Woolies

My youngest, unfortunately, still needs night time wetness protection, and unfortunately, is a very big girl.  I sew a cloth pull on for her and knit wool longies.  With getting the Singer SK155 with Knit Radar, I figured I could draw up my pattern and be able to knit her longies really quickly and whenever I found new wool (or if she grew I could alter the pattern easily).  However, although I had enough needles for my gauge, the pattern wouldn't fit on the paper.  I tried anyway, to just knit from notes, but it was one of those projects where everything was going wrong.  I wasn't happy with it at all.  Then, at the same time, the "wool soaker" yahoo group discussed sleep sacks for babies.  I thought, what if I made a bottomless sleep sack--essentially, a skirt.  Easier to get on while she's asleep and quick to knit.  No knit radar pattern needed, just a measurement and gauge.

 The first one was Briggs and Little.  I thought it seemed too long so I ripped it back and ribbed the bottom.  Then after using it, discovered that it was way too short!  So, had to lengthen it.  It actually needs to be even longer--I thought I used all the yarn but then found some more (after a couple attempts at the pants, there was several small balls of the yarn to deal with).  This was done before Christmas, so I'm not including the yarn amounts.  There was some mis-patterning, I think you can see it in the picture.  I hope it was just because there was some yarn caught in the memory drums which I then removed.

 The next pair is shown upside down, LOL.

The brown tweedy yarn in the background is Lionbrand FIsherman Wool.  The other colours are all Patons Classic Wool, Briggs and Little, or Headwaters Wool.  This skirt weighs 280gr, but I included in on January 18.
I don't have a picture of the next skirt, but it was done in the same tweedy brown (mmm...maybe it was a solid brown this time), and the 1x1 card (one stitch A, one stitch B, alternates for the second row).  I did bands of the contrast colours, and the front and back don't match exactly; the colour sequence is the same but the size of the bands vary.  It weighs 322gr.

We discovered that these skirts ride up while she sleeps, even the third one which I made almost to her ankles.  So, I tried knitting a panel to sew inside, sort of underwear shape, LOL.  Awkward to figure out sizing, and where to sew it in, but it's worked.  I think however, I'm going to look in my sewing patterns and see if I have a 2 piece knit pants pattern in her size.  I'll trace out the pieces for the knit radar and do it that way.  I was never happy with the crotch on the ones I did before, but this will be a good solution.  I think.  LOL.

Yarn In:  10 566gr
Yarn Out:  322gr + 8578gr = 8900gr
Balance:  1666gr more In than Out
Costs:  $177.48/96 days = $1.85 per day

I've got another wavy lace scarf to show off and then I think I'm caught up on the stuff knit this year!  I do have a shawl to show, and am almost finished some socks, but both were started last October.  I have the blue and beige shawl to re-do, and I have some yarn wound and ready for another machine knit shawl.  I want to get back to machine knitting socks.  I do need some hand knitting projects though as the girls started skating lessons and I'm almost done that pair of socks.  I've got a HK shawl on the needles, but was reading the chart on the laptop, which has been broken since January.  I went to try to print the chart, but the printer won't respond.  I like knitting shawls, but there's almost too many to choose from.  I have an idea for an easy crochet baby blanket so I might give that a go.  I had been swatching for a cardigan in a Knit n Style from last August, but none of the yarns worked (the called for yarn is 16-17st in 4" on 4.5mm needles--don't see how that's possible!  I was trying Classic Wool--20st/4" on 4.5mm and had to go up to 6mm and it was still too tight).  I'm not seeing much that's inspiring me to handknit!  Perhaps I should start some fancy mitts to sell next year?