Not knitting - what was i thinking !!

My apologies to every knitter out there. I have not knit in over two weeks. I started my cranberry colored sweater and have only 16 rows. I just have not been able to do anything. I mean literally anything. I am 8 weeks pregnant and all I can do is throw up and sleep. Ok ok so I do cook, clean, watch the toddler, and other general day to day stuff but that is it. I have no energy for anything recreational. I try to leave the house and all I can think about is being nauseous. The funny thing it that this is not nearly as bad as it was with my first. I just am not enjoying it. I feel good enough to function but not well enough to enjoy anything. My family comes in next Tuesday so I'll miss SnB for my 3rd week in a row. This means that I am no doubt coming after Thanksgiving. Even if it's only for a few minutes to catch up. Ok. Local Houston knitters ? If you had to choose which would be your favorite lys ? Post me a comment. I have been to Nancy's and Y2E but I feel that something was lacking. Or maybe I just enjoy internet shopping to much.

Boot Sock Update

Well, I finished the back of the matching little girl sweater and I am 1/3 finished with the front. I did finish the first crochet boot sock. It is HUGE. I took a picture of it on my husbands feet to show that it is close to the same size as his foot. When I finish number 2 we'll see how he likes it. I ordered stuff from Patternworks, KnitPiks and YarnMarket. I am hoping it arrives either tomorrow or Friday.

I bought a project for making my first pullover for myself.
https://www.knitpicks.com/books/books_display.aspx?itemid=50374

I also bought what I needed to make a coat. It's not my favorite but it has lots of good things to learn about. (buttons, pockets)
http://www.patternworks.com/PWShopping/partsview.asp?action=lookup&partno=800319

I then bought yarn to make some hats for my husband which will have a cable in it. Yeah !!

FYI I am using the same not so great yarn for the baby sweater because I had already bought it and I didn't have the time or freedom to get new. Also, this way the sweaters will match perfectly.

Doll Sweater Finished

Well, I have not had a chance to post in almost two weeks. Yikes !! In that time much has happened. I finished the doll sweater. I made some modifications so that it would fit a Cabbage Patch Baby Doll. I did make the sleeves come out to the dolls hands so that her arms can bend and it won't tug on the sweater. I am going to try to put together that list I see on other blogs with all my project details so here goes.




Pattern: Preppy Placket Pullover from Knits for Girls & Dolls by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Lion Brand Micro Spun French Vanilla and Mocha
Needles: Size 8 and Size 5
Modifications: I shortened the sleeves to fit this doll. I also accidentally switched the locations of the buttonhole band and the button band. (oops)
Comments:
1. The directions ask you to knit for a certain number of inches from the cast on edge. I found that this number is not consistent with the finished dimensions listed at the start of the pattern. Therefore, I had to check the fit on the doll and made the size to match the doll. I will do the same when I make the sweater in the girl size.
2. The method used for creating the buttonhole band seems to look sloppy. I have not put on the buttons yet but I will to see if it makes a difference. It may be me but I think that on my girl sweater I'll change the way that its created to get a sharper look.
3. This yarn seemed to have a tendency to split easily. I will have to see how it works out on the larger size.

Current Projects:
I am in the process of crocheting a set of boot socks for my husband and I just wanted to say that I feel these things are HUGE! I constantly try them on him and they are the right size. I guess he has a big foot. I'll take a picture of them on his foot for my next post.

I have also started on the girl sweater and it is going GOOD. I love the needles I am using. I wonder what kind they are. I prefer them even to the bamboo needles. Maybe I'll ask at the SnB meeting. They were free needles from our stranger and I LOVE them. Did I say that already ? I think they may be silvalume or addi ? Maybe they are just plain ordinary needles ?

Personal Stuff:
Both husband and baby are sick. This means more work for me and I am already so tired. Plus it's like waiting for the apocalypse. I know I'll get sick it's just a matter of when. Yuck. I think I'll invest a little time in to the baby sweater. I want about 9 inches from the cast on edge before I start the arm hole.

Pooh clothes

Well, I finally took a picture of Pooh in his shirt. I say shirt because I have not officially added the sleeves as detailed in the pattern. I think I might wait until the weather is a little colder before I put him in long sleeves. I have also placed Pooh in an appropriate location for Monkee. He he.

I am now ready for my next crochet project socks or filet crochet. What to do what to do. The filet crochet uses a chart (my first) Yeah !! Or the socks (my first) yeah ??? I guess I should first finish my doll sweater because I am DYING to start on larger sweater projects for the family but I need to iron out the kinks on this mini sweater before I start. I also crave the idea of working on a cable sweater. Laura's looks awesome and I really want to do one. I should start a list of the things I am dying to do. My problem is that I lack more time.

For instance, I had a sitter for today so I felt guilty not working. So I have to work this afternoon. But, now I wish I had just dropped the baby at the sitters and then stayed home to knit. I think I have some guilt about getting out of the house. I should have just met Meghan at a coffee shop and knitted. That way I can do both, knit and get out of the house. Next Friday perhaps.

Winnie the Pooh Finished

Well, I finally finished my Winnie the Pooh. It took more polyfill then I anticipated. At least three bags worth. I think that if someone else is crocheting Pooh then they need to make sure to email Leisure Arts for assistance. Also, once you have attached the arms and are doing the rounds for the head, the instructions are easy to understand and attaching the muzzle and ears is simple. I do have a problem with the facial features. I think that there should be a better way to describe exactly where the eyebrows go. Poor eyebrows make my Pooh look like an early version of Pooh rather than a commercial version. I equate it to early Mickey Mouse verse current Mickey Mouse image.

I also did the body of his sweater. SUPER easy compared to assembling Pooh. I started his sweater in the wrong gauge. I used the same gauge as the one I used for Pooh which is wrong. I changed to a larger needle and did the gauge swatch which made for a much better looking sweater. I did crochet it loosely though because I was concerned about it fitting. I have not added the sleeves but I like the sweater the way it is now. I'll think about the sleeves.

No new progress on the doll sweater. I am stuck on creating the placket. The directions are not detailed enough for me. I need to pick up 13 stitches but I only have about 9 to actually draw from. I'll have to get on the internet and search for ways to pick up more than one stitch per end row.

Doll Sweater Design

Well, I sewed the shoulders together on my doll sweater and finished one sleeve. However, the sleeve is REALLY long. I followed the pattern exactly and the length of the sleeve is as described in the pattern but it just seems long for a 16" doll. It may be that the body of the sweater is currently smaller than listed in the pattern. I am going to put the neck edging on first and see how that looks. If the sweater is still small I'll put it on my daughter's doll and rip out the sleeve and shrink it down to a better size for her doll. The great thing is that I learned my lesson on checking the length of arms etc. for whoever I am knitting the sweater for. Luckily this is my first sweater on a small scale so I can work out these learning kinks.

Surprise

Well, I finished the front of the doll sweater. I think I might have miscounted the number of sts I had to bind off as part of the neck. We'll see when I add the collar. I need to sew the seams together of the shoulders before starting on the arms. I have never sewed seams together so I am a little nervous about doing it right. Practice makes perfect and that's why I am starting with the doll sweater and working my way up.

The surprise came today when I decided to sit down and attach Pooh's muzzle. I was surprised that it went on very smoothly. It's nice to be able to do some rows that work out so well. I need to put some stuffing in him and then I'll put a few pics of Pooh with his face on the website. I had ordered the Thread crochet book for making a smaller Pooh. I am curious to see how those instructions compare. The book is also by Leisure Arts.