Life With The Crew

Getting Ready for Winter - Winter Knits for Sale!

Hi Everybody!  Today I am sharing a joint project of myself and my daughter.  My daughter is now 7 years old and has grand plans for a pony of her own.  I told her that I would knit some items and any money we make can go towards her "pony fund".  Her part was to take the photographs of the finished projects.  So here they are.  I have a colorwork hat in a snowflake pattern and a scarf in an eyelet lace pattern.  Both are knitted with KnitPicks EcoWool which is undyed naturally colored wool.  The white is a creamy warm white and the gray has a slight heathered appearance to it.  (No, there is nothing wrong with your eyes or computer - the photographer is still working on her holding-still-while-pressing-the-button skills.)

The hat fits somewhat loosely on my roughly 22" diameter head (measured on middle of forehead).  The scarf is not very long - it wraps around my neck once and would tuck under a coat neck nicely without being too bulky.  Both are 100% wool, so do need to be hand washed.  We are a smoke free home (except for woodstove smoke).  

Please contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in purchasing one or both.  Both the hat and scarf are $30 each and buyer pays shipping.  

Happy Weekend!

 

A Mini Meow for Monday

 

This is the Mini Meow by Claire Slade, with some changes.  The little babe wanted 3/4 length sleeves and I decided to try something new and make them a little "puffy".  The picture is taken before being blocked, so it is a little rumply.  I used a 100% wool instead of the Knit Picks Wonderfluff that the pattern called for, so my version is bulkier.  The color choice was chosen by the pink princess - "perfect" is her word for it, "gaudy" is my word.  This is the first sweater that I have knitted that involves seaming the sides together and then picking up the sleeves around the shoulders.  I do not like it.  I don't like how the sleeves attach; it is too broken up and disjointed.  However, it was not intended to be a frilly sweater, but a sturdy one for Autumn adventures and cold Winter mornings.  My little kitten declared it itchy, but when it is worn over long sleeves as intended, it will do.

And So It Is August

And so it is August!  The garden is producing, the cicadas are singing, the grass is browning, and we are back in the swing of things after vacation.  We had a fantastic time in Maine, as always.  The lake house is our happy home away from home.  When we returned home, things were good.  The garden survived, the pets were happy to see us.  But then this week, our cat Chickpea started going downhill.  He had been losing weight over the past several months and his stomach had been looking distended.  We decided on Thursday that it was time and so our wonderful vet came to the house and put Chickpea to sleep as he laid beside me on the floor.  Then we hacked back the weeds in the pet cemetery under the hot August sun, tried to remember what pet was buried where, and then my husband started to dig, hoping that it would only be chicken bones if he did find something.  We were in luck (no bones at all).  The little babe found a pretty piece of cloth to put in with Chickpea.  I wouldn't be honest if I didn't admit that the cat drove me crazy.  I cursed him almost every day for the past couple of years.  He was slightly neurotic and had bad bathroom habits - he would not pee in the litterbox, but on a pee pad beside it and then sometimes didn't hit that - but he was a friendly cat who kept to himself with the exception that he would greet me in the bathroom if I got up in the middle of the night.  Without fail, there would be Chickpea purring and seeking a couple minutes of love.

So now we are a "normal" household with only one cat, though we do still have the four dogs, one indoor very fluffy rabbit, chickens, and one horse.  It is strange to only have one cat and I think he is a bit glum and out of sorts now.  The rabbit would be friends with him, but he is afraid of her I think and runs as quickly past as possible.  

On another animal related note, we have been viewing a Sandhill Crane in a marshy cornfield on our way to the barn.  I also think there is a Glossy Ibis, though I am not so certain about this.  The crane is definitely recognizable with the red on its head.  If you are unfamiliar with them, check out this link.  

During vacation, I finished the knitting project that has been on my needles for over two months (a long time for me).  It is the Alanis Sweater by Elizabeth Smith.  I used DK weight yarn (Quince & Co Chickadee) instead of worsted so that it is more 3 season friendly.  It was not my favorite knit; I just couldn't get in a groove with it.  I wanted it done, because it is a practical addition to my wardrobe, but I think the lighter weight yarn just felt like it was too slow going for me.  The neckline is not perfect and it is different from the pattern.  I had a difficult time with the short rows and couldn't get it to look right, so I went my own way.  It works.

I now have nothing on the needles, no yarn in my stash that is calling my name.  We'll see where the knitting spirit leads me!  In the meantime, the garden is keeping me busy and I have a painting project - there is always something to do.

 

A Sweater for Me in May

I have been working on this cardigan for two months, which for me is a long time.  I have frogged different parts of it multiple times, I had a yarn color issue on my first attempt, realized I wanted a cardigan, not a pullover, and the large amount of colorwork meant it was slow going.  But it is now finally done.  It is not perfect, but it will do.  The sizing is off - I wish the chest and yoke were bigger - the armpits are a bit tighter than I like.  I did want the length to be cropped, but I realized that I am not really a cropped cardigan kind of gal; my back feels drafty.  

The cardigan is a very modified version of Helene Magnusson's Hjaltlandspeysa.  Once I realized I wanted a cardigan, I had to figure out how to do it without steeking - I'm just not ready for that yet.  So I used her charts for the snowflake and tree colorwork pattern and sort of followed her sizing.  The yarn is Quince & Co's Lark, which is a 100% wool.  It does not have any drape, so it is a very different feel from the alpaca/wool that I normally go with.

Luckily (?), it is still cool enough here in Pennsylvania that I can wear a wool sweater in May.  The temps are heating up though, so I got it done just in time.  If there are any knitters out there that have not tried colorwork yet, but have wanted to try it, go ahead and give it a whirl!  It is fun to see the pattern emerge from one little stitch at a time.

A Bright Yellow "Chickadee" Shawl for Sale

My knitted item stack is getting pretty high in my closet and I would like to find a new home for some items.  I made this shawl with Quince & Co.'s 100% wool Chickadee yarn in a pretty butter yellow.  It is a small shawl, it works well worn bandana style around the neck.  The measurements are about 46" across and about 20" from the top to bottom point.  There are four "stripes" across the bottom.  While it is wool, it is a soft DK weight yarn, and it is slightly stretchy and a good medium weight for Spring and Fall.  It has been lightly worn.  There are no stains or tears.  We are a smoke free home.  

Asking $15 plus shipping.  Please email me at [email protected] if interested.

A Spring Sweater for Sale

This open front cardigan is knit with 100% alpaca in a lovely moss green color - just the color for Spring!  It has the feather and fan lace pattern on the cuffs and hem.  The sleeves are 3/4 length with a slight bell shape.  I knit the light worsted weight alpaca on size 10 1/2 needles, so it is an open stockinette stitch (note that you can see the stripes of my shirt through it).  The front of the cardigan drapes to the sides.  For sizing, I am about 120 lbs, 5'5" with a size 34B bust.  The cardigan fits comfortably on my arms with a form fitting shirt underneath.  It would probably be a size Small, but on the smaller side of small!  It would fit a petite person with a smaller bust very nicely.

If you are interested in purchasing it or have any questions about it, please email me at l[email protected].  The price is $60 plus shipping.

Something Sweet for a Sweet Little Babe

The Clementine Hoodie is my latest knitting project, which will be given as a gift by my mother-in-law.  It is made with Quince & Co's 100% wool Lark in the Pomegranate color.  

The hood is worked in a feather and fan lace pattern, which is a great beginner's lace pattern.  There is only one "lace" row in the four row pattern.  The hardest part of the sweater was picking up the right number of stitches for the button band.  First time I picked up too little and the hood was pinched; the second time I think I picked up a smidge too many, but I went with it.  With each project I learn something new and with this one it was how to make a larger buttonhole with a double yarn over.  Nothing tricky; just something I had not done before.  

Hopefully it will keep the sweet little babe pretty in pink and warm and cozy.

Eyelet Toddler Bonnet for Sale

Hi Folks, here is my latest bonnet for sale.  It is knitted with O-Wool's Classic Worsted in the "hemlock" color.  It is darker than a mint green, but softer than a sage green.  Let's call it a gender neutral soft blue/green.  (The outdoor photos show the color more accurately.)

This bonnet would fit a range of toddlers.  My six year old daughter has a small head and as you can see, this fits her, but it is slightly stretched.  The front diameter around the face is 16".  From the nape of neck to top point is ~8".  From the nape of neck to the tie under the chin on either side is 5 1/2".  From point of hat to front edge is ~8".  Knit with a worsted weight yarn, it is a warm and substantial bonnet, but the eyelets make it not so "solid".  Bonnets make great gifts - every toddler needs to keep those little precious ears warm!

The bonnet is $20 plus shipping from Pennsylvania.  Please email me at [email protected] if interested.  

If you are looking for a bonnet to fit a 5/6 year old child with more wiggle room, I still have this bonnet for sale.

 

Cabled Owl Sweater Looking for A New Nest

My daughter has outgrown this cabled owl sweater that I made for her and I would love for it to go to another good home.  It is knitted with O-Wool's Worsted, which is an organic 100% wool yarn.  It is a warm and substantial sweater that shows some pilling from general wear, but would still keep a little girl warm and toasty.

Dimensions:  12" from the center of neck to bottom hem.  14" from shoulder to wrist hem.  10" from arm pit to wrist.  Bottom hem around is about 29".  Chest measurement when is buttoned is about 12" across front and 13" across back.  There are no stains or tears, just some pilling from normal wear.  We are a smoke free home.  My petite daughter wore it from the time she was 3 to 5 years old.  Asking $15. 

Please email me at [email protected]

 

Naturally Warm and Cozy

I will begin this post by saying that I am not a model, I am a knitter.  I will also disclose that my photographer is six years old, so please excuse any blurriness or odd angled shots.  With that said, let me introduce my latest shawl for sale.

This shawl is knit with Quince & Co's Owl yarn, a 50/50 blend of wool and alpaca.  It is an undyed naturally colored yarn - the "Tyto" colorway.  The yarn has more texture than 100% wool - it is soft with a slight halo that I love.  Knit up in the "branching lace" pattern with a garter stitch edge, it makes a perfect shawl to squish up around your neck with a coat or to drape around your shoulders with a pretty shawl pin.  The shawl is 5 feet wide and from the center of the top to bottom is about 23".  The top is flat and the bottom is slightly rounded.

This shawl is for sale for $75.  It is brand new, straight off the needles and washed with Twig & Horn's Wool Soap.  We are a smoke free home.  Please contact me at [email protected] if interested.