small things, some crochet

For the one person who may still be reading this -- I think even my mother has stopped checking --

I took a crochet class, with the goal of learning to make amigurumi (which I've since done -- a misshapen elephant and cute koala who will be photographed if I can find him). But, I started with matching hats for daughter and neice.

Crochet is a great craft for mamas, who need to be able to set down a project quickly without having to worry about stitches falling out or sharp needles being found and jammed into tiny eyeballs. Also, it goes more quickly than knitting so I can actually finish a few tiny projects now and and then... but I still abhor the granny square afghan.


And, I made a very small sweater for my niece, a Sirdar bolero pattern that was very painful with lots of picking up stitches and sewing -- ick -- but very cute. The yarn is Lorna's Laces sport weight in sage, my favorite color.


I found the perfect button in my mom's old craft supplies in her basement, the day before the baby shower...


And, Hana received a gift from new knitter Aunt Joy, who started not with a scarf like most of us, but with a sweater. Awesome!


Very little crafting going on around here in general. Unless you count the homemade playdoh animals that get decorated with beans and sticks and dandelions. Or the gallery of crayon works. My real focus right now is making a backyard clothesline tent out of thrift store sheets...
When I brought home the sheets I found with irises, butterflies, and tulips on them, Hana looked at them, and, without being prompted, said, Beautiful blankets! It's so amazing to have your child be able express appreciation for something you've done for her.

family socks

The cousins' socks, four pairs, from newborn size to 2-yr size. From left to right, they are for Sammy, Hana, Sammy (but too small) and baby Sosa.


Hana and grandma modeling their homemade socks. The socks I made for my mom are the only one I've ever made with reinforced heels and toes.

recent knitting sightings

The February toddler sweater.



Devan from Knitty.



New, an owl hat I more or less designed based on the Kittyville hat from Stitch-n-Bitch with a few modifications and felted eyes and stitched-on beak. The ears aren't visible here... The yarn is a nice merino I got in New Zealand.



The matching father-daughter hat, in Lassen National Park. This hat was from the "Turn a Square" pattern by brooklyntweed.

same pattern, bigger size

A new February baby sweater, this time for the toddler. She wore the peach number when she was 6 weeks old at friend Heather's wedding in Pocatello. The new sweater, behind, is Lorna's Laces worsted, Black Watch colorway, 1.5 skeins. I followed the pattern's directions more or less to the letter. The bigger gauge made it a February toddler sweater.

Grandma visited last weekend, and indulged Hana's favorite pastime, reading. She's on a Dr. Seuss kick right now.

another placket sweater

Another placket sweater, much bigger than the last. This was knit with Lamb's Pride Superwash.




And, matching hats in action. Daddy has taught her how to do the "head butt".

Trellis gets some play

Used to be, when I thought of "the park", I was thinking of a Park, usually Rocky Mountain National Park. Nowadays, I'm thinking of the park with the baby swings. Here is Trellis, getting some play on a recent outing.

squares in circles hat

A tiny hat, after this hat, which I thought looked easy and fun. I used Kureyon and Pastaza, and the pattern is just a basic hat pattern with two row stripes and four raglan decreases on top to make the squares.


I have already cast on for a matching one for Alan -- this hat was actually intended to be his but as I knitted it became clear that the fit would be poor. Luckily we have a smaller head in the house.


In the end, though, this hat met the fate that all hats meet around here -- it was dramatically ripped off and deposited on the floor.

near Sonora

We had a lovely trip to the Gold Country of California, stayed in a historic hotel in Sonora, ate out at good restaurants, took a hike, birded, knitted. Here I am knitting, balancing a sleeping baby on my lap while enjoying the sounds of acorn woodpeckers. It was great to get out after a whole year of not going that much of anywhere except to visit family. We loaded up the '91 Corolla and headed out, shocked to find a whole different ecosystem so close to us. There were lots of wildflowers, and the oaks themselves were flowering.

And, a great yarn store, By Hand. When I was there, there was a great square-a-week class going on, and they were having so much fun that it made me wish that I lived there. I bought some Noro and Pastaza to make this hat for Alan. Then, I cast on apparently while not thinking and ended up with a hat for Hana, so they are going to get matching hats.