I'm Improvising

Michelle was back from Europe and we enjoyed hearing all about her trip. She didn't get too much knitting done :(

Now she's back on track and working on the second sock for the Knitting Central Sock Club.

Claudia began the second booties from Monday. Click here for the pattern link.

When she got to the end of the bootie, we realized that it looked like she made two of the same foot (they're Mary Janes). This got us for a moment when one of us realized the if she flipped it inside out (it's done in garter), it'd be fine.

Thus began the improvising part of our session. We all did a little improvising then: Michelle with her sock, Mary with her crochet, and Claudia with her bootie.

Mary brought in a cool pair of shoes that had crocheted flowers sewn on. We kind of brainstormed about doing that to a pair of keds or flip flops.

Monday, Monday

We met today, for a change.

Mary came in wearing a neckwarmer she knit out of Crystal Palace Puffin yarn, it looked terrific. She brought all kinds of things to go over. We checked out the socks she started last week and she tried her hand at the crocheted square before this week's class. She's right on target.

Claudia brought in a new bootie pattern she found from Ravelry

She was able to finish one bootie in the space of two hours. It was quick and cute (and knit in Rowan Cotton Glace).
I worked on a sock knit in Colinette Jitterbug. The pattern is by one of my co-workers at the store.

Oh Baby!

This Friday it was just Robin and I (for a while...) She's making great progress on the baby skirt. I took a "detailed" picture but it was too close. By the time I see her next week, she'll probably be done with it.

She's enjoying working on the poncho in variegated Encore Worsted. She said that every stitch is a new color, which is a good way to describe working with Variegated yarns.
We were going along in our own world when I got a tap on the shoulder. Danielle surprised us and she brought baby Eric. We were SO happy to see each other. She wanted to hear all about everyone in stitch and chat and we of course wanted to hear everything about her new expanded family.

Eric slept most of the visit (all tucked in with the blanket we made) and Danielle was able to sit and knit. She's on the last strip of the Manos Four Seasons Afghan.
She also finished her bag. It came out great! She had it lined and it's just fabulous!
Towards the end of the visit, Eric woke up and I got to hold him for a while. He is absolutely adorable. I took a picture as we were getting ready to go, he really wanted to go, so he wasn't really up for the photo.

Claudia and I met up and she told me she gave the knit t to the little girl she sits for. Although she loved the t, guess what? She wants a dress too, just like her sister. It's a good thing Claudia enjoys knitting in the round now (no finishing) and it's such cute dress to knit!

We worked on a pair of booties for a while and the straps for the ankle just didn't come out right. She'll rip it out past the straps and crochet straps instead. Yeah, a new crocheter!

She's also working on a tie sweater pattern from Blue Sky Alpaca, it's in the lovely Alpaca yarn she brought back from Peru.

Next up the dress on the cover of the Coastlines book from Debbie Bliss.

Mary joined us and opened up the magic bag. She worked up a gauge for the cotton sweater we're both making. It's the one called "shore". I have to catch up and swatch. My yarn is still in the bag I brought it home in!

She also started another sock.Her Warm-Up America-Greenwich is going so well, that they may end up with more than one blanket. She's had to change gears from knitting squares to sewing them. Here's a recent contribution.
She revisited the crocheted squares and it's coming together.
Robin is about halfway through an adorable skirt knit in Be Sweet Bamboo. The pattern and yarn are from Knitting Central.
I love the color she chose and the sparkle yarn is great. Looking at the picture doesn't do it justice. Next time, a close up!

She gauged (yes gauged) for a poncho pattern and started it. It's a simple to rectangle poncho and we'll (I'll) probably crochet around the neck to finish it.

We got to talking weddings and plan to share our wedding pix next time we meet. (so pack that pix in your bag!)

Follow the Yellow Sweater

Robin's yellow sweater is officially done! When Robin looked back at the recent posts, she realized that every week had a different post commenting on the sweaters progress: cardigan becomes a crew, side by side, sleeve by sleeve. It motivated her to finish. She was tired of reading about it!
I crocheted a couple of linked flowers to embellish it.Elizabeth finished one sock and began the next. She made a triangle heel to try something different. Very cool!

Claudia gave the adorable dress to the little girl she sits for and her older sister was not happy that there was no knit gift for her. She made Claudia promise to have hers ready by the next week! She was into the armhole shaping by the end of last Wednesday. I look forward to hearing the reviews!
Michelle was ready to go toe to toe (sorry! couldn't resist the pun when it popped into my head) with her sock. I love this colorway, it's so bright and colorful.

Maybe a bigger note to self

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I guess that's why I don't listen to myself about blogging in the moment when things are fresh (meaning my memory) and my notes are clear!

So, here is last week in review.

Claudia (not surprisingly) finished the Plymouth Toddler Striped Jumper (pattern C163). It is adorable. She knit it in Tahki Cotton Classic. We worked on how to do a single crochet edging and she took to it with ease. :)
Michelle is working on the Suss Baby Doll (pattern 312) knit in Suss Mosaic. The bottom of the sweater is knit in two rectangles, seamed, and then the top is picked up from that. She's just about at that part, so stay tuned. It shouldn't take me more than a week or two to let you know.
She and Mary took my crocheted flowers class last week at Knitting Central
We had a lot of fun. Here are the flowers she completed.
Mary told us the Warmup America squares are "coming in like crazy". She started sewing them together, trying several different stitches. I showed her the mattress stitch. When you mention sewing to Mary, she shifts into a completely different persona. Sewing is a favorite of hers. Needless to say, she got the stitch immediately and was happily on her way. Two days later, she had this to show for her efforts:
Robin pointed out that her hands have been featured in many project pictures. There's a career path, the Carol Marryl (sp?) of knitting. I know I'm dating myself. For those of you that the name sounds familiar, think Price is right of years ago.

Robin was working on sewing the pieces of her baby sweater together. It was the day for the mattress stitch.
Robin was the "booty lady" today (notice spelling please). She finished these booties to match the hat in just two days!
When we reviewed the mattress stitch, Mary loved it and Robin hated it. Can't win them all.

Elizabeth brought a new sock in progress:
She brought out her "leilani" sweater from Berroco and was not a happy camper. The way the sweater is designed, one front is intentionally longer than the other. The style just did not suit when she sewed it together and tried it on. We all had to agree with her, and she stoically planned to rip out one side and make them even.

Robin was ready to change to dpn for her hat, she was catching up to Mary. The had is adorable. (pictured above with booties).

One pattern she was working on called for you to kf&b. She thought it was a knitting curse word. :)