Littlest Cowpoke

This past week was another wild one. A loved one had a few days stay at the hospital for a complication from a routine procedure. (All is well, thank goodness.)  It looks like I might be able to go up to Oregon to visit my Oma soon. An exam was delayed by two days. Connor is going back to Japan for business, but it looks like this time I might get to join him. All the ups and downs have left me worn out. Not much happen creatively except these cuties.

Cowboy Booties Pattern

I've been doing my best to quickly make these little booties for my cousin and his fiancée's new little girl. I'm not really sure how quickly baby feet grow, so I really hope that their little girl is able to fit these. 

Embroidery scissors for scale

I'm happy these little booties are done. I've been re-reminded that crochet is not my strength. I ripped out and re-crocheted these so many times! But clearly it was worth it. They are so cute!  Both my parents squealed when they saw them.

Now all they need is a little cowpoke to fill them.

White Rice Is Exciting

Hello friends! The last two and a half weeks have been quite a challenge. The special diet I was put on left me completely exhausted. This week I was told that I am allowed to start reintroducing things to my diet, but I'm being careful and adding only one new thing a day. (As a side note, you know your diet is strict when the idea of plain white rice fills you with joy.) There are more doctor visits to be had, but I'm just celebrating the little things as they come... you know, when I'm not stressing out about all the things I haven't gotten around to.

One of the things I have managed to get around to is finishing up the two baby Giraffe Hat samples. They came out cute! They now live at Green Planet Yarn, which is where you can find kits for these hats.

I also finished my Geographer Socks. They only took me... three months. There was a time I could get a pair of socks out in 8-10 days. Actually, I'm not sure how people can get socks done so quick. Either they knit faster, or, more likely, they have smaller feet than me.

I'm so happy with how these came out: matching and my size

With the Geographer socks finished, I got to go into my stash and pick out my next pair of socks. Out came Stray Cat Socks yarn in the Jaffa color way. My feeling on socks is the louder the better. If I can still hear you when you talk to me, my socks aren't loud enough.

Confession: I just went to Stray Cat's page so I could give you all the link. I'm really tempted by the Lilah color way. So very tempted. I'm going to be good because I'm knitting so slowly and clearly don't need more yarn. But if I needed more yarn, it would be that ball.

Since the Jaffa socks were the only thing on the needles, I decided it was high time to cast on another Equatorial Nights. It should have been for Mum's birthday last month. You can see how far I got on that. It might be awhile before it is done, but at least it has been started.

That's all the current knitting, but not all the current work being done. I've got a shawl pattern to put out this week. If things go well, it will be out tomorrow, if not, Friday instead. So me and my celery juice will be working on that for the next few hours.

Disclaimer: I hate celery and am torturing myself with doctor prescribed healthy things in an effort to never have to go on this terrible diet ever again. Also, I've decided to never drink another straight celery juice after this one. It is salty and weird.

Boom. Sweater.

Boom. The sweater is done. I even started work on a sock. It's kind of a relief to have hit a bit of a knitting groove after having a week of blah. I wonder how long it will last...

I'm not normally into baby stuff, but making little clothes does appeal to me. I'm sure the little mooseling it's intended for will be quite cozy. The pattern I added to the sweater is intended to be stars above the moose herd and a river below them. I would have added more white, but it's a baby thing. I though grey would conceal stains more effectively. 

I kinda wish this sweater was me-sized

Mooseling

I had an incredibly productive day yesterday. I went on a hike, finished reading a book, finished a sock, and started my very first baby knit. For a friend, not for me. She hasn't told me if it's a boy or girl, so she gets a grey sweater. I'm using Petite Purls Beach Baby sweater as the base. Although I am making the sweater Moose-themed per request.

The yarn is lovely as well. I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash Sport. It's superwash merino. Very soft, very shiny. Everything has gone reasonable well except that the grey ball has decided to explode. I'm hoping that I can knit fast enough before that becomes a problem.

Yesterday Doesn't Count

Mum and I drove past a yarn shop that I frequent.

Me: "I haven't been to a yarn shop in awhile."

Mum: "Didn't you go to a yarn shop yesterday?"

Me: "Oh yeah. But that didn't count."

After all the modifications I made on this sweater, such as knitting a medium instead of a small, and adding pockets, it became apparent that even though the sleeves are striped, half a ball of green and burgundy was not going to cut it. Luckily I was able to get skeins in the same dye lot.

Although now that I have the yarn, I'm very seriously considering adding a little grey ribbing to each sleeve and leave it as a vest. I'd love to have some input on this idea. I've never had a vest, but I'd love a hoodie too. Or I could make one of each..... So yeah, input would be good. (There will be grey ribbing along the outer edge as a zipper band that is currently being added. So whatever it ends up being, it will have a zipper... or buttons. Not sure at this point.)

I also purchased some yarn for a baby sweater. I touched it and just knew I had to get it. Superwash Merino, people. Enough said.

Blue Footed Booby Hat

The Blue Footed Booby Hat is now available! You can get a copy of the pattern on bear-ear.com or on ravelry. From July 1st to September 8th, all profits from the blue footed booby hat pattern will go towards Kenna's fundraising efforts for her walk in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For The Cure.

If you are interested in supporting Kenna as she walks for her Mum, you can check out her Fundraising Page. She will be walking as a Blue Footed Booby (complete with blue shoes!)

The hat also comes in baby sizing.

For all those blue footed booby babies in your life.

Lion Hat Pattern

Knit/ Crochet Blog Week may have just finished, but the fun isn't going to end. Today the Lion Hat pattern has been released!

It comes in adult and baby sizes. And for only $5, the pattern can be yours. You can either go to Ravelry, or you can press the buy now button.

Not enough excitement for you?

Stay tuned in, because tomorrow I have some major news!

Baby Hat Release

The day has finally come! All the current animal hats now have baby sizing! If you have already purchased a copy, you have nothing to fear. You can simply re-download the pattern.

You can either go on ravelry to get a copy, or you can click the buy now button by each pattern in this post.

To get the sheep hat pattern for $5: buy now

The pattern itself doesn't change. The small sizing is created by using thinner yarn and smaller needles.

To get the giraffe hat pattern for $5: buy now

There will be a Bear Ears website up in the near future.

To get the fox hat pattern for $5: buy now

But until then, the blog will have to do.

To get the bear hat pattern for $5: buy now

Baby Hat Sneak Peek

Yesterday I did a photo shoot for the baby versions of my animal hats. I was able to take pictures of five hats in fifteen minutes. And I may have been converted to the dark side. The baby hats are really cute and so was the baby. The current patterns do not reflect the baby sizing. I plan on re-releaseing the patterns in another week or so. But until then, here is a sneak peek of the fox hat in baby size.

Big, Overwhelming Plans

In the midst of adding baby sizes/ metric measurements to all my hat patterns, I have also been designing new hats and developing my branding.

I am overwhelmed.

I knew I'd be overwhelmed, but I didn't realize how much. It's cool though. Once I've sorted out all the important foundation work (like a Bear Ears website!) I'll feel much better.

Until then, here is a sneak peek of the Lion Hat. It has been sent out to be test knit. And I still need to take the official pictures, but it's getting there.

Babyizing In Progress

I finally finished re-knitting the baby samples of the bear hat. The pattern doesn't reflect the changes just yet, but it will soon. I just need to have several people check for errors before I release the updated version. And pictures. I've got to find some babies.

Here is a quick sneak peek of the next hat to be released. The adult version of the hat has been knit. I just need to "babyize" it. 10 points to anyone who guesses what the hat is. (Unless I've actually told you and you "guess". Then you get -10 points.)

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that re-knitting and adding baby sizes to the patterns was a bit stressful. To keep my sanity, I've been knitting this sweater in the evening. The pattern may look complex, but it is actually pretty relaxing to knit and easy to adjust sizing once you've gotten your gauge sorted out. The pattern is the Fireside Sweater by Amber Allison. I just have the back and two sleeves to go. I'm fairly certain I'll finish in the middle of summer during a heat wave.

I Don't Own A Baby

I have gotten lots of lovely feedback regarding the animal hats. By far the most common response was, "Oh! That hat is so cute. Does it come in baby size?" Followed by me saying... "Ummm.... no." I had been resisting making a baby size for several reasons.

1. I don't have a baby (I almost said I don't own a baby... but that's not quite right) , so baby sizing is a bit mysterious to me.

2. I don't really have any friends that have a baby.

However, thanks to my parents who advised that I listen to my customer base, the answer will soon be, "Yes, it comes in baby size." All I need now is a baby. For pictures, not for me.