Green Gable #2 is here

Happy Memorial Day!

Green Gable (my Project Spectrum knit and my Amazing Lace teammate) made its debut today. It already got wet in a water gun fight this morning. I had to dry off a bit before taking this picture.

Green Gable
Pattern: Zephyr Style
Yarn: TLC Cotton Plus in Kiwi
Needles: Addi Circular in US #8 and 6
(04/29/06 - 05/22/06)
Modifications: Just like my previous one, I knitted extra rows before the sleeves separated. I added 2 more decreases in the bust area and several increase rows in the hip area to give an hourglass silhouette. I also added a couple of inches in the length of the body and an inch in the sleeves before the ribbing.

This is the first time I've used this yarn. It is very easy on the hands. It is machine washable and dryable ... I'll see how this garment turns out after the first wash/dry.

Birthday Knits

Last year I finished knitting my first tank on my birthday. It was a very simplified Citrus Moon Cami (a variation of the Honeymoon Cami by Julia Trice).

Completed 5/22/05 - 1 year old knit
I'm hoping I'll finish Green Gable tonight after work. Just a few more rows on the body and the sleeve plus some ribbing. Maybe this will be another birthday knit.

Anxious to be done 5/22/06
Maybe I'll make this a tradition and have a FO on my birthday.

Socks ... just in time

I started this pair of socks two months ago. I purposely made them a lot longer so Little Man can grow into them for the Fall. Yesterday while I was working on the second sock, Little Man tried on the first sock - it fits! My has his feet grown. I hurriedly finished off the second sock so he can wear it now.

Whee ... my 2nd pair!
Finished while watching Batman Begins
Identical socks down to the toe.

Little Man's Socks #2
Pattern: Ann Budd (3x1 rib)
Yarn: Lang Jawoll in #154
Needles: Brittany Birch 5" DPNS in US #3
(03/16/06 - 05/20/06)

This is the first time I've used this sock yarn. It comes with a matching spool of reinforcement yarn for the heels and toes. How cute it that!

P.S. - He wore it to sleep and is still running around the house with the socks on. Success!

Amazing Lace: Meet the Team

Team Captain
It's been busy over here at Bear Knits. Applications have been filtering in to be considered for the team relay event. I think potential teammates are shying away because they doubt the experience and commitment level here at Bear Knits. After all, Bear Knits only has 2 lace projects to boast of - a simple yet elegant Branching Out and the very recent Red Gable - so I can understand their hesitance.

Here are two teammates that actually made an appearance:

Green Gable is a returning teammate here at Bear Knits. We first teamed up in April as Red Gable. This time in a very courageous move, the yarn was swapped for cotton/acrylic. Let's see if this was a smart move on my behalf, only time will tell.


Orangina is not new here either. It showed up early (a few weeks ago) but made a detour to the frog pond because of sizing issues. The pattern was a cinch but the yarn color - Oy! I had a love/hate relationship with the black yarn. We've developed a more harmonious working relationship.

Nevertheless, the door is still wide open for potential teammates out there. Have some faith in me (I don't bite ... but I'll sniff ya) and we will make each other proud! Go Team!

Major Stash Enhancement

Look what arrived in the mail today!


This is the reason I had to drop out of the Stashalong KAL on March 15th.
Two words - PEACE FLEECE.
After reading the reviews, I could not let a KAL stop me from buying yarn.
At $4.50/skein, I think I did pretty good.
It was a successful yarn coop for me.


Galooboy Blue for Little Man; Perestroika Pink for Pumpkin Girl
Moscow Magic Pink, Georgia Rose and Lena's Meadow for me.
Will Rogue be in Green or Pink?

Lace Knitting

I am such a joiner. I have some projects in mind - Kiri, Orangina and CeCe. My current project - Green Gables counts because of the little lace panel. I hope I am not biting off too much - my only experience with lace is Branching Out.

I did take a stab at Orangina late in April. After 3 pattern repeats, I stretched it all out and it was too wide. I ripped everything out before I could take any pictures. The pattern itself is not difficult to remember. It's the knitting with black yarn that was torture. I don't know if I want to put my eyes through all that strain. Maybe I need to use a color easier on the eyes.

This time in Green

I fell in love with the Red Gable. I've worn her out and about this past weekend. With green being the Project Spectrum color of the month, I knew I had to make another one in Kiwi. I cast on prior to the Green Gable KAL start date because I knew I would not get any knitting done this week.

UPDATE: The designer will change the pattern to specify a Backward Loop cast on. Since it was not specified in the original pattern, I used the Longtail cast on and still did the purl round. It still fits fine, I'm not ripping this.