Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Here's what I've been busy with........

I don't believe it - 16 days since my last post !!
But I have been busy! I finished a comfort shawl for my friend Di in Michigan - in her choice of her favourite colours - Christmas Red and Christmas Green. I had some lovely soft Capricorn in Red and some TLC in Emerald Green in my stash - exactly right!! Here's the result.














Good old Capricorn - it makes the nicest, softest cuddle blankies - especially when a tight budget means some of the wools are beyond my price range!

I've made a few little sweaters too!














The Lavender set is from an English DK Leaflet - Wendy or Peter Pan I think. Made in Lavender Angoretta - the hat was made from the bonnet pattern from the same leaflet - but I didn't like its shape so turned it into a little beanie.
The one that looks like "hundreds and thousands" is just my little version of the EZ Baby Surprise Jacket - haven't a clue what yarn it is - someone gave me one ball of anonymous acrylic yarn - and I love it - it is so soft - and I have enough left over for little boots too.

I haven't made the original EZ Baby Surprise Jacket for yonks - so thought I would enjoy myself with an old favourite. The blue is the original full length sweater - the pink is knitted without the extended piece at the bottom. The blue is just Panda 8 ply - the pink is made with Angoretta Pale Pink and Deep Apricot, with a Panda Magnum Print in Pinks and Apricot ( I think - there was no band on the ball!)
This little jacket is the 5 Rectangle Baby Sweater by Carole Duvall. Isn't it cute? Of course I didn't do it as 5 Rectangles - too much sewing up for me - so I knitted the back, then down one front, then down the other, picked up and knitted the sleeves on double pointed needles, and only had the side seams to sew up! Then I crocheted round the edge! The yarn is Red Heart WW "Watercolor" and I swear I did NOT plan the way that variegation lined up exactly on the front! Great fluke, huh??? I could not have planned it better! The buttons were just some odd ones in my stash - everything just came together by accident. I bought a big box of Red Heart two years ago and I love it for baby stuff - despite what the yarn snobs think!! The trim is Angoretta in Lavender by the way.
It must have been the week for Old Favourites - first the Baby Surprise Original pattern, then two from the Precious Layettes for Baby booklet (Leisure Arts #3202)

No doubt you are aware, dear reader, that I never leave a pattern alone, nor do I always follow the pattern very closely! This one is, believe it or not, "Baby Blue", design #3 from the Precious Layette booklet - without the two colour stitch design. I love the shape of this little sweater, the yoke in garter stitch is so darling - I just did stocking stitch sleeves and body. I used pale pink Angoretta with the yoke in a deep strawberry pink anonymous yarn - can I help it if people give me yarn with no ball bands on????
I just happily receive - I can usually tell if it is wool, or acrylic and usually I just love the colour so much, I just say a grateful "thank you"!
The sweet little t bar booties are from a free pattern on the internet, from Mandy via a Lion Brand blog. They are called "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Booties" so if you Google this - you should find it with not much trouble.

the second one from the Precious Layette Booklet was the design #2 "Precious" - but instead of the lacy pattern as in the original, I knitted the whole thing in garter stitch. I am so delighted withhow it looks - just the cutest, squooshiest little baby sweater - I made it in Robin feelings in the palest pink and crocheted all around the edges in a deep strawberry pink - well I had a bit left from the previous set, you see! The booties are the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road booties - I am so in love with these!!
Well that is what I have done this past 10 days or so - as well as unpicking all the attached i-cord on my daughter's Adult Surprise Jacket, then undoing all the crochet edging, then the sleeve seams, and frogging back to past the buttonholes, so that I can make the front a bit bigger and the sleeves a bit longer. *Groan* Now I am in the midst of trying to re-knit it - I have got as far as the mitred front-and-neck-bands and am praying that this works and I don't have to rip the whole lot out and start again! One thing I have learned - attached i-cord is NOT very stretchy - so I shall have to use a larger needle when I re-do it. Fortunately my daughter is a little bigger in front than the back - so just increasing the two fronts will do it! Well back to the needles! Oh, and I have also started a cuddle blanket for my friend Marlene in Bendigo - who is not a very well woman right now. I shall use the Red Heart Watercolour, some Pound of Love in Lavender, and some Angoretta in palest Green, all of which are Marlene's favourite colours. I am trying to ignore the basket of UFO's lurking under my desk!

17 comments:

ferda said...

hi Yvette
you have been busy knitting lots of gorgeous things I'm doing well finished 3 months by this week next month we will learn the gender waiting in excitement :)
love

JoAnn N. said...

Wow! You HAVE been busy. So beautiful! Lucky people to get presents from you!!

Aunt Kathy said...

You sure have been busy, I love everything. I am not sure if I am talented enough yet to knit a sweater, but I sure want to try, especially after seeing all of yours. And those booties are the cutest. I will look up that pattern for sure.

I have lots of yarn given to me too, and like you I am grateful for every piece, ball or skein. I can find a project for anything, even if just a square or yoyo for a charity afghan.

Jeanne said...

Yvette, you are incredible! Such charming projects-- I love the booties! It is amazing the variations on EZ's BSJ.

Cathy said...

as always...gorgeous!

Noanie said...

Yvette-- I have been looking at your archives-- In sept 2006, you posted a whole bunch of tiny BSJs and made the comment that these only took 3 hours. They are so cute. Is this your own variation or is there someplace I can get directions for a little one?
Joanne
joannerose1@bis.midco.net

Shelly said...

Gorgeous! Every one of your sweaters and the afghan too are just beautiful. Like you I seldom leave a pattern exactly as written, but I did do my first BSJ according to the pattern, though now it's ready to be stitched up I've decided to add cuffs.

Shelly

Anonymous said...

My dear friend, I dont know how you manage to knit so much in such a short time.
Really lovely work, congratulations.
Love Marlene.

Donna said...

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Yvette!

lbquilts said...

hi yvette!
again you've outdone yourself w/all the beautiful knittery!!
:) linda

Unknown said...

Hi Yvette!
I think all of your things are just lovely! And you're so prolific!I would love to try the ez baby surprise jacket as a first sweater project! Where would I get that pattern? And the little booties are cuties! I have a great niece/nephew(we don't know yet) coming in March! Would love to surprise them by knitting either that or a twirly hat with one!
Your friend in Texas USA
Joni

Knitcrazy said...

Well... You really are a Busy Little Bee !!!!!
Everything looks terrific and your friend is going to love cuddling in those shawls....and feeling all the love you put into them..

Very Nice Yvette!!

XX Penny
http://pennyknits.blogspot.com/

Sue H said...

As usual, all those little cardies are "gawjus", and I love that shawl. Well done.

Melinda said...

Beautiful baby jackets! I tracked down your blog from a link on the Yarn magazine blog. How much time do you spend knitting a day? :)

I love the knitting for Brisbane's needy idea. Do you have any people who have joined from Sydney? It would be great to start such an initiative here...

You can find me at www.melindalow.blogspot.com

catsmum said...

What's the difference between the classic BSJ and your lovely little one ? - as I'm currently 3/4 the way through my first BSJ I might actually understand your answer now :]

Shan said...

hey Yvette - how about an update I KNOW you have been busy knitting - what have you made ??? You show me yours & I'll show you mine . . I have a bag full for K4BN, Shan

perigrine said...

Hi, I stumbled across your blog and fell in love with the EZ baby jacket and the tomten ones. Where would I be able to find these patterns?

perigrine.monique@gmail.com is my email.