The Babette Blanket

Thank You Karyn!!, originally uploaded by Mark Koberg.

I made this blanket for Mark and David for Christmas! It's crocheted and it's called the Babette Blanket. You can read more about how to make it at The Purl Bee, the blog for a great yarn store in SoHo called Purl. And you can buy the pattern as a download from Interweave's website.

The pattern suggests you use Cascade 220 yarn, but I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Worsted instead because it's softer and it's hand-dyed so the colors are prettier.

If you know how to crochet, this blanket is really easy to make. The most difficult thing about it is not cursing when you're weaving in the ends when you're finishing it. I've been working on it on and off since June, but it's easy to pick up and put down (as well as take with you on the subway) because it's just made up of a bunch of separate squares.

Anyway, the best thing about me making this blanket is that I ACTUALLY FINISHED A PROJECT! (Further reading on this: The Laura's Slippers debacle of 2008-2009—she got them a year after I started making them and still hasn't gotten the hat.) I've really been working on trying to complete things and this finished blanket is a great way to start my year!

Daily Tweet Roundup

Today I was...

• knitting Laura some adorable Mary Jane slippers. (Mark, take note.) #

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Daily Tweet Roundup

Today I was...

• thinking about what kind of hat I'm going to knit Laura. #

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Laura's Hat

I'm going to knit my friend Laura a hat because she's so cold in Seattle.

Mark—being the hater that he is—doesn't think I'm going to be able to finish it.


Mark to Laura:



Laura to Mark:



Me to Laura:



Me to Mark:



Mark to Me:



Me to Mark:



Mark to Me:



You will eat your words, Mark.

Crochet Turkey Hat

Instant message...

Mark: I found this pattern for sale at Etsy. Will you make it for me?




Me: No.

Jack's Hat

I'm going to try again this year to knit Jack an acceptable winter hat. (Remember last year's ill-received Pippi Longstocking look?)

I asked my sister if I could make it lavender because I have tons of Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino yarn in that color (an abandoned sweater project for Nora), but she said no.



Boys can wear lavender, so I don't understand why. But anyway, now I'm making it brown.

Brown.

Brown.

Brown.

Brown is so boring.

I have two balls of brown Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran (an abandoned Teddy Bear project—I don't finish many things), so I hope it will be enough.




Maybe I can put lavender trim on it.

QueerJoe, Kate The Cat, Knit Vs. Knitted

As some of you may know, I'm a knitter, so I'm always checking out other people's knitting blogs. Recently I stumbled upon one that made me laugh, simply because of the name:

QueerJoe's Knitting Blog

Ha ha! Men knit, you know. In fact, I once tried to teach Mark, but he didn't have the patience for it. (Not that I do... I have more unfinished projects than finished ones, but doesn't every knitter?) Anyway, QueerJoe's Knitting Blog is pretty good! You should check it out if you like to knit.

Speaking of knitting, my mom and I babysat my niece and nephew this past weekend while my sister and brother-in-law went to Jazz Fest in New Orleans to celebrate his birthday. Nora has always slept with a hundred babies and toys in her crib, and I was happy to see that "Kate the Cat"—a toy that I knit for her a couple years ago—is still among them. Here's a picture; Kate is the pink and orange thing in the top right corner:

(Pay no attention to the Cabbage Patch butt by Nora's face.)

I wanted to show you "Kate the Cat" because it's one of the few knitting projects I've actually finished. I get bored easily, and all of the changing of yarns in this pattern made it fun. Here are some pictures from when I gave it to Nora. (Look how little she was!)



In case you want to make your own "Kate the Cat," here's a link to the pattern on knitty.com. (It's free!) I followed the directions exactly but then felted it to cover up my mistakes. ;)

PS - The last time I wrote about knitting my pink hat, Mark and I argued over the past tense of the word "knit."

I think "knit" is correct; he thinks "knitted" is correct.

After Googling it, I learned that this subject is often debated. (Who knew? There were 23,000 posts about it.) Apparently "knit" is an irregular verb so that's why the confusion. As for which term is correct—"knit" or "knitted"—both are, but "knit" is more correct. (Well, that's the consensus, anyway.) So ha! Mark... I'm more right than you.

International Cat Hats

Because I like to knit (and because I'm learning how to sew!), I subscribe to Craft magazine's blog, Craft: Blog. If you're crafty like me, you should check it out. You'll LURVE it!

Anyway, their post today is so funny... International Cat Hats

First Kitty Wigs, now this! Spindles and Spices has been posting free patterns for a variety of feline headwear inspired by various nations, including berets from France and a Thai headdress."

Oh, yes. I have a feeling Elvis might be getting one of these soon.

Click here for the post on Craft: Blog.

And click here for the cat beret pattern on Spindles and Spices

BTW, the cat in the beret's name is Greaseball. Elvis is already jealous of his fame. It's been a while since he's been in the limelight. (Well, except for the fur-ball incident of 2008.)

Vintage Knitting

I got my vintage knitting book and I'm so making these shorts:


They're McCall's, 1972.

When I'm done making, I'm going to make me and my honey these matching tank sweaters:


Kidding. (About the matching tanks only. I'm totally making the shorts; they rock.)

Vintage Knitting Books

I woke up about an hour ago and I can't go back to sleep, so I've been browsing around on eBay and discovered vintage knitting books. (Yes, I really am this dorky.)

You have to see some of the patterns from the sixties and seventies. They're ah-maz-ing.

I bought the book to the left; it's from 1972. Here are some of the patterns inside:

I only bought it for the shorts pattern in the first picture, but how awesome are the other things? Not that I'd wear them anywhere, but they're so cool. Actually, Nora could wear the white outfit at the end. I also like the brown dress in the row above it.

Anyway, here are some more cool patterns from different books that I stumbled upon:

I absolutely love the skirt with the belt on the right side of the second to last row. You could totally wear that today. As for the lady below her with the overalls... what was she thinking?

Let's move on to some of the kid's clothes. How cute would Nora and Jack look in some of these:

I'm totally kidding about that patriotic one at the end; my sister would kill me if I made Jack wear that. Everything else is so cute, though. I mean, look at these toys and belts:

Okay, the last thing I want to show you now are the hats. Way cute.








I have my eye on another book, but I'm not going to tell you which one it is because I don't want you to outbid me.

Okay, goodnight!