Making...

What's that you say?

Did I hear you say that, "She actually knit something?"

Yep, I did.  

Well, to be exact, I finished this sweater way back in June.  All it needed was the button.

It sat in my knitting basket all summer just daring at me to make a decision on button placement.

I went back and forth and finally settled on the option below

Bottom line: I LOVE this sweater.

Specs:

Nuss by Cirilia Rose for Berroco

 This sweater was started over a year ago.

I had a difficult time with the first front panel and set it down to ponder my difficulties.

It sat for a long while as I pondered and knit other things.

 But then I got on a finishing spree and went to town on Nuss.  It's provided me with the right amount of attention that I did not get bored.

 The recommended yarn is Berocco Blackstone Tweed.

I had some Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed sitting in my stash.

I swatched and it fit the bill.

 I had a hard time deciding on button placement. The original pattern calls for tiny buttons down the bodice.  Many of the sweaters that I looked at on Ravelry showed pulling when the buttons were attached.

My sister-in-law, Julie, helped me make my final decision   The button was found at an antique show/flea market this past summer.

This sweater will be worn a lot this winter.  It's has just the right amount of ease and the opening in front does not make for an overly warm sweater.

Just perfect!

PS: My photog was free and I had to go with the fact that my hair wasn't combed nor did I have any make-up on.  But, hey! I'm good with that. I'm just glad this sweater is finally finished!

Making...

Remember these? Well, they have been finished for awhile.  Just got him to try them on for me.  I had all of three seconds to take pictures.  I have no details.  

 I lost the ball bands along the way.

 I'm just glad they are done.

 And yes, of course Ryan picked out his shag rug. 

 This here is the my Simplest Sweater.

Which now has been ripped out.

You know when you knit something and you just get that awful feeling that something is not right, yet you continue to knit on, hoping that feeling will go away.

It didn't. Everything was way too small.  I could have given it away, but I love the color.  I still have two balls of yarn left.  I'm going to go up a needle size and take my chances. 

Wish me luck!

Baseball Socks 2012

Each year during baseball season, I pull out my sock yarn and knit a pair of socks.  They are easy to carry to the games and don't make me sweat as much while I endure cheer on the boys. 

 This year was no exception.  My goal is to knit through some of the miles of sock yarn that I have stashed here and there around the house and knit up socks for everyone! I grabbed a manly color and got knitting.  Seeing that this sock was meant to be for one of the boys I added a few more stitches and knit a bit longer in hopes of producing a sock that fit.  Which it does, no problem! So what then is the problem? Sadly, I don't have enough yarn.  I thought I did. I really thought I had another skein.  But as I tore through my stash yesterday I only came up with this red.  

So, tonight I will rip the sock out, go up from size one needles to size three, keep my standard stitch count and add red on the cuffs, heels and toes.  I hope that will solve the problem. At this rate, the baseball socks will turn into hockey season socks.  

Wish me luck!

Making...

Oh my gosh!  I must apologize!  I held a contest on my blog and then went away for awhile!  Totally unfair to you all that left such nice comments.

The winner, picked by the surly, wonderful fifteen year old is Kristina!

Kristina, shoot me your address in an email and I will get your yarn off to you!!

As you can see I finished another pair of socks.

This pair I started way back in March of 2011!!

They sat languishing in my knitting basket until I finally found some energy to knit the other sock.  Not sure why it took so long, because once I started it was completed three days later!

Specs can be found on Ravelry.  But give me a few minutes as I have to locate the ball-band with all the information!

Currently, I'm working on this sweater.  It will be completed and then packed away for next winter. It's working up fast now that I'm concentrating on it exclusively.

I need to make the rounds to see what you are all working on!  

See you all soon!

Making....

Hold on to your hats and have a seat! People, we have actual knitting content here at Upper Pond!

One of my goals for 2012 is to knit from the stash.  I have some good yarns sitting under my bed that need to be made into some goodness! Plus, I have items that have been sitting in my to-do basket just begging me to finish them.  Two out of the three finished items were knit from the stash!  I think I'm off to a good start!

 The brown hoodie is finally completed!

You might remember Matt's green one just like it.

 Ryan has worn it non-stop! So much so, that it's all ready pilling.  He loves it and that makes me a happy mom!

 I used Cascade 220 superwash.  It was the first time I used a superwash on a sweater this size.  I won't lie and tell you I wasn't a bit nervous to throw into the washer...but I did and it came out super soft and fluffy!

 Next up: Norby by Jared Flood.

I love, love, love this hat.  

Usually, I can't say that about the hats I knit.  

I did discover that I'm a fan of the slouchy hat!  

 This one was knit from the stash.  A couple of skeins of alpaca that I picked up at an alpaca farm around here!  The picture doesn't do it justice.  It's more blue than brown.  My photographer had to take this before he went to school and the lighting was poor.

It still needs another tassel and maybe a light blocking. But, in my book, it's done!

 Lastly, I started these socks in October.  Right when hockey season started.  It fell into the typical one-sock-syndrome and sat in the basket for awhile.  

I'm really not fond of the color and have no idea why I bought this colorway.

Matt told me they look like a snake print. 

They are however, really soft.  I lost the ballband (of course I did) and I think there might be some silk in these babies!

I did manage to make a ruffle scarf out of Kid's Silk Haze Creation.  I have never jumped on the ruffle bandwagon before, and really don't intend to ever again.  The scarf looks like a big boa and probably will look lovely with a LBD.  But, at the moment I don't anticipate any parties where LBDesses will be worn.

Due to some quirky ordering, I ended up with another skein of KSHC.  The color is black and I will never use it.  SO, if you want it, leave a comment, tell me what you are knitting and I'll throw all the names in a hat and pick a winner.  You just might end up with a special surprise thrown in!

I will close the contest next Wednesday, March 8th!

So what's next? I have another pair of socks to finish up, which I started in the 2010 hockey season and a sweater that I started in 2010.  Both items, I'm looking forward to picking up again.  I love the sweater and have since realized how to interpret the instructions on which I was stuck! It only took two years to wrap my head around it, but I finally got it!

If you need any additional details, stop on over at Ravelry and you will find all that you need to know!

Happy knitting!

Making...

I wish I had pictures of the two items that I made this holiday season.  One item was a plain 1x1 ribbed hat for my brother.  He lives in Dallas, so I can probably count on one hand how many times he's going to wear it.  I made it with that brown and white alpaca/wool mix up in the picture.  It's really soft and will do the job while he's out walking the dog.  

Next up was the Gap cowl for my sister who lives in New York City.  She's a nanny and requested a chunky scarf, that wasn't itchy, to wear at the playground with her charges.

I wasn't sure about this pattern as I knit it, but when it was all completed, I was sold.  The best part was, she loved it!  It was just what she wanted.  

Still working on this hoodie, only in brown.  Can you say boorrriiinnnggg?  

Lastly, did you see this today?  I want to make everything.

Making...

I finally made a hat.

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions.

I started out making Habitat, but had to rip it out a few times and thought that it was a sure sign that it was not meant to be at this moment. I will come back to it...when it's quiet and peaceful...maybe January.

It's a design by Jared Flood.  

The yarn is Cascade 220 heathers.

I think next time I might make it a bit smaller as it's a bit slouchy.  I'm not one for slouchy.

Oh, and I've made this and this last week.  Both were well received and will be made again.

What are you making?

Making...

I'm currently making socks.  Boring, stockinette, socks. Last week, I was on my way out the door to hockey practice and realized I needed something to keep me busy and away from all the hockey drama.  I'm not even sure what kind of sock yarn it is, having lost it's ball band long ago.

So, I need your help.  I want to make a cool hat for a special friend that helped me out this weekend while I was away in New York City.  She had to watch Matt and his friend, and two others.  But the real gift that she helped me with was to get Matt to his team bus by 5 AM.  This woman deserves a whole sweater for having this thrown upon her.

She's a funky, down-to-earth sorta gal.  I'm thinking berets are out and beanies are in.

Any suggestions?  What are your favorite hat patterns?

Enjoy the colors! I missed the blue sky and orange leaves this weekend, but was thankful I could wear shorts and tee-shirts while in the city.  

 This is the real color!  No saturation or vibrance touch-ups at all!

Making...

The last few days found me frantically knitting.  My step-mom asked me to make a baby sweater for a shower that she was attending.  Of course I said yes, and thought I had plenty of time...

oops, when they said October, they meant October 1st!  

You probably are having a deja vu  moment, thinking you've seen this sweater/dress/tunic before here at Upper Pond.

Well have no worries, you have and you aren't going crazy.

 I made the exact same sweater before...here are the details.

 The first time I made this I bought way too much yarn.  Not sure what I was thinking.  I still have yarn to make one more.  Anyone having a baby girl?

Last time I made the 6 months size.

This time I made size one.

I highly recommend this little sweater dress.  It is quick to knit and looks adorable on.

Plus, this little outfit lasts forever.  It can start off as a dress and finish as a cute little top.  

I'm off to knit some hats for charity...I'm done with baby knits for awhile!

Making

I made a baby sweater.

It's purple, although it looks blue in the picture.

It's for a friend's first baby...a baby girl.

I highly recommend this pattern.

It's quick and easy.

Add it to your go-to baby items today.

 All information is over at Ravelry.

 Off to start another baby gift.....

Seems as if people are very fertile around here lately!

Making

I bet you thought I wasn't a knitter anymore. It seems like forever since I last posted a project. So here is:

the Abby cardi

by:

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

All important details can be found over at Ravelry.

I love this Quince yarn. It's soft and lightweight. It is their sock yarn so just imagine how long it took to knit this little number up.

I will wear this sweater a lot this coming fall. It's perfect for that slight chill in the air kind of day.

However, if I were to do it again I would make a size up or maybe two. For once this pattern was true to size. A XS is really tiny (or maybe I've just grown and don't want to admit it) and would love to have it a bit more slouchy.

The arms are a bit tight too. A light tee is all that could be worn underneath.

The pattern was well written and easy to follow. I was worried I wasn't going to have enough yarn, so I made the arms 3/4 and probably could have knit the body a bit longer.

I also used the stockinette side whereas, the pattern called for reverse stockinette.

It sounds as if I don't like this sweater, but I really do. It will receive heavy rotation in the coming months as the cold settles in.

Now on to two baby sweaters...gift knitting is never ending!

Making

I made bread. Now, I know for some of you this is an everyday occurrence for you and your family. Me-not so much. I used to make it all the time when I was single (yeah...don't ask) and when the boys were young. Now that times are busier I find it hard to fit into my schedule.

But, a recent trip to the farmer's market, led us to a bread man. He had such good sourdough bread that I knew I needed to try again.

Everything was going perfectly until I needed to remove the plastic over the bread rising in the pan. I forgot to oil the plastic, and yes, the bread stuck to it and quickly deflated when I pulled it off.

I baked it anyway, knowing the outcome was going to be a brick.

It's still tasty, toasted with butter and jam.

Over the weekend, I will attempt this process again.

I'm sure to be fifty pounds heavier by the time I have this bread making thing mastered.

On an unrelated note. I'm waiting for this yarn to arrive to start this. So much for not buying any yarn for awhile!

Making...part 2

Basic Green Hoodie

from

Knits Men Want

by Bruce Weinstein

Cascade 220 Heathers

color 9448

size 6 needles

(totally unblocked as he wanted to wear it today-you know the first day it's going to be in the 80's)

If you have a teenager in your home, you know that it's all about the hoodie. The correct way to wear a said hoodie is to pull the hood up over your head so you all but disappear into the sweater. I sometimes think it's a defense mechanism for our kids and this turbulent world. I'm probably totally off base on this one and it's just the cool way to wear a hoodie.

Matt picked the color. It's a long standing joke to his uncle and his green sweater. As Matt was putting the sweater on this morning, he said he felt like his Uncle Tim. Role models: oh how important they are! Who knew a basic green sweater that his uncle wears constantly would be so significant in Matt's life? (Tim, you know you can never get rid of that sweater....ever!)

Our school year is drawing to a close and as I look at these pictures I find it hard to believe that we will have a freshman in our home. Eighth grade is in our high school, so he has conquered that fear. But, this is the real deal: working towards graduation. Things count now.

We will settle into our summer routine in about a month. And as we always do, there will be some rough days as he discovers he can't sit in front of the Xbox all day. But as a good friend said to me yesterday-we have just four more years and then they are gone-holy cow! Where has the time gone?

But inside this young man, I still see the little boy with the mischievous smile and his great sense of humor.

Enjoy your sweater Matt! It's made with much love!