Hat from the Top Down

I was working on the Baby Surprise Jacket KAL. Raverly link here. I was doing OK, but then my increases started looking wonky. So, I don't know if it's my increases or if it's just the way this pattern looks at this point. I'm kind of hesitant to continue on with it.

When in doubt rip it out or....pick up another knitting project. I came across this hat pattern that's knitted from the crown down. Ben's Blue Devil Hat. It seems to coming along nicely.

I'm using Red Hearts So Soft yarn that I had in my stash. I was knitting Brooklyntweed's Turn A Square Hat with it, but it was turning out too big & my DS declared that he wouldn't wear it anyway, so I ripped it out.

Now, Ben's Blue Devil Hat is interesting, because you start at the crown by CO only 4 sts. So, I was knitting away and knitting away when I had a thought. "How come I can knit a hat from the top down, but I can't knit a sock from the toe-up?" The hat certainly has a roundness to it.

My brain must work strangely. I knit hats & get inspired about other things. I once saw a Baby's Pumpkin Hat and I thought of a bathroom tissue cover to use in the Fall.

So, while my youngest DD watched cartoons on Sunday morning. I was inspired to try this:

I'm just playing around with the hat pattern as the beginnings of a toe-up. It's certainly round enough. Knitters never seem to run out of ideas.

BSJ-Progressing Very Slowly

I know that a lot of people are working on their second or even their third Baby Surprise Jacket aka BSJ by now, but I've made very little progress on mine since reaching the 90 sts. mark. Oh, it's not for the not wanting to work on it, it's just that life has gotten so busy at the time. There have even been days and nights where there has been no knitting at all. Shocking isn't it?

I even had grandiose ideas of finishing a white cardigan for myself, but it has been sitting in a bag all neglected. Then, there are socks that need mates and let's not forget the Rapunzel sock that had been frogged and started over. I had gotten as far as the heel flap on 1 sock, then I began the BSJ.

Foot recuperation progress: Six weeks down and 4 more weeks to go before I should be completely recovered. At least now, I have a walking boot that I can take off and on so that I can sit in the shower and bathe. My DD wanted to know the first thing that I thought I would do once I was free from all the foot apparatus? Probably take a nice leisurely shower....standing up, then I'll probably go and get my hair cut. I got my hair cut real short just prior to having surgery, so I'll probably be needing my hair cut within the next few weeks. Then, I'll probably attend to some housework that needs MY attention. I know that everyone in the household have been trying to do their best, but some things just need to be done my way. Next, it'll be nice just to be able to walk around my neighborhood without being in acute pain...even if it's just to walk to the grocery store and back. I'll eventually make it back to my favorite craft stores and discount stores....then look out.

Maybe, I'll be able to squeeze in some knitting time after my sit-down shower.

BSJ KAL-Something New For Me

About 5 years ago, I had briefly belonged to a very small knitting group that had met at a neighbor's home. There was a woman there that had the most curious and oddest piece of knitting I had ever seen. No one said a thing and they just kept on with their knitting. Finally, I spoke up and asked, "What are you making?"

Her reply, "It's a baby sweater."

OK....but it certainly didn't look like any baby sweater that I had ever knitted before, nor had I ever seen anything like what this woman had on her knitting needles running onto her lap. Then, she said, "Trust me....it's a sweater." She then proceeded to fold it this way and that way. I was truly amazed!

So, I went on-line and researched Elizabeth Zimmermann and her books and patterns. Then, I went to the library and found, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop with the Baby Surprise Jacket pattern aka BSJ. I didn't check that book out of the library that day, because, #1 I'm not a real big fan of just plain garter stitch and #2, I was a little intimidated by the pattern.

I guess the BSJ has been very popular for some time now and like other patterns....it has been tweaked and modified through the years. There are so many beautiful variations of this sweater it's just amazing.

Now, I was perfectly content to knit my socks with my fine sock yarn on my tiny little needles, then.....Joansie of Knitting By The Ocean sent me an offer I couldn't refuse. She had sent me the link to Ravelry's Baby Surprise Jacket Knit-A-Long. What the heck...I have a hard time refusing Joansie and my other friend, Lizzie of Lizzie's Loose Ends anything, so I signed up to join the group that's knitting the BSJ. Please check out Joansie's and Lizzie's blogs. The knitting and the photography are while worth the visit.

Like I said, I'm not usually a big fan of garter stitch, however, this project came at just the right time in my life and it turns out that it's not as complicated as I had originally made it out to be. It's addictive. I keep telling myself just one more row, just one more row....I'm just so fascinated to see how this pattern is developing before my eyes.

I'm using some Red Heart yarn that's leftover in my stash on size 8 Knit Picks Options needles. I'm already thinking about my next BSJ...maybe in stockinette? Maybe with stripes?

Frog Ponds and A MittenTutorial

It's not easy being Green!

I had to jump into the frog pond with my Rapunzel sock. I was trying to knit this via the Magic Loop. The rnds. that began and ended with purl sts. gave me ladders. Then, I had dropped a stitch and the more I tried to retrieve it...the more it unraveled to the point where it couldn't be fixed. Trust me, it wasn't pretty. It just seemed easier to frog the whole thing and start over. (sniff)

A Mitten Tutoral: I saw this at Knitting Nonni's blog and I thought that I'd share. It's a great Mitten Tutorial and a great way to use up your stash and a great charity idea!

Now excuse me while I go and dry off and shake the tadpoles out of my boot!

Showers and socks

Who knew that a shower could be so refreshing? Yesterday was my first shower since having surgery on my foot on June 1st. The surgeon's office said that I could take off my boot long enough to sit in the shower & bathe. I feel human again. While having my naked foot exposed, I noticed that my incision has healed nicely, however, I was quite surprised to see that all of my smaller toes have spread out to the max, completely extended! I'm not comfortable at all with the way they look and feel. I'm awaiting a call back from my Dr's. office.

I've just finished picking up sts. for the gusset of my Rapunzel socks (Ravelry link), so it's coming along. The weather is cool enough today that maybe I should pick up my white cardigan and work on that for a bit. Sock? Sweater? Hmm...

I Was Given Da Boot!

I was given da boot today! A boot for my foot that is!



I'm making progress in the healing process from my foot surgery. I'm allowed to stand a little on the heel of the boot & walk a very little bit. In the next 2 wks., I'll be allowed to do more. I go back to the Dr. in a month, at which time this boot may be unrecognizable due to the fact that it'll be covered with all sorts of white & blond dog hairs!

Not too much new to report on the knitting front. I've been resting a lot & knitting off & on.

Knitting,Healing, & Needle Comparsions

I called my library about Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy D. Johnson, this morning, my request is on order, however, there are 9 others ahead of me.

Three weeks down and 7 more to go before I will get my cast off. Hopefully, I'll be allowed to stand and bear weight on my foot. In the meanwhile, I knit and I knit some more.

It got a little too warm to knit on my cardigan sweater now that I have some length to it. So, I went back to doing some sock knitting. I belong to a Yahoo Group called, Fun Sox Knit-a-Long and I had to CO Rapunzel by Pam Gordnier via Yahoo Group: fun_sox · Fun Sox Knit-a-Long. Ravelry link here (via the Yahoo Group).





I'm fascinated my this pattern, because it has a little bit of everything in it. 2 x 2 Ribbing, eyelets, a band that almost looks like crochet and a Basket Weave pattern. I decided to knit this using the Magic Loop (ML) method, using my new 40" Inox Cir. needle. The 40" length is working wonderfully for the ML. This pattern has a lot SSK's and a lot of K2Tog.'s in it, so I wish the Inox needle tips were sharper. The Addi Turbo's tips are blunt, too. I really like the tips of the Knit Picks needles, however, they fall apart on me very quickly.



The joins are different on each needle, too. I really like the join of the Addi Turbo's the best.

Turbo Addi's, smooth join.

Knit Picks, sometimes, smooth join.


Inox, a little arrowhead type join. OK, but took time to get used to.

Stay tuned.