On My Needles

So I'm working on a matching hat for the scarf I just crocheted.  Yep, I'm knitting it... :D
Making pretty good progress!

Another Finished.....

I can't say "project" as I'd like to, simply because it was just a random thing i decided to do last night as I watched a movie with my hubby.  On my little break, my mother taught me to crochet a bit, I say a bit because I'm sure there are more things I have to learn.  That being said, I've been wanting to keep up what I've learned so far and because things whip up sooooo quickly, I've already completed another scarf.

When I say this yarn it immediately jumped at me--so I had to get it!  LOL!  It's varigated and is light blue, medium blue, dark blue, gray, med. gray, charcoal, tan mix.  Works perfectly well with everything I wear--blue, black, brown (khaki).

I'm loving it!  I still have a good bit of yarn left and am thinking about making a hat to go along with it.  Yeah, I know it's Spring...but Winter will come again! (smile)  Unfortunately this is where my limited skills of crocheting come into play as I don't know that much to crochet myself a hat.  I plan to take a look on Raverly for a pattern--but may fall back on my knitting skills and knit one instead.  We'll see.

Here's a photo of it...ok, two! :)

It's a Wrap!!

...and just like that...I'm finished with my third and final preemie hat!

After making the first one I decided that I'd make one for each of my (near) full-term babies God blessed me with.  It was a lot of fun and once I got the hang of all those needles in my hand, it was a breeze!

With every stitch I prayed for the preemie and family who would receive it.  Prayed for health, contentment, happiness, hope, strength, peace--no matter what.

It's it just the cutest little thing??  I hope to do this again...soon!

Preemie Hat #2--DONE!

UPDATE: PHOTOS BELOW

Last night I knitted a second preemie hat following my own pattern (smile) and finished it within 2 hours! YAY!  (must get photos of it to share...will do that later today!)  I used size 8 needles and a chunkier yarn to speed up the process.  Planning to do one more by the weekend.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!!

Yarn!!

Today I got a chance to visit a local yarn shop.  Can I tell you I just LOVE being in yarn stores?  Looking at the yarn, touching the yarn, feeling the yarn.  Each one I've visited has its own personality, but each share the same inviting spirit: the come sit down and create something special feeling.  I think I spent at least and hour and a half just looking and feeling and thinking and deciding.  I finally settled on some yarn: 100% Organic Baby Alpaca and a varigated wool blend.  I also treated myself to some bamboo needles.

I asked the attendant if I could take some photos of her place.  She happily agreed.  Here's just a bit of the store and the lovely yarn I finally settled on!

Preemie Hat--COMPLETED!!

UPDATE: PHOTOS BELOW!!

I am so happy to share that I've finished knitting the little preemie hat I've been working on.  After frogging the whole thing last week, I managed to restart and get it done (all but weaving in the ends).  I found another pattern that has worked out well.  It's my first time knitting with 5 needles--and this thing was small!!  I think it's good for a first time.  I'm planning to do another one.  Will post pics soon!

Oh, and I also learned to crochet while on my little break (from my real life).  I crocheted a scarf in about 3 1/2 hours!! Very tickled about that.  Yeah. The photos will be up soon! :D

Happy Crafting to you!!

My lovely new crocheted scarf:

Update: Preemie Hat

Ok. So I made it almost to the end with this cute little hat.  Well, until things got all messed up.  I doubled checked the pattern but things weren't adding up (or decreasing to the # of stitches required/stated) as the pattern said they should.  My cute little pattern started looking totally a mess.  I got very frustrated.  Some bad words were uttered.  I frogged the entire thing!!

Yes.  It's the perfectionist in me.  And I'm desperately trying to recover from all of that. 

Anyway.  Today is a new day.  I am beginning again.

Will share status again.  Hope your projects are going smoothly! :D

Progress::Preemie Hat

So after purchasing a new circular needle I found out that it was still too long.  So, I've had to use four needles.  Once I got over the "oh my! how will this work?" feeling--which only took one round, I settled into it and am really enjoying this.  I'm excited about how it's turning out and can't wait to knit myself some socks or wrist warmers or gloves (something that requires knitting in the round)!

  

  

 

I think it's coming along nicely.  I'm hoping to be finished by tomorrow--if all goes as planned! :D

Knitting for a Cause Part 2

Well, I made it out to pick up some new yarn. I sat up and made balls of both the skeins I got.  I'm loving the softness and the color(s) of both.  I even treated myself to some new needles (as if I need more...shhhh don't tell the hubs).

I've looked through a few patterns and settled on a basic ribbed hat by Carissa Knits.  I need something simple to start with.  I'm also going to use circular needles instead of double-pointed ones.  They still scare me.  I really want to make some socks this year so I think I'll try them out on something that doesn't have a deadline! :D Hopefully I'll get it done by the weekend.  I'll keep you posted!

Knitting for a Cause

My dearest childhood friend send me an email this morning.  Her sweet daughter, Grace, has a birthday this month--she'll be four.  After getting over the fact that our children are truly growing up, she reminded me that Grace was a preemie.  I remember that time, of praying and hoping.  My friend was blessed to be able to bring her sweet baby girl home after three weeks in the NICU.  She has always promised herself that because of all the love and support of the nurses and doctors there that help her through a very tough time she'd give back each year around Grace's birthday.  Unfortunately, that hasn't happened--until now!  She's ask me (along with her other friends) to join her in knitting some preemie boy & girl hats for others who are going through this now.

I am so in!!  I'll be wading through my stash for some super soft yarn, look through the pattern she shared in the email, right now I'm checking out the patterns on Carissa's blog--Carissa Knits (or online--Ravelry specifically) and get started.  I'm going to make two.  One for a girl.  One for a boy. 

Have you knitting (crocheted, quilted, sewed, crafted) for a cause before?  Which one(s)?  What better way to share a gift of love and time.  I'll post photos of my finished pieces.  I'm very excited!!