Knitting up a storm lately...but BOYS ONLY!!!

     I have been on a knitting binge lately and I am not sure if I can stop! I know this doesn't sound like a "real" problem but it kind of is...you see, right now my family is on a baby kick. I have written past posts about how many babies are being born this year and how we are having a "run" on boys. Four of my nieces are adding to their families this year: 2 are already born, one is due any day now, and the last one will deliver in Oct/November. I believe that every baby should have at least one handmade baby item in their lives so I spend time finding patterns, buying yarn, and knitting something for the baby before the parents have their baby showers. I give every new baby in the family a handmade gift. I am certain by now all of my nieces and nephews ARE SICK of getting the same type of gifts but I do NOT care-handmade items are needed!
     So far my nieces that have given birth had boys (Marvin and Tyler are exactly 1 month apart!) and my soon-to-deliver niece is also having a BOY! The last niece is finally giving the family a GIRL which is the first one in 3 years! You would think I would jump at the chance to knit little frilly girly items but...BUT...(and here is the problem I mentioned at the start!) I CANNOT STOP KNITTING BOY ITEMS!!!! In particular I cannot stop knitting boy items for the soon-to-be-born great nephew! As of right now I have knit: an afghan, a deer hat, 2 deer stuffies, 2-5 hour sweaters for boys, and 2 camo baseball hats! Today I found myself looking at booties/socks for him AND looking for orange yarn to make him ANOTHER baseball cap! I have to start knitting for the little girl being born soon and I CANNOT seem to cast on anything!
     The baby afghan seems to be the favorite among all the family. I made alternating light and dark brown squares with "Deer heads" in the center. Instead of sewing these together using a mattress stitch or some other way of connecting squares I, instead, delved into the scary art of CROCHET! I find it extremely difficult to manage yarn with one hook and prefer to have TWO sticks in my hands when maneuvering yarn. However, my niece decorated her nursery in camo so I needed to incorporate it into the blanket somehow. Thanks to my sister, Lisa, (and YouTube), I learned how to use a crochet hook to connect the squares. Once I got used to only using one hand, the connecting of the squares went fairly easily and I even felt confident enough to add a border! Check my Instagram for close-ups of the squares!

Camo and deer head afghan-sorry so blurry

Deer stuffies

Dark brown deer stuffie

Light brown deer stuffie

Camo baby baseball cap

Side view of camo baseball cap

Smaller version of camo baseball cap

Camo baseball cap-newborn size

Camo baseball cap in larger size

Deer horn hat

Large 5 hour baby sweater in brown
There is also a camo version of this sweater but in my excitement I forgot to take a pic and my niece keeps FORGETTING to send me one! BRIE!!!!!!!

The following patterns were used in this post (all found on Ravelry.com)

* Baseball cap is from: Baby Boy Brimmed Hat by Janel knits

* Afghan is from:Knitted Moose Cloth by Rhonda White

* Stuffies are from: Deer Bean Bag by Katie Startzman

*Antler hat is from: Reindeer Antler Baby Beanie by Ashlee Prisbrey

* 5 hour baby sweater is from: Baby Boy 5 Hour Sweater by Gail Bable

First Thankful Thursday- August 1st, 2013

     Today is my first installment of Thankful Thursday and I am kind of nervous! But here is goes...
This week I am thankful for:

• My family! I have a great family! We are always there for each other through the good and the bad. They are the best friends I could ever ask for. Seriously. I would be nothing and no one without the support of my family. 
• The sound of a gaggle of kids yelling my name! This week Beth (my niece) stopped by unexpectedly, normally unexpected guests throw my anxiety into overdrive, but she brought with her 5 of my great-nieces/nephews! As they exited the car they all cheered: "AUNT CATHY!" like I was the highlight of their day! Then the kids, 8 years old to 23 months old, all ran up to me and hugged me! It was the sweetest thing! 
• My dog. A lot of people hate my dog. I have had him since he was 6 weeks old and he is turning 13-14 years old. He is a grumpy old man but, and in all fairness, was a grumpy puppy-to everyone BUT me! He is the sweetest thing really. He barks and tries to intimidate everyone but that is because he is small (he is a MIN PIN/POM mix) plus he has a little vision issue because of his age. The other day I was feeling crappy (not physical but emotionally and mentally) and my dog crawled on my lap and hugged me. He put his head back on my chest and just laid there. Tell me how can people hate a dog that hugs?

Isn't he adorable?

• Knitting. Without knitting I do not think I could make it through the week. It calms me, soothes me, challenges me, and flexes my mental acuity. Not to mention that I get to create lovely items for friends and family. This week is all about my nieces, Brie's, soon-to-be born son. The shower is on August 11th so I am in the process of making gifts. So far I have made an afghan and a baby hat (check back later for a blog post...and for a sneak peek...check Instagram!) and am in the process of a pillow (for decorative purposes!) and maybe something else...

    Phew...I did it! I finished my first Thankful Thursday! It was not as bad as I thought! Check back next Thursday for another installment!!! What are you thankful for?

I am on Instagram now too!!!

   
Check out my new badge on the right!
I am now on Instagram! I want to thank Emmy166 on Ravelry.com for walking me through how to add a badge onto my blog!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I think this is going to make it so much easier to add pictures to my blog. Also I have started a blog on wordpress.com under the same name as this blog. The new blog will be similar to this one and will link to my Instagram, FB, and Twitter...now that I have finished my Master's degree (YAY! Finished on 7/1/2013 with a 3.61 GPA! So proud of myself!) I have a lot more time on my hands to update my blog and increase my Internet presence.

Thank you so much for sticking with me, readers and family, as I neglected my blog for studies but I am back now and will be posting on a regular basis!

Pinwheel blanket

I am trying to expand my knitting so I have learned how to make socks (ONE PATTERN DOES COUNT!), how to use a chart, and how to use crocheting in my knitting (edges DO count!). Another thing I wanted to accomplish is learning how to knit a circle. I found a pinwheel blanket pattern on Ravelry.com and bought the perfect yarn: a giant cone of Peaches and Creme yarn. Making the blanket was not as bad as I though and there is only one or two mistakes in my blanket (NOT THE PATTERN!). I had fun making it and even though it does not have an owner, yet, I still love how it looks and feels.

close-up of color

Look closely...do you see the mistake?

Carmen's doll

   

My great-niece, Carmen (her pics dot this blog!) turned 8 years old in March. For her birthday I bought her a doll that looks like her and is kind of an American Girl-type doll. As soon as I gave her the doll she changed her hair style and the doll now sleeps with her every night. As a knitter I could not simply go to a store and buy her an outfit that all little girls have access to! Knitters are unique! So I set out to make Carmen's doll a handmade outfit. I scoured the Internet and looked all over Ravelry.com but nothing really jumped out at me. Most outfits are too winter-y or odd colored or bulky. I wanted to make her a cute little summer-y outfit. So using several different patterns for sizing and fit I made Carmen a 3 piece outfit: panties, tank top, and mini-skirt. The doll in the picture IS NOT Carmen's doll but is my model (my niece, Kirsten's American Girl-type doll who I still owe an outfit to because she let me borrow her!)

3 piece outfit-the panties were thongs until I crocheted a nice little edge on them!

NOT Carmen's doll but my clothes model

Socks for my sister!

I have learned how to make socks BUT can only figure out how to knit them using one pattern...Incredibly Easy Socks (can be found on Ravelry.com). However, socks there are so many different types and colors of  yarn that I really do not mind only being able to master one sock pattern. My sister is fully addicted to my handmade socks and I have to say that she owns every pair I have ever made (all 3 of them!) The pair I call Opposite Socks were made using sock yarn purchased at Joann's for 97 cents, I think it is Patons. I call them Opposite Socks because the way that the colors changed for each sock-almost a mirror of each other. The next socks I call Pink Summer Socks because the yarn is thin and perfect for cool evenings in the summer. I bought the yarn from Big Lots for 80 cents!! I am working on sock 2 now!!!

Here are some pictures of my latest socks:

Opposite Socks!!!! Made with 97 cent sock yarn-Patons

See my ladybug row counter? Pink Summer Socks

I turned the HEEL!

Obligatory foot and half finished sock picture

Yes, I see the laddering! LOL! Pink Summer Socks

See? It all worked out!!!!

These hats may not be appropriate for children (no NUDITY!)...but I think they are awesome!

Here are some more projects I have been working on! I am trying to teach myself how to use charts as well as create simple charts. I figured a simple hat pattern would be the best and I stumbled upon the Weed Chart on Ravelry.com and thought I would try it out. The first nine pictures are made from the Weed Chart using Red Heart yarn. The second hat is my own chart that I generated using a free chart generator. It is made with a really super soft black yarn (no label) and the green is Red Heart. I learned a lot by making the same design. How to do floats, how to follow the chart, and how to hold my tension.
Warning: my hat may not be appropriate for children!

The hand is my 4 yr old great-niece-HELPING

This is my new FOAM HAT HEAD

This is so much fun!

The stem is a little WONKY

Getting closer to the end

The bottom leaves are a little weird

Really HUGE finished hat!

Close-up of WONKY stem-my fault not pattern

Side view! Look how long!!!

MY OWN DESIGN-love rolled brim

MY OWN DESIGN-LOVE IT

OK so I messed up a little but it so GREAT!

Baby Boom

Sorry, once again, it has been awhile since I last posted but I have been extremely busy. I am in the last stretch of my Master's degree (3.6 GPA!!!) and have been knitting in between class, papers, and finals. My family has had a BABY BOOM since I last posted. My niece, Leesa (and her husband, Richard) welcomed a baby boy, Marvin Richard, in May. My niece, Lena (and her husband, T-no really that is his name!) welcomed a baby boy, Tyler Wade, on June 13th. My niece, Aulbrie (and her boyfriend, Ryan) are due to have a baby boy in August/September. And my niece, Jessica, is due to have a LITTLE GIRL (FINALLY A GIRL! LOL!) in October/November. SO I have been doing A LOT of baby knitting!! In between knitting for babies being born IN the family, I have also knit a blanket for my nephew-in-law's sister. Do I have to explain Southern families convoluted relations here? They are extremely twisty, confusing, and MIND-BOGGLING! It helps to read them slowly to understand them! LOL! Also I have been knitting socks, practicing how to use charts (still shaky on them), and whatever little projects I can fit in between. SIT BACK and ENJOY the pictures!!!

Leesa's baby set

Leesa's Baby set-close-up of bootie

Leesa's Baby Set-far shot

Close-up of Lena's sailboat baby blanket

Ashley's blanket

Ashley's Blanket getting crochet edge

 Ashley's blanket--close-up of crochet edge

Ashley's Blanket stripes

Ashley's Blanket

A baby sweater and hat set...a gift set!

     Browsing through Ravelry.com one day, I came across a pretty little baby sweater pattern called "Lilllie Baby Cardigan." Here is the link: lillie-baby-cardigan. I do not know why I felt so compelled to make this sweater since no one in my family is currently pregnant or has a baby that will fit the sweater but I became obsessed with making it. I cast-on without really having a recipient in mind...at first. Now please remember that I live in the South and in the South we have a looooooong tradition of convoluted family ties with twists and turns and extended family... please keep this in mind as I explain who the lucky Lillie Baby Cardigan recipient is. My sister-in-law's sister has an adult daughter (re: my sister-in-law's niece) and she is a Facebook friend of mine and although I have not seen her in a few years, is a part of my extended family, and lives in Kansas, I could not help but notice one day that she is pregnant (37 weeks this week) and I also could not help but notice that she is going to name her little girl...wait for it...LILY!! So...of course....the Lillie Baby Cardigan would BE PERFECT for her.
     I waited until I completed the pattern (in case I messed it up or got finish-itis) and then sent an IM to my sister-in-law's sister to ask if she thought her daughter would appreciate it. I did this because she is young (early 20's) and sometimes younger people (HEY WAIT I AM NOT OLD...I AM IN MY MID-cough-30's) do not want handmade gifts for their new little ones but prefer store bought, mass produced, perfectly made articles for their new babies. My sister-in-law's sister assured me that she would probably LOVE the gift and that I should directly IM her to find out. Imagine my surprise when she was overjoyed with the idea that I made something for her new little one! She practically gushed! I was so...honored...that she thought the gift was "thoughtful and sweet" (her words!) So I also made a tiny matching hat and away to Kansas it went!

The buttons are heart-shaped mother of pearls

complete sweater still needing one button

matching hat...so small it fits on tips of my fingers

June has been a busy month.....

Washcloth lollipop, a photo by mad4marvin on Flickr.

     After I finished the Graduation Afghan for my niece's best friend, I then have become a whirlwind of knitting. I also have been knee-deep in my niece's baby shower planning! My niece is having a boy, her second child, and is due in September. I have decided to make all of her baby items in Pound of Love Antique White because it can easily be for a boy or a girl (I began knitting before knowing the gender) and I even wrote my very first pattern for her baby afghan. Now I am in the middle of making a washcloth with my niece's last name initial, booties, hat, and possibly a vest. At the same time I am making centerpieces, deciding on color schemes for tables, cups, plates, and silverware. I am also working on games, favors, deciding on menu ideas, and about a million other small details for the shower. On top of that--I am also co-planning a baby shower for my nephew who is due a week or two before my niece-they are also having their second child and its a girl. Teddy bears are the theme for this shower while pacifier/blue/white is the little boys shower theme. I am also knitting for the little girl but not anything nearly as complex as for my nephew....I am making the new little girl a pair of booties, a hat, and maybe a bib...I am not sure.

     Planning baby showers is something I really enjoy. I have planned several different kinds over the years for various nieces and nephews. I love the picking of the theme, shopping for all the little pieces, and crafting up centerpieces. In the past, I have held a Baby Block theme where I made handmade ABC blocks that I woodburned the letters into, sanded, and spread all over the baby shower. I have also done Baby Ducks with a duck floating in a ceramic bathtub and I have made centerpieces of vases filled with washcloth lollipops.

     For my nieces baby boy I did something I have never done before...I handmade every single invitation. 35 individual handmade cards...it was A LOT of work but I loved the end result. As soon as the baby shower is over I will be posting a TON of pictures but right now everything is kind of under wraps....for right now I will offer a peek of the lollipops I have made for this shower....

September.....

<--Kaycee as a baby

Kaycee @ 2-->

Today is Sept. 4th and it is my great niece, Kaycee's 2nd birthday!! Tomorrow is her birthday party and I cannot wait to give her my gifts! She loves Yo Gabba Gabba, baby dolls, and cleaning! Unfortunately Yo Gabba Gabba is impossible to find (I suspect that the manufacturer are on purposely holding back selling it so that @ Xmas we will see a repeat of the Tickle Me Elmo fiasco!)

Anyway, I searched high and low to find Kaycee the perfect gift! For once, I didn't even consider making Kaycee anything. For 1, what 2 year old wants a dumb ole knitted thing from their great aunt? (Besides me and all my knitty friends!) For 2, Kaycee is not a make something for type of girl. She has particular tastes and ideas-even at 2! So I ended up getting her a broom, dustpan, mop, "swiffer" and a couple of boxes of things like "fake latex gloves" and "fake cleaning solution." It is a-dora-ble!!! Oh, and I also got her a pink reusable shopping bag or "diaper bag" for her baby dolls. It is perfect because it has an elephant on it! She learned to "read" the word elephant from the "Your baby can read!" series! Inside the bag I threw in pearl necklaces, pearl bracelets, and a pearl headband--and about 10 candy necklaces! She is going to love it!!!

So what is in store for the rest of the month? Well, I have started walking again. Sometimes with my sister, sometimes with my niece, and sometimes by myself. I am not actively trying to lose weight just trying to move around. So many of my "hobbies" involve sitting that I just want to move before I grow into a piece of furniture. Also if I happen to lose weight it will be a bonus! My niece (Kaycee's mommy) is getting married next month so losing weight might make a difference between a fat persons outfit and a not so fat persons outfit!

I am also working on charity knits. I have been searching on Ravelry for simple hat patterns, scarf, mitten (glittens or gloves), and even blanket patterns. I have knitted one adult hat, a preemie hat, and I am working on a matching blanket for the preemie hat. Winter is coming so I hope to be able to keep someone warm!

Upcoming events for the rest of Sept:

Kaycee's bday party-Sept. 5th

School starts-Sept. 7th

Aulbrie's 18th bday-Sept. 16th

Logan's 5th bday-Sept. 19th

Tracey's bday-Sept. 25th