Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Daytime Knitting

Allright, a weekly rhythm post (with your links) it is! I'll do it again next Monday night



Since K has become so aware of my projects I have been knitting her birthday sweater at night. *sigh* Thanks to Laura for the suggestion, I started another knitting project to work on during the day to keep my hands busy (I just can't sit still, ever, my heart begins to race and I tend to get a bit panicky if I even try to).

That brings me to this project. It's a test knit for The Witty Knitter. If you are like me I bet you're thinking, 'How on earth could she find time to do a test knit right now?'. Yeah, I know, I am wondering that myself but when I saw this project needing testers I just could NOT resist.



I need to have the suit finished by August 15th, and it seems to be a simple fast knit so far. Granted, I had about three false starts with it but that was due to a type-o in the pattern and me misunderstanding an increase used.To improve my knitting skills, I decided to add some colorwork, with a couple of charts I have been eyeing, into the pattern. I am hoping I can pull it off. I have only done colorwork a handful of time before (my first time being C's first birthday sweater). One thing I am really loving so far, is a rare type of short rows the pattern uses. I can't even tell where I did them. I could always see my short rows in all of my longies I knit up due to the technique they called for but that won't be happening again. I will use this version of short rows for all my projects from now on.



I am testing it in a size 18 months so it will be awhile before Baby L wears it but I promise to still post pictures of it when it is finished. I'll also give you the pattern info when she officially publishes it. Seriously, it's one of the cutest things ever. Dare I say in the same category of cuteness as Baby L's Small Things Romper? Oh I think I dare!

I love test knitting, not only are you helping out someone (which is always the best feeling in the world), but you get a cute finished project in the end. Anyone have any patterns they need testing??? Call me anytime!



On the sewing front, I have C's horse dress all done minus hand stitching the bodice lining to the skirt. It's been sitting on my desk for almost a week now waiting for me to do that last step. Eh, I am not in a rush with this dress, then again, I can't wait to see it on her so maybe I can get to that this weekend.

Speaking of dress patterns - Does anyone know how to take a regular sewing pattern and shrink it down to make it a plump Waldorf doll size? I was thinking of making K's baby a dress to match K's birthday dress this year.



Don't forget these are the last days to enter for your chance to win a copy of the sewing book Carefree Clothes for Girls.

Now then, what are you working on? Happy creating!

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Comments (27)

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good luck with the test knit :) I like the color combination :)
I can't wait to see the test knit when it's finished! How exciting. <3 I can already tell that L will be a lucky little boy. BTW, you need to come by and check out the cowl I just finished. You'll swoon at the softness and pattern. :) I don't know how to size down dresses for Waldorf dolls, but I hope you figure it out because C-baby needs a little matching dress. Adorable!
your knitting looks great. I love the horse dress, c will look gorgeous in it
When I am knitting a surprise for my daughter, I also usually have a daytime project to work on when I can't work on the surprise project. Right now, I'm working on a surprise for her birthday, so during the day I have been knitting on a baby sweater for my new niece, due next month, and now I'm about to start some socks for my husband. I love to always have something to knit, even if my big project can only come out after bedtime!
I look forward to sewing that knitted up, you make it sound wonderful. If you even do work out how to shrink a pattern to doll size I'd love to know how, it's something that I've often thought of doing.
I love test knitting, too. I recently finished a cat doll by Yarn Miracle. It was the most fun I've had knitting *ever* and as a bonus, my kids love the toy! (:
You could shrink it down on a copier, perhaps?
What caught my notice in this post was your fleeting comment about feeling panicky if you sit still. Whew. I've struggled with this for years, to the point that I have panic attacks when walking, I hate yoga and meditation, and keep myself busy from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. I started reading "Women, Food, and God" by Geneen Roth recently, and she touches on this very phenomenon. I've decided to look into that place that gets panicky when I don't keep it at bay with knititng, sewing, etc...and I'm scared witless! But I've committed to one hour a day: 20 min. meditation, 20 min walking, then 20 min. writing. Today was my first day! Visit www.controlfreakproject.blogspot.com to read about my journey of getting a grip on the three things I (and many other women) struggle with: debt, clutter, and weight...

That said...I'm working on the most beautiful little sweater for my 2 year old (and the yarn makes me think of you because of its soft rainbow colours), and hope to get some little pants sewn today for her as well! Fall is coming...time to prepare the autumn wardrobe! Love your posts.
1 reply · active 713 weeks ago
That dress is so cute!!! I am knitting dishcloths at the seaside, nice and portable!!! And I am trying a new Leaf knot clutch... http://francesca-oltreoceano.blogspot.com/2011/08...
A union suit! What a neat idea. Love the color - an old fashioned feel about it. I know what you mean about keeping hands busy. Yesterday I was so restless...
I think there are copy machines which you can shrink items down. It sometimes asks/has a percentage on how you want to copy it. The dress is cute.
Oh, that pink horse dress is going to look so sweet on C! Can't wait to see the new knitting project too.
I am so relieved to have finished everything for the etsy shop so this week I am taking it easy, happy to sit quietly and knit on Chloe's cardigan, though one day soon I will need to get started on Chesaa's pinafore. Notice I am always talking about pinafores these days?
And... Yesterday Chloe started knitting a scarf for Jason for christmas, and Chessa really really (really!) wanted to knit too, so I taught her how to cast on her first stitches, and now she has completed her first few rows. Such happiness, the three of us sitting together knitting!!!
XOXO
1 reply · active 714 weeks ago
Love all your current projects. I haven't been sewing much as it just seems so hot. Instead my needles have been busy. I also love test knitting. It seems so refreshing and fun. A bit of detective and editorial work too. On a side note, what code did you add to reply directly to comments? I hate that the feature is lacking on blogger.
The dress is going to be so cute!!!
1 reply · active 713 weeks ago
Now that my oldest son's wedding is behind me, I am eager to plunge back into my creative projects. I just made a super simple blanket for a soon to be "big sister" who may be a little jealous of the quilt I am working on for her new baby sister. http://thesecondtwinsews.blogspot.com (the sign in gave an error message in my website link....so I just added it to my comment....have a wonderful middle of the week!
I love all of the projects! I have knit presents for my family in front of them but sometimes they are clueless.. Sounds like you have a smart one in the family!!
Oh how much fun to do a test knit! Can't wait to see the finished project. K's dress is going to be amazin. My little one loves to dress like her Waldorf Doll and it is hard to find matching patterns. Good luck.
Invisible short rows? well, it's worth buying the pattern for that bit alone. Can't wait til it's out!
I love the colours you are using in your test knit. And the dress... so sweet!
Oh I love the dress!! How utterly cute :-) I do shrink dress patterns to fit my waldorf dolls, the way I do is more trial and error though, I copy the shape of the pattern pieces until they fit my dolls, so I make quite a few prototype dresses and patterns until I get to the right size and shape. At least when I've done that I have a pattern I like and use again and again. Rebe and Benny get to use the prototype dresses to embellish for their teddies and dolls. My daytime knitting at the moment is a rainbow hat for Joa from the Children's Year book and my nightime sectret project is a Peter Pan waldorf doll for Rebe's fast appraoching 6th birthday.
LLicht@ KiwiCircus's avatar

LLicht@ KiwiCircus · 714 weeks ago

I love your knitting... but the bag of Charlie's Laundry Detergent caught my eye! Mine has started coming in plastic tubs and as strange as it sounds that greatly disappoints me! I miss those cute little bags. I guess it's probably better for the environment to have a plastic tub going into a recycling bin than someone to just toss the fabric bag if they didn't have a use for it... but I still miss them! I'm pretty sure I'd never run out of ideas for them.

I'm not sure what the causes of your anxiety are but I completely understand... I have them once in a while.. They've gotten pretty bad in the past few weeks. I blame the heat and me not being able to exercise as much as I'd like.. I know no matter how much I may be able to be outside and active if the weather was better that it wouldn't make all the anxiety inducing things go away. Knitting is my best therapy right now!
that test knit looks like fun.....love the colors!!! I found you from the yarn along and have enjoyed reading around your blog! All your knitting projects are wonderful!

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