Saturday, August 27, 2011

Saturday Stash

It's that day again!  This week I concentrated on the little things.  I have a new grandbaby arriving very soon.  I wonder if Grammies get the same nesting instinct that moms do?  Or did I just realize that I hadn't made many little knitted things?  In any case,we have a selection of smalls:


A pair of purple Mary Janes with their own white socks attached...


And, for those sporty occasions, a pair of high-tops in anyone-can-wear-blue.



I love this little sweater pattern.  I have made it before and will probably do it again.  It's very easy and looks like it's hard.  A win-win. This is the end of my rainbow yarn so I have a success on the stash front, too.  This is supposed to be about crossing off the inventory, right? 

The Fall 2011 edition of Knitcircus, arrived in my inbox the other day and I was thrilled with all the patterns.  There were a lot that will make good use of that stash.  I don't usually have enough to do a larger item like a sweater.  A whole lot of queueing went on that day. 


This is one of the first patterns that I chose to knit up.  Allow me to introduce Rosie.  She's a socktopus (made with sock yarn on dpns) and is busy growing her tentacles - a very fiddly process which must be repeated for all eight legs.  And she needs a couple of eyes embroidered on.  Rosie will come back next week when she's a bit bigger.  I think this falls into the 'because I can' category. But, really, I think it will be a cute kid's toy.
 

And, of course, there is always a sock.  This is another 'old-school' lace pattern which I'm making up in white cotton.  I've never made plain white socks in an adult size and wasn't sure I'd like it.  But I had some sock-weight in white and no sock on the needles.  What's a knitter to do?  I call it White Lightening because of the pattern, yes, and because it's a really quick knit.  Super easy lace pattern. Good thing with the other half still to make.

So, a couple of packs of yarn crossed off and a few more pieces in the gift box.  Say, did anyone notice a gender bias in my work this week? That was just a coincidence.  Honest.

11 comments:

Rose said...

Such cute baby gifts!! Love the high tops! And my namesake, the octopus.

SueH said...

Beautiful! Love those purple shoes - why do they call them 'Mary Janes' btw?

I once knitted a pair of baby Doc.Marten's for a goth friend's baby - wish I'd kept a picture!

And the white lacy sock - is that a short-row, toe-up pattern? They're the only ones I ever do now - I get in a muddle with heel-flaps and Kitchener stitch.


(I should have left my knitting blog address as well, last time!)

Ginny Hartzler said...

A lot of blues, will he be a boy??? The Mary Janes are so clever and cute! The sweater beautiful, I love the colors, but I guess the octopus is my fave!!! I had a toy octopus for Anne. Each tentacle made a different noise when you squeezed the end, one was a rattle, one a crinkle, and so on. I cannot wait to see him finished!

♥●• İzdihër •●♥ said...

wow .You so sweet .and those gifts are awesome made by love.My first time to your blog and I am so touched.

Mimi said...

Oh wow! these are amazing!
The shoes are my favourites, I can just pictures them on cute little baby feet, male or female (tho I see your bias!)
I'm curious about 2 things to do with the socks- are they toe up, and what's sock-weight yarn, is it thinner than double knit? You're reigniting my sockknitting impulse!

Catherine said...

Hi Stephanie thanks for comment on my West of Ireland trip - I replied over there. Now I haven't been blogging much lately and commenting even less on other blogs must get going again for the autumn. I LOVE the baby things and am gonna try the jumper for the baby - also do you have the link for the socks? I love them and that the heel turn is short row - I need to learn that technique so if you can share I would love it. I am sure it's on a YouTube tutorial but if you had that pattern link it'd be great! I am still knitting away - doing a charity knit for Age Action - knitting small hats for Smoothie bottles and our knitting circle has 250 so far. You can see some of mine in my second last post.
Thanks for sharing!
Catherine xxx

Rudee said...

I love the soctopus! Maybe I'll make one for my brother's grandson.

Stephanie V said...

Sue - thanks for the link. The socks are top-down with short-row heel and toe.

Ginny - we have no idea whether it's a girl or a boy. Having two girls and a boy already, it doesn't really matter. Might to big brother, though.

Mimi - these are top-down socks. I don't really make too many of the toe-up. There are yarns that are sold as 'sock yarn' which are (usually) 4ply fingering - a finer yarn than DK. They use a smaller needle, too - anywhere from 1.50 to 3 mm.
Just search ''sock yarns' on ravelry and you'll see what I mean.

Catherine - the white sock is a personal pattern. I have just listed a similar pattern as a free download on ravelry which has the same short-row heel and toe: Windwalker Socks. Contact me on ravelry if you want info on the baby cardi.

Rudee - It's worth the work.

Mimi said...

thanks Stephanie for all that info, and Catherine also visited me with some sock info.
I like the idea of toe-down, means you can gauge the yarn amount better.

Wendy said...

Another crazy knitter stopping by from the BBQ to say hi. :)

Empty Nester said...

Ok, nevermind my request for how to knit Rosie---I can see now that she's too dang hard for me. Maybe you should consider a giveaway? LOL

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