Snow...mucky, icy white shit
So started snowing Friday afternoon and didn't stop until sometime last night. Needless to say, I wasn't very motivated to leave the house this entire weekend. So my weekend was filled with knitting, movies, and cookie baking.

I stayed in and finished Krissy's Convertible Mitts. I'm not crazy about them but I'm not really feeling it to re-do them at this point. I think that they just needs some buttons to hold the tops open and/or closed to zest them up a bit.

Then I decided to put my newly received Malabrigo to the test. Will it be soft and cozy or make me breakout in hives!? I hoped for the former. I cast on and finished Crofter's Cowl with my own modification. I decided not to do the mirrored top and bottom and grafting that this project's instruction called for. Instead I just make 7 repeats of the first chart. It turned out rather nice. Still needs a blocking but it was so cold today that I couldn't resist wearing it out.
The lace pattern loses a little of it's interest by the varigations in this yarn but, all in all, I'm happy with this FO. And no hives! This may actually be the best news yet.

So now that I know that I can wear this yarn close to my skin and stay comfortable, I think that I'll make more of these. I already was planning on making my bestfriend one for Christmas since she lives in Chicago and could always use more warm clothing. I'm thinking about designing my own pattern for hers though. We'll see.

I have tomorrow off so I'm going to run over to Windsor Button in the moring and pick up a few skeins of Malabrigo Yarn Worsted Merino to knit up into more cowls! I think that these could be a perfect project for my bus trip to and from NY.

Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night!


edit: I added rhinestone buttons to the mitts!

Vested, I mean Gifted!

I finished the Mangyle vest for Jorge the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. He was thrilled-- I don't think he realized how much I did NOT enjoy knitting this vest. It was a total chore. I did already assure him (selfishly) that I will not make another no matter how much he likes his vest.

I also gifted the Fleegle socks to my mom who LOVED them. She went on and on about how much she loved then, how soft they were to wear and how she would like more in different colors. Of course, I created a monster!

No more WIPs...now what!? I want to knit for me but my sister and brother both requested knitted items and I'd like to make my dad a hat to match the mittens that I knit him last winter. My sister wants a pair of Convertible Mittens in black (she wants to blind me apparently). My brother wants a hat with ear flaps, though I couldn't tell if he was just kidding about the ear flaps. Maybe this one? I dunno. I still haven't picked out a pattern for my dad's hat but that should be easy-- something simple to show off the beautiful hand-painted variegation of the yarn. Maybe this one? It's simple enough, right!?

We'll see. I didn't plan on all this holiday knitting. And I'm sure that the fam has no idea how long it will take me to knit them all goodies. What a PIA. What can you do, ya know. If they're all done by the time Christmas rolls around, great. If not, they'll get them when they get them. I'm not going to worry about it. They would be extras at this point since I bought them all gifts already!

This week in Knitting

I finished and sent off my Dad's mittens. He received them yesterday just in time for 50 degree weather. Tomorrow's supposed to be quite chilly so he'll get to put them to good use then.

After finishing the mittens I finally put the finishing touches on that baby hat. Since the bay has now been home for one week I figured that it'd be nice to finally give it to the mommies.

Then a new project was started last night: fingerless gloves for Jorge. I'm very loosely following a pattern I found on Ravelry. I've modified it so much that I'm considering writing my own pattern up in case anyone's interested. The plan is to use the duplicate stitch technique to make an anchor in white on the top of the mitt, an idea I stole from my friend Carolyn. I've never duplicate stitched before-- hope it's not too hard.

And, finally, I got the perfect buttons for my sister's Juliet yesterday at Windsor Button! I'm so glad-- I feel like I've been looking forever though it's only been 1 week! I think that they are a perfect match. Hope they're fun enough for Kristin.

2008, so far

So far...I mostly finished my sister's Juliet. Still on the hunt for the perfect "glitzy" buttons per Kristin's request. I picked up a few neat silver-tones buttons at A Good Yarn but I'm just not satisfied with them. One of my favorite yarn shops but not the best button selection if you're looking for something truly out of the ordinary. I think that I'll try to hit up Windsor Button sometime this week or next weekend.

Speaking of family knitting, my dad brought it to my attention that I've never knit a stitch for him. So I asked him what he wanted. He wanted mittens. I find this slightly amusing that a grown man, such as my father, wants a pair of mittens. Not a pair of gloves or even fingerless gloves, but mittens. Ok-- can do. I've finished 1 mitten and the cuff of the second so far. They're an easy knit and actually my first pair of mittens. I'm knitting them in this yarn I bought years ago from Circles Knitting Salon (when it was still here in JP). It's a really lovely worsted-weight super-wash wool. The color way is a nice variegated earthy green.

I haven't touched my Tree Jacket in quite some time. I really should work on it but.....sleeves.... They are really dreadful. Especially these sleeves which are garter stitch in the round. Now can you see what I mean by dreadful?

I still have to finish a baby hat for my exec director at work and make two more for a doc and one of my staff members. Seems like everyone is popping out kids about now....yuck.

Well, even though I'm not a fan of babies, I still find their clothing adorable...I'm not totally heartless. Well, at least not for that reason...