Iron Man Mask

I never know what a day's project may become when I have little ones around.  Joey came today asking to go to the store to get an Iron Man mask.  I told him that maybe I could make one for him instead.  I couldn't find the maroon colored material, but I did have plenty of red material, so I decided to just use it.  I had one piece of gold felt that I could use for the face.  It, however, was not quite enough to fit the front of the hood that I made.  I had to add another strip of red material around the face to have the face be wide enough.  It was trial and error for me, because I have a hard time seeing in reverse the way you need to do to make a circular pattern shape.  Anyway, I got it mostly right, but it is just a little crooked.  Since it is just a play mask, I'm not going to really sweat the small stuff.  Joey likes it okay, so it is okay with me to not be perfect. 

Joey, the Iron Man!

New Order For Amy Burns

An old friend of my son's called the other day and asked if I was still taking knitting orders.  I told her I was more than happy to make something for her because I had just finished up on all my current projects.  She dropped by with some yarn and a small sweater she had made herself many years ago.  She wondered if I could duplicate it.  She doesn't like to knit because of her arthritis.  I took the challenge.  The pattern was simple enough, but I was a little worried because of how tight the gauge was.  I knew that it would mean using a very small needle.  What I didn't realize was that it would also require retraining myself to knit at a much tighter tension than I am accustomed to using.  After many do-overs and restarts, I was finally able to get the gauge close to hers.  She wants me to make two of these sweaters, but I have to wait for her to drop off the yarn for the second sweater.  She may also want me to make a vest for her.  She is thinking about it.  Here is the result of my past week's knitting project.

The sweater on the left is hers and the one on the right is my sweater.

Carter Gifford's Gifts

My friend's baby, Carter, has arrived.  I was very anxious to find out what he was, so I could make him some special gifts.  I haven't done any machine sewing in a while, so I definitely wanted to do some of that, as well as knitting.  Here are the results of this past week's labors.

A onesie is a necessary for little fellows.

A pair of corduroy pants goes nicely with the onesie.

Every little boy needs a Thomas in his wardrobe.

A crocodile for him to wear for dinner, not to be eaten by,  for dinner.

Never too early to start preparing for basketball.

A cuddly pal, so soft and warm.

What little boy couldn't use a baseball hoodie?

I was going to make a sweater, hat, and shoe set for Carter, like I did for the twins.  I felt like doing something different, so I came up with the hoodie sweater.  It was a challenge to get what I had in mind for the sweater.  I wanted to use the baseball buttons, but I only had two.  I went to the store where I purchased the others, but they didn't have them.  They had football, soccer, and basketball, but no baseballs.  I had to go to two other stores before I could find what I was looking for.  I also wanted to put an applique patch of a baseball player on the sweater, but I could not find one of those, either.  I bought one card of each of the football, soccer, and basketball buttons at the first store, just in case I could not find the baseballs.  I figured that I would put one of each of the balls on the sweater if I had to.  I went to the second store, but could not find any buttons.  I did find a package of sports applique patches, so I bought them and went to the third store to see if I could find the baseball buttons, or a baseball player applique.  I finally found the exact baseball button that I already had two of, but it came in a package of other buttons with all baseball equipment.  I had to buy two packages of them to get the two baseball buttons.  I still could not find a baseball player, so I decided to use the baseball buttons and also some of the other buttons from the packages to put in the place where I would have put the baseball player.  I like the final result with the baseball glove, a bat, and a "Go Team" button in place of the baseball player, but it sure took some work just trying to find what I wanted.  I ended up using the basketball applique patch on the sweat suit, and so that was not a loss, either.  I now have a few more buttons and applique patches for future projects.

Well, now that I have finished the baby gifts and the sweaters for my grandchildren, I will need to come up with something more to do.  I may get back to that afghan for Keeping America Warm, so that I can give that to them for next winter, or I could start on Christmas gifts.  I know that I want to make sweaters for the ladies, so that would be a good start.  I already have the yarn for making Ellen's.  I will have to see, but I know that I need to be doing something.

Just As I Expected

Yes, I knew that I could not leave a project undone that I had started.  I wasn't even going to start Portia's sweater, but I did, and after I did, I naturally had to finish it.  That is just how I work.  I need to see things completed.  Also, I promised pictures of the model for Ellis' sweater when he returned from Oklahoma.  He returned, and I had him try it on for me, so I could take his picture.  Here they are: both sweaters.

Ellis, looking a little goofy, but loving the sweater.

Nice look from the side.  I felt the sweater was a little short, so I added another six rows.  This is without the extension.

Portia's sweater from the front.

Obviously, from the back.

I just found out that my friend had her baby, and it is a boy.  Now, I can make something gender friendly for him.  He was a secret until he came into this world, so like in the olden days when I had my kids, I had to wait to find out. I have plans to make some things on the sewing machine and to make a sweater, hat, and shoe set like I made for the twins.  Will be right on that tomorrow.

Ellis' Sweater

When I traveled to Maine to visit my son and his family, I was given another request for sweaters for the kids, Ellis and Portia.  Since Ellis doesn't have a sweater that fits right now, I decided to make his first.  I started last Saturday and finished today, Sunday.  I hope it is going to fit.  It is supposed to be a size 6, but it looks smaller.  I measured as I knitted and made sure it was at least as big as the pattern called for.  In some places, I made it even bigger because it was definitely too small, like the length of the armhole. It is 100% wool made from the yarn that came from their own sheep. I hope it doesn't shrink. The colors were picked my his mom and she asked for it to have a zipper and hood.  I chose this pattern because it is fun to make and unlike most patterns.  It starts from the top and works down as one piece, being worked on a circular needle. I have included a picture of the sweater, but will not be able to show the model until I see him later this week. 

I'm not sure if I will start Portia's sweater yet.  She has something she can wear now, because Cheryl gave her Lexi's old sweater that was too small for her.  It is still in good condition, and should fit her quite well right now.  I may wait until the fall to make the new one for her.  We will see.  If I know me, when I have a project to complete, I do it right away.  I hate to wait.  Mom wants the same pattern for Portia's sweater, but she wants it all done in stripes, instead of just the stripe band like this one.

New Projects Finished

I finished making the new sweater that Cheryl requested for Lexi.  It is just like her old sweater that she has outgrown except for being a different color of purple.  I also made some little shoes to go with the sweaters and elephant hats that I made for the twins.  I didn't really want to make booties, since no one seems to use booties anymore, but I wanted to  make something for the feet.  I decided to try to design my own pattern for footwear that would look a little more like a shoe.  I think they look pretty good, and I am pleased with the pattern that I created.

From the back, you  can see the hood and the cable trim on Lexi's sweater.

Not a happy camper.  Lexi does not like to have her picture taken anymore, but this shot shows the front really well.

Baby shoes to match the sweaters and hats.  See pictures of them in past logs.

I have already been given another assignment.  I am now making sweaters for Ellis and Portia.  I got this request when I visited them in Maine this past weekend.  I have already started Ellis' sweater, and have the hood and the yoke of the sweater completed.  I have now started down the left sleeve.  I really love this pattern, because it is worked as one whole piece from the top down to the bottom.  It is really fun to make this way.

Jungle Mat Playset Complete

I was able to finish the jungle mat play set today.  Tom asked me to make one for his friends, Craig and Britt, that are having a baby soon.  I was happy to find a panel at the material shop that already had a nice jungle scene on it.  It made the making of the mat so much easier than the ones that I do from scratch.  It sure helped to speed up the process.  Like the other mats that I have done with arches, I made five animals. Unfortunately, due to the size of the mat itself, the arches do not stand high enough to keep all of the animals off the mat while hanging.  I will try to find some smaller rings for hanging.  I also made the hangers from the arches too long.  That makes them hang lower, also.  Still, it looks nice and works well as either a floor mat or as a mobile for the crib.

Ernest the Elephant having a little snack with his trunk turned in. He looks a little more like Dumbo with his large ears.

Lester the Lion looks a little shy with his crooked head.  I accidentally sewed it on a little sidewise.  Oh well, it works for me.  He just looks like he is looking to the side.

Thomas the Tiger waves a little, "Hello!" to you.  Like the name, Tom?  Thought you might.

Allen the Alligator needs to take a little nap.  He looks a little tired to me.  Still, it looks like he is keeping an eye on things. Those eyes were hard to get even.  I had to keep taking the right eye off and reattaching it.

Morris the Monkey having a banana.  Poor Morris is a little pigeon toed.

This shows the mat without the arches.

The mat with the hanging animals.  I guess I should have hung Morris over the other monkeys.  Don't know what I was thinking.  Actually, I never even noticed it until now.

The arches provide a nice mobile to place over the crib.

Now that this project is completed, I already have another order for my next project.  Lexi has outgrown her hoodie sweater that I made for her last year.  Mom wants me to make another one just like it, but larger.  I am also changing the color a little bit.  Hope she likes the new color.  She loved the plum color that I made the last one from, but I was unable to find a yarn I liked in the same color.  I have chosen another purple color, but not as dark as the last one.  Since it is purple, I think she will still like it.