The Hat...Personified

The Penguin Hat finally found it's way to the head it was meant to sit on. This co-worker of my mother's is bound for Antarctica in a few months and this hat will ensure her head stays warm -- with style. She really loved it ad I think it suits her perfectly.

Another view...

In Other News...

The 'Little Blue' parka was again modeled by wee cutie Isaac. He seems really thrilled to be helping us out with the photos. What a great little baby!

Really goes well with those gorgeous peepers of his.

His brother Dominic seemed to be enjoying himself as well...

Now I've traveled 7,000 miles across the Pacific and am enjoying some time in Southern California with my family. I'm knitting a sock -- with teeny tiny yarn -- in an interesting color/pattern mix. Photos coming.

Little Blue

Another productive day in the Powell Knitting Factory. I just finished another baby sweater. I knit this one basically to test a pattern I have created...just making sure the other sizes in the pattern work as they should.  I also reworked the faux fur around the hood as the last time I knit this, there was too much fur in the baby's face, and anything a baby feels tickling its face, it will try and eat. Not always good!

Today was cold, rainy, and windy. About 42 degrees during the day and we had a few bouts of hail too. The sun peeked out for all of about 5 seconds once today which was a good reminder that it's still out there. This huge storm has latched on to New Zealand for the last 3 or 4 days. But all indications are it's on its way out.

Rainy day by the Avon River

Wet autumn leaves

So, a good day to catch up on knitting projects. I put the buttons on the above sweater. Lining them up...

Marking the placement...

I tried a couple of different ways of making loops, including i-cord and crocheted, but finally came up with an idea I got from 'The Knitter's Handbook' by Montse Stanley. There weren't instructions per se, just one illustration of what it was supposed to look like and a bit of text. But I finally figured it out and I'm happy with the results. It's hard to describe but basically you use something called a 'buttonhole' stitch -- which essentially is blanket stitch without the spaces inbetween --  wrapping around a couple of loops of yarn that formed the base of the loop.

Here's what the finished loop looks like:

Very nice looking in my humble opinion.

Oh Yummy!

Nothing more delicious than new yarn. This pile of lusciousness just came in the mail today. It's all Cascade 220, which I just scored off the Webs website (www.yarn.com) for $5 a skein (normally $7). Not sure how long it's on sale, but I checked tonight and it's still at that price. Cascade 220 is just a nice, basic, all-purpose, affordable wool yarn that comes in a kazillion colors and felts REALLY well...and it's quite soft too.

The colors may seem somewhat random, but I actually have two projects in mind for all these skeins. When I will find the time to actually sit down and make those projects is another matter entirely.

This is in addition to the 40 balls of yarn I purchased on sale last weekend...enough to make two sweaters. I already have the patterns picked out and downloaded...and so the yarn and patterns sit, waiting patiently until the day I find make the time.

So all in all, I'm about 7 projects deep at this very moment. But hey, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cascade also comes in 'paints.' Here is a color called 'Thunder.' It's gorgeous. My photo doesn't do it justice, so here's the one off the website...

I think I will make another pair of those French Press Felted Slippers with this yarn. It will pretty much match 50% of my wardrobe. The green ones I made match another 40% of my wardrobe and if I get ambitious, I will make a red pair that will match the remaining 10%. But let's be rational.

Currently...

I am testing my baby parka pattern, by knitting another of the 3 sizes offered in the pattern. I bought the cheapest yarn I could get at the local yarn store, which is still a nice 100% New Zealand wool yarn in a vibrant 'Superman' blue. I am just making sure the pattern makes sense in all the sizes represented.

Show Me Your Bootie

Been shakin' booties for the last few days, so to speak. They are great fun and fast to knit. I'm playing catch-up with a friend who's had her new boy for a couple months now and there's another friend with a girl due any day. I found this pattern for Gansey booties free from Knitting Pattern Central on the web. But of course I had to change a couple of things...

On the purple booties, which are for the little girl, I added a girlie finish to the cuff. You can do this stitch as a cast-off for any number of even stitches. I adapted it from a book of knitted edgings that I had, but modified it slightly.

On the teal bootie, I changed the pattern on the top slightly. For both booties, I used KnitPicks Swish worsted in Indigo Heather and (I think) Marine Heather. Great colors and very soft. It's much softer than Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted. And the other good thing about Swish, is it is essentially the same yarn as the KnitPicks 'Bare' Superwash Merino yarn that you can use to dye your own. Last winter, I dyed up a bunch of the Bare yarn, then ordered the Swish to use with it. Looks great together. And machine washable.

Instructions for dainty bobbled edge:

At start of cast off row:
*k1, but don't slip stitch off the L needle. Instead, place loop back on to L needle. One new stitch created.
Put your R needle in between the two stitches on L needle. Draw loop through as if you are knitting and place this loop also on the L needle. Now you have created 2 new stitches next to the first stitch (group of 3 stitches).*

k2 and pass the first st over the second st on the R needle (you have cast off one st).
k1 and pass the first st over the second st on the R needle (you have now cast off two). You will have one st remaining on the R needle.
k the next st and pass the first st over the second st on the R needle. One st remains on R needle.

Repeat from * to *.
k1, cast off 1 on R needle as before. Repeat 3 more times.
Repeat the last two lines above until all stitches have been cast off. Cut yarn and weave in.

Now I'm on to knitting a couple of coordinating hats to match the booties.

I also finished the scarf I was working on. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, some projects just don't go as well as you'd like. I love the cabled pattern I chose for the scarf, but I ended up running out of one of the yarns a little early, so the scarf ended up a little shorter than I would have liked. It is still really pretty and will look awesome wrapped around and tucked into a jacket or coat. The colors are lovely.

Y.A.E.

Your first modeling gig young Isaac! Thank you for letting us pull at your little limbs as we coaxed you into the little red parka, made silly noises and faces, pointed strange electronic contraptions at you, then gazed at you in wonderment at how cute you are. You are a patient soul.

It's all good news. The baby parka fits an actual baby. It's funny, but I was secretly dreading that after all that work, it somehow wouldn't fit. It looked too small for anyone to wear. Cute as! And the hood comes down if baby wants his noggin' to get some sunshine.

A true Y.A.E! (Young Antarctic Explorer!)

Little Red

On the Ice, we sometimes refer to our parkas as 'Big Red.' Here's a few at work profiling a crack in sea ice.

Big Red...

...Little Red. Ta da!

It's complete with name tag embroidered onto white felt. This could say anything...the kids name, 'little red,' 'ice, ice baby' or whatever.

What parka would be complete without the 'Hoffman Patch?' It's the semi-official name for that rectangle of reflective material (3M makes it) on the back of parkas. It's called Hoffman because years ago the parkas didn't have the reflective patch on the back. During the Antarctic winter when it's dark 24/7, it could be darn difficult to see people wandering around town. Sure enough a guy named Hoffman got hit by a truck and broke his leg. After that, the reflective patches appeared on the backs.

Now you'll never lose your kid in the dark. Or you could hold junior up in the air and use for an emergency beacon!

This came out great. I'm very happy with it. Now the true test is to have a wee one model it, and I have just the tyke in mind; my friend's bub Isaac. He's brand new. Hopefully this will fit him since I kind of made up this pattern loosely based on another pattern. I'll post photos when I get them.

Getting There

I spent a good portion of today finishing the hood, adding the faux fur edge and getting the lining ready to install. It's looking more like a mini parka every day! Here's the lining pinned into the body and the hood. Just a tiny bit of trimming here and there and all I have to do is sew it in, and the zipper which I might have to run out and buy.


Once it's done, the last thing to do is test the fit on a suitable subject. My friend Vanessa just had a wee one called Isaac about a month or so ago, so he'll be perfect. Can't wait to see it modeled!

Should have the finishing touches done in the next few days. Stay tuned.

Shoulders, Sleeves and Hood

Little setbacks and a lot of progress and the baby parka is coming right along.

Here I have attached the back piece and the front piece at the shoulders using a great technique called '3 Needle Bind-Off.' It creates a very flat and tidy seam using two pieces that have open stitches at the top.

As you can see at the bottom of the photo, I have picked up some stitches on the side and have started one sleeve. I knit that out to about 5 or 6 inches then seamed up the side edges of the front and back together, then under the armpit and down the sleeve.

Close-up of picked-up sleeve stitches

As of last night, I have finished both sleeves and sewn the seam up the sides, under the armpit and down the sleeves. I had completed one sleeve when I discovered I had made a mistake in my math and made the sleeve too narrow. So I had to unravel it and start over. I don't like the feeling of going backwards in knitting, but sometimes it is necessary. The good thing is now I can count rows accurately and know exactly where I am when I rip out stitches and have to start over.

I picked up stitches around the neck, increased slightly and am now well into knitting the hood. It is interesting to me that if I were to cast off right now, I'd have a very cute sweater that has a cute little fold-over collar. So simple! Funny thing is, I have trouble thinking in 3-D so a lot of times I discover things in the process of knitting. If I were to try and figure out that collar without stumbling upon it while knitting, it would be very difficult for me.

It's starting to look like a bonafide garment now. Something wearable by someone. Albiet someone very leeetle.

Making Stuff Up

My next project is a baby sweater that looks like one of the U.S. Antarctic Program parkas. I purchased a lovely Debbie Bliss merino wool and cashmere blend yarn ("Cashmerino") in the appropriate shade of red. I am using an existing pattern from a book of baby stuff as a guide. Ultimately, the 'parka' will have a faux fur trim on the hoodie and zip up the front. I may or may not add the reflective patch on the back, but it would be an nice touch for authenticity.

Here's me in a USAP parka:

Here's a drawing of my idea:

Except it will be a zip-up instead of buttons and I may leave off the fur on the sleeves, but it does look kind of cute that way (with the fur). Would be cute to put on a white name badge like the real parka and embroider the word "baby" on it or something. People could personalize their own baby parkas by embroidering their baby's name on it. Cool. I just thought of this while I was typing.

Creating a pattern like this is a challenge for me. I have only knit one sweater in my time successfully, although I'd like to do more eventually.

I knitted some swatches to get a gauge and have started knitting the back of the sweater. After about 30 rows, I am starting to feel that the yarn might not be heavy enough to give the feeling of a parka. But with babies, it seems important to use a very soft yarn. Maybe not even so much for the baby's sake, but for the mother's, ha ha. This yarn I am using is very soft and has a nice drape -- great for a sweater -- but maybe not so great for a parka.

I have another yarn I can try -- Lamb's Pride worsted in a similar red. But I reckon a baby parka made from that would have to be lined as the Lamb's Pride is not as soft. Not impossible certainly. I may knit up a swatch of that to see how it feels in my hand.

My needles are calling...

Starting blogs are always the hardest part. What to say at the beginning? Well, for one, I am NOT in Antarctica this winter, which is a big change. My husband Anthony IS down there on the ice at McMurdo Station, leaving me to my own devises for 6 WHOLE MONTHS.

I have decided to dedicate myself to creative pursuits for the aforementioned period of time. I am going to let myself take all those classes I've been wanting to take for a while now and just have a great time exploring the creative world. I have no idea where this will lead, but I can guarantee it will be fun.

I have already started my mission by signing up for a silversmithing course in Christchurch that my friend Harry Fishel told me about. It's a 10 week course in basic skills. I also signed up for a 6 week scrapbooking class and have picked our 2003 Antarctic wedding as the subject of my scrapbook. Next month I have a lampworking weekend in Auckland. For those who don't know what lampworking is, it is making beads from glass using a torch flame...basically melting glass in a bead form. In addition, I have just completed 2 separate courses in PMC this weekend.

PMC or "Precious Metal Clay" is an amazing art. Somehow Mitsubishi found a way to suspend tiny particles of pure silver into a natural binder, creating a clay-like substance. This clay can be molded and shaped into items of jewelery and when it gets fired in a kiln, the binder substance burns away and bonds the particles of silver together. The whole thing shrinks about 10% and what you are left with is a peice of fine silver jewelery. It is EXACTLY like using regular pottery clay...all the same rules apply for forming, joining, sanding, carving, etc but all in miniature. It's pretty trippy.

So, I had one class on Saturday and another today, on Sunday. Two separate classes with two different teachers. Both classes were excellent.

I had to leave several of the pieces I made with the teachers so they could kiln-fire them, but this tiny piece I brought home today because I fired it with a butane torch (and thus didn't have to wait for the kiln).



I'll post more photos when I get the pieces back.

Just to get you up-to-date. I knitted this baby hat and gloves for our friend's new baby due in July.


It is hard to refrain from squealing "ain't they CUUUUTE!" The mittens do not have thumbs, because I guess babies don't need them -- for a while at least. To put the size in perspective, each mitten fits nicely over one of my fingers.

I got the pattern from a great little baby knitting book I bought. Stitch n' Bitchers on the Ice: let me know if you need a pattern for anything baby-ish.

There is a praying mantis in the house tonight. I spotted it earlier, but it has crawled (or flown) off somewhere. I left a window open after sunset and now there are moths all over the ceiling...and one praying mantis. Is that good luck?

OH, and one last thing. I need help naming my blog. I have tried and tried to come up with something clever, but nothing has stuck. I could really use your help. Email your ideas to cgdownunder@hotmail.com or comment to the blog.