The Blocks are a Hit!

It was love at first sight when I saw this pattern. I was surprised that not many people have knit it - mine is one of only four projects on Ravelry.



Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby



I made several modifications. First, I decided to use Cascade 220, which is worsted, not bulky weight, so I used a size 7 needle instead of 9, and cast on 18 stitches instead of 14. The pattern calls for blocks knit in stockinette, seed stitch, stockinette/reverse stockinette rows, k1 p1 ribbing, k2 p2 ribbing, and basket weave. I don't like seed stitch very much and my k1 p1 ribbing looked bad, so I replaced them with double seed stitch and a lattice pattern.

I finished knitting and blocking all 36 squares by the end of November, but stalled out on how to stuff them. The pattern calls for 3 inch foam blocks, which I purchased, but then was worried that they wouldn't be safe for a baby to be chewing on, even through the knitted fabric. After some research and advice, I purchased a batt of Romney wool to stuff the blocks.

This is the first project where I've done the kitchener stitch to seam, and I'm not sure I did it completely right. Stuffing the blocks with the wool resulted in somewhat lumpy by still very cute blocks. The important thing, though, is that they are a hit!


The happy recipient on Christmas morning.

I had originally thought about knitting three sets for three babies in my life. After knitting one set, though, I don't feel the need to make any more. I'm pleased with the results, but one set was enough, thank you.

Blocked Squares

Also over the Thanksgiving weekend, I blocked the squares for the Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks:



The rainbow of colors is so photogenic that I'm making this post simply to be able to share them with you.



Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby
Yarn: Cascade 220



Now, I just have to sew them up and stuff them ...

Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks

I'm afraid I lied when I said I was going to cast on Foliage. I haven't yet. (I'm thinking it will be my take-to-Thanksgiving Day project, so I won't be a liar much longer.)

I've been working on the Sampler-Stitch Baby Blocks. I love how fast each square knits up and I love the colors I'm working with. I've only got three squares left to knit, although when I took these pictures this afternoon, I had 31 of 36 done:


Gotta love Cascade 220.

Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby



Mods: using worsted weight yarn, so I cast on 18 stitches to make 3 inches. I'm using double seed instead of single, figured my own basketweave dimensions, and chose the lattice pattern out of Harmony Guides to replace the single rib.

I expect to blocking and starting to sew up over the holiday weekend. Now I just have to figure out how to stuff the blocks - with something safe for baby to chew on.

Baby Knits

I'm blessed to have many babies in my life to knit for. Aren't they cute?


Umbilical Cord Hat that I knit for little c, picture taken by his mama 10/7/2007
[aside for Wanderlust Lost Knits ... yes, this is R's baby! Can you believe it?]


Strawberry Hat I knit for my dear Peanut, at the pumpkin patch, 10/7/2007

I finished the 13th repeat of the kimono shawl and am temporarily putting aside while I push on through to the end of the chevron. But, in case I start to go crazy, I've also cast on for the stitch-sampler baby blocks in this gorgeous Cascade 220 rainbow:



I could just take pictures for hours. There are more on my Flickr too.



I started with the purple heather. OMG, I love this yarn (color, texture, knitting with it) so much I want to knit a sweater in it. Me, a sweater. I don't wear sweaters, especially ones made of wool. I live in the Pacific Northwest, sweaters are too hot here. I don't look particularly good in sweaters. And it would take a lot of yarn and stitches to knit a sweater that would fit me well. But wouldn't Rogue as a cardigan or Arwen look just lovely in this yarn?

I had a little falling down

I had a little falling down. Now, when I write those words, I assume you know what I mean, because I assume anyone reading knitting blogs is reading the Yarn Harlot and she writes fairly often about her fallings-down and, as far as I know, the term "falling down" as it applies to yarn comes from her. But I'm not sure she's ever technically defined it, so let me 'splain what I mean by "a little falling down."

First, this is not a falling down:

Cascade 220 Superwash Wool in color #809 (red) and color #801 (green)

You didn't think 2 skeins was a falling down anyway, did you? But here's why: I was recently at the half-birthday party for my favorite six-month old, whom I'll call Peanut. Her Nana had sent her a really cute pumpkin hat which she was wearing. But the pumpkin hat was store-bought and made from cotton jersey fabric. Now, if there is one thing that can be knit well, it's baby hats that look like fruit and vegetables. In fact, I purchased the pattern for such hats when my little Peanut was one month old. Seeing her in the little store-bought pumpkin hat made me realized how derelict I was in my aunterly duties. And I know how fond her mama is of the strawberry hat, and in fact, I've been promising a hat since Peanut was a month old. So, off to the LYS for yarn for a strawberry hat - which I've already cast on and am two inches in.

See, perfectly justifiable, overdue even - not a falling down. This isn't a falling down either:

Cascade 220 Heathered Wool in color #9454 (purple), #2447 (blue), and #9461 (green) and Cascade 220 Wool in #4147B (yellow), #9465B (orange), and #2413 (red).

It may look like a falling down because of the lascivious way in which the yarn is photographed. But again, it's a well-thought-out, overdue purchase. See, at this half-birthday party, little Peanut was holding court, sitting on the couch, playing with her many toys. Grabbing them, pulling them to her, chewing on them. And I thought back to a darling knitted baby block pattern that I've had in the back of my mind for probably a year now and realized that they should have been done already because six months is the perfect age for playing with them. So, on the same trip to the LYS I also got the yarn to make blocks.

See, not a falling down. Plus the yarn in such great colors will be good fodder for photographs, and that's a worthwhile cause too, especially since I've signed up for a photography certificate course that just started.

I have this rule that I only buy yarn with a project in mind. Technically, I've only broken that rule once (well, until yesterday, anyway), and that was handspun camel down and only one skein and it would have been a crime to pass that up, right? Then there is the yarn bought for projects that didn't work out and ended up making a home in the stash without a project attached that somehow don't count against my little rule. The truth is, I don't really like having a lot in my stash, because it stresses me out to have yarn nagging me from the closet and the closet really isn't that big. And I'm not big on consumerism (despite my falling down) and don't really want to present myself that way. But, beautiful yarn is beautiful yarn.

To me, a falling down is an impulsive purchase, most likely extravagant, and without a project in mind for that yarn. Not exactly blatant consumerism, but closer to that than I'm really comfortable with. Perhaps the Yarn Harlot's definition differs, but that's what it means to me. My falling down is that I signed up for Sundaras' new "Seasons" Yarn Club yesterday.

I occasionally flip through her "currently available" list and dream, but without a project in mind, I haven't been able justify the cost. I have no desire to get caught up in the drama of the competition for a limited yarn when she makes an update, so oftentimes the yarns I really like are gone when I go looking. I don't knit socks (yet) so the sock club hasn't appealed. But Tiennie posted yesterday about the new Seasons Club, so I clicked on the link to check it and bam! a falling down, and I had subscribed.

Somehow, it feels better to share the good news.

PS I chose Winter.