Still Playing CatchUp

Did you know that the ASL sign for 'ketchup' is to make one fist, and whack it with the palm of the other? Oh, the things you learn when your kids have developmental delays :)

This here is a little Baby Surprise Jacket, hat, bootees and ball, all made with just under two balls of James Brett Marble. They are big balls, but a good deal at about $5.99. I like the slightly thick/thin texture, and how one ply stays grey while the other one changes colours (pink, purple and white). It is 100% acrylic, but I think in the greys especially, it does have a 'natural' quality to it. The pattern is pretty nifty too, although I'm not a fan of the seam along the top of the shoulder/arm. It makes the sleeves a little stiff.

The sweater had been done for awhile (except for sewing up and buttons), and then I decided to use up the leftovers to make a complete ensemble. It always takes me awhile to do the buttons! I did actually finish everything a little while ago (beginning of January?), but am just getting around to showing the pictures now!

This hat is called Cameron's Cap and is a free pattern. I altered it by using a bulky yarn and making the child's size, and I attached the hem when I got to that point instead of sewing it later. It's a little big on me I think. You do the hem, then shortrow, starting with about 6sts and working out to 2sts from either side of the 1/2 way marker and start marker (so, my size had 100sts, you work to 46st are in work). I was concerned about this because your ears are not placed directly center on your head (which is why after I made this hat, I did that other plum one that I felted a little). While it all works out, I didnt' like the way to works up to a V shape on the forehead, and my glasses get in the way. My mom however, really liked it but it didn't match her coat. I think it needs a little I-cord knot on top or something.

So, I made another one :) This time in Patons Decor. I started with a provisional cast on, but when I got to the row to join the hem, I couldn't get it even--either the front or the inside had 1/2 row too much or too little. Then I did the short rowing, but as I got near the end, I started working two more sts at one end of the shortrow but one st at the other end (and reversed it for the other earflap). This meant of course that there's not quite as many rows in the earflap as it should have, but I couldn't figure out how to get more rows but not go over into the other half of the hat. If someone figures it out, let me know. Maybe start with fewer sts at the bottom of the earflap--although I don't think the hem is flexible enough to bend around a steeper curve. If you picked up sts and did the hem after, that might work, adding in dec/inc around the curves of the earflap. These two pictures show the 'front' and 'back' (one side shortrowed 1 more st each row to almost the 1/2 way mark, the other side shortrowed 2 more sts each row. It's a very subtle difference as it ended up being only about 3 or 4 rows).

Also, the decreases happen rather quickly at the top of the hat (4 double decreases, every other row). Although I don't think this bothered me on the pink one, it seemed too pointy on the Decor one (although it could have been because my sts counts got really wonky). I ended up ripping back and doing 8 single dec on every row for the last few rows.

The first two pictures were taken with much difficulty using the self timer (after the bathroom mirror thing didn't work). This one was a last minute impulse before putting the camera away! I just held it out at arm's length and snapped, LOL. The yarn was pretty neat, it made really thick stripes in the section worked on all sts. The hat starts out going really fast, then you end up in stockinette land for awhile, and then finally you start the decreases, and they happen really fast! I'm thinking it could be done on the knitting machine, perhaps take it off to do the dec. section by hand.

There are still MORE finished object pictures to show!!