AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

Summer birthdays - Evan is now 10, and Cece is 8. We had our usual birthday party - opened presents in the morning with Dave and had the Howards over for cupcakes in the evening.

Cece has since cut her hair - 10 inches! Her ponytail is still on the kitchen table waiting to be mailed off to Locks of Love.

Evan, as you can see, hasn't had a hair cut in quite some time. I love his hair - it's wild, frizzy and the perfect hair for an up and coming soccer star.

Sorry this post is all janky - photos everywhere all haphazardly placed. But hey, I'm just trying to post more often.

Knitting photos to come . . . ooo, I know you're all anxiously awaiting my photos.

Knitting Continues

Originally uploaded by aylounsberry

This cute little hat is from a Ravelry pattern called Toasty Topper. I made if from orange and navy wool from the yarn closet. It's made according to the pattern with only a few modifications - if you look at the comments listed for the pattern you'll see that the short rows should/can be done in the reverse order, 21, 14 and 7. It was a quick knit and turned out cute. I hope the parents of the little Chicago Bears fan like it.

I also made this cute little hat, again from a pattern called Cozy on Ravelry. I made it with 3 colors of Cotton Ease and lined it with white fleece for softness and warmth.

I made the Women's Day Sweater from 1968? A pattern that a fellow Raveler so kindly lent me. It's made from Cotton Ease. I enjoyed knitting it but I'm unhappy (as always) with the button band. The cute buttons either help by drawing attention to them or hinder by drawing attention to the button band itself, I couldn't decide so I left all of it alone. I packaged it up and sent it on its merry way.

I was however, pleased with the decreases on the back and how nicely they matched.

Challenger Soccer Camp

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Originally uploaded by aylounsberry

This summer Evan and Will (and the Howards too!) attended the Challenger Soccer Camp - sometimes called British Soccer Camp. We had the pleasure of hosting one of the coaches Michael Howes (I hope I'm spelling that right), anyway, it was so much fun. The week of soccer camp was HOT - the hottest week of the summer so far. Everyone made it though, even Michael on his torn ACL.

Chevron Love Mittens

I was so excited when I saw that there was going to be a kit for these mittens. I broken my Lent vow to give up buying yarn for 40 days and purchsed the kit the very day it became available. Here's the problem. I don't like the way they're knitting up - so many color changes! The advice given on Ravelry was to carry all the colors up the side of the mitten (sort of twisting them as you go). Like most good advice, I didn't take it and began on my own version of carrying the yarn. I hate the way the inside of the mitten looks. My delimma is to frog or carry on - I think I can start over without frogging and then only frog if needed. Thank goodness there's no snow in the forecast.

p.s. get ready to see more frequent updates on this blogsite - I never knew you could blog right from flicker. Here I was doing the cut/paste thing.

Clara Dress With a Splash of Sepia

I took this photo outside in bright sunlight and then played with the colors/cropping in IPhoto. I think it makes the stitch definition stand out.I just found out that you can blog right from Flickr - WOW maybe that will speed up the process.

Summer of '09 Begins

It's been a long time since I posted anything on this blogsite. March? Really, Amy let's put some effort into it. Okay, so here's what we've been up to. Soccer and baseball. These past couple of months have been hectic, we had 4 soccer teams and 1 baseball team to follow. We're now down to 2 baseball teams - summer brings a less-hectic schedule. And yes, I know I do it to myself by signing them up. Kids need sports - activities, something they can feel good about. I'm now stepping down from my soapbox.

Let's talk knitting - that's a lot more fun. Okay, I've been knitting a lot since March. I made another hat or two and then switched to knitting for babies. Anyone who follows this blog (and I laugh at typing 'follows this blog') knows that I'm constantly making ISU sweaters - in the past few months I've made 28 plus 7 more that are yet to be 'monogrammed'.

Here's the photos, take a look then I'll discuss -
This is a pocket hat I made in Creighton colors - Evan wanted something that would hold his little IPOD shuffle. Cute hat - bad embroidered "C". Next time. . .




Now for some non-hat projects, a sweater and matching Ribbons Hat from Susan B. Anderson. I gifted this set to Jenny Howard so that she could give it to a friend with a new baby girl. Made from Cotton Ease from the yarn closet.


Next up a baby bunting, again gifted to Jenny Howard for a baby gift. Pink and white cotton ease from the closet.

I had A LOT of trouble making the button holes match up to the buttons while also making the stripes come together correctly. It was made from my favorite Cotton Ease (you'll see a theme here).

I made a little raglan sweater from yarn that I'd purchased in NYC a long time ago. I gave this little set to Sarah for Roger's first nephew. Yes, Sarah and Roger are still going together and soon . . . who knows.

I also made these cute little booties - what a set.


I also made this little sweater because my Dad asked me to make something for someone he works with who just had a baby boy - and it's Cotton Ease too!


Last but not least the second Clara dress. This time Berroco Comfort cotton/acrylic mix? I've had this yarn since September - and I remember that because Biddy bought it for me, thanks Bid. Lot's of photos.



and a little editing of the photo for the last shot

More Knitting

I had to stay home for three days this week. Cece was sick and stayed home for 4 days - Dave stayed with her for one day so that I could show my face at work for at least 2 days this week. She's finally better - strep was the culprit. It was a wicked one. I've done a lot of knitting so let's get to those project photos. This weeks theme was hats, Nebraska, Creighton, St. Pius/St. Leo, Pi x 2, the second Game Day Hat (Detroit Red Wings), and a Vikings hat for Luke. Sorry, no photo yet of the Creighton hat.

Gotta cut this short - feel the need to have a cold one with the neighbors.



Anybody know how to put these photos in a horizontal line?

And the photos all at once

Post Christmas - Way Post

I've been knitting a lot lately. I got Mom's sweater done before Christmas even though I had to order more yarn from California (Johanna, from the store we rode our bikes to - and it was CLOSED). I got the exact yarn, right down to the dye lot! Impossible to repeat - the Christmas angels were on my side. Mom seemed to like the sweater. I'm sorry to say I forgot to take a picture of it. I even made the buttons, well, Cece and I did. It was a fun project all the way around.

I've made lots of hats, 2 Hanna (name of pattern from Ravelry), a couple Calorimetries (sp?), winter witch mittens (for me), a Starwars hat for Will which was horrible and has since been frogged, and my best, current project, a Detroit Red Wings hat for 'Uncle Dickie'. I'm going to mail it tomorrow, so if you read this post, please don't spoil the surprise.

I also made the cutest little raglan sleeve sweater - from yarn that I bought in NYC about 2 years ago. I made a ribbed head band and a soccer ball too. I made a scarf for 'Big Dog' aka Uncle Phil, and a neck warmer for one of the nurses at work. I'll upload some photos soon.

It's February and I've already fallen off the yarn wagon, I've bought a few skeins here and there . . . you don't need the details.

Sorry for the jumbled post, I'll do a better job next time. Photos to come.