Inauguration week knitting

So, I had a four-day weekend for the Inauguration and MLK Day weekend. I put the time to good use, though I did ignore all housework.

I know it's not necessarily rational, but I have a new outlook this week. I have visited the whitehouse.gov website several times, I've listened to our President's first weekly address, and I just feel inexplicably better about being a citizen. I'm ready to follow the lead of the Obamas, to step up and take responsiblity for making change. Maybe it's because, as Jay-Z says, "my president is black...but his house is all white."

Anyway...I've been busy:

• Cast on and more than half done with a Baby Surprise sweater for Amanda's son Henry. It's lovely: a blue-green mixed main yarn and grass green accents.
  
• A pair of gloves on the needles, which I'm knitting to test the pattern for a Ravelry friend.

I'm still trying to decide what style of hat to make for Nikki and the twins; a family of hats has been commissioned. I'm going to recycle the green from Nikki's sweater (neither of us liked it) and have found some lovely accent colors (rose, purple, gray) to add. Keep you posted!

Hats for Willem

OMG, baby hats are like knitting crack! I don't think I can stop...

I thought to myself, "I really like Jen, so why don't I make more than one hat?" Three (yes, three) hats later, I am seriously considering whether or not I could squeeze in just one more before I send the package off.

I'd better stop though, or I'll never finish my backlog!

PS: After Jen gets the hats, I'm sure we'll have some pictures (finally) of some of my work. Must. Get. Digital. Camera.

Nicholas the Pig

This beautiful pig was created by Dylan. He drew the picture and asked me to find pink fabric and to make it asap! Too much influence from Noggin and their easy crafts in 60 second spots. I couldn't do it fast enough for him, He is made of some batik pink fabric, vintage buttons and some stuffing.

She shoots, she scores!

Can't post a picture yet (promise I will, really) but I'm so excited about the mittens I was working on. I thought the pattern seemed ginormous, but it turned out I can't add (6+2+3 does not equal 9) and they weren't that long...and then I realized part of the problem was these silly pointy tips. I made a few modifications to the tip (and to the top of the inside portion, which other folks commented were better ribbed). I'm happy to report that I've got JUST enough yarn to finish both.

BTW, Mia has even agreed that flip-top mitten might be cool enough for her. I think I'll be adding a pair to my knitting queue for her. It's only taken a year...

Nope, still no housework...

So, I've got a pair of shortie socks on needles for me now. I feel much better and they'll just lurk in my knitting bag as a back-up project. Phew...

I've been working on flip-top mittens to go with a hat for a holiday gift still unfinished. The pattern seems ginormous, but I'm going to keep going with it. I guess I could line them with fleece or something if they're too floppy...

Oh, btw, Yolanda and Salim loved the sweater and kufi for Jabril. He's a dollbaby; I got to hold and feed him, then cuddle him to sleep. Ahh...babies are good! (especially when you get to leave them at their mother's house)

Off to do some free knitting drop-in hours at the public library. Worst case, I get two hours of knitting with friends...

Socks!

I know, I know...I'm supposed to be focused on finishing stuff that's already on my to-do list. What can I say: I'm knitting ADD and I HAD to start something new. And I've been very good for the last week or so, right?

I've been wanting to make socks again. Correction, I've got a huge collection of sock yarn (pretty) and figure I'd better make something with them. True, there's just something satisfying about turning a heel, seeing a toe form, etc. Most sock patterns are pretty predictable (even if they are lovely), but I've had this book by Cat Bordhi (the queen of interesting knitting experiments) where she shows alternative structures. I've been wanting to play with them for almost a year...and today, I dove in. I've made two different toddler socks while learning new sock structure.

I'm gonna make them into pairs for Sophie and Pescha to wear around the house (or share with bigger friends). And then (probably NOT today), I'm gonna' make a pair for myself!