Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The List

OK- now that it is a week until Christmas it is time to revisit the list from last month: with the updates marked:

LIST
2 (or 3) pairs of socks (Waving Lace 75% done with pair, just turned the heel on sock #2)
multidirectional scarf- DONE
2 hats- double layered- DONE
felted slippers- DONE
3 to 6 ornaments- DONE
1 or 2 sets of Fetching
felted handbag- DONE
lace shawl- DONE
Hokie Koolhaas Hat- DONE
2 Calorimetry's- DONE
1 pr Monkey Socks- DONE

Well, it's not looking too bad- still working on a pair of socks so only one pair will be completed rather than the 2 (or 3- what was I thinking). The 1 or 2 sets of Fetching will NOT get done...oh well Birthdays are in February so those can be put off until then, can't they? I'm feeling pretty good although my husband's ski socks are just 50% done...ski trip is the 2nd week of January so he'll still have them in time for the second sock. I would have been able to complete the pair, BUT I had to frog the first sock when it was WAY to large in the ankle area.

I have added 3 more ornaments to have done by Christmas AM....that is it. Back to the sock..gotta finish that by Friday.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

42 Days...Oh Nooo

OK, we have less than 45 days (42?!!) until Christmas and I need to access my list of WIP's vs FO's. I may need to adjust my mindset just a smidge. I have 2+ pairs of socks to finish- hard to finish when they aren't even on the needles now isn't it? Anyway, I need to get crakin' on those! A pair of felted slippers to get done, another hat or 2 and some cool ornaments knitted out of left over sock yarn (Vogue Knitting).

A multidirectional scarf is 50% done and will be completed in another night or 222.... I need a new handbag to match my Hanne Mermaid, but it will need to wait until all the others are DONE. Must get a move on all of this now.

LIST
2 (or 3) pairs of socks
multidirectional scarf
2 hats- double layered
felted slippers
3 to 6 ornaments
1 or 2 sets of Fetching
felted handbag- DONE
lace shawl- DONE
Hokie Koolhaas Hat- DONE
2 Calorimetry's- DONE
1 pr Monkey Socks- DONE

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Calorimetry

Oops- forgot all about the Calorimetry I completed in 4 HOURS! Talk about instant gratification! I started it Halloween night before the Trick or Treaters so I'd have something to do that did not require concentration, counting and all the repeated interuptions would not create problems. This was the perfect project and fit all the criteria one the intial CO was complete.

It's a tad bit large for me.... I think if I had more hair (long and full vs short short) it would be just fine. Doesn't matter really since I'm planning on it be a gift anyway, but I wanted to see the 'full effect' and it just doesn't work well with the short cut. Maybe I'll do another on smaller needles and fewer stitches.
The details were:
Pattern: Calorimetry by Kathryn Schoendorf


Needles: size 8 Knit Picks Options

Finished size: 17" long, 7 1/2" wide at it's widest point

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Koolhaas


Another FO! I finished the Koolhaas Hat last night...thrilled with how it came out. Love how the yarn feels- so soft and warm.

Pattern: Koolhaas Hat by Jared Flood found in the IK Holiday Gifts Magazine.

Yarn: knitpicks options ,size 6 & 8 knitpicks options on 24" cables and one med sized cable needle

Finished size: 8" tall and 8 1/2" across (at it's widest point)

Now we will see how the person it is intended for likes it- could be a gift that gets regifted? Back to me I hope!

Monday, November 05, 2007

Koolhaus Part I

Started another new project over the weekend- Koolhaas Hat designed by Jared Flood of brooklyntweed. The pattern is in the Interweave Knits Holiday Gift magazine that just hit the newstands. I have enjoyed the pattern once I got through the initial fits of getting the cable technique down for only one stitch.

A tad bit difficult at the start to keep up with the movement between front, back then front when there is only one stitch involved- I did get into a rhythm after one repeat. The yarn is very soft and is working out well- even though it's not worsted. I'm using Berroco's Soft Merino in a burnt orange color.

I hope to be done in another day or so- on the last repeat before the shaping of the crown. Who knows maybe I'll get that far tonight and finish the darn thing....another present almost complete!

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Arrowhead Lace Shawl


Another finished object! It's destined to be a present so I'm on a roll just in time for the Christmas Season. It's an Arrowhead Lace Shawl designed by DragonWing Arts. It was a test knit of her new pattern which can be found on her site. It worked up very well- easy to memorize and knit up nicely using Malabrigo's Stonechat- 2 1/2 skeins.

My biggest problem with the pattern was lack of attention to doing each & every yo indicated. Even worse was the times I added one where one wasn't indicated. Of course it was while I was watching football games that this would occur so I must remember to only knit very simple socks until the Bowl Games are done for the season!
Yarn: Malabrigo's Stonechat from The Yarn Lounge
Needle: Addi Turbo size 10 US circs, 40" long
Finished size: 57" across top, 44" from top edge to bottom point

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Modified Coco Bag


My new modified Coco handbag is almost dry & ready for photography- finally. It had in fact dried once, but after putting in the gromments and rings it just didn't look or feel felted tight enough. So back to the hot water. Almost dry so tomorrow it can all be put together and photographed.

I have finished half of my Emma shawl- it's looking a bit smaller than planned, but once it is blocked it should be a bit longer. I just hope it will be as long as I need it to be...don't want to feel like I "wasted" my Handmaiden Sea Silk!

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Quick Knit

I do love a quick knit! I started a new handbag on Sept 29 and finished the knitting on Oct 2nd- a new record to be sure. Don't ya just love size 13 needles!! I used the Little Coco bag pattern and modified it rather heavily to get the shape I wanted- added to CO sts & rows until it "looked right". I also added a flap by PU sts and decreasing evenly to get a triangular shape. The flap has a buttonhole & really cool handmade button keep it closed.

I had wanted to use some handbag handles rather than icord, but the bag ended up larger than my brain intended so I had to knit up some icord for the handles. Pics to follow once everything is dried from the felting....the shape looks terrific & I love the flap.

One Christmas present down and ready for more!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Finished Mermaid



Last night I finished my Mermaid Jacket! I started it on July 19th and completed Sept 25th which was too bad considering all the questions I had in the beginning. It fits very nicely- flares off the hips and nips in at the waist. I am so pleased that I was able to complete this and have it fit so nice. I had some doubts I must say at the beginning- it isn't "just garter stitch" I can tell you that!


OK- now some measeurement details:
sleeves: top of left sleeve: 24 1/4 inches
underside of left sleeve: 16 inches
top of right sleeve: 24 inches
underside of right sleeve: 16 inches
shoulder seam: right side to bottom edge: 25 inches
left side to bottom: 25 inches
back center line: 25 inches


The jacket has been washed, blocked and is now drying. Let's hope the sleeves haven't grown while wet!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Hokie Monkeys

Yeah! I have finished the Monkey Socks in Claudia Hand Painted "Hokies" yarn before the next VT Game! Maybe this is a good luck sign......They are now soaking in their vinegar bath to stop the bleeding. My left hand is still red from the yarn...at least you know how I hold my knitting!

Now back to the Mermaid sleeve that I stopped a couple of weeks back because I needed color...the black was getting to me, lol. I hope to finish these sleeves by then end of the month, maybe.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

The Body...now on to the Sleeves

Mermaid body is now totally completed- the icord bind off did work as planned and looks very good from both sides. I'm happy with the end results. I started one of the sleeves last night- kind of stuck trying to determine what Hanne means on her increases after Ridge 6. There is already an increase going on for 11 repeats when she talks about doing another for 8 repreats? Confusion reigns again-

Picture of the body to follow later.....

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Mermaid Body


More pictures of the mermaid body!

The Body of Mermaid


I'm done with the body of my Mermaid, well not totally true. I still have to finish the shoulder seams, attach the collar and complete the i-cord bind off all the way around the front edge. I so hope that works as planned.

Then on to the sleeves- I haven't finished writing out those directions yet. I've gotten stuck and actually need to knit up to that point to see if I can figure out what's next. A bit of confusion as to how many & what kind of increase Hanne is talking about after the 6th ridge. I'm heading to the Burg next week so I hope to be at least to there and ask D (or someone) there what's up with that section of increases.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Happy Knitting


Still knitting happily (for the most part anyway) on my Mermaid. I'm actually moving along pretty quickly. I'll finish the 2nd underarm gusset tonight- provided no frogging or stupidity happens- which really could occur.
My last picture was actually done before I finished the back- need to get the batteries charged and new shots done soon!


I'm pleased that it actually is looking like the photo and has become much easiler to knit. That has been the most difficult thing- to get an idea of how Hanne F. writes her pattern directions. I've figured the darn thing out and hope to finish the body by next weekend, maybe....Of course then I have to do the sleeves, they have to be the SAME, then I have to block & put the thing all together.


Joy will occur when that last stage happens- cannot wait!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Mermaid has Arrived

After much longing I received a Hanne Falkenberg kit (Mermaid). An early Christmas present from Mom- Yeah! I have loved this 'jacket' for quite sometime and I finally have it. Of course I wanted to start knitting immediately....after swatching...getting gauge...reading through the directions....re-reading several times OUT LOUD for goodness sakes!

What the heck is up with these directions...unlike any others for sure. Too many "at the same times" for my comfort. I did some reseach & found a Hanne KAL http://hannealong.blogspot.com/ that I joined for the help I knew I'd need since my LYS isn't exactly close. I started not with the recommended i-cord, but did a provisional cast on per members of the KAL. So far so good, but I've stopped at the striping due to fear of not putting the decreases in the right spot. Waiting on the experts that have gotten thru the process before I continue forth- don't want to frog this yarn too much, lol.

I think I'll work on my Lutea Lace Tank for a bit until I'm sure of what to do with these decreases.

Monday, July 02, 2007

The Plan...or Lack Thereof

OK, I've got this blog thing just to keep the knitting sane, but I never seem to sit down long enough to write anything on it's pages. Several knitting projects are complete so for the week I'm going to seriously consider getting them all up caught up on this here blog. Yep, that's the plan...I'm serious!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

My First Socks

I have finally finished my first pair of socks! Yeah Me!! I absolutely love these socks. The pattern is Jitterbug's Simple Sock (on the ball band) on size 1 DPN's using Jitterbug's Sahara....pics to follow. The first sock took about a week to complete due to some problems that I kept repeating- namely when I turned the heel I knitted on the wrong side not once, twice or even three times! It was way more than that, lost count and ripped back at least 6 times. What was I thinking...well not thinking I guess would be the correct term here. I finally had the light bulb moment and turned the sock around so I was knitting on the correct size and finished up pretty quick. I thought the grafting would be difficult, but it wasn't...as long as I took my time & thought about which needle I was on all was well on my first Kitchner attempt.

The 2nd sock I started while on a ski trip and took the whole week to complete with only one major rip out...for some reason when I picked up the heel stitches one side was all wonky. Of course I didn't realize this until I was about to decrease for the toes & tried the sock on first...debated on just finishing it the way it was, but thought better of it and ripped back to the heel and redid the whole thing. I love the socks....another addiction coming up.

Jitterbug Socks




Friday, January 19, 2007

Finished


Well it's been awhile since I last posted...too busy seems to the best explanation. I finished quite a few projects before the Christmas Holidays. Two multidirectional scarfs, another modified Coco bag, 3 Noro felted nesting boxes, and quite a few ballband dishcloths so the holidays had quite a bit of handknits as gifts.

I should post the pics, but I haven't downloaded them so they'll follow later. I just completed a black Coco bag for myself. I love the shape of the bag and the beads I'll be using to fashion a closure. Now I only have two projects on the needles- one Irish Hiking Scarf ( http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingcarf.htm ) in chocolate brown Galway and a blue Berroco Ultra Alpacha yarns. It's my first cable project and it's turning out terrific. The Ultra Alpacha yarn is so very soft.

My other project could take a tad bit longer to complete. It's another modern log cabin (pattern from Mason Dixon Knitting). Although it is only going to be 48" x 72". Not nearly the queen size of my last blanket. I'm using all Brown Sheep's Nature Spun in four colors: scarlet, sunburst gold, blue knight and grecian olive. I'm on the fourth block and I really hope to finish by March 1st. Not sure it will happen with all that will be going on around here in the next few weeks. More on that later.....