AtomicKnits

Baby Surprise Jacket

Recently, we had a baby shower in my office for one of my co-workers who is going to have a baby with his wife.  I work with him a lot. He's really easy to work with, and does a lot of stuff for me on a daily basis, so I wanted to make something special for the baby. I thought this was a good opportunity to try out the famous Baby Surprise Jacket. I had ordered the pattern from Webs, and they included a step-by-step (row-by-row) version of the pattern, so I wouldn't have to decipher Elizabeth Zimmerman's cryptic instructions.  I really like the the self-patterning yarn knit up. I think the colors are so nice for a baby boy.  I didn't have enough matching buttons for the front, but I think it looks really charming and playful with the mis-matched buttons. I don't know if the baby will ever wear this since he'll be born in the middle of summer, but it was fun to make.

Baby Surprise Jacket
Pattern Source: Spun Out #1-B by Schoolhouse Press
Yarn: Berroco Sox, colorway Lancaster 1427
Needles: US 6

The Neverending Baby Set

A couple of months ago, my cousin Emily asked me to knit her a little baby sweater to give to her friend who is due to have a baby in April.  She decided on the Yoda Baby Sweater and said she would pay for the yarn.  I saw a picture of this done in Manos Cotton Stria, and I thought the yarn and the color was perfect, so I went out and bought four skeins.  That was way too much.  This yarn knits up really nice and the semi-solid colorway is awesome, but, blech, it is not nice to knit with. I don't like cotton in general, and the nubblyness of this yarn was just not really that fun to have in my hands.  I really didn't want to have any leftovers of this yarn, so...

...I knit a bunch of accessories to go with the sweater, and used up about 98% of the yarn (I tossed the little leftover ball). I knit a bib with a penguin on it, a hat, and some booties. Every time I finished an accessory I would look at all of the yarn I had leftover and wish it was all gone.  But, I powered through the next accessory, and the next. I have a couple more babies to knit for. I think those will definitely be one skein projects!

The Neverending Baby Set
Pattern Source: Baby Yoda Sweater - Dogs Steal Yarn (Rav), Penguin Bib - Down Cloverlaine, Seamless Baby Booties - Pickin' and Throwin', and I just made up the hat pattern
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Manos Cotton Stria, colorway 213 Mint
Needles: US 6 for sweater, bib and booties, US 7 for hat

Diminishing Rib Cardigan

So, my NaKniSweMo project for this year is kind of late, but I stuck with it and got it done!  I'm glad I did, because this is one is definitely one of my favorite sweaters ever!  The knitting went by pretty fast, because it was done on a size 8.  The back and forth knitting of the cardigan was tedious at times, and all of the ribbing at the end made it more so, but it looks really lovely, and I think it was worth it.

I'm really happy that this sweater turned out so well, because I felt like the yarn was tainted with bad vibes.  Remember when I was knitting all of those swatches for J. Knits?  Well, I was compensated in J. Knits yarn, but it took a lot for me to actually receive the yarn.  The woman who was my contact there mysteriously left, and my new contact was not responsive via Ravelry or email. It took a LOT of emails, message board posts (that were not received well at all), and waiting for me to actually get this yarn.  I feel that knitting such a nice sweater out of this yarn was a good way to erase the bad vibes associated with it.

Diminishing Rib Cardigan
Pattern Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2009
Yarn: J. Knits Stunning Worsted, colorway Nebraska
Needles: US 8

Wicked is finished!

I definitely left my color comfort zone when I decided to knit an entire sweater in yellow!  I'm glad I did, though, because I really like this color a lot.  I think this sweater turned out great!  The fit is really nice, and I like the style a lot.  It's way too hot to wear it now, but it will be really nice when fall hits.  I'm glad I decided to make the long sleeve version.  If it's going to be super warm, why not go all the way.  The cotton/alpaca blend of the yarn gives the fabric a nice drape.  I'm hoping it won't stretch out too much lengthwise as it gets worn. I didn't make any modifications to this pattern at all except add more length and place the waist shaping increases and decreases where they were appropriate.  Aside from the miles of plain stockinette, this is a fun sweater to knit, and I think it would be hard to really mess it up!

Wicked
Pattern Source: Zephyr Style
Yarn: Catalina Baby Pima
Needles: US 7

More Wicked Progress

I'm to the usual point where I just want this sweater to be DONE.  I am very happy with the way it's coming out, but I am anxiously eyeing this awesome skein of sock yarn I took out to start my next project.  You can see here that I finished knitting and attaching the pocket, knitting the rest of the body, and started on one sleeve.  Once I got to the pocket and I could stop knitting huge rounds of stockinette, my interest in this project came back a bit.  Now that I'm on the sleeves, though, I'm kind of bored again and want to finish.  The good part about that is that I WILL finish soon!  I will work on it more and more just so it will be done, and then it will!

I put it on and took a picture for you. It looks like of weird and bulky under my shirt, but you get the idea.

This sweater is Wicked yellow.

How about a knitting post, huh? I have been knitting. Not as much as I normally do, but I'm trying to get enthusiastic about my projects again.  This happens at the beginning of every summer.  As it gets warmer, I want to be more active, so I stop sitting and knitting as much and do chores or go for walks outside.  It also gets so humid here, and it's hard to want to hold onto the wool when it is so muggy. I've also been reading more.  BUT, I have been plugging away at the body of my Wicked.  My knitting group is doing this sweater as a knitalong, and it's fun to watch everyone's progress and everyone's different perspective on the same sweater pattern. I have been trying on this sweater as I've been knitting, and I'm so happy with the way it's turning out.  I'm ready to knit the pocket and then attach it to the body.

My favorite part of this sweater so far is the kind of boat-ish neckline with the little cables. I also love the yarn I picked!  It is Catalina Yarns Baby Pima in the coolest mustard color.  I have never really knit anything in yellow, and I thought this would fit in nicely in the EAST part of Project Spectrum.

Simple Knitted Bodice is all finished!

My Simple Knitted Bodice finally dried over the weekend, and Justin and I went to the park to take pictures of it with the serpent.  This sweater turned out a bit long thanks to the blocking, but I really happy with the way it fits.  It's really comfy and warm despite it being sort sleeved.  The neckline was a little weird, but blocking took care of that also I think.

I LOVE THE COLOR!!!  I was kind of afraid when I bought this yarn, because this is definitely not one of my normal colors to wear, but I'm glad I choose it.  It's spring-ey and I love how it's heathered.  That gives the color a little bit of depth and texture.  I'm glad I finally got a chance to knit a Stephanie Japel pattern.  It's something I've been wanting to do for a while, and I really liked the top-down construction and how I could try this on as I went.

Simple Knitted Bodice
Pattern Source: Stitch Diva Studios
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, colorway 9407
Needles: US 7 & US 4

Sticks and Stitches 2009 at the Philadelphia Phantoms

This weekend I attended my first sporting/knitting in public event at the Philadelphia Phantoms.  It was a cool little event and it was fun to knit with friends and watch mullet-ey men beat each other up for three hours.

Maybe it's because I never go to events like these, but I found it all to be a little disturbing.  Not really the hockey or knitting part, just like...everything else.  The thing I was most surprised/disturbed about was the fact that EVERYONE WAS USING THEIR CELL PHONES FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE GAME. Seriously, taking pictures, texting, calling, twittering, texting, chatting, etc. etc. etc. Does anyone go to these things just to watch the sport anymore?  Or is it all about showing your friends where you are and what you're doing so they can feel like they missed out? I kind of get it, but mostly I don't.

So, I just knuckled down and worked on my sweater.  I'm almost done the neckline!

During the 2nd intermission, there was a raffle where we could win fabulous prizes.  I didn't win anything, but I did score a super cool goodie bag.

Thanks, Brenda, for organizing this cool event!  You can see more pictures of the knitting and hockey action here.

Simple Knitted Bodice Progress

So, this is where I am with my Simple Knitted Bodice.  I am just about to do the purl ridge trim around the bottom edge.  Then, all I have left is the short sleeves, and the neckline.  Hopefully the neckline will make this sweater a little less boobalicious.  I also love how this picture makes my bedroom look like it's incredibly messy.  I think the lace detail at the waist falls at the right place.  I will probably add a few more stockinette rows at the bottom for good measure before doing the edging.  I haven't had a whole lot of extra time to knit on this sweater, and that's been disappointing, but I do love how it's turning out.

New Sweater Project - Simple Knitted Bodice

I haven't knit a sweater in a long time!  I cast on for the Simple Knitted Bodice by Stephanie Japel last week, and I'm already this far!  I really wanted to get to the point where you join the body in the round under the neckline so I think I just kept on going!  This is also my first project for Project Spectrum using green for North.  I bought this yarn back around Christmas time, so I'm glad it fits into PS so well.  The yarn is Cascade 220 Heathers.  I don't think I am going to have enough yarn to make the long sleeve version of the sweater, so this might turn out to have short sleeves.  I'm ok with that.  I'm knitting the medium size of this pattern, and I've only had to make one mod so far.  I don't think I'm quite getting gauge because I didn't swatch, but I liked where the join at the bottom of the neckline ended when I tried it on.  However, I didn't like that the lace detail around the waist was going to be right around my boobs, so I continued knitting about 5 inches of stockinette below the neckline, and now I'm just starting the lace waist detail.  I tried the sweater on, and the waist detail is at a good spot now.