Intrepid Fiber Wizard: Socks, Socks, and Baby Sweater

FInished up some things recently - a cute little baby sweater that was for a young friend who is pregnant with her first child.

It's called Lazy Rib Baby Sweater

Knit with Superwash Merino Tencel Yarn, hand dyed by sweet grass wool, colorway "Baltic"

Knit up on size 1 and 3 needles.

It was a very fast knit, and washes up well (machine wash of course)

And one of my favorite features on this sweater is the I-Cord knots instead of buttons. Totally perfect for a little someone to nibble on without any choking dnager. Oh so clever.

I made the small version (since the baby is due now, and I think that this will fit come September) - and there is a larger version available.

Here's the link to the free Ravelry download:

Lazy Rib Baby Sweater

I also finished up the first pair of plain knit socks I have ever made. (yes, don't gasp.. it's true) I normally go for patterns, but I loved this colorway so much, and it was not shown off well with a pattern.. It's another Hand dyed superwash merino (my fav yarn for socks) dyed by The Artful Ewe.

Knit on size 1 needles - will fit a women's medium. I didn't have hardly any yarn left - so I doubt the skein would be enough to knit for a fella - but it was lovely anyway ;-)

Also on the needles still is the lovely vest I've been working on - yet it is silk and merino, and won't travel well to southern Florida. Yes - I head out on Friday for another couple week trip to help out my parents. Mom is still in the phsycial therapy re-hab unit, and she is slowly gaining some strength. And my Dad is improving as well,yet the lovely big home they live in is just too much to care for all alone.... It's very hard on them both to have Mom still so incapacitated, and so far from home. So, lucky me, I get to go spend time with them both, play "cheer-up-princess" and "nurse-jane-fuzzy-wuzzy'. And it's certainly not a hardship, since there will most likely be sunrise beach walks involved, and evening swims in their pool.

And so - travel projects are once again socks, and more socks.

I had gotten this one past the heel on the first foot, but decided it should be called 'ugly sock' since the patterns looked lousy with the yarn and the yarn was hidden by the pattern : The yarn is a gorgeous skein of hand dyed yarn by Chameleon Colorworks in colorway : September, yarn is called footsie.

to the left is the first sock I made - and is now frogged..

and now, to the right is the newer pattern

called Staggered Squares by Charlene Schurch in one of her amazing sock pattern books (which of course I cannot find now as I type) - knit on size 1 needles. I will have to wait and see how bad the pooling is on this one after I get to the heel flap... yet I think that I will continue with this pattern, since it is just socks.

The second pair that will be traveling south with me is probably the most favorite sock I have knit in a long long time. My friend Lisa (Dicentra Designs) dyed this colorway up and it's called "Steel my Heart" and it is squooshy and rich and divine to knit with. I am using the slip stitch rib pattern (also from the fabulous Charlene Schurch.. gotta love that woman!) and everyone who touches this yarn just squeezes it and says it's amazing. (and I agree)

One more note to add - is that my oldest daughter Erin just opened her own Etsy shop !!! She is selling prints of her watercolors - and they are fabulous. Her shop is called ErinAnnesArt . Hop on over and add her as a favorite. And she's also on Facebook under the name " The Art of Erin Bohlmann. "

It's been kinda a rough week here in wizardland - heart break and challenges. And while I wish that I was visiting my parents when they both were healthy, I shall still look forward to the escape from all that is happening here. Their love for me, and mine for them will go a long way towards soothing my heart.