Pansy

I finished a hat--for me! This pattern is called "Pansy" and is from a pattern book by Louisa Harding. The yarn is also by Louisa Harding. All the patterns in the book are very whimsical and feminine.
The pattern called for it to be knit flat, instead of in the round. I am always a little annoyed when I find that out! I love knitting hats in the round--it just doesn't make sense to me to knit them flat and then sew the two sides together. Oh, well, I like the way it turned out despite my reservations.
I'm wearing it with the skinny cabled neckwarmer that I made a few months ago. Does anyone else look forward to colder winter just a little bit just so they can wear cute wintry accessories?

More Photos of the Pumpkin Hat

Once again, LOVE this pattern by Susan B. Anderson! (Love this boy, too.)

My lil' pumpkin

Remember the pumpkin hat I made for my nephew, Ryder, last fall? Well, I made the same hat for my lil' pumpkin this fall! I used the same yarn, Debbie Bliss Rialto DK. I love this yarn--it is stretchy and has a nice sheen. This is the first hat I've custom-made for Drew. Since I was able to measure his head before I made it, it came out perfectly!

I decided not to tack down the leaf to the hat this time. I think it gave the leaf a more realistic look.

Below are a few photos during the time I was working on the hat.

Drew loves the jumperoo--and it gives Mommy a few minutes to knit!
It's nice to be able to have my little model try on the hat as I go...he's very cooperative!

Ta da!

Homecoming outfit in our new home

Drew on the day we were discharged from the hospital,

8 days old
Drew, 4 months old
June 2010October 2010

I just love comparing photos from then to now...it makes me smile to see how much Drew has grown. This little homecoming outfit is not going to fit for much longer, so he is wearing it a lot this week. The cold, rainy weather is a perfect excuse to dress my little love in this sweet layette.

Sock it to me

One sock down, one to go. Jim commented that it's hard to believe people made all their own socks long ago...not sure if I would have had the patience for that...

Finished projects--yay!

Every mama needs a little time to herself to do something non-mom related...to be creative...for awhile, Drew was going to bed at the same time as us, so I had to sneak in those "me" moments when I could!
Now that Drew is going to bed (in his crib!) at 7:30pm, I have more time to myself! It's so nice to be able to pick up some of my knitting projects again--and finish them! Knitting calms me and relaxes me. I love to have a project on the needles that I just don't want to put down. The picture below is of my skinny neckwarmer. It's knit in a twisted Malabrigo yarn. I finished it off with a bright green button. Erica and I did this project as a knit-a-long--she made the same one! Send me a pic of yours, Erica!

I look tired, I know. Hey, I'm still catching up on 3 months of sleep. :)

The next project I worked on was a bow tie scarf/scarflet/ascot (it has many names on Ravelry!) for my mom. I used the Spud & Chloe sweater yarn that Mom won for me in Susan B. Anderson's giveaway! The color is lipstick--it will look great on her. The pattern is called "Anthro-inspired scarflet." It was designed to mimic a scarf at the store Anthropologie.

What else do I have on my needles?

Well, I've decided to tackle socks! I don't think I'll become one of those sock-loving knitters who only wears her own knitted socks, but I did think I should make at least one pair. I've started on the first one, and so far, so good! I've made baby socks, so it's not much different. I'm using a beautiful cashmere merino blend yarn from "The Neighborhood Fibre Company."

I also picked up some rusty orange yarn for a pumpkin hat for Drew, as well as some variegated brown yarn for a little bear hat!

My new knitting corner

I'm so glad to have my knitting corner set up in our new house! When my mom was in town this weekend, she found a hat stand at Home Goods that's very similar to the one Susan B. Anderson has! (You can see a few hats displayed on it in her most current blogpost. Click HERE.) So excited! How cute does my "Frenchie" hat look there? A little inspiration for me. It just makes my kitchen seem so much more homey to have my knitting supplies out....it's the little things that make us happy. :)

P.S. I got some gorgeous superwash merino/cashmere/nylon sock fingering weight yarn today!! Going to tackle a new project--socks!