Socks that Sorta Get Down

I finally used Socks That Rock yarn to make myself a pair of socks. I got it in a trade, and it came in a beautiful colorway (Nodding Violet), but once again I've realized that I just don't dig on FOs in varigated yarn. Love looking at it in the store, love it when I wind it into a cake, but don't love it in the actual knitting.



The pattern is Charade, which I think would be perfectly lovely in a nice solid colorway, but in the STR it's just kinda "Meh." They are really comfy, though, and I think they'll be cozy in the winter. Final verdict: these socks don't really Rock so much as Sorta Get Down. Like your Uncle Walt might at your wedding.



I'm still dying to make the Opulent Raglan sweater from the last Knitscene (Julie's gorgeous version didn't help the craving) and I thought I was onto something when I found Soft Lux on sale at littleknits for crazy cheap. So I bought a bag for about $36.



It's soft and pretty and great. But here's the thing- instead of calling the color "camel" they should call it "Half Latina Ohio Girl Skin". Because dammit if it's not the exact same color as my skin!



So I need to sell this bag of Soft Lux so I can buy enough yarn to make my Opulent Raglan. I'm trying to get $30 (shipping included) for the bag, so if you're interested, let me know!

Modeled Shots!

My nephew is 4 months old already and big enough to fit into the little pullover I made for him before he was born. My sister was nice enough to take some pictures for me because she knows the only thing I like showing off more than knitting is this baby.



It's the placket-neck sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Rowan Calmer. Super easy pattern, nice for no-thinking knitting.



When I started knitting this, I didn't yet know that Logan would be a boy, let alone anything about what he would be like. Now he's here, and I'm here in Cincinnati where I get to see him all the time, and these pictures are making me feel a little overwhelmed with how lucky I am for that.

Ladybug for Lilybug

Yesterday I went to a ladybug-themed birthday party for my favorite 2 year old, so naturally I had to knit her an appropriate present. Crafty Alien came to the rescue again with a super cute Ladybug pattern, available in the "Buggin Out" set. There is also an ant and a very cute bee, which I can see myself getting around to someday. I know there have been some concerns with the pattern kits at Crafty Alien, but I have ordered pdfs from the website twice now and it's automatic and no problem at all.



Like most little toys, the ladybug was pretty fiddly. You make the body in two separate pieces, and then you make legs and antennae. Then you have to sew the body together and sew all 8 pieces on. The best thing about this project: felting hides everything! As usual, I had the most trouble with the eyes. They actually came out a little wonky because I was late for the party and had to just accept that I still don't know how to embroider.



That reminds me- I came across what looks to be a great tutorial on embroidering on knitting. Check it out.

I think the birthday girl likes her ladybug, though not nearly as much as she likes chocolate cake.

Hats!

I've been a little hat crazy lately, because they are fun and easy and don't require me to go into a new LYS. Also, I have had good reason to do gift knitting.

First off, my friend Michelle turned 30! I pulled out a random skein of Noro Kujaku and some Patons Classic Merino in Black to make the Fake Isle Hat. Super fun, super fast knit! I would probably never use the Kujaku again (even if it wasn't discontinued) because it was pretty novelty-ish. It had these little pieces in it that looked like those old school wrapped friendship bracelets we made when we were 8.



The colors were fun, even though I had to rip back a few rows and cut the yarn because it went to a super dark, almost black section. But the green and the purple with pink flecks was cool.



If I were to make this again (which I would), I would change the decreases at the top. It came out a little pointier than I would like.

My next hat is an extra present for Baby Yuri, the now-3-days-late child who better get here so s/he can wear this little piece of adorable.



Here's hoping that Kara doesn't see this because she's at the hospital giving birth! This pattern is from Itty Bitty Hats and I think it's as cute as pie. The baby has a sailing themed nursery and the parents are sailing fanatics, so I think they'll like it. How can they not? It's tiny! And has a boat on it!

Hey, I could make that!

I'm finally settled in at the house enough to start really knitting again, but the big move has tightened things up so I can only knit from the stash. Lucky for me, the move also made me realize that I really need to get the stash in a better place. I don't mind having lots of yarn, but there's a lot of stuff with no purpose. And not enough of anything to start a new sweater (this sweater, in particular, except without the flared sleeves), which is all I want to do.

In a perfect example of why I should buy yarn for a particular purpose, I pulled some Plymouth Encore I bought to make another Elijah out of the stash and was ready to roll on a present for my friend Kara's soon-to-arrive baby.



Pattern: Elijah by Ysolda
Needles: Size 5 DPNs
Yarn: Plymouth Encore- 3/4 skein of gray, scraps of pink

This is the 2nd Elijah I've made and I still love him. This one is in the 75% acrylic Encore, which usually would not be something I would mess with, but this is surprisingly great yarn. It has a wool content similar to Woolease, but I think it is so much better. It doesn't have that plastically feel- it really just feels like slightly softer wool.



And of course, Ysolda's pattern is as brilliant as they come. Everyone thinks so- that's why there are 340 of these on Ravelry. The swirl the head decreases make, the way the purl row and decreases make the feet look, the way the short rows make the ears look perfect- all of it makes this pattern not only great because it is seamless, but also because it creates an adorable result with spot-on details.

In other news, I was in Urban Outfitters recently looking for fabric and saw this huge knitted purse:

(please ignore ridiculous look on my face- I think I was trying to look casual)

Cute, right? Except this bad boy was 100% Acrylic and $68! So like any good knitter, I made my husband take pictures of it inside the store because I was just positive that I could replicate it.



It looks pretty easy, huh? I may just have to figure that thing out.

Wow, that's bright...

So we're moving right along with all the painting projects in the house and in general, we're pretty pleased. We decided to go with very bold colors, which we have realized is not exactly for everyone, but we like bright.



We have an old house with a "cozy" living room, so we had to get new furniture that was comfy but still small enough to fit. I fell in love with this little chair from IKEA and actually picked the paint to match it.



I can't actually believe this, but I am going BACK to IKEA today to see if I can find some dining room chairs. I cannot believe how lucky I am that they opened an IKEA in Cincinnati just 3 months before we moved here.

In knitting news, I made a little present for my house this week.



The ubiquitous Swiffer cover. We have hardwood floors downstairs in the new house and I knew right away that I would NOT be purchasing copious amounts of expensive swiffer covers. So I whipped this up and really do think it's one of the most useful knitting patterns I've ever come across. Not necessarily the most exciting, but super useful.



I made mine a little smaller than the pattern directed, mostly out of laziness, with some Sugar and Cream I had lying around.

I'm busy with a secret knit for a friend who is going to have a baby any minute now. I saw her a few days ago and you could watch the kid trying to push his/her way out, so I better get busy.

We're here!

A little over 2 weeks ago, we packed up our tiny Miami apartment and drove 1200 miles up to Ohio. It was hard- we loved our life in Florida and made the best friends you can imagine there (that's you, my little Menudo!). The drive was actually not horrible, and I knit most of a sock along the way.



My Charade in Socks that Rock (Nodding Violet colorway) had a great time at Sonic- have you guys tried Diet Cherry Limeade there? Seriously- the drive into Georgia was worth it just for that. Partnered with Tater Tots, it is the best road trip treat e v e r!

About halfway through Tennessee, I got through the heel...

And now I just have just the toe left. This sock is okay, but not my favorite ever. The Socks that Rock is nice, but may be a bit much for the pattern. Also, it's really thick. But Charade is great for road trips because it's fun but easy to memorize.

So when you drive north on 75, just before you get to Cincinnati you'll see one of my favorite landmarks in the world. It's in Florence, Kentucky, and it is hilarious:

Its Florence, Y'all! And they really wanted you to know so they painted it on the water tower! I love it! I think it scared the crap out of Bryan (um...Farrah...where are you taking me?).

We closed on the house on July 31st, and since then our life has been all boxes and painting and furniture shopping. And lots and lots and lots of Ikea.



People, both of those carts are ours. Both of them. We went from a 600 square foot apartment to a 1300 square foot house, so we had some needs. Big, expensive needs.

I'll be back at you with some knitting soon, hopefully- we got a couch today so at least I have somewhere to sit. But I'll probably also post some house painting/decorating news, too. I've spent most of my creative energy on choosing things: paint colors, furniture, etc., so you'll hear all about it.