The Last Layette for Knitwits- #63

 This is a bittersweet post. I have made the last layette set for KnitWits. I'm done. I joined KnitWits in 2007, about a year after I'd closed my needle craft shop. I remember my first project. I knit a blanket using 2 strands of yarn-one red and one white- from my stash. I used the infamous Beginner Diamond Dishcloth pattern that just about every knitter learns about at one time or another. It's been around forever. It originally was a free pattern put out by a yarn company that came on the back of the label. If you use size 10 or 11 needles and knit with 2 strands of worsted weight yarn, it makes a cute baby blanket.

I'm going to miss having the group so much, but I also see knitting projects for me and my family in my future too. I've already got the patterns and yarn and I'm getting excited about it. But first, here's Layette Set #63.

Cardigan

Pattern: Little Coffee Bean Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith
Size: 6 months

Yarn: Loop and Threads Impeccable Glitter
Content: 97% Acrylic/3% Metallic, worsted weight
Color: 12310 Ultra Violet

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Parakeet

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 9780 Robins egg

Needles: Circular size 7 and 8

Started: October 12, 2023
Finished: October 25, 2023

Comments: I've used this pattern before. It's just been awhile. Instead of following the stripe pattern that's in the pattern, I decided to do something different. I found a Random Stripe Generator online. I fed in the 3 colors of yarn I'd chosen and the parameters of stripe size, 1-3 rows, and used that for the stripe pattern in this little sweater, which turned out to be rather fun! 

I did switch colors on 2 of the stripes in the middle to make carrying the yarns up the side a little easier. I love the result!

I was seriously lacking in fun buttons in my stash, so I settled for these basic pale purple ones. I just wasn't willing to drive into Coeur d'Alene for some buttons. It doesn't show much in these pictures, but the dark purple yarn has a shiny metallic purple thread in it.

Hat

Pattern: Baby Hat by Scarlet Taylor

Size: 6 months

Yarn: Loop and Threads Impeccable Glitter
Content: 97% Acrylic/3% Metallic, worsted weight
Color: 12310 Ultra Violet

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Parakeet

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: 9780 Robins egg

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: October 26, 2023
Finished: October 28, 2023

Comments: This was an interesting knit. It was a little confusing the way it's written, but it's a free pattern, so you get what you pay for. I put a pompom on top of it. I used the Clover pompom maker. I think it's an awesome tool.

 

I made cords at the end of the earflaps so it can be tied on under babies little chin.

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 6 months

Yarn: Loop and Threads Impeccable Glitter
Content: 97% Acrylic/3% Metallic, worsted weight
Color: 12310 Ultra Violet

Needle Size: Circular 7

Started: October 29, 2023
Finished: October 29, 2023

They're knit as written in the pattern. No modifications, except the buttons behind the tassels.

Blanket

Pattern: Shell stitch

Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Loop and Threads Impeccable Glitter
Content: 97% Acrylic/3% Metallic, worsted weight
Color: 12310 Ultra Violet

Hook: Size G

Started: October 30, 2023
Finished: October 30, 2023

I hope the parents who receive this for their baby like it.

For the last few months it's been a real struggle doing my blog posts, or anything else I've done with my laptop. It became difficult to highlight and copy or cut something with my mouse. I, of course, assumed it was my own fault. Well, I was super frustrated the other day when I was trying to cut and paste and it just wouldn't work. I decided maybe it was an out-of-date driver, but there was no update. My husband, who can hear me muttering and exclaiming in frustration, asked to see my mouse. The left button was broken! My new mouse arrived today. Yay! 

It's not purple. It is pink. The model I purchased didn't come in purple. Function was more important than color this time.

I bought a Logitech mouse, Model M650. It's so nice. Smooth and quiet and actually does what I want it too. I am very happy with it. 

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #62

Another set for KnitWits. 

Cardigan

Pattern: Baby Striped Hoodie by Me (Not available)

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Carons Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Robins Egg

Yarn: Main Street Yarns Shiny + Soft

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Deep Purple

Yarn: Unknown Metallic Yarn
Content: Acrylic with Metallic thread worsted weight
Color: Teal

Needles: Circular size 6 and 7

Started: September 12, 2023
Finished: September 26, 2023

Comments: Glad it's done. I've written down lots of notes on this in the hopes I can write it up and reproduce it.

The buttons are just plain pale green.

I am very proud of the hood. I figured out how to pick up stitches along the neck edge and knit it from the bottom up. Doing it this way just gave me one seam, which I joined with the 3-needle bind off on top.

All the edge borders are done in Seed stitch.

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Main Street Yarns Shiny + Soft

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Deep Purple

Needle Size: Circular 7

Started: September 27, 2023
Finished: September 28, 2023

They're knit as written in the pattern. No modifications, except the buttons instead of tassels.

The Blanket

Pattern: Shell stitch

Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Carons Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Robins Egg

Yarn: Main Street Yarns Shiny + Soft

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Deep Purple

Hook: Size G

Started: October 3, 2023
Finished: October 3, 2023

This fabric features very cute Narwhals, considered the Unicorns of the sea. They are a real animal in the ocean. Their horns are actually a front tooth, which I find fascinating.

I thought this was going to be the last set for KnitWits, but it turned out I had a whole yard of the blanket fleece. I get two blankets from one yard, so one more to go. 

KnitWits last meeting will be in November. It will feel so weird not doing it anymore after that. I joined the group in February 2007, I think. Might have been March, but definitely in 2007.  All I had at home with me was my dogs and cats. It had been over a year since I'd closed my store and I was longing for human contact during the day. 

When I joined there were over 70 members. We supplied much needed clothing and blankets for about 14 different organizations, and our output was over 2000 items a year. Sometime along the way, I was put in charge of the fair entries for the group. It was a pretty big job at the time. I remember taking 6 huge plastic boxes full to enter that first time. Then the gal who was doing the monthly newsletter had to stop coming so I volunteered to do it for awhile.

I'm going to miss it a lot, and now I'm going to have to figure out what I'm going to knit.

Our weather has been nice the last couple weeks. Just a tad cool most days, but it's going to be in the 70's this weekend. Everything with leaves are changing color. Autumn is in full swing.

Winter is coming.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #61 for KnitWits

 This is the second to the last layette set I'll be making for KnitWits. I'll be making one more and that will be it because we are in great need of adult hats, so I'll be going into hat mode. Here's set number 61.

Hoodie Cardigan

Pattern: Bee Hoodie by Me (Not available)

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Saffron

Needles: Circular size 6 and 7

Started: August 15, 2023
Finished: September 6, 2023

Comments: Glad it's done. I do like that shade of yellow.

I decided to do the hood striped. I love it! It's so darn cute!

I love the way the stripes meet on the center back seam too.

Of course, I had to go to Joann's and get another package of bee buttons. Got the last one.

There are two shades of yellow, though the difference doesn't show much in the photos.

This is how the back looks when all put together.

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: September 3, 2023
Finished: September 3, 2023

Comments: I made a whole pair in one day. Took about 4 hours.

Thought I'd post a pic of what the soles look like. You start with Judy's Magic Cast On which makes it look seamless.

The Blanket

Pattern: Shell stitch

Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Hook: Size G

Started: September 4, 2023
Finished: September 4, 2023

Well, I'm done with the bee fabric. Next one will be Narwhales. I have half a yard to use up.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set No. 60

A couple of months or so ago I was at Joann's looking for something (I forget what) and came across some bee buttons. They were so cute I had to get them. Well, then I need fleece with bees on it, and some yellow and black yarn. I made The Bee Set.

The Hoody

Pattern: Bee Hoody by Me (Not available)

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Yarn: Red Heart Classic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Saffron

Needles: Circular size 6 and 7

Started: June 5, 2023
Finished: July 22, 20223

Comments: I wanted to make a cardigan with a hood, instead of the usual cardigan and matching hat. I watched the bees visiting my flowers in the yard to get an idea for the stripes. We have at least a dozen different bee species living around here, from very large to very tiny. Some are very aggressive, and others don't even have stingers. It's fun watching them buzzing around gathering nectar and pollen.

The buttons that started it all.

I put a couple antennae on top. Just a couple i-cords sewed on. I wish I had a model to put this on. You could see the antennae better.

The Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Size: 6 months

Needles: Circular size 7

Started: July 24, 2023
Finished: July 27, 20223

Comments: I actually knit this as the pattern is written. I had 2 buttons left over from the cardigan, so I put them on the booties instead of tassels.

The Blanket

Pattern: Shell Stitch Edging

Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Black

Hook: Size G

Started: July 1, 2023
Finished: July 1, 2023

I like how it came out. I plan to write the pattern for the hoody.

Fire season has begun. One started east of us yesterday near Hayden Creek. Today two fires have started in Post Falls on the south side of Spokane River, and one started in Coeur d' Alene near 4th and I-90. There's also one that started a few days ago just a bit northwest of us. Authorities are speculating there might be an arsonist running around setting them because we haven't had any natural events, like lightening, to start them. It's pretty scary. I hope they don't decide to start one on the Parkarosa. It's super dry and it's been in the 90's all week. Doesn't take much for a fire to get out of control in these conditions.

A fire started in Rathdrum last Sunday in the brush beside the railroad tracks behind Bi-Mart. We drove by it just as it had started and I could not believe how fast that fire grew. Fortunately, people immediately started running toward it and worked to put it out. The fire department showed up very quickly and it was dead within a couple hours.

Which reminds me, we had a small structure fire in Lakeland High School yesterday too. I've never seen so many firemen in one place before (they were all gathered in the parking lot). They got it out quickly. I guess it was started by faulty equipment or something of that nature.

My biggest fear is a fire starting on our place. We have rain in our forecast for the weekend. I hope it happens cuz we really need it. We could do with a day or two of cooler air too. 

I worked on the new cross stitch, Flamingos, all week. On Sunday I worked on it for a few hours, only to discover I'd used the wrong shade of pink. There are two symbols: \ and /. I didn't notice and did both symbols in one pink. Took me just as long to frog as it took to stitch it in the first place. I have now colored all the squares with one of the slant lines in pink colored pencil so I can tell them apart. There's two other similar symbols, < and >. I should color one of those too.

Now I was worried I wouldn't have enough of that pink because it was so hard to get it out without it shredding and they only give so much in a kit, so I hauled myself to Joann's and found the matching DMC color. Yay! Now I've got a whole skein of it, so no worries.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #59 for KnitWits

 I have 4 finished projects to share, 3 knit and 1 beaded. I'll spread the posts out rather than doing them all in one post. Today is Layette set 59 for KnitWits. I love the way this set turned out. It's so cheerful. I've used the last piece of fleece with the bathing duckling.

Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight 
Color: PaleYellow

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bright Pink

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Pink

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 30, 2023
Finished: May 12, 20223

Comments: I decided to use the Super Natural Stripes pattern again, but I put two buttons on it just for funs. Here's the back side. Not much to see.

These are the buttons I ended up using. Not what I wanted, but it's what I could find in the stash

The Hat

Pattern: My own pattern.

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight 
Color: PaleYellow

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bright Pink

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Pink

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: May 13, 2023

Finished: May 19, 20223

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight 
Color: PaleYellow

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bright Pink

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Light Pink

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: May 8, 2023

Finished: May 11, 20223

Comments: I made modifications to this pattern, as usual. I put in an eyelet row for the tie, ribbing, and a garter stitch cuff. This is the way I usually make it.

Blanket

Pattern: The usual Shell stitch.
Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Big Twist Value by Joann's
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight 
Color: PaleYellow

Yarn: Unknown Acrylic
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bright Pink

Hook: Size G

Started: May 6, 2023

Completed: May 7, 2023

Enough of that.

Lovely weather this week, and the pine pollen has gone away so I've been enjoying the deck. I've taken to having my morning coffee out there while reading a book. 

A couple days ago I finished the book The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American by Andrew L. Seidel. It was a very educational and interesting book with a lot of very good evidence to support the title. I've always known that it's a lie that our country was founded on Christianity. It's a lie started in the 1950's when America was afraid of Russia and communists. 

Our founding fathers founded this country on secularism. They specifically said they did not want government mixed with religion right in the very first Amendment. Thomas Jefferson, in the 11th Article of the Treaty of Tripoli said: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religious or tranquility of Musselmen, and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.” 

Jefferson is the one who coined the phrase Separation of Church and State. In a letter to the Baptist church Jefferson wrote, “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,'

thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

Our founding fathers wrote a lot of books and letters about what they meant by that too. They wrote about what they meant on all the Constitution. You just have to read it.

Now I'm reading Preparing For War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next by Bradley B Onishi. If you want to know why Trumps followers attacked the Capital building and tried to stop the election, this book will tell you.

Well, that's it for today.

Live long and prosper. \\//

Layette Set #58 For KnitWits

 First one for the year, 58th one total. Another layette set is done. It's actually been a year since the last set was made. Didn't seem like it was that long ago. Another gal in KnitWits made a whole bunch of layette sets last year, so we filled our order number rather quickly. I admit, I enjoyed being able to knit something else for KnitWits. Now it's back to layette sets.

Cardigan

Pattern: Super Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: March 20, 2023

Finished: April 3, 20223

Comments: It's been awhile since I've knit this pattern. It's one of my favorites. I wanted to use a ducky button but I could not find one around here, so I settled for a plain blue one that was in the stash.

I like the combination of colors. A soft yellow looks so pretty with that blue.

Hat

Pattern: My own pattern.

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 4, 2023

Finished: April 11, 20223

Comments: Same old hat I usually make. Had to find my notes though cuz it had been so long since I've made it I couldn't remember how many to cast on.

Booties

Pattern: Seamless Garter Tassel Booties by Karen Strauss

Size: 3-6 months

Yarn: Caron Knit and Crochet Yarn (Discontinued)

Content: 100% Dupont Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Baby Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Needles: Circular size 8

Started: April 14, 2023

Finished: April 20, 20223

Comments: I have been using this pattern for almost all my booties, except I've modified it every single time. This is the first time I've knit it exactly as written. Kind of cute with the little tassels!

Blanket

Pattern: The usual Shell stitch.
Size: 30 by 36 inches

Yarn: Big Twist from Joann's

Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Pale Yellow

Yarn: American Thread Company Dawn Sayelle (Discontinued)
Content: 100% Acrylic, worsted weight
Color: Bluebell

Yarn: KnitPicks Mighty Stitch
Content: 80% Acrylic/20% Washable wool, worsted weight
Color: White

Hook: Size G

Started: April 27, 2023

Finished: April 28, 20223

Comments: It took me awhile to realize what the ducks are wearing in this print. A towel and slippers is the answer, and they are holding a rubber ducky.

Well, the daughters birthday came and went last week and I don't have the bicycle project done. I ran into a problem with the back stitching. There is a fairly large amount of long straight lines, like for the spokes on the wheels, and along the edge of the frame, and I didn't know how to stitch them. The pattern says nothing, except to use 1 strand of black thread. I consulted with my fellow cross stitchers in one of the Facebook groups. I don't want to just do long stitches because they're too long. They need to be anchored in some way. I got several answers, but I'm going to try doing a long stitch and couching it every inch or so first to see how I like it.

I ordered a frame, mat, and backboard for framing but it hasn't come yet. Hasn't even shipped yet. Normally I get my orders from Framesbymail.com within just a few days so I'm wondering what is going on. I guess I'll have to email them.

Our weather the last few days has been INCREDIBLE! We've had sunshine, blue sky, and warm temperatures. Our snow is pretty much gone and the trees and bushes are budding out. It got up over 80F yesterday! I spent a good deal of time out on the deck the whole weekend. I knitted, and cross stitched, and read, and watched the newly arrived hummingbirds enjoying the food I put out for them. 

I recently got a new library card and I'm reading a novel by a couple of my favorite authors, W. Michael and Kathleen O'Neil Gear. The book is titled Lightning Shell. It's historical fiction, taking place during prehistoric time featuring ancient Native Americans in what is now the state of Louisiana. It's been an entertaining book so far. I'm enjoying it so much.

That's the news for now.

Live long and prosper. \\//