Is this thing on...?

If anyone is still reading this, I apologize for the 7 month hiatus. My excuses are many, but now I'm back.
In the past 7 months, not much has been going on in the way of my knitting. I have knit four hats and a shrug as a birthday present. I believe that is absolutely it. Although, a couple of the hats are new patterns and I hope to have pictures for you soon and patterns for you sooner than another 7 months.
Also! My cup hat won me first prize in the I (heart) my Lunette contest on FaceBook! They also asked if I might knit up a couple for the team over there. It's on my list of things to do. Along with socks for my mom's birthday, a couple hats and a shrug for various other gifts and a sweater that fits my son. And opening an etsy store. Wait, haven't I been saying that for about a year?
I'm not sure what's causing my knitting slump, but I do seem to be working back into my groove. I really hope I can come up with more fun stuff to knit and share.
As this is breaking my 7 month silence, hopefully I'll keep it up a little more. I promise pictures of the new hats, which were well used on our camping trip last weekend. Camping in Alaska in July is like winter camping somewhere where they don't actually have winters. It was still a blast!
I'm back, let's do this thing.

Crafty Holidays

Maybe I'll make it a resolution for 2010 to blog more regularly. And get crackin' on the patterns I need to post. And get an Etsy store set up.
Anyway, I've actually been doing some knitting in the past month that I haven't been blogging. I get the Knitting Daily e-mails and they had a free pattern for some knit ornaments that I thought were cute. These are just the ones I have left. I think I've knocked out about 10 of them. Quick and cute, good little gifts.
My favorite local yarn store, Far North Yarn Co, got in some new yarn, Marshmallows. I'm not a big fan of novelty yarns, but this stuff is so squishy and cool! One ball makes a scarf in about half an hour. For about $11. Can't beat that!
AND! I finished my pretty cardigan out of the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. I'm really happy with how it turned out! I finished it a couple days before Thanksgiving, but I had to enlist the kiddo to get a picture of it. I'll try to figure out some sort of pattern for this. I think it would look nice in a finer yarn, too. Experimenting to do!
He also took this fabulous picture of me sporting my Noro top. I finished that this summer, but I don't think there was ever a picture. It's just a top-down raglan with yarn-over increases. I can't remember the name of the yarn. It took two skeins and I alternated skeins every other round so the stripes would show.
So, even though I've been neglecting you, my needles are still in use. In case I don't get around to posting again in the next couple weeks (likely), I hope everyone has a lovely holiday and new year!

A Bit Personal

I have recently discovered the awesomeness that is a menstrual cup. Hey, I warned you this was personal. If you are a woman who is so lucky to deal with this on a regular basis, I highly recommend you look into one.
How is this related to knitting? Well, I was so inspired and I needed a way to bring it up in conversation...It's my new religion. Have you heard the good news?
Pattern soon, for the 2 other people who knit and use cups...

Step One

Friends, I have a problem. My problem is procrastination. I do believe I've had it most of my life.
But, I finally got around to posting the pattern for that baby cardi! Woo! It's at the expense of some current projects, but, hey, those don't involve getting a free pattern to my readership.
It recently started getting a little chilly, as I mentioned before. I took this picture a couple weeks ago. It was sunny and gorgeous in most of the city, then right at the edge, dark clouds and snow creeping down the mountains.
The past few days are giving me hope for a longer fall, because summer is definitely over here. I can hope there won't be snow for trick-or-treating, though.
The chill in the air got me furiously knitting that Alpaca Silk cardigan and I knit most of a wearable garment in about 4 days. Sounds quick, but it's on size 10 needles, I'm a cheater like that. The plan is to make a wide band that is the finishing around the fronts and neckline. That's the killer. I've managed to get about 10 inches knit in two weeks. It's a pretty cable pattern, but not so difficult that I shouldn't be completely done by now and wearing that thing out in the pretty fall weather.
I just decided to start knitting something else instead! I'm tentatively working on a stash of items for a local eco-chic boutique, scarves, hats, simple things like that. Thing is, the first scarf I made, I ran out of yarn half-way through the bind-off. Seriously. And it's knit lengthwise, so I can't just undo a row. So, I'm having a glass of wine and blogging.
That, dear friends, is why you have the cardi pattern now. The shame.
Usually it's the finishing that kills me. I promise that most, if not all, of my patterns will have the least finishing humanly possible, for myself and you. That cute leaf purse I made for my friend (should I make a pattern for that one?) nearly killed me. It was absolute torture sewing the lining to the outer. I had two inches left of whip-stitching, no problem, and it took every bit of my willpower to finish it instead of cleaning the bathroom or going for a bike ride. Anything but finishing, in both senses.
That's my rant on procrastination. I'm going to go finish my wine and probably watch a movie. I don't feel guilty!
Here's my favorite recent picture. A very small 40 year old yuppie in the back seat of my car:

Lillie Baby Cardigan - Free Pattern!

Edited Jan 2011: I added stitch count and hopefully clarified the sleeve/body transition.
Here it is! This sweet little baby cardi is exactly how I envisioned it. I'm disappointed I can't offer a picture of it on a sweet baby yet, but I'm working on that. I made a few adjustments from the original blue one, barely noticeable, but more structurally sound and appealing. The final pattern is the three button version pictured in orange. It is worked top down seamlessly (because, really, who likes sewing seams?) and uses only 4 basic stitches! If you need, Knitty has a great stitch index.
In all versions, I used Berroco Comfort because it's very soft, machine washable and dryable, inexpensive, comes in MANY colors, and one skein is enough. I imagine it would be adorable with ribbon yarn and the pattern would work just fine with any similar weight yarn.
Happy knitting for a little one in your life!

Size 0-3 months

What you'll need:

Approximately 200 yd/190m worsted-heavy worsted yarn
Size 9 (5.5mm) needles, one set of straight or a circular and a set of DPNs or a long circular for magic loop
Stitch markers
Scrap yarn
Yarn needle
Three buttons, one-half to one inch size

Gauge: 17 sts and 24 rows in 4 inches flat stockinette

Neck and Sleeve Shaping:
Using straight or circular needle, cast on 44 sts
Rows 1-3: K all sts
Row 4: K9, PM, K6, PM, K14, PM, K6, PM, K9
Row 5 (Right Side): K2, YO, K2tog, *K to 1 st before next marker, YO, K1, Sl M, K1, YO, repeat from * to end [52 sts]
Row 6 (Wrong Side) and all even rows through 24: K4, P to last 4 sts, K4
Rows 7, 9 and 11: *K to one st before marker, YO, K1, Sl M, K1, YO, repeat from * to end [Row 7 - 60 sts, Row 9 - 68 sts, Row 11 - 76 sts]
Row 13: Work as for row 5 (button hole row) [84 sts]
Rows 15, 17 and 19: Work as for rows 7, 9 and 11 [Row 15 - 92 sts, Row 17 - 100 sts, Row 19 - 108 sts]
Row 21: Work as for row 5 [116 sts]
Row 23: K all sts
Row 25: (remove all stitch markers as you get to them) K18, transfer next 24 sts to scrap yarn, K32, transfer next 24 sts to scrap yarn, K18 [68 sts on needles, 24 sts for each sleeve on scrap]
Row 26 (Wrong Side): K all sts, joining under-arms

Body:
The rest of the body is worked in a modified feather and fan pattern with edging worked in:

Pattern Row 1 (RS): K all sts
Pattern Row 2 (WS): K4, P to last 4 sts, K4
Pattern Row 3 (RS): K4 *[K2tog] twice, [YO, K1] four times, [K2tog] twice, repeat from * to last 4 sts, K4
Pattern Row 4 (WS): K all sts

Repeat these 4 rows ten times, less for a cropped version, more for a duster.
When desired length is reached, K 2 rows and BO loosely.

Sleeve:
Remove 24 sts from scrap yarn and divide evenly over DPNs or longer circular for magic loop.
Begin knitting at underarm.
Sleeve rounds 1-15: K all sts
Rnd 16: P all sts
Work feather and fan in the round (below) three times
Knit one rnd, purl one rnd, BO loosely.

Feather and fan pattern in the round:

Rnds 1 & 2: K all sts
Rnd 3: *[K2tog] twice, [YO, K1] four times, [K2tog] twice
Rnd 4: P all sts

Weave in all loose ends. Attach buttons. DONE!

As usual, if you notice any errors in this pattern or have any questions, please contact me!

It's in the Air

Okay, so maybe you can't feel it yet except here, but there's definitely a chill in the air. In fact, on my way to work this morning, I did spy some snow on the mountains. UGH! I'm not ready for winter yet! Although it has kicked my knitting butt into gear. I've knit another lace leaf beret and started on a cardigan. I don't have pictures yet, but the cardi is being made in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk in a pretty muted teal. I managed to get a good deal on Ebay a while back...like two years ago. And I'm trying so desperately not to buy new yarn. My friend in Seattle says her yarn storage is now a display case in her living room and it helps immensely with the buying urge. I really should do that.
So, I've been meaning to post in the last couple weeks, but there's always something.
I took the kiddo to the State Fair on Labor Day, just the two of us, and we had a pretty good time. Sometimes his fearlessness worries me. He was completely unfazed:
And I have to show this picture because it cracks me up. How much ice cream can you cram in your face?
Also, he is now four. F-o-u-r. It's mind-blowing. We had a little birthday dinner at my mom's house on the day of, and had planned for a party on Saturday with some kids. Unfortunately there's a nasty bug going around, and in the last 8 days, the three in my house and at least one extended family member have gotten to see some graphic examples of digestion.
The good part is, he had it the easiest and was not entirely turned off of food.
Leaving on a happy note, before the weather really turned icky, and before we all got sick, there was some beautiful sun, a good bike ride and a harvesting of herbs.

The Play-by-Play

So, I'm home. It's nice to be home, not so nice to be back to work and maddening that I completely missed the BABY!
My dear friend in Colorado had a baby due on the 24th of August and I got in on the 25th. I was so excited she hadn't hatched yet and thrilled at the possibility of being there for the birth. Alas, when I left on the 31st (in the evening, no less) still no baby.
I did get to give her the orange baby cardi with the pretty heart buttons and finished a second while i was there, blue with little seashell buttons (no pics of that one). Working on a third, purple with flower buttons. Baby stuff is so fast and easy! And I think I've finalized the pattern, so I may post it tomorrow or this weekend.
Here's the baby wearing the orange cardi:
If you need some perspective on what 41 weeks pregnant looks like, there's this one!
After we (the kiddo and I) left Colorado, we spent a couple days in Seattle before heading back home. I got to visit with a few friends and we stayed with our Oma.
Oma is the grandmother name we gave to my other mother, my mom's partner through my childhood. She moved to Seattle in 2001 and we try to get down to visit at least once a year.
So, yesterday morning around 5am, I think, my phone rings and it's Colorado calling to tell me they're on the way to the hospital (only because there were no birth center type places...don't get me started!) and another call around 10 to let me know the baby was born. I'm so happy for them, but bummed I didn't get to meet her on the outside.
Bummed was made a little better by getting to visit my Seattle friends, one in particular. She is also a knitter and she told me her favorite yarn store and I managed to get a quick trip in before we caught the plane last night!
So, that's about it for my trip, not very productive, but that's the way I like my vacation.
Then I had to come home and revive my plants that hadn't been watered and pick some burst tomatoes off the vine. I'm heading up to the big garden tomorrow and hoping at least a few things have survived my absence. Wish me luck!
Bonus picture, a rare shot of the four of us, almost five!