Jonah Lisa Land

Crazy Boy Vest

Well, I thought I'd just post a quick project update and show you this cute vest I made for Huck.  I figured it would be a simple, easy post and only take a few minutes to get the shots and get them posted.  

Of course, I wasn't figuring Huck's plans into the equation.  

He's such a freak.

You can sort of see the vest, I suppose. I used the same self-striping, superwash, Adriafil Knitcol yarn I made Mima's Legwarmies in, but in a more manly colorway. Vest details here.

Look for dispatches from the road throughout today and tomorrow!

Riding Lessons

While most kids took swimming or piano lessons this summer, up here in the mountains Huck's amazing preschool teacher, Debbie was teaching him to ride a horse.  No pools in Teton Valley, but horses aplenty!

She works with him on basic skills and after just 4 lessons he can approach a horse safely, groom and ready the horse to ride and make the horse stop, go and turn on his own.  A nice foundation.

This is what I do, in between stealing little peeks of course, while Huck rides Honey. 

I'm making this Best Neighbor Scarf (aka Easy Drop Stitch Scarf) for the woman who lives at the end of Lollipop Lane.  It looks intricate but I assure you, it's a very simple pattern.  So simple I can even do a few repeats while the kids play around me.  

Mountain Knits

About 2 weeks ago (before I came down with pneumonia, which, by the way, I have recovered from) I got a really cool phone call from the proprietress of my local Knit shop, Mountain Knits.  She called to offer me a job!  I accepted!  And then I had to cancel my first day of work when the diagnosis came down.  Oh well, it's a small town and she's a friend, so all was understood.  

Anyway, yesterday was my first day!

It's just a few hours a week, but it's a dream job!

I sit here on a little sofa and knit, and I hop up and help people when they come in.  I talk about their projects and different fibers and patterns and then I go back to knitting when they leave.  

It's a perfect little get-away.  Like "Me Time," but without the guilt.

Knit Baby Gift

I didn't start knitting until Jemima was already a toddler so I missed out on all the adorable baby knitting projects. Twice!  I'm going to make up for it with friends though.  

I've just finished this little parcel of handknit goodies for a friend's first baby who is due this summer.  

I know.  Traditionally, booties go with hats.  Well, I tried booties and it didn't go so well.  Me and booties don't get along.  So other people (people with teeny tiny hands and really good eyesight!) can do the old ho-hum hats & booties thing.  I'll do hats and washcloths.

I also prefer to use natural colors or rainbow yarns for handknit baby gifts.  Babies grow out of things so fast and staying gender neutral means it can be handed down more easily.

I have to admit, I find baby knitting to be very satisfying.  It's fast and fun.  

Except for booties.

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You can check out my original and free knitting patterns for these 2 baby gifts on Ravelry.

Nordic Tassel Hat and Soft Baby Washcloths

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Sunshine Kimono

A little more spring knitting....

I love this yarn.  It's Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton Multi Worsted Cotton in Marmalade.  I really want to make more of these in Slushie & Gherkin, too!

I used the free Nature Baby Kimono pattern from Lion Brand Yarns (a fantastic source for FREE knit & crochet patterns).  More details on the project are on my Ravelry page.  It was a very easy knit if you don't mind seaming, which I don't.  If you are a seam-hater Lion Brand has about 10 different child & baby kimono sweater patterns and several of them are knit in one piece, so poke around.

I think I may actually be ready to try and knit a sweater for myself!  Unfortunately, Huck's getting a little jealous of his sister's mama-made sweaters so I'll probably have to start on something for him first. Maybe I'll have a sweater of my own by next winter.

I've been makin'

Sorry, I've been away.  It's been too slushy and yucky here to want to write.  This is mud season.  The season where the snow melts away and everyone gets all excited and the kids shuck their clothes and everyone starts thinking about gardening and then it turns cold and rainy and everything turns to muck and then it snows for another month.    

So instead of writing post after post about the dreary weather and how hard it is to get a kid into a snowsuit and boots the day after they've played shirtless in the sandbox, I just put my head down and kept right on knitting like it was winter.  

A simple keyhole scarf for my active boy...

A little fringy girlie girl thing for Jemima...

And this chunky neck warmer for myself...

I think there's still time to make one for Stephen, too.  Or maybe I'll do socks.  Here's Mister Dreamy Eyes wearing his scarf and the rainbow hat I made him for Christmas.

If we lived in a bigger town, this kid would be bringing home the bacon. But if anyone from Garnet Hill Kids or Benetton is reading this, we are willing to travel in order to exploit him.

Jemima's First Poncho

I believe I've mentioned before my childhood obsession with a certain green poncho.  Well, I couldn't resist setting my daughter off on a similar path.  Since the moment I started knitting, I've had plans to make a poncho for her and now...it is complete.  

I used a very basic, free poncho pattern--all garter stitch, knit 2 rectangles, sew 'em together, boom done--and Plymouth Yarn Sara Superwash Wool.  You can access the details on this Ravelry page.  

Yes, I now have a Ravelry page.  So it's official, I'm a knitting nut.  But for those of you who aren't, I promise this will not turn into a knitting blog.  Knitting will just be the sprinkles on the cupcake.  I will however be doing a "How to Learn to Knit 21st Century Style" post very soon for anyone who's interested.

Jemima really likes her poncho. 

And it's a good thing, too. This girl will have ponchos in every size until she's old enough to beg me to stop. I already have plans for an orange one in a chunky cotton and a size 24 months.  Planning for the future.

Sunny Side Up Hoodie

I did it.  I made my very first sweater.  Never mind that it's a tad too small and will only fit her for another couple of weeks.  I made it and she's wearing it. That's all I care about. 

It's the Sunny Side Up Hoodie available as a free download (you have to register for free) at Lion Brand Yarn.  I made it with Blue Sky Alpacas 100% Organic Cotton Yarn in Pebble.  Super soft and squishy.

It's all garter stitch so it's a great beginner project. I had only made 1 scarf, some dishrags and hats before I attempted this and it only took a couple of weeks working sporadically.  

I'm a little bummed she won't be able to wear it long (I believe the sizing issue is MY tight-ish knitting, not a pattern error) but I know it will be saved in her box of special clothes to pass down to dolls and her own children one day.