Shaping

So, I get to spend a lot of time thinking these days. While nursing Penelope quietly in the rocking chair in our bedroom, since she's too distractible to nurse around the rest of the family or in front of the computer or TV. While trying to fall asleep, knowing that she's going to wake up for her first nightly feeding right after I conk out. While walking home from taking Isobel to school in the morning or walking to pick her up in the afternoon. Anyway, there is a fair bit of time in my life these days where I can't have knitting needles (or graph paper and pencil) in my hands, so I get to think. And I've been thinking about some knits I've only seen in my head. At some point I'll have to turn these theories into practice. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about waist-shaping* and just rediscovered Knitting Daily's Waist Shaping Calculator.

*And cables, and in-the-round construction, and various seamless yoke options (EZ offers some interesting variations), and if my theories work, you will hear all about them!

FO: Elefantes

Pattern: Elefante by Susan B. Anderson
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted (grey and white, as well as pink bits), Cascade 220 (purple)
Needles: US4 DPNs
Notions: Polyfill, but not pellets since these are all for children
Recipients: Purple for my nephew, grey for my niece, and white for Isobel who requested a white elephant after seeing the ones I'd made for her cousins. And who can resist making a white elephant on request for their dear child. Penelope will have to wait for hers until she can ask. [Ravelry links: grey, white, and purple]

I love these little guys! Isobel already dragged hers to school today, so no pictures of just the white one, and has mangled the neck area, so I may need to do a reinforcement. My only advice is to stuff them quite firmly because they will get loved and squished! They are fun and quick (about two days per for me, and I'm parenting Miss Penelope around the clock). The finishing is a little fiddly but really not bad.

Free Pattern: Soap Bubble Wrap

Interweave Knits and Knitting Daily are offering the Soap Bubble Wrap as a free download. It is a very cute sweater (I seem to be drawn to wrap sweaters lately for Spring/Summer), and the model has an adorable tuchus in the photos. The recommended yarn is Euroflax Worsted, though worsted cotton and cotton blends are also suggested.

Having just received my copy of IK yesterday, I've already dog-eared this pattern.

FO: Cable Footies

Pattern: Cable Footies from One Skein by Leigh Radford {Ravelry}
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Crocus
Needles: US7 DPNs
Mods: None! This is a great pattern.

These are a belated Christmas present for my grandmother, who loved the slippers I knit her for Mother's Day. As she told me about those slippers: They never even made it into the drawer. I imagine these won't either, as they'll keep her feet and ankles warm. Added bonus: They're machine washable.

I made a pair of these for myself ages ago and liked them for padding around before bed. No idea what happened to them. Guess I need to make a pair for myself.

Interweave Knits, Spring 2009

The IK preview is up. Lots of lovely lace. I'm looking at the Fountain Pen Shawl and that first cardigan. What's intriguing you?