Baby Boy Gifts

There are two couples in our church expecting baby boys anytime now. For one couple, this is their first baby. For the other couple, this is their second boy. So needless to say, I had fun making "baby things" from yarn for gifts. The first couple had a shower a few weeks back, and I gave them this crocheted blanket (1-2-3 stitch) and a matching knitted hat.

For the second couple, they are having a "box shower" for them at church tomorrow. This means there's a big box in the entryway, and people can leave their gifts in the box. Then the couple will take the gifts home, without having an actual shower "get-together." (They live a ways away.) So for them, I'm giving a crocheted blanket (alternate rows of SC and DC, bordered by SC), and a couple of crocheted hats in "boy colors."

Ruffles

Hadn't worked with "lace" yarn before, until recently. You knit the edge of it, and it makes a ruffly scarf. Fun!

A Knitting Kit

Today at the thrift store, I found a Lion Brand "Learn to Knit Kit" for $2.00 It was all brand-spanking new, didn't look like it had even been opened.

I wondered if perhaps someone thought it was missing a needle, since only one was visible on the back side? But the other one was "hiding" inside, between the skeins of yarn and the front label.

This is why I got the kit - the beautiful, indigo-colored yarn. :)

Here's the kit all opened up.

It has yarn, knitting instructions, patterns, knitting needles, and even a plastic darning needle for weaving the ends in when you're done (poked through the label in the photo).

Another look at the gorgeous yarn, which I am going to have fun making something with, either from the pattern provided, or maybe something else entirely. What a fun find this was. :)

Thrifty Finds

Some recent finds from the nearby thrift store:

Some chunky white and dark yarns.

A big skein of "gold" yarn.

Three skeins of some neat southwestern-colored yarn, kind of thick, and I've already about finished working this into a "bolero"-sized shrug.

A ball of patriotic-colored cotton yarn.

From the cotton yarn, I made two patriotic-colored dishcloths.

One Finish, More to Go

Ahhh .... got the "Wingspan" shawl done! It was FUN, I like how it turned out, and I want to make another one.

Also, I'm still working away on the "Cashsilk Fern" scarf. It's getting easier and easier as I go along. Just don't anyone talk to me while I'm working on it, it's a complex pattern (to me anyway), and I get mixed up easily if I get distracted! But I LOVE how it's looking.

Flying by the Seat of My Pants

I'm the type of person who likes directions and a pattern that tells me exactly what to do by steps.

Here awhile back, I came across a "wrap" knitting stitch on YouTube that gives a long, stringy effect. The more wraps you take, the longer the stitch "strings." I thought it looked like fun.

So ... though I tend to like to stick to rules and patterns and directions, I'm knitting a "decorative scarf" using this long stitch. I'm not using a pattern. I'm pretty much free-wheeling it ... unfamiliar territory for me! But I'm sticking with just a basic knit stitch plus the "wrap" stitch. So far, I like it, and it's turning out exactly as I pictured it. No pattern, I just knit however many rows, then make a long stitch row with whatever length seems good. It's supposed to be kind of haphazard-looking, in an organized way. Woo-hoo!

Knitting Progress

I'm happy to report good progress (for me) on a couple of my main projects right now.

First, I'm having a lot of fun knitting this "Wingspan" shawl. Today I reached the halfway point (four triangles out of eight), and started the second skein (ball) of yarn. This is easy and fast to knit, but turns out looking very impressive and "modern art"-looking. Different yarns give a different effect - it's been fun to see others on Ravelry and on the 'net.



This next project is probably the most challenging one I've attempted to date. The "Cashsilk Fern" scarf has a very lacy pattern, but it's not as intimidating as it first appears. After getting into the pattern, I'm actually enjoying it. Yet I have to really pay attention to the rows in the pattern repeat, and where I am in each row. I definitely like how it's going so far. And each time I go through a pattern repeat (only twice so far), it gets easier. So maybe I'll really start sailing along the next few times I work on it!