Snowbaby Again....

First of all, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful emails and comments about the latest bib and cloth! I'm just so overwhelmed with the terrific response! That said, I understand that some of you have had problems with the pdf. It seems to work fine for some, but not for others. I'm not sure what's happening, but in any event, I'm posting the line by line instructions and you can just cut and paste.

Snowbaby Bib

Copyright 2008 by Elaine Fitzpatrick. Permission is granted to make and sell items from this pattern provided that credit is given to me as the designer. Permission is not granted to reproduce the actual pattern, or post it, or distribute it, without my express permission. I worked hard to produce this pattern for you, so please respect my copyright and play nice!

NOTE:  As of May 26, 2018, I have completely rewritten this pattern.  There were a few errors in the original pattern.  I've corrected them and have added a chart.  Hopefully, it will also be easier to read and follow!

Size: approximately 8.75" from neck edge to bottom and 8" wide

Materials: One skein of worsted weight cotton if you are using the bib for meals. If, on the other hand, you want to use it as a “drool” bib, I recommend using a superwash wool. The cotton has a tendancy to absorb the moisture, whereas the superwash wool will wick the moisture and keep baby nice and dry!

Needles: Size 6
Gauge: 4.5 sts. per inch, not critical

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
sts. = stitches
dec. = decrease
dpn. = double pointed needle
B5 = seed stitch border

Pattern Notes: The edges of the bib are worked in seed stitch over the first and last five stitches (p1, k1, p1, k1, p1) and are referred to as “B5”. You might find it helpful to insert a marker after the first five stitches and before the last five stitches.

When you reach the I-cords on the bib, it is helpful, but not necessary, to drop down a needle size to make the cords slightly smaller.

Pattern: Cast on 13 sts.

Row 1: k1, p1, across row.
Row 2: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row (16 sts.)
Row 3: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row. (19 sts.)
Row 4: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1 across row. (22 sts.)
Row 5: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1 across row. (25 sts.)
Row 6: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row. (28 sts.)
Row 7: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row. (31 sts.)
Row 8: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1 across row (33 sts.)
Row 9: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1 across row (35 sts.)
Row 10: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1 across row (37 sts.)
Row 11: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1 across row (39 sts.)
Row 12: p1, k1 for 10 sts.; p19; k1, p1 for 10 sts.
Row 13: p1, k1 for 8 sts.; p2, k13; (p1, k1) 2 times; p1, k2; p1, k1 for 9 sts.
Row 14: p1, k1 for 8 sts.; p3; (k1, p1) 2 times; k1; p13; k1, p1 for 10 sts.
Row 15: p1, k1 for 7 sts.; k2; p1; k9; p1; k3; p5; k4; p1, k1 for 7 sts.
Row 16: p1, k1, for 6 sts.; p5; k1; p3; k1; p13; k1; p3; k1, p1 for 6 sts.
Row 17: p1, k1 for 5 sts.; k4; p1; k14; p4; k6; p1, k1 for 5 sts.
Row 18: p1, k1 for 4; p2; k1; p2; k1; p1; k1; p2; k1; p14; k1; p5; k1, p1 for 4 sts.

(Note: From this point on, the first and last five stitches are the seed stitch border. (B5) It might be helpful to place a marker for these stitches.)

Row 19: B5; k5; p1; k8; p1; k4; p4; (k1, p1) 2 times; k2; B5.
Row 20: B5; p3; k2; p2; k1; p2; k1; p12; k1; p5; B5.
Row 21: B5; k5; p1; k12; p4; k2; p4; k1; B5.
Row 22: B5; p5; k1; p1; k1; p2; k1; p11; k1; p6; B5.
Row 23: B5; k6; p1; k7; p1; k3; p5; k6; B5.
Row 24: B5; p8; k1; p2; k1; p9; k1; p7; B5.
Row 25: B5; k6; p1; k1; p1; k8; p4; k8; B5.
Row 26: B5; p8; k1; p2; k1; p7; k1; p3; k1; p5; B5.
Row 27: B5; k5; p1; k3; p12; k5; p1; k2; B5.
Row 28: B5; p8; k2; (p1, k1) 5 times; p3; k1; p5; B5.
Row 29: B5; k4; p1; k4; (p1, k1) 6 times; p3; k5; B5.
Row 30: B5; p4; k2; (p1, k1) 7 times; p4; k1; p4; B5.
Row 31: B5; k2; p3; k4; p14; k2; p1; k3; B5.
Row 32: B5; p2; k5; p2; k1; p9; (k1, p4) 2 times; B5.
Row 33: B5; k3; p2; k3; p1; k4; p3; k4; p1; k2; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 34: B5; p1; k5; p1; k1; p4; k1; p3; k1; p4; k1; p2; k1; p1; k1; p2; B5.
Row 35: B5; k1; p1; (k2, p1) 2 times; k3; p1; k5; p1; k3; p1; k1; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 36: B5; p1; k5; p1; k1; p2; k1; p7; (k1, p2) 2 times; k1; p4; B5.
Row 37: B5; k7; p1; k13; p1; k1; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 38: B5; p1; k5; p1; (k1, p6) 2 times; k1; p7; B5.
Row 39: B5; k7; p1; k13; (p1, k1) 4 times; B5.
Row 40: B5; (p1, k1) 4 times; p13; k1; p7; B5.
Row 41: B5; k4; p1; k2; p1; k4; p1; k3; p1; k4; p1; k7; B5.
Row 42: B5; p7; k1; p13; k1; p7; B5.
Row 43: B5; k7; p1; k13; p1; k7; B5.
Row 44: B5; p2, k1; p5; k1; p11; k1; p8; B5.
Row 45: B5; k1; p1; k6; p1; k11; p1; k8; B5.
Row 46: B5; p9; k1; p9; k1; p9; B5.
Row 47: B5; k10; p1; k7; p1; k10; B5.
Row 48: B5; p11; k7; p11; B5.
Row 49: B5; k6; p1; k17; p1; k4; B5.
Row 50: B5; p29; B5.
Row 51: B5; k20; p1; k8; B5.
Row 52: B5; p29; B5.
Row 53: B5; k12; p1; k13; p1; k2; B5
Row 54: B5; p25; k1; p3; B5.
Row 55: B5; k16; p1; k12; B5.
Row 56: B5; p29; B5.
Row 57: B5; k29; B5.
Row 58: B5; p8; (k1, p1) for 13; p8; B5.
Row 59: B5; k7; p1, k1 for 15 sts.; k7; B5.
Row 60: p1, k1 for 6 sts.; p5; k1, p1 for 17 sts.; p5; k1, p1 for 6 sts.
Row 61: p1, k1; for 7 sts; k3; p1, k1 for 19 sts.; k3; p1, k1 for 7 sts.
Row 62 – Row 64: p1, k1 across row

Shoulder shaping:

Row 65: p1, k1 for 13 sts.; bind off the next 13 sts. knitwise; work remaining 12 sts. in seed stitch as established. You should have 13 sts. on each side. Place first 13 stitches on a holder and work on remaining 13 sts. as follows:

Work one row even in established seed stitch.
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge every other row 2 times. (11 sts.)
Work one row even in established seed stitch.
Dec. 1 st. at shoulder edge every other row until 5 sts. remain.
Work one row even in established seed stitch.
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge and 1 st. at shoulder edge. 3 sts.
Work one row even in established seed stitch.
Slip these 3 sts. to a dpn and work an I-cord for approximately 12 inches. Fasten off and run end down through middle of I-cord.
Join yarn to neck edge and work remaining side to correspond to other side.
Weave in ends.

Snowbaby Cloth

Copyright 2008 by Elaine Fitzpatrick. Permission is granted to make and sell items from this pattern provided that credit is given to me as the designer. Permission is not granted to reproduce the actual pattern, or post it, or distribute it, without my express permission. I worked hard to produce this pattern for you, so please respect my copyright and play nice!
Size: approximately 8.50" X 8"

Materials: One skein of worsted weight cotton.

Needles: U.S. Size 6 (4 mm)

Gauge: 4.5 sts. per inch, not critical

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
sts. = stitches
dec. = decrease

Pattern Note: The edges of the washcloth are worked in seed stitch over the first and last five stitches (p1, k1, p1, k1, p1) and are referred to as “B5”. You might find it helpful to insert a marker after the first five stitches and before the last five stitches.

Pattern: Cast on 39 sts.

Row 1 – Row 5: p1, k1 across row.
Row 6: p1, k1 for 10 sts.; p19; k1, p1 for 10 sts.
Row 7: p1, k1 for 8 sts.; p2, k13; (p1, k1) 2 times; p1, k2; p1, k1 for 9 sts.
Row 8: p1, k1 for 8 sts.; p3; (k1, p1) 2 times; k1; p13; k1, p1 for 10 sts.
Row 9: p1, k1 for 7 sts.; k2; p1; k9; p1; k3; p5; k4; p1, k1 for 7 sts.
Row 10: p1, k1, for 6 sts.; p5; k1; p3; k1; p13; k1; p3; k1, p1 for 6 sts.
Row 11: p1, k1 for 5 sts.; k4; p1; k14; p4; k6; p1, k1 for 5 sts.
Row 12: p1, k1 for 4; p2; k1; p2; k1; p1; k1; p2; k1; p14; k1; p5; k1, p1 for 4 sts.

(Note: From this point on, the first and last five stitches are the seed stitch border. (B5) It might be helpful to place a marker for these stitches.)

Row 13: B5; k5; p1; k8; p1; k4; p4; (k1, p1) 2 times; k2; B5.
Row 14: B5; p3; k2; p2; k1; p2; k1; p12; k1; p5; B5.
Row 15: B5; k5; p1; k12; p4; k2; p4; k1; B5.
Row 16: B5; p5; k1; p1; k1; p2; k1; p11; k1; p6; B5.
Row 17: B5; k6; p1; k7; p1; k3; p5; k6; B5.
Row 18: B5; p8; k1; p2; k1; p9; k1; p7; B5.
Row 19: B5; k6; p1; k1; p1; k8; p4; k8; B5.
Row 20: B5; p8; k1; p2; k1; p7; k1; p3; k1; p5; B5.
Row 21: B5; k5; p1; k3; p12; k5; p1; k2; B5.
Row 22: B5; p8; k2; (p1, k1) 5 times; p3; k1; p5; B5.
Row 23: B5; k4; p1; k4; (p1, k1) 6 times; p3; k5; B5.
Row 24: B5; p4; k2; (p1, k1) 7 times; p4; k1; p4; B5.
Row 25: B5; k2; p3; k4; p14; k2; p1; k3; B5.
Row 26: B5; p2; k5; p2; k1; p9; (k1, p4) 2 times; B5.
Row 27: B5; k3; p2; k3; p1; k4; p3; k4; p1; k2; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 28: B5; p1; k5; p1; k1; p4; k1; p3; k1; p4; k1; p2; k1; p1; k1; p2; B5.
Row 29: B5; k1; p1; (k2, p1) 2 times; k3; p1; k5; p1; k3; p1; k1; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 30: B5; p1; k5; p1; k1; p2; k1; p7; (k1, p2) 2 times; k1; p4; B5.
Row 31: B5; k7; p1; k13; p1; k1; p1; k3; p1; k1; B5.
Row 32: B5; p1; k5; p1; (k1, p6) 2 times; k1; p7; B5.
Row 33: B5; k7; p1; k13; (p1, k1) 4 times; B5.
Row 34: B5; (p1, k1) 4 times; p13; k1; p7; B5.
Row 35: B5; k4; p1; k2; p1; k4; p1; k3; p1; k4; p1; k7; B5.
Row 36: B5; p7; k1; p13; k1; p7; B5.
Row 37: B5; k7; p1; k13; p1; k7; B5.
Row 38: B5; p2, k1; p5; k1; p11; k1; p8; B5.
Row 39: B5; k1; p1; k6; p1; k11; p1; k8; B5.
Row 40: B5; p9; k1; p9; k1; p9; B5.
Row 41: B5; k10; p1; k7; p1; k10; B5.
Row 42: B5; p11; k7; p11; B5.
Row 43: B5; k6; p1; k17; p1; k4; B5.
Row 44: B5; p29; B5.
Row 45: B5; k20; p1; k8; B5.
Row 46: B5; p29; B5.
Row 47: B5; (k12, p1) 2 times; k3; B5
Row 48: p1, k1 for 6 sts.; p24; k1; p2; k1, p1 for 6 sts.
Row 49: p1, k1 for 7 sts; k5; p1; k14; p1, k4; p1, k1 for 7 sts.
Row 50: p1, k1 for 8 sts; p9, k1; p13; k1, p1 for 8 sts.
Row 51: p1, k1 for 9 sts.; k21; p1, k1 for 9 sts.
Row 52 – Row 56: p1, k1 across row.
Bind off in k1, p1.
Weave in ends.

Let It Snow, Baby!

Since I started my blog and joined Ravelry, I have made so many nice friends all over the world. It's so much fun to get to chat with other knitters and see what they're working on. I love seeing other people's projects. Anyway, one of my "new" friends just happens to be almost in my backyard (well, in my State anyway)! Nicole has sent me several nice notes and one of them just happened to mention how much she would like a snowman. Well, I was actually thinking about doing it, but I let her think it was all her idea! In any event, here is my gift this season to all my friends. It's really fun to knit and for some reason, this guy just makes me smile. I hope you'll like him too.


And for those of you who aren't into making bibs, I also did a version in a dishcloth. This would be really nice as a washcloth, if it was done in a soft cotton. I used Peaches & Creme for both my samples, light blue for the bib and mauve for the dishcloth.



You can grab the pdf in the sidebar. I usually also post the line by line instructions, but I don't know that anyone actually prefers that method, so since time is short (for everyone) I just did the pdf files.



I hope everyone has a safe, fun filled holiday!

Test Knits for Alli

Alli has her new designs up on her website and they are all really nice (in my totally unbiased opinion). Of course, I got to test knit four of them! This is great as it adds to my own collection, and some of them might find their way into someone's stocking! (I said "might" Emily!) This one is "Flakes'n Snowmen". It has a "short" border so you can start working on the design pretty quickly. Don't we all like to get to the "good" part?!

Following in the same theme, is "Flakes'n Penguins". I'm a sucker for anything with a penguin so this is one cloth that won't be leaving my kitchen!

I love the color of this yarn for the "Trees'n Snowmen". It's from Peaches & Creme and is called "celery". Every time I buy this color, I always seem to use it up right away. I think that the next time I place an order, I'll forget about buying balls and move up to the cones instead!

I saved my favorite cloth to last. "Happy Penguin" was really a fun knit. I love the way the border and background are all incorporated into one. It gives the cloth a little heft too.

Alli has about ten new designs in all. One has poinsettias and candles which is also really nice and there are a bunch with trees too. If you're looking for some really cute gifts, this is the place you should go. This post really sounds like a commercial, doesn't it? You'd almost think I was getting paid to promote it. Actually, I do get payment in the form of friendship! Still, cute is cute and I think Alli's work stands for itself!

A Hat for Ruby

My brother has a new granddaughter, Ruby, and although she was born this past August, I couldn't decide what to make for her. I have lots and lots of patterns for little girls, but I never have an opportunity to actually make any of them. Usually, I'm pretty prompt with gifts too, but for some reason, I kept putting this one off. Now that I'm going to see my brother for Thanksgiving , I really had to come up with something fast! I decided on this sweet little hat. It's a free pattern that you can get here. I went back and forth trying to decide on the color and then decided to go with a bright red, or a "ruby" red, if you will. I used the Cascade 220 Superwash and U.S. Size 8 needles. It looks just like a little tomato.

It was so much fun to knit and fast. I did the whole thing in about two hours. The pattern calls for k2tog, but I read that someone said the leaves twirl better if you slip one, knit one and then pass the slipped stitch over, so that's what I did. I don't know if this is actually better than the written pattern, because the original is pretty darn cute too, but it worked beautifully, so I can recommend it.

Since the hat was so quick, I decided to do a pair of socks to go with it. I had the idea to try and incorporate the leaves in the toe of the sock, so after a couple of false starts I ended up with these:

I cast on 32 stitches on a U.S. 5. They are really tight and I think they'll be pretty cosy. I'm not so sure that the leaves really work, but they do look cute together. My first version had the colors reversed, but I decided that it looked too much like an olive!

I didn't even bother with a second one. This will probably end up as a cat toy, since one of my cats really has a thing for baby socks!

I'm pretty sure that the socks will fit, but I am a little uneasy about the hat. Babies heads are always so much larger than they look!

We are the Dinosaurs

My grandson, Jack, just turned 5 and for his birthday, his parents decided on a dinosaur theme, so what's a grandma to do, except knit something with a dinosaur on it! Jack loves orange and I just happened to have some in my stash. A few years ago, I made another sweater for him out of Plymouth's Stone Cotton, which has now been discontinued. I really liked this yarn. It washes well and because it has a little acrylic in it, it can go into the dryer as well without shrinking. When I found out they weren't making it anymore, I started buying it whenever I came across any, so not only did I have the orange, I also had a few other colors. This sweater was based on a pattern by eweCanknit. This is a great line of intarsia patterns which can be found here. The sweaters are so basic so I just used their measurements. This dinosaur is from an old Leisure Arts pamphlet that I found on the ebay. I was contemplating charting my own T-rex, but this one was perfect.

Jack has a little brother who just happens to wear the same size even though he's only 3. Micah was a big help, as he very patiently let me try Jack's sweater on him as I was progressing with it, to check for length, etc. It's only fitting that his patience should be rewarded with a sweater of his own. His favorite dinosaur is the anklyosaurus. Try finding a chart for that one! I had no choice but to chart it myself. If you've ever seen a picture of this dinosaur, he's truly homely. Very spikey. I used some purl stitches to try and make him a little bumpy. I'm not so sure he's as recognizable as the T-rex, but Micah knew him, so that's all that mattered!

Since both Jack and Micah were getting dinosaurs, I couldn't leave out the baby. Marty ended up with the stegosaurus. You might recognize him from the bib pattern. I just tweaked him a little bit to fit on the sweater. Because I wanted the sweater to be easy to get on and off, I put a placket in the back, just like the turtle sweater.

I found these little stegosaurus buttons which fit in with the dinosaur theme nicely. Don't you think?

Three cute sweaters all from the stash. If only they had actually made a dent in it. I still have some red, just enough to make a fourth sweater. Maybe the boys would like a little sister? Hmmm, I wonder if there were ever any cute dinosaurs?

Turtle Love

I seem to have acquired quite a bit of green yarn so while digging through my stash, I decided to take another stab at modifying the Turtle Butt into a pair of longies. The first pair I made were too small to fit around chubby legs and so they are waiting in my pile to frog and repair. In the meantime, I started a new pair in very "turtley" colors.

The variegated is Cascade 200 Hand Paint in Forest and the solid green is called Palm, also by Cascade. This time, I'm fairly confident that the legs will have a lot more room. Of course, while I was working on the pants, I thought maybe he should have a sweater to go with them and what goes with Turtle legs, but a turtle sweater........

All the patterns that I found called for DK weight or they had raglans, or something wasn't what I wanted, so in the end I came up with my own. I used the measurements for an 18 month size and just did the math myself. I wanted a placket in the back to make it easier to get on and off and I just happened to have these turtle buttons.

The lighting wasn't very good for this picture as it doesn't look anything like the true color and I'm not so sure that the butons really match, but they are on the backside, so I decided to use them anyway. The sweater is knitted with Cascade Superwash as I wanted it to be easy to launder. I charted the turtle myself and embroidered the shell with Cascade Heritage sock yarn. Oh yes, sock yarn:

There HAD to be socks to match the pants. Cascade makes this yarn in the Forest color just like the 220 wool. It was the first time I've used this yarn and I just love it. The socks are so nice and soft and the yarn holds up really well to frogging as I ended up ripping out this pair a couple of times. I wasn't happy with the proportions I was using and since I didn't have a pattern for these either, it took a couple of tries. I made a second version, which I actually like better, but I gave them away before I took a picture! Here's the sweater and pants together. Cute, eh?

I just love the striped longies that I've seen posted on Ravelry, so I decided to make a coordinating pair with this whole turtle theme.

Hmmm, there is a definite trend here with the Cascade yarn. Cascade 220 wool, Cascade 220 Superwash wool, Cascade Heritage sock.....I wonder if the company is hiring?

A Few Good (Snow) Men

Alli has been at it again! Here are a couple of her latest (and cutest) designs! I'm so lucky to get to be her guinea pig or pattern tester, I mean. This first one is called "Let It Snow".

And this one is called, what else, "Snow Day". Both are available for sale at her website for only two bucks! They're so cute, I can't imagine anyone not loving them.

Because I let it slip how fond I am of snowmen, Alli sent me the following chart from Knitwits Heaven just for fun. This is an older pattern, but it fits right in with the others. I knit it in Peaches & Creme baby green and I wish that I had used a color that wasn't quite so light. I think the design would show up a little more. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make another one. Darn!