Eye Candy

My favorite baby knitting book is back in the shop! All You Knit is Love is chock full of sweet little things that will make you want to cast on a project for every unsuspecting baby you see. I have knit Gry's Jakke three times, I think? No, wait, four times. Here's the most recent one.

And we cannot forget the Balloon Pants of 2013. Must find another baby who can rock this look.

This is the best book, with projects for a range of time commitment and knitting ability. If you like to knit for babies, you should pop in and take a look!

Eye Candy

Check out these adorable blankets worked up in Knitted Wit, the Bounce Blanket above and Lil' Austin's Blanket below. Both are squishy and cozy and fun to knit, especially in these gorgeous colors!

Bounce Baby Blanket

We are not big kit people at the shop, but sometimes a really good one comes along. Like this Bounce Baby Blanket kit from Knitted Wit and tincanknits. 

These blankets kits use Knitted Wit Victory DK, a sproingy and bouncy machine-washable merino. We have a rainbow variegated kit called Happy Birthday. Look at all of those bright and fun colors!

We also have a more muted option for your hipster baby called So Hip it Hurts. Love that olive brown background colors. And all of the accent colors. This would be so cool!

They were difficult to photograph in the bags, and I was afraid I'd lose a wee skein if I started unpacking. So come on by and see the lovely colors for yourself!

P.S. There are several gorgeous examples of this knit up on Ravelry using these kits! Aghh, now I want one, too!

Eye Candy

There's a basket of Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton in the shop. There's not a lot, but the colors are so good. You only need one of each shade to make a Purl Bee Chevron Baby Blanket. 

I've made two! The pattern is really fun, and the yarn is amazing. Need a baby gift? This could be your go-to.

Eye Candy

Gry's Jacket is one of my favorite little baby knits. One ample skein of sock yarn does the trick. This is Bumblebirch Heartwood in Dandelion, the most lovely grellow and the unofficial Close Knit color. This sweet thing is in the shop!

Eye Candy Monday

I made a small hat using the Universal Cotton Supreme. It is sooooo soft. Tassel is forthcoming.

Knitting Gifts for Baby

I love this book. This one and All You Knit is Love are probably my top two baby knitting books. Let me show you some of my favorites.

That Leia Bonnet on the cover? It's worked up in Aran weight, so it will be done in a jiffy. So sweet, and the chin strap is perfect for framing some chubby cheeks.

The Jiffy Jacket is knit up with only two skeins of Cascade Eco Cloud, another Aran weight. It is soft and squishy and begging to become a garter stitch baby cardigan. Imagine a little matched hat and sweater set.

Speaking of sets, poncho and mocs, anyone? These are designed using Cascade 220, which is economical and durable. The Little Fishing Vests also use 220. Look at those funny little pockets.

There are several lovely and interesting blankets included the book, including the Air Cell Blanket. The texture of this pattern is really intriguing to me.

The Sailor Tee, the Horseshoe Pullover, and the Cable Cape are all such classic designs.

 

There are plenty of other great designs in the book (and a few weird ones). Which ones do you like best?

Eye Candy Monday

The Blue Sky Alpacas trunk show is still with us! Come and see these sweet little faces in person.

The tiny human clothes are killing me. That little dress/romper is adorable. The pants have butt gussets to accommodate a diaper booty. It's all so cute!

Babies

Yes, this book is back in stock...All You Knit is Love: Knits for Babies 0-18 Months.

I know I talk about this book often, but it is just so good. My babies are all well out of the 0-18 month size range (and have been for about five years), but that didn't stop me from buying this book. A few of my most treasured projects were made from this collection. I like to think that the finished products will be treasured as well.

The Gry's Hoodie that I made as a shop sample has gone to live with its new owner, due to arrive in the outside world any day now. I have started a new sample using Bumblebirch Heartwood in the Dandelion colorway, another shop favorite. Keep your eyes peeled for that in the shop this winter.

I made these Ballonpants a few years back for one of my favorite small humans, and they will go down as one of my most precious knits. I loved every moment of work that I put into these, and I love how stinking cute they are on a big diapered baby bottom.

We have a lovely supply of Isager Spinni, Alpaca 1 and Alpaca 2 for these projects, although many work up beautifully in your favorite sock yarns.

If you have babies on the way, yours or otherwise, I cannot recommend this book enough. The instructions are clear, the designs are classic, and your finished work is sure to become a treasured family heirloom. What more could you ask?

Cuteness

This little sweater was such a joy to make. I loved choosing the colors. I loved knitting the rows of garter stitch. I loved the silky feel of the organic cotton yarn in my hands. 

I loved seeing the stripes pop every six rows. I even enjoyed picking up stitches for the sleeves and tiny button bands. And I loved stitching those tiny milky green buttons on at the very end.

The Bio Sesia 5 is a lovely yarn, perfect for a baby sweater. I was drawn to the bleached white, but I knew I could not knit the sweater in white. I paired it with the heathery grey, and I am so happy with the way the tiny stripes pop. The yarn is machine washable, organic, and so soft. We have a really nice color range, including some soft neutrals and rich colors.

I used the Little Baby Sweater pattern, a freebie from the Purl Bee. This is a great beginner pattern. The only tricky bit is picking up the stitches for the sleeves, but that wasn't so bad. Just a few stitches, really. I enjoyed knitting this tiny thing so much, I think I need to cast on for another.

Adorable Baby Jacket

I finished the tiny baby jacket! This is Gry's Hoodie from All You Knit is Love. Oh my. It is tiny and sweet and squishy. Garter stitch and baby sweaters are the perfect combination. I just want to squeeze them both.

I used one skein of Dream in Color Jilly, all but about five yards for the smallest size. The single ply yarn is so nice for a lightweight fabric, just the thing for a baby layer. We are nearing the end of our supply of Jilly right now, but the Knitted Wit Single Fingering would be perfecto...very similar yarns.

The sweater was a pretty easy knit. It's knit cuff-to-cuff, with some increases and decreases on the sleeves. The hood is picked up and joined with a three needle bind off. The only seams are up the sides and down the sleeves. Easy peasy.

The pattern originally calls for Isager Spinni and Alpaca 1, both of which we now stock. I'm considering a few more of these sweaters for all the babies being born around me lately. I love the idea of holding two yarns together to create an unique fabric and color. These would not create a machine-washable sweater, though. But babies are hand-wash only, too, so I suppose that might be okay.

Jilly Sweater

Do you all remember that beautiful Dream in Color Jilly I showed you a few weeks ago. Well...I couldn't resist it. This Black & White colorway was just too beautiful. And we needed a shop sample, obviously.

So I cast on for Gry's Hoodie from All You Knit is Love. I have told you about his book before. I love it. I mean...Balloon Pants. I bought it after my babies had outgrown every single design. Everything is simple, sweet, and practical. There are several projects that are perfectly suited for the new knitter, too. It would be a nice gift for a new mom who wants to knit for her little one.

The Jilly is working up nicely on a US5, but I think a US4 might be better for this garter stitch. I think I'll switch to the smaller size to get more squishiness in the knitted fabric.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. In the meantime, come on in and see all the pretty shades we have in this lovely yarn.

Little Stuff and Big Stuff (Summertime Sale)

Does it feel like summer is flying by?  These hot days are a little much for me, so I have been knitting small things for small people.  Baby bonnets, to be exact.  They are small enough that they don't need to rest in my lap; they require minimal thought; and they seem to fly off the needles, especially after knitting several.

I have been using the Modern Baby Bonnet pattern from Vintage Knits for Modern Babies.  We have so many lovely bonnet patterns at the shop, books and single patterns, too.  I have particularly enjoyed playing with these colors for a certain newly-arrived matched set of humans, and I have a pure white one going now.  I just keep casting on and knitting another.

But this heat will not last, and then it will be time for the big stuff.  Let's go as big as possible, shall we?  Our weekly sale starting August 4 will be Loopy Mango.  If you have been waiting to get your hands on this, now is the time.

The big skeins are normally $198, so they are only $169 on sale.  One of these huge skeins makes a whole blanket in just a few hours.  Talk about a last minute gift that will make a huge impression. 

The 13 oz little balls will be $67 on sale, and one of these makes the fabulous cowl sample we have in the shop.

We have lots of the the US50 needles in the shop, and Loopy Mango offers their patterns for free on their website.

In just a few short months, I'm sure will be wishing for a little bit of this heat to warm us up.  I suppose I will have to make due with a cozy blanket!

Baby Cashmerino 5

We see these Baby Cashmerino books every year or so, maybe.  I am not normally moved by any of them, but Baby Cashmerino 5 was particularly adorable.  Mostly it was the Gingham Bear on the cover that caught my eye.  And, yes, there is a pattern for that in the book.  The baby is wearing the Simple Crossover Top, which would be such a nice basic.

This Garter Stitch A Line Jacket looks so wearable over the inevitable layers of the Oregon winter.  And who doesn't like garter stitch on kiddos?  There's a sweet little contrast edging at the neck, cuffs, and sleeves.  A nice chance to play with some easy colorful touches.

The Artist's Smock has an unusual neckline and some soon-to-be-filled up pockets.

I like the simplicity of the Single Stripe Sweater.  And that Gingham Bear again.

Looks like an interesting construction on the Trellis Stitch Jacket.  The cropped style is so sweet, and the cables look like they would be fun to knit.

The Square Neck Top is the one that really got me.  Debbie Bliss has published similar designs in a few previous magazines, but something about the color-blocking and the swingy shape of this one really appealed to me.  And that face.

The Gingham Jacket is a classic, and would be great for a little girl or boy.  Imagine all the fun color combos.

Debbie Bliss always seems to include a nice basic raglan, like the Two Color Raglan Sweater.  Adorable.

There is a Rosebud Bear, obviously, and a Rosebud Crossover Top.

The shelves are fully stocked with Baby Cashmerino, and I've found the Cascade 220 Superwash Sport to be a pretty nice substitute, as well.  It's a little thicker, so the sweaters will come out a bit bigger.  Good thing babies grow so fast!