An Endless Stream of Projects

It's Christmas knitting time! I've learned that it's never to early to begin on Christmas gifts...

Here's a hat for Lance's mom made with some beautiful Crystal Palaces Tao, using this pattern (with modifications).


...and also a scarf. I started working on it, and decided that she would love it. The Lace Ribbon Scarf pattern is easy and delightful!

I also knit up a pair of baby bootees and a hat for a friend--they loved them.


I finally updated all of my project pictures on Ravelry, so I wanted to share a few projects that I've completed--and others that I've been working on. I better keep knitting or I might not get everything done in time for Christmas!

Get Your Knit On

Last night, I hosted knitting group once again. It was fabulous: we had homemade crackers, cider that I made myself (well, spiced up apple juice), wine, and loads of chatting and knitting. It was great fun, and I hope to continue it through the winter.

Today, on my internet browsing, I stumbled upon this: Popknits! The are like a vintage Knitty, and they have free patterns. Sorry fellas...not much for you. But maybe in the future! Check it out. I'm thinking about making the cowl, personally.

I'm also thinking about making a quick 'n' easy sweater. This one looks (Ravelry link) looks pretty nice--here is Amanda's lovely rendition. It looks so good! I think it would be a lovely sweater project.

The other one promises to be just as fun, knit on big needles with chunky yarn, the Chic Cowl Neck. It sounds fast and looks really cute. I'm a fan of the short sleeved one, personally.

But first, I must knit for Christmas. I feel a little sad because I would like to knit a sweater, but I think all I can do is plan to knit them and wait until I get my Christmas crafting done.

Are you all planning any Christmas knitting yet?

Dish Rag Tag--The Sequel

Last year, I participated in a Dish Rag Tag, which I thought was really fun. So I signed up again this year, and last night when I got home, I had a box waiting for me.

Inside was a dishcloth for me to keep, knit with some great striping cotton (which I can't find anywhere near me, argh!), a ball of green cotton, some soaps, and the pattern. I grabbed my needles, and set to work.

Rory helps the speed knitting...

Several hours later, I had finished the pattern. It was awesome--I finished it quickly, and if I took it down to the Post Office, I'd be able to claim same day turn around!

I had whipped up some Mexican Wedding Cookies the night before (in anticipation) and had my ball of cotton ready to go, so I tossed it all in the box.

Go Rag Tag Fleet! Speed on!

Swiftly Winding

In the seventh season of Gilmore Girls, Stars Hollow hosts a Knit-athon to raise money to restore the town bridge. One scene shows the characters winding a ball of yarn off of a swift.

Ah, Lance thinks to himself, I will get that for Jenn's birthday next week.



And now my knitting friends, I have a swift and a ball winder. And they are awesome.


There I am, winding my first ball of yarn! I suspect that all my local knitting/crocheting buddies will be using it as well. And I'll encourage it because it would be nasty of me not too share my bounty with them. Happy birthday to me!!

Thursday Knit-In

With four knitters in attendance, Kniterati met up last night. It was great: we had veggies and various dips, a late arrival of garden-fresh strawberries, and wine. And let us not forget knitting.

I'm working on balling up my yarn to start work on Clapotis. After doing one, I gave up and started working on my Lace Ribbon Scarf, which is a fun lace project for anyone interested in learning to read lace patterns. Depending on the length, it'll either be mine or become a Christmas gift for one of the many women in my circle. It's pretty fun.

Rory (the cat) decided to plop in the middle of our group and harass Kathy. She kept attacking her scarf and generally harassing everyone. I guess kitties like knitting too, hehe.

I don't know when the next meeting will be...but likely soon! It's become a really relaxing knitting time, since I live alone now, and also don't stress out about everyone coming over. I look forward to continuing to host it.

The Promised Baby Hat

(Warning--several Ravelry links follow). Using a pattern that I know Secret Knitter is fond of, I knit a little baby hat for my friend (the same one the bootees are for). It's soft and warm, and hopefully will fit the little guy's head.

I knit this up in one day (wow!) as I was recovering from the swift-but-vicious bug that I caught last week. The color choice is a little odd, but I was also using up leftover bits of yarn, something that baby projects are perfect for, I've discovered. And baby projects are perfect for almost-instant gratification--start it today, finish it tonight!

I altered the pattern a teensy bit, removing the garter stitch ridges on the main hat body, and adding more decreases before binding off. I also (like Secret Knitter) used the magic loop method and knit it on the round instead of flat (I hate seams anyway, and it looks nicer without them). I'm pretty happy with it, so hopefully the new mom and baby will be too!

Cable Issues?

For those of you who have ventured into Cable Land (which is super fun, if you haven't), you'll quickly discover the problem of what to do with that dratted cable needle when you're not using it. Behold, a solution.

Pretty cute, right? And so useful. I sometimes just stick the needle into my project, but sometimes that backfires. And a lot of times, I'm wandering around wondering where my cable needle went.

This is of course if you haven't mastered the trick of knitting cables without a needle. Some of us (including the creator of this handy holder) are a bit scared to just leave those stitches floating out there without something to keep them from falling out, okay?

(Being sick has thrown off my sleep schedule a bit. I'm starting to feel better, but now I'm awake and restless since I've been trapped in my house since the flu-bug thing attacked me Wednesday evening. Incidentally, I used that energy to finish the baby bootees you saw earlier, and a baby hat that you'll see once I take some pictures. Thank goodness I think I'm well enough to escape for a short time tomorrow... But damn I've finished up some knitting--perhaps I'll finally finish Isabella this weekend.)

Baby Bootees

ADAllen made these (Ravelry link) and I wanted to make them too. Then one of my best friends found out she was pregnant, and as soon as she told me that she was having a boy and that her colors were green, I made these:



I love them. I think they're adorable. I want to knit like 80 pairs because they are quick and adorable and fun. Excellent!

Knitting Controversies

Knitters and the BBC face off:

http://techdirt.com/articles/20080509/1244161074.shtml

It's an interesting comment on the BBC's decision to go after fans who have created knitting patterns of Doctor Who characters. Who knew that knitting could create such a controversy?

Loopy Fetchings

I taught myself the Magic Loop knitting method this week, using Fetching as a excuse to try it out. I have to say I love it. I'm extremely fond of using dpns, but there is something, well, magical about using this technique. Plus, I have awesome new needles from Knit Picks that are apparently perfect for Magic Loop.

I discovered that I needed to knit them smaller, so I'm using size 4 needles. I also might try some shaping around the wrist on the second one, since they are quick to knit, and I can experiment with the second one. I don't really like them to be too loose. See my Ravelry page for more info on them.

KB is supposed to be on Ravelry soon, incidentally, so I can't wait!

I Made a Hat

I've had a recent flair-up in my desire to knit. I suddenly have plans for big projects. I'm also jump-starting the knitting group, so yay!

Here's a hat that I finished today at lunch with KB:


Isn't it pretty? Foliage of my favorite patterns--I've knit it three times now, and I love it. I subtracted one repeat because I was running out of yarn, but it seemed to be just fine. I made it for someone with light brown hair, so I think it'll look really nice on her.

I'm excited about starting Kniterati back up again...and for working on new cool projects. Whee!

The new nook

Over the weekend, inspired Noel's cleaning and organizing binge while I was out of town, I decided to finally put my knit nook together. There's a little corner by our garage that I used to use as my home office when we first moved in, with a desk, chair, and bookcases. But the addition of home WiFi to our life, plus my general disorganization and packrattery, meant that the desk corner quickly became a dumping ground for all kinds of papers and files and computer equipment and camcorder tapes.

Several months ago, when Archer started bringing homework home from school, I decided he needed to have the desk in his room. So I bought some wireframe storage cubes to make the soon-to-be-vacant nook into my knitting storage corner.

It took a long time to get around to it -- and some of the crap on the desk has just been moved to a temporary staging area in the guest room -- but I now have a home for all the yarn that was previously stuffed on my side of the bed, and all the needles that were previously stuffed in pockets in my knitting bag, and all the notions that were scattered in various project bags all over the house. Behold -- the knitting nook!



My sock yarn stash:



And a few special single skeins for display:



How do you store your yarn and tools?

What have we learned?

It's 2008 -- time to take stock! What did we learn about knitting this past year? What new techniques did we master, or at least try? What are we most desirous of learning (or attempting) this year?

As a new knitter, almost everything I did had some learning in it. The only thing I entered 2007 knowing how to do was knit and purl. But then again -- looked at from a certain angle, that's the only things you need to know how to do!

So my steep learning curve in 2007 included:

• socks, which themselves include:
• dpn's
• knitting in the round
• picking up stitches
• short rows
• reading a lace chart
• provisional cast-on
• Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind-off
  
• I-cord
• Judy's magic cast-on for toe-up socks
• single crochet
• picot bind-off
• Magic Loop
• cables

I imagine the pace will slacken a bit in 2008 as I knit a few things that aren't entirely new to me. But I plan to accomplish a sweater and knit socks two at a time. I'm sure something else will occur to me.

What about you?