The pattern for the Sweet Shells Toddler Sweater is now posted at my patterns site. The yardage on the yarn is approximately 300-350, and any fingering weight yarn can be used. I used Bernat Sox, an acrylic/nylon blend. It’s soft, durable, and machine washable and dryable–all qualities you might want to consider when making this garment for a toddler.

This pattern represents two firsts for me–my first completed knitting pattern and my first completed garment pattern. Please let me know if you find any mistakes while working this pattern; I wrote it as I went, basing the back and all measurements on the Magic Stripes Toddler Sweater at LionBrand. I wrote the front to create a pullover sweater instead of a cardigan and incorporated the shell pattern in the sleeves for added continuity.

I finished Sami’s sweater, but I’m only posting the stitches and the sleeve until I finish writing the pattern. Even though the sweater is done, the pattern is still a WIP, so that’s how I’m posting. Sami wanted to wear the sweater the entire time I was making it, but then once it was finished didn’t want to wear it at all. In fact, she yelled and cried when I put it on her. *rolls eyes*

After a long hiatus, I picked up my crochet again. Not sure why I stopped crocheting for a while, but I started a shawl last night. I’m using Endless Summer Nights Luna from elann.com that I bought with a gift certificate I received from Kari from our Christmas gift exchange. It’s taken me this long to figure out what I wanted to buy with that money, but I finally decided on the Luna in Aztec Gold and Esprit in Wine and Purple Violets. I’m going to finally make the Lolita Socks!! Yay!

So, here’s the evening shawl so far. It starts in the middle of the shawl and has a really easy repeat pattern, so once you get going it’s hard to mess it up. I’m using a TOTC size F hook with the Luna and it’s flowing wonderfully…except when the hook splits the rayon part of the yarn. Then I have to frog a few stitches and fix it, but that’s no biggie. I was a bit irritated when I found a knot about 2-3 yards into my first ball of yarn, though. I just cut it out and set that yarn aside to use for fringe later.

This shawl is primarily for a royal blue silk dress I got at Christmas. The sheen from the rayon in the yarn is perfect to dress up the shawl for church wear. I think I’ll do another shawl from the same pattern in a less dressy yarn for every day wear!

NOTE: This post is of a very personal nature. Feel free to leave your comments on the situation. I have left out the gender of the parent in question, but the child’s gender is revealed. This situation not only angers me, but also saddens me deeply. Click the link to read the post, as it upsets me too much to have it grace the front of my blog in its entirety.

(more…)

1. Soldier :: Hero, armed services
2. Lipton :: Iced tea, hot tea, soothing
3. Reason:: Rhyme and
4. Terms :: Conditions, vocabulary words
5. Positive :: Influence
6. Example :: Watch how I do this.
7. Legacy :: Gift by will, predecessor
8. Solo :: Performance, alone, one player
9. Instrument :: Flute, piano, trumpet, voice
10. Later :: Procrastinate, not now, never

My kids were out of school this past week for their Winter Break, so they wanted to play outside in the snow. Most days were warm enough–mid to high 20s–for them to play, but on the days when they had to stay in because the temp was below or just above zero, they about drove me nuts with cabin fever. I’m glad they enjoy playing outside in any weather and temperature; I just have to remind them to bundle up properly to avoid cold-weather injuries. They’re back in school this week, so the house is going to be considerably quieter.

I enjoyed having all the kids here this past week; we went out together and the kids let me borrow their sled to slide down their favorite hill. When I got to the bottom, the sled flew off to the left and I fell flat on my back to the right. No one was hurt, and we all got a good laugh out of it. Earlier in the week, we took the kids over to their great-grandfather’s house to slide down the driveway. The snow wasn’t packed enough for me to slide, but we had a lot of fun with me pulling the sleds up and pushing them back down the drive. Getting in and out was interesting; the snow plows had piled up drifts on both sides of the driveway gate that weren’t packed enough to hold the weight of an adult, so I sank into the snow up to my knees and got snow in my pants and boots. That was cold! Getting out was even more interesting; every time I tried to get a good foot hold, I sank further than the last time. I ended up flipping over the gate to get back to the car! Again, the kids had a good laugh at my expense. No harm, no foul and we all had fun.

See more New Yorker cartoons at ArcaMax

During their vacation and while they were visiting Jerusalem, George’s mother-in-law died.

With death certificates in hand, George went to the American Consulate Office to make arrangements to send the body back to the states for proper burial.

The Consul, after hearing of the death of the mother-in-law told George that the sending of a body back to the states for burial is very, very expensive. It could cost as much as $5,000.00.

The Consul continues, in most cases the person responsible for the remains normally decides to bury the body here. This would only cost $150.00.

George thinks for some time and answers, “I don’t care how much it will cost to send the body back; that’s what I want to do.”

The Consul, after hearing this, says, “You must have loved your mother-in-law very much considering the difference in price.”

“No, it’s not that,” says George. “You see, I know of a case from many years ago of a person that was buried here in Jerusalem. On the third day he rose from the dead! I just can’t take that chance.”

For more jokes, visit ArcaMax.

I’m almost done with the toddler sweater I’m designing. Sami has been asking me all week if she can wear her sweater! I bound off the sleeves tonight–worked them simultaneously on one circular needle–and seamed one sleeve to the body of the sweater. The sweater pattern will be posted to my patterns site as soon as I get everything written out and sized for two more sizes. The inspiration for this sweater came from Lion Brand’s Toddler Sweater and Socks in Magic Stripes, though I designed a pullover sweater instead of a cardigan. I have some really fun striped yarn–the Regia Clown Ringel–that has the same color pink as the sweater to make Sami’s socks and probably a Calorimetry to match the sweater. I would have used the stripy yarn for trim except the fiber content of the Regia is different from the Bernat Sox. Hence the coordinating accessories instead.

I used a three needle bind off on the shoulder seams instead of grafting, and I have to say that I will probably use the three needle bind off for the next pair of socks I make cuff down. I’ve downloaded a photo-heavy tutorial on toe up socks, so I’m going to get brave and work up a pair of socks using the toe up method.

I’ll post pics of the sweater after Sami gets to wear it. She’s been after me and has been so patient for her new sweater that I owe her that. She loves the camera, though, so getting a couple of good pics of the sweater won’t be an issue. The pics will be here and will accompany the pattern. Watch for the pattern announcement within the next couple of weeks!

Cartoons © 2006 The New Yorker – Cartoonbank.com. All rights reserved.

Cartoons © 2006 The New Yorker – Cartoonbank.com. All rights reserved.

Cartoons © 2006 The New Yorker – Cartoonbank.com. All rights reserved.

To see more New Yorker cartoons, visit ArcaMax.