Lace Romper Started.

Haven't had the time to get much  knitting in. I did get the back of the lace romper started, but I didn't have enough of the peach to use it. I decided that a bright yellow could work nice too. I am going to call Irene @ Knitcraft & see if she has any peach Andino left. I wrote the pattern for the back but haven't even charted the front yet, but will get to it soon, as I want to get this finished. I tried to knit it on the SR 840 but my Lace Carriage is broken & needs to go out for repairs. I had forgotten that I had broken a piece off the end of it several months ago. So I am using the Brother 965i instead. It knits lace beautifully but you have to push the carriage back & forth twice the times you do with the Silver Reed carriage. That carriage knits & transfers at the same time where the Brother machines need a different carriage to knit & a lace carriage to transfer.

If you decide to knit this romper there are several things that you need to know;

1. Her pattern starts the lace pattern on the first row. Never start lace on the first row. Always knit a couple of plain rows.

2. She slopes her shoulders with 2 bind offs of 8 stitches each. I don't bind off baby shoulders because it makes the shoulder uneven. Shortrowing works better.

3. She knits the lace pattern right up to the last row. I always knit 2 rows plain knitting after the lace.

These are just suggestions as to how I do it. I am in no way saying that she is wrong. Just that I have a better way for me.

As soon as I get the front written I will get to work on it. I have a scrappie on my mid-gauge waiting for me & a couple of UFO's that need finishing so better get busy!! 

This pattern is in Machine Knitting News, Baby Collection vol 1, pattern #16. 

New Pattern for Baby Romper

Here is a pattern for a lacy romper. I think it might work out for the new baby girl. It is similar to the last one I made but has gathered leg bands instead of elastic. I like the gathered sleeves too. I think that would look cute on her. I am going to make it from Millor Andino in a peachy color. I am debating on the front closures, either snaps or buttons. Mom's tell me the snaps are so much easier than trying to button baby up while they are squirming around.

I haven't had my lace carriage out for a while.

I have ordered a snap press. It should be here is a couple of weeks. I am just putting on so many snaps that I need something faster than pounding them on one at a time. It has several different dies that are available for different types & sizes of snaps. The store has lots of cute baby snaps that I would like to try at a later time.

When I bought my 'Knifty Knitter Looms' I received a little hook like the one pictured. It is very hard to use & makes my hands hurt. I decided to see if I could get something more sturdy & would last longer. I know the looms are just a fad but I want to use mine for longer than most people are interested in. I really enjoy loom knitting while watching TV so I went looking for another type of hook that could be adapted to work with the looms. I found this

It is a rug latch tool & much hardier than the one that came with the looms. I took pliers & pulled off the latch & straightened out the point some. It fits in my hand & hooks the yarn perfectly. I will be able to use it for a long time to come.  

Finished Green Romper & Plans for Another One

Finished the Green romper & am already planning for another one. I am going to use this pattern again as I like it. It is very easy knitting, generous in size & a nice fit.

When I get the chance I am going to write the pattern for the 6 months size for the new baby. I don't try to match the pattern gauge. I rewrite the pattern in my gauge. That is so much easier than making swatch after swatch. My patterns are the short version & I shudder to think of someone trying to knit from my patterns.

I am going to make another romper in the 12 month size in this yarn.I have some lt blues & some med blues that I am going to knit up into rompers too. I bought plenty of elastic for the legs.

I volunteered today & am going again on Thursday. Tomorrow I am going to an EMS class to learn CPR & first aid. That is going to be an all day class. If I have time I will get some knitting in. I have the front & back of a charity sweater hanging on my machine waiting for a neckband, so maybe I will have time to finish it.

Another Baby Romper

I have been working on the romper off & on all day. It is finished except for the elastic in the legs & the trim for the leg & sew the crotch up. After I get the leg openings done I am going to steam it very lightly. I don't want to kill the yarn. Just enough to smooth out the bands. I made my armhole bands & button bands shorter that the pattern stated because I did not want them to flare out like the ones in the picture. I want them to lie flat but close around the arm & front. The leg openings will be gathered some with the elastic & look really cute on baby I think.

It takes about 4-5 hours to make this romper. The pattern is from Machine Knitting News 1990 #5, patterns #24. It is made with Millor Andino in a size 12 months. I have lots more baby patterns & am going to be busy making them this summer for my 2 youngest g'kids. I have been so busy with orders & baby knitting that I have let my charity knitting get behind. I am going to get started on another scrappie as soon as I get this last order out.

   

More Summer Rompers

I have been going through some of my old Machine Knitting News magazines to find some more baby rompers to knit for the summer. I thought this one was cute so decided to make it. I am not going to do fairlisle as I think that would be too warm for summer in Southern California. I am going to make it in green with yellow trim using the Millor Andino. The picture of the romper with the fairisle is cute but looks like it has been over blocked & steamed to me. The armhole opening is flaring out & I don't like that look. I am going to make my armholes tighter. I only steam very lightly as I don't like a limp fabric for baby clothes. I want them stretchy & live. 
I was going to put buttons on it but then decided that snaps are so much easier with an active baby. The pattern calls for elastic in the legs & I think that will work out well. I am going to make the 12 month size.

I'm not sure what is wrong with blogger. Or it might be my computer, but nothing is working right. Other sites seem to be working okay. I can't get some of the features to work. It's weird.                        

                                  

Some Machine Knitting History

Here is a picture of an old Knitting Machine. If anyone has any information about this machine I would be glad to post it. A blogger sent it to me, possibly thinking that I might know something about it.

A couple of years ago I bought the 'Knifty Knitter Looms' & have been making hats with them for family & friends. Also, children's hats for charity. These are the warmest ski hats that I've ever had. I like to sit & watch TV while I knit them in the evenings. They don't require a lot of thought. No counting stitches or rows, & they knit up fairly quickly. I use a chunky yarn that washes up well, so they don't need any special care. I have had a couple of pegs come out, but I just poke them back into the loom & am ready to knit. I always make a brim on all my hats. They are twice as warm as the hats without one. A good place to find yarn is at 'Discount Yarn Sale'  They sell by the bag & carry a wide variety of yarns.   

 

Happy Little Customer

Here is one of my happy little customers. I enjoy it sooo much when Mom's send me pictures of their little ones wearing my product. I make 100% wool diaper covers that are used with cloth diapers.

 Before there was plastic, there was wool. Mom's used it for a diaper cover for hundreds of years. It absorbs moisture & doesn't transfer that moisture to baby's bedding or clothes. This is part of the green movement to prevent landfills from being filled with disposable diapers. It has gained a lot of momentum with more & more family's using cloth diapers.

This is my awesome little g'son. He has a bunch of woolies, but guess what?? He is allergic to wool!! So mom is using disposables for him. LOL