A finishing weekend

A few things to report:  My mind is racing wildly on to new projects, as I get a grip on a few of the old ones. Anyone else feel this way?  As I see a project nearing the end, I almost always start several more, just to be sure I don't lose the knack of carting around huge jugs of yarn and yarnobilia.

And there's something about finishing a second sock (the chore of it all - #2 is never as much fun as I think it should be) that makes me yearn for a more challenging/exciting pattern like endless charts and outside the sox patterns.

I'm this close to starting new socks:

Even closer... I'm on the final 5 rounds now, and plan to be finished by Sunday evening.  Too bad for you, that I don't want to embarrass myself by modeling them.  Even though Eskimimi says it's pretty difficult for socks to be ugly, I think these are competitors for the cup.  Even my hub, who rarely comments (or has learned to be very careful of his comments) remarked that they looked like I didn't know what I was doing.  Yes, that's a very good assessment of Skew socks.

Pattern:  Skew by Lana Holden from Knitty, Winter 2009;  Sport- & Strumpfwolle by ALWO, Fingering / 4 ply, Acrylic, Wool, Nylon, 459 yards

 While I've been dawdling, and recording what everyone was doing on knit nite, I didn't include myself.  I finished the knitting on the little bolero.  Alas, this would match the dress had it been a year ago, but the dress has been around the world, worn at birthday parties, campsites, and ocean cruises, more than circumnavigated the globe and the colors have faded.  I'm pretending it isn't so.
I don't see anything out of the ordinary.  Do you?

Pattern:  Bow-Tied Bolero by Debbie Bliss from Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers;  Pima Cotton & Silk DK (Solids) by Misti Alpaca

Ready for a second birthday!  I re-knitted the top of the dress.

It's always the beginning of an excellent week, when I can cross off TWO projects!

Why is that?  I love to knit.  I enjoy every bit of it.  Getting that last seam sewn, and the blocking and drying:  Nothing like blocking in the middle of the kitchen counter to hurry up the process!  And that final picture posted... AHHHH! sigh

Half a dress FO

That's right, I knitted half a dress and I'm done!

Yes, an outgrown little dress, worn at her first birthday party, has been extended by removing the bodice.

Pattern:  Picot Dress by Debbie Bliss from Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits for Babies and Toddlers;   Yarn: Pima Cotton & Silk Hand Paint by Misti Alpaca DK / 8 ply 83% Cotton, 17% Silk, 327 yards

The original:

The ultimate in thriftiness... I've been cleaning out, and struggling with "heirlooms".  Instead of languishing over this little knit, which has seen better days I recycled.  It's been washed, and washed, and faded in the sun, yet, a great skirt of stockinette called out to me.  Who wants to knit endless stockinette?   I cut off the top, and unraveled a few rows of the skirt to add more stitches.  I even decided the buttons could be used again.  Birthday number two is coming up this summer.

Dress 'em Up!

That's what little ones are for!  Especially when Grandma can't help but make things to order.

The picot dress by Debbie Bliss has been a challenge.  First of all, I read too many Ravelry comments about how it had to be tweaked, especially the bodice.  And then, of course, I wanted to use my cotton/silk blend that was left over from the lace tunic. Same color as mommy, right?  And it was a different weight than in the pattern, so after a false start to fix gauge on the skirt, I probably ripped out of the bodice 5 times.  It was miles too big, and then just big and finally I pared it down where it was too small.  The "too small" part was discovered by the actual modeling. Luckily, or more like it, I was so unsure of myself, I never finished the trim (picot) on the bodice, so it was easily ripped back.
That picot trim is the best... it definitely makes it into a gorgeous little garment. I added an owl instead of a pocket.  And buttons.  You gotta love buttons!