Knitting: New Issue of Knit.Wear for Spring 2013

I cannot wait until the spring 2013 issue of Knit.Wear magazine comes out. I am so excited! 

Check out all its beautiful projects. 

Specifically, I've got my eye on the Cable and Pleat Tunic, the Brickwork Cardigan and the Godet Skirt but they all look so lovely that everything else is a wonderful little bonus :) 

Knitting: Yay! New Books!!!

So my order from amazon.ca arrived today... SQUEEE!

I got Knits Men Want and Knit Notes. 

Knit Notes is a notebook/design journal to help with designing your own knitting patterns. There's lots of room to jot down ideas and inspirations. There are places to attach yarn samples, swatches & pictures of the finished projects... as well as graph paper pages to sketch out your designs. I think I will have fun filling this book up with my ideas :)

Knits Men Want was a book I borrowed from the library and immediately fell in love with it... So naturally... I had to have it! :D It was the book that my husband found the pattern for his first project in. It has some great patterns for men in it. It's a little ambitious for me right now since there are more sweater patterns in it than anything else (since I'm kinda new to making sweaters) but I find most of them are classic styles that men (at least the men in MY life) would actually like... AND actually wear. So it's definitely something for me to work towards. Yay!

Family: Sun!

The boy and I had an "ok" start this morning... Long story short we ended up settling our differences by having some quiet knitting time together... He was curious about knits & purls (or as he calls them: "Vs" & "bumps" ^.^) So we started him a pattern of 5 knits & 5 purls and he's recognizing what they look like as he's knitting them up. When he sees the Vs he knits... and when he sees the bumps he purls. It was so exciting to see the little lightbulb go off and his eyes just popped with the realization...  Then our delicate Mother/Son balance was restored :)

But then out came the sunshine! Woohoo! So we decided to get some fresh air. Today is the first time we've played outside this year. It was a bit chilly but we warmed things up by attempting a walk up the street but about half way up the street I remembered that a package was being delivered today and I REALLY wanted to be home to receive it. Sooo to make up for it we sprinted back just laughing and giggling all the way home... I never thought racing my son could be this fun! When we got home he was so wired that I had to quickly find the ball so he could start kicking it around. He's such an outside kid. That's his father in him... Sadly, not so much his mother (lousy allergies... and... and bugs.) :D lol!

Family: My Husband's First Knitting Project!

My husband is incredible. ^.^ He learned to knit just this past February. As soon as he got the hang of it he started finding it more and more gratifying. I kept all the little swatches he had made and each one got better. His tension became more relaxed and consistant. I was in awe of how quickly he was progressing. Then he was up for a challenge... A first project.

So I found this book in the library called Knits Men Want by Bruce Weinstein (that I have since ordered on amazon and am now waiting patiently for it's arrival ^.^...) and in this book my husband decided on his first project... The "Reversible Cable Scarf" and as you can see... He's doing a pretty awesome job so far.

The book is fun, witty and it has some great knitting patterns (my husband and I looked through it together and with the exception of one or two items, there wasn't anything in the book he wouldn't wear. woot!) But the really great thing about this book is that not only does it give advice on what men like (and don't like) in clothing or accessories, but it gives you the reasons why... And you know what? All the explanations made perfect sense... And THAT is what I absolutely love about this book.

Knit Project: Rae Scarf #4... DONE!

And... Also on my list of finished projects... My fourth Rae Scarf by Jane Richmond. I just finished a few minutes ago and so excited to share. It's so soft and the colours look great! With greens, purples & yellows (although my pics NEVER do the colours justice)... It's my new multi-seasonal scarf.

I can't express enough how much I love making this scarf. It's such a simple pattern. But such a classic and versatile shape. My absolute favourite!

And it's SO great for knitters of all levels.

Class Project: One Button Wonder... DONE!

Soooo... Here it is... FINALLY completed on March15th. I was humming and hawing about whether I should block it now or later. Hmmm... But there's so much going on right now... So I will probably save that for another time. I messed up a bit in the seaming and the style is not really suited for my shape but hey!  What the heck! It's all a learning experience for me. And besides... I just made a sweater. I MADE MY FIRST SWEATER EVAR!!! woo hoo!

So now to round off the things that I need to do now...
1. I WILL finish my Rae Scarf #4 this weekend so I can...
2. I get back to knitting up my Inara Cowl for springtime... before spring suddenly disappears on me :D

But thanks so much to Rebecca of nook for
being a super fantastic teacher and new friend!

*hugs to everyone*

Class Project: One Button Wonder... So Close!

So I buckled down last night and finished the raglan seams (Ugh!) and started on the yoke. It's not perfectly done but it's good enough for me right now. Plus... It's a sweater... I'm making a freaking sweater! Go me!

I'm at the point in the project where if I mess up a little, I record it in the book and learn from it for next time! But other than that, It's full steam ahead! Now all I have to do is finish the yoke, do the sides seams, weave in ends AND choose a button! Woohoo!

Knit Project: Rae Scarf #4

I know I should be working on my sweater for my knitting class... but I HAD to start my Rae scarf... and well... now I can't put it down. It's looking pretty good so far. The colours are beautiful! Plum, purple, green and a golden yellow. It will definitely be my all season scarf :)

And now I'm on to my 2nd ball of yarn and that means speedy decreases... woot! I can't wait ^.^

Family: My Darling Boy Likes Knitting!

So as I've mentioned... For about a month now my son has taken an interest in knitting (Woot! ^.^) and he's consistently getting better. His tension is becoming much more relaxed and he can chat and knit at the same time. It's really cute.  So he knits little squares and rectangles and my husband or I will bind them off when he's done with them... So I collect these little swatches and maybe I'll do something with them later. But I had to keep this one for myself...

He asked me to bind it off and I asked him if he wanted me to make it into a cuff to wear on his wrist. He said "Sure!" Then I finished it and handed it to him and he said to me. "It's ok Mommy. You can keep it."

Awww... SWEET!

Knitting: Making Stitch Markers

Springtime
(colours: lemon yellow, aqua & lilac)

So with the combination of my knitting obsession and my long hibernated beading obsession, comes a brand new obsession altogether... Beaded stitch markers!

I found a tutorial on making stitch markers from Handmade By Knottygal... then I searched my vast beading stash... and voila! 

I absolutely LOVE making these. But more than that, I like seeing them hanging from my knitting needles in a knitted project. It gives the project a little sparkle and I enjoy seeing pretties while I work on something. It makes me smile. 

Knit Project: A-a-and Yet ANOTHER Rae Scarf

I can't tell you how much I LOVE making this scarf. The fact that this is my FOURTH one that I'm knitting should give a little bit of a clue :D Jane Richmond's Rae Scarf  is such a wonderfully simple knit and is such a classic accessory.

Step 1
Purchase the yarn you've been fawning over for the last few months
(diamond yarn: luxury-collection: footloose)

Step 2
Have a wonderful friend wind it into a cake for you...
(thank you SO much Rebecca ^.^)

Step 3
Choose the correct sized needles...

On your mark... Get set... GO! GO! GO!

WOOT!

^.^