How To Prank a Two Year Old

For my nephew's second birthday I knit a snake puppet. Anne-Marie from Sit 'N Knit New York, the group I knit with, suggested I make a companion and they would make great mittens. I felt that they would just be too big so I took my needles down two sizes and made matching mittens. I called it "The mama snake and her mittens".










The first thing that you need to know about my nephew is that he is obsessed with trucks and tractors. We were reading a book together recently and I was amazed when he pointed to a Cement Mixer and said, "Cement Truck!" When I found wrapping paper with Tonka Trucks on it I thought that it was perfect. I couldn't find a card that I liked so I just cut out a cement truck and Modge Podged it to a piece of card board.



I was so excited that when it was time to open presents he chose mine first?
He tore off the paper, threw out the tissue paper bundle holding the mama snake and her mittens, and turned the bottom of the box upside down. When his mom tried to show him the snakes he just shook his head and said, "NO! CEMENT TRUCK!" I felt like the worst Aunt in the world. Of course the kid thought that was on the outside of the box was going to be on the inside - isn't that usually the was it works? It would be like a significant other handing you that little black box and there being a pizza inside! I have already redeemed myself and ordered a Cement Truck for Christmas.

VIEWS FROM MY 'HOOD

The Best OB in Astoria, NY.... after 12:00!

I AM AN ORGANIZED KNITTER....FOR NOW!

First I organized all of my patterns. I am always re-printing patterns – such a waste, so I put all of my patterns in plastic sheets and put them in a three ring binder – thank you Hila for the idea. I even organized them by category and put articles and patterns from some knitting magazines that I had from the New York Knit-Out. It has been over a week, and I have to say … so far, so good.

I liked it so much that I did the same with all of my needles. I was a little horrified to realize the number of certain double points I have accumulated by not keeping tabs of my needles when starting new projects, but I think only one set was missing a needle – I think that’s pretty good. I also made a list for the front of the book and put a copy in my knitting bag. It has been over a week – and I haven’t had to buy a single needle, so again … so far, so good.

In looking for all of my needles I was forced to confront my stash. If it wasn’t for 5+ skeins of yarn I had meant for a cardigan it really isn’t that bad. I actually ripped some half finished projects, including the cardigan. I recently signed up for the second six months of the Sundara Yarn Petals Collection (it is now still open), and realized that I was going to have to find a way of winding it. I went on e-bay and got a Royal Blue Winder – really cheap.

I love my winder!

So my stash before:



And my stash after:

The Nana and Me Collection

This is the first sweater I completed. I got the Pattern from Knitting the New Classics by Kristin Nicholas. It was knit in the round and had very little finishing. The neck was folded down on the inside and sewn down and there was a simple 3-needle bind-off under the arms. The yarn was a wool/alpaca blend, I don't remember the brand. I bought the yarn and got a little help at Mind's Eye Yarn. Mind's Eye is a wonderful shop in Cambridge, MA. It is a small shop owned by a wonderful women Lucy. She sells really great yarn including some she dyes herself. She offers group and personal lessons - Lucy is the reason I can sew I seam - including knitting and spinning. I gave the sweater to my mother for her first birthday as a Nana. Her first grandchild was born less than a month earlier.

When I finished the sweater I had enough yarn left over to knit another, in a toddler 2. I loved the idea that any of my mother's grandchildren would be able to wear a sweater "Just like Nana's".



I couldn't resist taking a picture of the "Nana and Me Collection" before the baby fit the sweater. I love his little foot sticking out!

Baudelaire Socks a.k.a. "Fried Green Tomatoes" Socks

Here are my Baudelaire Socks from Knitty: Summer 2006. I gave them to my sister-in-law for her birthday and they fit perfectly! I did a wrap heel without the gusset - I wish I had a better shot of it - but it worked really well. I held my breath and didn't do the alteration for the high in-step.
I used Koigu which I bought at Purl in Soho, NY. When I bought the yarn and started the socks Mary-Louise Parker was there getting help with her knitting! I way too self-concious to ask her what she was working on, but I will always think of these as the "Fried Green Tomatoes" Socks.

The Knitting Ewe Premiere Post

Okay, here goes .... I'm blogging!

I have been knitting for a long time. About six months ago I started using the internet for help and ideas. All of the knitting blogs have been so helpful that I decided it was time to start blogging myself. This is new and exciting .... let's se how it goes!