Pattern: Baby Bolero ravlink
Source: One Skein
For: Sanobeia's 2nd Baby
Yarn: ~137 yds Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton in 80
Needles: US 8 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 07.13.2008; finished 07.24.2008

A million people have made this and I finally got around to it. I've been wanting to try out the BSA Organic Cotton for a while now and got a single skein, so I decided to go ahead. The pattern was straight-forward, but I did go ahead and pick up the stitches for the sleeves and knit down instead of knitting them from the cuff up and seaming them. The yarn was really soft, but I do worry a bit about the FO pilling. Oh, well...I'm sure the baby will grow out of it pretty quickly anyway.

Pattern: Little Arrowhead Shawl ravlink
Source: Interweave Knits, Summer 2006
For: Tracy's Grandma
Yarn: 2 skeins / 272 yds Jaeger Roma in 0009
Needles: US 7 Knit Picks Options
Etc: 4 packets of Kool-Aid: Cherry, Orange, Grape, and Lemonade
Timeline: started 07.06.2008; finished 07.11.2008; dyed and blocked 07.13.2008

I took this yarn and pattern along with me on my vacation, since it wouldn't take up a lot of room and I didn't think it would take much time. I was right on both counts. The stitch pattern was easy to memorize, so it made for great travel knitting.

Before dyeing.
The yarn was nice to work with: very springy. I think it would make a great baby garment. However, I didn't really like the color; it was too much of a baby pink for me or anyone else I know. So, I decided to go ahead and try overdyeing it. I used the 4 colors of Kool-Aid listed above, since I just wanted to make sure I toned it down a lot. I really like the end result.

I am a tiny shawl.
I ended up having to skip the final three rows, since I was running out of yarn. I don't really think it impacts the design much. However, this thing is definitely a Little Arrowhead Shawl. It's about 44" across and 18" long down the center, which is a bit too small, even for my tiny shoulders. I might send it to Nadine's grandmum in Scotland, if I can't find someone else who would like it.

Update 07.25.2008
This puppy is going to go to Tracy's grandma. Yay!

I managed an astounding (for me, anyway) amount of knitting during my trip to San Diego and San Francisco last week. They're all things I've made before, so I don't have much in the way of notes. Oh, and they were all knit in Malabrigo, which was lovely.

FO: Panta

Modeled by Nadine.
Pattern: Le Slouch ravlink
For: Julia (cat-sitting thank-you)
Yarn: ~52 yds of Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Oceanos
Needles: US 7 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 07.04.2008; finished 07.05.2008

FO: Le Slouch

Modeled by Nadine.
Pattern: Le Slouch ravlink
For: Adriane (cat-sitting thank-you)
Yarn: 108 yds of Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Sealing Wax
Needles: US 8 and 9 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 07.05.2008; finished 07.06.2008

FO: Small Le Slouch

Modeled by a glass.
Pattern: Le Slouch ravlink
For: Adriane's grandbaby (cat-sitting thank-you)
Yarn: ~85 yds of Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Sealing Wax
Needles: US 8 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 07.11.2008; finished 07.12.2008

I had to change the pattern slightly in order for it to fit a 2-year-old child. I cast on 56 stitches in order to get around a 17" circumference, and I think it came out pretty well. Now, Adriane and her granddaughter will have matching hats next Winter.