Knit Sweater: Check

I previewed earlier my first attempt at knitting sweater. And I am happy to report back my success! The sweater turned out as perfect as could be, and Jessica looked absolutely adorable. But before I unveil our star-baby for this evening, I will first take you on a trip down the path of The Pale Gardener's brain to see how I managed to creatively see how the sweater would fit just right.

I had the whole cute little thing done but it was hard to imagine what it would look like on the little one and I wanted to make sure one size wasn't sticking out all weirdly or that one arm wasn't shorter than the other. So I thought about it and realized Walter, my stuffed turtle, would do just fine as a stand in model for Jessica.

Now Walter, don't be shy...

I was so happy! It fit Walter perfectly...and I was pretty sure he was about the same size as the human baby Jessica. Let's see...

Even if it only fits her for two weeks, it looks so awesome! This little girl was so fabulous in her new sweater. It was particular helpful when we went to San Francisco where it was a bit windy and chilly.

Overall, the sweater was not too terribly difficult. I knit the entire back and then the two front pieces. Then I bound them together at the shoulder and began the hood off the back piece. Then with some clever understanding of the instructions I knit the sleeves directly off the back piece and the front piece and tada! Lastly I knitted a really neat button and I crocheted a buttonhole and attached those to the sweater:


The button was quite simple, I just knit a 4" long and 1/2" wide strip and then tightened it back on itself and secured the back. I did a simple slip stitch? (I believe that's what it was, this was my very first time crotcheting and I'm still a bit shaky on terminology) for the buttonhole latch and then sewed it onto the sweater. Very simple, and easy to maneuver with a small, wiggly child.

So obviously it wasn't all bing-bang-boom here's your sweater. There were many frustrations, and removing of stitches. I think the hardest part was trying to decipher the pattern directions. Every book and every author writes patterns differently and many times, at least to me, it seems written in a totally foreign language. And because I am so new to knitting, I haven't quite pinned down the typical patterns so I find it difficult to visualize the finished product after reading the sometimes quite bizarre instructions. Fortunately for me, I had my knitting professional, (AKA Mom), at hand to show me exactly what the heck was going on. I learn better by watching someone do it, and not by reading the technique.

So here I am! Full fledge into the knitting world. I'm not too sure what my next project will be. The Boy's roommate knits a lot and she told me about a hat that does not involve knitting in the round. I know I will have to eventually learn how to do that scary task, but I'm one of those dip my feet into the pool-type people so I may try this first before diving into the deep end. Plus, it will give me a chance to work on neat patterns and ribbings.

Check out some more pictures from my trip to California. It has been frigid here in New York so take a look at these to warm up your bones.

Here We Are

It had been a fairly quiet winter so far here in Upstate New York. I was noting how odd it was that I didn't see ANY snow yet. Of course, I do work in a basement, so truthfully there could be a blizzard outside and I would have no idea. But really, there wasn't much to speak of in the snow department. That is...until this...

and then there was this...


Oh happy winter all!

Thank You For Flying With Us Today...

Sadly, I am back from my adventure out to beautiful Napa, California. To say the trip was absolutely wonderful would obviously be an understatement.
While I get over jet lag, being on a plane for six hours, and having to eat nothing but those 100 calorie Nabisco snacks (that's what happens when you fly the cheap airline, my friends) - here is a little preview of what's to come:


There is some of this...


and some of this...


and of course lots of this...

Adventures in Knitting

I have known how to knit for quite a few years but unfortunately my "skills" did not expand past knitting in a straight line. That is, I could make a mean scarf but that's about it. So years and and many dozens of scarves later I decided I need to get out there! Meet some new patterns! Some new techniques! I'm a nice person, I deserve to meet a nice winter hat or an adorable baby sweater.
So I did it. I ventured out into the unknown, knowing I may be disappointed and come home, alone. I searched many venues; magazines, the internet, my Mom's long lost patterns. Many things were too involved, being a newbie, I needed something simple - regular needles (none of this knitting in the round stuff), and if the pattern had 15 abbreviations before I got to something I understood - we let that one go too.
Finally I found my match. This baby right here. It takes regular knitting needles and basic skills: knitting, purling, increasing, decreasing, binding off. The only issue has been trying to comprehend the directions. Every company/person writes patterns differently and sometimes I read something and think to myself, "what the hell did I just read? We are knitting and not taking apart a car engine, right?"
Aside from those minor road blocks it has been going very well! I've only had to back track and take out stitches a few times and I can generally see a sweater coming together.
I know you've been waiting in suspense for some progress photos so I won't make you wait any longer:
I know what you're saying, "um, this looks like three teeny scarves with two screwed up sides." You're right, this proves nothing of my new found skills quite yet. I promise though, this is the back and two front pieces of the cute little sweater I will bring with me to California. So I am on a deadline people! I best get myself knittin'!

A Trip for Two!

Do you see this face? Do you? Cause I get to see this face, up close and in person in two short weeks! (Click on the picture to see the fantastic drool puddle beginning on her mouth.)

Yup that's right! I bought myself a plane ticket to go visit this little lady where she now resides in sunny Napa, California. As you may recall, she entered this world in this somewhat less glamourous state Sorry to any readers out there in Idaho, but come on, this is Napa we're talking about!
So I am not only excited to see this:

Sorry, my sister JUST got a computer so now I have to catch up on almost 4 months worth of baby

But I am also extremely excited because The Boy is coming right along with me! He and I have been dating almost four years and other than my younger sibling, he has not met either of the others. So the awesomeness of this event is like gazillion fold!
Oh yeah, did I mention that my older brother will also make the trek up from San Diego?!
Monumental I tell you! Monumental!

This Week on The Pale Gardener...

After the MANY votes of my poll were counted, verdict says that the blog will be a nice mish-mash of information. Frankly guys, thanks for getting me off the hook because it is MUCH easier to write blogs about well, whatever the heck I feel like, than about gardening in late February. "So today I watered!" Yeah, not interesting.

So what do I hope to accomplish at some point this coming week? Blog plans include:

- Show you all my knitting skills while I continue to work on an awesome little sweater for this adorable little cutie!

- Share some stories about my fun trip to Maine last week.

- Tell of an upcoming trip.

- Enjoy Thanksgiving and family and maybe even get some awesome food shots up here afterwards.

Short work week for us lucky ones! I hope you all enjoy it!

My Real-life-Translating-to-Blog Resolutions...

Resolutions are sometimes an evil beast. You make these promises to yourself, are extremely happy when you accomplish them, but if you don't, pssh let down city here we come. So let's preface this post with the thought that I'll probably let myself down at least once.

*Sigh*

OK, now that I have that out of the way.

As my astute readers, I'm sure you've noticed and I've alluded to the fact that I am no longer in an apartment. So the whole, "what happens when you mix a garden lover with an apartment complex," thing isn't so much applying anymore.
So I said to myself, "self, what should we do about this predicament?"
Well, self must be in indecisive mode because she was worthless for definitive answers. But here are some thoughts about the where the heck I can go with this here blog:

- Still be garden-focused but now it can be more open-space gardening and include a disclaimer that gardening only happens here in the Northeast U.S. a few short months of the year, so be ready for random jibber-jabber?

- Rock the houseplant route for a while. There is something to be said about having all of your plants originally in a centrally, gas-heated, Southwest facing apartment only to move them into a wood stove heated (read extremely dry air), Northeast-ish facing house. That is quite the change for creatures of habit like hibiscus, begonia, etc.

- Go for a bit crafty. I have picked up knitting again (having a new baby in the family will do that to you). And I now have a place where I can use a sewing machine that isn't in a closet and I have a "summer" dress just itching to be made. (OK soo late on that one, but I can always wear it next summer, right?)

- Don't change a darn thing about the page and hope no one will notice.

- Mix it all into one! Hey, the cold winter is so on its way and I will need anything and everything to keep my sanity so whatever I wanna post, damnit, I will post!


What do you all think? What would you like to see? Or have you forgotten I existed and only clicked this page by accident?