A few more gifts

Here are a few gifts I finished that I haven't posted about yet.  This hat (formerly my nemesis) is a late present for a friend in California.

Pattern: Slouchy Copy Cat Hat

Yarn: Katia Azteca 7833.  I love this yarn, and I'm sorely tempted to buy another ball in this colour way for myself.  I would love a hat and cowl.

This adorable little top I knit on a whim.  I made it for a good friends new niece.   It will be included in the package with the hat above, and should be on its way across the ocean by the time you read about it!

Pattern: Seamless kimono sweater

Wool:Wendy Peter Pan DK

I am a little bit in love with this sweater.  I love all things seamless, and this really comes together nicely.  I did have some issues with the sleeves, but I think practise would make me better, so really I just need more friends to have babies!

Lastly, here is the finished ear warmer that I made for my daughters.  An odd thing here, the first one was better than the second one, which is odd, isn't it?  At any rate, they love them, so I was really pleased.

Pattern: Knit earwarmer with crochet flower

Wool: Robin fascination

When I started this pattern I thought it looked.......not great. But I stuck with it and was rewarded with a really nice ear warmer. 

Check out these blog hops--go on, get your craft on!

and the Knit goes on

I hope that each and every one of you had a happy holiday celebration of your choosing.  We had a wonderful time here, and I am enjoying having my family all around me.  Additionally I am enjoying solitude of not leaving the house!  I am one of those people that stock pile food before Christmas so I don't have to rush out for anything for a few days.  It's been brilliant.

As is often the case over the holidays, I once again reflected on how blessed I am.  Happiness, health, a loving family.  Of course our thoughts often turn to charity at this time, though I strongly believe they should at all times.  I've been remiss in my charity knitting, so I've been working on that.

I've blogged before that my favourite knitting charity is KAS, but I haven't knit a square in months.  Correction, I haven't finished a square in months.  I got caught up in knitting gifts and it fell by the wayside.  Last night I finished a square that was languishing, and I started a new pullover.  I love the absolute ease of this pullover, I was able to finish 1/2 of one while watching a movie with subtitles.  How cool is that?

I've also been working away on my baby chalice blanket.  I really love how it is turning out.  I'd say I'm about 1/3 of the way done.  I've also decided that photographing red is even hard than photographing black.  Here's the best I could do

As for reading, I just got a new book from the library.  It is called Cutting for Stone, and so far is really very good.
 

Please check out these blog hops, and all the crafty people that inspire me! 

Dad's Head Hugger Hat

Last year my Dad requested a hat from me (hurray!).  We looked at loads of patterns online and he selected this one, which I blogged about last February.  His second place hat was the one I made him this year for his Christmas (won't he be surprised!).  It is called the Easy Head Hugger Hat.  Right off I want to say that this is the strangest hat I've ever knit, and I do love to knit hats!  You knit the band and the top at the same time, and then graft them together at the end.  I'm not really describing that well, but it worked, and I was surprised and pleased.  It is really pretty darn cool.  For almost the entire project however, I kept wondering if it would look like crap.

 

The Stats:

Pattern: Easy Head Hugger Hat

Wool: Noro Silk Garden, 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, 10% lambs wool.  Colour is 236.  It took a ball and a bit from a second.  The size is for a 24" head--yup, my Dad has a big head (he's very smart with that large brain).  If you did the smaller size it would probably only take 1 ball.

What I learned:  How to do the Kitchner stitch/grafting.  How awesome is that?  I love that knitting just keeps on getting more and more fun.  I used a video on youtube.

Have a happy, safe, and joyful holiday season everyone!

A baby blanket.......in red

Hello fellow crafters! This week I've begun steering away from Christmas presents, well, almost.  I cast on a baby blanket for my friend who is having baby #2 in the spring/early summer.  The picture really stinks, you can hardly see the pattern.  It is the baby chalice blanket, and I'm loving the pattern.  How do you feel about the red?  I wasn't sure, but so far I'm  liking it.  I am not a person that thinks babies need pastels colours all the time.  A little visual stimulation is a good thing!

And as is often the case, my nemesis has become my love.  I'm almost done with the Copy Cat Slouch, and once I got over my initial hurdles--I love it! I am seriously thinking about getting another ball of this yarn to make a hat of my own.

I really like the yarn, which is Katia Azteca.  It is 50% wool, 50% acrylic, and the colours are so pretty.  This will be a very late Christmas present, but that's ok, I think it will be worth it!  

Please check out these blog hops, and other crafting delights.

Fun With Capri Suns

I've been having fun crafting with Capri Sun's this week.  I recently saw the tote bag that Beth has posted on her website, and got rather excited about it.  I want to make one as soon as I have enough saved, and can locate a zipper the correct size.  However, for right now, in keeping with my "use what I have" motto this Christmas, I made a smaller one.  I found the directions here.

Now, some people (ehum, who shall remain nameless) think my obsessive compulsive crafting nature is a bit odd, and that so are some of my creations.  I get it, not everyone wants a gift made out of used drink containers.  Environment haters.  But I digress.  I turn to you, my fellow crafters to ask your advise.  I made this with the thought of giving it to my daughters teacher for a Christmas present.  Perhaps putting in a few little items to fill it full of Christmas cheer.  What do you think?  Would you take a moment to answer my little poll and help me out?  You can answer honestly, I promise my feelings won't be hurt.  The upside is if you say I shouldn't give it as a present, I get to keep it for myself.  As it is now the girls are fighting over who gets the next one!

Should I gift the bag to my daughters' teacher?
	Yes
	No

Now just so you don't think I didn't get any knitting done, here's a quick one.  It is a 2x2 rib hat I whipped up for my uncle.  It was sort of an after-thought present, and I felt ho-hum about it.  Then I put it on.  So warm.  So soft.  Oh so happy.

Check out these blog hops, and have a great day!

My nemesis

Well, things have really been slowing down around here, and I've been spending time thinking about what to knit next.  Of course there are loads of things swirly around in my head, I guess I'll just wait to see what comes to the surface first.  In the meantime, here's a long back story you can read only if you want to.

When I was 17 my older sister got married, and in the first year or two of their marriage they took a trip to Europe.  They went to the UK, Ireland, France, and who knows where else.  This was of course waaaaay before I knew I'd end up living in the UK, or travelling anywhere at all.  Funny where life takes us.  But I digress.  She sent me postcards from each place (isn't she a good sister) and brought me back a few presents.  One thing she brought we was a huge pair of wool socks from Ireland.  They are gorgeous, see:

I lived in California at the time, so had no need for them.  However like the pack rat I am, I've been lugging these socks around for (oh my goodness I just did the math) 17 years (and now I feel old).  Finally, I've been putting them to good use.  I like to wear them over my regular socks, and pulled over the bottom of my trousers in my snow boots.  My feet feel invincible!!  So in honour of my Irish socks I've cast on a pair of pure wool socks myself.  Yes, we are back to my sock drama.  I've cast on 2 different socks already and finished neither.  Sigh.  What is it about me?  But I have hopes this time, last night I turned the heel so of course now there is no stopping me.  Here is a picture I took before I turned the heel:

They won't be quite as long as my Irish socks, but hopefully they will be warm and make good over-socks as I like to call them.  I am knitting them in left over Fisherman's Wool from my Tappan Zee cardigan.  Yay for stash busting!

And lastly, just to bore you to tears, here is a picture of my nemesis:

Yes, you are probably thinking that it looks exactly the same as last week.   No, I guarantee this is a new and different picture.  This hat hates me!  The first one I started was too small, which I discovered about 3 or 4 inches in.  So I pulled it out and started over.  I got about 1.5" into the ribbing when I noticed it was twisted.  Yes, I knitted that much without noticing the HUGE TWIST in my ribbing.  When I saw it I started doing this sort of hysterical maniacal laugh that made my husband stop and see what was wrong with me.  I just thought it was so funny, and so annoying.  So I pulled it out, and put it to bed for a while.  The other night I got it out while I was watching tv and at least got the ribbing done for the edge.  Now I'll start the pattern again and see how I get on.

As an aside to self, always take the time read other peoples comments on a pattern.  Then I might have seen it was too small and cast on for a larger size.  Now I have found quite a few helpful remarks that I will incorporate into my hat.

If you are still with me, please check out these blog hops, and other crafty people's WIP's!

The boxes have been sent!!

Well we came through the horrendous wind storm yesterday in one piece.  This morning I was lucky to accompany my daughters school to the cinema to see Puss in Boots.  It was worth riding in a bus full of rather loud excited children to go and see it.  I love Puss.

Anyway, according to the Royal Mail, today is the last day to send parcels to the USA and hope they get there by Christmas.  So I duly trundled off (so many layers to keep warm now) and sent my presents whizzing away.  Here are a few more I made this week:

For my nephew I made a few bow ties.

For my Aunt, another calorimetry.  Yes, I can't get enough.  And because I love her oh so much, I slapped a big ole' flower on the side.  I think she will like it, I'm half in love with it myself.

I also finished Ryan's Basketweave Scarf, I LOVE it.  I hope he does too.

Sorry about the rubbish picture.  The sun shined in the window and I got excited but it still doesn't look great.  You get the idea though, and I figure I can't win photographing black anyway.

And that's all for me this week, check out these crafty hops:

More gifts in progress

Just as I tell myself I'm reaching the end of my Christmas knitting, I find a way to add more things to the list.  Here are two that I've added that weren't on the list to begin with:

Pattern: Slouchy copy cat hat

Yarn: Katia Azteca, in a really pretty purple/blue blend

I'm excited about this hat, the wool feels so thick and snuggly.  I've just finished the ribbing, so on to the good stuff!

I'm also trying to work up a couple of ear warmers/head bands for my daughters as little presents.  I figure I can't go wrong with one more thing to open.  Plus, I haven't knitted them anything for Christmas yet!

Pattern: ear warmer with crochet flower.

Yarn: Robin Fascination.  This yarn was an Ebay purchase at a great price uhm, years ago.  It is rather odd.  Pretty though, the girls really like it.

The crochet flower might test my very limited knowledge of hooking, so wish me luck.

As for reading this week, I've picked up an old, friend Peter V. Brett.  I love the trilogy he is currently writing, of which I've read two, the Painted Man and The Desert Spear.  While I wait for The Daylight Wars I am reading his novellas.  Currently I am on Brayan's Gold.  While I'm not really one for Fantasy/Science Fiction there are a few authors out there from that genre I love, and he is one of them!

And while I sit here at my computer and write this blog post, it is snowing absolute buckets outside.  It makes me think my groceries won't be delivered yet again today.  Winter doesn't want me to get my treats.  It is pretty though, here's a picture I took right before the heavens opened.

Check out these other WIP's:

Gifts I've Finished!

I'm not 100% sure why, but I'm feeling rather rushed off my feet by the end of this week.  So I'll do a quick, picture heavy post and I'm sure you will forgive me.  I've finished Dani's Scarf, and I couldn't be more pleased.  It was knit in Sirdars Crofter Chunky yarn to match her hat.  I'm finishing up her brothers scarf and then I'll mail them off next week!

I  knit another Calorimetry, which was supposed to be for my aunt, until my daughters saw it.  Now I have to knit another with the rest of this yarn, and they will each get one for Christmas.  Hopefully it will be somewhat of a surprise as they  still think I'm sending this one away to my aunt.  It is knit in 100% wool, with some Patons Classic Wool I brought home from the States on my last trip.  Yes, that's right, I hit the sales even (especially) when I'm on holiday!

This little rose was just for fun, and literally took 10 minutes.  I am going to be playing around with flowers a bit, as I think they make nice decorations on hats, etc.  But I've got a bit more practising to do..................

These mittens weren't for a gift, but my daughters school play.  She is playing a sheep in the play "The Grumpy Sheep (she's not the grumpy one)" and part of the costume was black gloves or mittens.  I used my never ending ball of black wool, and whipped them up over the course of a couple of days.  She LOVES them, which is saying something since she isn't a big fan of the colour black.  I think they are very nice indeed and would like a pair for myself if I can ever find the time.  They came out quite thick and warm.

Lastly, I made this ear warmer/head band for my sister.  The wool is really wonderful, it is called Wendy Viva.  It is soft, chunky, silky and gorgeous.  The pattern is very fast and I think very rewarding.  I knit it up on 8mm needles.  I think I might make a few more as extra gifts, because they literally take an hour or two.

And that's all I've got for this week.  Things are slowing down a bit around here as I try to wrap up Christmas gifts.  I am already thinking about what to do after the holidays, I'd like to work on a bigger project after all these wee ones.  Time will tell......... each day I seem to add more and more to my "I want to knit" list.

Stash Busting Holiday

Hello!!  I don't know about you guys, but I am doing pretty well on my Christmas knitting.  Best of all I've decided that I will not buy any yarn, the presents have to come out of my stash.  Does anyone else get a little sad when yarn gets used up?  I will admit to it, but at the same time I tell myself I can replenish later, which fills me with a certain glee.


I've got a few of little FO's to share on Friday, but here are two more things I'm working on right now.  I just cast on a thick scarf for my Grandpa, using left over wool from his hat last Christmas.  I am using cream on either end and the blue in the middle.  I've done a provisional cast on because I don't think I'll have enough to make a long scarf, and then I can just join the ends together to make a circular scarf.  I'm pretty sure my Grandma will steal it anyway, she did so with the hat!

The yarn is Sirdar Denim Ultra, 60% acrylic, 25% cotton, 15% wool.  Thick and soft.  It is just going to be a plain garter stitch affair.






Lastly, I'm making yet another Calorimetry.  I can't stress enough how much I love this head band, how easy it is, how gift-worthy I find it.  I'm on my third one now (more on the second one on Friday).  One reason I LOVE this pattern is that it is fully adjustable, because you use the holes that are created in the pattern for the button.  I am making this one for my Aunt, who has a tiny head, and I don't have to worry about it fitting her, which is great.

For this particular one I'm hoping to add a flower for a bit of bling, wish me luck on that though!  This is a mystery yarn from my stash, which I bought when I first started knitting and had no idea how to figure out how much yarn I needed for a project.  Come to think of it, I still don't.  :)  The picture doesn't do it justice however, it is much prettier in person.




And very lastly, I have a book this week!  As I feel more and more on top of my Christmas knitting--I'll make the postal deadline--I have more time to read without feeling like I should be knitting.  I'm about 1/2 way through the Swan Theives by Elizabeth Kostova.  I enjoyed her other book, The Historian, so I have high hopes for this one.  It moves along at a steady pace, but is a rather gentle book thus far.

Please do check out all the other great WIP's on the go this week: