Gonna Be April Soon!

I'm working on five different projects right now.

#1:
Most important - Chemo Cap.
I was asked by the ladies at Suzoo's Wool Works in Costa Mesa to knit a small cap for kits that are going through chemotherapy.  This is my first hat and I'm really excited.  Jennifer gave me some yarn to use and I'm going for it.  I've done ribbing before (K2, P2) but I'm really focused.  Ribbing is like meditating.  You really need to concentrate when you do it or you'll lose your count.  Although I'm developing the ability to see where I am in the pattern, it's so satisfying to get to the end of the row and be on Purl 2!

This is really fun and I cast on 96 stitches!  That's the biggest cast on ever for me.  I may be inspired enough to knit another one with some of my Chroma Yarn I got from Knit Picks.

Truly one of the great joys I get out of knitting something like this is the opportunity to be of service to the world.  One of my desires is to lessen the suffering of people and animals.  It gives me a chance to do a small part in healing the world.

#2
Next most important - Happy "Love" Pill
My first semi-original pattern.  I got the idea from a couple of patterns on the web and I heavily modified it with an increase/decrease scenario that looks really nice and smooth.  This is my most popular design - this is my fourth.  The first one went to my friend Scott's daughter, Julia.  Julia has lymphoma at 9 years old.  She was going through some nasty chemotherapy and I was inspired to knit the Pill for her.  I did it with the original pattern.  I ended up having to repair it a month later.  It's great to get an idea about the kind of abuse these toys get when the kids get their hands on them.

 The idea is that it looks like a pill with a smiley face on it.  I like to add a heart made out of felt and put it inside the toy.  I also give it a lot of love and healing power because I tend to give these guys to people who aren't feeling well.  I get an opportunity to help out and have super fun knitting.

I'm actually through the increase section of the pill.  I knit another 13 rows then change to white and knit 18 rows before finally decreasing, stuffing and embroidering the eyes and mouth.  I'll add more photos when I get closer.

I actually typed this pattern up and I'm knitting this based on my pattern.  If it works out well I'm going to put it on Ravelry for free.  I'll keep you posted.



#3
Lollipop Sweet Scarf
This is made with the Chroma wool called "Lollipop."  I am absolutely enamored of these yarns as the have a really smooth transition from color to color and they create an almost tie-dyed effect in the final product.

It's a simple garter scarf with 23 stitches per row.  I'm planning on making it about five feet long.  This is going to be a birthday present for my Niece, Ellison, on her 5th birthday.  It gets cold up in Washington State!  I just love garter scarfs.  Not so much because they're easy, I love the texture of the wool, I like to knit them on a needle a little bigger than I normally would use for the yarn because it gives the scarf a nice, loose quality.  Also, I need to have at least one simple project going as most of the projects I do are pretty brain intensive.  It's nice to just kick back and knit. 


It's funny, my wife saw me knitting this and said she wanted one too.  I'm getting very busy lately - maybe I'll even eventually be able to knit something for me!

#4
I Love Cat Loves Dog
by Kkhymn (http://kkhymn.wordpress.com/)

This is my first multi-part toy.  I had to knit a head, a body, two arms, two legs, a tail, and two ears.  I have all the parts knitted and I just need to sew them together.  Currently I only have these clunky, bendy plastic needles.  I've had all kinds of issues sewing and embroidering with them but I never thought to check into other alternatives.  When I went to Suzoo's Wool Works in Costa Mesa (Go there if you can, it's an amazing store), I was asking Jennifer about it and she showed me these really cool darning needles that are metal and have a slight bend at the tip.  These make it much easier to sew things together as you get greater accuracy.  So I'm going to be getting a set this weekend.

So here's the little guy in pieces.

I used another Chroma color called Midwinter.  I just love blends - let me say it again I LOVE BLENDS!  I think that it gives my toys a unique quality that you can't get from a traditional colored toy.  Now, I'm not saying I'll never knit, say, a brown teddy bear, actually I'm sure I will, but at this point I love the uniqueness of these blended yarns. 

This kitty was my original second toy for my niece, but I'm knitting another toy, which is a monster called Petunia designed by Rebecca Danger (http://rebeccadanger.typepad.com/).  I need to go home and take some pictures of my progress with Petunia.  I only have two legs to go and then sewing, stuffing and embroidering.  I'll probably use some small buttons for the eyes - so much to choose from!

Anyway I'll post on Petunia over the weekend.  I've got a lot of knitting to do!!!!!!

Thanks for reading

Alec...