Knitted Pouches

I was inspired to make these knitted pouches after reading about them on Small Things. They require just scraps to make and they knit up SO fast - really, under an hour for this not-so-fast knitter! I made one for each of my kiddos. They're the perfect size to hold tiny treasures. :)

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Lots of Baby Knits

Rather than create a post for each of these knits, I thought I'd just toss 'em all into one! Most of these are cozy things I've made since Juliet was born in August, and some are pics of her wearing knits I made when I was preggo with her. :)

This is another Milo vest (LOVE Milos) for my friend, Terri. The colorway, which I think is sooo dreamy, is "Betty Draper Blues" by Madeleine Tosh Vintage. Would knit with Madeleine Tosh exclusively if I had easy access to it (and could afford it!!).

These legwarmers were an easy knit. They came together quickly, but I realized I'm not a fan of repeat projects, meaning I kind of groaned when after finishing the first legwarmer I had to cast on for the second and, seemingly, start all over again. :/ They look pretty cute on Juliet's wonderfully chubby thighs!

Juliet modeling the Small Things Bonnet I made for her. She wore - nay, she ROCKED it - during our month long stay in Minnesota in December. I received lots of comments on it (it's the pixie aspect that people can't resist!), and when I lost it in the Mall of America, I was on the verge of tears. Thankfully, after a couple of frantic phone calls, I found it!

Another Small Things Bonnet, this one knit in the "Mulled Wine" colorway by Madeleine Tosh. This is the next size up from the one in the above photo. I wasn't sure what size she'd fit into by the time December rolled around. As it turned out, this one was far too big and will likely fit her next winter.

This cute little vest (missing the buttons - was searching for just the right ones at the time of the photo), was made for my friend, Dana. I really liked this pattern, it's a shame it comes in only one (tiny!) size.

I knit this basic scarf for James using some cheapy acrylic yarn. Never again will I use acrylic yarn for this kind of project! Despite my many attempts and varied ways of blocking it, the sides stubbornly curled and curled until the scarf was basically one long, ugly tube. Grrr. But, I knit it for our Minnesota trip and it served its purpose.

Juliet in the Boheme I made for her. This was knit in the 6 month size and so I've been saving it for a while. She's 5 months old in the above photo and the other day I pulled it out just to see if it fit yet (I've been anxious about having her wear it - it's my favorite knit!). Guess what... it's nearly too small! Boo! The length is great, but it's a bit tight around the chest and in the armholes. Ah well, guess I'd better just cast on another one. : )

These longies weren't my favorite knit. I struggled with the gusset portion and in the end I made up my own design to get them to look right. Such a pain.

~Juliet at 2.5 months~

They were cute when finished though and I thought they'd work well for the chilly Bermuda winter ahead... that is, until I accidentally felted them in the washer. Oops! They are now half the size they were and I think she ended up only wearing them three times. :(

It's hard to tell, but this is the teeniest little sweater! It's a preemie cardigan knit for my friend, Clarie. Her little love is just under 5lbs. and has nearly outgrown it!

Juliet (4.5 months old) loving her new high chair and feeling warm and cozy in the baby kimono I knit for her. This sweater has been my go-to for warmth. It's bulky enough to fit over any outfit, and has fit well over the past couple of months. The sleeves are now a bit short.

This hat is one of two that I knit for the Craft Hope Project #16: The Littlest Warriors. I used bulky yarn and a fun lace pattern all of which resulted in a very quick knit!

~Juliet at 6 months, fascinated by the ocean~

Here's another Country Kiddie, but for this one I added several purl rows throughout the knit, just to make it a bit more interesting. I LOVED the yarn I used for this project - Claudia Handpainted in the Celedon Dreams colorway. SO soft and silky.

That's all for now! I have another project on needles, but I'm in a bit of a knitting funk and just not interested in doing it right now. Ah well, that's how it goes around here. My current obsession is freezer paper projects!

Oh, and I'm not very good at making detailed notes in Ravelry, but I do have each of these knits listed and linked on my projects page, so take a look if any of the patterns interest you. My handle is "rockislander".

Linking up to Ginny's Yarn Along. (Sorry, Ginny, I haven't read a book since August!)

~Thank you for your comments!~

Baby Knit In Action

It's such a treat to see my little girl *finally* wearing some of the baby knits I made for her during my pregnancy. She's just about outgrown these little booties! Here she is wearing the milo vest...

Since she arrived I've knitted another bonnet, a cardigan, and a sweet little pair of sheepy pants. I hope to photograph them and come back soon to share with you!

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Toys

Our little babe has plenty of warm knitted things to wear now, but as I went through all of James' old baby toys, cleaning and sanitizing them, I realized she has no new toys of her own!

The first thing I made was this little bunny blanket (my nod to her being born in the Year of the Rabbit). I was inspired to make it after seeing it on Frontier Dreams (she makes the most lovely things for her children). She suggested wetting the paws on the bunny and then popping him into the freezer which will make a nice teether for sore little gums. This was very easy to knit and is oh so soft and cuddly! You can find the pattern here. I used 100% organic cotton (sorry, I don't recall the brand).

These are teething rings. I really hemmed and hawed over whether or not I should make these. Bermuda is such a moist environment year round and mold has a knack of growing everywhere. These just seemed like mold traps waiting to happen. Then I read a bit more about them and read other's suggestions and I realized since they're felted, I could wash them in the hottest water over and over again. And, like the bunny, I can dip them in water, set them in the freezer and know that my baby's gums are being comforted by a natural fiber instead of plastic. For all the colors I used Malabrigio 100% merino wool in the colorways: Ravely Red, Tiger Lily, and Pollen. You can find the knitting pattern here.

These aren't knitted, but I thought I'd share them anyway. I made these "crinkle blankets" on the suggestion of my very best friend who just became a mama herself! She said to me, "I have something you can make for the baby! You take a chip bag..." and there I had stop her and laugh. Somehow 'baby toy' and 'chip bag' just didn't seem to fit together to me! But they do - the chip bag (or any other similar kind of "material") is where you get the crinkle! I did a quick search online and found this tutorial. Still without a sewing machine, I stitched these by hand. I had planned to make several, but just one took me over an hour to make! I used flannel (just cut up one of James' old receving blankets) for one and some cute Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric for the other. The ribbons are from my scrapbooking fibers stash.

Not included in the head photo (since I knitted these later) are these balls I whipped up using this pattern. VERY easy knits and a great way to use up some of those tiny balls of leftover yarn!

Since I'm linking up to Ginny's Yarn Along I have a book to share as well. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading (for the 3rd time) Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne's House of Dreams all by L.M. Montgomery. I have all three stories combined in one volume. and they've been some of my all-time/long-time favs. Have any of you ever seen the Canadian version of Anne of Green Gables? The TV mini-series from the 80's? It came out when I was about 12 (Anne's age when the story begins) and I felt I found a kindred spirit in her character. Like Anne, I was a wide-eyed dreamer with an imagination sometimes too big for my own good. :)

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

So... yeah, I'm sharing yet another baby knit. Are you non-knitters just really, really sick of these posts?!
This week I'm excited to show you this little gem, the "In Threes: A Baby Cardigan" knit up in uber soft and smooshy Malabrigio in the Ravelry Red colorway. You can see my Rav. notes here.

My husband went out of town recently and since he wasn't home for me to cuddle with in the evenings, I really focused on this project and finished it in less than 24 hours. It knit up so quickly and I think that's because it was an enjoyable pattern - as the pattern indicates, it is written "with a basic design suited to a beginner, but with enough interest to entertain a more experienced knitter."

One note I made to myself during this knit was that working with 100% wool during the summer isn't much fun - my hands kept getting really sweaty and the wool kept pulling as a result.

One book that's been on my nightstand for the past month (I only read a few pages at a time) is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Linking up to Ginny's Yarn Along - be sure to pop over to her blog to see more knitting goodness!

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

~some more cozy things for my little girl~

This bonnet, the Small Things Bonnet, threw me for a loop a couple of times, but overall I would say it was a very quick knit. I had it done in less than a day. I opted for the pixie style and it is absolutely adorable (I tried it on a teddy bear) :) with just the right amount of pointy-ness at the top.

These booties also knit up very quickly (that's the beauty of knitting teeny tiny things). I tried a few different bootie patterns and liked this one the best. I added little yarn bows to the front because my stitching skills are less than stellar and I needed something to camouflage this fact. :)

And finally these wee mittens. I cannot wait to see the wee hands that will go inside of them! I crocheted (yes, crocheted - I learned how to make a simple chain!) a string and attached them to the mittens so they won't get lost should they fall off the baby's hands. That string makes me smile because it reminds me of the kind of mittens I wore as a child back in the 70's.

I must admit, a lot of ice cream was eaten by yours truly during the 3 days it took to knit this set. That delicious looking yarn (Dream in Color Classy in the Petal Shower colorway) kept reminding me of Neapolitan flavored ice cream (you know, the strawberry/vanilla/chocolate mix). My sweet husband was wonderful about making me ice cream shakes every day. :)

I also have to admit that I have no book to share, making this post a poor entry for Ginny's weekly Yarn Along. What can I say... I had no time to read - I was too busy knitting and eating!!

Only 6 more weeks 'til baby comes!!

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

I'm in love with this little sweater, The Boheme, which I knitted using Madeline Tosh in their "Fragrant" colorway. You can see my Rav. notes here.

This was my first time following a lace pattern and I found the challenge surprisingly enjoyable. I learned a couple of things about my knitting personality in the process of making this:
1) I need a pattern that's interesting - no straight garter or stockinette for me. Too monotonous.
2) I really do not like purling. That may or may have to do with the fact that I'm just really slow at it. :)

I did have a bit of trouble with the lacing portion at first (read: I had to rip out 14 rows of hard work!), but thanks to YouTube, I was able to figure out my error. There are still a few mistakes in the overall sweater, but if I can live with them I'm sure the baby can, too. :) Thanks also to Ginny for helping me modify the border - I opted for a garter finish instead of the picot written into the pattern.

I found myself really drawn to this project and I spent pretty much every free moment I had working on it. I did, however, find some time to thumb through a back issue of my favorite magazine, Living Crafts.

Hop on over to Ginny's Yarn Along to see what others are knitting and reading.

Oh and because several of you have sweetly asked to see...

~My (big) bump. 31 weeks... let the countdown begin!~

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

Another knit for my sweet little girl. Oh my goodness I can't begin to convey just how much I love knitting for this little baby in my belly. I'm seriously addicted to knitting now more than ever and I can't stop myself from seeking out one adorable pattern after another! You can see my Rav. notes here.

This particular knit, The Country Kiddie, came together very quickly, which is a good thing unless you're a very hormonal pregnant woman who literally enjoys every stitch like it's a book that can't be put down. When it was all finished I actually missed working on it. Ha!

I love this project for two reasons: the colorway I chose was Lorna's Laces "Somerset", which was a lovely coincidence since that's the parish we live in here in Bermuda. The other reason is because much of this project was knitted while I sat on the beach, under an umbrella, alongside the bright blue ocean as my two sweeties played in the sand (yes, my husband enjoys the beach every bit as much as my 4 year old!). While I knitted, I thought of how perhaps someday this little sweater will warm my grandchild and how neat it is that the story of how it was made takes place on a beach in Bermuda. (Btw, pregnancy hormones -at least mine- lead to uncontrollable nostalgia.) :)

Oh and since I'm linking up to Ginny's Yarn Along, I should also mention what was being read alongside this knit. Every night before bed my husband reads a bit of poetry to the baby. She loves the sound of his voice and kicks away as he reads. It's a wonderful way for them to bond and for me to enjoy a book without reading it!

I have two other finished knits to share with you and I'll do that as soon as I photograph them.

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

I am having so much fun knitting up some soft little things for my babe!

I recently made this Milo vest using Dream In Color yarn in their "angel" colorway. You can see my Rav. notes here. There were a couple of tricky spots (hoping once I block it the waistband will shrink a bit) and once again I had to learn some new tricks (hello, cabling!), but overall I'm pleased and I think it'll look super cute on our little miss.

Since I'm linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along, I'm also sharing a book I'm reading: So That's What They're For by Janet Tamaro. This is meant to be a book with a casual and humorous perspective on breastfeeding. Over the past few months I've read quite a few "serious" books about breastfeeding and thought I'd check this one out from our local LLL library to see if there was anything funny about breastfeeding. This may be a bit TMI, but my first go at breastfeeding (with James) was anything but humorous and my inability to nurse him bothered me for years afterward (I've since come to peace with it). The book is a bit outdated (I think the last update was from 1996), but the facts haven't really changed and while it's very informative, it definitely gives a lighthearted view to something I was starting to take a little too seriously. I'm glad I read it. This time around I know I'll be successful at breastfeeding. I'm much more informed and have lots of wonderfully supportive friends surrounding me - two things I didn't have in my arsenal last time. :)

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

I just finished my first "serious" knitting project and I am super excited about it...

It's a wee little kimono for my sweet baby girl, who's due in August. I made this so it'll (hopefully) fit her in the fall/early winter.
This sweater was easier to knit than I thought it would be, but it did require me to learn no less than 8 new techniques. Before I started this project I said to myself, if I can make this - and if it actually looks like a sweater - than I can knit just about anything!

~the inside tie~

It's by no means perfect and I still need to block it, but I'm pretty proud of it. I think I may be able to call myself "advanced beginner" now! I owe a HUGE thank you to my knitting hero's online videos. With her help, I may just be able to tackle this project in the near future.

Oh and I nearly forgot! I'm linking this post up with Ginny's Yarn Along where knitters and bookworms alike come together to share their current projects and reads. I re-read You Are Your Child's First Teacher once again and loved it even more the second time around.

~Thank you for your comments!~

Yarn Along - Baby Knit

I'm *finally* joining Ginny's Yarn Along. This is a weekly blog carnival where anyone who loves reading and knitting can link up to share their current read and project. I hesitated to join the Yarn Along because I tend to delve into either reading OR knitting and I go through phases where I prefer one over the other. But then I realized that even when I'm not reading a novel, I'm always reading something, even if it's just a snippet here and there for information's sake. :)

So, here's what I'm perusing and knitting now:
The book: Nature's Playground by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield. This is a fantastic book filled with adventurous outdoor ideas and projects for kids. One of my favorite early education references.
The project: a rainbow baby blanket for our August baby. I'm knitting with some deliciously smooshy Malabrigo yarn and I'm using my own variation of this pattern.

Be sure to visit Ginny's lovely blog, Small Things, not just to join the Yarn Along, but also to read about the beautiful life she lives. Every time I finish reading her posts I feel like I just chatted with a good friend!

PS: You can find me on Ravelry under 'rockislander'.

~Thank you for your comments!~

Psstt... Guess What?!

I'm taking a step away from the norm for this blog and sharing with you some personal and wonderful news... we're expecting kiddo #2!! We are thrilled to the gills about it and can't wait to meet him or her in August!

~mama made booties just waiting for sweet little feet~

I'm now 17 weeks into my pregnancy and, aside from daily nausea and vomiting, all is going really well. My sweet husband has been SO good about nagging me making sure I'm eating enough protein and greens. Unfortunately, our little B is a picky eater and vetoes just about anything I put in my stomach. I haven't been able to gain any weight yet as a result (in fact, I've lost 10lbs.), but my OB and I are not worried. The same thing happened with James - I was sick 24/7 for the first 5 months and he still weighed in at 7lbs. 11oz.! Despite the weight loss, I'm already sporting a lil' baby bump, which I am SO excited about! With James I didn't start showing until I was 6 months along, but I did hear you pop out a bit more quickly with subsequent children.

And now that I'm in my 2nd trimester I'm feeling less tired and sore, too, which is great and makes chasing after a preschooler MUCH easier. Oh, and I've already been feeling the nesting urge! Actually, that's an understatement. I'm practically busting with the need to unpack and organize (eee!!) all of James' old baby clothes! Alas, I must restrain myself for another few weeks until we find out the gender of our little B. Yes, we will be finding out the gender... I'm just WAY too much of a planner to not find out and I think the surprise is just as wonderful if it comes sooner than later. :)

We have yet to tell James the wonderful news and we have a fun idea for how we'll tell him. Funny thing is, we have a feeling he's already aware of what's going on... he said to my husband the other day, "Well, I'm going to go sit by my mom and my sister..." (!) and when a flabbergasted me asked him, "Where's your sister?", he pointed to my stomach and said, "There!". We haven't really discussed the baby in front of James and we do not yet know the gender, so it kind of gave us chills to hear him talk about it so matter of fact! It will be SO cool if he's right and it is a girl!

Ok, enough baby talk (for now!)... you may notice me posting a bit less frequently going forward. In an effort to appease my nesting urges, I've been using most of my "free time" to knit booties and blankets for the B. :)

~Thank you for your comments!~

A Bit of Knitting

Since learning to knit this past January, I've been busy creating a variety of small things until I work up the courage to attempt something like this or these. Anyway, seeing as a few of you have very sweetly inquired about my knitting adventures, I thought I'd share what I've been up to...

I made a cute *little* bowl (seriously, this thing is just big enough for a few pairs of earrings) using a bamboo/wool mix and a pattern I found in this book. This was my first time felting a knitted project and I was quite pleased with the results.

This little bird didn't turn out as well as I hoped, but it's fine enough for our nature table and James thinks it's cute. :) I still have to needle felt in the eyes. The yarn is a beautiful handspun wool which I purchased here on Etsy. You can find the easy to follow pattern here.

Here's something I am proud to share - a little drawstring pouch. The pattern can be found in this book. This came together very quickly (just a few hours, which is quick for me anyway!), but I must note that I fingerknitted the drawstrings instead of creating an i-cord. Everyone tells me i-cords are easy to make, but I just can't get the knack of it. I'll revisit it again another day. :)

I posted here about my newest hobby, spinning yarn, and decided to make another (larger) bowl with some of the fiber. It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. Still very floppy despite my felting it. I think I needed to knit two strands together.

Lots of little fruits. I got the pattern from my favorite magazine's website, Living Crafts. The pattern itself was created by Nicole, of Frontier Dreams. I plan on making more of these so they can be used for counting, our sensory tubs and as tree ornaments.


I'm sharing the good and the bad with you and this hat definitely falls in the category of BAD. I had such high hopes for this hat! I made it for my darling husband and cast on several additional stitches to account for his large and lovable head :) but it ended up being waaaay too big - it's more like a beret! Also, this was my first attempt at creating a seed stitch, a thing which requires focus and concentration, a thing which I am not very good at.

This is my most recent project, my rainbow scarf. I LOVE it! It's super soft, super long (6.5 feet!) and just the right weight for Bermuda. I didn't follow a pattern for this, it's just straight garter stitch. I worked on it during the commute to and from Colorado and I think now it'll always remind me of that trip.

I'm getting a jump start on Christmas and so I'm currently working on a new and improved hat for my love. In this case I'm not even following a pattern (I know, how rebellious of me!) because I think hats are basic enough that you don't really need to. I've cast on a sensible number of stitches, created a bit of ribbing at the bottom and then I'm just going to knit the rest of the way. I should mention that I'm using my favorite go-to method, The Magic Loop. The yarn is Malabrigo, the softest, smooshiest and most economical wool I know of! The very manly colorway is SFO Sky.

Next on my "to make" list is a pair of socks for me (my first attempt!) and then it's on to making Christmas gifts for Paul and James.

Speaking of Christmas, I'm asking Santa if he'd be so kind as to bring me this. It's a wooden swift used for unwinding hanks of yarn into usable balls. For the moment, Paul has been very sweetly offering his hands while I wind my yarn. :)

I'd love to know what knitting adventures you've had lately - link back to your work in the comments or send me an email!

~Thank you for your comments!~