Lookie What I Did!

I'm doin' a little FO dance. Won't you join me?



Scarf for Dr. Doom:

Yarn: Muench Big Baby in Purples colourway
Needles: US11 (or maybe 13?)
Pattern: Illusion Rib (I think),† which goes like this:

• cast on a multiple of six stitches
• RS: k3 p3 all the way across
• WS: k1 p1 all the way across.

I think it may look better in a lighter yarn (like worsted) and does cool things with variegation, but I think it worked pretty well here.



[SUMMARY: One! One FO!]

Scarf for Tallest, Hairiest Nephew:

Yarn: Crystal Palace Popcorn in Oranges-Cherries colourway
Needles: US11
Pattern: Plain ol' garter stitch, though I seriously considered cabling.‡

[SUMMARY: Two! Two FOs!]

Baby Blanket for Jeron, who was due on my birthday and didn't show up for weeks:

Yarn: Muench Big Baby in Primary School colourway

Needles: US13

Pattern: Feather and Fan, with a garter stitch border.§

For those of you scoring at home, the ball band on Big Baby says to wash it cold, delicate cycle, don't put it in the dryer.

I say, "Throw that sucker in the wash in cold water and dry it on low to your heart's content!"

I couldn't believe they'd make baby yarn that couldn't be puked on (and it's 100% acrylic microfibre -- GOOD acrylic, mind you, but definitely should be washable/dryable/pukable), so I used Dr. Doom's scarf as the guniea pig. It's just lovely after washing.

[SUMMARY: Three! Three FOs!]

Waist shaping, just 'cause it fascinates me like a shiny object.

Sweater for your dear ol' AntiM:

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Lilac Haze¶
Needles: US7 (maybe 5?)
Pattern: Green Gable

Modification: Much longer sleeves than the pattern called for. Those of us with fat little arms don't like tiny little cap sleeves.

Speaking of, I bound off the left arm a little tighter than the right and if I put the sleeve where the sleeve is supposed to be,# I look like a sausage. If I put the sleeve where the sleeve fits, I get a fairly wide boat neck which is not at all unattractive. I'll have to think about whether I want to undo and re-do or just pretend I meant to do the boat neck all along.

Besides, it's a teeny bit tight (*ahem* 40 days and 40 nights = 10 lbs) so I may just use it as my measure for slimming progress.$

Did I mention I went to the gym?

[SUMMARY: Four! Four beautiful FOs! Mwahahahahaha! *ccchrrshccrrhshshs* *eeEeEEeeEEe* &]

Green Gables has the distinction of both being my first sweater and the first thing I've ever knit for myself. Secret Pal -- oops! I mean, Danielle -- sent me the yarn and the pattern and it's the coolest thing ever. I think it has the same cachet for me as the mystery projects: someone is leading me and I'm going willingly into that sheepy fog.

For the record (and I think Red said the same thing about hers), if I knit this again, I'd probably carry the filet at the neck down further. It's cool and it just looks like there could be more.

Cat for Scale is very fond of Big Baby.^

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cast on my next Big Baby blanket (please ignore the fact that I still have 14 projects on the needles) for Dave's new daughter (finally! Girl colours!) who was ALMOST born on my birthday.

†FOOTNOTE (crossed): Kathryn, take notes -- this is the pattern from the Estes Wool Market you wanted.

‡FOOTNOTE (double-crossed): No, I really didn't. Remember the part in "Dressed to Kill" where Eddie Izzard says Englebert Humperdink just died in a car accident that very day, then proceeds to confirm and deny it for several minutes? If you do, that's where I'm going here. If you don't, how many times have I *told* you to get the DVD? Go on. I'll still be here when you get back. And you'll understand me, Red, jam, babies on spikes and Slap Benwalla so much better.

§FOOTNOTE (swerved): Also, I can't recommend *enough* giant yarn in a simple, interesting pattern for a baby blanket. Hey, even an dumbass like your dear ol' AntiM can learn when being whacked with the rolled-up newspaper that was Stupid Blanket.

¶FOOTNOTE (paragraphed): I know. Purple went bye-bye. Lighting was bad. Too excited about FO to wait for the morning light.

#FOOTNOTE (pounded): As opposed to, say, where a handcuff should be.

$FOOTNOTE (moneyed): Yeah, I'll go a long way to avoid fixing my errors. Sing with me: Justifi-CA-tion!

&FOOTNOTE (ampersanded): Those last two were thunder and bat sound effects, in case you were wondering. And if you're ever around me when I do this, you probably won't be surprised to find I actually do the full-on show, thunder and bats and all. There are hand gestures. And special faces.

^FOOTNOTE (careted): It's chewy.

SEE! I *TOLD* YOU IT WAS A KNITBLOG!