Category Archives: knitting

A knitted baby blanket

August 7, 2013

A few months ago I found out my sister is going to have a baby! A little while later I found out she is having a boy. Sometime after that while I was visiting home I felt him kick for the first time, I was the first of anyone to feel him after my sister of course. It was a pretty special moment. I’m going to be an aunt and I’m so excited! She told me as soon as she could so I could start knitting.

I had a few projects in mind but I was most excited about making the baby blanket. I used this pattern by Purl Bee and cascade superwash 220. When I was nearly done I had this weird moment of envisioning the future when he would be all grown up and we’d look at his baby blanket together and reminisce about when aunt Jessica made it for him. It was weird and touching all at once.

I finished up the blanket and packaged up a few other things to send to my sister so she could open them during her shower. Sadly I couldn’t be there but we facetimed at the end of the party and she opened my gifts. It wasn’t quite like being there but at least we had that. I thought it would be more important for me to be there when he’s born so I’m saving my ticket for then. It’s hard being away from home and missing so much.

{the onesie is from Oh, Little Rabbit I got it in a trade I did with them a while back}

{facetiming with my sister while she was opening my gifts at the end of her baby shower}

I still have a few more projects to work on but I have about 2 1/2 months to get them done. Ready, set, knit!

May project: a touching video

May 26, 2013

It’s day 26 in the blog every day in May challenge. Today the prompt is: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you’d like.

I’m choosing instead to share a link to a video I just wanted. A lot of you have probably already heard of Zach Sobiech but in case you have not here is a video about him and what he chose to do with the short life he was given. It’s quite sad I should warn you but also uplifting in a way.

DIY knit cowl

January 30, 2013

One of my more lasting hobbies is knitting. My mom taught me how to knit about 8 years ago and after a rough go at it I decided I wasn’t into it. It took a couple of years after that for me to renew my interest in knitting. I had been waiting for my mom to knit me a scarf for about that same amount of time and figured even if I basically had to start from scratch I would get it done before her. And I did and I have not looked back since.

For me it’s the perfect craft. I find endless inspiration in it, it fills my time, I feel more productive if I’m knitting and watching movies, and my projects are quite useful. I’m even more excited about knitting currently since I again live in a place I can wear all my knitted items most of the year.

Recently I made a quick and easy cowl with some leftover yarn from a Christmas gift for my brother. I loved the texture and color of the yarn but only had enough for a small project. I’m a fanatic for cowls and figured this would be the perfect thing to make with my scrap yarn. It’s a great beginner project because it’s a little more interesting than dish clothes or a straight scarf but it’s also pretty simple and looks really great on.

To make this cowl you will need:

-About 160 yards of bulky yarn-more of less depending on how large you’d like your cowl (I used cascade ecological wool)

-1 set of circular needles (I used a size 13 but you could use smaller ones for a tighter knit or larger ones for a looser knit-although I wouldn’t go too much larger)

-1 stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round

Cast on 84 stitches and join to work in the round making sure to not twist your stitches.

Knit 25 rows

Next row: *knit 10, k2together* repeat all the way around (you will now have 77 sts)

Knit 8 rows

Next row: *knit 9, k2together* (you will now have 70 sts)

Knit 7 rows

Bind off loosly

{As you can see there is a lot of room for experimentation here. You can use larger or smaller needles, cast on more or less stitches, spread out the decrease rows or eliminate them all together. Have fun with it and make it your own. It’s quite rewarding and you’ll be glad you did it!}

-I’d be happy to answer any questions you have so feel free to ask in the comments.

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