oooh babies...

People around me are having babies. A co-worker and a dear former housemate. Perfect excuse to make baby things - yahoo!

It seems everyone who knits must make at least one thing designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. And among those, it appears 99.569% are compelled to make a Baby Surprise jacket. Who am I to fight the tide? And well, it helps that it was the July KAL at my LYS. I started writing about it at the end of July, so this will be repetitious if you've read the earlier entry...

I grew wildly fond of the yarn. It's Boomerang from Fiesta Yarns and is so smooshy and nice to the hands. The colors are pretty awesome as well. TBH, I've never been entirely sure what all the EZ fuss was about. I mean, I know she revolutionized knitting and get the historical legacy bit. However, I've never been so sure what distinguished her patterns.

And then I began the BSJ. Oh holy mother of all knitterly things! What kind of mind conceives of such a thing? It's knit flat, all one piece and when you get toward the end of it, it's shaped kind of like a giant manta ray. Then somehow, you fold it up and surprise! - you have a baby jacket. I mean seriously, it's designed in 3D! That's it; I've drunk the kool-aid. Elizabeth Zimmerman is pure genius.

I scored the buttons at Vickie's and really, I adore them.

I also finished one of my test knits. Karen, from my Rav group (who designed the Viking Bag of last summer) designs such lovely things. I was very honored to test knit for her. And lookee what Val's yet to be born baby girl gets:

The pattern is called Verdandi. It was a great knit and my first time knitting a top down sweater. Annnnd get this: it has absolutely no seams. That's right - no finishing except for weaving in ends, adding buttons and blocking (which by the by, I did not do...yet)

drive by...

ugh! i've been crazed with work and the never-ending housemate search. but, one of my co-workers is celebrating her 60th birthday tomorrow. she is one of the most vibrant, colorful women ever (and swears like a sailor, which cracks me up to no end). she wears bright colors, seems to favor blues and greens and also sports fun socks frequently. so, in honor of her landmark birthday, i made her:


yep, yet another pair of broadripples!!!

because i'm too tired/lazy/behind on life to be original, i swiped from my project page...

Soph’s bday is 8/17; nothing like waiting til the last moment…(note: i started these 8/4)

I’ll be trying my hand at magic loop for the first time.

changed to DPNs for heel because i couldn't imagine how the whole magic loop thing worked through dividing for heel, working gusset, etc.

8/12 riiight, it will be nothing short of a miracle if these get finished in time. started the second sock (without being completely done with the first) @ 8pm. yikers.

also just remembered this is the yarn/pattern combo that led to my knitter’s stigmata. ouch.

8/14 wowsa! somehow finished with time to spare. and really finished, as in all ends are wound in & they are ready to go. holy smoly.

i still believe this yarn/pattern combo is absolutely to die for. seriously. even my LYSO who strongly dislikes the fixation yarn found herself thinking about casting a pair on. if you (or the intended recipient) can enjoy bright colors, you just can’t go wrong with this combo.

word to the wise though - i feel the yarn really sticks on bamboo needles, so tend toward my nickel plated DPNs. however, with the stretch factor and k2tog’s i did find myself with knitter’s stigmata from pushing those pointy needles through. using the magic loop method on the legs helped a great deal. i think slightly more blunted any metal needles would be wise. darn, darn my love for super pointy needles!