Ooo Baby Knits

News Flash

So, I’m sitting here eating Circus Peanuts and reading email, when who should I get a comment from but Lynn Hershberger of ColorJoy (I love her free Florida Footies pattern) saying she’d been looking for the answer to the knitting question of the year: Where in heck did the name Clapotis come from? I went straight to the source (which I should have done to begin with) and asked Kate Gilbert herself who kindly replied within minutes. Now that I know the rest of the story, I sincerely apologize for thinking it was a veneral disease. Here is her reply:

Michelle,
Clapotis is a French word that means little waves or ripples. It's pronounced cla-po-TEE, with the stress on the TEEE. Apparently it also exists in English boating vocabulary for the sound of waves hitting the side of the boat... but that's just what someone told me. Spread the word so people will stop complaining that it sounds like a disease!
Happy knitting,
Kate

I had even looked it up in my French dictionary, (Yes I took French in high school, but what little I remember I can’t write. No, it’s not that bad, I just can’t spell it.) but the exact form of the word wasn’t in there so I was lost. Cla-po-TEE sounds lovely, n’est pas?

And speaking of Cla-op-TEE, (just saying it makes me want to extend my pinkie) I’ve gotten to the fun part- dropping stitches.

Have fun knitting yours, and if you’re not knitting one, have fun saying the name.

Knitting in Rhythm

I tend to choose simple patterns with stitches I can easily memorize. Something I can pick up and put down without wondering what comes next, even if I haven’t picked it up in a while. Something that frees my mind to do something else as I knit- read, watch a movie, talk, or just think. Once the rhythm of knitting begins, whatever I’m working on seems to knit itself.

Garter and stockinette stitch are like walking- no effort, no concentration. It’s subconscious, automatic rhythm. Working on Clapotis is like doing the box step- back, slip, knit, back, 1, 2, 3. Back, slip, knit, back, 1, 2, 3. A little more attention, but a lot more fun.

I can't sit still without something to do with my hands. If I can't knit, I play with something. I click a pen, tear paper, doodle, twist my ring or bracelet, or just fidget. I have read that fidgeters lose 5 pounds a year from the excess movement, but I always seems to find it again. Knitting is more productive and more rewarding, especially when I actually finish something.

Super Sock

Just had to share- I knit up the first sock with my SP4 gift, and it is my favorite ever. The yarn, for inquiring minds, is Fortissima Colori, color#3005. So much warmer and more colorful than my store bought woolies, would you say?

I think it's cool how the heel and toe came out purple. I actually knit it twice. The first time I used this pattern from Lion Brand. But it was a little too big and I was running out of yarn. I'll used the pattens agin some time, but with smaller needles, and more yarn! I reknit it using a simple rib pattern- 2x2 for an inch, then 3x1 for the rest.

Happy Valentine's Day to Me!

And to you, too! I hope you’ve gotten more goodies than you deserve- I know I have. My hubby and I decided not to gift each other this VD as I just got my embroidery machine and he just got this, which I am determined to learn to ride. I haven’t ridden in over 10 years, but I could do it once, and I shall do it again. My new mantra is, I will not hit the van again, I will not hit the van again…

A friend sent me flowers- thank you Kim!

My SP4 sent me yummy sock yarn and candy. I can’t wait to use the yarn. My most favoritest needles are a set of #4 Lantern Moon dps that I’m always looking for something with which to knit with them. (Did I say that right?)

Elann sent me yarn for my spring cardi and a hat and scarf set in case it actually gets cold before spring. The book was only $1.99, and it has the most adorable patterns in it.

And the maillady brought me the new IK. She loves me.

I finished Hubby’s black scarf, I’m up to the yoke on the H2H, and I knit a couple of bookmarks for gifting.

Fan and Feather Bookmarker

Materials:

#10 cotton thread

#2 needles

Pattern rows:

Row 1: Knit.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 3: (K 2 tog) 3 times, (K1, yo) 6 times, (K2 tog) 3 times.

Row 4: Knit.

Directions:

Cast on 18 stitches for pattern center + border stitches. I cast on 20 total for the thin one- 1 knit stitch each side, and 24 for the wide one- 3 knit stitches each side.

Knit 2 rows. Begin pattern, knitting the border stitches each row. Work until 5 ½ inches from beginning or desired length. Knit 2 rows then bind off.

We birthday partied for DD#1 Saturday. She wanted a pink star cake, so a pink star cake she had, dag nab it. I baked the cakes Friday, and it took me 5 #%^& hours Saturday morning to cut the stars out and ice it to my satisfaction. The points kept crumbling, so they are mostly icing. Not that anyone minded.

DD seemed happy with the sweater I gave her,

And we were honored with a surprise appearance by Sponge Bob Square Pants- well, once he found his pants. There was a bit of an embarrassing moment.

Of course, there were crabby patties for all.

Low-Carb Knitting

I've mentioned before that I have this 20-some pounds of fluff my doctor wants me to loose. My hubby lost lots going low carb, so I've decided to give it a try. How's it working, you ask? Not too good! I can't cook 3 meals a day, and I refuse to give up chocolate. But I am slowly making changes and decided that today would be the day to really get serious. I had my meals and snacks all planned, and low-carb chocolate in my desk for emergencies. It didn't happen. I spent all morning at the doc-in-a-box with DD#2 who managed to sprain her ankle skiing yesterday. We finished up just in time for gym, so we went to Rock-Ola for cheese fries and one of those humongo brownie/ice cream concoctions.

My yarn diet isn't going too well either. First there was the Wilde&Woolly splurge, then in a hormonal depression I used my earned $50 (never mind that I earned it by spending) at Elann because I really need a spring cardi in cotton.

I hereby declare a pox on all diets! Go to Knitting Fun, scroll down near the bottom, and you'll see why. All I need to do to lose this weight is knit more. In order to knit more, I need more yarn. Nuff said.

So, I will now go pop a movie in the VCR- maybe Moulon Rouge- and work on the Hand-to-Hand I finally started yesterday.

Or maybe I'll work on blanket squares or the bookmark I started. off to feel the burn!

Mindless Knitting

Yesterday was my Knitting for Children group's annual knitathon. As usual, the best laid plans.... I had a killer headache all night Saturday, better Sunday, but not gone. Between naps I did manage to get a little done, but figured I'd better stick to easy patterns.

The blanket is a simple dishcloth pattern in Homespun, and the bootie pattern is below. I did catch some of the Super Bowl, although I admit I also watched Monk and just tried to catch the commercials. My Broncos didn't play, so I was in mourning. The Bud commercials were funny, but my favorite were the monkeys. Who doesn't love a good monkey commercial?

Back to Plain Jane- she should be finished tonight, so I can start the Hand to Hand at long last. My expreriment with the Buttonhole Bag has gone awry. Hoping I can salvage that this week, too.

Easy Baby Booties

Yarn: worsted weight

Needles: Size 6 and 8 straight needles

Notions: Yarn needle, stitch marker

Directions:

With larger needles, CO 33 st. K 12 rows.

Begin decreases for instep:

Row 1: K 13, K2tog, K3, SSK, K across.

Row 2: P 12, P2tbl, P3, P2tog, P across.

Continue decrease pattern until 21 st remain.

Change to smaller needles. Work in K1, P1 rib for 12. Bind off loosely in rib. Sew back and bottom seams. Weave in ends.

Women Gone Wild

I tried to make a quick trip to the fabric store today for buttons and a little something I needed for my new toy that I will tell you about momentarily. I could not even get to the little something because 30+ women were attacking boxes and shopping carts full of yarn. What in the world is going on here? thought I. Is there a world wide yarn shortage that I don't know about? Is there a super sale and should I be elbow to elbow with these frenzied women? So I ask a woman who is frantically calling out, "Does anyone see another skein of Cocoa fun fur?" No sale, no shortage, big sigh of relief. Just restocking day. I slipped away quietly to the empty pattern table to browse the Butterick sale patterns and wait for the maddening mob to ebb.

Half an hour later, only one woman remained digging in the cart in front of the embrordery thread and she gladly shared her space. I dearly hope these scarf-mad women will one day discover the joys of better yarns and more challenging patterns.

And why do I need embrordery thread you ask? Why for my new embrordery machine, of course! School was cancelled due to wet streets, so we braved the snow and went on a family outing to Wally World. My adorable, wonderful husband, said, "Why don't you show me the embrordery machine you've been talking about." "Of course, darling. Right this way." I, who didn't really want to go because I didn't need anything but decided to go anyway for dark chocolate, walked out of Wal-mart with a Disney edition Brother embrordery machine and, as the girls and I were lolly-gagging our merry way out, hubby went ahead and got back into line to get me a bouquet of flowers. I am so loved, I can hardly stand myself.

Here is my first design. It will be the neckline for a little girl's dress:

Now, lets back up a few days. My Dad took me to my doctor appointment Monday- a lovely 4 hour drive away. We stopped in Black Mountain at Wild & Wooly for an amazing touchy-feely, looky-see session. After much deliberation, this is what I walked away with:

My loot includes a tangled mess of KFI Cashmereno, Rosina Kikki, leather purse handles, 2 stitch markers, and Lanette superwash wool. Ooo la la. Now, let's take this one by one.

There wasn't enough Cashmereno of one color for a sweater, so I bought all they had. I really wanted enough to knit the shawl-colored Vittadini sweater (p. 80 in the winter VK), but I think I'll use it for sweater #30 on page 87. Or I may make up my own. I'm thinking bold cables on a multi-colored seed stitch background. Depends on my mood when I start.

The Kikki is a cotton/acrylic/linen blend I bought for a summer sweater, but after reading Kari's post, I'm thinking maybe a Clapotis for spring. I really love this pattern, but the name has put me off even considering it. It sounds like a venereal disease. Maybe I souldn't say that.  Kate's design is wonderful, but just what does Clapotis mean? I'm sure everyone knows but me.

The purse handles, well, shall be attached to purses. I saw one example made up with beads knit in, so I bought beads at the fabric store. My intentions are good. We'll see what happens.

The stitch markers were made by a local craftswoman, and are truely lovely. I plan to get DD#1 who does beading to make me more.

The Lanette is for the latest 6 Sox pattern- a fun stripe toe-up pattern which makes me very nervous because because I have yet to do a successful figure 8 cast on, but I will stay positive. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

Car knitting accomplishments: I finished dear deserving hubby's scarf. Wool-ease is not my favorite because it does tend to pill when washed, but it is soft and washable, and I love the suttle colors you don't notice at first glance.

DD#1's S&B vest is complete and ready to wrap for her 17th birthday on Wednesday. I know she'll wear it over a black top- she wears lots of pink and black- but this shirt was handy.

Also made progress on my plain-Jane sweater, but enough for now. I've been entirely too chatty today. Oh, a couple of folks have asked about the patterns for the baby sweaters for A4A. I'll post them as soon as I have time to write them up in a format that anyone other then me can understand. Time to knit!

Me, Me, and More Me

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- a nd/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I do avoid Red Heart as did my mother and her mother before her. I guess that does make me a bit of a snob. I knit a lot for charity and my sister has to have washables, so I use some nice acrylics.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I have a drop spindle that I play with some. I can crochet, but prefer knit for most things.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

Nope.

4. How long have you been knitting?

Since I was 7.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

No, but I would like one of each in assorted colors. And peace on earth.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Vanilla, plumeria, and citric.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Yep, a bunch of them.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I sew and paint.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

Jazz, blues, classical, rock, contemporary Christian, some country, Frank, show tunes, 'bout anything.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

Yellow, but I wear a lot of blues and greens.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

1 husband, 2 teenaged girls, 1 dog.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

I want to publish a book, hike the Appalachian trail, travel extensively, adopt 20 children, renovate a Victorian farm house, raise alpacas, and clean off my desk. And did I mention world peace?

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

Anything smooth and soft that shows off colors and stitch work.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Anything not smooth and soft...

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Dyeing with Kool-Aid and felting. I'm thinking about starting an obsession with beads.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Depends on my mood, so I have to have lots of different projects on the needles.

17. What are you knitting right now?

One of each in assorted colors.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

They're lovely- on other people.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Circulars or short straights.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Yes.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Yes.

22. How did you learn to knit?

My Grandmother taught me the basics, and I'm still learning the rest.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

That would have to be the pink lace scarf I started 20 years ago.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

Sponge Bob, alpacas/ chickadees.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Snowglobes, music boxes, and dust bunnies.