FO Cat Dishcloth

I finished a dishcloth that was in a bag of yarn I found after we moved. Not sure why I didn't finish it before, guess I got bored with it. It only took me one evening knitting off and on to complete it. I blocked it to even it out. I am going to send it to my MIL ... because I think that's who I intended it for in the first place!

FO: MP3 Player Cozy

Yarn: Knit Picks Essentials Twist in Volcano Twist
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Size US2 (2.75mm)
Cast On: Only a few days ago, but now I can't remember exactly when
Cast Off: 1/22/08

There was no pattern. I took my stitch gauge and figured out how wide it needed to be and cast on 40 sts using Judy's Magic Cast On. Knit in the round for about 1" then did the skull chart from Jack Sparrow's Favorite Socks, then continued to the right height, did two rows of purl so that the top wouldn't fold over on itself and then cast off. Fits the MP3 player snug but well :o)

FO: Jack Sparrow's Favorite Socks

I think these have to be the coolest socks I have knit to date. This is a free pattern, I can't find it on the original blog now, but its on Ravelry. I steam blocked the fair isle once complete and it really helped even out the stitches. I am usually a really tight knitter, so I had to concentrate on knitting loosely so that the fair isle came out well and I could fit it over my heel, worked out fine!

Yarn: Knit Picks Essentials Twists: Volcano Twist; Knit Picks Essentials Black; Sisu White
Needles: Knit Picks 32" Size 2
Cast On: 11/14/08
Cast Off: 11/29/08

FO: Striped Socks

Cast On: 10/29/08
Cast Off: 11/16/08
Yarn: Berocco Sox
Needles: Knit Picks Size 2
Plain Vanilla cuff down socks.

FO: Art Yarns Socks

I finished my Art Yarns socks today. I changed the pattern a bit by twisitng the rib stitches and using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Sew Bind Off.






Yarn: Art Yarns Handpaint Stripes
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Size 5
Cast On: A long, long time ago for sock one. Sock two 10/17/08
Cast Off: 10/20/08

Happiness Socks

Cast on: 8/3/08
Cast off: 9/21/08
Pattern: Happiness Socks
Yarn: Regia Jaquard

This is actually the very first sock yarn I ever purchased! I tried socks all by myself with little instruction on size 1 needles and it didn't go so well! Next I tried socks with worsted weight yarn, that went much, much better! Now 2 years later I am a sock addict! I found this yarn in my stash while looking for something with two skeins for a two at a time on two circulars class and realized it was the very first sock yarn I ever purchased, LOL!!

Sweet Scarf

This is a very simple scarf to make. Its Frog Tree Alpaca Sport and Bernat Matrix yarn held together with 10.5 needles, garter stitch. I pretty much went on until there wasn't much alpaca left, cut off enough for fringe, then continued on for a bit and bound off. The fringe covers the cast on and bind off tails, so no need to weave in ends.



I started this scarf when I first started knitting back in 2006, so its nice to have it done. Not that it took long to knit - I finished it in two days, it just sat in a bag while I started new things, so I am glad to have this WIP completed!!

FO: Seduction Socks

I finished them today! Even when I forgot the pattern at home and took these to work. Luckily the pattern isn't complicated so I was able to work up to the toe then I stopped until I got home to make sure I did the toe the same so that they match.

Pattern: Seduction Socks by Ann Budd
Yarn: Berocco Comfort Sock
Needles: 32" US 2 Knit Picks Circular - Magic Loop
Cast On: 3/7/08; Cast Off: 4/27/08

Knitting Away

I am so loving that I can get knitting done at my part-time weekend job! I feel like I am not losing any "me time" while I am there, LOL!

I recently ordered some yarn from Amanda - NH Knitting Mama. The colorway is so cool, this photo really doesn't show it off, its called Wizard School and I can see why!



I finished socks for this month with only two days to spare! I like the lace pattern and love the yarn I chose, but I really don't like this toe, it comes out very pointy and I have long, thin feet, so this type of toe exaggerates that.

I am reading The Chronicles of Narnia right now in preparation for the next movie coming out. I have a "thing" where I have to read the book first, however, I have already read these stories many years ago. Its amazing how much imagination children have, I remember some things vividlty, but there's really not much of a description in the book ... so that was all me, LOL!!

I am UN-patiently waiting for the last season of Battlestar Gallactica to start next Friday! I can't fracking wait, LOL!!

FO: Magic Lace Rib Socks

Pattern: Magic Lace Rib Socks by Natalie Wilson

Yarn: Wildfoote by Brown Sheep Company, Color: Sonatina

Needles: Addi Turbo Size 2

Cast On: 2/3/08
Cast Off: 3/29/08

FO: Feather & Fan Dishcloth

Pattern: Sugar 'N Cream
Yarn: Reynolds Saucy Mercerized Cotton
Needles: Clover Bamboo Size US 8

Cast On: Feb. 08
Cast Off: March 08

This dishcloth was made for the Defeat the Winter Doldrums Dishcloth Swap.

FO: Cabled Earflap Hat

The cabled earflap hat is done!! I finished it today, the last 7 rows! After trying it on all I could think of is I will call it my Faery Elfkin Hat, LOL!! I'm not sure how much I will wear it, the size in the pattern is 16" which is smaller than a regular adult. It fits on my head, but a little tight, especially since I have a lot of hair to stuff under there.

Pattern: Cabled Earflap Hat; Nashua Handknits Cobblestone Streets Winter 2007/2008

Yarn: Patons Soy Wool Solids; Natural Rasin

Needles: Clover Bamboo Size 7, 16" Circular and Size 7 Double Pointed Needles

Cast on: February 13, 2008

Completed: March 4, 2008

FO: Little Sky Sock

Pattern: Little Sky Sock "New Pathways for Sock Knitters" by Cat Bordhi

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool, Worsted Weight, Color: Forest

Needles: Addi Turbo 40" size US 5

Cast On: 2/18/08 Cast Off: 2/23/08

I made these to learn the techniques in the book, so there's really no intended recipient. I will be giving them to my friend for his boy though, I think they'll fit him for a while, he just turned one year old this month.

FO: Colorblock Sweater

Pattern: Colorblock Sweater, p 55, Knit Simple Magazine Spring/Summer 2007

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease (1 skein ea. Snow, Almond, Maize, Taupe)

Size: 1 year

Needles: Size 6 & 8 Circular (to accomodate stitches, was knit flat)

The sweater is done!!!!

I finished the sweater today. I think it took as much, if not a bit more to seam it all up then it did to knit it!

The first photo is of the sleeves set in. I had to undo and rework the first one I tried, because the center ended up about an inch from the actual center, LOL!



This photo shows the inside color changes and seams. Its nice to see that the inside is just as neat as the outside!


Now the sleeves are set in and seamed up. Again, I had to rip out and redo the first one that I did, the second one went much easier!


Ta da! The finished product!! This is a really great little sweater. It really doesn't take long to knit, but the seaming took a lot of time. I am sure though that if I did something like this again it would go much better, as noted above I pretty much had to redo everything I tried the first time.


This is a shot of the back.

I washed it tonight and it survived the washing machine. This yarn is machine washable and dryable, which is good for a one year old I am sure! Now its in the dryer at the moment and I am sure it will survive that as well.

FO: Hemingway Bear

This bear was knit up for the Hot Cocoa Swap. The pattern is from Knitty. This was my first toy and it was an interesting knit. This was also a pretty quick knit, so great for a swap project!

Finished Object: Men's Winter Socks

This is my first finished object for 2008! I don't remember exactly when I cast these on (one of the things I plan to do is track that for each project in 2008) but it was in December sometime. I really started working on them the first weekend in January and finished them today 1/28/08.

Pattern: Winter Socks found in the Magic Loop Booklet from Fiber Trends
Size: Men's
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (2 skeins Forest)
Needles: Addi Turbo Size 5 (40")

Its almost Friday!!

I finished these socks Dec. 31st as planned! These are for a co-worker. She paid for the yarn that I picked out after I took a sock knitting class last July and while talking about it told her I would knit a pair for her ... I will never do that again! These are actually my first finished ADULT pair of socks. I haven't even yet knit a pair for myself! I do not like the pressure or guilt I feel when someone knows I am knitting something for them. I will not tell people in the future I will just let it be a surprise.

My camera is definitely not working right and I took this photo on a web cam. I will have to go out and get a camera soon so I can photo my FOs and whatnot for swaps and Knit A Longs.

I contacted a local high school about their adult evening education courses and suggested that I am interested in teaching a knitting class. The director got right back to me and said she would be interested in offering that this Fall! I am so excited! Plus that will give me plenty of time to prepare materials and instructions and knit up some samples too.

I started socks 1/2/08 with the Panda Cotton that I got recently in a swap and I love it! I am doing a pattern I found on the Crystal Palace website. They are coming out awesome. I think I'll finish this pair really quickly.

TGIF!

It sure is TGIF this Friday! I was super busy at work this week, with one person out and I am the only other on our shift qualified to complete certain jobs. So I am glad this week is over!! I am ready for some rest and relaxation and KNITTING! I also have to get my Christmas cards done this weekend, I had hoped I would be done by December 1st, but that date has come and gone.


Here's some of what I have been working on:

I am making some men's size house socks for my boyfriend in Patons Classic Wool, color Forest. I am using the Magic Loop method and the pattern that comes in the booklet from Fiber Trends.

Here's the progress on the socks I am making for a co-worker, one down and I started the second one. I got the cuff done and started the leg. I would really like to have these done by Christmas. I bought the yarn (which she paid for) back in July ... I didn't realize it was so long ago!! I took a few classes since then so I was busy knitting projects for those and put these on hold. Well I am sure she would like to enjoy her socks while it is still winter!

I would also really like to finish up the November Mystery Socks by December so that I can qualify for the prize drawing for the group on Ravelry. So far I have one sock past the heel and working on the gusset decreases. I am hoping the second goes much quicker now that I am familiar with the pattern.

I got one more ornament done so far. I was hoping to do several, they don't take too long, only about 4-5 hours each, in the knitting world that's not long at all! But with everything else I am trying to finish I'm not sure I will be able to get all the ones done that I wanted. This one is going to my friend in England who I chat with via email a few times a week:

To answer Charity's question, so it doesn't get lost in the comments:

"So here's a conversation starter - lets say you signed up for a swap and it didnt go well or what arrived in the swap was pretty BLAH "wwad" - what would Angela do?"

WWAD, LOL!!! That's a good topic for discussion. I have been pretty successful with swaps so far. Generally I would not hold a blah package or something I didn't care for against the swap itself, that's the individual who sent it and everyone has different tastes and likes. I would probably do the swap again if I liked the theme itself and the contests and such related to the swap.

Generally I am not displeased with anything that is a gift, unless it was something completely opposite or something I specifically mentioned I did not like on my blog, then that's just careless for the person sending stuff, they are not paying attention. I try really hard myself to read questionnaires and the person's blog itself for a few days of posts and make notes to keep in my purse when I am shopping so that I avoid unwanted stuff and keep to the things they like.

However, if the "not going well" part was due to the organization or lack thereof from the hosts, then I would not participate in that swap in the future. I know life gets in the way of these things sometimes, but if it happens more than once and/or there is no explanation or heads up, then I would steer clear of things involving those same people in the future.

And here's a question for you - I saw on your blog you were an extra in Young Guns ... I loved that movie. Was it the original in 1988 or the second movie? How did you get to be an extra? Details please!!

Swap Kit that I sent has been Received!!

I am so happy that my Hogwart's Sock/Scarf Kit Swap package arrived to its final destination yesterday! The Post Office charged me wrong and I was worried it was going to end up in another country (it was addressed properly, but I've never had that happen before).

And now I can post photos of what I made and sent!! I was holding off so that I wouldn't spoil the surprise!!

Here's a photo of the entire package that I sent to Lesley. We are in the 2nd Years group so we opted for a scarf kit this time around. I sent her two different brands of yarn, needles, stitch markers I made, a bookscarf, bag, soaps, candles, lip balm an not pictured here some chocolate!

Here is the bag, while I love how it came out and I'm sure she'll enjoy it, I don't think I'll be doing a pattern like this for a swap again. I did meet the deadline for mailing (and did so several days before), but it was getting worrisome whether or not I would finish this in time!!

Here's a close up of the cable pattern:

Here's a close up of the book scarf - from Charmed Knits, this is done in DMC Pearl thread on size 0 needles.