What my knitting needles have been up to

A couple of friends commented fairly recently that they still read my blog. I track back to my last entry and am ashamed. It's been 9 months and my knitterly buddies haven't thrown their hands up in exasperation at me?? Instead, they are STILL reading my blog..? Wow.

On the knitting newsfront, small quick projects that don't require much brain power have ruled. Hats, scarves, hairbands, more hats. Oh, and a cardigan for my not-so-little-one who has outgrown her pretty pink BSJ with the gorgeous buttons!! How dare she!? :)

Little one said 'mommy's yarn', and 'knit like mommy' the other day. I am one proud knitter mommy. So since there is so little action on the knitting front, you would assume that my needles have been sitting idle? No sirree... This is what they have been up to.

They have been pretend pencils for little one to draw with. They have been sticks for her to collect and wave around (while nearly poking out her own eye). They have been treated like music instruments, been arranged artfully in yarn cakes and in my knitting. Initially, I was horrified, then (like everything else when it comes to dealing with a toddler), I gave up and just went with the flow. At least I got a chance to touch my pretty knitting sticks.

The garter stitch scarf in the pictures above are my current knitting project. Using Noro Iro and 6mm needles (a la brooklyntweed's version). It's pretty and it's a fast-ish project but I am soooooo bored with it. But little one says it's 'nice' when I told her it was for her 'gu-gu' (auntie in mandarin), and gently patted it, so I guess I might persevere.

When oh when can I knit lace again?

Knitting Wishes

I tend to  be really bad at making and keep resolutions, so for this year I have decided not to make any major resolutions (since I forget it all the next day anyway).  However, as a knitter, it helps to keep my knitting in focus so let's just call them 'Knitting Wishes' shall we?

1. To have a ready pile of luxurious scarfs, hats, little gifts ready for the invariable last minute birthday, baby shower etc.

2. To only use beautiful yarn that doesn't make me itch or sneeze. 

3. To de-stash.  (ok stop laughing, seriously...).  I probably have enough lace yarn to knit 20 shawls so this is a serious problem.  Not to mention enough cotton to knit another 20 blankets. So to show how serious I am, I'm declaring that I will only buy new yarn after I've finished 5 projects using yarn from my stash.  I would make it more projects but at the rate I'm knitting, 5 projects could very well take half a year, so quit your sniggering.... 

Actually, come to think of it, de-stashing is also really relevant in other parts of my life.  Living with the minimum, trimming away excess clothes, shoes, cosmetics, and just stuff.  I could probably come up with really meaningful reasons for why we should learn to live with less stuff (world economy, going green and so on) but there is just one shallow reason - mess makes me grumpy and itchy.  So here's to a clean & neat 2009!

P.S. Gift yarn doesn't count as buying yarn right...?

A Christmas Dress

The holidays sneaked by me with minimal knitting this year.. but I did manage to finish the Rainbow Dress just in time by Christmas eve. Didn't have time nor energy to sew in the ends though, so the little girl wore it around the house with a bunch of ends trailing around her. It's a tad too big (hence the sexy off-the-shoulder look) but I absolutely love it.

Pattern : Rainbow Dress by Tikki

Yarn : Sublime Soy Cotton in Pomegranate, and RYC CashCotton in Apple

Needles : 3.5mm

Here's a picture of her guzzling down Bucks Fizz to end off the year. Happy Holidays!

A Day at the Beach

Pattern : Children's Cotton Hats by Kim Hamlin (Last Minute Knitted Gifts)
Yarn : Rowan RYC Silk Cotton (Cucumber)
Needle : 4.5mm
Size : Toddler


A cool refreshing drink.

A straw.

A little summer hat knit out of luxurious Rowan Silk Cotton, with a yellow ribbon fluttering in the breeze.

A great way to spend the afternoon.

The Joy of Giving?

My 10 month old (who suddenly has more friends than I do) has a little friend who is turning one.  So I cast on for this halter top, as that little girl will be spending her holiday in a beachside resort and I could just imagine her playing in the sand, looking cute wearing this.  I even chose a machine washable yarn so that her mommy wouldn't have to handwash it. Checked and rechecked the size, debated on whether she would look good in the colour - my usual paranoia when knitting gifts.   Hated the yarn, it hurt my fingers and was uninspiring to work with.  But I had a ton of it in my stash, so I persisted.

Pattern : Katja Halter from Knitty

Yarn : Butterfly Super 10 Cotton

Needles : 3.75mm

Mods : Used a DK weight yarn instead, so cast on for the largest size.  

It was worth it. The final effect of the mercerised cotton was awe-inspiring.  After a good soak, the cotton evened out and the subtle sheen of the cotton and the slightly heavier drape made this a truly special project.  I couldn't resist getting my little one to model it.  And then someone asked me 'why don't you keep it for her instead?'

Why not indeed.. I have had so many mediocre reactions from gifting my knitted items away. Items that I've spent weeks labouring over, endlessly thinking through every little detail, only to receive the same reaction as the next pile of store-bought toys.  I guess that's why it's called 'the joy of giving'.  But (I whine).. I would like a little phone call thanking me for that special special present!!! 

Which brings me to the moral of this little story - I am simply not a 'giving' type of person.  I am pretty sure that this time, the recipient's mommy will appreciate it, but will she ever know how much thought went into this?  Hence my dilemma, do I give this away?  or do I keep it for my own special little girl?