I Am the Champion

The thrill of victory is sweet, my friends. Especially when you’ve worked long and hard, training and preparing and devoting yourself to that elusive goal.

Ok, I didn’t actually do any of that challenging stuff, but I’m still a winner because I (almost) guessed how many books are in Minty’s knitting library! Check out my prize…



2 skeins of Claudia Hand Painted in the Blue Sky colorway.

I’m thinking Minty's Anastasia socks will show this yarn to it’s best advantage! I don't know if I can resist casting on this afternoon. Nevertheless, the Festival of Finishing is by no means over. I’m working on a bunch of things at the same time, so nothing is really finished but everything is just a little bit closer.

Festival of Finishing – Day Three

Today at jury duty I overheard/spotted something too priceless not to share -- A woman sitting in the jury waiting room reading Oedipus aloud to her teenage son. Ahhhh! Did the cautionary elements of the story totally escape her? Was she a seventh grade teacher trying to reinforce the message of the story? Yikes!

Now off we go to the Festival of Finishing!

Today we have a very manly kimono, modeled by the ever cooperative Cocoa Bear.



Here’s a bear-free shot so you can see the crochet neckline and stripe detail.



True, it’s not technically a kimono, not by a long shot, but the design was inspired by this little sweater…



The Mason Dixon baby kimono I knit for Baby Gleek, who will be joining us verrrrry soon.

For the Baby Gleek Kimono and the modified Manly Kimono I used the same yarn, Lily Elite Cotton, knit on #7 needles. To create the modified Manly Kimono I just followed the Mason Dixon directions, stopping at the bottom of the V on each side (21 stitches), then joining the two sides together to create a one-piece front.

Festival of Finishing – Day One

As promised, this week I’m having a fantastic festival of finishing! Today’s FOs are not the most exciting, but I’m starting slowly and working my way up to what promises to be a very sweater-heavy end of the week.

Argentina Socks



I originally started these as a gift for my husband to wear to the World Cup this summer, but had to take a time out when I started my new job back in June. I just finished them up last week and now they’re mine, all mine! (Because horizontal stripes are so slimming on pregnant ankles!)

Yarn: Blue and white Regia (german words, more german words) Nation Color 4 ply
Needles: Addi #2s
Pattern: Plain old toe up stockinette with short row heel, using 52 stitches.

And a Mason Dixon Baby Genius Burp Cloth, for my very own soon-to-be-arriving baby genius. Coincidentally knit in my high school colors, black and gold. Go Bulldogs!!



Actually next week at the doctor I’ll find out whether he’s really a genius and has gotten himself in the correct upside-down position or if he perhaps needs a little more time/coercion in that department. (Will it help if I do somersaults in the swimming pool?)

Yarn: Lily Sugar ‘n Cream Cotton
Needles: Crystal Palace #7s
Pattern: Mason Dixon Baby Genius Burp Cloth, no modifications.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2 of the festival!

A Tale of Two Piles

I've been knitting and knitting and knitting, and I really don’t have any pretty little things to show for it. Instead, I have two piles. Here’s pile number one…



It’s the back and left sleeve/front of a Sunrise Circle Jacket inspired by Christy’s recently completed Sunrise Circle. Seeing her jacket jogged something in my memory, something about having 7 skeins of Rowanspun DK in the exact same color hanging around my stash.

I swatched.



Gauge was perfect. I’ve never gotten such perfect gauge in my life. Row gauge too! I just started on the right sleeve/front and I hope to make lots of progress on this one because I’ll be attending a class all weekend and should have lots of time to knit.

What about pile number two? Pile number two is an embarrassment. A pile of shame. A pile that was staring me in the face and making me feel guilty until I shoved it in a drawer. Here’s pile number two…



I finished knitting all of these projects, but I just cant bring myself to finish the finishing. I’ve got one pair of socks (really, how hard it is to weave in a few ends), a burp cloth, and six (yes SIX) baby sweaters in need of seaming and/or buttons. Disgraceful. I'm declaring next week to be my own personal Festival of Finishing - hopefully this public shaming will keep me honest.

The Awwwww Heard Round the World

Somehow, while knitting an absolutely fabulous EZ Fishtrap Aran, Sarah found the time to make me this adorable baby sweater. Check it out...



And the cutest little knitting card



I've been mulling over a theory for a while now, and I think it's time to share it with everyone. Knitting is far more than just a hobby, it's fifth grade science in action. Remember learning that the animals that reproduce themselves are the ones that thrive? Well, all of these super cute baby goodies certainly give one an incentive to procreate. Thus, it is clear that baby knits and the knitters that knit them and are doing their part to ensure the continuation of our species. Ergo, survival of the craftiest!

Who said that philosophy degree wouldn't be useful later in life!

Thank you again Sarah!!

And the Winner Is...

Courtney from Yarn Tootin'! Courtney, just email me at holdtheraisins[at]yahoo[dot]com so that I can figure out how to get you your spinnerific prize. Thank you all SO MUCH for the name ideas - there are some really great choices in the comments and I bet we'll end up picking one. As I mentioned in the last entry, we're not going to finalize the name until we meet our baby in person in 7 weeks or so. I'll reveal our selection then!