Knitting up a storm....

Well I have achieved my goal of 11 things in 2011- and I still have a few months to go! I may not have the energy to plant in the garden this year but I am loving the quiet time of the afternoon when the boys run around the yard and I sit with a cup of tea on the porch knitting or sewing. I think I am channelling Ma Ingalls..which reminds me we just netflix queued the whole Little House series and I am disappointed the shows don't match up with the books. I was looking forward to the clearing of the woods and maple sugaring party...I feel like home skills were such an integral part of the Little House books, and thus far they have been adding to my daily sense of peace and calm amongst the chaos of living with (thus far) 2 boys and the hubby still being out of work and the worry over money and etc etc etc....

In 2011 I made: 1) a hat for uncle mike (who passed away shortly after),2) a baby sleepsack for #3 (which still seems sooooooo small), 3)a tee-shirt for #3 (which because of the girly nature is winging it's way to a friend in Chicago who just had her second girl),4) 2 cardigans for my brother's baby girl (one of which went to a little preemie I know because it came out too small for any child coming from my family!),5) a blanket for my brother's baby girl (the most pink I have ever knitted!), 6) a blanket for #3 (most expensive blanket to date), 7) 4 egg cozies (need to make another for this Easter!),8) 4 different stuffed bunnies for various kids born or adopted this year, 9) a baby sweater intended for a cousin but gifted to a neighbor instead, 10) 4 different pairs of baby booties (the favorite being a pair of converse for a high school friend's daughter) and 11) a sweater for myself

So really it was more than 11 but so many itty bitty things...I really have to get better at taking pictures before I mail things...

I am working on a sweater/hat/bootie set for an event to benefit our local farm, and still plugging away at things for #3. It is weird he has no fetal nickname. With Joe my belly was peanut, with Jude I called him little seal (so much so I wasthisclose to naming him Ronan which is little seal in Irish), the third baby that never happened was little one from the minute I peed on the stick to the last pleading moments of the miscarriage...but this one? nothing. Maybe I am trying to stay detached until I have him in my arms? I don't know, it feels weird not to call him by any name though. And yes we have a name picked out, and no I will not be sharing it....

Up next on the needles, hopefully to be done by Christmas: shark mittens, my first ever pair of socks, a few quick cowls, a hat or two, fingerless mittens and a stuffed animal or a few....

For #3 there will be a summer outfit, a pair of overalls, a cardigan, some diaper covers and whatever else I can cram in before February!

Works in Progress

I've been knitting up a storm lately. I decided back when we moved up here that I was going to throw myself into the hobby as a way to meet some people, and to take up that lonely space in my mind. It helped that I thought I would be knitting for a baby- yes as soon as I peed on the stick I started thinking and planning a wardrobe for what would be our last child. Luckily some friends and my brother are having babies soon so my thinking and planning are not all for naught....

I also decided that I would try to knit 11 things in 2011. So far I have 5 finished items and one started. The 5 finished are all tiny baby items that took no time at all! Pardon the crap cellphone photos but here they are (where is our camera I wonder but don't actually go out of my way to look for)

There is a giant pink blanket too that goes with these gifts- they are winging their way to the arrival of my niece as we speak. The cardigan is called the 5 hour baby sweater (ravelry link for those so inclined) and it really took just about 5 hours my only complaint is that there are no buttonholes worked into the pattern. I used KnitPicks Swish Worsted, which is a washable merino and usually my go-to baby yarn. Also up there in the first photo are Saartje's Bootees which are insanely easy to make and they actually stay on baby feet! Another cardigan I knit was the Bitty Cabled Cardigan which has a lovely little cable running along each border. I just didn't think it would fit any baby related to my family, so I am sending it to a preemie baby I know...Also pictured are the Bunny Blanket Bunny which is my favorite go-to baby present. It knits up so very quick and in Lion Brand's new organic cotton it is ridiculously soft and pretty inexpensive. Not pictured is the giant pink square blanket. It is seriously soft and very pink, it is the Concentric Squares Baby Blanket on ravelry. I knit this one with Lion Brand's baby's first which is a nice soft cotton/acrylic blend.

Best thing about these knitted items? The cost. Seriously. I am cheap, even more so now that we have no extra money. I LOVE good yarn but I am not rich enough to be a yarn snob. So lately I've been looking towards KnitPicks (decent yarn and great prices) and my local Michael's for affordable options. The priciest thing per skein to knit here was the bunny but it is organic cotton, and I bought one skein on sale! All told I think I spent maybe $40 bucks on 5 gifts....

Next on the needles? Something for myself, a possible christmas gift, and easter basket treats....