2's Daisy Cardi

I finished this in March...and I couldn't get 2 to sit still for pictures. Last week, I decided to take action shots at the park. Really, I had to get some pictures before the sweater met it's fate. I love this sweater, 2 loves this sweater, but it almost had a run in with a safety pin someone placed on the sweater...for her name tag in her little class. I almost had a heart-attack! I refused to remove said name tag at the class and took it home for surgical removal with wire cutters and needle nose pliers. Seriously, who would put a safety pin on a sweater?! Aren't name tags supposed to go on the t-shirt in case the child gets warm and removes the sweater? I'll be soooo careful from now on.

Anyway, the pattern is Marie Grace's Daisy Cardigan. She just added more sizes! I knit the sweater in the size 4 with sleeves the length of a size 2, and the bodice length @ 16” (or size 6). In knitting this, I realized that little one’s height is all in the torso. If I hadn’t lengthened the bodice (from the 4 to the 6), then the cardi wouldn’t be longer than her shirts. And I debated taking the sleeves out to re-knit them (adding stitches like the size 6), but decided against that. They’re not really swingy like the bottom of the sweater (chunky little arms), but I’m realizing that little one doesn’t like long sleeves. She keeps pushing them up…which cause them to roll again. I may never see that pretty little picot edging at her wrists. I learned a lot about knitting to your own measurements. And Marie Grace was super helpful since this was my first fitted item and I had questions. I didn’t use a contrasting color or add the daisies. My yarn is cascade cherub kaleidoscope…something or other…acrylic blend. I needed machine washable!

Memorial Day Yarn!

(And I'm posting now, because it took me over a week to get my post together. Maybe I'll get the hang of this someday.)



For Memorial Day…my dad took me on a shopping spree at my LYS. He believes in stash enhancement! This is what we picked out…

Muench Big Baby Yarn in Spring Mix. This is the SOFTEST yarn…and its machine wash cold. Perfect for 2! I love the bubble gum pink, sunny yellow, clear aqua, and leafy green. There were only 4 balls left, so I couldn’t get the cardigan pattern. 4 should be enough for the V-neck pullover, but if it’s not, I’ll make it into a vest. That shouldn’t be too hard?! Just leave off the sleeves? It’s a bulky yarn…it should hide mistakes if I decide to wing it.

Cascade Cherub Kaleidoscope in Rainbow (color 1321) Aran weight… 4 skeins. It’s like 2’s daisy cardi, but mostly white with the same red, yellow, blue, and green mixed in. With almost 1,000 yards, I should be able to find a pattern.

I got 7 balls of Universal Classic Worsted LP in Indigo to make a ¾ sleeve sweater for me. The LP here is long print…so it should be pretty stripes of blue. The pattern I bought is Knitting Pure & Simple, split neck t-shirt for women. I think I only need 5 balls for the sweater…but this blue is a color I love, so I bought the rest.

I got 3 balls of Universal Classic Worsted LP in Rainbow for 2. And I got the Knitting Pure & Simple children's neckdown sweater.

Rowan Cashsoft Aran in Foxglove (a so subtle lavender) to make a few pairs of Fetching for Christmas gifts. My LYS doesn’t carry Debbie Bliss anymore…not because of the yarn…because the vendor was never available. This should be a good sub for the yarn called for, but I'm not sure if I'll get 2 pair or 3.

A grab bag of Felis in Pink & Purple. There were 10 balls for $35. That yarn is destined to be small felted purses for little girls birthday parties. I’ve already knit up one purse. From the Ladybug pattern in Pursenalities…my favorite little girl purse. I just need to finish the handles and I’ll felt one.

And 5 hanks of Cascade 220 in Sea (4005) for my mom. I’m going to attempt to duplicate her favorite bag for her. Back when I was in college, I worked at the GAP. I bought myself this brown bag that has a perfect square shape, and perfect handles. Now, if only it had been real leather. But alas, this was the GAP in 1997. Not the place for quality leather bags. In spite of it’s beginnings, this has become my mom’s favorite bag. She used to borrow it so much I gave it to her years ago. Now this bag has seen better days…and after a decade of preferred status…I’ll try to replicate, but the old faithful may never be put out of service. The only thing my mom would have ever changed about the brown bag…was its color. She loves NAVY BLUE.

And a pair of leather straps for my Sunset Bag.

WOW! And my dad said if I finish with this…we’ll go back Labor Day. I’ve got to get knitting!

ETA

I don't want to make a new post repeating the Birthday Yarn, so I'm ETA that post. Go see it if you want the yarn photos. KM

Exchange - Final Question

• Go visit some blogs for people who are participating in this swap.
• Find THREE people that you have something in common with - BESIDES the fact that you knit ;)
• Make a post linking to those 3 blogs, and tell what it is you have in common with the person on that blog!

1. Kristine B.
   http://krisboksman.blogspot.com/2007/05/auction-fun.html
   We both have Mary Jane Crocs
   Also, my initials used to be K.B. (maiden name) now I’m K.M.
2. Kris W.
   http://knottyknitterkris.blogspot.com/
   Another homeschooling mom.
3. Jessica O.
   http://snowmoon3.livejournal.com/
   Lived in China. I spent 2 summers studying at TianJin University. Back in the day, I could speak enough Chinese to tell the taxi driver where I wanted to go, bargain hunt and haggle for prices, order food…even from the vendors (where there’s no menu…and these folks definitely don’t speak English).

This was the most fun question. I searched all the blogs for the first contest, and I thought about all the things I had in common with other ladies on the exchange, but I never would have posted about it. And I hadn't seen that Jessica O. lived in China until today. Of course I could have listed more than 3, but these said fun things about me too. It's not as interesting that I'm trying to lose weight...or become a Fitter Knitter (although I haven't joined that group). KM

Exchange - Question 3

Where's your favorite place to knit or crochet? Describe (or show!) us where you sit and how you most enjoy your craft!

Well, I'd like to really show you, but this is the best I can do for now. It's Wednesday now...and I have to post. I'm still working on getting the "Birthday Yarn" pictures I took out of my camera and on to the computer. I knit in my super cozy chair. Sorry the picture doesn't show the whole chair. This photo was already in my computer. I made this blanket for 5's birthday...and it totally matched the chair. I took this pic way back in 2006. Usually, I knit while M watches ESPN. It's a good thing for our marriage. I definitely couldn't sit still for ESPN without my knitting...and even though we're doing our own things, we're together. We bought these chairs about a year ago. They're fantastic. We like to read to our kids and purposely bought chairs that could fit one adult tush and one little kid tush for sitting and reading. Our house isn't big enough for the chair and half we liked...but now I like these over sized chairs even better. For me, it's all about being able to sit indian-style while I knit. My other favorite place to knit is Starbucks. I go there with a friend and we sit outside by the fountain. Can't go wrong with knitting and coffee!

Blanket stats...if anyone is interested. Homespun in Fiesta. Knit diagonal, like a giant warshcloth. I used 6 skeins and it took me about 4 weeks. Finished October 2006.