Baby Janes

I feel like every time I sneeze a baby shower invitation shows up in the mail. These little socks with built in mary janes were the perfect little gift for my friend Amy. I can't wait to see that little baby rocking these!

The Cuddlebug {free baby hat knitting pattern}

Finished dimensions: 5"h x 15"circ.

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Refashion
68% recycled wool, 5% recycled cashmere, 23% nylon, 4% rayon
Color: 804

Needles: US size 10.5, double-pointed needles

Gauge: 12 sts over 4 inches

: :: ::: :: :

Begin:
Cast on 44 sts. Join in the round and begin ribbing. Work *K1, P1* repeat from *to* around. Work ribbing pattern for 1 inch.

Next round: K all sts. Continue working in this manner until hat measures 4" from CO edge.

Begin decrease: K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1, K2tog. 32 sts remaining.

Next row: *K2, K2tog* repeat from *to* around. 24 sts remaining.
Next row: *K1, K2tog* repeat from *to* around. 16 sts remaining.
Next row: K2tog around. 8 sts remaining.
Next row: K2tog around. 4 sts remaining.

Finish off remaining sts and weave in all yarn ends. Hand deliver immediately to the cutest baby you know.

New look, better shopping

Can I say that NobleKnits launched my career? It very well may have. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I went to college, I was about to sign up for Business Administration. My sister sat there with me at orientation and gave me this stare that could have frozen the sun. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Business Administration?

LOOK AT THIS MAJOR!
Graphic Design & Illustration

Um, ok? Should I take that instead? I mean it sounds fun, but what will I do?

You get to buy art supplies! Look at this list: erasers, paint, tracing paper, markers... you LOVE that stuff!

Do I?

Yes! That's your major.

I am a graphic designer through and through and my sister knew it before I did. And she's used that knowledge to the fullest. When Nancy started NobleKnits in 1999 who was the starving college student she bribed with dinner and clean laundry facilities to design her first logo? Who cropped her photos? Who did the pattern layout?

Me. The budding graphic designer. Here's what we made and we loved it.

So here I sit on my MacBook Pro with the full Adobe suite surrounded by sketchbooks, Pantone swatches and inspiration, many years after my college orientation and many NobleKnits logos later launching a brand new website. Look at this!

We've come a long way, baby. A small pattern company that started in a condo is now a mulit-person operation that sells yarn, patterns, needles and a love of knitting. My first client, my favorite client. Cheers to you and all your hard work not only on your website but on me!

WIPs

I go to a weekly knitting group called Knit Wits hosted by my friend Marsha, the Head Knit Wit. We are just getting back into the swing of things right in time for the big knitting season and this year she's challenged us to finish a project a month. The idea is to drag out all your unfinished knitting that is stuffed in a basket just waiting to be finished and finish them while you also do your normal knitting. Can we do it? Can we finish stuff?

Hello, have you met me?

I am the master of the unfinished project. Tha Masta. I love to start projects but I consistently do not complete them. So here's four projects I pulled out of my knitting bag, I didn't even look in the basket stuffed in the corner of my studio. This is all from my knitting tote.

Four projects. Right there is a project a month through the end of the year, we'll get to the basket in January.

Option 1. An open cardigan for me. I started this project when I had my yarn store and I've always loved the sweater and would love even more to wear it one day. It's made with a Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre which is a combo of alpaca, kid mohair and merino wool. I've already completed the back, one side and one arm, this is the second arm on the needles.

Option 2. A baby sweater sample knit for my Baby Boo Cardigan pattern. It's knit in Plymouth Baby Boutique, a super soft yarn that is a pleasure to knit. All that needs to be done is knit the sleeve cuffs and add buttons, I've already sewn in the yarn ends!

Option 3. Another baby sweater. It's in Coffee Beenz by Plymouth Yarn and I'm really hoping it will only require one skein because that's all I have. This is for my new nephew but it's 12m size so I have a little time since he was just born in July.

Option 4. A pair of socks for me or someone with big feet. These are knit in a corn fiber yarn called Maizy. It's a nice yarn and an interesting pattern but the Monkey pattern does not work up fast for me.

What do you think? Which work in progress (WIP) should I conquer? Option 2 will be fast, #1 I really want to wear, #3 will be adorable, and #4 would make a nice Christmas gift. Help!

Do you knit and tweet?

Do you follow Plymouth Yarn on Twitter? You should! They're always doling out cute free patterns and helpful knitting advice. This week I had the very fun project of photographing a new Twitter background for them. This photo features Taria Tweed, Covington, Coffee Beenz, Zino, and Boku. It just looks like a big basket of fun, doesn't it?