K's Denim Elsie

Another new cardigan for K!

This time with the "Dungaree 3956" Berroco Remix. Made from 100% recycled fibers (mix of 30% Nylon, 27% Cotton, 24% Acrylic, 10% Silk, 9% Linen). Lovely, soft, and full of interesting bits of texture.

I already made the 18 mo version of this little cardi (The Elsie Cardigan) in the natural color... but I could tell that I'm only going to get one season out of that for K... so I decided on the 24 month size.  I did, however, go down a needle size to size 6 -----  This seems to help make a slightly denser fabric, and I just liked the way it looked.
Fresh off of the needles, buttons sewn on, and outside we go to take pictures!

Unfortunately, not two minutes into our little impromptu photo shoot, K sat down in a mud puddle and started playing with pieces of bark... but at least I managed to snap these shots before total meltdown!

Wee Ones!

I'm branching out! Into knitted toys, that is, lol!  I've never really been that interested in knitting toys.... the thought of making and seaming all of those little pieces had no appeal to me.  Enter Susan B. Anderson's new class on Craftsy:  "Wee Ones:  Seamless Knit Toys".

No seaming... every piece is simply knitted on by picking up stitches (head to body), or done as a top-down raglan sweater (body & arms).  The legs, in this case, were put on almost like an afterthought thumb on a glove.  Very easy, very cute, and very fun!  This was a fantastic course, and I would reccomend it to anyone that has been interested in toy making.

I picked up some Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend yarn the other day.... love this stuff!So soft.... almost with a hint/sheen of cotton. 

And after only a couple of days..... ta-dah!  Two little wee ones, with a matching stripey sweater (also included in the class).  I love that the little heads on these cute toys can't be pulled off, because they are knit right onto the body.  I can see these as adorable baby shower gifts (The elephant with a copy of "Barbur" maybe?  Or the bunny with "Somebunny Loves You".... yes.  Just darling!)

K's Elsie Cardigan

A new cardigan for K! 

I came across some "new to me" yarn at Teaselwick Wool------ Berroco Remix.  Made from 100% recycled fibers (mix of  30% Nylon, 27% Cotton, 24% Acrylic, 10% Silk, 9% Linen).  Lovely, soft, and full of interesting bits of texture.

I wasn't sure what I was going to make with it.... but I knew that a new little sweater was definitely in K's future!   (Did I mention machine washable????) 

Enter this lovely little pattern, off of Ravelry- The Elsie Cardigan Pattern.  Look at that darling crochet edging!

My gauge swatch with size 7 needles was a tad loose (4.5 rather than 4) but this was a zero-ease cardigan, so I pushed ahead anyway, anticipating that it could use a couple of inches.  Also, I ended up adding several rows to the bottom of this… it is definitely a very form fitting cardigan!

The end result?  Adorable, soft little sweater for K to wear over just about anything (ended up using just over one ball... had to order another one, lol!)  Love the crochet edge detail… very easy, and it really adds to this simple little sweater.

Now for the cons:  Several reviewers mentioned this pattern was "clear and easy to follow", and I'm going to have to disagree.  True... I've only been knitting for just over a year now, but I have made close to 12 baby/kid/toddler/child sweaters, vests, and cardigans in that time (including several colorwork/ fair isle versions) and this was by far the least clear pattern for me.  In fact, I thought of this pattern as more of a "first make the sweater, then add edging" commentary.  But, that's just my two cents, lol!

Also, although the yarn is very soft, with interesting bits of texture, I noticed that it started to bother my hands after working with if for about 3-4 days (and I’m not allergic to anything). It was giving me some red/irritated spots where it rubbed over my tension finger, and I haven’t had that with any other yarn…..Kind of strange!  Anyway, onto the pictures :)

Skip Counting Freebie

     At our house, we are reviewing our skip counting by 2's and 5's... and so I made up this fun little activity for my kids. If it looks like a game... it must be fun, yes?

     I've also included a link for you to download, in case it can be of any benefit to you and yours (click on the picture to download).

Skip Counting Activity

Utter Chaos (Otherwise Entitled "Trip to the Library")

We were going to be in town today, and we are starting a unit on Hamsters (guess what the very first ever family pet is going to be?), so I diligently looked up and printed out a list of hamster books, plus a list of some magic tree house books that S has been looking for, plus a list of easy reader Hamster books. With list in hand, we arrive at said library right at opening time (all 4 kids, plus a cousin). After several trips to the restroom with aforementioned children (all parceled out, mind you, because the bathroom only holds three people, max), we are finally read to enter the inner sanctum.





We are ready.... we have "The List" of books; complete with call numbers....we have the stroller for the baby... E is hanging onto the side of the stroller.... all of the rest of the children are lined up behind us in formation....We are ready!

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the library isles are ALMOST too small to fit the stroller through.. and by too small, I mean that the stroller will fit fine, until you meet an oversize book sticking out of a bottom shelf, and then it will stop dead. That's okay... we have "THE LIST", we are in formation....we are ready! Now E is trailing behind in line as well, because the aisles are too narrow for her to have her little hand on the stroller. We are browsing.. We are picking out the right books... We have lost brother G. We look around for brother G, and notice he now has a reference librarian in tow, and they are looking for books on Hamsters ("I asked her really politely, mom, how to find Hamster Books!!!") Unfortunately, she cannot find any books on hamsters, because they were all on "THE LIST" and are now in the bottom of the stroller. The frustrated librarian walks away, Grant rejoins the group, we look at "THE LIST" and notice that we have several additions to the bottom of the stroller, because E has put 2 and 2 together, and realized that what you do in the library is pick books at random from the shelf and place them in the bottom of the stroller ("I helping Mommy! Say Good Emma!!") Carrie casually lays "The art of Bread Baking", and "Do You Want a Puppy?" on an empty shelf, and continues her mission.

S and the cousin have begged permission to browse the children's section, G is installed at a table to browse over the prized hamster books, E is hanging onto the cart, and we are IN LINE. S and the cousin return with every Magic Tree House book they haven't read yet, plus a whole shelf of Garfield.... and we look over and give G the "SHUSH" look because he is now reading hamster facts out loud for the library's general edification "DID YOU KNOW THAT HAMSTERS CAN HAVE BABIES?!!!!!".

The two men in line behind me look horrified at our pile of books, and general amount of people, and so I graciously allow them to go first, and check out their small selection of books (they thank us profusely)... and now... we are CHECKING OUT... with THE LIST complete. However, the librarian scans the first book.. makes the "UH-OH" face, and gestures for the senior librarian. After much discussion, it is decided that I have accidentally returned a computer game case with no disk in it (Yes I know... I got the message that morning in my email). Upon reflection, they decided I cannot check out any books that day, until I return the disk. I would be happy to return, the disk... I have the disk... but the case has been returned to another library.... and that is where I am supposed to return the disk.. not here in this town. They agree with my assessment (a quick look behind me shows that the line has now grown to EIGHT PEOPLE behind me).. and we once again have to shoot G(and now S and cousin) who are now marveling together loudly about how much food a hamster can stuff in its cheeks) the SHUSH look, as they are sharing this information with people around them, because it is just SOOO COOOL!


Okay.... where were we? Oh yes... we are CHECKING OUT... and baby K (poor, patient baby K who is strapped into the stroller) is now complaining. The librarian scans the books..... and makes the "UH-OH" face once again. Apparently we have too many books checked out. How can this be? We returned all of them when we walked into the library...... but, of course, they haven't been checked in yet, and so we have too many on our account. The librarian nervously glances over my shoulder... so I do as well, and now there are FIFTEEN people in line behind me (who are being helped, one by one, by the oldest, most decrepit librarian I have ever seen.. the poor woman was overwhelmed!) She grabs the books from the check-in bin, and starts checking them in one by one (our books are of course on the bottom, because we got to the library right as it opened).


Okay.... we are CHECKING OUT... we have completed THE LIST.... the librarian stops in mid-scan... and says (I kid you not).... "What was your last name again?" I tell her... she looks horrified at the computer.. and we both realize that she has just checked out 50 books to some other random patron by accident..........(You can't make this stuff up.....) We both turn and throw a horrified look at the growing line behind me, at the ring of avidly reading little children around my cart (who have now moved onto bugs of the amazon, and are REALLY grossing out the mom behind me). We get out all of the carefully packed books I have just checked out... re-check them back in... re-check them back out (baby K is in full-voice now... I might add, and E is singing "GO TO SLEEEEEEPY LITTTLE BABY!! at a very non-sleeping volume)

BUT... the books are CHECKED OUT.. THE LIST is completed... we are all back in the car..... when a chorus of little voices comes over the backseat.... "CAN WE GO TO MCDONALDS AND PLAY ON THE TOYS?"





See you at the library next week.........

Posey Hat

I have really been getting into colorwork, and I wanted to make this hat (13406 Child’s Hat by Dale of Norway / Dale Design);




but I couldn’t locate a copy of the pattern, so I attempted a copy with a loose interpretation of the colorwork portion for my daughter. I found a really good deal on some Alpaca Love (80% wool, 20% alpaca) at Michael's the other day - a worsted weight yarn. I cast on 100 stitches witht the light pink on size 5 circular needles for the p1k1 ribbing (13 rows), did two purl rows with Fern for the accent, and then switched to size 6 circular needles for the colorwork portion/crown.. finishing up with DPN’s. It’s a good fit for both my 9 year old,




and my 3 year old :)



Both of them have been vying for it.. but this picture of my daughter convinced me that is should belong to her :)

Free Book!

This looks like a very interesting book title... and if you act today you can get it for free!

Follow this link for more information!