Oh Knitting Times!

Hey there strangers!
I have taken a sort of hiatus ... but enough of that.

So, for those of you who don't know, our little family is growing. We are expecting a little boy on October 13th (or preferably sooner)! We are super excited and things have been very hectic getting ready for baby!

And of course little babies need lots of hand knits - what better way to pass the looong wait then to make little tiny things? Take a looksie at what this kid is getting.


This is my Offset Wraplan by Sara Morris - a free Ravelry download. And a mighty good one I might add. The collar turned out a little wanky, but I improvised this so heavily I'm surprised it turned out as good as it did. Thank God for blocking!


This is my version, modified of course, of Saartje's Bootees by Saartje de Bruijn (her website is here - along with the free pattern). So I knit these up and they were sooo small, so I picked up some stitches along the back and bottom and somehow successfully made them larger - without it looking crappy! Hooray! I'm thinking baby boy will have to wear these home from the hospital, because honestly they wont fit him much longer after that!


This one is my favorite finished object as of late. As soon as I found out we were having another little boy I was set on making him a little tweed smoking jacket - sans the smoking obviously. I am very happy with how my version of Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down turned out(found here). My gauge was way off, and the tweed yarn was a very important factor in the sweater for me, so I heavily improvised this - basically going off of the pictures and making adjustments as I went. Otherwise it would have been teeny and I really want him to be able to wear it for more than a month! I should really start writing my mods down. Hmmm.


This little hat is so painfully darling. I cant not wait to see his fat little cheeks squeeze out of it! Once again very small, so I will have to make another one for a little later in the season. The Malabrigo Worsted is so incredible to work with - and I have gotten 3 of these hats out of one skein! Heck yeah!The button was scavenged off an old dress, and could not be any more perfect for this hat!

Coquette Tube Top - Fitted Knits - Stefanie Japel

Finished knitting this after many failed attempts. Finally something hand-knit that I can wear in the summer! YAY!
Sorry about the crappy pics. Photobooth - need I say more :)

Baby Karoline's Sweater

So many things went wrong with this sweater. Let's take a walk through shall we?

1. I suck at math. I went to buy the yarn and apparently I can't add yards because I was about 400 YARDS OFF!!!
2. Did not realize the above problem until I ran out of yarn and thought it should indeed have both sleeves.
3. Freaked out because of 1 and 2 which led to 3 : OH MY GOSH I BOUGHT THAT YARN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN AND THE SHOWER IS IN THREE DAYS OH MY GOSH! (not necessarily exact quote)
4. In my attempt to magically increase the amount of yarn I don't have, forget to bind off the neck. Now have sweater with one sleeve and no place to put one's head. Have totally defeated the purpose of a sweater.
4. Decided I'm not going to the shower. No one can make me.
5. Yes someone can make me and her name is Mom. Ok. Must find more yarn.
6. YAY! Mom said she would pick up the yarn and bring it to me if I call the store and ask them to set it aside.
7. Called store. Only have 2 skeins left. Need 4. Hmmmm
8. Mom calls. Is pissed. Just pulled up to store. Are Closed.
9. Two days until shower. Load up the honey facer. Drive across town, pick up last 2 skeins.
10. Frog last 2 days work, to bind off the neck stitches so baby can breathe/see.
11. Something looks wrong. Bound off neck stitches all wanky. Definitely not centered. That babies head is hopefully growing out of her left shoulder. Otherwise there is no chance this thing will fit. Crap.
12. Frogging
13. Yes! Neck hole is centered. Both arms are there, and same size. Totally going to get this thing done in time!
14. Crap again. Almost out of yarn. Again. Must knit tight and ration precious yardage.
15. Whew! Out of yarn but think I fudged it enough to make it work. Must sew seams and sew button on.
16. Button is on. Lets try it out. Wait. Where is the button hole?!!!??
17. In attempt to ration yarn forgot to make button hole.
18. Have reverted back to #4.
19. Remembered Mom. Shudder.
20.I'm a genius! Ribbon is the answer. Shower is tomorrow, but so sleepy. so so sleepy. Will lay down for a spell.
21. CRAPCRAPCRAP must meet mom in 30 minutes to make it to shower. Have no ribbon, sweater is slightly damp from blocking, and have no wrapping paper. Think baby will like christmas bobble paper?
22. Got ribbon. Must stuff though a couple of stitches and make work. Huh. Looks kind of sweet.
23. At shower. Katie opens. Does not realize I made it. Sets down and starts opening another gift. Mom stops her and points out that I MADE the sweater. Ultimate compliment : she thought it came from Baby Gap!!!
24. Success!!

Mitten Swatch - Beatrice

I thought I would give you all a little break from all the design posts lately, and show you what I'm knitting! YAY! Now bear with me non-knitters!

So I love the idea of designing patterns and sharing them here for free... easier said than done might I add. Last Christmas my Mom (is it weird that everyone I know has a website??) gave me some GORGEOUS wool, almost all of which I have yet to use because its so beautiful the way it is, I honestly can't imagine it any better! I know that defeats the whole purpose of knitting, but lets not go there for now.  Anyways, back on track.  I decided I need some super warm mittens (henceforth called "Beatrice") since I plan to brave out the winter here in Denver. Yes I know its not extreme here, but I am more of a sand and surf gal, and none too excited about the impending freezing-ness. Once again, back on track.  I want something cabled, so I swatched this up. I'm happy with the overall look of the cable, but not sure if I like how chunky it looks. I'm afraid it might be too stiff to wear. I may try again, but with one strand of yarn rather than two at once.

Shaul and I are headed to Estes Park for a conference this weekend, sans Harper, who will be staying with his paternal grandparents. I'm really excited but will miss the honey-facer! More about that on Monday!

Yay First Post!!

First post of a brand new blog! It feels like another adolescent dear diary moment. I love the crisp papery goodness of a new diary. Alas, this is a lot easier to share and oh so grown up. Maybe. Probably not.

So what's going on here do you ask?  Good question. Great question actually. I'm pleased to tell you that I have naught a clue, well maybe a few, but overall I'm excited to share whatever I want to with you on this blog. My adventures of -oh so- exciting graphic design, my knitting projects and disasters, and maybe even a cupcake recipe or two. Lets just call this the whimsical whatever I want blog. Only not so lame. Oh I don't know. 

Now let us address this "Beauty to Earth" gig.  My greatest and deepest desire is to do anything to make this place better, prettier, smarter, more loving and peaceful, kind and thoughtful, exciting, pure and childlike even. I feel called to all these things. Lots of times I fail - these things don't come naturally to a very self centered me, but there are some small glorious moments like when my son waddles over to me and says "book please" (sounds a lot more like "bobby") and plops into my lap. And I know this place got a little prettier. Even if I am the only one who saw it.

SO, to my followers, umm I mean Mom. Love you and look for more!