Jess playing catch up again!

I've been busy. I always seem to be playing catch up on here. Finish several things and then blog them all at once. I really need to work on that. But as I see it those seem to be what most bloggers say. hehe.

This little guy is one of the reasons I've been busy. This is Ryan (although I think most of you know that). He is 8 months old! And truly a handful. The sweater he is wearing is another thing that kept me busy for a bit.

Its my interpretation of Rocketry. I used the "tulip baby pattern" because I had it. The two sweaters (Tulip Baby and Rocketry) to me seemed so similar I didn't want to buy the other pattern when I already had this one. So I made the changes that I thought made it look more like Rocketry. Which included changing the colors. I did smooth color changes. Which actually isn't in either of the patterns but I liked it better. The other difference is the ribbed button band. Mine isn't exactly like Rocketry, but I'm happy with it. It fits him perfectly. Although that didn't happen without a little work.

The technical stuff
Pattern: "Rocketry"
Yarn: "Knit Picks Swish Worsted" in Coast Grey, Dublin, Jade, and Dark Navy
Needles: 3.75mm and 4.5mm (us 5 and 7)

This is the failed attempt. The colors just were not working for me. So after consulting Amie we decided that although all the colors I picked were nice. That bright blue had to go. And instead of doing smaller stripes more often just make them bigger. So I started over. I'm very pleased with how the finished product turned out.

Searching for buttons was a disaster but settled on some little blue star buttons. They are a pain to actually button but they get the job done and look ok doing it.

Next up is some mittens for Nathan. Nathan is the son that is hard to knit for. Or so that use to be the case. Lately the kid doesn't stop asking me for things. I asked him several times in the winter if he wanted me to make him mittens and he kept saying no. Until we moved to NY. He realized his hands were cold and mittens were warm. So he asked for some. With the fail of Ryan's sweater I had an extra ball of blue. Which happens to be the favorite color of all three boys in my life. So I quickly knit up these mittens.

Nathan loves them. Even if they were finished on the first official day of spring. He has already worn them often enough to make them worth it to me. Not to mention I was smart mommy and made them slightly bigger so that they "should" fit him when cold comes around again.

Pattern:"Classic mittens"
Size: 5-7 year old
Yarn: "Knit Picks Swish Worsted" in Deep Ocean
needles: 3.5mm (us 4)
notes: if I were to knit these again I'd use a smaller needle size for the ribbing. I might actually knit them at a tighter gauge too.

And last but not least. Do you guys remember this?

I FINALLY got around to sewing the zipper into the "dino sweater". I knit this sweater a year ago. A YEAR AGO PEOPLE! Nathan wore it very little. First because it was a costume not a sweater. And second because it didn't have a zipper. I bought the zipper 6 months ago. Finally got the courage to sew it in this week. I used "this" as a guide. Went and got the tape and pins. Pulled out the sewing machine and away we went.

It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Didn't take near as long. I learned a lot. First time adding a zipper to my knitting. First time putting my knitting into my sewing machine. Also it was the first time I used the zipper foot on my sewing machine. I do feel accomplished. I'm very proud of the sweater. I had Nathan try it on and it does still fit him. I'm hoping he will wear it all spring. Until he outgrows it. In which case it will get washed and stored and revived when his brother gets older.
Its not perfect by any means. My sewing skills need a little work. The line is a bit wonky. But Justin agreed that Nathan wont care. Justin tested the zipper out and says it will hold up just fine.

Now just because I can and really want to share. This is our St. Patty's Day meal.

Nathan's Dino Sweater

Pattern: "Steggie by Julia Farwell-Clay"
Yarn: 3 balls of Ella Rae Classic in green (29)
about 13yds of KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in tomato (red)
about 13 yds of Plymouth Yarn Galway Worsted in blue (11)
needles: US 6 and 7
started: March 12, 2009
finished: March 16, 2009

When I saw this pattern in Knitty on March 11th I knew immediately I HAD to knit it for Nathan. I started contemplating yarn right away. I looked online, thought about ordering. Then I just went to the yarn store with Nathan and came home with a green he was happy with. I had blue and red in stash (Nathan decided it had to be just like the boys on knitty...). I started knitting it the next day after measuring him several times. The body worked up fast. I went to get the red and blue for the sleeves and realized I didn't have "the blue". Another trip to the yarn store. I came home with a blue and finished up the sweater. My first time with intarsia, and I must say a lot easier than I was fearing myself into thinking. 4 days for a sweater which included having to run to the yarn store for more yarn, and a day blocking so I could seam it properly. I'm pretty proud of this one. It came together very nicely and quickly. Nathan says it needs a zipper, which I'm having no luck finding local so I'll order it. no big deal to make him happy. But he also says its not a sweater but a costume. I'm pretty sure he thinks its Halloween only... but I did manage to talk him into wearing it today out and about. Several people commented on how cute it was. And then off to the knitting group to show it off. :)