January 2009

New year, New knitting! Sort of. I spent most of the month finishing my Sweater from Kuryeon Sock yarn sweater. Back to that in a minute.

Before Christmas I asked my daughter, would your boyfriend like one of these hats (danish earflap hats). "Oh no, he doesn't wear hats." Ask my son about a friend of his too. Same answer. As I said before, my kids loved theirs and wear them all the time. My son did say he'd like another in red and black. So, they are back at college and I get a call from my daughter, Dave saw my hat and would really like one. "I thought he didn't wear hats?".... Ok, I'll make him one. A few days later, I get another call from my daughter, "I was having dinner with the boys swim team and love my hat." Are you kidding me?? At swim meets they have a chinese auction to raise money, so I made two hats in the school colors for the auction. I told her if the boys want a hat, have their parents bid on one. So I still have to make the red and black one for my son and I get a call from him. "My friend really likes my hat and would like one after all." .... Ok, what colors does he want? The hats were all delivered and a huge success. Mothers came to me at the swim meet saying they put all their tickets in the hat cup and if they don't win, I will have to make one for them...I hope they win! So far, 11 hats.

Back to the sweater, it's really cute and I love the colors. It is knit with Noro's Kureyon Sock yarn on size 2 needles. It was not the quickest knit, but I did enjoy it.

From one extreme to the other, I just finished (and I mean just, about 15 minutes ago) an Einstein Coat from Sally Melville's book, The Knitting Experience: Book I, The Knit Stitch. I knit it with Araucaria's Nature Wool Chunky on size 10 needles. The entire coat is garter stitch and a great beginner project. We are going to offer this as a class at the shop. I saw a customer wearing this coat and it is really cute on. It is so popular it even has it's own ravelry group.

And now, I know there are still unfinished things in my bag, shhhh... I am going to make a pair of felted clogs and do a class. And I am going to cast on today to start a cute wrap top out of a new yarn from Sirdar, Crofter. And, I almost forget, I have the yarn pulled to make somethoing from the Knit One Below Book. I need more hours in the day!

Until next month.... Nancy

Done!

December, 2008

Happy New Year, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I had a busy knitting month, but I don't feel like I have a lot to show for it. All that Christmas shopping and cooking (and eating) must have gotten in the way. Well, here's what I did get done:

First, more hats. Two more earflap hats and 2 more pairs of fingerless gloves. They were for gifts and very well received. And by the way, the two hats I made last month, one for each of my children (and I use the term children loosley, they are 21 and 18), were very big hits. My son wore his the whole week he was home, even around the house. (maybe I should turn the heat on!) I also have requests for 2 more, another for my son and one for his friend. I have other things I want to knit!!

I also made him a tie, no not the one I started .... months ago, but a new one. It was shown in this month's Knitter's magazine and I thought, that's cute, I can whip that up before the holidays. Hmmm... the knitting wasn't too bad. It is Opal's Harry Potter sock yarn, but it was a bear to finish. You sew the back together as a center seam, not so bad, but the main part of the tie is overlapped and sewn together. I had to tack down the one layer (hard to see) and then sew the other layer. I might not do this again.

Also from Knitter's Magazine, Winter 2008, came an idea for another sweater. They made a sweater (pg. 89) using 2 strands of different colors of Trekking XXL sock yarn. It is knit on a size 8 needle as a worsted weight. What a great idea. I didn't love the sweater they made, so I looked for another worsted weight pattern and decided on the South Slope Cardigan from Oat Couture. I too, used 2 strands of two different colors of trekking XXl and size 8 needles. The sweater is knit on the diagonal giving a nice effect to the colors. It was a fun way to use sock yarn and really gives you the chance to create "custom" colors.

Well, I must have really liked Knitter's Winter 2008, because I am kntting another sweater from it (Triple Checks, pg.94) and was hoping to have it done in time for this, but I'm not quite there. Hopefully this weekend. It uses Berroco yarns, Inca Gold, Bonsai and Geode. I am using Berroco's Inca Gold. Soft Twist and Jasper. I am working on the band, which ties in the front and hope to be finished very soon. I will post an update, when I finish (hopefully Monday).

I have also started a sweater from Jenny Watson's Catwalk Pattern book out of Noro's Kureyon Sock Yarn. It's going to be a cute little cardigan. I love, love, love the colors. (but you knew that already)

Yes, there are still the UFO's, waiting patiently for me to get back to them. And I will... just not sure when.

Until next month, a very Happy New Year to you all! Nancy