This Year's Model

Okay, it's not a perfect photo, but friends, I got the kid to wear the sweater! We're going to a little party tonight (to watch the Juno Awards -- dorky, I know) and I think I'm going to keep it on her so I can show off my wares. As you can see, it fits, albeit a little snugly, though that may be because she's wearing a heavy jumper underneath it. So it should be fine over a little t-shirt. She's now convinced that it's not too small or uncomfortable or whatever, it may become a wardrobe regular. Hooray!

At last...

Dudes. I finally totally buttons and all finished my Fair Isle Cardigan. A very fussy and very finished object. The specs:

Fair Isle Cardigan from Zoe Mellor's Adorable Knits For Tots
Size: 2-3 yrs
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton in pretty much every colour it comes in.
Needle: US #3

Here it is. A fair isle cardigan knit in DK yarn. My mods were few, if any, and other than some chart confusion, I didn't have the kinds of problems with the pattern that others have had with some of the sweaters in this book. In the end I think this one falls into the "an experience to knit" rather than the "a joy to wear" category. The inside is neat, but there are a lot of loops and the fair isle and largely cotton yarn makes for a bulky and inflexible fabric. But I have no regrets. It was a challenge to knit, I loved doing it and I feel proud.

Now for the but... I'm sure many of you would love to see a picture of this sweater on the back of a certain two-year old. No such luck. Before it was blocked I tried to get it on Ruby and she screamed saying that it hurt her arms (I think her thumb got caught on one of the loops). Now she looks at it and will declare "Mummy made it for Ruby! My sweater!" but when asked if she wants to try it on she furrows her brow and says "too big." Nice. I'll try to trick her into putting it on so I can get at least one photo of her in the stupid thing.

Time For A Bath

Oh, I'd love to take a bath, thank you, but I'm talking about my little fair isle cardigan. Yes, the knitting is done. Against the advice of the ladies down at Fair Isle February I went ahead and seamed the sucker before blocking. I don't have a proper blocking board and for some reason I just felt in my gut that my pieces would fit together better if I seamed first, especially seeing as it wouldn't be hard to match the fair isle stitch for stitch. Anyway, she's seamed, all ends are woven in, and she's ready to go. I tried the sweater on Ruby last night and it barely just fits pre-blocking, so once that crinkly fabric is smoothed out, it should be good well into the spring. Hoorah!

As for my other knitting, I'm feeling pretty productive these days. The Hearts and Stars blanket is chugging along, the crochet afghan continues to grow and I've started a wee Dolly for yet another cousin's baby. I'll do a WIP update on Friday for those of you who are more interested in knitting than random pictures of myself or used crockery.

W.I.P. Friday: Pile O' Fair Isle

Not much to share this week, but since I use this blog as a motivation to get stuff done, I thought I'd post my progress. Because, friends, there has been progress, just nothing that translates into a shiny finished garment. Here's my child's Fair Isle Cardigan basking in the sunshine (the cold weather finally broke -- Ruby and I were running around in jean jackets yesterday). I'm working on the last piece -- sleeve #2. After that, I've got a few more ends to weave in (though I've been a good girl, all the body pieces are woven) and the collar and the finishing on the pocket. Then we'll block 'er and sew her together. I was hoping to finish by the end of February, since I'm participating in the Fair Isle February KAL, but who knows. I've been distracted. Largely by this:


After realizing that I was not in fact doing a double crochet, but some weird half double hybrid, I pulled out my Happy Hooker book and reviewed my technique. Since I'm using a hook that's far too big for most of the leftover yarn in this blanket, a proper double crochet is just too loose for my liking (plus I think crochet is kind of ugly when it's too open), so I switched to a properly done half double crochet. At least I think I'm doing it properly -- I don't really care at this point because I like the way it looks. Anyway, I've got about eight inches done -- only a million more to go. But, I'm guessing my obsession will soon fade, so I'm giving myself until Christmas to get this baby done.

Have a great weekend! It's a long one here and the weather is going to be good. Hooray!

W.I.P. Friday: Loose Ends

Wow, have I ever been talking about food a whole lot in the last few weeks. No, it's not a smokescreen to detract from the fact that there's been little craft talk in these parts over the past few weeks. I have however, been knitting like crazy, but unlike my usual practice, I'm actually working on fairly time intensive projects. The Hearts and Stars baby blanket is still chugging along (I'm almost through two of the five balls of yarn) and here is my progress on the Zoe Mellor Fair Isle Cardigan for Ruby.

Obviously it'll need some good blocking before it starts looking nice and my fair isle skills are rudimentary at best, but I'm excited about and addicted to this project. But for the love of Pete, are there ever a lot of colour changes. Look at the back:


Yikes! I know I should weave in my ends as I go and I'm promising myself that I won't start another piece until I'm done weaving. It looks like the back of my stereo in there. Ugh.