Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Update

I finally bit the bullet and went to Toys R Us to look for a nerf ball to use as a round, hat-blocking surface. I felt a bit like Goldilocks. This ball is too big, this one is too small... Unlike Goldilocks, I didn't find one that was just right. But the too small one is working nonetheless and I didn't get chased by bears, so all is well.



I've got the ball resting in a large, green, plastic, drinking cup because the bottom of the hat comes down over the ball. This way it can hang down straight. (I don't know why, but that picture makes me think of ice cream cones.)

The matching sweater is all seamed up. Here's a sneak peak:



There aren't any shoulder seams because I grafted them. I'm so pleased with how that came out, I may never seam a shoulder again.



When everything is dry, I'll take pictures of the whole set.

PS - If you go over to my blog you can see the dragon scarf I made for my 3 year old nephew.

Monday, February 26, 2007

random event #1

Does anyone remember me mentioning the possibility of some "random events" to "keep things interesting"? I think we need one! So if y'all Podders would like to send me your snail mail addresses, I'm going to send you a little surprise. (Broad hint: I likey the yarn store and the bead store.)

Knit on!

this is it, really

Look, ladies. Just look at this yarn. This is why I knit. Ahhhh. I think you all know what I mean. Yes, I have finally found my yarn for this KAL. I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything since the beginning, but I've been struggling with yarn. This is the answer to all my problems. It's Sublime Extrafine Merino Wool DK--so soft with perfect colors and machine washable. Yahooooo! I've also finally worked out the kinks in the design that I've been working on. I'm calling it Sweet Pea, since that's what I call my little sweetie Paige. The sweet pea is also the flower of my birth month and it just seems to fit nicely with the whole Pea Pod thing.

I printed out a bunch of knitting graph paper, taped it together, and charted out the whole sweater. It made decreases and stitch counts so much easier to figure out. I highly recommend charting out written patterns if any of you are like me and need to have a picture in your head of what you're trying to knit. I googled "knitting graph paper" and my favorite of the sites that I found is this one with actual size graph paper.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Trellis Sweater


I originally wanted to knit the Peapod set for my friend who is expecting this May. I kept going back and forth and I finally cast on for the Trellis sweater from Knitty. I'm using Cleckheaton Country 8 ply, a machine washable 100% wool in a sage green. Cute, with lots of cables and seed stitch. I think it will be good for either a girl or a boy, and wool makes sense since my friend lives in Seattle.

I really enjoy knitting baby sweaters. I look forward to seeing everyone's cute projects!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Child Hood Sweater!

So, my goal was to get it done by my birthday party yesterday, and I finished it!!! SO CUTE!




























Ok, and I am not going to go into it here...but if you want to read about the best husband ever, go over to my knitting blog.

Now, I am making a sweater like this for Seth and I am casting on Anouk...ready Nicole???

Friday, February 16, 2007

Almost Done

I'll be at the finish line when I finish the finishing.



The body and sleeves have been blocked. They're dry now, I just haven't un-pinned them yet. I left the shoulder stitches live so I can graft the shoulders instead of seaming them.

The hat came off the needles just hours ago. I still need to block it. I would love to have a round blocking surface. Maybe I should get a nerf ball or something else round I could stick pins in. Has anyone ever done that for a hat?

Thursday, February 15, 2007


Hi All! It's so nice to have so many new additions! It's really fun to start getting to know you all. I finally got someone to snap the shutter on my big belly. Only two months to go! For those who don't know me, I have three children already, and I'm expecting a boy.

In honor of it being a boy, I let my husband help pick yarn colors for the "Cardigan for Merry". He chose tan. I thought this was really boring at first, but I've decided that tan with brown toggles will be really great. Valerie and I combined orders, and I'm am waiting expectantly for many skeins of KnitPicks Shine Sport in "Sand".

Speaking of the Cardigan for Merry, I just got my order of Interweave Knits with the Cardigan for Arwen in it. Kate Gilbert is amazing. I'm in the fan club too. That is reversible cable. Neat! I've got to make that cardigan for me, don't you think? Then I can match the baby...


My sister has been visiting on her way to New York showing off her new baby. Gorgeous of course! But she requested one of my Ear Flap "Cowabunga" hats for her daughter to keep her warm in New York. Who can turn down a request like that? I started making these hats a little over three years ago when 5 people in my family were all expecting babies at the same time (including me). I've got to get the pattern written down better than scrbbles and lines all over a wrinkled piece of engineering paper, but this is what got me knitting again after several years away. I ran out of yarn and had to add in white. I think I ripped and re-knit 2-3 hats by the time I was done this time, but I still like it. I've run out of yarn so much lately that my husband made me order an extra extra skein of that Shine Sport. All the more for my stash (maybe).

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Technical Difficulties

Can anyone here teach me how to put the cute little buttons on my blog? I want the baby in the pea pod, I really do! I just..don't know how . Thanks.

Hi Everybody!!

Hi Everyone! I'm Angela. I have nothing to show for my Pea Pod set yet, but hopefully will soon. I knitted several baby items in 2006, but I am really excited to start this because it is for a member of my family. My new neice or nephew!!

I am waiting on my yarn, which is Knit Picks Shine in Aquamarine. I liked that this yarn was machine washable, and in Southern California, who needs anything heavier than cotton! I can't wait to get started.

By the way, Jean, I love your tip about the buttons, and will definitely use it once I start.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Greetings

Hi all! I think this just has to be the cutest KAL ever. I'm Jean. I don't have any children of my own (yet), but I do have nephews and friends with babies. I love knitting baby sweaters. They are such adorable and satisfying projects. It's really nice to meet all of you. Let's get to the fun.

I made the Pea Pod Baby Set in green last month for a friend's baby daughter.


I loved this pattern so much I'm making it again. This time in blue for a newborn boy who lives on my street. His parents are pretty great, too.

Before I could start, I had to decide which yarn to use.

But now I'm off and running with Paton's Supersoft.


I've got these adorable little red car buttons. I saw a tip on Knitty Gritty on how to attach the buttons while you're knitting so you don't have to sew them on later. Well, anything to get out of sewing buttons sounds good to me. It's working out really well. If you want to see what I'm doing, I've gone into more detail on my blog.

Until next time, happy knitting!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Can I join too???

Hello!! My name is Nicole. Mom to two sweet little girls (4 and almost 2) and aunt to a never ending supply of nieces and nephews! I learned to knit in September after being inspired by the amazing woman who posted before me. Kim is my best friend and I will never be able to thank her enough for bringing knitting into my life. Plus she is just plain fun to be with!! :)

Now for the knitting!! I have recently made 2 hat and bootie sets for friends having babies. One uses the hat from the pea pod baby set and I modified a bootie pattern to use the same rib as the hat. I have at least one more to do. I also am expecting a new niece in June and am making her the anouk that Kim showed you. I will also be making an anouk for my almost 2 year old daughter, Eve. And last but not least (come to think of it is should be first) I am working on a cardigan for Eve's birthday next month. It is a pattern out of the Filatura Di Crosa Baby book and I am using Rowan Classic Cashsoft Baby DK. I don't have any pics of the sweater yet. I'll post some later.


Thank you all for letting me join! Baby things are my favorite, possible because of the relatively quick gratification!! It will be fun to be inspired by all of you as well.

Hi everyone!

Hello there!! I am Kim, mom to 3 little cherubs. Emma passed away when she was 8 months old, S (boy) is 2.5 and A (girl) is 7 mo. It's because of Emma that I learned to knit. Kept me busy after she died. It makes me sad that I never got to knit anything for her. Hopefully there will be yarn and needles in heaven! ;)

I am really excited about this knit along! Right now I am working on a sweater for A. It is the ChildHood pattern from Knitty. I'm using Paton's Merino for the body and Cascade 220 for the sleeves and edging. I have one more sleeve to do, then I can block it and put it together!!! I am so excited! This is the first sweater I've ever done and it really is fun. Probably because it's so small huh? S has asked me to make one for him when I'm done with hers. He wants it black. I think I'll do it charcoal gray and a blue heather (knit from my stash!!!). But, here are pictures of A's sweater.














Yesterday, I got my yarn for Anouk. I have never used the exact yarn that a pattern calls for, but I decided to with this one. When I was pregnant with A, I started to make this dress. I was making it in off white, with pale pink flowers and sage green stems. It was so pretty. I finished the front and started on the back, only to find that my gauge had changed drastically! I was so mad, and my big, angry, pregnant self, declared that dress "dead to me". Well, fast forward to when A was 3 months old and I went to work on it again...she was too big for it to even be a shirt for her. So, I frogged it. Now I am making it for her birthday (June) and am SO excited! However, I can't cast on until I get a few other things done, like her sweater, and a caplet I am making for my Mom. So, hopefully by the end of the month...but it's killing me not to!!!!

Friday, February 9, 2007

Pod People

Kristen, Marly, I'd like to introduce you to the lovely people who emailed me in the past week, asking to join the Pod! As you will see, they are a diverse and talented group. Wahoo! We have company! I know you already introduced yourselves, but I have a few things to add...

Everyone, this is Kristen. I first met her about 17 years ago on a seniors' (that would be high school seniors) trip to a nearby university. She probably doesn't remember it, but I remember thinking that she was a very graceful person. Kristen's husband is a major Fantasy/Sci-Fi fan (so's Kristen) and I think it's entirely appropriate that I've been thinking of her expected little one as a Pod Baby. So perhaps then you, Kristen, are a Podder. And if you haven't shaved lately, then you are a Hairy Podder. I know. I should definitely not write things at this time of night.

And this is Marly. I only met Marly a couple of months ago and I have not yet had the privilege of meeting her in real life, but I could tell right off the bat that she is lovely and lots o' fun. What's more, she can knit on a treadmill! Now that's talent.

And I'm Valerie. I like to dream up things to make. Whether or not I actually get them made, that's another matter that we won't address at this time. My intended recipient in this KAL is my 21-month-old whom I fondly refer to as PeeWee. She's a little firecracker and I'm having a hard time resisting the urge to post a picture of her. Can't fight it, so here she is.


I'm so proud of her. She's a cancer survivor and the sweetest, yet toughest little kid I've ever known. I was seriously thinking of doing the Cardigan for Merry first, but I'm having a hard time getting gauge, and I'm apparently not very persistent because I've decided to just forget it and come back to the Pea Pod. Onward!

There. We've made it through that part of the introductions. Your turn. I'd love to hear about who you're knitting for and whatever else you would care to share. I'm so glad you're here! We were starting to think that it would only be the three of us. (Not that I'd mind having a 1:3 chance at that Piddleloop bag. Kristen? Hooo Man.) Okay. I'm stopping now. Really. You know, I have this same problem with leaving embarrassingly long messages on answering machines. Usually in the background you can hear my 13-year-old saying "Mom! Just hang up!"

Prizes!



Is anyone making any progress, or is it like the first trimester of pregnancy still--plenty of discomfort, not much to show for it? Well, I'd like to perk things up with the offer of a prize. April 15 is both the end of of KAL's first trimester and my due date. When we reach this date, I'd like to do a drawing from everyone involved. The prize offered is a Piddleloop Travel Case in your choice of fabric. Odds are pretty good for the three of us right now!

Now about my cardigan for Merry; I was thinking of something bright, but my husband really likes the idea of a tan sweater with the brown toggles. He's talked me into it. I also decided not to splurge on the Rowan wool cotton, and I'm going to buy KnitPicks Shine Sport. Now if I could just decide between Sand and Willow, I could order the yarn and get started! I'm also worried about gauge after talking to Valerie.

Marly, it is so great to see what you look like that I thought I'd post a picture of myself--pregnant of course. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a picture. I'll have to get my husband to take a picture of this 7 month belly!