drawers for henry

After Christmas I started a baby surprise jacket for baby Micheal. An official welcome to the family AND a way to use up some of this yarn stash. Once the jacket was done, and having two skeins of yarn left, I decided to go ahead and make him some leggings to go with. I looked on- line for a pattern that suited me but eventually looked to Elizabeth Zimmerman for guidance. I have a couple of her books and while the narrative style is a bit frightening, it is also liberating.

Anyway, Micheal got a sweater. Micheal got pants. Henry pitched a mini-fit. Katie dug out the sweater I'd made William when he was 1 and told him Grandma had made it just for him.... but he still wanted pants.

A week ago I went through every skein of yarn I own sorting and deciding what I could bear to part with and what do you know... I had some of the original yarn from William's sweater and some that was the right kind of blue to go with. Henry could have his pants.

I made it all the way to the ribbing on the last leg before I ran out of the original two yarns & had to add something different in. One leg is wider and I think, longer than the other. But I am almost certain I will win a smile from that tough guy.

And I think, for the most part, E.Z. would be pretty pleased with my interpretation of her design.

knitting

My needles have been still for well over a month. The project I had begun had come to a dead halt. If I ever finished the Intarsia bolero I'd begun, I probably would never wear it... and so, I've pulled the needles, bagged the yarn and moved on.

I'd purchased this Adirondack yarn last fall. It was on sale and I could not pass up buying everything they had left on the shelf.... the colors were luscious. I have two hand dyed colors, one called Cinnamon, the other Foliage ... and the colors in the twisted hanks are so similar that one of the foliage's was marked cinnamon... but laid out next to each other I could see the difference.

I thought the colors blended well until I balled them....

Seven skeins, 250 yards each, wound into balls... suddenly the colors didn't look as affable.

This picture (taken in my kitchen sink) shows the differences better. One skein cool blues and pinks, the other warmer greens and reds...

My friend Nat, when I asked her about the colors, suggested I do every-other row a different color.... easy enough as I'll be working in the round....

But now my question is... after doing a swatch, I don't know that I like the stockinette stitch... I think there might not be enough texture to create interest... on the other hand, a garter stitch all over might just be too much.

I'm working from two similar patterns, I'm going to make some adjustments to length, I've done all my measurements and figured the gauge... I think I am ready to cast on and begin. But before I go beyond the first few rows I'll need to make a decision... gulp