Purlewe Knits

I’ve been hiding a few things away and they are DONE and I’m ready to show them!

First the little bitty adorable sweater I knit for my new niece.

It’s the baby Kimono pattern in Mason Dixon Knitting. Super quick and easy, I’d recommend it to anyone!

I’ve been comlaining about the last project for a while and here it is 90% complete!

90% because there is supposed to be a pair of slippers to match, but I haven’t finished those yet (one is almost complete). I put a blue pompom on the hat too – that isn’t pictured here either.

From this project I have a couple of lessons learned I’d like to share.

*I don’t like the patterns in this book. I doubt I knit from it again. I didn’t find the patterns clear to follow. It wasn’t complicated and I did get through it, but you know when you are knitting along and you just aren’t sure (from the pattern) what is happening or if you are doing it correctly – that’s this book. This went for the sweater and the slippers. The hat pattern that was picked out I wasn’t even going to mess with – I can make a hat!

*Never, NEVER let a group of people pick a knitting pattern and yarn for you to complete it. I HATE knitting in a k1p1 pattern, be it ribbing or seed stitch. This entire sweater was seed stitch. The yarn was a freaking nightmare. It is Louisa Harding, Kashmir DK. It is expensive stuff, $8.98 a ball, and I have yet to figure out why. It splits and gets pulled slightly apart like you wouldn’t believe! And the lady – I’d like to believe she was trying – got the wrong weight of yarn; it could be she got bad advice at one of the LYS (which wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest). I suggested she get the weight of yarn needed for the sweater and figured I could adjust to get the hat and slippers. She got something in between instead. So the sweater is super loose (I believe it will be a nightmare to get little fingers in and out of) and slippers will be big.

*If you care about what color you knit with voice your opinion early! I like purple, but I’m so freakin’ sick of the kool-aid, manufactured purple color that I won’t be able to knit anything purple for a good long while! I hate this fake purple and the blueish color is one of my least favorite colors of all time!

*Set a deadline. If the group you are knitting for doesn’t get the yarn to you on time, don’t take on the project – even if you think you have lots of time to knit! Because come time that they are ready for it to be done, they will start asking! I promise you!

*Make sure the buyer knows about things like gauge and accessories before you release her! Gauge see above. Accessories. This is supposed to have a zipper closure. Notice – no zipper. She didn’t bother to look for one, which turned out okay in the end because with the loose knit it would have never of worked anyway. Notice no buttons too? She bought decorative buttons that were totally nonfunctional – especially with the loose knit. I made the button holes though – so something will have to go there.

The edging was my idea. It needed something. I’m not sure I like it, but really – it needed something.

The group has been super happy with the finished project though. I hate it, but they don’t seem to mind. I think there might be another lesson learned in that, but I’m not sure what it is right now.

My mom was here this weekend and we had fun! We shopped and shopped. She completely wore me out. I need another weekend!

I got another knitting book while we were out and about. If you can get past the title, Chic Knits for Stylish Babies, you ‘ll find adorable patterns inside!

I love it! Some of the cutest patterns. I wish I could make two of each! Here’s a taste.

Now I all I really need is more time to knit!

Yarn, yarn everywhere and not enough time to knit it!

I got the yarn I just need the time!

I’m closing in on the finish line on the purple sweater set. I closed up the top of the hat today at work over lunch and got the crochet edge on. It just needs a pom pom and it is done! I’ve got the collar and sewing on the sweater and then the little slippers to make. I am getting closer to having this project done!

My mom is coming for a visit this weekend, so I’m not sure how much knitting I’ll get done. Hopefully this sweater set will be done and blocked by Monday I’m ready to work on projects for my little projects!

It is so hard to get a good color shot after the sun has gone down!
I had a whopper of a day, so I consoled myself with a trip to the yarn store. My favorite little yarn selling lady said it today – it is cheaper than therapy.

So you want to see what I got??

I found this pattern this weekend – well, it found me because I wasn’t really looking. I thought I had all the adorable little things picked out I wanted to make. I thought about it for three days! Really, that’s some thought for me these days (it is amazing if I can remember what I had for breakfast – and I almost always have the same thing!). Today I went back to get it … and to pick yarn. I’ve done excellent on NOT buying yarn and thought this would be a nice thing to treat myself with. AND because it is baby, it doesn’t count towards stash, right??!?

Now for color options. Because my stash is what it is I have half of the needed colors already. The cream I got today (it really is an off-white color despite what the picture looks like) it is merino, microfiber, and cashmere. The merlot is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, as is the pink, and the greens. The merlot is for the another project, but I’ll just need one skein to add these little flower bits on. The pink is left over from my marathon pink sweater. The greens – the options – are both looking for homes.

There also an option to get a lighter shade of pink, but I like this merlot and pink together.

In fact they are destined for the Jo Jo Basic Crew – the one with flowers – the merlot will be the background and the pink will be the embroidered flowers.

I like the darker green. I think the lighter green gets a little lost in the merlot. Other opinions???

I’ll probably do the booties and the sweater – and I might try and talk an Auntie into making the blankets. She made me a blanket when I was a wee one and that thing went EVERYWHERE with me. I actually still have it in my closet. It is is very good condition (the magic of acrylic) and currently wrapped in plastic.

What else … well I’m still working on the purple sweater. After a weekend of sleeping I didn’t make much progress on it!

I did work on the mice a bit though and I have enough to show some pictures. Here’s a knitted mouse rear.

Notice the rough stitches and HOLES! Holes that the little poly-pellets the pattern recommends can come through when squeezed! (Yes, the mice are to hang on a mobile, but part of the idea is that you can take them down and let the little ones have them as toys later.)

Now here’s a crocheted mouse rear.

Notice no holes, neater rows, and a nicer texture … yep that’s right. Mice woes solved! I’m going to crochet the little bodies and knit the rest. Here’s a shot of my one knitted mouse body and my two crocheted ones.

And here’s a shot of most of a mouse, not put together – someday I’ll have a mouse assembly party – just laid out together.

Cute huh? I like the mice.