Hippity Hoppity

This is the Bunny Blanket Buddy from Lion Brand Yarns. I knit it in Lily Sugar'n Cream (colorway: Toffee) with size 8 and 10.5 needles. The face is embroidered in Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton so that I was only using machine washable cotton. The head is stuffed with blanket batting. I was afraid polyfill would poke out through the stitches and considering the head isn't knit very tightly, it definitely would have. It's a free pattern that can be found at the lion brand yarn website. It used only 15 grams / 25 yards of yarn. I have a coworker who is having her last day next week and wanted to be sure that I give her something for the little boy that's about to enter her family.

What's most am zing about this little knit, is that it's knit entirely in one piece. One piece, in terms of arms, head and ears. Seriously, that is really, really clever. There's no way anything is going to come off and harm a baby. I loved that the head is knit using the double knitting technique. With the use of slip stitches on both even and odd rows you are knitting the front and back at the same time. I was doing a brand new technique to me without even realizing it. The ears are knit by casting on and binding off additional stitches. In order to stuff the head, I had to place the stitches associate with the front and back on two separate needles so that I could get the batting in. It worked out splendidly.

Overall time to complete (includes embroidery)...4 hours. Not bad for a gifted item.

Felted Slippers

I started on a pair of French Press Felted Slippers in May. While I was able to knit all the pieces in 2 days, I was rather slow going on blocking and sewing them together. I like to take my time...as in I really hate seaming. Hate it! Little did I know, that your seams will disappear in felting and so it doesn't matter if they aren't very good. They only need to lay flat.

The buttons are from Happy Owl Glassworks. I bought them ages ago maybe 2008) at the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. I'm not sure they even sell buttons anymore. They set me back $12, which I'm almost positive is more than I paid for the two balls of yarn it took to make the slippers.

Kitchen Scale - Yarn Scale

I didn't realize how handy our digital kitchen scale could be. My husband uses it to help control food portions. I had some used yarn balls where I couldn't tell how much yarn was remaining for other projects. I switched the measumrent to grams and placed my ball on the scale and with a little math was able to discern how many yards I have available. I now know how many grams/yards I have my disposal for countless balls of Cascade 220, scraps from sock yarn and more recently (shown here) Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I have enough Cashmerino to make the Vine and Leaf Beret featured on the cover of Vogue Knitting Fall 2009. That'll be the first fall knit.

Simple Noro Sock

I started knitting this during the road trip to Disney. This knitting project has, honestly, sucked. I knit a full three inches on day one of the trip after having cast-on 68 stitches. I placed the tube on my leg and realized this would never, ever work. So, I ripped out. I re-cast with more stitches and all appears to be going well. But I'm still on the first sock and haven't yet turned the heel. As any knitter could easily see, I have no passion for this project. We'll see what happens with it.

I'm not convinced I would ever buy Noro Kureyon Sock yarn again. I have high hopes that I can make the pair matching. But by having knit on size 2.5mm needles and cast-on more stitches I'm not convinced that it's possible.

Disney World - You're the BEST!

It's a Small World...indeed. Even smaller the second go around.

It was scary the first time and still scary on the fourth!

Muppets. 3D. Miss Piggy as Lady Liberty Fountain. Heaven.

On Safari, checking out some rhinos.

Still traveling through the sub-Saharan.

To infinity and beyond!

Deutschland Cookoo Clock.

Bring on the vikings!

Cocktails in France: Grand Marnier slushie and Grey Goose Lemonade.

Sake in Japan.

Disney World - Rest and Relaxation

We drove straight thru Tennessee, Georgia and Florida on 5/21. We checked into a hotel right outside of Disney the night before and after waking up early, checked in at the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is a lovely hotel, walking distance from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. I loved the Mickey Mouse bed towels on the bed. Just perfect

(The Boardwalk all lit up at night.)
(The lights go on for ages.)

2nd Stop - Equus Run Vineyards