Christmas Gifts

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. I really had a great one this year. I finished a beautiful dishcloth from my Monthly Dishcloth KAL.

I gifted the cloth to my mom and she loved it, insisting it was “too beautiful to use!” Hopefully, it will be used well and she’ll need some new ones come Mother’s Day.

I got some great knitting-related gifts this Christmas:

Home Knits by Suss Cousin

Inspired Cable Knits by Fiona Ellis

KnitPicks Options Needle Set

I’ve already cast on the Multi-Yarn Shawl from Home Knits using my new KnitPicks needles as straight needles. They’re great, I absolutely love the pointy, pointy tips. I can’t wait to knit more with these.

The orange color is a bit brighter in this picture than in reality, but I didn’t have time (or daylight) to take a proper picture. When I have more progress, I will try to get a more accurate picture.

Since I had to find comparable yarns at JoAnn’s for the project, Suss yarns aren’t available around here. I held together a strand of Sugar n Cream cotton in Ecru and Lion Brand Fun Fur in Champagne, but the eyelash seems too long. See, it’s in the far left of the picture. So would trimming it work well and make the eyelash appear a little less “bushy”??

Short and Sweet

I’ve been busy all day taking pictures of non-knitting-related material, but no knitting pics today. I’ve been continuing to work on my Clapotis today and I’m about halfway through Section 2 of 5. Ready for Christmas? Yeah right.

I bound off my mom’s lovely dishcloth today which I love and could not capture the wonderful colors with the heinous light. I will block it tonight, weave in ends, etc.. and take a beautiful outdoor shot tomorrow.

I picked up a bit more white fleece from my friend and I am planning on slowly, meticulously spinning it tonight until I can get it right.

Happy Holidays to all!!

Spinning… more like Trying to spin

I was introduced to the art of Spinning yesterday (something I’ve been meaning to do for ages.) My boyfriend’s friend’s mother used to teach Beginning Spinning classes and offered to help me learn ages ago. She gave me some brown merino and white long hair roving plus a spindle. I have spun all of the white, but the “tension” (I don’t know Spinning terms yet) is way off and I am continually screwing it up royally. I hope to be able to spin yarn for myself to knit with, eventually. This current batch, however, has very little to offer.

This picture makes it look a little better than it actually is, but I’m still learning. Anyway, hoping to have some decent yarn next time I give it a spin.

Gifting

I did a pretty good job as Secret Santa, I think he’ll really enjoy this hat. Center Square is really a great pattern.

Specs-
Pattern: Center Square from Winter 2006 Knitty
Yarn: Patons Classic Merino in Black and Rich Red, 1 skein of each
Needles: size 11 16″ circular, size 10 1/2 dpns
Modifications: None, but I really need to work on my tension while knitting continentally. I do knit very tightly with my right hand, so my left hand will look quite loose unless I can train myself to loosen the tension on my right hand.

Wish me luck, starting the New Year I’m going to knit continental as much as I can!

Christmas Knits… Falling a little behind

I cast on Clapotis for my grandmother. It’s w/ DK weight cotton on size 6 needles since she lives in Florida on the coast… where it’s HOT!!

I’m hoping to send it out by the end of the week, if I can find the time and learn how to give up sleeping.

Also, I’ve been working on the Irish Hiking Scarf in a lovely purple novelty yarn. The stitch definition for the cables, however, is almost nonexistant. So I’m not really sure what to do about it. Oh well, I don’t think my mom will mind too much, so long as it’s warm.

Crunch Time

Well, Christmas is in 13 days… that’s right, 13. So far, I still need to knit a hat, a scarf, and I’m sure there are other things I’ve blocked out.

This hat is one of my new favorite patterns and I can’t wait to knit it for myself. It looks finished, but don’t be fooled. I didn’t have size US 11 dpns, so I tried to use a circular needle with the Magic Loop, it’s very gappy and horrific. I will either get some 11’s or just use my 10 1/2’s. Either way, my Secret Santa ought to really like this hat… I hope.

I do not have a picture of my Mom’s purple scarf right now, but I will have one soon. Plus it’s only about 5 rows into the pattern.

I had some friends over who thoroughly enjoyed learning to knit. See what I mean?


Her scarf is really amazing: RIBS ON HER FIRST DAY!!!

She also called me tonight to tell me she finished her first 100 g skein *tear* and needs my help in attaching the new skein. Oh so excited, yet another convert.

I went to Loops again today and picked up some great yarn— which actually have intended projects, a rarity. Some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for Fetching, which I’ve already cast on (I’m almost done with the first right now, but I took the picture earlier), and some Mission Falls 1824 Wool for Cabled Footies from One Skein.

Another FO: Leg Warmers

Pattern: Leg Warmers from One Skein
Yarn: Luxury Alpaca DK (60% Wool, 30% Alpaca, and 10% Silk) in Deep Wine–

–this is the most accurate picture I could get of the color
Modifications: None, it’s a really great pattern… and SO easy and mindless.
Started: December 5, 2005/ Finished: December 8, 2006
Thoughts: I’ve worn them constantly since I bound off. I love them so much and they are just so comfortable

FO: Painter’s Scarf

I only had one skein of the DK yarn in my stash, so my scarf isn’t very long, but I do like it a lot.

Yarn: Peru DK Luxury Yarn; 70% Merino wool, 20% Alpaca, and 10% Silk; 50g/124 yds
Pattern: Painter’s Scarf from RYC book Classic Art
Needles: US 6
Started: November 24/ Finished: November 30
Modifications: Well, I only had one skein so it’s a lot shorter than the pattern instructed, but 90″ is longer than I would have made it anyway.