FO Friday: A layette of custard and mint

My first ever time making booties and mittens (thumbless ones)! Eeeee...everything is co cute, I feel like I could already eat those tiny little fingers and toes that will be cuddled in these!

My friend will hopefully be thrilled.

This was my third(!) Little Coffee Bean cardigan. Not my last I am sure. It's so easy and so cute. Maybe I'll even knit a solid version at some point? I tried to size down with smaller needles. I omitted buttonholes entirely and will be sewing on some snaps later.

The label only goes on the cardi :)

My second or third time making the Magic Coffee Baby hat. It just goes so well with the cardigan that I often wonder it isn't part of a set. I use regular ribbing and a smaller needle. Baby hat brims need all the stretch they can get IMO! Of course I had to add the pompom on top. It looks way cuter than an Icord I think.

I'm soooooo in love with these wee little mitts! Each one took me under twenty minutes to make on magic loop. I sized these down too.

The booties are well...not my favorite paret of the layette but they're still kinda cute. I'm not happy with the toe shaping on one of them. But that's my poor sewing at fault.

Link to all patterns here on my Ravelry page
Yarn used throughout: Knit Picks Brava, in mint and custard colorways
Needles- varied but ranging from 3.75 mm to 4.5 mm

Sharing today's post with FO Friday, Fiber Art Friday and Creative Friday. 

Pastel overload!

I've taken a break from the lovely Latvian Garden to work on some much needed baby stuff. They're all meant as gifts but I'm keeping the recipient a secret till the little munchkins arrive. All I can say is that everything needs to be ready by September, so that they can be sent to the recipient in good time and everything needs to be gender neutral.

First off, I'm doing my old standby for baby jackets- yes this is my third Little Coffee Bean cardigan!

I got a little tired of the grey stripes so this one is in pastel yellow and green. It makes me think of spring. So refreshing!

I'm also working on a matching hat-- yes its the Magic Coffee Baby hat again (another third!) in the same colors.

I've been asked to make matching booties and mittens too. I don't have a fixed idea of what pattern I'll use yet, but the color scheme will continue :)

I'm using the yellow as MC for the entire layette, so the green leftovers may work their way into another project.

I can't say enough good things about Brava worsted. Its the softest acrylic I have ever worked with, the colors are fabulous and so is the price. Plus I bought all the yarn during KnitPicks summer sale!

Sending to WIP Wednesday. I'm sure I'll have an FO post for Friday if I can get Blogger to work on my phone as we'll be traveling-- off to Cape Cod!

WIP Wednesday: knitting through a meltdown

When I have a lifarmageddon, I stop knitting and curl up into a (metaphorical) ball. When its just your normal, average meltdown, I knit lace.

The more complicated, the better.

I actually won the pattern for the Mehndi stole on Ravelry. Well, I won a pattern of my choice (the sponsor paid for the pattern) and I chose this. The lattice like cables, the sprawling vines, the smell of henna (ok so that's a memory!), I knew I had to knit this pattern.

Pic taken after 1.5 repeats of chart A

The complicated twisted stitches, the need to read the chart for almost every stitch is exactly what I need right now. It calms me and I can't stop to think! 

Even the reverse looks gorge!

I'm using a yummy, yummy yarn. Its Universal's Dolce merino, a merino and microfiber blend and it is soft! I just knit a pullover with it and it was a dream to work with, no splitting, no fuzz and frogs wonderfully. My swatches didn't grow or shrink either. It's going to be a cuddly wrap.

If the p2together tbls don't kill me first.

Sharing with WIP Wednesday 

Farewell, T!

One of the saddest truths about being an expat, living in a mixed, mostly transient community, is that people come and go. They leave to start families. They leave to sometimes return home. They leave to put down roots.

One of my closest friends here, is leaving for good. She's returning to her roots and while I am deeply saddened at her imminent departure (she flies out today), I'm happy that she's happy with her choice to return home. With their family growing, it makes sense for her and her husband to go back.

I dedicate this post to you, T.

Today's FO is the baby blanket I knit for her. I won't be able to meet her or her baby anytime soon and although I will miss seeing her and cuddling the little one (due in a few short months), I hope the blanket will comfort him or her in my stead.

I knit the blanket super fast because I did want to finish it before she left. Since they have decided to keep the baby's sex a surprise, I used a pastel yellow shade, acrylic for ease of washing and larger needles because it doesn't get very cold in Bangalore, where she's headed.

The ribbon finishes the whole thing off nicely. I was hoping the hearts were brown when I bought it, but oh well.

And my label, to remind her of me.

The pattern, as written, has no real edging. I added a crocheted scallop trim to make it prettier.

Finished dimensions are about 30"x 30".

I gave it to her on her farewell a few days ago. She liked it!

Pattern: diagonal tweed baby blanket
Yarn: Lion Brand Pound of Love, pastel yellow colorway
Needles: 6.00 mm (US 10)
Hook: 6 mm

Linknig up with FO Friday, Fiber Arts Friday and Creative Friday. 

Friends, Friday and 'Frisco

First off--I have a terrible sinus problem. Dry winter air + indoor heating + leaky humidifier + dust allergies= a very unhappy and congested nose. And just a few days before we head to San Francisco too. Ugh! I've been sleeping (and basically living) with the humidifier on all day, but it doesn't do much good. I've taken steam, irrigated my sinuses and popped several pills to stop the sneezing and the general feeling that my head will explode. Will we survive the long flight and the dry air?

We can only hope.

Today I'm sharing something I finished awhile back, but couldn't call it like 'finished finished' because the buttons took forever to arrive. These winter storms have much to answer for (including my present state of misery).

I've never made leg warmers before, but I can see the attraction. Warm and cute! And a very easy knit, especially if you do them in the round. I made these for a friend, and the pattern she chose is knit flat. Its a cute pattern, but if I made it for myself, I'd knit in the round and the buttons would be sewn on just for show. As a matter of fact, some designs have mysteriously appeared in my Ravelry queue....wonder how that happened :D

She does seem to really like them so I'm happy. And they turned out cute which makes me happier.

Pattern: Legendary Leggings
Yarn: Lion brand wool ease, wheat colorway
Needles: 5.00 mm (US 8), 5.5 mm (US 9)

Linking up with FO Friday (although her post isn't up this week), Fiber arts Friday and Creative Friday. I'm catching an obscenely early flight tomorrow and will be traveling all of next week so there likely won't be much posting done. Have a great weekend!