Where's my tiny baby?

My, would you believe it? Egg has grown to 56.5 cm (22.25") and weighs 5.160 grams (11.38 pounds) now. She's outgrown a number of her clothes and wears 3-6 mos sizes already. She also has a knack for pooping on the outfits I like best on her about 5 minutes after I put them on - while the other ones stay pristine (well, some regurgitating might occur) for a day or two.

I have caught a cold and felt like mush when it was time to go to her 2 months doctor's appointment. I was also dreading the shots she got, so Rolf took her on his own, and yes, she screamed like a banshee - Rolf said he'd never heard her that loud, and that's a feat in itself, since we know she can be noisy. In the meantime I wish I could down some Benilyn-all-in-one, but alas, nursing prevents me from feeling like a Mensch anytime soon. I have also developed a cough - I hate coughs.

All in all it is a good sign that all the whining is about a flu-like state and not the baby, who is at this moment looking angelic sleeping in her bassinet.

One more thing: Egg has started to utter noises, and there's one in particular that sounds like "uh oh" and the fun thing is that she does it all the time in several variations. It's almost like having a conversation with her when it coincidentally fits the situation.

Egg in yellow

Remember what Sharon knit for Egg?



And I made the socks. They just fit. My first attempt from when she wasn't born yet was too small! Egg has huge feet (and hands, too!). I used some of the left over Schaefer Anne from this cardi.

Pretty in pink

How can I not put her in pink when she looks so cutieful in it?

7 hours

I suspect that as soon as I announce it to the world, my daughter will snap out of her wonderful sleep pattern and keep me up all night. Which, to be honest, she has done more than once in her short life. But the nights where she sleeps 5-7 hours in a row (anytime between 12-2 a.m. to around 7-7.30ish, after Summer Savings Time ended she woke promptly at 6-6.30ish) are in the majority, and last night she slept from 12.30 a.m. to 7.30 this morning. To be able to sleep that long she needs to nurse a lot in the evening, and that means a lot of Mommy-time and being cranky (meaning breaking out in a howling fit, as my fellow knit night attendees can confirm) when she's not feeding. But I'll take that anytime in return for a fitful sleep - wouldn't you?


She's also started to smile back and "talk" to us - though I haven't managed to catch a smile on camera. What I have managed is to sneak in some knitting time, a couple of stitches in a row are doable, but not much more. Just enough to finish a pair of socks for Egg I yet have to photograph.

She just hates it!

Egg is not a fan of being strapped into her car seat. See for yourself. It doesn't just look like she's howling, she definitely made some noise. And she can be loud!


I can't get over this suit. It was a gift from my husbands colleague Louis and students Monica and Carolin. I have to smile every time I look at Egg wearing it.

Can you believe that she is already one month old?

This one is for Katherine

It's a bit too big on her yet, but she looks cute as a button in your knitting!

I'm no better than other new Moms!

Yes, this is going to be one of these blogs for a while - apart from the fact that I have no knitting to show, I find pictures of my brand new daughter so much more enticing.

Egg in the hospital. Almost time to go home!


Egg is two days home - and I'm TIRED.


We're slowly getting used to each other.


To everyone who left a comment or send an e-mail, thank you so much for your kindness!

Meet Egg!!

Our days are a bit scrambled since her arrival, but it'll be sunny side up soon enough!! (She chooses to sleep during the day and be awake during the night...) She's of course beautiful and the best baby ever!!!

Here she is - freshly hatched:



She was born on September 30th at 9.35 p.m., 11 hours after getting induced. I reacted very well to the Cervidil, had contractions early (after an hour they started, which is very rare) and it took 1.5 hours of pushing to get her out.

She's 50 cm (20") tall, and weighed 3,635 grams (almost exactly 8 pounds) at birth.

That'll be the day?

...and we're off to the hospital to be induced!

Where's the baby?

(Even my UPS man has asked already...)

Well, after an appointment at the Hospital this morning we know that

- she's about 8 pounds 14 oz (4039 grams)
- she's about 22" tall (54 cm)
- everything looks fine
- labor can start any minute, says the doctor (ha, I've been thinking that for days now)
- I'm going to be induced, but the birthing center is back logged, so that most probably won't happen before tomorrow

And the baby of the ticker apparently had enough and went away! (Understandable. I was asked today if I liked being pregnant. Up to a certain point I did, now I'm just dragging through the day, 'enjoying' swollen feet and hands and, and, and...)

In the meantime

I want to show you some more gifts Egg has received:

Jessie knit a Baby Surprise Jacket - and used a mix of her hand spun and other yarn. I think that's very special!



Melanie made a hat and mittens - look how cute!



Thanks again, ladies!


I also finished a little something:


It's the pinafore from the new fall Reynolds Kids book with 20 designs (#82467).

Up the number goes

The baby-ticker is counting upwards again, I think that's funny - albeit appropriate.

What's up, Doc?

We have a doctor's appointment in about an hour - and I'm wondering what he is going to tell me.

We're at ETA plus 3, and all I want is to have my Baby! (I bet every woman who has been through this can relate! Please, don't tell me otherwise!)

Edited to add: There is a note "Big Baby" in my chart. I had a quick ultrasound today and the doctor estimates her at 3.800 grams (8.4 pounds). We also had a Non-Stress-Test and apparently she's as not stressed as babies can be. Again, everything is fine, she just has to make up her mind and come out!

Due-bee doo bee doo

Nope, nothing yet. With my original due date almost gone, I'm not expecting anything anymore - except for a stubborn daughter, that is.

The next doctor's appointment is Wednesday. Wanna bet if I'll make it?

(And, yes, it doesn't only seem so, I think I'm loosing it soon. I'm quite fed up.)

Ladeeda, fiddledeedee

Two days left.

I have been more active in the last three days than in a long time, I walked a lot, took bus and metro rides (a metro ride when pregnant big time and having to stand because people ignore your belly is not recommendable but very uncomfortable), went clothes shopping with my Mom...and, NOTHING happened so far!

I guess my Egg is not cooked yet. (The good doctor told me on Tuesday if she was born right away she'd be about 3.500 to 3.600 grams, which is 7 pounds and 7-9 ounces, that means that if she arrives next week she'll be definitely more than 8 pounds.)

That's all the news I have for today.

Are you tired yet?

Of my counting down? Guess how I feel! I'm so ready to go, but Egg seems really comfortable where she is and not in a hurry.

Six days to the original due date. Seems I'm going to make it after all...

One last hurrah

We're in count down mode, 9 days to go - and I still don't think I'm going to make it to the actual due date.

Last week I wanted to attend my 'last' knit nights - one on Wednesday in NDG and one on Thursday at ariadne. I only made it to ariadne, since I had what I assume 'false labor' Wednesday evening and all through the night. While not really painful it was very distracting so I didn't go knitting. Thursday morning came and it finally stopped, so I did go to ariadne.



Egg received lovely gifts from very thoughtful friends, look:

Danica gave me this fabulous skirt and look at these shoes! Adorable. (Judging from my shoe size I figure Egg will wear the shoes way before the skirt...)


Sharon gifted Egg with the "Oolong Baby Cardi" - she actually used the pattern of the Oolong socks (how cool is that?) to fabricate this lovely little number:


Robyn had brought me also a gift on Wednesday afternoon - one can never have enough onesies, right? She adorned the white one with a bug herself, cute eh?


Thank you so much, ladies, all of the gifts are appreciated and will be treasured!

Just in case you were wondering

I took a picture yesterday. Not a very good one, but it shows my belly at 37+1. I feel like I am going to explode any minute.

No contractions yet and it doesn't seem like she wants to 'drop' anytime soon. She's too busy kicking.

To my commenters a hearty thank you - you're all so considerate!

Ed. to add: "Everything looks perfect!" says the good doctor - and who doesn't like to hear that? And, contrary to my believe, Egg did come down a bit, and she lies exactly in the position you want her to be in!

Tick tock

Today the ticker says "20". Less than three weeks to go. I'm in a schizophrenic state - happy on the one hand that we'll be able to welcome Egg into the world soon, stressed and anxious about giving birth on the other.

I'm trying to take it one day at a time - what else can I do?

How to spoil your firstborn (once she is born)

Knit hat from 100% cashmere from Zen Yarn Garden in colourway Peaches'n Cream. Put on when bringing her home from the hospital.


(At least that's what I plan to do!)

Or: put this adorable onesie on her, courtesy of Nadine. I fear it might be a tad big for now, but not for long, I'm sure.


I know, I know. My daughter will be recognized by all Montreal knitters who know me and my colour preferences.

Heads up down

I had a very satisfying doctor's appointment today - my bed rest is rescinded and I'm supposed to walk 45 minutes a day. I wonder if shopping for baby counts as walking?

A bit more than a week ago I had the feeling that something is happening in my now quite big belly - the movements felt different and two days ago I thought there was a foot sticking out right under my rib cage. Turns out I was right and Egg is now positioned with her head down. That's textbook timing, couldn't be better. She's lying with her back towards my back, that means I can feel her movements a lot and the chance of a limb sticking out is quite big.

Can I just say it again: No more bed rest!!

Time to fess up

Christy V. wants to know how I came up with the name "Oolong" for the socks in the current Twist collective edition.

Well, dare I say it, I did not. At the time of name giving I was very troubled with pregnancy woes, so I couldn't care less about the name of a pair of socks. Clever Julia though found exactly what I would have wished for, so Christy and you all have to thank her for the naming of the pattern and I'll be forever thankful that she thought of such a wonderful name.

32 + 4

That's how far along I am today. Literature says that Egg can get hiccups now, and she does! I can certainly feel it, and sometimes I can see it, too. It's fascinating. I'm still on bed rest, but the good doctor said once I am at full 34 weeks that can be amended, since then it's alright if I should have her early. I can't wait! I still don't have a stroller, car seat (most important at the moment), and some or other little things I wanted to buy and couldn't.

As I said, I have been knitting. This is the Lacy Cardigan from the Spring 2008 Reynolds kids book "Best Friends: 14 Designs to knit for Children and Dolls" (#82451): I didn't use the recommended yarn, but some or other alpaca mix from my stash.




This is knit from less than a skein of Schaefer Anne (a very special gift, I might add). When I started it I didn't have a measuring tape to get gauge so I guessed the size, and it turned out big. Way big. Egg will grow into it, I'm sure. Next spring it'll be just perfect. There is no pattern, since I made it up as I went along.



There's one more thing in the make, but I haven't finished sewing it up yet.

Time-out

It's been a long month. Though looking at the calendar I cannot believe it's July 14th.

The good doctor put Egg and me on a time-out (i.e. bed rest) to make sure everything goes well until she's due. Please do not ask why, I have debated putting the info out there, but think it only fair to explain my absence from, well, EVERYTHING. I'll say it has been a stressful four weeks, and I'm happy to report that I feel better now. Egg is doing just fine, she's growing accordingly to what she's supposed to, my belly is also getting bigger - and I can SEE her move.

I have put in some knitting time during the past weeks, so there are things to show, but I have to take pictures first. Let's see how long that's going to take me...

To everyone who left a lovely comment on my sweaters, I thank you much!

TNNA from afar

Frack, it's hot here in Montreal! I'm melting...my feet and hands are swollen, my fingers resemble sausages and feel uncomfortably stiff. Yikes.

TNNA is going on in Columbus and that's when the Fall 2008 lines are presented. I wish I could join the crowd, there's always so many interesting things to discover. New yarns, new books, designers, authors, just anything and anyone you might want to see.

Since I cannot be at TNNA myself, I'm going to show you two of my designs for Fall 08 here:


This one is knit in one of Reynolds' new yarns, called "Cricket" - it's a 48% wool/52% viscose mix in a DK weight. I enjoyed knitting with it very much! There's waist and bust shaping going on, the sleeve is set in and the little tie just finishes it off nicely, don't you think?



This sweater is of course knit in Reynolds "Whiskey" - I just love "Whiskey"! We have two new colors this fall - an emerald green and a cream white. The lower part of the A-line sweater is a knit and purl pattern, and around the bust I used a two color garter slip stitch pattern.

And now for something completely different

When Ted asked me last November if I was up for a "Fiber to Scarf" exchange, I wasn't sure. When he told me there would be 6 months time to finish the project, I thought "what the heck, I can do that!". Mind you, I only had learned to spin two months earlier, and since I don't have a wheel I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

As a side note: I suck at organized knitting events. As much as I have been tempted to join "Socktober" and "Project Spectrum" (and did) I never managed to produce anything worthwhile in the set parameters. I figure I have my own rhythm and just don't want to be told what to do when.

Ted was very considerate in how to choose the fiber he would sent to the participants, and even worried it would cause problems for the not so experienced spinner. (If he knew me better, he'd be aware that there's nothing but a challenge like that to keep me on my toes!) Here's what he said in his email: "The fiber I was going to assign you is a Border Leicester / Mohair blend. I've had it out and played with it to see how it drafts (no problems) and the colours (hand-dyed) are really nice. But, Border Leicester is a "strong" wool, which means you won't be able to spin this into a fine yarn. It would make a great 2ply worsted or heavier yarn. You might get it down to a DK, but I'm doubtful."

When I got the fiber at the beginning of January, I unpacked it and just played around with it, trying to draft. Alright, I thought, this IS different from what I have worked with so far, the drafting wasn't as easy and, as Ted said, spinning finely could be a problem.

At the end of January Ted inquired about 'how the spinning was going'. Uhm, in my case not at all. I had so much work (knitting samples) that spinning was just out of the question.

In March he asked again, and again, no spinning from me. (At this point I was worried that he might think I was a bad choice for his little project.)

Early April I received the message that MY scarf was done, and please to contact my spinner/knitter for my address. I felt I better get crackin' on the spinning, eh?

I received a package with 8 oz. of 50/50 Border Leicester/Mohair blend, colorway "Priscilla Alden" from Black Bunny Fibers. There were two halves, both of them with lots of blues and pinks and fuchsia, but one had a bit of a warmer tone to it, with some peachy orange and lighter turquoise. I decided to spin each half separately and ply them together, so the whole batch would be a mix of the warmer and cooler shades.


I can't remember the actual timeline, but once I got used to the mohair in the fiber, spinning wasn't a problem. And, I am not sure, I think it was a heavy DK or light worsted weight (since I got better in the progress, the later spun single might have been a bit thinner...) after I was done plying.


Apparently I suck at documenting my work, since these are the only two pictures I took of the spinning in progress. By the end of May I was done with knitting (having ripped out half a scarf and restarted since I wasn't happy with the results...) and contacted Ted to find out who my recipient was.

In the end I settled on Jo Sharp's design "Misty Garden" from Scarf Style which contains your basic Feather and Fan pattern and brought out the variegation in the yarn as I had anticipated.


Today I got a message that the scarf arrived safe and sound at Barb's, and - as she had told me before when seeing the picture - that she loved the result. Barb is an accomplished knitter and designer herself, so a compliment from her makes my day.

I received my own scarf in May, I like it a lot. It's very soft and cuddly and I am sure that Duffy's (whom I don't know personally, but she serenaded the Yarn Harlot at a reading of hers, so I would bet she's got a great sense of humor!) work will keep me warm come next winter! She did a great job spinning and knitting up the green merino I got also from Black Bunny Fibers. Apparently Carol's work is well known and loved amongst spinners.


BTW, I didn't experience any of the angst not to do well enough as others have - it didn't even occur to me. What does that tell you about me?

Done in

Monday I bought some baby clothes. Bodies and pants and something that looks like a sack but it's a long dress with an elastic bottom...Once I started, it was hard to draw the finish line. Except that there was a lot of pink, and that kept me from buying more. (Uhm, yes, I am a big fat hypocrite, I DID buy something pinkish though I said I didn't want pink. I just got sucked in.)

The very first person though to get me something for Egg is my good friend Nadine, who send me this:


It won't fit for a while, but I think it's just so cute! She's kept me in goodies ever since she moved to SanFran - thank you, Nadine!

Then Tuesday the doorbell rang and Canada Post delivered a package from K. What a surprise! I opened it and found this:


Now, I didn't cry when I found out we were pregnant. I didn't when we saw the little heart pucker for the first time, when it was just a dot on the Ultrasound. I didn't shed a tear when I saw Egg grow and now can feel her move. It was just always this feeling of being so very happy and having a silly grin on your face. All of this was just too wonderful to cry over! And believe me, those hormones make you do funny things, like cry over ads on TV, oh yes, been there done that. So you can imagine my surprise when I held this little cardi up and suddenly tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn't stop them.

Thank you, K.!

BTW, it goes very well with Egg's cap of hand spun!

Twisted?

So, have you heard about that new online knitting magazine, to arrive in exactly 59 days?

Check out the Twist Collective! There's a new sneak peek picture every day until its launch on August 1st, if that's not enough, join the group on Ravelry, too!

I for my part can't wait till it's out!

Update

Egg is about 30 cm (almost 12") tall and weighs 540 grams (1 pound, 3 oz) - we had an Ultrasound last Monday and found out it's a girl! Finally she was cooperating, I almost had given up on finding out.

Now I can start knitting. I had put it on hold before, since I really wanted to know who I was knitting for. Off now to find me some cute patterns...

Wind up

I got back into spinning lately.

This is the first time I spun 8 oz. of roving into yarn - on my spindle. There was this Sunday afternoon where I thought I'd go down to ariadne and try the wheel they have in the store. I got frustrated really quickly - but that's my own fault. I brought the wrong roving, and drafting was just not working out. So back to the spindle for the project it was. In the end it wasn't bad getting it done, I just spun a little every day.

I'd never spun roving with mohair in it before, the drafting turned out to be a challenge in the beginning (it's 50% border leicester/50% mohair). Once I had figured it out, it got way better. I'm trying to see the little bit of unevenness in the yarn as the special charm it possesses. The 2ply turned out to be a DK weight - I could knit it on 3.75 mm needles (US 5).

To give the plied yarn a quick wash to set it, you wind it into a skein. For a while I made do with my umbrella swift, but it's a bit of a hassle. Now I use my skein winder - it's vintage, or maybe even antique, and I got it from an old lady who was in the sheep raising and spinning business for decades, but had to give it up because of health reasons.


I can tell you, these were 50 bucks well spent. I love it.

I have also finished (it only took a day, really) Egg's cap. I'm still not sure if I should attach ties. I don't think it's really necessary. It used only 23 grams of my hand spun.


Where's the baby when you need one?

I'm knitting for Baby

And with my hand spun, no less.


The pattern asks for a fingering yarn, I have 48 grams of a nice yellow-orange mix spun of a Black Bunny Fiber Corriedale roving - so here's my first knit for "Egg". - In the tradition of giving the bun in the oven a nickname, I chose one from one of my favourite books: "The Hotel New Hampshire" by John Irving.

Egg is half baked, and here's a picture. Not that one can see much, but it was a relief to see that Egg is healthy and growing. Moving, too. Though I can't feel it yet.


Due to severe shyness the doctor couldn't determine Egg's gender. I fear I'm going to have a Kinder Surprise.

Much thanks to the commenters who left anniversary wishes and others.

Things you don't really need to know

I don't have anything to blog about. So here's some random info you don't really need.

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary.

My sister is pregnant, too. Her due date is exactly 13 days after mine. No, we didn't plan it that way.

My brother is getting married tomorrow. Writing this I suddenly understand how weird that is.

The 'nursery' is still full of crap I don't know what to do with and where to put it.

I haven't bought a single thing for the baby yet.

I can't think of anything else to add.

It's Spring, it's Spring!

I've been wearing sandals for two days now - and it's funny to look at the leftover snow in the front yards at the same time.

In the "business of yarn" we worked on Spring last Fall. When the designs finally come out it's so old news to me that I forget that it's brand-spanking new to you! Here's what I came up with, I hope you like.


This is a slightly A-line Cardi in one of our new Artful Yarns, called "Cliché".



A top in "Marine" - a slinky, variegated yarn. It's knit in the round up to the armholes, then split for front and back.



This is - next to the "Cliché" cardi in Artful Yarns - my favourite of the Reynolds designs: A tunic in "Soft Linen".



A raglan knit in a new yarn that's called "Rise and Shine" - it's a play on the fact that it's made of 50% cotton and 50% mercerized cotton, which definitely lends some shine to it. (I can't help it, but the lady doesn't look 100% thrilled to be wearing it....or is it just me?)



A tee in "Top Seed Cotton", which is mercerized and hard wearing. Meaning that it can be thrown in the wash lots and lots of times and it only gets softer. The neckline on this one was a real puzzler, it took me a while to figure it out to my satisfaction.

That was a surprise, eh?

Thank you for all your enthusiastic congratulations!

I'm not nauseous any more (or so I thought, after two blissful, wonderful, nausea free days, I felt a bit queasy this afternoon again), but I haven't got a baby bump yet. That is to say, I do, but it's well hidden. I can feel it, but you can't see it. My due date is in September, it seems a long while away but we know how time flies.

We have been waiting very long for this to happen, there was a time when I thought I'd never get to be a Mom. You can imagine how happy we are about this baby!

You have to excuse the lack of knitting content - also, whoever thinks that I am going to have time to knit a lot of baby things...well, how was that about the cobbler's children? I'll try, of course, and console myself with thinking how little knitting it actually is. At this moment, however, the most important thing is to get my office cleaned out and turned into a nursery. A nursery! I'm excited, and I'll try to spread the excitement with the content of some knitter friendly boxes.

Random things in my life

- The older I get, the less I'm interested in my birthday.
- I got a haircut I really, really like.
- I'm finally finished with marathon knitting. 1.18 p.m. today on the dot.
- I gained 5 pounds since the beg of March and don't mind.
- Feeling nauseous all day long sucks.
- At least I'm not all day long tired anymore.
- I think it'll be a girl (but there's a 50% chance that I'm wrong.)

Hello there!

I'm back from my trip to Outer Space. I yet have to get used to Earth's gravity, the whole zero gravity thing out there is fun but a bit hard on the muscles. I said "hello" to Major Tom, walked on the Moon, but somehow I was really glad when the space ship landed on familiar ground. There's one thing I am absolutely sure of now: Knitting in space is NOT faster than on Earth.

Some of my exploits (well, tidbits of it) you can see here:





There's more. That's for another day.

2008 - really?

Yup, it's really January 4th already. Happy 2008, everyone. (Better late...well, as usual.)

I have been knitting. Robyn picked up some of my knitting today. It's (or was?) available in her January sock kit - the pattern I mean. What this means in return is that I can't show you my knitting. I tell you, it's a vicious circle.

I bet a lot of you come by and want to see pictures. I'll do my best to deliver some soon. Keep your fingers crossed. Oh, and I've already had enough of snow this Winter. We had to shovel out the car again after the New Year's Day surprise, but at least today our side of the street got cleared.

Wait, there was something else I wanted to tell you. I got an e-mail today from Interweave Knits. My "Tweedy Vest" is No 7 of Knitting Daily’s Top 10 Most Downloaded Patterns of 2007. Who'da thunk?

Here's the whole scoop:

1. Modern Quilt Wrap — designed by Mags Kandis for Folk Style (Interweave Press, 2007) in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, this wrap/oversize scarf is very loosely based on the traditional Log Cabin quilt block and worked square by square in the easy and satisfying mitered-square method of color knitting. This is as effortless as working in stripes, but the results are far more impressive.

2. Knitting Needle Knitting Bag — designed by Pam Allen for Bag Style (Interweave Press, 2007) in Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Chunky, this quick-and-easy knitting bag was the most popular handbag on Knitting Daily in 2007.

3. Icelandic Lace Shawl — designed by Sigrídur Halldórsdóttir (adapted for publication by Carol Rasmussen Noble) in fingering-weight wool yarn, shown in 100 percent wool Jaggerspun Main Line 2/8.This previously out-of-print pattern originally published in the July/August 1996 issue of PieceWork magazine is called the Thórdís shawl. The original of this traditional Icelandic shawl is part of the Icelandic Craft Council’s collection of textiles. It is thought to have been knitted by Thórdís Egilsdóttir, a resident of a small fishing village on the west coast of Iceland.

4. Tomato — designed by Wendy Bernard for No Sheep for You (edited by Amy R. Singer, Interweave Press, 2007), this sweater is knitted in Blue Sky Organic Cotton but worked at a tighter gauge than the ball band suggests to improve the drape and wearability. It’s designed to be close fitting, with waist shaping and a flattering scoop neck.

5. Corset Pullover — designed by Robin Melanson in Filatura di Crosa Elena, this feminine top combines lace, stockinette stitch, and twisted ribbing. The bodice is shaped with short rows and fitted with cinch straps, just like the corsets that Robin’s grandmother wore. (Robin is doing another design for JCA for Fall 2008 - I am thrilled.)

6. Knitted Cuddlies — designed by Louisa Harding for Natural Knits for Babies and Moms (Interweave Press, 2006) in Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort (cat), Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton (rabbit), and Vreseis Fox Fibre Chenille (teddy bear), this exclusive KnittingDaily.com excerpt offers one of the easiest patterns ever written for a knitted toy animal.

7. Tweedy Vest — designed by Mona Schmidt in Tahki Donegal Tweed, this vest can be worn as a knit tank. The tweed yarn and ribbing give it even more character.

8. Connections Red Scarf — designed by Sandi Wiseheart in Filatura di Crosa Zara for the Orphan Foundation of America’s Red Scarf Project, there are two ways to make this scarf: with the cabled border ends (for the more adventurous) and without (for those wanting an easier pattern). Wiseheart designed the scarf with its intertwined stitches as a meditation on family, connectedness, and the many ways we can say “I care” to those around us.

9. Pine Cone Scarf — designed by Robin Melanson in Mountain Colors Mountain Goat. Melanson used the familiar Old Shale pattern for this fringed scarf, but worked just one pattern repeat with a double strand of dark, richly variegated yarn to produce a chunky effect.

10. Broken Cables Socks — designed by Ann Budd in Regia 4 Fadig, this is the only sock pattern to make Knitting Daily’s 2007 hot list. The ingenious cable design is one that knitters will want to create over and over again.

Not bad. Not bad at all.