If/when I make another of these, I'll make a couple changes, but I think they turned out quite nicely. I just hope the bag is big enough. The baby is expected to be on the bigger size... I plan to write up my pattern notes soon. =)
I watch a lot of podcasts these days and one of my new favorites is The Fat Squirrel Speaks. If you're up for some fibery fun, you should definitely go check her out. She's hilarious! Really. Go! I'll be here when you get back... =)
Over the holiday season, Amy Beth (of the above podcast) had a contest in her group on Ravelry for everyone to post their crazy. Mine? Knitting way too many things for Christmas! She did the drawing and guess what? I won an ebook! Such cute patterns too. This is the ebook I won:
I think that hat on the right will be the first one I try. Love it!
I also was gifted a pattern from a friend for my birthday! Aren't I the lucky girl?! I've seen this shawl (Piper's Journey) on a few podcasts and love it. I'd planned to buy the pattern when I was ready to start it so had it in my queue. =) Isn't it pretty?
I've seen this done in two colors and love the effect! The garter will be nice and relaxing and that lace edging is just enough detail to keep it interesting. This might end up being the year of the shawl for me. =)
Speaking if shawls, I've started on the shawl I'm testknitting but all this overtime at work is killing any knitting progress! It's just far enough along to start showing the pattern well when stretched out, but it's still so tiny!
It's difficult to stretch it out and take a photo. I promise a good shot when it's completed and blocked. =)
I did finish the hat I posted last week:
Not a great pic, but it was dark already when I finished it up on New Year's Eve and had to take a shot to post for the KAL. =)
(project details on Ravelry)
Want a peek at some of what I plan to use use up this year?
The fingering weight yarn on top is what I'm using for the current shawl. The oatmeal color yarn underneath is destined to become a sweater, though I don't yet know which pattern. The cream wool on the left will become a sheep hat:
Isn't that adorable?? I plan to dye some of the skein green for the grassy part. No new yarns, remember? =) I also have a bag of baby-appropriate yarns:
Mostly cotton and cotton blends with just a two small skeins of acrylic.
And I just had to share my little goofball:
Reilly's a good distraction from all the paid work! =)
It was another week of working a lot and knitting very little. I did cast on for a hat this week for a knit-a-long and I'm nearly finished:
Could have been done days ago, but after work, I've been choosing my pillow over the needles. Hard to believe that I was working 14-hr days on a regular basis this time last year with two full-time jobs. Guess I'm getting old... lol
(project details on Ravelry)
Oh! I did finish the pair of slippers for my friend in time for Christmas:
Not sure they went over that well, but they were done in time at least. I'm determined to finish up these skeins of acrylic if it kills me. lol
(project details on Ravelry)
I did take Christmas off and spent the day with my friend's family. We opened gifts in the morning then headed to her husband's parents place in northern Idaho for the afternoon/evening. I wish I could say it was drama-free, but it was much more like being with my own crazy family than I'd have preferred. The holidays seem to bring out the best and, sadly, the worst in people. At least this wasn't my family drama and Reilly got to have some fun!
This was just before he let loose with a barrage of barks letting those deer know he was in charge... or at least thought he was. heh Not sure what he would've done had there not been a window in between him and those 10 deer! These were young... maybe most will be pulling Santa's sleigh next year? =)
You're expecting a lot, aren't you? I know I was! After the past couple weeks, I expected at least a couple finished objects, but that was not to be. Why? One word... overtime. Yes, it's that time of year. It seems to always hit around the holidays and it hit hard this week. I'm thankful for the opportunity to earn a bigger paycheck especially with the slow time of year quickly approaching, but 12-hr work days sure do cut into the knitting time! =)
I stayed up late last night and I did finish this:
That's the last hat that needed to go into the mail for Christmas! =) I finally settled on a pattern for this hat. I've made this pattern once before and really liked it the first time around. I really like it in this less-contrasting color combo as well and can definitely see knitting this up again in the future. This one turned out a bit large. I'm usually a tight knitter, but apparently I knit more loosely in acrylic... no time to reknit it so I'll just include a note for him to let me know if it's too big and I'll make another out of the leftovers.
a few days ago, then switched to the hat since it had to go in the mail. This should be a wide headband by now... but it's not. The original pattern is written for bulky yarn, but it came out super wide in that and I switched to fingering weight yarn held double - much better! I don't really like how the increases look on the right though. Yes, this part will be under her hair, but still. With all the OT, I'm doubtful this will be finished for Christmas anyway, so I'm thinking of frogging it and starting over. Good thing I have something else for this kid! =)
(yarn and pattern details on my Ravelry project page)
I've spent a lot of time working the past several days, but I did take a break Friday night for a Christmas party. I can't believe Christmas is so close! Everything is going in the mail tomorrow, but I still have a project in the beginning stages that I haven't had a chance to work on much and still need to make something for my friend who's letting me park in her yard... the same friend who decided I needed to finish up one of her intended Christmas presents and finally handed it to me as I walked out the door yesterday so now it's in my rv. *sigh* I can't say I have any urge to work on it though. I'd rather rip it out and start fresh rather than try to fix what's already done, but as long as the OT holds out, I'll barely have time to mess with it at all if I want to finish my own projects.
I think she'd maybe be more understanding if she had a job, but she seems to think everyone has as much down time as she does. She might just be getting a ball of yarn and an IOU for her gift this year so I can finish that blanket for her. lol
I've been trying to stick to posting once a week on Sundays, but I didn't have a pic of the project I finished yesterday so you had to wait. =) Still working on Christmas projects, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel! This weekend, I finished up two more projects.
First up:
A cowl for my mother. I bought the yarn for this four years ago while working in Seattle, but then my mother actually requested something and it did not fit with this yarn. At long last, she's getting it this year... and it's out of my stash! It's a nice, cushy, long cowl that can be looped around twice for a snugger fit. She loves purple so I'm hoping she likes this. =)
(pattern & yarn details on my Ravelry project page)
Here's the stack heading to my sister's for Christmas:
Not too bad, huh? I do need to do a quick blocking on the two wool hats, but otherwise everything is ready to ship which is really good news since in this small of a space, three boxes of gifts really cuts down on the already limited free space around here! =)
Next week, you should get to see my last two planned projects... one more hat and a headband. There might even be a third, though I haven't yet decided on what that will be. lol
I continued my knitting by knitting a slouchy hat for my niece:
I used some more of my overdyed yarn. It still needs to be blocked, but from what I hear, she really likes hats so it should be a hit, esp in her favorite colors!
(details on my Ravelry project page)
I can see the end in sight! Only two more nephews to go and the family is done. =) I'm planning a cowl for my mother and that's the last one that needs to be mailed. I'd originally knit a hat for my friend and was planning ones for her family, but was informed yesterday that none of them wear hats... So, the hat for her is going to my sister. I might end up making her a cowl and possibly a headband or something for her daughter. I'll have to figure out something else for the guys. I'm truly at the point that I don't ever want to go to another store though! It's online shopping all the way from here.
I did have to go back to Jo Ann's for thread for a sewing project and since I had a few 60% off coupons, I finally picked up needle felting supplies:
=) The little packages of roving are way too expensive, but with the coupon, now SO bad. I have some roving I picked up at a wool fest but it's all in storage. This will work for now.
This year, I got the wild idea of making several gifts for Christmas. Of course, I didn't decide this until it was almost Thanksgiving. lol Yeah, gave myself plenty of time. I am making some progress though!
First up:
A slouchy, cabled hat for the friend who's letting me park in her backyard right now. =)
I'm not big on wearing hats, but after trying this one on, I might just have to make myself one... after Christmas, of course!
(Ravelry link for details)
Then:
A cabled hat for my 7yo nephew. This one was my first shot at cabling without a cable needle - definitely quicker!
(Ravelry link for details)
I'm still planning something for my niece and three other nephews and possibly a few more items, time permitting. =)
The past few days have involved a LOT of family time between Thanksgiving, shopping and decorating. We hit a few stores Friday (no, I didn't get up at 4a!) and I spent time yesterday helping my friend decorate. Let's just say, that experience reminded my why I got rid of all but a single bin of Christmas decor...
and a glimpse of the sweater. =) I do like how the color seems to swirl in the opposite direction of the textural swirl. Nice combo of yarn and pattern. I love when that works out!
Okay, you've waited long enough. I'll show you the whole sweater:
I love the ribbon detail:
And I can vouch for it's warmth! wow. So not the day to stand around outside in a wool sweater and hat!
It's my mother's birthday today so I whipped up a cupcake for her. Cute, isn't it? No fat, lots of fiber, much less messy than a traditional cupcake. Can't go wrong with that!
I've been looking through some of my many, many queued projects (seriously, way too many on there!) and chose one to knit one up over the past couple days.
Super simple and pretty brainless knitting - I barely had to glance at the pattern. I'll have to get a better shot on a day that's not windy and rainy... even if the name of the pattern is Hurricane. lol
I've had this pretty, elasticized cotton in my stash from the charity knit shop in Seattle, but only one ball. Not enough for a pair of socks... but should be enough for this... I hope!
I'm planning to cast on for my own Saroyan scarf/wrap. Just deciding which yarn to use. Looking through the projects, it looks good in just about anything as long as the yarn isn't too textured. Even variegated yarns look great as long as they're not too loud. Time to dig through the bins and see what calls to me, I suppose...
Bad puns aside, I did have some yarny fun this weekend. =)
I went with fingerless mitts to go with the hat. I hope she likes them. I think the fit is nice, fitted without being too baggy or too snug... on me, at least. And because she's a fellow critter fan, I'm throwing in something for the furrier members of the family...
Those two better stay out of the pb dog biscuits I'm sending! Think she'll be surprised?
(The little hibiscus wood otter came home from SF with me via an awesome woodworking shop in Ghirardelli Square. Such a cutie, how could I pass up that face? He had to travel home in my checked bags thanks to that crazy tail though. Didn't want to risk any extra searches from security...or have him end up in the trash bin.)
This is the Roman Earflap Hat (Ravelry project link). I mostly followed the instructions for this one, though I did hold the yarn double throughout the crown as well since this particular yarn is rather thin in places. The ear flaps were worked with one strand in doubleknit and I opted for tassles instead of the pom poms in the pattern. =) I like the results and though this is pure alpaca, it doesn't seem as warm as I thought it would be... probably a good thing since the recipient lives in AZ and though it gets cold, it doesn't dip far below freezing. Planning to make something to go with this hat - a cowl or fingerless mitts perhaps.
Best of all though, I got a photo of one of my handknits ON the recipient! Woo!
New big sis, Elizabeth, in her Poppy hat. I hope at some point to see a pic of Katherine in hers, but I'm elated to at least see one of them on since it's such a rarity to get pics back once handknits are mailed away.
PS -- I'm not telling her she has it on sideways. lol Maybe she'll start a new trend. =)
Several weeks ago, my friend Moni (of Blatherskite) posted this challenge on her facebook page.
Pay it Forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you... and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011
It sounded like lots of fun, so I responded and re-posted on my own fb page... and now have my own list of people to craft for. =) I've been thinking about what to make, but had been working on my own and Reilly's sweaters. Then, my friend Denae (of DenKnits), shared a link for Knits for Needs looking for hats to be donated (and having a contest if you're interested). I shared the link on my page, commenting that there were so many cute hat patterns but so few people around me who wear hats. I nearly instantly had comments from two of the people to whom I now owe hand-crafted items. Well, that makes it easy! lol
#1 of 5... done. =)
I love it. This is for my sister (who I made the braided cowl for at Christmas). I didn't have any more of that yarn so used another brown (that I hope is close since I'm not sure where the tiny remnants of that other ball are) and paired it with a pretty semi-solid blue from my stash. This is my favorite color combo... I hope she likes it. =) I already plan to make myself one of those cowls... might just have to make myself a similar hat as well. heh
Pattern info: Turn a Square by Jared Flood (of Brooklyn Tweed) - I lengthened the rib so it would fold up (a request of the recipient) and added a big, fluffy, fun pom pom.
Now, back to my sweater for a bit while I figure out #2...
So cute. I hope she likes them... and that they fit. lol I'm so early on getting these done (she's not due with #2 until January), now I'm debating what else to make for the girls. Baby/toddler stuff is so fun... and so quick!
Oh, yes, it could! Count 'em, SIX FOs in ONE week! From me?! lol
A friend has her second baby due this winter so I thought I'd make a pair of hats, one for the new little one due to make her debut in a couple months, though already named Katherine, and one for her big sis, Elizabeth! This is Katherine's. I've had this nice cotton blend (white and a bright pink/rose) in my stash with a babyish plan. I went browsing on Ravelry for a cute pattern and turned up the Poppy by Justine Turner. So cute! Love the 20's feel of it. =) I'm thinking they need a crochet flower on the side to add to the cuteness.
I finished this mid-last-week, but just finally got a chance to take a couple shots of it this morning. Work's been slow (hence all the yarny goodness around here this past week), but they finally came through just as I was casting this one off and I've been tied to my laptop the past three days... or I would've had big sister's hat done too! The knitting progress suffered a bit (and my shoulder/forearm is killing me), but my bank account will be much happier in a couple weeks. =) Back to a more normal schedule this week!
Nah, not that kind of watermelon! I picked up a ball of Merino Stripes (in watermelon) for only 40 cents and was inspired to use it for a hat after browsing some projects on Ravelry. I started (and finished) this back on the 7th, but just got around to taking a couple pics today. Things didn't quite turn out as planned with this hat and I discovered along the way that I really don't like fuzzy yarn much. I used slightly larger needles than the pattern indicated, but it still ended up on the small side. Ah, well. I don't love the look of it anyhow. It'll make a good gift for some little girl though! I'll have to try this patern out again with a different yarn... something less fuzzy. =)
