Pipsqueak's Hat

Dear Mom,

Pipsqueak and I spent some time this summer dying wool.  She used red, purple and orange RIT dye.  We soaked the yarn in water before she did all of the dying herself.  I microwaved the yarn and then we let it set and dry in the summer sun.  It took me about 45 minutes to knit this beanie hat for her with her dyed wool. 

I cast on 44 stitches on a size 15 needles and knit for about 6 inches. I decreased on the last 3 rows by knitting 2 stitches together all the way around.  I ended up with 6 stitches which I gathered at the top.  The Pippers slept in her hat last night, despite our 80 degree weather, so I think she is happy happy!
Love,
Wendy

The Young Lady's Jacket

Dear Mom,

After weaving in countless ends of yarn, the Young Lady's Child Surprise Jacket was completed on Sunday night.

Because this is constructed in one piece and looks more like a blanket with alot of mistakes in it until at the very end, when, with a couple of folds and seams at the shoulder abracadabra! it turns itself into a jacket, drastic measures to assure the proper fit and sleeve length were employed:

Here is the Young Lady, laying down on the work in progress, after I folded it around her to make sure I was on track with the sleeves. Notice that her tongue is sticking out in the classic "dead child" pose.

There was a point at which it seemed the garter stitch would never end, but the stripes kept it interesting. I cursed all those stripes when I was weaving in their yarn tails, though.



I added Afterthought Pockets, which, as it sounds, are constructed after the garment is finished to insure proper placement. After marking the pocket's location, a single stitch is snipped and the stitches to either side of it are unraveled to the desired width. These unraveled stitches are then either bound off for the outer edge of the pocket, or knitted for the pocket lining.




I used a 2 stitch i-cord bind off on the pocket edge and added a little loop so the pockets could be kept closed with a button.

The inside of the pocket was knitted with one of the stripe colors, just for fun.





I also added a "locker loop" to the back of the neck, so she can hang it up.


The buttons were made with these and the some of the yarn used in the jacket. They are just right for this jacket, but took way longer to make than I thought they would. I'd use them again, though, if the project called for it.

Love,

Kim