he declared that he didn't really want one. This was good news for me, since making a poncho is the kind of tedious knitting I would only do for a beloved child. Luckily, I had brought some spare emergency fun knitting in the form of some Noro yarn for this cowl. I used a cowl pattern I've done before, and this sucker got whipped up in no time. I have big plans to make myself a corduroy fall coat, and this is going to go with it just perfectly. Pattern: Cowl'd and Frosty Morning
Yarn: Noro Iro in fall colours

Creamsicle Camisole

I've had this yarn in my stash for a couple of years now, and have loved it, and so finally decided to put it to good use this summer. This is a little tank top of my own creation, knit from the top down to use as much of this yarn as possible. I'm very happy with this summery creation.
Pattern: self-designed (of the "fly by the seat of my pants" variety)
Yarn: Needful Yarns "Cotton Joy"

Hooray!

One day when I was over at a friend's house holding her delightful baby (I'm officially a baby-grabber), I noticed that she had decorated their living room with a great banner made of fabric triangles. They were celebrating her brother-in-law's birthday, and I must say it made things very festive. Plus: reusable! And a great way to showcase some of the lovely fabrics in one's stash which haven't quite gotten used in an "official" quilt. Since Rory's birthday was coming up soon, I decided to make one for our house, to be used on all festive occasions henceforth. (I also have big plans to make seasonal ones, but let's not hold our breath on that one.) In any case: it was a super quick, easy and fun project. Neva helped me choose fabrics; I cut them into triangles using pinking shears (no sewing!); and then I stitched them on to a piece of extra-wide double-fold bias tape, in the order Neva suggested. (She enjoyed organizing the fabrics by colour and figuring out which ones should go where.) And voilà! Festive banner! The name came from Rory, who awoke on the morning of his birthday, came upstairs and saw the banner, and asked, "Mommy, is that a Hooray?" It was so adorable, and so appropriate, that now it will always be known as our "Hooray!" All day, he's been talking about "the hooray made of triangles." I think he'll be just as cute at age 3 as he's been for the previous years of his life. Hooray, indeed.
Pattern: none - just triangles sewn onto bias tape
Fabric: from my stash

Hobbiton Quilt Panel

Waaaay back in the day, when Rachel was still living in Guelph, I offered to make her a Lord of the Rings quilt. I have the plans, and I remember vividly drawing up schematics... when we were living in New Zealand, in 2004-2005. Well, here is part one: Hobbiton. It seems a little shameful that it's taken me six years to get this one, tiny bit of a quilt done, but: there it is. I'm terribly pleased with it. The technique is one of layering each curve over top of the other, which I learned from doing my mini Winter Quilt in the style of the Mother Earth Art Quilt "Genesis II." Those of you familiar with The Lord of the Rings will recognize Bag End, Sam's house, and the Party Tree; those of you unfamiliar with the story will just see a rural scene with weird circles in the hill. This quilt is noteworthy in terms of technique because it was the first time I used the free-motion sewing feature on my sewing machine (to quilt around the trees). The whole finished quilt is supposed to have five art panels and four corner medallions; at this rate, I should be done by 2035. (I'll aim for sooner, though.)
(An aside: When Hugh saw this panel, he wondered if it was a whale. "A whale?" I asked. He went on to explain how he thought the round doors were the eyes and the trees were the water spurting up out of the blowholes, which - once he explained it - I could see. Just another example of how The Dude's brain works in its own creative, unique way.)
Pattern: my own, inspired by Mother Earth Genesis II
Fabric/Yarn: fabrics from my stash; yarn for grass detail is Estelle "Shimmer"
Finished Size: 60cm x 35cm

Sparkly, Soft Scarf for Mme Martine

It's end-of-year gift time for teachers around here. I've blogged before about how much we loved Hugh's teacher this year, and I had made Neva's teacher a pair of baby booties for her imminent twins, so it only seemed fair that I offer to knit something for Hugh's teacher as well. He thought she might like a scarf, and this seemed like a reasonable request, so I put all of the yarn choices out for him and asked him to choose which yarn(s) he thought she would like. He took this assignment very seriously; he said that he thought she would like "something soft and something sparkly." He felt the yarn to assess their softness, and quite quickly settled on two, both mohair blends. (You can't beat mohair for softness.) I realized that I could hold the two yarns together to create a nice, thick, soft-and-sparkly yarn. I used big needles and a big stitch pattern, and whipped up this little scarf in about ten days. When I showed the finished product to him, he nodded and said it was "perfect." My guess was that she would be touched by the handmade effort and the thoughtfulness Hugh put in to the choice of yarn, and indeed she was. As she thanked me yesterday after school and wished us all a good summer, she asked me to make sure that Hugh "continues to dream." We'll miss her.
Yarn: Sandnes Garn Alfa and Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair, held together
Pattern: Twisted Drop Stitch Scarf

Manly Sling for Kyle

While I was in Prince George, Kyle was looking at infant slings on Etsy and was talking about buying one. He was looking for a "manly" design, and found one for about $40. As a good seamstress [read: a cheapie], I couldn't in good conscience let him pay forty bucks to some stranger for what is basically a glorified rectangle. So I told him I'd make him one. And I did. I picked up the fabric at Fabricland's big pre-inventory sale - I think it cost me all of $10. I was a bit of an idiot when it came to the pattern, though, and misread the instructions the first time around, so the sling was sewn beautifully but was twice as wide as it needed to be. (In my defense: I could never get the hang of using one of these with our own babies, so it took me waaaaaaay longer than it should have to figure out that my proportions were all off.) Anyway, I just trimmed the sides off, but then realized that the curve where the baby's bum would sit wasn't deep enough for safety. Strike two. Today, finally, I got around to actually making it to the correct sizing specifications, but because it was basically my third time making this same sling, the sewing is a little... less meticulous. So: is it gorgeous and perfect? No. Is it manly and functional? I think so. Plus it's reversible, and the stripes match up. Ewan obliged me by modelling it for the craft blog, and I have to say that even though this is NOT at all the way it would be used with an actual infant (see here for 3 great references on how to use a sling with babies of differing ages), it was remarkably comfortable and I can totally see the appeal of such a contraption. All we need now are pictures of Kyle modeling his own sweet baby in it... once baby's fully cooked and out safely in the world, that is. Wishing him many sweet hours of cuddling his own little one, looking manly as all get out!
Pattern: from Handmade Adelaide Baby
Fabric: Cotton Twill and Cotton Stripe
*Note: no part of this post is meant to exclude Courtney, to whom I also wish many sweet hours of cuddling her little one. But it was clear when I was visiting that Courtney had little-to-no interest in having a sling, except in so far as it would make Kyle happy. However, I'm sure Kyle will share it with her if she gets interested once baby arrives.

Delicious Celtic Cardigan

This is one of the aforementioned "UFOs" that I just managed to finish up, thanks to some extended knitting time while visiting my cousins in Prince George. It has been in the works for a long, long time. I started in when we were still living in our old house - so, in 2008 - and I chugged along pretty well with it until I got to a point where it had to be blocked. And we were trying to sell our house and were showing it with very little notice. And having a big, damp sweater that couldn't be moved lying around seemed unlikely to improve the chances of selling our house. So I set it aside until I would "have time" to block it out and then finish the sleeves... which happened 2 years later. (Those were busy years.) But now: it's done! And lovely! And I'm de-light-ed! (Pic courtesy of Courtney.)
Pattern: Fleece Artist Celtic Cardigan
Yarn: Scotian Silk

Tickle Toes Booties

Another baby coming in to the (extended) family; another pair of booties. These ones are for Kyle and Courtney's baby, due at the end of July this year. Courtney spied these on my Ravelry page, and was excited to see the colour listed as "yellow-green." I hadn't posted a pic, thankfully, and so they were still a little bit of a surprise. I think they're happy with the colours, and all I can say is you know it's a good bootie pattern when even the Dad-to-be sees them and says, "Awww..." Wishing them every happiness as they become a family of three.
Pattern: standard bootie pattern from Patons Look At Me!
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Spring Tickle"

Twin Baby Booties

It's end-of-year teacher gift season around here, and Neva's teacher is pregnant with twins which provided me with an excellent excuse to whip up a pair of baby booties for her imminent arrivals. Neva chose the yarn and knit a row or two on them herself. Her teacher starts her maternity leave tomorrow so these got done in a hurry, but I've made them so often that I can almost whip them up in my sleep. (Almost. Not quite.) They're pretty cute, and hopefully will get some good use on two happy, healthy baby boys.
Yarn: Ashford Tekapo in rainbow varigated yarn, bought when we were in New Zealand 5 years ago; Red Heart "Hokey Pokey" in "Blue Bonnet"
Pattern: standard bootie pattern from Patons Look at Me! Soft Shades Layette

Bronzed Berry Socks

These suckers have been on the needles since August 2009. (They were in hibernation for a while.) I just finished them up this week. I'm delighted with them - if ever there was a "Cheryl" colourway, this is it. Reds! Oranges! Purples! Black! Plus: it feels really, really good to finish a project that's been in the wings for a while. (Stay tuned. More UFOs [UnFinished Objects] will be completed shortly. I'm on a UFO completing binge these days.)
Pattern: The Yarn Harlot's "Good, Plain Sock Recipe" from her "Knitting Rules" book
Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes in "Bronzed Berry," with toes and heels in Patons Kroy "Coal"

"Snugglers of Catan" Baby Blanket, or "Catanket"

I’ve had this project in mind for quite some time. As big “Settlers of Catan” fans, I like the idea of making a replica of the game board, and this Dream in Color yarn has such great colour variations within each solid that I thought it would really evoke the game tiles perfectly. But I had no need to make one for us, so I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity... which came along thanks to Huss and Sarah who obligingly decided to have another baby, thus providing me with a great excuse to make them a “Snugglers of Catan” baby blanket (or, as Jeffy likes to call it, a “Catanket”). I found a hexagon pattern in one of my knitting books, and used the Dream in Color yarn in seven different colours to make the tiles. It was a really fun project - lots of great colours, and doing each hex meant that it didn’t get boring. It was neat to see it all coming together as each hex grew on to the previous ones. We took the pattern from the "beginner layout" of tiles which the game suggests using with first-time players. (I didn't even know such a layout existed, but it seemed appropriate given that babies are true "beginners" - in all things.) Huss and Sarah are big Catan fans themselves, and also already have all of the practical baby stuff they could need, so I felt like this would be a good gift for them. The wool is all 100% washable (a must for baby items, I think), and the blanket itself is about 1m in diameter, so it can be used in a practical fashion if desired. But if they just want to think of it as a goofy gift for their latest little one, that’s just fine, too. Regardless, it was made with lots of love, and is full of wishes for every good thing for all of them as they welcome baby Altair in to their incredible family.
Pattern: mostly out of my head, with help from Jeffy; hex pattern from the “Snapping Turtle Skirt” out of Norah Gaughan’s “Knitting Nature”
Yarn: Dream in Color “Classy” in “Some Summer Sky” (water), “Butter Peeps” (wheat), “Spring Tickle” (sheep), “Happy Forest” (wood), “Grey Tabby” (ore), “Lipstick Lava” (brick), and “November Muse” (desert)

Baby Booties for Shawna & Robyn

It's kind of become my "thing" to make a pair of these booties for every new baby who crosses my path. This is a pattern from a book I bought when Neva was a baby (so, seven-and-a-bit years ago) which has since been discontinued, and I have made them so many times and in so many ways with so many different yarns that I kind of think of them as "my" booties. This most recent incarnation is a pair for friends who are expecting their first baby at the end of April. They were given at a baby shower on Saturday and, if I may say, nothing tugs at the heart strings of a group of women like tiny knitted booties. Wishing them a safe delivery and a healthy baby and every joy a new life brings.
Pattern: Soft Shades Layette Booties from Patons "Giggle Knits"
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Butter Peeps"

Ridiculous Gauntlets of Pointlessness

After seeing a pair of little gauntlets I'd made for Hugh back in the day (to keep that part of the wrist warm which seems to always be exposed between mitten and jacket), Neva requested a pair for herself. I had some other projects on the go (go figure) but was ready to get at them recently. When choosing yarn, however, I lamented that the stuff she'd chosen was acrylic and therefore wouldn't be as warm as wool. "Oh, warmth doesn't matter, Mommy," she said. "I want these for playing Superhero in the basement." Alrighty, then. At this point I stopped caring about quality of execution and focussed on completion - mostly so I could get these off my list and move on to the next. She's delighted, nonetheless, and she even wore them to school today - presumably to play Superhero at recess.
Pattern: mostly of my own devising
Yarn: Two different chunky weight acrylic yarns from my stash (leftovers from her poncho, actually)

Birds

A friend passed on the link to make these little birds. As soon as the kids saw them, they asked for one each. I had them choose their fabrics from my stash: Neva chose the turquoise fish and purple belly; Hugh chose pumpkins with orange floral belly; and Rory chose blue with swirls and dragonflies for the belly. The pattern was simple and straightforward, and the end result is pretty cute, if I do say so myself.
Pattern: Mister Blue Bird
Fabrics: Quilting cottons from my stash

Birthday Socks for Jeffy

So it's become a bit of a tradition that every year I make Jeffy a pair of socks. This year, he got these ones, which I'm quite happy with. Not much to tell, really, except that I finished them only two days after his birthday (which is pretty good in sock-knitting-gift-time) and I did the sole in a linen stitch to try and reduce the need for darning later. I will say, however, that the fact that I need to darn his handknit socks means that he's actually wearing and enjoying them, and for that I'm glad.
Pattern: "Shadow Socks" from The Little Box of Socks
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Black Pearl"

Winter Socks for Neva

Neva had been complaining of cold feet both at night and while wearing her boots, so I decided to make her a pair of wool socks to wear either in bed or in her boots over her other socks. They're long enough, but I think I'd make them a bit wider another time. I used leftover yarn from other projects; there wasn't enough to make a whole pair, but she seems pleased with the unique way they turned out. And if she's happy, I'm happy!
Pattern: variation of "After Bertha" in Socks Socks Socks
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" Yarn, in "Ruby River" and "Into the Mystic"