Matilde

I just received these pictures a few days ago and wanted to share with you.

I would like to introduce you to baby Matilde . She is the cute owner of the little sweater Maile that I made and posted about on January 17. This was a baby gift that I sent to Portugal for my cousin's daughter's baby that was due in February.

What is so extra special about these pictures is that I also get to see the baby's grandma and she is modelling  one of the  6 shawls that I sent over to the family in Portugal  iin the summer of 2012.    I had been told by the family that they would send me a picture of everyone modeling the shawls but that never happened, so I was excited to see this one. 

looks like the sweater will last a couple of months

nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.

Proud Grandma, happy Mom and sweet daughter.

I`m so happy I decided to make this little sweater and send off to Portugal, as I would have missed seeing these wonderful pictures.  

Alice 

Waiting for Baby

Waiting for Baby is what is happening now that I finished the gift I started a couple of months ago for a relative's daughter.  I found out she was having a girl and got promptly into making something girlie like.  I was initially told that the due date was in January but after completing  the gift I'm told that it's  February, thus the waiting.

This sweater i chose was done as a store sample at the local yarn store except it was done in a dark green and it looked fabulous.   I did not have yarn so I knew that I'd better use something machine washable and decided on Madelintetosh.

  Pattern:  Maile Sweater by Nikki Van Der Car

Yarn:  Madelinetosh Sock

Needles:  3.5 mm - extra notes

The pattern is Maile Sweater by Nikki Van Der Car.   I decided to work with the Madelinetosh Sock Yarn as I knew it was wise to select a machine wash yarn for the baby.   There was a lot of frustrations around this pattern on the instructions.  It definitely is not a beginners baby sweater, with the lace pattern and all.  It's a knit bottom up in one piece and you knit the sleeves flat and then join to begin the yoke.  This is another area people had issues with in the joining the sleeves.  It was so tight to join the stitches of sleeves that you  thought you were stretching things out of shape.  After much perseverance and 3 - 4 rows later you were back on easy knitting. 

The sweater looked so tiny to me at that I lengthened the body by 1 " and also the sleeve.  I could now see that you could have gotten away with going all the away to 2" to get more wear of the sweater.  It's probably only going to fit for a couple of months.

I

An adorable newborn sweater.

I also made a tiny little tam that a fellow knitter Cathy Wong had suggested.   I used the left over yarn I had from the sweater and  just finished with a couple of yards left over.  I'll share the picture on another day. 

I have been itching to find a cardigan/pullover n to knit in January with 10 balls of Rowan Felted Aran that I purchased from a sale a couple of years.  That is my knitting mission right now, besides finishing a couple of little things I have on the go, that are not giving me any excitement.

Happy Day to you.

Alice



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And Then There Was Six

Here we are  July 7th and have not shared the finished shawls that will be going to my family in Portugal on July 11th . 

I was originally going to knit one shawl for  my Aunt as I had many memories of her wearing  shawls .  This is the process that things unfolded:  

1.   This is Terra by Jared Flood. This shawl I saw at the my local yarn store, and it was done in that exact colour and yarn.  I knew that`s what I wanted to make this for  my aunt. but after it was finished I thought she would like something heavier and more neutral in colour.  Then I had the idea to make this one:

2.  Milk Run by Cat Wong   It`s my second one.  Made the very first one for my mother-in-law and she loved it`s warmth and size.  

No, that yarn in the background is not mine, I took the picture at my local yarn store.

Shortly thereafter I decided I could not just do one but was going for 6.  One for each of my cousins wives (4) and one for my female cousin.  

For each person I was making, I would reflect on their personality, but at the same time wanted to offer something that was fun, original and the yarn had to to be special.

3.   This is Cladonia.   Each time I finished the shawl, I would say ``This is my favourite one``.   I was enjoying the process of making these shawls, as my heart was involved with each one I made   But really..this one was so much fun and the colours of the stripe was so vibrant and complimented each other so well.   And the lace on the bottom was so pretty. 

4.  This is Henslowe.    I started knitting this pattern with a lavender colour but then I came to a point where I just didn`t like the way it looked and I knew I have to rip it out.  This was a huge setback as I had been flying along with the other ones and I knew I want to knit this pattern again.  So I putted it aside, and had to start something else.  This shawl was knitted back in February for myself and I never wore it, so I had the brilliant idea to include it as part of the 6 shawls.  It is such a beautiful shawl and it that red colour is so striking. 

5.  This is Terra.   This was the second one I made in the exact same yarn but just different colour.  If I could have knit 6 shawls this is probably the pattern I would have picked.  A very simple but lovely shawl, that can be worn so many ways.

6.  This is another Cladonia.   The pale colour yarn in this shawl was the one I had started on the  Henslowe but ended ripping it out and this is where I used it.   The combination of the pale purple against the deep blue was very striking.    So impressed with this one too.

At the end of it all I knit the shawls with people in mind, but when I was wrapping them up I decided to leave the shawls unmarked and let each person pick the one they were attracted to. 

I can honestly say this was a labour of love. I had no idea I could have knitted such beautiful shawls in such a short time. My knitting skills were also improving with each one. With the right motivation we can accomplish whatever we want.

 A little piece of me goes in each shawl.  That was my intention all along for making them.

Alice

Terra 2

This is Terra.   The first one I made was  so awesome I wanted to make another one in the same yarn, and in this colour.   This a pattern by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed, first time doing a shawl of his.   Will definitely be checking out more of his designs.   Great patterns to follow.

I began knitting shawls for gifts for my family on May 21, and it will be exactly one month tomorrow.  I started working on shawl # 6 yesterday, the last one.   I was aiming to have them completed for Father's Day weekend,   as per this post,  but  I have had my time extended to completing them till the first weekend in July.    I'm so close to finishing them, that I don't want to start anything for  myself till they are all done.    It's been a very rewarding experience to challenge myself to this, I didn't expect to achieve as much as I have.

As far as this picture, I have to say it was totally (sort of) spontaneous.   I had not planned on taking a picture of myself with it, as I have never modeled my own shawls.   But after dinner I looked out in the front lawn and had a flash of this pose.   Sitting on the lawn barefoot with jeans and the shawl wrapped around like that.  I didn't even think of the fact that I needed to do my hair or  makeup, I just went as I was.

Of course I could see it  in my head what I wanted, now that trick was to get my husband to cooperate with the camera.    We took 6 pictures and I was so pleased at how well a couple of them turned.  It was rather fun.

It was tricky capturing the lace.  It's a very simple pattern, but even in this picture it looks flimsy and it's not. 

I know this picture has shadows in it but that's why I liked it so much.

Till next time.

Alice xox

Impress Yourself

Hello friends, hope all is well in your life.

I have turned into a knitting machine in the last couple of weeks.   I am knitting gifts (shawls) for   my family overseas.   I have an uncle going there in July and he will take them for me.   I thought I had plenty of time till I found out he's  coming to visit his daughter in town for father's day and that was a great opportunity to give it to him personally instead of mailing it out of town.  So I have been aiming for 6 shawls in total..but I think I can only do 4-5 realistically.

One thing I have learned is self-disciplined through all of this. I keep telling myself " Alice get knitting !! "  I have discovered an  appreciation of hard work.    Knitting is a craft that takes a lot hours and dedication to do good work.  

I can show you one of the completed I just finished.  As well I wanted to share this really excellent article I just read. You are not impressing me.

These pictures are of Thunderstorm Cladonia.  Love this one..I'll have to make for myself.

I will share more when  I have more time and everything is finished.

See you soon,

Alice xox