One-Button Chunky Sweater

Pattern: My own, with help from Sweater Wizard. Made size small, with side to side (sleeve to sleeve) construction, starting with two rows of seed stitch and ending with the same. Finished with a seed stitch band along the bottom (I can't stand the roly-polyness of unfinished edges) and a seedstitch band along front and neck edges. Made a two-stitch bind-off button hole. That's it! Super easy, super fast.

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick/Chunky in a taupey color. The chunky style yarn is really not the best for this side-to-side construction, as it doesn't drape as nicely at the shoulders (since there aren't side-seams.) The fronts flip open, too, but Daughter says she likes it that way!




















Recipient: Daughter T

Her response was most gratifying: "I love my sweater!"

Question: Oh, MsBlondie, Why do you use such cheapo yarn when you have plastic boxes full of the good stuff?

Answer: I just can't bring myself to use it! What is wrong with me????

Little Boy Red Sweater

Pattern: My own, with help from Sweater Wizard. V-Neck Cardigan, Size 1. Sewed-in zipper, patch pockets.

Yarn: Patons Shetland Chunky

Recipient: Nephew E

Notes: I actually made this a year ago, so I can't really remember what I did, but for the trim, I think I wove a blue strand in and out between the garter stitch bands at cuffs, neck and bottom edges, and pocket tops.

Not having the recipient on hand while making the sweater, I didn't realize the sleeves would be a little short and the v-neck so long! Sigh. Lucky that little nephew looks cute in anything!

Parade of Hats

Hats are, of course, instant gratification knits. That is, if they turn out and actually fit the person you are making them for! Here are a bunch of 2007 hats, some with better results than others. . .

***********************************************

First off, hats for nieces A and S. Used Landscape yarn (Lion Brand), wool/acrylic mix. The yarn is just okay, but I love this pink colorway. The hat on the left is a regular beanie, the one on the right is from Simply Knitting Magazine, and has a seed stitch trim, kind of diamond-like (doesn't show up well in this yarn, boo hoo).


************************************************

Next we have reluctant model Daughter #3 (or is it Cousin It?) wearing "Clara" from Hip Knit Hats by Cathy Carron. The pattern is cute, but the unfortunate choice of gross acrylic yarn made the knitting unpleasant. I also am not a fan of the top-down construction, basically because my Wrap Method cast on at the top is inferior!!! The hat has been worn several times.

*******************************************

Using Wendy Bernard's Le Slouch as a guide, the following slouchy beret is knit with chunky Lion Brand Wool Ease. It was mostly made on a road trip to my folks for Thanksgiving, but we're still waiting for some really, really cold weather so that it can be worn comfortably.

Note to knitters: Don't make a slouchy beret with chunky yarn. It is really heavy, and kind of awkward.

*******************************************************

Next up, another attempt at a slouchy beret. This is acrylic yarn, too -- sorry about that. It's just that I don't want to use my more expensive yarn for unpredictable projects, and when the recipients tend to leave their accessories who knows where, I refuse to use the good stuff!!!

**************************************************

Here we have Austin City Limits Hat (Alchemy Yarns) knit with Panda Cotton bought at my LYS Loops. (I love this yarn!)

I think the pattern is cute, but my girls say it is dorky with the flat top. The main problem is the fit -- it is too big around, and too short, making it unsuitable for a human head, but okay for either Charlie Brown or Big Bird. It is currently in the junk/stash/stuff basket awaiting mods, but I am not good about frogging and redoing. Wish I knew someone with a big round head to give it to!

*******************************************************

And lastly, we have a big loser. This was an attempt at an even bigger slouchy beret, but it is worthy only of a huge mushroom head with the biggest dreads in the world. Too bad, because it took me forever to darn in the ends from changing yarns. Also, the band was too big, so I took it out and redid it, and now it is too tight. It makes me cringe to look at it!



Oh, Mom, the shame of it!

Felted Hat

Before. . . . . . and after!

And then we add a little bit of modest bling, and Voila, C'est Fini!

Pattern: Felted Roll Brim Hat from Felted Knits, by Bev Galeskas

Yarn: Alpaca, worsted weight, held 2 strands together

Recipient: Friend Debbie

I cut the flowers off of a 2 dollar scrunchy I got at Accessory City. Just the right color!

Gone to the dogs

Way back when, say in April of 2007, I posted a picture of a trashed reject knit with a certain pink yarn. . . Well, I still had some of that yarn that didn't go into the trash, and decided to make a sweater for Queen Elizabeth. She was so happy and wanted to help!

But alas, the yarn is cursed, jinxed, hexed, IT IS A DEMON YARN. I made the sweater (basic sweater from Posh Pooches) but it didn't fit the little porker. Her chest and neck are way big, and it was choking her. . . so I undid, redid, spent way too long on it, and then, just as with the sweater I ruined last year, I cut what I thought was a seam stitch and cut the actual sweater, at which point I pulled it all apart and threw it away!

Good bye, good riddance.

P.S. It really wasn't the yarn. I think I must admit it was "Operator Error."

Bulky Sweater Jacket

Pattern: Berrocco

Yarn: Landscapes (Lion Brand) held together with a dark brown sport-weight alpaca yarn my daughter bought at the yarn market in Bolivia.


Recipient: No one. Yuck.

Comments: I thought this was going to be cute, but it's too itchy for me, as well as too short. It is also unflattering, which may not actually be the sweater's fault, but my almost-50 year old body.

I am super annoyed, because I PAID a tailor to sew in the zipper for me, which I could have done myself (too lazy, too busy), and it draws up the front too much (which is part of the fit-problem). It is a double ended zipper, too, which allows it to be unzipped from the bottom or top. I had them put a ribbon facing arouind the seam which joined the neck and body, because it was an ugly, lumpy seam, and I thought it would help the itch factor. Moot point now, since I ain't gonna wear it!

What do I do with it now?