Picture Gallery

A quick backtrack...here are all of the projects that I haven't mentioned up to this point!

Dad's Hat for Christmas. Groovy Tuque patterm, Patons Classic Wool.

The Knotty but Nice hat. Patons Classic Wool. Lots of compliments at school. Started and finished on Christmas Day.

Down-to-Earth Russian-y hat from Hattitude. Took two tries, as the first came out too large for any human. Made with the chunkiest Wool-Ease.

Cabled Hat of Awesomeness. Malabrigo Chunky. Finished in a day. Beyond soft and warm.

First sweater ever! An EZ seamless, probably the Saddle Shoulder, thought the Hybrid keeps tempting me. It's still in pieces :P

An attempt to re-cerate a pair of my mom's old gloves, the pair she bought years before they became so fad-y. Probably will frog it-I want an orange hat, and the second swirl repeat came out looking like a mutated crescent moon.

Gloves for Becca, cabled and ultra dense. Too dense to knit very fast though, meaning she's had to wait a week or more. Whoops! Oh well. She's paying me-I may as well do a good job.

My mom's socks have yet to be photographed. I feel as though I'm stalking an elusive wild animal for the good of modern science...will get to that eventually.

Back For Christmas

Haven't posted in forever, due to school, the holidays, birthday, and some minor comission knitting. However, this Christmas calls for a victory post!

First off, I finally have a yarn swift and ball winder!

Secondly, my family has enjoyed their gifts so far!

My mom's socks still haven't been photographed (she keeps wearing them, sticking them in the hamper, and washing them faster than I can keep track of). My lil' sister received my overly colorful earflap hat whose picture I have misplaced. I felt kind of bad about not having time to line it, but she's still beyond thrilled and wears it everywhere.

My dad has always proven difficult to knit for, as he fears anything tasteful will make him appear overly feminine. He couldn't care less if anyone else dressed in such a way, and has befriended many a man to do so, but he himself will never be caught dead in anything metrosexual or stylish. I spent most of the fall inquiring about his opinions of various hat patterns (supposedly they were "for the boyfriend"). The final decision was that to be acceptable, a hat could have colorwork, if it didn't depict anything. Tassles were acceptable, as they served a practical purpose-they allow him to remove a hat swiftly and easily with mittens on. Cables were okay, maybe, if they weren't curvy (what kind of cables aren't at least partially curvy???) and allover patterns were preferrable to the focus bring taken by one panel. Colors had to be muted, natural, and masculine. With all of this in mind, I found the Groovy Cables Tuque (it said tuque, not toque-I'm assuming they're the same thing) pattern, and knit it up in Patons Classic Wool, Tree Bark Mix, on size 7US needles.

I do believe it turned out fairly well, and he'll at least deign to wear it occassionally. The family thought it looked like something from this designer or that, so it was definitely a crowd pleaser. (It does look better on than off, but no one was home to model).

I also snagged the book Free Range Knitter, and have been reading the little bits of knitting humor all throughout the winter break.

And knitting more hats. I've knit LOTS of hats.

A Pair of Socks...

...for every day of the week!

Yessir, Sunday Swing is my offical seventh pair for ME to wear all winter long!

I think they came out alright, although they're a tad too large on me, so the pattern doesn't show as well as it could, and tends to bunch on the leg. Should have made the size small instead of the medium.

Later last night I had to babysit my cousins, and by the time the evening was over I had another quick project finished as well.

A helmet liner! One of the women at my church saw me knitting my socks, and handed me the free pattern along with some Paton Classic Wool in Deep Olive, supplied by Micheals. They get sent to troops serving overseas, which is why they need to be knit in 100% wool (acrylic is flammable) and in an appropriate color to match their uniforms. (Deep Olive was specified by the instructions). I think it came out alright, and I may look into whipping up a few more. I don't like war, but that's no reason not to support the troops.

Now off to an early Thanksgiving dinner with my mom's side...

Quick Break

Oh my gosh. Portfolio week for IB, and I am BEAT. Since I last posted, I have accomplished the following...

Patrick's birthday hat is finished, with ample time between now and the big day. (Which is one day after mine except, ya know, a year earlier. So we're the same age for one day a year. So my dad can't complain that he's too old for me :D ). I won't post a picture in case my some accident I forget it's on here and he looks, but I'll just have you know. It's pretty sweet. Nuf said.

Secondly, following that hat victory I decided to take a swing at kinda sort half designing my own hat (as modeled by one of my teddy bears :) ).
The shape is an only slightly altered version of another pattern I found (can't remember the source just now...) and the designs are either borrowed from other hat patterns, or taken off of the street or from my own noggin. Overall it's a little big, but that means it won't flatten my hair, so it's all good. I wore it to the sectionals game the other weekend, and though I was freezing, it wasn't because my head was chilly.

I also began a quick pair of ribbed socks, and finished the first one and have started the second.

The ribbing goes from cuff to toes, and I used an Eye of Partridge heel just to see how it would look. Super simple, with a pretty colorway for machine dyed sock yarn. Whether they're for me or for use as a Christmas gift, the ribbing is sure to accommodate at least a few different sizes.

Yeah. That's about it.

Why I Knit

So lately the temperature has plummeted to almost record lows for this time of year, and with all of the homecoming activities and dog walks (and walks with the boyfriend :D lol ) I had skipped up to the attic to locate our bin full of winter gear. Now, as a knitter I of course own a plethora of hand knit hats, and have little if any real "need" for the store-bought variety. However, there has been one exception to this.

Last year for Christmas, one of my sets of grandparents bestowed upon me a hat. It was from my favorite store, made of chunky cables with a hot pink crown and a white bottom. It had huge ear flaps, and braided ties, and the lower half was lined with the softest ever fleece. I loved this hat. I wore it absolutely everywhere I could, and even declined to knit my own ear flap hat, only to have it fall short of this perfection.

Happily searching through the bin, I pulled out scarf after scarf and mittens galore, thinking fondly of their beginnings. The hat, though stayed in the back of my mind. It was only when my fingertips brushed the bottom of the container that I realized, with a gasp of horror...the hat wasn't there! I panicked, and by the time I had thoroughly searched the attic I had strewn bags and coats and pocket linings all about the floor. How could I have lost it?!? The mudroom received the same treatment. The pantry. The basement. In the end, I finally had to resign myself to the fact that my hat was gone. Heartbroken, I attended football games and tailgates, only halfheartedly displaying my homemade cabled cappers perched atop my hair. Then last night, the night of homecoming, this all changed!

Milling through the impossibly thick crowd, my eyes wandered from hat to hat. Funky color work, chunky diamond cables, and peruvian chullos were everywhere. Wait...it was the hat!!! Over in a group of freshman sat the same exact hat, only with a cheeky red crown instead of a pink one. I felt envy at her fuzzy fleeced brand-named warmth. Until I remembered-wearing that hat meant wearing the same exact hat as a girl I had never met, and may have had nothing in common with. My red topper, bobbled and cabled, spoke volumes more because I had made it. Even if Emmydee goes to the store tomorrow and picks up Charmed Knits and some Patons wool, her hat won't be like mine. Even just looking at our Half Blood Prince hats, anyone could tell two different people made them. This is why I knit. To add some personality and spice that can never be replicated, ever!

Ok, SOOOO...

Gwynedd is finished, and she was quite the marathon! (Or, at the very least, a 5K).

Super thick and warm, this scarf will be a gorgeous staple in my wardrobe this winter, I do believe.

Al so finished a while ago was my Fern Glade, the slouchy version, and while it's a bit big (shocking, I know. Usually my cranium is beyond any other sizewise), it's pretty and a nice change for boring outfit days when I want to funk it up a little bit.

Lovely.

When I needed a small, easy project to work on while on the recumbent bike, I cast on some easy handwarmers in Knitpicks Peruvian Highland Wool, color Cherry Blossom. The picture turned out terrible, I'll take another one later, but these have proved super useful. The pattern is called Emerald Green Handwarmers, but obviously these aren't. The wool is inexpensive, and the pair was knit in two or three hours, so these have become my workhorse handwarmers. I can wear them in the frigid school basement when writing essays during study hall, and if they start to pill or lose texture on the right hand from friction it won't be too large a loss. I even have two more skeins of the yarn if I want an exact replacement! (This pair took less than one skein).

Lastly, I finally started my Harry Potter scarf!

I picked up four skeins of Paton Classic Wool Merino in Burgundy and one in Old Gold, and so far the colors are pretty close to that of the movie. Some of the others I've seen looked too cranberry or plain red, and that was something I wanted to avoid. The 1x1 ribbing isn't boring yet, as the stripes keep it interesting at regular intervals and I'm a relatively quick knitter. It's fabulous mindless knitting for just before or after school, right before bed, or while watching tv. (These also happen to be the only times I'm really able to knit these days, so it all works out perfectly).

The merino is so much softer than the new Patons Classic Wool-I so wish they hadn't changed it! But of course they have, and I'll just have to resign myself to the fact that any other house scarves I make may not be quite as comforting on a cold winter day. I can't wait for this to be finished so I can wear it! (And start the Ravenclaw one soon after I finish Luna's)!

Another Gift Delivered!

Kelley loved her birthday hat, and it sat atop her head, the topic of much conversation, on the rides both to and from Seabreeze.

She has decided it will indeed match her winter coat, and that she will now be that much warmer at the varsity football games and all throughout the winter. Glad to hear it Kel! Happy birthday!

Also, Gwynedd is coming along. I burned through the first of the four skeins of Wool-Ease the other night, and am now at the start of the second. I doubt things will chug along quite so fast once school starts and I'm slammed with homework, but for now I think I've gained a decent head start.

I still need the pattern for the braided cables, but the other sections are generally fairly easy to figure out, and a quick glance at the page every couple of rows usually suffices. I hope this doesn't take quite as long as I fear it will-I don't want to lose steam just as cold weather sets in, and I actually need it!

Two Gifts Done!

I handed over the completed Tridactyl gloves to Bonnie last night for her 15th birthday. She had been asking for fingerless mitts, but I couldn't have her know what her present was! There had to be SOME surprise! But she loved them, and they'll serve her well on the bench.

I thought this pattern was pretty original, and the wave pattern kept it mildly interesting, although it was still kind of a zone-out meditation project in some parts, so it was cool for watching movies.

The twisted rib cuff is extra tight, and should keep snow out. I think I'm going to try it out on my next pair of mittens for me-in fact, I'm kind of surprised I didn't try it before :P

I also finished Kelley O's bday hat, but I don't have any pics yet. I'll post one once I give it to her-I think the off white is going to contrast fabulously with her reddish-auburn hair :)

Another Hermione Hat Finished!

I finished this hat while stitching and bitching at a emmydee's for a sleepover:

I had been worried that my overly large head would tug open gaps around the cables and make it a little less warm, but I think my fears were unfounded. I'm sure I'll find out for real when the mercury dips below 32 degrees, but for now I am a happy camper! The cabling is as addicting as the pattern description said, and very impressive yet tasteful, bobbles and all. Even one of my Flogging-Molly-loving fire-fighting friends agreed that it was "badass" (or was at least able to convince me that was his opinion), and informed me that I am to wear it when we go sledding this winter :) Can't wait!

And of course, the now discontinued Patons Classic Wool Merino (I still can't get over that...) performed beautifully. I have just started a pair of Tridactyl gloves from Knitty using the replacement line, Patons Classic Wool, and it definitely seems coarser and more dense. At least the color is nice. "Aquarium" to pair with the wave pattern on the back. Will probably be a present for one of two people for Christmas...can't say who yet, of course.

Hermione's Cable and Bobble Hat

Based on the hat Hermione wears to Hogsmeade in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, and another pattern found in Charmed Knits (love that book), this cap was started around 9:00 last night and is still going strong.


For yarn, I grabbed more Patons Classic Wool "Merino" out of my basket is the brightest red I think I could ever find. I was concerned it wouldn't be as dense of a fabric as I wanted, because I usually go down a needle size or two for winter hats. This pattern and gauge required I use the size 7 US as is recommended on the yarn label, but the cables have kept it cozy. It'll be the perfect addition to my school football game garb, as red is one of the school colors :)

Hermione's Half-Blood Prince Hat Completed!

I love love love love love love love this hat!!!

(As modeled by my sister).

I found the pattern on Ravelry, and am so glad I did! I had been planning on starting it for a while now, and even bothered to buy the specific yarn suggested (a rare occurrence on my part). I had carefully pondered...do I stay true to the movie with a sewn crown? Or knit the highly attractive decreases written into the pattern? I finally figured I prefer knitting to sewing, and I'm also better at knitting, so the decreases were my best bet. Besides, as a steek virgin I'm not yet ready to stitch and cut my knitting! (Excuse the blurriness of the next picture...it was taken on the fly).

The alternate cable cast on used to start this project was quite the ordeal, and I must confess I spent some of the time wondering how much I really needed this supposedly more attractive edge. My ribbing would look fine with a long tail cast on, wouldn't it? It's stretchy enough for socks, it'll be fine for a hat. How much better can it be, really? In the end though, I loved the result. The ribbing is plump and present from the very beginning, instead of being restricted by a fine line. I'll probably end up using it again if I ever get the to the 3-4 Year Hogwarts Scarf, as if I plan to bind off in pattern, I may as well begin the same way right?

I can't wait to start Hermione's Cable and Bobble Hat from Charmed Knits to continue adding to my wizard-style wear! As the Hogwarts climate dictates, Harry Potter knitwear is always super warm, and thanks to the fact that it was in, ya know, a movie, super stylish! I'm just unsure of whether to go up a needle size or two to fit my large noggin, and if I do, whether or not to use a slightly chunkier yarn than the Patons Merino Wool I was planning on. I may have to even track down the suggested yarn! Yikes! That would be twice in a row now!

Executive Decision

Last year, as with every year, Christmas was just the same. An assortment of presents for an assortment of people without rhyme, reason, or ample time to coordinate a beautiful yet practical parcel for everyone. So, my decision made this year, with PLENTY of time to see it through, is that every family member will receive a hat. Plain and simple. Thus far they're all ribbed to accommodate the craniums of many sizes that populate both sides of my family. The colors are dictated by the half-skeins of merino in my basket, and the striping patterns either by color availability or whenever I run out and need something to finish the decreases.

Since school let out yesterday I have finished two hats in between events and have a third spongy ring strung across my size six circulars. All made out of mystery stash wool, there is...

• ONE "The Boy Hat" by Elizabeth Heath-Heckman. Love the crown shaping, a little extra attention makes a very neat, pleasing finish. This one began in an olive, but when that ran out was finished in a rustic heathery off-white.
• ONE "A Hat Fit For A Boyfriend" by Stephanie Nicole. Plain chocolate brown, I actually had enough to reach the end! Another approach to carefully thought-out decreasing to add some variety to the endless ribbing, and with any luck impress the giftees.
• 1/5 of the "That Chocolate's Gone Straight to Your Ribs" hat by Leonie Connellan. Using up some obnoxiously bright blue for the body and hot pink for the stripes. I'll probably add some more color rings, but whether I'll end up with one additional stripe or several the whole way up I don't know. I'll find out as I go, I suspect!

So as long as I don't have a stroke as the ribbing continues on and on, forever and ever, this is a seemingly brilliant plan! Lots of time, lots of patterns still untried, and a plethora of colors to experiment with. They're seemingly one size fits all, and really; who lives in New York and doesn't need a hat?

Plain and Simple

In the interest of getting Sensai Nancy's socks to her as soon as I could, I chose to knit a pair of the YH's Basic Sock Recipe again. I'm using Heart and Sole from Red Heart, and I don't know what colorway this is but it ROCKS and almost makes up for the lack of fancy stitching! I'm on the gusset of the second sock, no SSS problems here, and was about to get back to work on it with a movie. First, though, I have to take inventory...

I have no time or money for Xmas gifts this year :'( However my immediate family is in need of the following...

Dad-He has a sudden desire for a scarf, ideally one similar to a scarf he saw in the Gap. Different ribbings and blocks of manly colors.

Mom-Someone accidentally ran her Center Square hat through the wash, sooo...felted. Unevenly so. Another one of those is in order.

Lil' Sis-Not sure. I made her dolls clothes recently so she hasn't asked for anything.

Me!-A copycat Noro scarf. You know, the 2 row 1x1 rib scarves everyone is making? Like the Yarn Harlot for example? Only Noro of any kind is way out of my price range, so I'll follow the advice of a Ravelry forum I saw and try Paton's SWS instead. Never used it, but it seems beyond soft! And unlike Noro, is much more affordable and is carried by a shop right down the street!

Anyway, must finish socks!