So Much For Taking My Time

I really have a problem.  When I am worried about the outcome of something, or whether or not I will have enough material to complete a project, I can't stop until I know the results.  It was this way with the other two hats that I had to knit for Lois.  She wanted me to use all four colors in each of the hats and to stripe them randomly.  Well, I can't do anything entirely randomly.  I have to put a pattern into my stripes, so each of the hats has a major color with smaller amounts of each of the other colors.  Stripe patterns do vary from hat to hat, but I tried to keep the same patterning within each hat, itself.  I barely had enough yarn, and did run out of the peach colored yarn for the main color in the last hat.  That meant that I had to finish the top of the hat with slightly different patterning than within the rest of the hat.  I think it still came out okay, and I hope Lois will be happy with the outcome.  Anyway, in just two days, I finished all three hats.  I already sent the other hat off this morning, and I will send these two tomorrow.  So, another project completed.

I used a little too much peach in this one and that made it so that I didn't have enough of it to finish the other hat.

I like the pattern in this one, but I wish that I had enough of the peach to finish it the same.

These hats are supposed to be for twins, but she wanted them not to look the same.  I think I did okay for that request.  The only thing that was to be the same were the four colors.

One Hat Done, Two to Go

Well, it hasn't been easy, but I finally got the yarn for the hat that Lois wanted me to make.  She sent the yarn in the mail from Boston.  She put her own postage on the package, but it wasn't enough.  The mailman tried to deliver the package to me on Sat., but I could not get out to him in time and he drove off leaving a note saying that I needed to pick the package up at the post office.  The post office was already closed for the day, so I could not pick it up until Mon.  When I got to the post office on Mon. morning, I was told that the package was at the main office and would not be delivered there until around 10:00.  Since I had little ones to watch, I did not want to go back out later to get it.  I asked the postmaster if he would call the main office and see if the truck had left yet to make deliveries.  He did, and luckily the package was still there and they put it aside, so that I could go pick it up and pay the additional postage.  When I opened the package, she had a note asking me to make three hats instead of one.  She needed the big one done by the 28th, which was the next day.  I could get it knitted by then, but I could not get it to her by the next day.  I had emailed her earlier to tell her about the postage problem.  She called me after I had gotten the yarn and apologized for the mix-up.  She said it was alright if I couldn't get it done in time, but she actually needed the hat by Thurs. when her grand daughter was coming to visit.  That made it doable.  I got the hat knitted yesterday, and I mailed it back to her this morning.  She does not need the other two hats as quickly, so I will work on them a little at a time.

I think it looks a little wide, but it is done to the specifications that she asked for.

It's a beautiful day today, so I don't know how much knitting I will get done.  I plan on getting outside with the kids for awhile.

Color is Deceiving

I decided to rush and finish Zoe's dress even though her birthday isn't until the end of March.  Cheryl is planning on going down to Pennsylvania to visit Tom this weekend and she can take it with her.  I'm not sure if she will be going since the weather has decided to snow this morning (yesterday, the temperature was in the 50's).  We were supposed to get only rain, but the snow decided to come instead.  It should be finished by noon, but I'm not sure what will be in store for her for the drive.  I haven't heard yet whether or not she is still planning on going.  However, if she does go, the dress is ready to go also.

I don't know what it is with my camera, but it does not like to film purple.  Purple always comes out looking more blue.  The dress is a very deep, almost plum, color with a light purple belt and upper skirt.  I wish it showed the beautiful color that the dress really is.

As you can see, it really looks blue, not much different from the dress I made for Dot.  In reality, it is much different.

One Down...Two To Go

I just finished the first of the dresses for my granddaughters' birthdays.  This one will be for Dot since her birthday is first.  I will make another one like hers, but in purple, for Zoe.  I will make one for Lucy that is more like a fairy dress.  I am finding the material to be very difficult to work with.  It doesn't cut straight.  It frays horrendously, along with being slippery or clingy.  Also, the pattern calls for a lot of gathering and layering which takes a lot of time and, at times, frustration.  I was pleased with the final outcome.  I ran out of material to make the belt the light blue, but I had left over green material that I am using for Lucy's dress, so I made the belt reversible with light blue on one side and green on the other.  It looks nice either way. 

I got a call today from the lady from Boston that has me do some knitting for her.  She wants me to make another baby hat for her by next week.  She is sending the yarn in the mail today, so that I can get right on it.  I guess I will never be totally finished with hats.

It's been a while, but finally something new.

I sort of needed a break from knitting for a while, so I slowly made the sweater that Cheryl requested for Lexi.  I just finished it a few minutes ago and was able to capture a couple shots of Lexi wearing it.  She seemed to be very happy with it, but would not stand still long enough for me to get a really good picture.  Here are the results.

This is the finished sweater, without the model.

The best I could get from the front.

On the run gives a good picture of the back.

It looks like I will be back to the sewing machine for my next projects.  I have a request from Kim to make dress-up princess dresses for her girls for their birthdays.  That should be a lot of fun.