Keeping busy

This week I have a few random FO's. I finished the Declan hat a few weeks ago, and passed it along to my Dad.  Seeing as how it is 100% wool and we are back in the 70's, I doubt it will get much wear for a while.  It was a very fun knit though.  Because of the yarn and the color striping, it was hard to get a good picture.  Please use your imagination.  It would be nicer in a solid.

I've also been making dish cloths.  For my Aunt.  For my Mom.  For myself.  I'm basically using three patterns at the moment, crochet ripple, bridal lace, and circle cloth.  

This is after a wash, my Mom started using it asap.  This one is also shorter then the yellow and purple, per her request.

My hand is feeling a wee bit better, so hopefully I can finish up a few more cloths and then get tucked into some other projects.  Thanks for your kind words and thoughts! 

Happy Crafting!

Eeekkk, I've got knitters hand

Great news on my WIP life-- we got the visas for Australia!  We leave February 4 and fly to Melbourne, arriving in our new home on February 7.  I'm so excited that everything is falling into place.  Of course, that all brings new drama, such as finding a place to live, getting the kids settled in school, getting ready to start work full time again, less time for knitting.  But I'm soooo excited!!

I took this picture on our trip in Ocbtober

  
I will also go straight ahead and admit I've been knitting a LOT lately.  In the last month I've knit a hat, a sweater, and so far about 6 dish cloths.  I'm also working on a Gemini top.  I had started one ages and ages ago, but I messed up a stitch at the top and it is sitting in time out.  Right now that means it is sitting in a storage facility in Glasgow and I won't be reunited with it until probably April.  So I started a new one.  I'm using Cotlin yarn, in pomegranate.  I love the yarn, I love the color.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Also, my Dad made the table my knitting is sitting on.  How cool is that?

However all the knitting (and a bit of crochet), plus using my Mom's computer, whose desk is apparently unsuitable for me, had led to "knitters hand" and carpel tunnel.  The knuckle at the base of my pointer finger (first knuckle? joint?) is very sore to the touch. I have been forced to rest and not knit for a few days, and it sucks.  I'm feeling better today so I'm going to stop typing and rest some more.  My Gemini needs me!

Here's the same picture as last week, but with different yarn.  My Mom wanted in on the dish cloth party and she bought some multi-colored yarn that will go with her kitchen.  Don't even both trying to see the pattern, it is impossible with this yarn. The other patterns looked better, I'll post about them on Friday I think.

  
That's it from me today.  I'm off to take the dog to the groomer.  Here is her "before picture."

  

Warmth

I finished my Warmth top last Thursday.  Mostly.  I fiddled with the ribbing on the sleeves a wee bit, ripping one out and doing it again.  I only had size 8mm DPN's, and I wasn't going to go out and buy 9mm ones.  So I just added a few extra stitches.  Then the bind off was too tight.  So I re-did that using my 9mm needle and they were perfect.  Then I said, "I hate it" and threw it in the corner.

On Sunday I picked it up out of the corner, and wove in the ends.  I can't stand to see a project done, but not quite done.  It looked good.  Better than I had hoped.  On Monday wore it. All day.  Then said, "I love it!"

 
Why the crazy change in perspective?  I'm not entirely sure.  I didn't really enjoy the super bulky yarn, even though it was quick.  And it ended up not being that quick with all the rip rip ripping I had to do.  But.....it is sort of like wearing a blankets hug, and I love that front pocket.  I thought it would just make me lumpy, but I found my hands in it all day long.   So all in all, I'm going to call this one a win, even if I didn't feel that way the whole time.

Pattern: Warmth Top, from Finish Free Knits
Yarn: Loops and Threads Cozy Wool, colorway Thunder

Also this week:

I received a lovely package in the mail from Hazel at Hazel's Crochet.  I won a giveaway at her blog, and this is what I got:

 
Lovely stitch markers, a crochet pattern book (so cute!), soft soft soft wool, and a felt kit.  I can't wait to dig in.  Thanks Hazel!

Thanks for stopping by, happy crafting! 

Leaping onto the bandwagon

For several months I've been reading about how quite a few of you enjoy Downton Abbey.  Blaaaaah I said to myself, I don't like period dramas.  However the other night I was bored, and flumped, and was scrolling through Netflix looking for something to watch.  I saw it.  I knew vaguely what it was.  What was there to lose?  Nothing.  And now I am oh so hooked.  How could I have waited so long?  Why didn't I believe the hype? Sometimes I am so slow about things!  No matter, I've not just jumped, I have leaped onto the bandwagon.  I'll say it.  I love Downton Abbey.

That has nothing to do with WIP Wednesday, but I felt the need to share.  On to what I've been working on.

I'm waiting the delivery of some Cotlin yarn, and until it arrives I've been filling the time.  I finished my Warmth sweater last week, and I even raced through the hat I was working on.  On Sunday I picked up some cotton yarn on sale, and started on some cloths.  My Aunt requested some new face cloths, and I want to make some kitchen cloths for when we get moved.  I really love using the homemade cotton cloths in kitchen. 

Here is the first one I made:

Pattern: Circle Cloth, free on Ravelry.
Yarn:  Lily Sugar and Cream I picked up for $1.  I love a bargain.

Here is my WIP cloth:

Pattern: Bridal Shower Lace Cloth, free on Ravelry
Yarn: Also Lily Sugar and Cream cotton 

That's all from me for now.  I'll see you on Friday when I unveil my new sweater!  Happy Crafting!

  

My brain doesn't work

Well, my warmth sweater is still a WIP, though by all accounts it should be a FO.  The reason I am still working on it is that apparently my brain has stopped working.  I've ripped it back past the sleeves twice now, and I'm really hoping the third time is the charm.

The first rip back was due to the fact that when I cast off some stitches to start the sleeves the center wasn't, well, centered.  And I carried on quite the thing for several rows before I decided I should actually look at what I was knitting.

The second rip back was really rather funny.  You know, now.  In hindsight.  The sleeves have a few short rows in them, but I read the pattern wrong and did a LOT of short rows.  I got some crazy cap sleeves that were really very puffy.  Horrendous really.  Rip rip rip and now I'm paying more attention to what I'm doing.

Sleeves gone WRONG!

My world traveling girl, a good addition to any photo!

I don't expect to have it done by Friday, but I need to finish it soon. My Aunt has ordered some face cloths (cotton yarn on sale at Michael's on Sunday) and I ordered some Cotlin yarn for another top.  Better get busy!! 

  

In which I finish a few things

The days just seem to be whizzing by lately.  I have  couple of FO's this week, I will start with one I made my Dad for Christmas.

It is called the Runner Beanie, and he picked the pattern and yarn while at my house in August.  It is a free pattern on Ravelry.  The yarn is Manos Lace, with baby alpaca, silk, cashmere.  Yup, my Dad has great taste.  The only problem is the pattern called for 4ply, not lace.  I held it double throughout and bumped up the needle size, and it was a pain!  I made it though, and he said it is the finest hat I've ever made.  And I've made him a few.  He is quite picky, and had a big head.  He doesn't like the hat to hit his ears, which is why it looks a bit like a skull cap.  It is so soft though, the yarn is gorgeous!

Next up, is my Lintilla.  Oh how I love it, I've been wearing since I finished it, and it is fabulous.  My 6 year old took the picture as well, and even though I hate having my picture taken, she did a great job!  See how I'm not wearing a down jacket and there is sunshine in the picture?  Oh how I love Arizona right now (not so much in the summer, am I right?).

The pattern is Lintilla, from the same awesome designer that made the Hitchhiker.  The wool is Sirdar Pure Wool Classic 4ply.  I bought in on Ebay and the yarn does seem a bit old and dated to me (they don't make it anymore) and it isn't the softest.  Saying that, it isn't rough against my skin and it wears just fine.  I wouldn't mind, however, making it again in a softer wool in more colors!  The pattern is fun and I want more of them!

Lastly, I finished the Hermione's Cable and Eyelet hat I was working on.  I had a few questions about the yarn I showed in this week's WIP, and it is the same brand, Paton's Classic Wool, worsted.  The colors do spiral all the way through, depending on the pattern you knit it with.

 It is an adult hat, but sometimes the tiny models are so cute I cannot resist them.  Seriously, how did I made someone that adorable?

I like the pattern a lot, I can see why it has been made 2603 times.  The wool is a bit scratchy, but it was a nice project to use up spare yarn.  It didn't use it ALL up though, and now I'm left with just a enough to scratch my head and ponder, "What do I do with this?"  

Have a great weekend everyone, and Happy Crafting!

Warmth, WIP

Happy New Year!  

I will admit I am not sad to see 2012 end.  It was a tough year for us in many different ways.  I have high hopes for 2013, and I am very excited to ring in this new year! 

Knitting-wise, I'm starting it off with a fun project.  I mentioned a new knitting book I got for Christmas in a post last week.  I did manage to get the wool I wanted in a 1/2 price sale *yippee* so I got started right away.  

The pattern is called Warmth, and it is knit in super bulky wool on 9mm needles.  Eventually it will be a short sleeve sweater tunic, but what you see below is the bottom and front pocket.  The pattern is from the book Finish Free Knits.  The big needles and bulky yarn makes for a fast project (I hope).  And I'm loving the teal color.

I also started another hat with a ball of my Mom's left over wool.  I'm not crazy for the colors, but the pattern will be lovely I think.  It is Declan's Hat, and is a free pattern from Ravelry.  I haven't gotten much further than the ribbing though, before I started Warmth.

And that's all I am working on at the moment.  Take care everyone, happy crafting!