Happy Birthday Miriam!

My only niece, Miriam, is turning 1 on March 2nd. My brother's family lives in Philadelphia so I can't make it down for her party but I definitely wanted to make her something to send. I have a whole set of favorited patterns for Miriam in my Ravelry queue. I needed something quick and I felt like making her a toy.

I decided on the free Braided Ball pattern. I had 3 different skeins of Vanna's Choice acrylic yarn that was given to me at my office secret snowman exchange this past Christmas. I never buy acrylic yarn, so having some on hand for a toy is too perfect. Easy washability is key.


The stats on this project:
Pattern: Gevlochten Bal / Braided Ball (originally written in German then translated) by Marleen Harto
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Solids & Heathers
Colorways: Grey Marble, Dark Grey Heather, Dusty Green
Needle: Size 8 Denise Circulars
Construction Option: 6, 20 stitch strips. 2 in each color.

It's made using 6 separate strips of stockinette. Mine is made using 2 strips in each color. The pattern designer gives tips on the easiest way to make your first one...I went with the easiest construction and knitting directions. You can make them using more strips and less colors which makes it harder to put together. I didn't have any issues with my construction so next time I'll be a bit more adventurous. I think it would be fun to use self-striping sock yarn. When putting mine together I used locking stitch markers on my strips before sewing all the ends.

Miriam's ball is 5.5inches in diameter. Soft and squishy and perfect for baby hands to grab and hold. I hope she likes it!

Finished! Lace Rib Socks

Second pair of socks for 2011 are complete. A simple lace ribbed pair out of a book I've owned for years. The book (Favorite Socks by IK) is a great book. I've made several patterns out of it even though I wanted it for only one pattern. I'm now even making another pattern out of it as we speak. The yarn comes from my Woolgirl Sock club from June 2010.

Stats for these socks:
Pattern: Go With The Flow Socks by Evelyn A. Clark from the book Favorite Socks by Interweave Knits
Yarn: Knitted Wit Superwash Merino Fingering
Colorway: Two Roads
Needles: Size 2 Knitpicks circulars
Notes:
I made these pretty much as the pattern states except

• Only worked 18 repeats for the leg
• I did not shift stitches as the pattern told me to for the heel and foot because I didn’t read close enough. I realized the socks aren’t symmetrical if you don’t shift the stitches. So I’m making the pair a mirror image of each other to compensate for my oversight. On the second sock I moved the pattern around my circular needles by two, so that the purls would end on the needle instead of begin like the first sock. Now, when the socks are on, the rib pattern will look correct going across the tops of the feet.