Mystery Revealed

Now that the birthday has passed (and I was able to get some sleep last night), I can show off one of my mystery projects:

Pattern: Babe from Knitted Babes by Claire Garland
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft 4-ply, a little less than half a 50-gram ball
Needle: 40" 2.5mm Inox circular, magic loop style for the Babe
Mods: Knit the Babe in the round, 'cuz all that seaming seems just silly.

She also, of course, had a couple of items of clothing:

A sundress, based on the pattern for the slip-on dress in the book, but not followed exactly. Yarn is a random sample ball of a mercerized cotton. I modified the pattern in the book by adding more rows to the skirt part of the dress, doing the second decrease row at K1, K2tog all the way around, and making the shoulder straps a little longer.

What happened when I followed the pattern as written?

The thing turned out more tunic-length than dress, and it was very tight. Now, I have to say that I have never checked gauge when making Babes or clothes for them, so the problem is most likely all with me -- though I really do want to know how a dress that is 19 stitches around is supposed to fit a doll that is 36 stitches around, even if the dress was knit on a size larger needle. [BTW: that yarn is also a sample, this one a cotton/rayon.]

For beach wear, there is a bathing suit:
(another cotton sample yarn)

And for après swim or chilly evenings, a hoodie:
(a 2/7 lambswool/alpaca millend from WEBS)

She also had sandals:

but one of the cats decided they'd make a great toy, and one of them is well hidden somewhere in the house. So, the sandals never made it to Maine for the birthday.

I'd like to say she was a hit, but to be perfectly honest, the first gift E opened was the only thing she REALLY wanted (provided by my parents -- the overindulgent grandparents of 1), a Princess Barbie, and that kinda spoiled it for the rest of the gifts. My mother liked her, though.

Before the two new babes made their trips northeast, I took some family portraits:

AND, the Tidal Wave 2 socks are done.

Sorry for the weird look, but the light is very strange in the house this morning.

Pattern: Tidal Wave Socks (pdf link) by Deby Lake
Yarn: SWTC TOFUtsies #727, significantly less than a full ball -- I am once again amazed at the quantity of yarn on these balls, I could make another pair of socks from what's left (34g, according to my kitchen scale). Hmmm, perhaps I will make a pair for E.
Needle: KnitPicks Harmony 32" 2.5mm (Sigh, I am in love with this needle -- I think I need to buy a bunch more.)
Mods: Made the ribbing a little longer and did 6 pattern repeats on the legs.

Once again, I am in love with the yarn and the finished product. Having made a vow to myself (after a TOFUtsies buying binge) that I will not buy any more yarn made from food or feed crops (bamboo, here I come), I will make sure to thoroughly enjoy knitting with and wearing the remainder of my TOFUtsies stash (a quick check on Ravelry will show just how much pleasure I have left).

Oh, and the piano scarf has found a new life as a keyboard cover in Marilyn's teaching studio. Apparently, it's a hit with the kids.

PS. I have decided that one of the cheapest legal forms of entertainment is giving a dog a wad of peanut butter. Try it some time.