Knitting

I have been knitting, but mostly class samples!



A February Baby Sweater



Ishbel (class starts Saturday!)



Olive Basket Sweater



Clapotis



Lucy Hat for my sister


I, of course, have many more projects on my needles!

2008 Wrap Up

I'm a little late finishing up my 2008 FO posts, but I had to wait for hubby's sweater to finish drying to take his pictures. Anyway, here are my last 4 FOs for the year. 

Pattern: Salina by Kim Hargraves, from Rowan Vintage Knits

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed - 7 balls

Needles: 5 US

Dates: Feb 2007-December 2008

Mods: My gauge was off, so I knit the largest size to get a 36"

Thoughts: Needs to be blocked. Could be a smidge longer. The yarn was crap to seam with. Didn't really take a year and a half to knit - back was finished in Jan or Feb of '08, other pieces knit this summer, waited until Dec (post xmas knitting) to seam. I think after blocking it will be the sweater I wear the most, after my Central Park Hoodie. Will be knitting it again, as my sister wants one too!

Pattern: Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd, from Interweave Knits

Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Evergreen - 10 balls

Needles: US 7 Clover bamboo

Dates: um, 2006 sometime? to December 2008. Sat unworked on for most of that time.

Mods: Knit a tighter gauge to get a smaller size for skinny minny hubby. Didn't do the crocheted edging. 

Thoughts: Fits him really well after blocking - an amazing difference. He asked for no edging, and it's not flipping up too much. Zipper is put in much better than the zipper I used for my Ribby Cardi (which I need to redo). 

Pattern: Superlong Wrap by Kris Percival from Knitting to go box

Yarn: Baby Alpaca (no brand)

Needles: 10.5 US Clover bamboo

Dates: Sept 2008-Dec 2008

Mods: smaller gauge to make scarf instead of wrap.

Thoughts: can't decide if I should block it or not - I kind of like the curling quality of it unblocked. 

Pattern: Korknisse 

Yarn: scraps

Needle: US 6 or 7

Dates: Dec 2007-Dec 2008

Mods: none

Thoughts: knit all of the pieces last December. Got forgotten in a purse pocket. Found and bells attached for the girls' xmas ornaments this year. Will make more - they are so cute!

There were also 2 pairs of longies and a soaker knit for The Bug, but they are not super exciting blog fodder - they are in my flickr and ravelry, if you really want to see them. 

Now that my 2008 slate is clear, I can tell you about my 2009 plans. Tomorrow. 

More gifts

A few more gifts for your viewing pleasure.

Pattern: Generic - 20 stitches (i think) 

Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande - 1 skein

Needles: Sz 15 Clover bamboo 

Dates: ?

Mods: n/a

Thoughts: soft and squishy. A gift for Hubby's best friend's wife - her first knitted gift!

Pattern: Teddy Bear Hood from Kid's Knits for Heads Hands and Toes by Debbie Bliss

Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly DK - almost 1 skein

Needles: Sz 4 and 6 

Dates: December

Mods: no inner lining for ears. 

Thoughts: cute! 

Pattern: Football Hat from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson

Yarn: Berroco Comfort and Sirdar Snuggly (football)

Needles: Sz 7 Clover bamboo

Dates: December

Mods: color change

Thoughts: Looks super cute on - will have to make this again. 

These two hats were made for our neighbor's boys and she told me today that the football hat has gotten several compliments - yay!

I also made three pairs of slippers (from Knit 2 together), but I don't have pictures of them - hopefully soon!

I finished seaming hubby's sweater last night - it needs a good blocking and a zipper. I'm off to seam Salina for me - the knitting has been finished since August - I had no motivation to seam it while I was still pregnant and no time after The Bug was born. It is sweater weather now, so I want to finish it!

Christmas Knits

Well, I didn't make it, of course. I did wrap up hubby's sweater (I had all the pieces done) and told him that some assembly was required for it. I'm almost done seaming it now - hopefully will finish tonight. I also wrapped his two single socks that were finished and I'm hoping to finish the second socks this week. 

I did finish The Bug's outfit - weeks before Christmas, thankfully.

Pattern: #32 from Katia Bebe No 10

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool

Needles: Sz 8 Clover Bamboo

Dates: ?

Mods: Added buttonhole on straps, eliminated bias tape at bottom and fake pockets

Thoughts: Very cute!

Pattern: #31 from Katia Bebe No 10

Yarn: Filtes King Colors Baby 2 skeins

Needles: 3 mm Addi Turbos

Dates: ?

Mods: none

Thoughts: Looks teeny, but fit her fine. Very soft yarn, quick and easy knit

Pattern: Reindeer Booties from Family Circle Easy Knitting Holiday 2004

Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly - .25 skeins

Needles: US 4 Susan Bates

Mods: no nostrils

Thoughts: Cute! Though I forgot to put them on her Christmas day. Gah.

 
Pattern: Snowman Hat from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson

Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK (white and orange), Lion Brand Microspun (black and red)

Needles: US 7 Clover Bamboo

Dates: ?

Mods: Duplicate stitched on the eyes

Thoughts: Cute! Little tight around the noggin due to the hem. 

There are more gift knits to share coming up soon!

I'm not going to make it

I knew it was a little crazy to think I could get everything done. But I've done it in the past. I knew I had a baby - that's why I had a short list this year. But still, not going to happen. I have finished all of the gifts for anyone who is not my husband though, so that has to count for something. And he doesn't mind getting things on the 27th, or the 27th of December 2009. I might squeeze out the sweater and maybe the 1/2 sock left of one of the pairs. And one of the other socks is done, so I'll wrap it up and finish the pair this weekend. Again, my xmas sweater is not finished (the same one I had hoped to finish for last year). Perhaps it will be a priority in January. And it looks like  The Bug will not have a stocking this year, much to my dismay. Ah well, she's too little to know, and I have nothing for her stocking anyway. 

A sleeve cap, seaming, a zipper (agh!) and half a sock. I can do it. Right?

Winner! And Christmas Knitting!

Congrats to cthulhulovesme - winner of the sock contest. Email me your snail mail address and I'll get your goodies in the mail!

I still have finished knits to blog about, but I'm taking a break to talk about my Christmas knitting, 'cause let's face it, if I don't do it now, it'll be January that I'm showing you this stuff. Actually, I can't even show it to you today, since I haven't taken any pictures yet.....anyway...

I've got several things finished that I can't show you (nosy blog readers, ya know!), but there are a few we can talk about. 

Our lovely new neighbors moved down from Chicago last winter, and have two boys - I'm knitting the football hat from Itty Bitty Hats and the Teddy Bear Hood from Kid's Knits for Heads Hands and Toes - they'll both have bears hats! :) 

And I've got this nutzo idea that I can finish two pairs of socks and a sweater for hubby in less than two weeks. One pair of socks has 1 1/2 socks complete and one only has 1/2 sock done. The sweater has the back, two fronts and 1/2 a sleeve done - I think it's doable! 

And then there's my Bristow sweater that I would love to have done to wear on Christmas - we'll see.....

And they're not gifts, but I'm finishing up the Snowman hat from Itty Bitty hats for The Bug (bambino) and some Reindeer booties. I have her Christmas dress and sweater done, I'll show those next time.

And I've matched socks to patterns, and I'll talk more about them soon (hopefully). Off to knit!

The Trouble with Finishing

I sat and had a finishing marathon this weekend - and it was worth it, as you'll see, but it also has a downside - stay tuned.



Pattern: Pinwheel Baby Blanket
Yarn: Cotton Ease - old colors
Needles: Sz 8 Clover bamboo DPNs and Circulars
Dates: Late June-July 18
Mods: none
Thoughts: I really hate this pattern at the beginning (it's so fiddly having those few stitches on the big DPNs), but I really enjoy it by the end. I wish I had made this a bit bigger, but I needed to finish it, as it is a gift. I predict there will be more of these in the future.


Pattern: Duck Hood from Debbie Bliss' Kid's Knits for Heads, Hands and Toes
Yarn: Berocco Comfort DK
Needles: Sz 7 and 3
Dates: um, June something to July 20
Mods: no foam in the beak
Thoughts: So cute! This is part of the bean's Halloween costume, per her dad's request. I'm working on the booties to go with (the ones from 50 Baby Bootees to Knit), and then we have to find her a yellow "outfit" to wear with.



Pattern: Ladybird Hat from the same book as the duck hat
Yarn: Wool Gotto
Needles: Sz 7 and 3
Dates: June something to July 20
Mods: none
Thoughts: Much cuter on a baby than shown here - the antennae don't stand up as well as I would like, but they are still cute. I may tack down the tops of them to keep them standing up.


Pattern: Olive You hat from Itty-Bitty Hats
Yarn: Sublime Merino, Tahki Cotton Classic and scraps of Rowan Cotton Glace
Needles: Sz 7 Addi's
Dates: June/May to July 20
Mods: I duplicate stitched on the pimentos, and didn't add them to the back.
Thoughts: Very cute! This is a gift (to go with the blanket), and I think the mom will love it. I love it!

There are several other finished knits, but I need to stretch the blog fodder for as long as possible!

The bad thing about all this finishing? Everything else that needs to be finished isn't so close to being finished as to finish in a day or so. So it may be a while before I have any more finished knits. However, if I stretch out the ones that are already finished, y'all may never notice! :)

I don't understand why my computer insists on turning some of the pictures. When I try to manually turn them back, it turns them again, and when I undo my manual turning, it has them turned. Argh! And it seems to pick and choose the ones it wants to turn, as all of these were taken "right side up." Grrr.

I can still finish things!

Proof that I don't only start projects, and that I am still knitting, contrary to what the contents of the recent blog entries would have you believe - finished knits!!

Some of these have been finished for a bit, but they were gifts, so they had to wait to have their turn in the spotlight.


Pattern: Reverse-Bloom Washcloth from Weekend Knitting
Yarn: Baby Bee Pitter Patter (Hobby Lobby brand) - barely a skotch of it
Needles: Sz 6 Circular and DPNs
Dates: Um, early May until early May?
For: Mom
Mods: none
Thoughts - goes surprisingly quickly, especially after you get into the rhythm of the petals. That said, I chose not to make another for my MIL for her gift. But I do need to use up the TONS of this yarn I have (OK, I think I only have five skeins, but since this project didn't even put a dent in one skein, I'll be knitting lots of washcloths).



Pattern: Feather and Fan Bonnet from Larissa at stitch marker
Yarn: Cantina cotton, 1/2 ball
Needles: Sz 6 Circular
Dates: sometime in April -May
For: two summer babies
Mods: none
Thoughts: I like this so much I made it twice! We have two friends having baby girls this summer, and I didn't want to suffocate them with wool gifts. I remembered I had this odd-ball of yarn in the stash (purchased a few years ago to get me up to Little Knits $25 minimum purchase). Cotton is good for those summer babies, and I thought the colors would look summery as well. Delightfully, I had enough yarn to make 2 bonnets, and bust a ball of the stash! Woo Hoo!



Pattern: Cherry-O! from Itty Bitty Hats
Yarn: Rowan Handknit Cotton
Needles: Sz 7 Addi Turbo
Dates: April-May
For: Shop sample
Mods: none
Thoughts: When I make this again (and I probably will, as the baby will need one), I'll go down a needle size for the cheeries, as you can see the stuffing coming through. I also really didn't like the cotton/addi combination - it hurt my hands and this took longer than it should have as a result.


I've got one TWO! more FO(s) up my sleeve, but they deserve their own posts. I'm hoping to get a lot of knitting done on our extra day off Monday. 10 more days of school! Now if my principal would just make up her mind about whether I'm teaching summer school or not (kind of crunch time here!) and what grade I'm teaching next year, that'd be great.

FO Retrospective

OK, I suppose only one of these is really a retrospective, since I finished the other two this week, but at any rate, there is proof that I've been finishing things - and best of all, these were all gifts!



Pattern: Shrug This from One Skein Wonders
Yarn: Elann Highland Wool Chunky - about 3 skeins
Needles: Sz US 10 Clover Bamboo Circular
Dates: February 2008-March 1, 2008
Mods: Did more increases than the pattern called for, thus adding width and length. From Ravelry I learned that it ran quite a bit small, so I measured as I went and tried to make it fit my SIL's approximate measurements.
Thoughts: Quick, easy, but frustrating that the pattern really doesn't turn out a wearable size unless you modify it. I hope it fit my SIL - it was her birthday gift, but I haven't heard yet if it was a success.



Pattern: Simple Baby Cap #2 from Itty Bitty Hats
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK (yellow) and worsted (purple)
Needles: Sz 7 Addi Turbo 16" Circular and Clover bamboo DPNs
Dates: Monday April 7-Thursday April 10.
Mods: I added the yellow brim as this is a gift for an LSU lovin' family.
Thoughts: Simple, easy baby hat. Made a lot of progress at knitting Thursday night. Maybe I should knit a baby hat every Thursday night!


Pattern: Flore from Knitwhits
Yarn: Berroco Comfort DK in green, lt. blue, lt. purple, pink and yellow - tiny bits of each
Needles: Sz 6 Addi Turbos and Sz 6 Boye 16" Circulars (clover bamboo DPNs for the top)
Dates: March 2008-April 6, 2008
Mods: none, other than changing the colors from the pattern suggestions
Thoughts: I was really nervous that this would be so fiddly that I wouldn't want to work on it. However, it went fairly quickly, and even the tacking down of each individual petal didn't take too long. It is super cute, and I would make it again.

I have been working on some other projects and maybe starting some new ones. More on them later this week (I hope). Oh, and the tree? Still hanging on the power line. C'mon power company!

Spring Break Knits

First, thank you for all the well-wishes - we are very excited here.

We did manage to finish quite a few projects over spring break, and I'll lead with what you really care about - the knitwear.



Pattern: Zombie Socks from Sock Madness
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight in Lenore
Needles: Chiagoo DPNs 2.75mm
Dates: Thursday March 13-Thursday March 20
Mods: none
Thoughts: very stretchy sock. Even though my gauge was perfect, these are a little big. But they turned out fine besides that, and I'll still wear them. The yarn bled all over my needles and my fingers, so I'll be careful washing them.


Pattern: Log Cabin Blanket
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in 5 colors
Needles: Sz 8 Susan Bates Circulars
Dates: Um, August 2006-March 2008. Yikes
Mods: none
Thoughts: This didn't turn out as big as I had originally envisioned, but I just needed it to be done. It was gifted to The Girl for her 10th birthday on Friday, and she seems to really like it, so that's good.


Pattern: Devon from Magknits
Yarn: Rowan Cotton Glace - 1.5 balls in white, purple and green and just over 2.5 balls in brown
Needles: Sz 3 Susan Bates Circulars
Dates: September? 2007-March 2008
Thoughts: This has been mostly done since the end of January - I ran out of brown and kept forgetting to buy another ball, and then I had to spend 3 hours weaving in ends. Ugh. But it fits great, and I really like the colors, so overall a winner.

I did get a bit of other knitting progress made, but I'll save that fodder for another day!

Ketchup

I really have been knitting! Need proof?


Pattern: My generic 72 st sock with heel flap and gusset.
Needles: Chiagoo sz 2.25 mm DPNs
Yarn: Scout's Swag in Zuluknitty.
Dates: Um, September 2007-February 1, 2008.
Mods: none
Thoughts: I love these socks. I love the colors. I love how they sort-of stripe. I LOVE the base yarn. I've worn them twice and it'd be more if I did more laundry. Love. Go get some yarn people. Run! Now I really want to knit up my other two skeins of Scouty-goodness. Yum.



Pattern: Improvised hat - basic hat pattern with garter border.
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Superwash wool in the new tricolor.
Needles: Sz 7 or 8 Clover bamboo DPNs
Dates: January 2008-February 1, 2008.
Mods: Hubby really wanted an earflap hat, so that was the original intent. However, after I'd finished the hat part, and was going to go back and add the flaps, he decided he liked it the way it was. Voila!
Thoughts: Love this yarn too - so squishy!



Pattern: Fingerless gloves from Weekend Knitting - Ann Budd
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Mist - about 1.5 skeins
Needles: Sz 7 or 8 Clover bamboo circulars
Dates: January 2008-February 1, 2008
Mods: None!
Thoughts: He seems to really like them and has worn them on the few cold days we've had.


Pattern: 1x1 ribbed scarf, inspired by all the other ones in the world.
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, and I can't remember the two colors.
Needles: Sz 8 Clover Bamboo
Dates: October 2007-February 25, 2008
Mods: None
Thoughts: Don't know why it took me so long to finish, but I love it. My only complaint was with one ball of Silk Garden that kept pulling apart, leaving me with way too many extra ends. Wore it today and got tons of compliments. It really is pretty.


OK! Now that I'm all caught up with FOs, I wanted to share some fun with you. My LYS is having a retreat this weekend. All knitting, all the time. I'm really hoping to come home with some more finished objects. But a little wager has arisen. Apparently there is a pool to see how many projects I will bring. Funny, right?

In keeping with all fairness, I think y'all should get a shot at a prize too. So, you are invited to take your own guess, and the winner will receive a little goodie from the stash. To keep it fair, let me tell you that I currently have 40 WIPs. I hope to finish up two of those before we leave, but no promises. However, there is always the possibility that I will start new projects (at least I can admit this, right?).

TO PLAY:
EMAIL your guess to knitnlit AT gmail DOT com, with the subject line CONTEST. I will not open those emails until I get home on Sunday night. The contest will close at 4 pm CDT Sunday afternoon. Please do not leave guesses in the comments - I will see those, and I don't want to be swayed! :) And, if you know me IRL, you are welcome to play along too.

I think this post is long enough, perhaps I'll be back tomorrow to show you some of the new projects I've started recently, but it'll more likely be next week. Until then, happy guessing!

Sometime this has to stop, right?

I managed to finish up another project this weekend! Put some butter on me baby, 'cause I'm on a ROLL!

Pattern: Seaman's Cap from Brenda Zuk at Needle Beetle
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Mist - about 1.75 skeins
Needles: Sz 7 Addi Turbos and Clover bamboo DPNs
Dates: Tuesday January 8 - Sunday January 13
Mods: I added length before beginning the crown shaping
Thoughts: Great length, according to hubby. Very soft and warm. Love this pattern.

I promise this won't turn into a FO blog, but I can't stop the train!

Holiday wrap-up

Happy Thursday! Hopefully by now, you have all recovered from your turkey/pie/gift/mess comas. I was lucky enough to finish all of my holiday knitting in time! Very quickly, I have some less-than-stellar photos to share with you.



Pattern: Generic sock over 72 stitches.
Yarn: Lana Grossa Bosco, not sure of the color number.
Needles: Size 2.25mm ChiaGoo DPNs
Mods: none
Dates: late November to Monday December 24.
Thoughts: I did not really enjoy the yarn. But the socks fit great!



Pattern: Seaman's Cap by Brenda Zuk at Needle Beetle.
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool - 1.5 balls
Needles: Sz US 7 Circular and DPNs
Mods: only 2" of ribbing, brim does not fold up.
Dates: mid December to Sunday December 23.
Thoughts: love the yarn. Glad this one fits.


Hubbo's sweater is also done - buttons and collar and all. Hopefully we'll get a FO shot for you this weekend in Washington, D.C.! We're off in the morning for a quick trip with lots of dorky museum and National Archives, and Library of Congress visiting. I'll have more on that and a bit of year-end wrap up coming soon!

Clogs times 2

Second verse, close to the first.

Pattern: Felted Clogs by Fiber Trends
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic (1 ball black) and Knitpicks Wool of the Andes (2 balls Mist, 3ish balls Coal)
Needles: Clover Sz 13 circulars
Dates: mid December - Wednesday December 19
Mods: none
Thoughts: they look too big, but I can always refelt them if needed.

I am very close to finishing hubbo's sweater - I have a few inches left on the second buttonband, then seaming and the collar. I really think it will be done. I also need to finish a hat and my MIL socks. But the house is clean, and I've been to the store, and my presents are all purchased, and the wrapping is done. I'll make more cookies this weekend for gifts, and work tomorrow, then relax. Relax. Ah.

A few more knits for you last-minuters. Dishcloths make a great gift - and they quick and easy! The ballband dishcloth is a big favorite, while the round dishcloth is one of my favorites, and the corner to corner is nice and easy.

Sweater update tomorrow!

Two does not a pair make

I have another clog done. Unfortunately, two done things (especially when one's a sock and one's a clog) do not make a FO. Damn.

Hopefully at least this one will have a mate this weekend.

It's cold here. And wet. And I know most of you are getting snow. So it's time for mittens! Anemoi is my current favorite (although those Bird in the Hand mittens are stunning. May have to have those soon.) For a little less work there is Corazon, and for even less there are Basic Mittens. Something for everyone.
Tonight it's the big one - It's a Wonderful Life is on! Crazy for Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Silver Bells are also in the lineup, as are lots of other non-holiday movies. if you're burned out.

I have a wild weekend of sleeve knitting, clog and sock knitting and (hopeful) hat finishing.

Nice and cozy

It's cold here. Raining and yucky. I love it when it's like this on a weekend - snuggling up with my knitting, my furry babies and my tea (plus bad lifetime movies) make a great day. Here are my cute kitties all snuggled up on mom's lap. I know it's cold when Cocoa will share the lap with Otis.



And Otis can't be bothered with photo-shoots. He's too tired.


To keep hubbo's granddad's feet warm, I whipped up a pair of felted clogs.



Pattern: Felted Clogs from Fiber Trends
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes - 3 balls red, 6 balls black.
Size: 13. Never again.
Needles: Sz 13 Clover bamboo circulars
Mods: none
Dates: summer sometime - December 6 2007. Felted December 8.
Thoughts: Sorry I didn't take a pre-felting picture - they were HUGE!


Since we're on a warm kick, I thought I'd share my warm gift ideas. the Felted Clogs are great, of course. Also nice and cozy are Hot water bottle covers (there are tons of different patterns), and Legwarms (also tons of patterns available).

On TV tonight - The Christmas Shoes, An Accidental Christmas, Santa Claus, A Christmas Carol, Holiday in Handcuffs (?), When Angels Come to Town and The Christmas Card. The girl and I are off to The Nutcracker though, so enjoy them for us - oh and the sock did get worked on at the movie last night - slowly but surely!

24 days

While many of you have just completed NanBloPoMo (whatever it's called), I think November is overrated. I totally have time to blog every day in November, I just choose not to. What I don't have is time to blog every day before Christmas, so that's what my challenge is. Every day. A post. And in order to make myself work even harder, I won't just post a picture. Or a line about how busy I am. No. I have A PLAN.

Every day I'll share one of my WIP gifts, and help you finish off your list with a project suggestion that could be finished before xmas (those of you who celebrate Hanukkah, well, you're out of luck on this one. That's way too soon for me! Good luck!). And, in an effort to get us all to knit faster, I'll try to throw in a few TV recommendations to speed that knitting along.

My first suggestion? Get the house cleaned and the decorations up today. Do it, get it done, and then enlist your slaves husband/wife/child to keep up with the cleaning. You should also get your holiday cards done this weekend. Think about how much that is to cross off your list! Woo Hoo!


On to the knitting - for your enjoyment today, may I present the finished back of Hubbo's xmas sweater. It is too big to fit into this little picture (20 inches from underarm to hip. 20 inches.), but it is done. I'm onto the first front, and I'm hoping to knit a piece a week in order to get it all done.

Those of you who haven't started your holiday knitting, or are in desperate need of ideas, today's suggestions are for men's sweaters: Jarrett, Cambridge Jacket, and Cobblestone. Two cardigans and a pullover. All relatively plain, in an effort to speed your knitting, and please the man in your life (who, if he's anything like my man, loves plain. Hubbo doesn't even like the Cobblestone pullover. Too fussy.).

Get thee some worsted weight yarn, and get started!

Tonight, for your viewing pleasure, NBC is kindly presenting the Rockettes in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Special. Their high kicks should inspire you to knit that much faster! If that's not your cup of tea, ABC Family (with their 25 days of Christmas, one of my favorite things about the holidays!) is showing the first two Harry Potter movies today.

GOOD LUCK!

Holiday WIPs

Last night, after surviving the first day back to school, I got down to brass tacks and started my holiday crafting. This is an entirely different category from the holiday knitting, so it requires a different frame of mind. And a different set of tools.


These little pockets were inspired by Jenny at allsorts. When finished, they will turn into this. So cute! We don't have anything other than a paper advent calendar, so I am looking forward to having this finished. Last year I attempted to create some decorations, but ran out of steam. The advent calendar is the first thing I have planned (I don't have too much planned), but I have other holiday crafting to do - some of which is gifts.


Speaking of gifts, I have another complete!



Pattern: Sophie (I know, it's really getting old)
Yarn: Paton's Classic Merino - 1 skein
Needles: Sz 6.5mm Circular and DPNs
Mods: none
Thoughts: my favorite quick gift project. All of my gift Sophies are finished. I do have a skein of red Paton's to make a christmassy Sophie for me, but we'll see.

I have another project nearly done, but it requires a trip to JoAnn's, which hasn't happened for the past two nights, since we've had unexpected family stuff. Hopefully tomorrow after school.

Off to finish up another!

FO for momma

Pattern: Basketweave Pullover from a pattern leaflet mom sent me (I don't have it handy to look up - I'll try to find it.)
Yarn: Manos Cotton Stira, Tahki Cotton Classic
Needles: Sz 8 Clover Bamboo Circulars
Mods: lengthened sleeves
Dates: sometime this summer - end of September. Seamed November 17.
Thoughts: DONE!

This was actually a fairly quick knit, when I would work on it. I striped in the Cotton Classic, since we were worried I would run out of the Stira. As it turns out, I have a skein and a half left.

The sweater fits mom really well - which I was tremendously worried about. Perhaps that's why it took almost 2 months for me to seam it?

She seems to like it, right mom?

In other news, an unloved knit has gone on to live with my MIL, whom I hope really likes it and isn't just saying so.

I'm trying to finish up a few more things this week, cross your fingers !

What I've been up to

Prepare yourselves: I've ripped some projects. Still breathing? OK.

Last Sunday, with my extra hour, I ripped. Ripped and ripped and ripped. Off the needles? Kyoto, the grey hat, mystery stole, Myrtle Leaf Shawl, 2 secret projects, the Somewhat Cowl, Jumbo Elephant and my sock log cabin blanket. Whew.


Of course, I had to start some new projects, but I don't feel guilty about them since they're both gifts.


Snowman Hat from Itty Bitty Hats for a Christmas baby, and another Sophie (someday I'll get sick of this pattern. Someday).



So, this brings up the question: What am I knitting for Christmas?


Socks: done
Sophie: done
Dishcloths: done
Bottle Cozie: done
baby hat: done
Sweater for hubbo: in progress
Scarf for The Girl's teacher: yarn bought
Scarf for friend at school: started
Socks: yarn bought
Slippers: started
Socks: started
Slippers: yarn bought
Hat: yarn bought
Hat: not started
Scarf: started
Sophie: started
Baby Hat: started
Baby Hat: yarn bought
Slippers: not started
Hat: not started
Kid's Hat: not started
Ornaments: not started


Whew. Writing it all down like that sure seems like a lot. And I'm sure that there are thing's I'm forgetting, but for now, that's it. And that's plenty. I've also got some sewing to do, but I'll post more about that after the holidays.

So, what are you knitting for Christmas?