Knitting on pins and needles

Good morning cherry! We are just about finished with you! This is the second sleeve, and for you lovely readers - do you see that bedraggled little skein to the right? Yeah. That's how much yarn is left. I can hardly stand the suspense... will I have enough? Will I have to hunt down another skein in the same dye lot? I am torn between wanting to go home and knit obsessively or put the dang thing away because I can't bear to run out of yarn. What's a girl to do!?

Sometime last Wednesday, I decided I couldn't deal with such unadulterated stress, so I turned to something else - the sewing machine. In the intervening time frame, I have rediscovered a passionate love for my sewing machine. Or maybe just discovered, since I don't remember ever loving my sewing machine this much. Usually there is much swearing and gnashing of teeth and "what the hell?!"'s but this time? Just love. And here's why:

The fabric of yore has become... the flirty skirty!
Pattern: McCall's M5390
Fabric: Cotton pretties from hobby lobby

I can't even tell you how much I am in love with this skirt. It's comfy, it's cute, it was super easy, and it was CHEAP. Love love love. I'm going to wear the crap out of this thing. Especially on hot days like today. If any of you have some cotton pretties in your stash, or even just $5-$10 and a local hobby lobby with fabric on sale, I highly recommend making this skirt. It is di-VINE.

The unfortunate part of finishing this skirt is that I am being inexorably drawn back to the stress of Cherry. Will she make it? Will she run out of yarn? Stay tuned!

Sumpin's up...

Ooo - yummy...

For a little flirty skirty? Definitely.

Cherry's on her way! Just have to finish the sleeves and the edging and she'll be wearable!

Goal!

Some close friends of ours are having a baby and as we are all avid hockey fans, I figured the little one might as well get a head start...

Pattern: Raglan Sweater by Debbie Bliss (The Baby Knits Book)
Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash && Andean Silk
Mods: Sewn on hockey patch (purchased through proper channels. :D)

How freakin cute is that thing? I wanna stretch it and wear it myself. But since that patch would only cover one small part of my chest *ahem* I might just go ahead and knit myself an avs sweater in the proper size. Sweet. :D

I have no other knitting for you. I'm finishing up little red cardigan for another friend of ours (due very soon) and Cherry is still sadly staring at me from the knitting bag. Never fear, I will finish her in short order!

I leave you with a view of the sunset out my back door last night:

Little Miss Ladybug...

... has been keeping me busy. Last year for my grandmother's birthday, I made her a knitting needle roll with some ladybug fabric. My niece B was quite taken with the little bugs... they were "very cute". When I found this fabric, it seemed too appropriate. As you can see, little B is quite pleased, as am I. She is also pleased for another reason (not the least of which is the fact that she had just had some candy).

Some time ago, we were perusing Ravelry, looking at toys, when my darling niece cried out "OOOOOOO! Auntie! Look at THAT!"

What she was pointing to, my dear friends, was a duck. Not just any duck, it was a *waddle* duck. For many months now, I have been hunting down this waddle duck in his natural habitat... and today I think... I *think* I've found him. Hiding out in my plants, he's knit entirely from stash and though it took me a while to actually capture him, he now seems quite content to be in B's possession and the recipient of many kisses and hugs. I was the recipient of many hugs and kisses as well, which makes me a happy Auntie.

It's something in the water.

Cherry has been set aside to accommodate all the baby knitting I'm doing. Within a two month span, four of my friends are having babies. Five if you include the March baby . Needless to say, I've stopped drinking the tap water... it's all bottled water for me from here on out. :D

However! The baby knitting is coming along swimmingly, and I've even been able to knit entirely from stash!

A little pink pair of booties went to my co-worker for their new girl. I have no picture, but suffice it to say, they were very cute.

My sister's shower is coming up this Sunday, and since they are not going to find out the baby's gender before it's born, I went with purple.

Pattern: Classic Cardigan (ravelry link) by Debbie Bliss

Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Superwash DK
Mods: None.

A quick, easy knit and entirely from stash. Superwash too, which is great for baby!

I have a wee Colorado Avalanche jersey in the works, and the last project has yet to be started... perhaps a little "Mabel" style dress (it's a girl) or maybe another little cardigan in red? I will keep you posted. :D

All the pretty flowers....

Pattern: Indigo Ripples Skirt - IK Spring 2007

Needles: US 7 / 4.5 mm
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Pink
Mods: None.

I love how it turned out, but it's a bit too big. I have to keep that waist band tied tight to keep the skirt up and still it has a tendency to ride down. I might have to throw it in the dryer full heat - has anyone dried brown sheep cotton fleece before? Tumble dry style? Will it shrink? Even if it doesn't, I'll still wear it. I'll just have to buy cuter underpants.

Incidentally - spring is in full bloom. Welcome to Colorado.

The joys of spring

I must admit - this earlier daylight savings time shift has me a bit... shifted. It feels like it should be summer already, doesn't it?

*sigh*

I have been chomping at the bit to get my garden done.... and so despite Colorado's tendency towards spring snowstorms, we built our garden and planted it.

Tomatoes, peppers, basil, spinach, broccoli, strawberries, thyme.... yummmmmm. I cannot WAIT for all this to grow up. We also planted a raspberry bush in a whiskey barrel, and some other, more flowery plants to complement. So exciting! Our new landscaping is also starting to flourish - plants are coming up all over the place. I can't wait to see it all put together - it's like my birthday every day!

Despite my deep conviction that it should be sunny every day, it is not. It has been raining off and on, some snow (which I still love, because it melts the next day) and today is wet and dreary. Not that that's bad - because it has allowed me time to work on some nice spring garments - well, only one really - but I'm very excited about it....

please to welcome Cherry. :D