Let the Holiday Knitting Begin

Last year, I chose not to knit our holiday gifts because we were so busy and stressed out last fall. This year, I am getting a jump on things. I am sans camera currently as we are in the midst of a move, but I have started one holiday knitting project. I am doing the Noro Scarf by Jared Flood. I can't name who the gift is for in case that person is reading this blog. It's a fairly easy pattern and I am using the Noro Silk Garden yarn for the first time. I love the subtlety of the colors and will definitely look for something else to knit up with this yarn. It's going to be my Stitch 'n Pitch project for the game this week.

Also, I thought we were done with the babies, but apparently we have another friend delivering shortly. Mental Note: Must be better about keeping in touch with people this fall. So, for that friend, I have stepped away from bibs and the burp cloths and started a pair of Saartje's bootees. I have to look up some questions about doing it all in one yarn and making the button loops work, but other than that, I am off to a good start. Once we get settled, I'll post a progress photo on the bootees.

-B

One Last Batch of Baby Burp Cloths...and the Sock lives on

Well, if you've been reading this blog with regularity, you will have noticed that several of my friends have had babies this year. MK had a little girl in mid-June and I am sending her gifts out tomorrow in the mail. I made another two Baby Genius Burp Cloths from Mason Dixon, and found this cute Letter A washcloth pattern for A to have a big sister gift. They are all made from Lily Sugar 'n Cream in a variety of colors.

Next up, we have two Burp Cloths for J, my sister's best friend. She had a little boy almost on the same day that MK had her little girl. She says that she can't get enough burp cloths as he seems to be using them left and right. This is also made from Lily Sugar 'n Cream.

Once I got through the baby knitting, I got back to making an item for myself. I am tragically behind in my Rockin' Sock Club patterns, but have been making better headway as of late. The picture doesn't do any justice for the colors. I'm not a red person, but I am enjoying this (Dragon Dance). The pattern has been calling for me to learn many new techniques. I figured out short rows, thanks to a couple of forum posts on Ravelry that were answered by the designer herself, and this great video from Cat Bordhi on YouTube. Thank goodness for YouTube! I'm almost at the toe, and between packing up and moving this week, it may have to wait a bit. I have the goal of starting on the second sock as soon as I wrap up the first so that the pair can be complete.

-B

Bouncy Baby Gifts

I have several friends who have had babies or are approaching motherhood, so I've been churning out some more burp cloths and baby bibs. My friend, M, is due in September and is waiting to find out what she is having. This gave me some freedom to personalize the bibs and cloths as I didn't feel like I had to make gender specific colors. M loves red and so I used up the last of my Lion Brand Cotton in red for one cloth, and used Lily Sugar 'n Cream in Ecru for the two bibs and the other cloth. I went button hunting at a flea market a couple of months back and found the cute red and blue buttons there. I'm happy to be back to knitting on a nightly basis and should have some more cloths to show later this week for new mom, MK.

To Frog or Not?

So I was looking for a slightly regimented project and had several colorwork mitten projects in mind. And I started one multiple times...I'm beginning to think the knitting fairy has cursed me (although the parking fairy has been very good in granting me spots lately).



I need a second opinion. I'm trying to determine whether I should yet again frog this project and I need some help making a decision. So I"m trying the Anemoi Mittens using koigu handpainted. And here are some progress shots.



I'm not sure the picture actually is a good representtion of the colors. The white looks a bit dirty, or yellower, in person. And the darker color is more a purple.

So any thoughts? Forge on? Or frog it...and eventually try socks with each individual skein? Please I need help!!!

S

Malabrigo Monsoon

It's been a while since I've posted, so I have a few projects. In between looking for housing and wraping up the end of the school year...it unfortunately is dragging into the next school year. But if there are any accountants out there reading this, I could use a little help with something. Anyway, so I've been on a Malabrigo yarn kick...as I currently have 3 completed projects to show you that have all been done with Malabrigo (although varying shades).

Project 1 - Shifting Sands
I actually think I followed Brooklyn Tweeds modifications without knowing exactly what his modifications were until after I finished. So that is decreasing the CO to 42 stitches I believe. I used size 8 bamboo. Yarn color was Vaa. I have no clue who is going to be the receiver of this. I am working on a hat to match it. It's a little shorter than I would like, bt I guess its too late now, blocking did help some. As the weather has risen to above 90 here today, I have no desire to wrap pure merino around my neck currently, Pooh bear has graciously volunteered to model my Malabrigo projects for me.





Project 2 - A better bucket

This was a fairly quick project. But I thought it would make a nice winter hat without looking like I should be hitting the ski slopes on my way to class next winter. The only modification I did to the project was go up a needle size. I apparently have a large head and knew there was no way I could fit the hat as it was knittin gup to begin with.


Project 3 - Calometry (sp?)


I needed something to wear if I ever get ambitious and start running again. And this is wide enough to cover the ears, but not so wide it will drive me nuts. I changed the cast on to 90 stitches, used size 8 and basically repeated row 5 until I thought I would run out of yarn finishing it up...And I think I"m pretty close to that, maybe a few yards left.

That's it for now. I think I've again frogged more than I've finished lately.

S

I Knitted!

Yay! That was the word heard throughout my house this past week, as I finally got back into the groove with my knitting. The craziness is starting to subside in life, and some time opened up over the weekend to catch up on back episodes of Battlestar Galactica with the DH. We're still back in season 2.5, so Netflix has been coming fast and furious as we race to get caught up without hearing spoilers. But, back to the knitting. This week, I finished two projects and busted through two skeins of stash. Below are the One Row Scarf by the Yarn Harlot and Calorimetry (minus the button, which is coming) and both are knit on size 8s with Mountain Colors Mountain Goat in Big Sky. I loooooooove this colorway. It was a gift from last year, and I finally found two patterns to suit it. I still have enough left over to make another Calorimetry for my sister. We'll both use them to run together this winter. I also made the 100 stitch cast-on modification for the Calorimtery, after a failed attempt at 80. I'll cast on tonight for the second one. Glad to have my groove back!





-B

Long Time, No Blog

Well, I still exist out here in the world, although there has been very little knitting to report this month. Work has been exceptionally crazy, and the hours that I used to spend going for a run and knitting have been swallowed up. But, I did enjoy a stress free Saturday yesterday and pulled out the One Row Scarf (Raveled here) and got through to the second skein of the Mountain Colors yarn that I have been using. My poor Serendipity Sock continues to languish in my crafts room, but I am doing well with it. After snapping a very expensive Lantern Moon DPN (they are pretty, but I knit too tight for them), I ordered the stainless steel version from Knit Picks. I love them! They are durable and move very smoothly. No pics to speak of on this post. But, once I get through next Friday, there will be knitting and pictures again. Wish me luck!

-B