In honor of one of my favorite holidays

A blog post filled with (mostly) green.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="377" caption="Gathered Scarf, in bloom"][/caption]

I completed my Gathered Scarf.  It is VERY green and also VERY long.  I stopped knitting before I got to 80", but the thing ended up blocking out to 92".  It's great though and I love it.  So does Lambie:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Lambie stylin' in the Gathered Scarf"][/caption]

Pattern: Gathered Scarf by Maryse Roudier

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy, Happy Forest

Needles: US 6 and US 9

More details… here (ravelry link)

I've also been working on a couple of different tops.  One is moving along really quickly.  I had hoped to finish it by St. Patrick's Day, but I sort of stalled out when I got to armhole shaping.  I may get back on it today.  For now, my last progress shot will have to hold everyone over until I get the thing done.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="369" caption="Bad lighting + one handed shooting = bad photo"][/caption]

I'm also working on a sweater that is not green, but I thought you might want to see the small amount I have done.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="The very purple and tweedy Pickadilly"][/caption]

That's about it for now.  I will aim for more words in my next post.  Now I will leave you with this:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Kitties behaving badly"][/caption]

This could actually be a regular blog feature.  Dottie and Bob are always getting into things and places they shouldn't.  Luna and Moxie are usually good or at least more sneaky about their bad behavior.

Jamie delves into things completely foreign to her

Last year, around September or October, I found out my lovely cousin Audra and her husband, John, were expecting their first child.  This will be my aunt's first grandchild and my grandparents first great grandchild, so this is big news in our family.  My grandparents were probably giving up hope as their oldest grandchildren, my sister and me (34 and 32 respectively), haven't been showing any signs of expanding our families.  In fact, I've been stating for years that I will not have children.   It's for the best really.  I know nothing about babies.  I mean nothing.  I've never even held one.  I know so little I had to actually research the pros and cons of different styles of baby blankets before I could start knitting one.  I had no practical knowledge on the subject.  I had tons of questions.  What's the best yarn to use: wool, cotton, acrylic.  Lacy blanket or solid blanket?  What's the best size?  The only firm answer I found was that it should be machine washable.  It seems everything else was debatable.  In the end, I decided to go with lace blanket made in a cotton blend that is machine washable.  My research shows that babies like  sticking fingers through holes and mom's like that a lace blanket can easily be breathed through because of all the holes.  I went for cotton because the South has more warm months than cold months so it seemed more practical.  Loopas helped pick the color.  He said the color would show less stains.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Lil Lambie and the Baby Blanket"][/caption]

Pattern: Pine Forest Blanket by Ingrid Aartun

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease

Needles: US 8

More details… here (ravelry link)

It was a very easy lace pattern so I could take it anywhere and knit on it.  It traveled with me to sit and knits, my mom's house, and was my regular tv knitting.  It still took me forever to finish it.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="397" caption="Baby Blanket closeup"][/caption]

I seriously thought I'd never complete it.  Luckily, I managed to get it done before Ruby Clare is born.  I hope it is liked and well-used.

I managed to find the time to knit one more baby item for Ruby.  I thought they were fun.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Little Booties"][/caption]

Pattern: "Suede" Booties by Candi Jensen

Yarn: Berroco Suede and Plush

Needles: US 4

More details… here (ravelry link)

Troubles on the blog front

It seems someone went through the trouble of gaining access to my blog recently and adding some bad code to try to cause problems for my multitude of readers.  Silly people.  Not only is my viewership teensy, but I know y'all are all smart and have good anti-virus software to catch anything that might get thrown your way.  Still, I'm sorry I let it happen.  I will now keep a closer eye on things so if anyone else manages to gain access, I'll be able to kick them out quickly before they have time to cause trouble.

Enough of that.  On to knitting.  Yes.  There has been knitting, just no blogging about it.  I have finished a few things and started a few more.  There has also been super secret knitting that I will hopefully be talking more about in my next post.

First up, my second Ishbel.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="335" caption="Ishbel 2"][/caption]

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Bristol Yarn Gallery Lyndon Hill

Needles: US 7

More details… here (ravelry link)

I sort of stalled out  on this after starting it last July.  I didn't knit on it all for almost 6 months.  Once I picked it back up it was finished in no time.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Ishbel 2, up close"][/caption]

I'm also working on a couple of scarves.  One is almost finished.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Gathered Scarf, on the diagonal"][/caption]

The other is just started, but is lots of fun to knit.  I may make another in a lighter weight yarn soon.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="Saroyan Scarf, the beginning"][/caption]

Hopefully, I'll be able to tell you about the secret projects (some of you already know all about them) I just complete next week.  Stay tuned.

Oh, I almost forgot.  It snowed in Charleston.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="332" caption="February Snow in Charleston"][/caption]

Squirrels Gone Wild!

That's what my t-shirt says right now and that's what my house will be like if I have my way and knit up about 10 million of these squirrel cushions.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Cuddle Squirrel with little Lambie"][/caption]

Pattern:  Nathaniel by Ysolda

Yarn: Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends

Needles:  US 9

More details… here (ravelry link)

My love for this squirrel cannot be measured.  I think it may be extra special to me because it reminds me of a quilt my grandma made that had applique squirrel silhouettes all over it.  I seriously will be making more of them, just not out of the yarn I used.  That Bernat Alpaca is just a bit too hairy for my tastes.

I know this will be hard to believe, but the squirrel isn't the only thing I've completed.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Christmas Korknisse Set"][/caption]

Pattern:  Korknisse by Manne (English translation)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shamrock

Needles:  US 4

More details… here (ravelry link)

I made these ornaments for my knitting group and had a few left over for myself.  They are super cute and were fun and easy to make.  For anyone who hasn't already seen the special one I made for Loops:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="355" caption="Arrrgghh!"][/caption]

Loops, of course, loves him and refuses to have him as an ornament because he wants to look at him year round.  He sort of reminds me of Bob.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="329" caption="Crazy-eyed Bob"][/caption]