This set is a gift for a very nice couple who just had their first baby. They did an awesome act of kindness for me when I needed it most. May God bless their new family addition!

I’ve just completed two newsboy caps for my niece’s newborn son, and a matching pair of socks. I modified the pattern by adding a row or two to make the hat a little larger to adjust the gauge for size. Overall, the pattern is well written and the results are just plain cute!

Pattern: Bobbi-Hat * Yarn: Wool-Ease * Hook: size I

The ‘Lanas Stop’ baby sweater is complete! Yes, it’s finally done after going through “Spring-cleaning” and a family reunion (I taught a cousin how to knit!) In the end I decided to make little matching socks, and I love this pattern with the buttons on the cuff. I crocheted a picot edging instead of sewing on a lace trim as stated in the pattern. The sweater pattern was easy, even though the lace pattern makes it look intricate. The only change I made was to reverse the color sequence so there is more peach than white, so I can use white ribbon, since finding a peachy colored ribbon would have been more difficult. Although the white embroidered satin-stitch polka dots are cute, it took forever to finish all of them! The body of the sweater is worked in one piece with a back button band.

As mentioned in my previous post, I used a 100% cotton yarn instead of the angora called for in the pattern. This is my first time using Elann.com’s ‘Lara’ cotton yarn. I really like the sheen of this yarn, and it is a cheaper alternative to comparable cotton yarns. Overall, this sweater set was fun to make and turned out very cute.

Sweater Pattern: Lanas Stop Bebes y Ninos” #70 Yarn: ‘Lara‘ Cotton Needles: size 3
Sock Pattern: Fancy Baby Socks

Finally, I packaged up these f.o. to put into the mail. The socks are for my niece. Remember, these were the Halloween trick or treat socks – – my first toe-up sock pattern that gave me a fit to get started! The colors closely resemble her school colors of green and orange (FSU). The second package is a preemie set for The Preemie Project. I hope to have more to send to this worthy charity in the future. I can only imagine the tiny bundle of joy that will get to wear this set upon leaving the hospital to go home for the first time. Yes, knitting for others is a joy.

Pattern: “Go Team Go” Socks by Soxie
Yarn: KnitPicks Sock Garden in “Daffodil”
Needles: size 2

“FAMU”

Florida A & M University

I can hardly believe it, but I finished these socks that I started way back on Oct. 31st. There were several projects in between, because of Christmas and baby shower gifts. These socks are for one of my nieces who attends FAMU (green and orange are the school colors.) Now, if it wasn’t because I love my niece, these socks could very well have found themselves incomplete and thrown in the “stash pile.” Why? Two reasons why: 1) these were the first socks I ever tried stranding a second color with, which is awkward at the ends of each row when using the magic loop technique, and I just didn’t do a good job with the yarn tension; 2) first time doing a “toe-up” design, using a figure-8 cast on. I struggled with the heel; after several trys and reading tutorials, I still ended up with a “hole” (I prefer a cuff-down sock pattern). Whew! I’m glad this project is finally completed. I can’t wait to put them in the mail!

Pattern: “Stripes & Checks” by Knit a Dozen Baby Socks
Yarn: Dale Ull
Needles: size 2 dpn

Hey, are these cute, or what? I made them this week as a baby shower gift. I used Dale baby wool, so they are soft and warm. They were super easy, if I had started sooner, I could have made several pair. Oh, well, next time. This sock booklet has other cute patterns, well worth the $6.95 price.

The Cabled Socks are finished! I love the KnitPicks Landscape sock yarn (color: Redwood Forest); it’s very soft and very warm! I definitely like this over their Sock Garden yarn. This project took a little longer than I expected, but as you know, Christmas preparations had to take priority. I also had to prepare for our family holiday trip; this weekend me and 13 other family members are meeting in NYC for a week of shopping, shows and visiting relatives. We have Broadway tickets for the Lion King and The Color Purple!! Yes, the weather will be bitter, but our spirits will be high. Yes, it is very likely me and my travel companions will spend way too much time in the airports, so I am packing 3 or 4 knitting projects to pass the time away. I’m not sure if I’ll bring my laptop, so this may be my last post for about a week. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.