Category: knitting

Knitting for baby

~ Maggie ~ 2 Comments

My knitting mojo (and thus my blogging mojo) were gone for quite a while. If you’ve been reading here a longer time, you probably know the drill. It’s all connected. But here we are.

I have been knitting.

I had to. One cannot gift the first grandbaby lots and lots of handknits, and then go ahead and ignore the second one.

Yes, that’s right. My youngest daughter is expecting a little one in December. Or maybe a little bit earlier, since both mother and baby are not the healthiest they can be. But we’re not talking about that right now. There will be a little babe that needs handknits and that’s great.

And of course that made me think about this sadly neglected little blog. Because knitting has been the core of it since the start of it, even though I do post about other things. So I should at least post a few pictures to keep my knitting history up to date, shouldn’t I? (there are a few projects missing, but most of them are in the archives somewhere)

And okay, I really, really want to blog again. I missed it so much, but I couldn’t work up the energy or headspace to actually sit down at the computer and write.

Anyway. We were in the Netherlands shortly after we got the news, so I found myself in the textile shop to buy yarn for this baby the day after we arrived. And it didn’t take me too much time to crank out a cute little hat and some booties. I didn’t use a pattern; just winged it and somehow the construction of the booties worked out right (this is the second time I knit them, first time was three years ago for the grandson).

(I’ve been trying to tweak the color of the picture to get it closer to the real color, but I can’t get it right. Also, my big screen and my laptopscreen have completely different colors, so I don’t even know which way to tweak it. The real color is a happy, sunny sky blue with a hint of green. At least that’s how I remember it)

I made a matching little sweater too, but I forgot to take pictures of it and we’re in Curaçao right now. I’ll try to remember to take one when we’re back in the Netherlands in a month or so (we’re traveling a lot this year).

I also knit a blanket and a baby surprise jacket, and those are here, but I’m going to spread things out a bit. Stay tuned for more baby knit posts (and maybe a little update about the cute little ruin? I’ll try…)

Anyway… How cute are those tiny booties?

It shows

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

I don’t have a clue where the week went, but obviously I haven’t spent it knitting.

And the messy threads?
Yeah well… I wanted to take a picture, but I was halfway a row. So I finished that row only to discover I started the yarnovers at the wrong side of the knitting. Or actually, I started at the right side, but you’re supposed to start a the wrong side.
So I had to frog two rows and I didn’t feel like redoing them before taking a picture.

I guess (as usual) the state of my knitting shows where I am mentally. A bit of a mess.
Oh well. I’m going to try to have something better to show to you next week.

Wishing you all a great weekend!

It doubled

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

I almost didn’t post today, but then I realized that it doesn’t take too long to take a picture of my knitting and write something about it. You know, to keep he blog momentum going.

So here’s my cowl. I was going to say that this project isn’t going too fast. I haven’t been knitting much this week. But, looking back at last week’s post, I noticed that it almost doubled in size. So let’s call that progress, even thought it has to double in size a few times more before it’s finished.

Wishing you all a great weekend!

For next winter

~ Maggie ~ 5 Comments

I was going to skip a Friday post. Since I started blogging more regularly, Fridays were about knitting. But I forgot to take a picture of the (very little progress) on the blanket before we left and I thought I didn’t have anything on the needles here. Turns out I did. I forgot about that…

When I cast on, I thought the grandson sweater was almost done (BTW: it fits perfectly!) and I figured I had enough time and knitting mojo to finish this cowl before we left, so I could wear it this December. Ha!

Well, let’s be gentle to myself. This is going to be my cowl for next winter. That will give me plenty of time to finish it.

I was going to write a list of crafting goals for the new year to inspire me to actually do something, but I haven’t had time to think things through. Maybe next week…

An ongoing project

~ Maggie ~ 3 Comments

Two and a half years ago, I thought it would be fun to start a scrap blanket to work on whenever we would be in our cabin in The Netherlands.

Well, as you can see, I didn’t work on it much, it’s still just a narrow strip. I actually don’t think I even picked it up after I started it, even though we’ve been back there a few times since then. But I knew it was there, waiting for me when I wanted to knit. And somehow, that was comforting. I have been making a few stitches here and there the past few days. Not really committing to it. I’m still too feverish to commit to anything. But it does give me something to do. And who knows… Someday it may actually turn into a real blanket.

A sweater for my grandson

~ Maggie ~ 7 Comments

I finished it!

After finishing the sleeves, I decided the body was too short (again!), so I frogged the ribbing and made it a bit longer. I was actually still knitting three hours before we left for the airport. But I managed and it does look the right size to me now, so it was worth the rush. In case you’re wondering why the rush: we travel with carry-on luggage only and knitting needles are not allowed. I don’t have the right ones in the cabin and though buying some would be possible, it might have been hard to find the sizes I needed.

I’ll have to wait till Christmas to see if it really fits though. My grandson’s birthday is this Sunday, but the sweater is meant as a Christmas gift. It’s killing me to wait, but that does give me time to wash it. I hope that will even out the stitches a bit more. It’s cotton, so technically it doesn’t need blocking. I have noticed though that cotton and acryllic yarn do look better after the first washing, so I tend to do that.

We arrived yesterday morning. On our way from the airport to the cabin, we stopped at our daughter’s to pick up a package they received for us. Added bonus was that we could see our grandson too.

When we decided to move so far way from our family, I told myself to accept that our (future) grandchildren would not really know us. I figured occasional visits and monthly videocalls would not be enough for a small child to recognize his grandparents. But you know what? It is! He knows we’re his oma and opa and he is not shy at all. That makes me so, so happy!

(p.s. I’m considering moving the blog back to wordpress.com because some of you have issues, but I’m too jetlagged right now to make a decision about that)

I did it!

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

Yes, that’s right. I did knit in public. On a terrace, right in the middle of the town center, where lots and lots of tourists pass by. And it wasn’t scary at all. Why did I think it would be?

I know, for most of you this is not a big deal. But for me it was.

It was actually fun. Nobody really asked about it or anything (well, one waitress joked she was going to stand there and watch me, because she wanted to learn to knit), but it actually felt good to sit there and knit. It added something to the experience, that I can’t quite put into words. Who knows… I might turn into “that woman who is always knitting”.

I actually finished the body while I was sitting there and I’m almost done with the sleeves. Which is cutting it close, but I will manage. We fly to the Netherlands tomorrow afternoon and will land early in the morning on Thursday. Then we have one day for resting and grocery shopping before we have a weekend full of family visits and birthday parties. Exhausting, but fun!

Knitting in public

~ Maggie ~ 4 Comments

There has been progress, but not enough. Still, there’s time…

I was thinking about how to get some good knitting time and then I realized some people knit during long car rides. I could do that… We’re going into town tonight for drinks and dinner. I usually prefer just sitting and looking at the surroundings while T. drives, but it’s not like this is such intrigate knitting, that I have to fully concentrate on it. So maybe I’ll get an hour in that way. And if I dare knitting in the dark (on the way back), maybe even two hours.

And than I realized some people also knit in public places (remember Soulemama? – she took it everywhere). I could take it with me to the terrace. We usually just sit, talk a little bit, but mostly do a lot of silent people watching. I could knit while we do that. Yeah… I could… It would probably help me to get a whole lot more done.

But I’m not sure I have the confidence to do it… Would you?

A cast on and some frogging

~ Maggie ~ 7 Comments

This is what I’ve been knitting on this weekend. I know… where’s the sweater for my grandson?

Well, I’ll tell you. But let’s talk about the new cast-on first. In my sad stash, I had a bag of very thin (fingering weight, I think) green wool. Or more accurate a 70% wool, 30% acrylic blend. Too much wool for the grandson, but I decided to try if knitting with 30% acrylic was doable for my hands. To be honest, the judges are still out on that. I’ll keep you posted.

I’m making this pattern by the way. I decided it might be a fun tradition to make myself a new cowl/shawl/scarf and hat every year, to bring with me when we go to The Netherlands for the holidays. Not that I will be wearing it much, but you know… for the fun of knitting it. Also, maybe that will get me outside, walking in the woods when we’re there, instead of being a couch potato for two or three weeks.

Anyway. The grandson sweater. I was actually doing great.

See? Only the sleeves to go. But the sizing was nagging me. I have checked my gauge so, so many times. Of course I got a different stitch count every single time (that’s why I usually don’t gauge), but I was either on spot, or not far off. The finished width, same thing. On spot, or not far off, depending on how I laid it out and how much I straightened it out.
I followed the pattern for size 2-4 years. Even if I was a bit off, this sweater should fit my has-yet-to-turn-two-year-old grandson. Or so i tried to convince myself.

But it kept bugging me. It’s not too long ago since I last held him and I distinctly remember him being bigger than the child that would fit this sweater. Even T. (who is terrible at imagining clothes on people) agreed when I asked him if it looked small to him.

So I send a message to my daughter, spoiling the suprise, but what’s the use of surprising someone with a sweater that doesn’t fit? I asked her to measure a sweater that fit him well, because measuring the boy himself seemed an impossible task to me. It took her a while to locate her tape measure and then the sweater she wanted to use was in the wash. Not mocking her, I think this is very relatable, especially if you have a very demanding toddler and a job to juggle.
But eventually she messaged me back with the measurements and that proved me right. This is way too small for him. I don’t understand. Are American baby’s so much smaller? Is the sizing off? Or is it supposed to be a much tighter fit than I imagined? (some of the pictures on Ravelry suggest that, although the baby on the pattern itself wears a loose fitting sweater)

Well, it doesn’t matter what the problem is, I know that I need a bigger sweater. So I frogged to where I stopped increasing. I don’t want the neck to be any wider, so I’m going to increase a bit more till I’m at a width that should be comparable to his favorite sweater. That would be size 6-8 years on the pattern instructions – that’s wild, but I’d rather make it too big than too small. If it’s too big he will grow into it eventually.

Luckily I still have a few weeks until we leave…

Knitting from a sad stash

~ Maggie ~ 7 Comments

My grandson’s sweater is coming along. Such a fun and easy pattern (Flax by TinCanKnits)! I really love how it’s turning out. And while light blue may not be the most sensible color to knit for a two year old boy that loves to be outside, I think it will look wonderful with his blue eyes and blond hair. We’ll just see how long it stays wearable. I didn’t really have much of a choice, anyway. My yarn stash is… well, sad.

Great time for yarn shopping, you say?
Um, nope. I think one of the reasons I don’t really enjoy knitting that much anymore since we moved here, is because acrylic yarn and heat just don’t go together so well. It’s scratchy and it feels like I need to strain my hands more to knit with it. I should have thought about that when we were in The Netherlands. I mean, there are many alternatives, even if I don’t want to use wool (both my daughter and my son-in-law are allergic to wool, so I’m assuming my grandson is too). Bamboo? Silk? The only non acrylic yarn I can get around here is cotton, but that’s not the best choice to knit sweaters with, I think.

That said, the yarn I’m using now is actually cotton. But it’s thicker and really, really soft. I used it for this sweater in the past and it holds up really well. I bought that in The Netherlands, so I couldn’t go back for another color. Luckily there’s a lot of it, a result of bringing a lot of yarn with me years ago.
Many years ago actually. I looked in my archives and I found this post where I first talked about buying it. Wow! January 2020. Almost five years ago. Reading that post makes me cringe. Most of the cotton yarn shown in the picture is still in my stash. I guess that stuff is just not that inspiring to me. I’m thinking about making a scrap blanket or something with it, with double strands and big needles to make it a (kind of) fast project, but if that’s not working out, I think I’m just going to donate it all and start over.
I really miss being excited about starting the next project, but my current stash only makes me dread having to knit.
So yes, starting over sounds like a plan to me.