january knitting

I was given some wool for Christmas to add to my growing stash of wool so a while ago I was searching for interesting things to make that wouldn't be too complicated for moi. And I came across this pattern at purl bee. And in my stash I found some grey wool and some varigated blue and white wool and started knitting. I was hoping that the boy would love it and he does. It was initially named Seymour but as we were practising for conversation he might have about it for his "montre et raconte" (show and tell) tomorrow, I learned the name has changed to Marky.

Marky the snake. This is quick and easy and fun to make for a boy in your life.

sock organizers

I made these little things back in December when I should have been making cookies and wrapping presents. As often happens when I have a long list of things to do, I get distracted by an odd idea and go down that path instead of doing the things on my list and making things a bit less stressful on myself. But I digress.

Our boy has a bed with big drawers underneath it, mainly as his room is tiny and we wanted a way to eliminate as much furniture as possible, we chose a bed with storage built in. But three large drawers means that most of his clothes are in a big jumble and it is hard to find things. Especially small things like socks. So when I was searching for gift ideas back in December I came across a pattern for a bread basket at GarnStudio. And I thought it might make a really great sock organizer. So I made one out of some red wool I had in my wool basket.

And it did make a really great sock organizer. Of course, when I took all the socks out of the miscellaneous drawer (pyjamas, swim suits, underwear, socks, gloves, mitts, etc) I had such a big pile of socks that I had almost more than one baskets worth. So someday I need to make another red sock organizer. Because the idea worked so well that I made a blue basket, to hold underwear.

One of these days, I will knit the pattern in the suggested cotton because I'm sure it will make a fabulous bread basket.

dreaming of summer

My seeds have arrived and my seed potatoes. So now it is time to plan out my garden. I had ordered some potato grow bags but they are on backorder. So I'm looking for alternatives on line. And trying to pick up tips for growing veggies along the way. T was digging in the garden yesterday with his truck and his earthmover dug up another purple potato which can be another seed potato for this summer.

In the meantime I started knitting a sweater for myself and have a long way to go with it but it is good to do something when I'm watching TV.

knitting

My problem is (big confession here!) that once I start something, I get a bit carried away. Okay - a lot carried away. So, I've got a couple of projects already on the go - a red snowflake sweater for T that I just have to block and put together. Another sweater for T that is half knit. So what do I do? I go off to the craft store and get more wool to do other projects - mittens for Christmas for children.

This pair is for T's little friend C - who came over for a playdate this week. She's such a sweetie and so different from my wild child. She was wearing her new fairy shirt and got right into painting. The two of them have wonderful conversations - one about Auntie's dog by T was riveting. Not so much for the dog (poor Allie) but in the telling of the torn cruciate ligament tale by T. " My Auntie's doggie fell down the stairs and hurt her leg and so she had to go to the animal hospital for an operation and get a big, big bandaid on her leg". C was enthralled. I wonder what his take on Allie's post-surgical hydrotherapy treatments would be!

more knitting

More knitting this week. I love the mittens and the beanies as they are portable and good to work on while watching swimming lessons or waiting at the doctor's office.

I made a pair of kid's mittens

And another baby beanie.

I have a couple of bigger projects I'd like to do. I found some great patterns over at garnstudio.com. A boy's sweater and a sweater for me (using wool I've had for ages).

knitting projects

While going through my craft box the other day, I found a pattern for knitted mittens. I've knit socks for ages (although it has to be said, not lately) from a great pattern I found in a wonderful knitting store somewhere in Vermont, but I've never knit mittens. So using some leftover wool from a sock project, I tried the first one. And once you have one, you have to knit the second one. So here is my first knit pair of mittens.

My other use for leftover wool is baby beanies. A group of north shore churches started a project to knit or crochet 10,000 baby beanies for distribution to local and global hospitals, etc. I love these - the beanies are easy to knit, use up leftover wool and I get a feeling of accomplishment with each completed beanie. So far I've done about 15. Here's the latest one.