Ooo Baby Knits: Somebody Stop Me!

I do not under any circumstances need any more yarn. I don’t even want anymore. I have reached my saturation point. I haven’t even drooled over the Elann site in over a month. My yarn habit is kind of like my chocolate chip cookie eating habit- once I start, I don’t stop eating them until I feel sick and I can’t even look at food.

Therefor my yarn diet deal with myself is to be able to start new projects rather than to buy yarn. 5 lbs. lost = 1 new project. (Charity projects don’t count.) Well, I couldn’t even stick to that. I needed a good mindless car-knitting project for my 4-hr doctor trip. I usually knit hats, but still can’t find my #8 circs and dps, so I started this:

Shame on me, but I regret nothing. I have but one life to give for my knitting. I’ve wanted to knit this sweater since I got the mag (VK Summer 2004) and it’s perfect for my Cotton Ease splurge. I may just finish this one even if it does have to be sewn up.

My anti-procrastination project has been to finish this little preemie blanket. A friend shared to stitch pattern with me- it's a good basic Jack-of-all-trades pattern. (Sorry the picts are so dark. My flash isn't working well.)

Pattern:

Cast on a multiple of 3 stitches + 2.

Knit 3 ridges. Keeping 3 garter stitches each side for a border, work this pattern on the center stitches:

Row 1 and 3: Knit.

Row 2: Purl.

Row 4: K2, P1 across to last 2 stitches, K2.

Work pattern to desired length.

End with 3 garter ridges.

I used baby sport weight, #6 needles, and started with 72 stitches for a 14" square blankie. Haven’t decided what this week’s project will be. Maybe my sister’s Christmas sweater. It would be nice to finish last year’s so I can start this year’s.

My K4C group did a knit along of this top down raglan baby sweater pattern. My results:

The pattern sez to use Jiffy with #8s, but I don’t like knitting such a tight fabric, so I used #10s. It took 3 skeins (with leftovers enough for a hat) and is 26" in circumference. What’s that, about a 1 year? Worsted with #8s would come out nicely I think. I like the increases in the back to make it fit over a poofy diaper more easily and the large enough neck opening. Babies have thicker necks than many patterns allow for. I used a Russian join to join in a new strand of yarn. I hadn’t tried this one. It works well with acrylics. I thought the yarn felt a bit rough at the join, but it knit up smoothly and isn’t noticeable.

Also worked on a couple of Cotton Ease baby sets. Maybe this week’s finish-up project will be to sew buttons on everything. I think I have 3 or 4 sweaters that just need buttons to be completed. One of those dreaded finishing tasks.

Love this yarn! Lynne is working on a cabled sweater on yellow. Dare I check to see if Hancock’s has any left? Nah.

DD#2 finally wore the formal I made her in January. The winter dance was cancelled- snow. She broke up with her boyfriend the week before prom, but got to wear it for a friend’s Sweet 16. I can't believe our baby's gone for the next 5 weeks. Not that we've had time to miss her yet- she's called several times a day since hubby dropped her off at The Cove Saturday. I have a feeling that will stop now. The first group of campers came today and will keep her too busy!