Socks and more

On needles now, but fast approaching the finish.  It's a hat!  Easy-Peasy!

A repair job on my favorite sweater.  I wear this ALL the time, especially since we've had a cold snap with freezing temperatures for weeks.  It needed a wash, and I was appalled to see how long the sleeves were when I stretched it out to dry.  So, snip-snip, I removed 5" of cuff and bound off.  Wearing it now...

And remember my carry-around socks?  Finished at last...Started October 8, with left-over yarn from two other sock projects.  They are truly fraternal twins, but I love the frugality.  Finished January 26.

And immediately (January 27) started these socks called Angee by Cookie A.  The pattern is super;  interesting but memorable.  The yarn is to die for!!  It's Caper Sock yarn by String Theory!  I'm zipping through it because I just want it in my hands.  The cashmere/merino combination is scrumptious!  SCRUMPTIOUS, I say!! 

This first sock was done in 5 days.  Number two is almost to the heel...slowed in progress only because I have startitis and now have several other things to hold my attention, along with numerous piano/organ gigs coming up.

Mid-January, I saw a friend with an interesting looking hat, and she pointed out that it was a "pony-tail" hat!  What?  Two days later...  You can't see the back, but it's open with a button closure to allow for the ponytail!  Brilliant!  Two days later, my granddaughter's ponytail was cut off... but I made a bigger one for mommy.  No buttons, yet.  (Low priority.)

January, and so far, February, are just perfectly cold for knitting!

Little rabbit

The little rabbit felt a chill...so I popped this on his head.  He likes it!  He doesn't quite fill it out like a little baby girl, so it's now in the mail and heading to "upstate" New York.  A 6-month old little girl, Fiona, will be sporting it this winter. (I made it in the 18 month size, just in case.)

Yarn:  Rauma Babyull (washable)

Pattern: DROPS from Baby DROPS catalog 18, #21.  It's my go-to pattern for little heads.

P.S. Did you know that DROPS patterns are free?  See garnstudio.com

Knitting Hats

Granny K has been knitting hats for 9 grandchildren this season.  A definite improvement in her mojo compared to last year when the chosen project was slippers.
I decided to try some hats too.  Three so far:
One for me, with rhinestone snowflake that was my mother's:

 And two for friends to go with their last year gifts.

After thinking and examining my friends' heads, I have decided to frog the purply one and make it bigger.  I hate it when it isn't big enough, and since it took me 3 days, with many distractions the first time, I think I have time.
Patterns used:

#1 and 2: Head Huggers by Gail Tanquary from Ann Norling #55, with my own variations; Yarn #1: Wool-Ease Glitter / Multi by Lion Brand, Aran / 10 ply, 78% Acrylic, 19% Wool, 3% Polyester, 162 yards / 70 grams; #2: Pastaza by Cascade Yarns, Aran / 10 ply, 50% Wool, 50% Llama, 132 yards / 100 grams#3: Zig Zag Beanie by Dawn Leeseman from Interweave Knits, Fall 2008;  Yarn: Shepherd Worsted Multi by Lorna's Laces, Aran / 10 ply, 100% Wool, 225 yards / 114 grams

Link to Hat

Yesterday I forgot to link to the "previous blog" about the toddler hat.  Click Here

And tonight I managed to 'tubular bind-off' (for a second time) my top down T.  Link HERE about previous, ill-fated, bind-off.

The Perfect Mother's Day Present

I would hate to evaluate myself as to how "needy" I am, but initially I would say I'm not. Maybe I am...
Remember that circus hat for Juju?  A modified hat pattern with little people around it, with pompoms on the corners?
See here for the details from an earlier blog.

I was informed on Sunday (Mother's Day) that my little granddaughter insists on wearing that hat whenever going outside. It took a 70ºF (20ºC) to catch her without it!  Does she know how rewarded her grandma feels?

A Useful Gift

I love to knit, and I love to make things that people appreciate.  Sure enough, it was a good call to put down the mittens and scarf and finish the hat. C has traveled to England and wrote this in my comments yesterday:

  I opened the suitcase and put on the hat as soon as I got to Heathrow!!  Wore it all the way to Cambridge and again this morning.  Not like New Mexico here at all.

 Who thinks I shouldn't be giving up on the mittens for this year?

Instead my mind is wandering and I've started re-finishing the Picot orange dress in a larger size.
I snipped off the bodice,

and picked up stitches without decreasing as much as the first time.
Here's the FO for the one year old:

So many projects... so little time!

Contest is over...

I lost...
I feel like I lost, but as my friend says, I win because I got to spend so much time with my daughter and granddaughter.
The even better news is that three lucky guessers won!
To be announced by the end of the week, because I did such a poor job of getting any knitting finished, I'll have to come up with a drawing of sorts!
The hat is leaving in a few hours for England and Denmark.  By the looks of the temps, it will be needed in Denmark.  Windy, temps around freezing, but maybe in a week it will be higher, and then my knitting in earnest will go un-needed.  It's stretchy and I'm pretty sure it will get worn in Norway by September 2011.


No braid on the top per request.  It was super fun and interesting, but I recommend that you draw up a chart. The directions a 4 row repeat, and two separate 16 row repeats all at the same time to make the border band.  I didn't knit on this until Saturday mid-day. The other pieces (scarf and mittens) were more enticing because of the color-work. I 'heart' colorwork, and I don't know why when knitting texture is so gorgeous! More about this hat at Contest #3.

Pattern: Braids & Bobbles (AC-60) by Carolyn Doe from Fiber Trends;  220 Superwash by Cascade Yarns, Worsted / 10 ply 100% Wool, 220 yards

Ravelry Link

The Hat WINS!

Contest spoiler:  I'm not taking any more entries, so I'm going to report on progress so you can decide where you stand.

I worked on the cupcake mittens, because I was curious to see how they would come together (being a combination of two patterns, and convertible mittens/gloves).  

Meanwhile, I couldn't resist double knitting the scarf with Kauni so I could watch the long colorways appear.

I didn't touch the hat until Saturday, when I asked which of the three would be more of a necessity, and the answer was, of course, the hat.  Early Spring in England, Denmark and Spain seemed to warrant a hat...  since then, I've been working on it (almost exclusively).

Here's about 12 inches of braided and bobbled band.  I estimate it's 30% and two days to go.  Now what?   I think this contest is going to show that toddler time is another dimension!  

And it isn't likely I'll have lots of knit time in the next two days. An all-nighter might be in the near future.

Today I have a special service to play and two choir rehearsals in the evening.

Tuesday I promised myself and my daughter a trip to Durango to the Sushi restaurant.  And Wednesday, it's too late.

Ruht roh...

What's Knitting?

Another Thursday evening with nine of us gathered for discussion about everything, and help for knitters with picking up stitches for a collar, counting rows after the cat removed the needles, and heavy duty ball winding.
MLE is often busy, but she took time out to continue her futile attempt at finishing her sweater (in less than 7 years...).  She's got those beautiful sleeves to show for it! Go M!!

Fee is stretching one slipper to match the other and eager to wear them. Will they ever dry?  Gorgeous grays!

And Jee is on to something new - a baby not yet born:  Where's the sock?

And Simone has news of a summer grandson expected, Dr. P is still wearing her Winconsin shirt, Dee is twisting those cables again and again for her baby blanket in the round, Lee is cross-stitching roses on a piano, and Bee enjoyed the Bliss!
I showed off my granddaughter in her knitted finery, and two of the three contest pieces.  Really, I'm not swayed by guesses, and have been working on them as much as time will allow.  That's the point:  Toddler Time is a black hole!
Cupcake mittens:  One mitten need the convertible cap, the other mitten is up to the second cupcake row (which is the very beginning of the increase for the thumb gusset).
Scarf:  I the scarf (reversible, double knitted) in colors that I want to see.  Unfortunately, I have to look at the chart, so it's very slow going when there are 3 or 4 conversations to tend to... The pattern calls for 2-1/2 repeats, and I'm at 1.3.  However, by the size, I think I have to do at least 3 full repeats to get all the colors I want to see.
Hat:  Ummmm.  I haven't touched the hat.  It won't be much of a priority until my daughter mentions (on Monday) that she needs it for English weather on Thursday.

Too soon

So I posted pictures of the crazy hat, and then was convinced it needed more.  My daughter started the chant:  POM POMS POM POMS POM POMS...
So I tried my hand, and I must say, she was right!
What I thought was a cute hat is now the cutest ever!!

Can't see the pompoms in the top photo?  Because there were none...  Just added;  now we need all new photos.

By the way:  Don't forget to vote in the contest.  I've decided (er, maybe it's my daughter, looking at my stash, decided) I should include a skein or two of unnamed yarn with all prizes.  Hmmm.  You know you might get lucky!  Check out my stash at Ravelry.  Wish list prizes are accepted.  Deadline is ... extended to Sunday, midnight.

Crazy Hat for Toddler

A couple of things motivate me:
#1, a request from my daughter
#2, my stash
#3, a pattern that I ogle over for years
With that combination, one evening last week, I gathered my thoughts, and my materials (during TV ads - oh, I probably missed a few minutes of whatever I was 'watching') and came up with a fun hat for my toddler.

Pattern: Multicolored Merry-go-round - Hat by Juliette Liétar;  Yarn: Valley Superwash DK by Valley Yarns DK / 8 ply 100% Merino 137 yards, used DOUBLED for main color.  Contrasting colors are "various". Size US 8 needles.

It's very stretchy, so much that I was able to put it on.  If it's too sloppy for my toddler, I'll add ear flaps and ties.  I knitted the figures on straight needles and continued the upper part on circular. I hope hope hope it will be accepted (by the toddler).
NOTE:  This project has not interfered with the contest... unless earflaps become a necessity.

Time with a Toddler

For the next few weeks, a toddler will be living at my house!  How much knitting do you think I'll get done by March 16?  I have three things that I would 'like' to get done by that date. And by 'like' I mean I intend to send them off with their recipients that day.  Is this craziness?  If you would like a prize of your own, I'm running a contest!  I have 3 lovely tea towels from around the world that I will send to those who guess correctly the stage of each project on March 16th.
Contest #1:  The Mittens.  Cupcake Convertible Mittens as seen on Ravelry. (All links are to Ravelry.)  This is using the colorwork from the cupcake mittens and with the knitting pattern Broad Street.  Here's what they (er, only the first one) look(s) like today:

First mitten up to stitches being held for thumb

Contest #2:  The Scarf.  A double-knitted scarf with Kauni.  This is going to be tricky, but guess how long it will be by March 16.  (I don't know myself, yet!)

4-1/2 inches long

Contest #3:  Hat.  Newly started (last night), this is knitted flat as a head band and then a knitted disc top.  Pattern:  Braid & Bobble Hat.  The theme for all of these is the purple color and (in my demented knitter's mind) intended as a set with different patterns and yarns.

Shows 2 of 10 repeats for the headband.

Contest rules:  You must make your guess-timates by midnight Friday, March 4th, and the closest to correct wins!  There will be three winners, one in each contest, even if I have to have a run-off in case of ties. (Unless NO ONE enters.)
Good luck!

A Knitter's Cruise

My knitting of choice:  We spent 4 days on a schooner in Maine... Not a knitter's cruise unless you consider that 8 out of 24 on board were knitters!  I chose socks at the last minute.  Stopped at Wooly Ewe in East Aurora, NY pre-cruise and looked for yarn that would be a muted colorway to do justice to the Sunshine pattern in my favorite book, Sock Innovations.  I renamed the pattern "Windward" to celebrate the cruise.

The Windjammer Sock.

Socks in Lang Aktion and baby sweater by the newest knitter.

Dog bones for the Doggy sweater.

More socks finished.

Our own "Cookie" whipped out a hat and began another hat from the "not just socks" book.

Lots of knitting was completed:

And there were lots of happy sailors!

Knitting is EASY!!

I mean, follow these instructions:

1. Leave out the yarn overs
2. Ignore S2KP's
3. Cast on no more than 154 stitches
4. Use size US #10 or larger needles
5. Bind off at the 10 inch length

And you have a project done in "One Freakin' Day!"

That makes this Momma a Happy Momma!

My current projects on hold for that day:

1. Sewing the legs and arms on a baby toy (blog post: Wednesday, May 05 2010)
2. Sewing the seams of a baby cardigan (blog post: Thursday, Apr 15 2010)
3. Lace Tunic: Second round section is finished! (blog post:Friday, April 23, 2010)
4. Vilai Socks (blog post: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010)
5. A second mitten (It's been so long I have no blog posts on this one! Ravelry)
6. A second sock in mindless straight knitting (So far not blog-worthy: Ravelry)

Particular Hats

My philosophy on Hats:  The farther away from the equator you live, the more picky discerning you are about your hat.  I live at 36º N, and I have several hats in the closet that I wear. One in particular I wear for taking the dog out at night in the winter. I know its qualities of warmth, and snugness, and I don't care about the color (it's dark out!).  I have two felted cloche type hats (one white, one black) which I wear maybe once a year, when I can be outside and want to look "stylish". OK. Anyone who knows me... "stylish" doesn't compute. I'm not fussy.
However, my daughter, who lives at 60º N, has certain parameters for a hat. I understand it's a necessity, even a survival aspect, and her boyfriend is even more "discerning".  If it covers your ears, and holds your hair in place, and it isn't too pointy, and has nothing dangling from it, and matches mittens, you have a winner. 


I love to knit. But the specifications are sometimes just too limiting, and I hate setting myself up for disapproval.  I wonder how many of my hats are in the Salvation Army Store? 

For the past 3 days, I knitted a beautiful "Floating Spiral" hat with mixed results.  I'm wearing it at this moment. I'm growing fond of it, in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, and it's perfect for the extra warmth while sitting here in a chilly house. Hat and bathrobe... I see no conflict of style!