Uninspired

I have nothing new to show, even though my daughter is napping for three hours every day, giving me plenty of time to knit (or do other things...), and it's not for lack of trying - I've looked through books, looked through my yarn, started a swatch only to determine that my gauge is off, but I'm not concerned enough even to continue.  I've cut out magazine photos for inspiration, but don't have the funds to buy some luscious alpaca yarn for a slouchy fisherman's sweater like the one I saw in the Peru Collection (besides, it's not washable and I have a smeary, cuddly baby, etc).  Ho hum.  Right now I'm intrigued by the idea of making a teddy bear for my daughter, since she loves pointing out teddy bears in books, but the rows and rows of boring stockinette stitch may drive me away from pursuing that project.  So I've caught up on some reading, instead.  The end.

In the green

After finishing the pumpkin hat, I put it on and took it for a trial run.  Part-way through walking around, fingers firmly held by toddling baby, the hat fell down over my eyes.  Stopped, pushed it back, and the same thing happened again.  So I've decided to give it to a friend who can wear it without 1) looking pumpkin-esque and 2) forehead slope issues.

That aside, I loved the pattern, so I hunted for some slightly finer-gauged yarn.  Enter Rowan Felted Tweed in dark green.

It is knitting up beautifully.  I really like how the pattern stitches appear.  Most importantly, it fits my head without being either too snug or falling off.  I really must thank the ladies of Wild and Wooly in Lexington for their expertise.  This hat is turning out perfectly.

Finished hat

I've been calling this my pumpkin hat.  It is the exact shade of the pumpkin I bought at the store and is slouchy, so it has a certain...roundness.  My husband thinks it looks nice, but to me it seems as though I have a pumpkin head and might also have dreadlocks hidden under the slouchiness.  Either that or I'm wearing an orange old-fashioned chef's hat.  I loved the color until I put it on yesterday night.  Sigh.  But at least it's warm and comfortable.  Who knows, I may grow to love it again.

I also finished with mere feet left.  Yesterday I frantically noticed my yardage shrinking, but I was nowhere close to finished.  The pattern called for two skeins of yarn, but each recommended skein had 144 yards and my skeins only had 109, which left me 80 yards short of the pattern recommendation.  After a morning spent in dismay, calling yarn shop after yarn shop and not finding any more of the yarn, I figured out if I backtracked and started decreasing every row a little earlier, it would be ok, and it was.  My heart is still pounding from those last few rounds.  Knitting is so exciting.  (Sly grin.)

This is right before finishing.  Relief!

And here's what's left, including yarn from the cast-on and finishing bits.  

Hat in progress

It got cool here, and I lost my hat.  Fortunately, I can knit another one!  So I started the Flemish Block Hat from Wearwithall, a lovely collection of patterns by the owners (I think) of The Yarnery, up in Minnesota.  I'm using Classic Elite Inca Alpaca in a nice rusty shade of orange.  (Think autumn maple leaves.)  This should keep my head toasty during afternoons at the playground with my little girl.

Some finished projects and a new one

I made some fingerless gloves for a present, using the cover pattern from the most recent issue of Jane Austen Knits.  The yarn's true color has a little more yellow in it.

My mom and sister visited and we all made our own versions of an embroidery pattern that my mom brought along.  Mine is a little...rough...but I like it.

Today I started a knitted blanket, just simple garter stitch with bulky yarn and size 10.5 needles.  I like the color, a warm fuchsia.  When my sister visited, I convinced her to buy some shoes in the same color.  It's a great color.

Soon, I hope to start some baby knitting for my sister-in-law, who is expecting early next year.  And that's about it, other than eating my weight in peaches and tomatoes!  Gotta love August for that.

the birthday dress

It's done!  Happy birthday to my sweet baby.  

the little blue dress

Lucy turns one year old next Tuesday and I've gotten this far on her dress.   What's left is sewing the sides together and knitting the arm bands and neck band.  I'm hoping to get this finished by then, but it's hard (as everyone knows....) when you have a curious little girl who wants to get into everything!

I've also finished a couple small projects for friends that need to be blocked, and I haven't been able to take pictures.  Soon!