Spring 2022

It has been a good winter for knitting throughout Belgium, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan and Spain! I have completed two sweaters and quite a few baby items for the maternity hospital in Portugal. The sweater below, in gray, was for my niece’s son, Statler. It is knit from the top down and is available on Ravelry. This sweater is called “Harry” by Liudmyla Babintseva, and uses a rib knit for the neck, cabling on the front and back, then knit in the round from chest down. I wanted to learn how to use a chart, so needed to zoom with Helen, my knitting teacher from Ireland at times.

Statler’s sweater, it has been blocked here but it seems to have wrinkled again in our travels!

Statler sweater back

Portion of “Harry” pattern chart. This gives you an idea of what I was reading, with my markings. It was fun…like reading a music score in some ways. You read it from bottom to top and right to left, much like the Arabic language we saw in Jerusalem. Smile.

Needless to say, I hope it fits, but I have no problem if my knitting is passed on or sent to charity. Smile. My worst fear is someone will receive my knitting and say, “Oh no, another ugly sweater from Deb again!” (We all know that ONE aunt, right?!)

Gaby sweater front

I enjoyed making this sweater for a friend’s daughter’s high school graduation. I used double yarn (two skeins at once). This makes knitting so much quicker. But, some issues I found were the holes created in my increases due to the yarn being too thick. On the yarn overs and increases, I chose to use just one yarn and this seemed to help. (That idea thanks to my engineer husband). On the underarms I struggled to get them smooth.

Gaby back of sweater

This sweater is a pattern called “Carbeth” by Kate Davies Designs and can be found on Ravelry as well. It is knit with raglan sleeves and top down, intended to be worn with a long blouse, as a crop sweater. If I receive photos from the recipients at some point, I will post them here.

Gabi knitted sweater graduation 2022

One of my favorite past times has turned into knitting with my mom! About the time she gets up in the morning, is the time I will be sitting down before dinner to knit. We communicate via FaceTime and I get to tell her about our day up until then. We talk about anything, naturally, but especially about knitting. Mom has picked up both her knitting and crochet needles again. She has been doing some amazing crocheted potholders (such even stitches) recently. I am just happy, (and proud) that she continues to want to learn. She picked up where her mom, Lucille, had left off on a few crochet projects, and finished them for her. Love it!

Potholders crocheted by Kay Southam

Kay crochet potholders 2022

Kay-finished crochet hat of Lucille

Hats done by Kay Southam.

Crocheted hat by Kay

Knit hat by Kay

Kay-knit blanket and hats 2021

Recently I sent off a few things to Portugal, to a dear gal named Jennie, who runs a knitting group and sends it to a maternity hospital for preemies and up.

Baby blankets

Baby blanket red

Pink Sweater and Hat Knit top down improvised both. I like to knit by size sometimes and use “average” baby size charts from the web. I have included several charts at the end of this post that I find helpful to refer to.

Since the blue “Gaby” sweater I have found some online youtube videos that really help with this. “Suzanne’s Method of Avoiding Underarm Holes in Knitting” is one of the best I have found so far.

Underarm stitching

Learning new underarm stitching-not perfect yet but better

Hat and mittens

Knit booties

Mitts

Hat

Crocheted pot holders by Deb thanks to Mom teaching me and Rose teaching her! I will post mom’s potholders once I get the photos. She has been crocheting many potholders!

Fun Fall baby sweater and hats

Extra yarn…one more hat

Wavy baby blanket by Stitchylinda-designs (I have used this before) and hat, mitts, Quick and Easy Baby Booties by TEOMAKES !1 -a free youtube video pattern, and headband.