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Sooo I accidentally skipped posting yesterday. Whoops. Anyway, I finished the yarn I was spinning, the first yarn on my new wheel:
It came out more or less exactly as intended–a heavy sport/light dk two ply with decent yardage. I got 240 yards and it did puff up a little in the wash. I spun it woolen with a short forward draw.
The spinning went by SO FAST. Less than a week. And the plying I did in just a couple of hours. I could only fit about 2 ounces on my bobbins so I had to splice the two halves together to get one skein. The join is pretty thick, so I’ll have to work on that for the next skein.
As I said, I’m going to send it to Lisa, who sent me the wheel I spun it on. Seems right she should get the first product of the wheel. I hope she likes it–and I’ll get to spinning the next skein!
Hello all! I am officially back to the blog. *dance* Things on the old laptop are still clusterfuck-esque, but in the mean time, I have a small temp laptop which works just as well and (more importantly) will allow me to share pictures of crafty things. There are several things to post since I’ve last been at the pictures.
First: My Talia, finished a couple of weeks ago. I used about 2.5 skeins of Vanna Choice acrylic:
It was a bit snug and in the future, I would make the small instead of the extra small. Because of this (and also a lack of buttons), I made a tie front using a length of croceted chain, and that’s working out just fine.
Next: My first pair of mittens made from a more or less improvised pattern using 4.5mm dpns and Ella Rae Classic wool (and a little Lion Wool for the contrast):
I don’t know if you can tell in the picture, but one of the pair is considerable larger than the other, but I am still quite proud of them. I wore them to play in the snow, so the palms are a little felted, but I still adore them. : )
I also made my friend Jon a pair of fingerless mitts so he can have warm hands but be able to press buttons on his camera. They are made out of Vanna’s Choice, random blue acrylic, and my mitten pattern, just without the tops.
He’s very silly. : )
Last but not least, I made myself a cold weather set out of the softest, most amazing yarn EVER. The yarn is Mirasol Miski, which is made from baby llama fur. It is SO SOFT AND SO WARM OH MY GOD.
The set consists of mittens and a cowl (which is just a seamed garter stitch rectangle) and will include a hat when I finish knitting it (just a basic beanie).
I’ve also cast on recently for a Corona (Ravelry link) which currently looks like this:
I’m using Vanna’s Choice again because it’s what I have. And it’s cheap. And I’m a cheap college student.
Soon, probably, I will also have secret swap pictures to show, but you’ll just have to wait. : )
After much time and much vacationing in Florida, I come bearing pictures of all the FO’s I did over winter break. I finished a ton of things, including two hats, two calorimetries, a shrug, and some other things. Pictures!
Hat number one: cable and rib hat of my own divising, based on the pattern from the cable and rib scarf which resembles the Irish Hiking scarf/hat, though that wasn’t intentional.
Bernat Softee Chunky, size 8 dpn’s and a circular, knitted rather loosely.
Two calorimetries, one of which is a gift, and one of which I may keep for myself or may be a gift.
Random blue acrylic from the stash and hand-dyed wool from a thrift store sweater. The pink, hand-dyed one was done using tie-dye, and I crocheted the buttons for both myself due to lack of buttons. I adore this pattern because it knits up, no joke, in two hours. Yay. I only cast on 80 for both, and that was plenty long enough. I repeated row 5 enough times to get 22 stitches on either side of the marker. On the blue one, I used a wrap and turn thing (s last stitch wyif, turn, s1 purlwise, p1, etc.) to make the holes smaller, which worked wonderfully.
Circular shrug:
Made with Caron Simply Soft and size 8’s. CO 200, which worked out fine. Made for my sister for Christmas. The damn thing took FOREVER to knit, and I was very much glad when it was finished. (It is totally finished, seaming and all, I just don’t quite have pictures of the finished project quite yet.
Another hat:
Random blue acrylic and blue Simply Soft, size 8 dpn’s and a circular. Made for my brother for Christmas. Just a simple stockinette with a roll brim.
Coffee Cozies:
Mostly various colors of Red Heart Super Saver in very small amounts I had in the stash. I started browsing a list of various stitches, and that’s how I did the checkerboard one, but I mostly just used variagated yarn or stripes to do my basic coffee cozy: CO 13 or 15 and keep a garter border for three stitches on each side, stockinette in the middle. Continue for nine inches or to fit, sew together. I don’t really know to whom these will go but, there is one that I know the recipient of:
That is my sad attempt at embroidery. It’s a dinosaur; can you tell? Well, I tried.
Currently on the needles, I have a scarf for a friend (which needs to be finished by Monday) and a ladder yarn scarf for my mother, but who knows when that will get finished. In the planning stages, I have a beret (the Meret, actually), a Talia vest (from Knitty) and various unbloggable (well, until much later anyway) things. Also, I bought a bunch of tees, so looks for some t-shirt tote bags on Etsy (and here) soon.
Since last updating, I’ve finished a hat and a coffee cozy and have ALMOST finished my sister’s circular shrug (I have about two and a half more inches of ribbing, and then I have to seam). I’ve still got a couple of things to make for various friends at school including at least one calorimetry, a beanie, and a bunch more coffee cozies.
I’m currently in Florida until the fifth of January, so updates will be a bit scarce. The internet is a little iffy, so I won’t be able to post pictures until I get home to my own internet connection. Then I’ll have pictures of the rest of the Christmas knitting, and possibly some other things.
Also, though I knit with needles and not usually a loom, this scarf looks SO COOL. I’ll have to try it out with some stash yarn.
For my Grandmother for Christmas, I made her two dishcloths:
I used Lily cotton and size 8 needles. I think they probably should have been done with 6’s or 7’s to tighten them up, but I like how they came out, especially after blocking.
I also finished a hat for myself because my ears were cold in the Fredericksburg winter:
I used Bernat Alpaca Blends and 8’s (I think) I knitted it flat, sewed it up into a tube and pulled the top tight. It didn’t close all the way, so I crocheted a circle on the inside so cold air wouldn’t get in. I crocheted the earflaps and sewed them on. It’s very cozy and very soft.
I also made a pair of birds (lovebirds), one for Jon and one for Sarah. They’re cutesy and such, so I call them “lovebirds”. They were extremely amused by their gift. : )
I used a G hook and Lily cotton, plus a scrap of orange Red Heart for the beaks. I used actual safety eyes also. I love how they turned out.
Since my last post, I’ve finished three scarves. Three! First is the Bernat Softee Chunky cable scarf, which was for my friend Janet’s birthday. I lack pictures of the finished product since I gave it to her, but it looks just like the last picture except longer without knitting needles attached. Also, it has fringe.
There’s also my Irish Hiking Scarf, made from Bernat Satin and 8’s:
It was taking FOREVER, so I’m very glad it’s all finished and cast off and ends woven in. : )
There’s also this scarf:
Don’t be fooled by its demure image here. That scarf is the spawn of Satan, manifested in yarn. The deal with this scarf is that my mother bought some yarn and I’d knit it up for Christmas because the LAST scarf I made her is full of holes and is falling apart. I took on the project because, well, I figure I should probably do something for my mother for Christmas. The scarf is made of Paton Pooch and Lion Brand Fun Fur on bamboo 10’s, and it is a bitch and a half. Either of those yarns on their own would be hellish, but together? It’s the freakin’ apocalypse.
Over Thanksgiving, I also whipped up this bunny rabbit from some random fuzzy white acrylic and a pair of 10’s:
I think it’s adorable. Also for the bf’s birthday because A, he loves rabbits and B, birthdays are more important than Christmas so he gets two things. : ) I had tried this pattern before, unsuccessfully, but I finally got it right this time. : )
I’ve started working on some dishcloths for my grandmother for Christmas, and I’ll have pictures of those when I’m finished with the set. I still have a ton of knitting to do for Christmas, but I’m making progress, and I think I’m going to have plenty of time.
Well, it’s the end of November, and for Craftsters, that can mean only one thing: Less than a month to go to get all of the Christmas presents finished. The end of November means the beginning of December, and December means late nights frantically weaving in ends and seaming. Happily for me, many of my Christmas projects don’t need to be completed until mid-January when I get back to school (my friends will be getting their Christmas presents after winter break, giving me an extra 2-3 weeks to finish up the knitting). I do have family to craft for, though, and a December birthday present (early December… Much of Thanksgiving break is going to be spent on this scarf).
First on the list, a Christmas/Birthday combo gift, the cable/rib scarf I referred to in a previous entry:
It’s getting there, but I’ve got a bit to go yet. Made out of Bernat Softee Chunky on 11’s.
Next: an iPod sweater for my sister. It’s done in 2×1 rib with a ribbed pocket sewn on the back for headphones. The pocket is a little funny, but it’s my sister and she won’t care too much.
It’s made out of some nameless sport-weight acrylic, holding two strands together. On my 8’s, which are basically my favorite needles ever.
I’ve been feeling rather green about this Christmas, so I whipped up a collection of coffee cozies. They’re designed to take the place of the cardboard things you get at coffee shops that keep your hands from burning. I have five of at least ten finished, but they only take about an hour total to make, so it won’t be hard to make more. They’re made out of various colors of Red Heart Super Saver.
I’m particularly fond of that last one there, which can be used for coffee shop mugs or ceramic mugs at home. I will definitely be making more in that style, though with some kind of border because the stockinette curls terribly. There are also two cabled ones, two in seed stitch (only one made it into the picture), and one that has ribbing and was knit longways instead of shortways, like the other ones. I’m keeping that one for myself because the seaming is full of suck, and I don’t really want to inflict that on my friends and family.
Finally: an Irish Hiking Scarf for the Boyfriend’s birthday. Interestingly, the cast on has 42 stitches which provides a nice little Hitchhiker’s reference that he will enjoy.
I used Bernat Satin, which is lovely and soft and joyous to knit with, except it does not slide well over my bamboo needles, so I will be switching to aluminum when I get home (because when I left for college, I was thinking, “I only even knit scarves, and I much prefer to crochet, so I only need a couple pairs of needles, and there’s no possible way this decision will come back to haunt me.”)
In total, after all Christmas and Birthday gifts have been completed, I will have:
– 6 scarves
– at least ten coffee cozies (probably WAY more)
– 2 hats
– a pair of armwarmers
– 2/3 PDA cozies
– a dress (I’m sewing one for my sister once she picks out fabric)
– 6 dishcloths
– a Swiffer cover for the roommate
I’ve finished a scarf, the armwarmers, 2 PDA cozies, and five coffee cozies. I really ought to get knitting.
No pictures in this post, sorry. Haven’t gotten around to taking any. But a couple of updates:
1. I finished the garter striped scarf, which is good cause I was getting tired of knitting it.
2. My cabled scarf is coming along nicely and is probably about 60 percent finished.
3. I started making coffee cup cozies, a couple for coffee shop cups and a couple for mugs. Lots of people will be getting them for Christmas.
4. I’ve decided to work up some dishcloths in some Sugar and Cream I’ve got in my stash. There are a bunch in my Ravelry queue. They will probably be for my mother’s birthday and my Grandmother’s Christmas present. Though there is a Transformers one that is just bitchin’ that I’ll make for myself, though probably not until after the holidays.
5. Still have no idea what to make for the boys in my life. Possibly scarves. The brother will be difficult to knit for though.
First: I finished my Mrs. Darcy Cardigan, which is actually a vest because I didn’t feel like knitting sleeves and also I didn’t have enough yarn.
It’s a little bit lumpy on the sides, but I really like the buttons. Also, it’s really warm, which is surprising considering it’s a vest. Ah, wool. I’m a big fan of this vest, and there’s a good chance I’ll be making more in different colors.
I’ve also been working on a cabled cardigan which I’ve finished almost all the way to the sleeves, but I ran out of yarn:
The yarn in question was once a sweater that I found at the thrift store. The label said pure wool, so I picked it up for cheap and unraveled it. Now it will be a pretty cardi to keep my torso and neck warm. : )
I’ve also been working off and on on this simple striped garter scarf:
It’s for a friend’s (Jon, boyfriend of model/armwarmer recipient Sarah in previous photos) Christmas present, which I may have mentioned in a previous post.
All of this means I have the following projects on the needles:
– Garter scarf
– Cabled Cardi
– Cabled Scarf (which I don’t have pictures of currently, but will include in a later post)
– Ballet Cardigan (which will most likely get frogged)
And I still need to come up with awesome scarf patterns for Christmas presents. Also, I need to start an iPod case for my sister and a scarf for my mother (which I can’t start until Thanksgiving since she bought the yarn). I’m also planning golf club covers for my father and I don’t even know what for my brother. What the hell do you get 14-year-old boys for Christmas/their birthdays?
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 