super simple little legwarmers

After making my other legwarmer pattern for my own babe, I thought it would be nice if they could be slightly more versatile and stretch and grow with the little one. So I have super duper simplified the pattern and this version goes a little something like this...Materials

Yarn: Needlefood sock yarn - color is red hot chocolate (other finger weight yarn will work, but might not be as cute ;-)

1 hank is enough to make a few pairs

Needles: 3.25 mm circular (I've also used a 2.75 mm and 3 mm to make these with the same success)

Size: This pattern is a stretchy rib and will grow with the little one. Designed to fit a newborn (the whole length of the leg) and then as the baby grows they eventually will fit more like legwarmers (knee to ankle).

Pattern notes: I prefer to work the magic loop method when knitting in the round (on small items like this), but if you would rather work with double points or the 2 circular needle method, it is easily transferable.

I learned how to use the magic loop method from here, but knitting help has a video too.

Pattern

Cast on 40 stitches
Knit 2x2 rib for 10 inches
Cast off loosely

Make second exactly the same

Yup that's it! Little embarrassing to call it a pattern, but it's so sweet and effective I thought I would share. Add stripes for a cute variation. Makes a great gift too!

This pattern is also available as a free ravelry download.

Look at those little legs wiggle!

Off to see the wizard

Here she is in her recently revised neck. Ah much better she says! This week (like all of them) has flown by. Munchichi is 11 weeks now! In no time I'll have to take her to get her 3 month jabs, I am not looking forward to that at all!

Today is Canterbury Anniversary Day and we had toyed with the idea of checking out the A&P show, but the weather has suddenly turned and it even looks mean on the radar. It's actually a little bit Wizard of Oz at the moment with trash blowing past on the street. I wonder if the neighbour's flag will get blown away.

Back in the saddle

After 11 months, I pulled on my cycling gear (it was a bit tight!) and got back on my bike. The main hurdle was psychological and although it was only a short ride, hopefully now it will be easier to do on a regular basis. And if that happens... maybe the cycling gear (and the rest of my clothes) will get easier to pull on!

(The bottom one is mine, the top one is blue's fixie)

Earlier today I had a difficult time getting the munchkin into the little blue sky alpacas sweater I knit well before she was even a twinkle. And then later when I took it off she was pretty upset at how difficult it was to get over her ever growing head! (I think it grew over the few hours she was wearing the sweater) When I got back from my ride I sat down and took out the bind-off and the last row and cast-off again with larger needles, hoping it was large enough to get over said head. Then I remembered a surprisingly stretchy bind-off I heard about on the new New Zealand knitting postcast with grannyg. So of course while I had the gumption I took out the bind-off again and tried the new stretchy version. And it worked (not surprisingly ;-) I tried it on her head and there was loads of room! Now she can get more than two wears out of it. Hoo-rah!

(this is the original neck... couldn't be bothered to try to get a photo of the new one without daylight)

Not one trick-or-treater!

We haven't had one trick-or-treater the whole time we've lived in New Zealand. It's a bit sad really. I love seeing the kids dressed up, even the ones that are too big and just want some free candy - that's cool with me. I pushed it as far as I could too when I was a kid.

Here's the full view of my little punkin.

Puttin' the hurt on

Nothing like a sleeping baby to put the hurt on gettin' stuff done! Without a baby in the house you can always put off chores/things you want done until you feel like doing them. But with the bebes around it's important to do those things while she sleeps. And you never can tell just how long those naps are going to be. When you think it's going to be a long one it's not and when you think it will just be a little one... she sleeps for 4 hours!!! That was impressive. I did so many little jobs today that I had been putting off, then I'd check on her... another job and check, you get the idea. I eventually just sat down, relaxed and did some knitting. Gotta love naps that are long enough to accomplish household tasks and sit down and knit!

This morning we had a plunket class and the little munch wore her halloween costume that grandma sent over. Sadly she was the only baby in costume. Kiwis really need to get into the spirit of halloween because babies in costumes are so darn cute! This is what she looked like before the 4 hour nap.

passport pics

my accomplishment for the morning :D

Naps and knits

The little one is taking her morning nap so I thought I'd do some catching up and read some blogs and then I remembered that I have a blog that I should update too! I have started knitting again which is a nice and relaxing activity to do while she sleeps (instead of running around trying to pick-up and clean the house). I have to keep it simple for the obvious reason of possibly frequent interruptions. I've made the cutest little legwarmers which she is wearing now but I just finished them so no photo yet. There are a few babies back home that could probably use some legwarmers too so I may just stick to knitting legwarmers for a little while :)

The legwarmers featured below are the ones I made in the handspun set. They still fit great and look so cute under or over her clothes and on just bare legs with a onesie too. The hat was knit/lent by my friend Carol who made it for her wee man when he was born. She has long since grown out of that as her brain is rapidly expanding ;-)
I thought I'd throw in another photo of some knitting that I completed but didn't report on before the birth. They are the Norwegian mittens by Elizabeth Zimmerman. It was a great pattern to knit and went really quickly. I enjoyed knitting with the Noro silk garden but was disappointed that the 2 balls looked like completely different colourways. I guess it pays to go and pick out your own yarn when possible! Nonetheless they have a quirky mismatchedness that I can get into. Originally I thought I would gift these come xmas time... but they are so my colours! We'll see how I feel as xmas draws nearer (it will be summer here then so maybe I won't have a problem parting with them).