I've Got Start-itis

Before I get to the knitting part of this post, I wanted to show off this little sock monkey quilt that Daniel recently received from my mom. Cute, no? It and his new Curious George doll (also from my mom) are now the objects he goes to sleep with in his crib as part of our new Sleep Strategy. So far we've been somewhat successful.

Now then. I've got serious Start-itis:


I think this happens to me when I'm not totally convinced I like what I'm knitting. I start something, get a few inches in, turn it over, look at it, frown, wonder if it's worth finishing, maybe frog it (usually not) and then start something else. These are all baby items I've begun in the last couple weeks. It seems there are always more babies to knit for, and a small project ought to be just the thing to break the monotony of two fairly major Christmas items I'm working on right now. (That's right, just two. I'm not nuts and trying to knit for everyone I know.)



This is the pink cardigan I wrote about earlier in my first (and thusfar only) Stash Contaminants entry. I'm finally showing you a picture, though you don't get to see the other sleeve because the seaming on that one is no good and I'm re-doing it. Now that I'm finished with most of the knitting (I just have a little more trim to go), I like it more. I found a bit of cream DK yarn that makes a pretty little stripe on the edge of the sleeve; I also plan to use it on the button-band and around the bottom. I'm still not wild about the yarn, but I like the color better since my mom described it as "rose pink" as opposed to my "fugly mauve." I don't know who this is for yet...I guess I'll just give it to the next baby girl who comes along.



This is a blandy-bland-bland Debbie Bliss raglan sweater in - gasp! - Lion Brand Wool-Ease. I think the color is "denim twist." I'm adapting the pattern to do in the round to avoid bulky seams on baby skin. Yeah, I know. Booooring.



This is a plain little t-shirt from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Cherished Babies in Baby Zarina. This yarn is dreamy-soft. I'm not usually a fan of variegated yarns, but I like how this has little splashes of color that sometimes pool and sometimes don't. I originally bought the yarn intending to make something for Daniel but I misread the gauge on the label and didn't buy enough initially. It knits up at 26 st = 4" and this kid is growing so fast I'd never finish something in his size with those tiny stitches before he's too big for it anyway. The pattern is basically a short-sleeved t-shirt with a little eyelet collar you put a ribbon through and tie a little bow. I am not comfortable with tying little bows around a baby's neck, so I'll change the collar, and I may make the sleeves longer, too. This is superwash merino wool, and certainly fine enough for summer, but I have more yarn than I need, so I might as well do longer sleeves.