Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas Everybody!

Moved to Florida as planned and slowly getting settled/unpacked, no time at all for knitting or crocheting but I brought it ALL with me, lol!!

Have a Thankful Holiday!!

and yet another doll sweater......

This is the Happy Day Hooded Cardigan in a book by Charlene Schurch American School of Needlework #1348 Knits for Girls and Dolls. LOVE this pattern, yarn I used is Bernat Satin, it's all a blur, lol!

I'm SO BUSY emptying out my house and packing for the move to Florida in early December. We have lived here 18 years and I can't believe all the "stuff" we have. Most I have donated, sold all the furniture on craigslist and to friends and some on ebay. The house is on the market but no bites on it yet, the economy isn't the greatest but I'm very positive it will sell, maybe not right away but hopefully within a year or so. Okay back to cleaning & packing!

Happy Halloween!!

My Favorite Time of Year!!

another doll sweater

This is from a Judith Shangold pattern, you can see her designs here and there's a database of retail shops that carry her patterns.
www.judithshangold.com
Petals Jacket & Hat, also sized for children.

more knit doll outfits :)

I was able to finish a few more, these are loads of fun to make!!

Summertime!

I can't believe summer is flying by so quickly but I have been busy!! some knitting on doll clothes only because I purchased this 18" Springfield doll named Lindsay and knitted her this outfit with others going on the needles!






Working here at the house, painting, re-finishing furniture and trying to grow some tomatoes. I don't really have a green thumb but they are coming along finally. We have had a lot of rain and thunder storms this month so it has been a challenge, the weeds sure do like it!

My dd and sil are coming up from Va. for a visit and then my sister and 3 little girls will be here. We have plans to go to the beach and the fair and take my mom out to dinner for her 70th b-day( it's a surprise! :)
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer too!! I know I am ;)

Happy Fourth of July!!

My husband and I have been very busy working on our home and rental properties. I have been crocheting a little and have a stack of patterns I want to knit but just can't seem to find the time!!! Of course summer is here and I am out walking and started a weight lifting program trying to get into better shape. The winter months and bad weather allowed me to gain about 10lbs which doesn't make me happy, ;( so I guess that's where I am putting all my efforts at the moment!! Yes, we still plan on leaving the area and heading south to either Virginia or Florida, just the thought of packing and selling everything is mind boggling, but it's our ultimate goal.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July!!

Look at my Knit Picks Sampler!

Look at the beautiful gift I rec'd!!
You can read all about the sampler here
I can't wait to try these yarns, the colors are so pretty and yarn so very soft! You also receive the free patterns in the pack and the yarn will make all of the projects!! Lace Cap, Lace Mat, Morning Glory Purse and Ruffled Wristwarmers

A Wish for all Moms out there!

Crochet potholders are the thing!

I have been obsessed with my stash of cotton yarns- Sugar N Cream and Peaches n Cream making oodles of potholders, hot pads and a few dishcloths. meanwhile my UFO pile of baby sweaters and other goodies are piling up!

Here's just a sample of what I have been up to:

Seed Stitch Baby Sweater

I finished this little goodie last week, pattern from Lion Brand, click here. I used Bernat Satin solid in color lagoon. I added in the buttonholes to avoid using the ties that are in the directions. Great top down design. I have some yarn left and hoping I could find a nice bootie or hat pattern with seed stitch to match....



While knitting I also started this crochet baby sweater using some Red Heart TLC Lustre ( disc. yarn) from the stash, it's cute pattern with stars on the front, more details to follow.




So while I was in the crochet mood, I rec'd from a friend an order to crochet up a dozen of these Dolly Potholders, now the ones I am making for her have 2 potholders hanging below and are secured with a large button BUT they are taking FOREVER to get done! I am having fun mixing and matching colors, she isn't fussy about which colors I make, she will take whatever I work up, so I am using up the stash of Red Heart worsted weight. Today tho my wrists are aching and slowing me down not to mention I am tired of making them argh............................ but I will keep smiling :) and crochet on!

Sailboat Baby Blanket update & pattern

pattern is from the book The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber Page 20 “Boats for Cameron”, I re-designed the pattern to be worked all in one piece adding in my own cables and seed stitch borders and using only the boat design from the book. There are 3 boat sections and 4 cables. You will need size 8 circular knitting needle either 24" or 29" in length and worsted weight yarn at least 1500 yds. This also depends on how long you would like the blanket, it may take less. I have 6 skeins of TLC Essentials by Red Heart ( coats & clark) color is light lake blue. (I am 12 rows into the my 2nd skein at this point. You will also need stitch markers and a cable needle.

Begin by making a copy of page 22 from the book because you will have to re-number the pattern rows to make it easier to follow. :)
Boat panel begins with 6 rows of stockinette stitch ( K 1 row, Purl 1 row). These are rows 2-7 from the book ignoring row 1. Now re-number the rows as follows: Row 8 becomes 7 , row 9 becomes row 8 and so on ending with row 27 changing to row 26 and rows 28-37, those become rows 27-30 which are 4 rows of stockinette. In between each sailboat panel I stuck in 4 rows of seed stitch but you could eliminate this part if you choose. Ignore the rest of pattern from the book.

The cable pattern I used is the following:
Row1: k2, p2, k6, ps, k2
Row2: k1, p1, k2, p6, k2, p1, k1
Row3: k2, p2, k6, p2, k2
Row4: k1, p1, k2, p6, k2, p1, k1
Row5: (Cable twist row)k2, p2, slip next 3 stitches to a cable needle and hold in back of work, knit next 3 stitches, knit 3 stitches from cable needle, p2, k2
Row6: k1, p1, k2, p6, k2, p1, k1

I cast on 148 sts ( 2 side borders of seed stitch 10 sts each) (3 boat panels of 24 sts each) (4 cable sections each 14 sts) start by knitting 10 rows of seed st for the bottom border. Grab 8 stitch markers ( PM=place marker)and begin knitting 10 sts seed stitch, PM, Row 1 of cable pattern (14 stitches), PM, work row 1 of boat panel ( this is your first row of stockinette, all knit), PM, row 1 of cable pattern, PM, row 1 of boat panel, PM, row 1 of cable pattern, PM, row 1 of boat panel, PM, row 1 of cable pattern, PM, 10 sts in seed stitch. Continue working with row 2 of boat panel
( all purl) and row 2 of cable.
Note that each boat panel starts and ends with 6 rows of stockinette, followed by 4 rows of seed stitch.
I use post-it notes to keep track of my rows,being sure to cable twist every 6th row.
Click on the picture to get a close up view
If you need help please leave a comment with your email address.

2nd Tulips Cardigan

We have arrived home after our extended vacation to Florida, all rested and relaxed. Average daily temperature was 75 and sunny all the time!! I love that type of weather and hubby and I are now planning to move to Florida, yay!! I love the fresh produce we could buy just down the street, especially the strawberries and tomatoes, delicious! We did a lot of walking too, hit the beach and found lots of nice shells and went boating/fishing in the Gulf. The picture above was taken at Sanibel Island.

While gone I cast on my second baby cardigan called TULIPS by Dream In Color Designs. link here.




The yarn I used was Baby Bee- Little Britches , a Hobby Lobby yarn. The print/color is "carousel" and only took 1 skein using size 6 needles. The yarn label states that its a bulky yarn but I would say it's more a worsted weight.

Okay, back to reality now and perhaps start another little sweater or maybe knit on the sail boat baby blanket, that is if I can remember where I tucked it ..............

Some seaming to do!

This is my progress on the baby sweater from the previous post. Body all knit and the sleeves which need to be "set in" and the lace to knit for the collar trim and sewn in place. If you get a chance please try this pattern!! I haven't knit any lace in a long time and I think I'm hooked!!

Hubby and I are headed to Florida for our annual trip, this time we will stay with DD #2 and her BF in Ft. Myers, 3 weeks of sunshine and fun!! Of course I'll bring some knitting and/or crocheting along, I'd be lost without it. DD mentioned if I could knit her a sweater so she's looking around for yarn shops in the area. She wants to pick out a pattern, YAY! I'd love to knit for her!

now another baby sweater!

I started the baby sweater pattern in the book Lace From the Attic by Nancie Wiseman page 77. This is a lovely book that Nancie wrote back in 1998 depicting the knitted lace patterns written by Miss Blanche Beau. Her diary was given to Nancie after it was found in the attic of Miss Beau's home. I found the book at the library, it is published by Interweave Press.

I am using Bernat Softee Baby in baby pink marl and size 4 and 5 needles to get gauge. The pattern calls for Tahki Cotton Classic and size 5 & 6 needles. I have 2 balls and should be plenty for the sweater and the hat as shown.

You knit on just 9 sts for the lace first and then bind off leaving one stitch, pick up and knit across the straight edge and begin the body of the sweater. What you see here is the length up to the underarm.

In between I have knit on the sail boat blanket just to keep my legs warm!!! It has been VERY cold here in WNY. Great knitting weather, a hot cup of tea and my knitting what could be better?

Crochet set "Baby Pastels", a FO!

I have finished the crochet set called Baby Pastels, a pattern by Julie Armstrong, this pattern came from an ebay seller.

I used white Red Heart TLC baby yarn and colors of baby pompadour I had in the stash. A lot of treble crochets in this one but a fun and easy pattern to follow.

here is the close-up shot.


and a few more pics.






okay, now back to knitting on the sailboat blanket!