Olatz

I'll just be honest. I'm going to complain about the weather. Again. It's been a cold week here for the season and I've had to revive some winter UFO's I set aside in favor of warm weather projects to be ready for spring. My Olatz was one of these. Started while on break for the Christmas/New Year's holidays, it was cast aside in favor of smaller projects. But it's helping me to not revert back to a sweater today as I'm stubbornly trying to break out my spring warbrobe.

Project Name: Olatz [Rav Link]  by Swallows Return
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted (2 Skeins)
Colorway: Glazed Carrot
Needle Size: US8
Ravelry Project Page

This yarn was actually the very first Malabrigo I purchased ever and it's sat in my stash for a year and a half or so. Yarns are like wine, sometimes they need to breathe before their full potential can be realized, right? It was a particuarly smooshy knit, but I do worry about the pilling potential.

This pattern is well written and a good knit. The lace columns give some interest in a mindless knitting sort of way to the body of the shawl. I may go back and reblock to try to the get the scallops. This was a battle in which I lost in my first attempt.

So, maybe if I finish up my lingering winter UFO's spring will come...?

To Infinity and Beyond...!

 I have been meaning to post this quilt for some time, but yeah, I didn't. My nephew turned 2 a little over a month ago! Wow, he is getting to be such a big boy and will be a big brother any day now. May the force be with my sister-in-law.

My nephew LOVES and I mean LOVES Toy Story. More specifically Buzz. He knows his Buzz. And what could a crafty aunty do but give in to the hype? I swear the Pixar marketing department would have beamed from head to toe if they could have seen this kid's birthday party. Toy Story plates & napkins, a Toy Story cake with Toy Story figures on top, 90% of gifts Toy Story (even the handmade one!), and the kid even had a Toy Story shirt on!

Forgive some of the rough pics. I was really pushing the deadline of getting this done before we hit the road to head to my homeland for the birthday party and forgot to take pics, so I had to rely on a mix of UFO pics and some from my sister-in-law's camera.

I worked out the pattern for this quilt from a pic I saw on flickr. Which I apparently didn't save, so I apologize for not linking to the inspiration.

And in the end this picture, this one right here, made all of the fussy cutting and extra runs to the fabric store worth it.

Yep, that's a Woody doll (I mean "action figure") under his arm and a Toy Story plate beside him.

Spring, Fly!

I am SO READY for this dreariness to lift and for spring to show her bright and beautiful face. But since I have no control over the weather, I resorted to a bright and beautiful yarn to make a shawl ready for warmer days that glows like sunshine.

Yep, I'm feeling desperate.

Project Name: Spring, Fly!
Pattern: Summer Flies by Holly and Ella Knits [Rav Link]
Yarn: Mirasol Yarn Tupa (3 skeins)
Colorway: 801
Needle Size: US8
Ravelry Project Page

You may have noticed I'm a bit partial to this shawl pattern. I especially love it in this yarn! My last two were both in silk and bamboo blends, but I do like the sturdier feel of the silk and merino, even in the DK weight versus the worsted weight the pattern calls for. And seriously, this Mirasol Tupa. Simply freaking luscious. However, I am a bit worried about the pilling potential. It's already looking a bit rough and I haven't even worn it, just wear and tear of knitting and blocking.

Okay, spring. I'm ready for you. Now.

This shawl was also pushed to finish a bit by an upcoming roadtrip to Wisconsin to meet the bf's family for the first time. Because what Mom can't think favorably of a girl in handknits, right...and I may have some homemade sourdough in hand to win over Dad. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Owl Baby Newborn Set

I'll admit it, I jumped on the owl bandwagon. I love all the little owl stuff out there. And I have a new nephew coming in just a few weeks. Ever crafted for little boys? Search babies and there seems to be all this adorable pink and lace and ribbons. But boys, meh. Not a lot.

But the coming home set I made for this new nephew just happens to be holding the status of some of my favorite items I've EVER knit.

Stinkin' adorable.

The set was made from Cascade Cherub DK. Hat and booties didn't use up even 190 yd one skein. I had originally planned to make a set using the Owl Tuque pattern, but decided since this bebe will be sporting these are the weather gets warmer it would probably be better to make the set in a dk weight rather than a bulky. I'm sure a friend will reproduce at a more bulky weight yarn appropriate time in the future for this hat! This yarn was great for a baby set, it's a nylon and acrylic blend, but I had some SERIOUS issues winding it into a ball. It took me two hours and I ended up with multiple little balls because the tangles were so bad. Not sure if I just had a bad ball, but I'd buy it again. Maybe even this week...

Owl Baby Booties

Project Name:  Owl Baby Bootees (Rav Link)
Yarn: Cascade Cherub DK (One skein)
Colorway: 013
Needle Size: US2 & US3
Ravelry Project Page

I saw these show up as a fave on my Ravelry friend feed a few months and knew I REALLY wanted to make them. They were designed by gingergooseberry on Ravelry, but the notes are just on her project page. I added the eyes and beak with embroidery thread. There are more detailed pics on my project page, but they aren't wanting to post right on here. I followed her directions to the letter and was pleased with the results.

Owl Baby Beanie

Project Name: Owl Baby Beanie
Pattern: Modified Coming Home Baby Hat by Shweta Shankar Khatri  [Rav Link]
Yarn: Cascade Cherub DK (One skein)
Colorway: 013
Needle Size: US3 (I considered switching to US4 after the ribbing, but couldn't find my DPN's! So maybe next time...)
Ravelry Project Page

I made some mods to the Coming Home Baby Hat pattern, so I’ll just repost it all, but the majority of this is the Coming Home Baby Hat, so I don't take the credit for the pattern! :) This pattern is reworked for the DK weight yarn and incorporates the owl cable.

Main Body of Hat

Row 1: Cast on 64 stitches using DK weight yarn
Row 2 - 10 : K2 P2 around
Row 11: K all around, inc two stitches in R11

Owl Cable pattern:

(multiple of 11 sts)

Rounds 1-2: p3, k8, repeat from to end
Round 3: p3, C4B, C4f, repeat from to end
Rounds 4-10: same as round 1
Round 11: same as round 4
Round 12: same as round 1
Rounds 13-14: p3, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1. repeat from to end
Round 15-17: same as round 1
Round 18: same as round 3
Round 19: same as round 1

(Decrease for crown at 3 ½ in)

Crown Shaping for DK Weight Yarn

Row 1: K8, K2tog
Row 2: K around
Row 3: K7, K2tog
Row 4: K around
Row 5: K6, K2tog
Row 6: K around
Row 7: K5, K2tog
Row 8: K around
Row 9: K4, K2tog
R10: K3, K2tog
R11: K2, Ktog


Finishing

Cut the working yarn leaving a 6 inch tail. Thread this through a tapestry needle and sew through the remaining stitches on the needles while taking them off the needle. Pull through and secure top
.

I don’t have a baby hanging around to try this on, so I’m hoping it will fit. Not on a head, it ended up being apx 7in in circumferance and 5in tall. This seems small, but not being a mom I’m always in a bit of shock how small newborn bebe heads are, so always seem to make my hats too big…

Just a few more weeks until I get to test the fit. And meet my new nephew, of course!

The Who? Hat

No, not that (the) Who?

This one-

So, yeah. I'm alive! I've been in the realm of "new relationship" land. You know, that world you enter when you've met a new someone special and even though you always hate "those people" in that world, you willing cross over to the mushy side. Yep, I'm mushy. Which is seriously crimping on my crafting. But I'm cool with that. :) And I'm not apologizing for the mushy. I'm happy and I don't care if I'm one of "those people". And this hat was actually done before I went to the mushy side (like for the last two months!), the mushiness just kept me distracted from sewing the eyes on, so here it finally is! A post AND a finished project!

Project: Who? by Penguin Purls [Rav Link]
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted
Colorway: Brown Bear
Needle Size: US6
Ravelry Project Page


Nothing amazingly earth shattering to report about this project. It was part of the "don't trust a cold knitter" phase when I realized it was cold and I had no hats to wear.  I did a slight mod as I tend to do with hats and made it a bit longer. I have a big head. I'm a bit sensitive about it, so let's not press the details. So, I knit to 6.25 inches before starting the decrease section.

Crafting hasn't been totally dead to me while I've been in mushy new relationship land. I finished a cute little Buzz Lightyear quilt for my nephew's second birthday. I just kinda finished it last minute and forgot that whole taking a pic part. A request is in to my sister-in-law to please send pics. I'm halfway through an ADORABLE little hat and bootie set for my newest nephew due to show his (assumingly) cute little mug to the world at the end of April. And...it has owls!

So, I'm here. :)

Bella Mittens

Don't you love when it takes you a day and a half to finish one mitten? And then four months to finish the other? There is a long list in no particular order of the why. But let's be honest. They're pretty much the excuses of an easily distracted knitter.

But my Bella Mittens. Are. Done.

Don't be confused, thesea aren't the knits of a Twilight groupie with like, Edward Cullen sheets, who has a picture of the half naked jail bait Jacob hanging above her bed who lays there hoping the tape will give. While I will admit to watching (and liking, yes liking) the movies, I was never able to get into the whole angst whiney Bella in the books. And I largely rebelled against the hype. AND, while I know I've made some bad men decisions in my life, I mean seriously. While both are justifiably hot, a girl whose only love interests have been a vampire and a werewolf really needs to sit down and half a long think about what she is looking for in a man. But I don't judge you for your love of Twilight. We all have our weaknesses. I mean seriously, me and butter? I miss butter.

Anyway, about these mittens. I just really loved the pattern. And I'm loving this yarn, even if the yarn snob in me is sulking over the increased use of Lion Brand. She'll get over it.

Project: Bella's Mittens by subliminalrabbit (Rav Link)
Yarn: Lion Brand Alpine Wool  Cinnamon, 2 skeins
Needles: US8
Ravelry Project Page

A not so secret Twilight-like weakness of mine is roving yarn. Okay, the merchandising hype isn't as big, but it ranks high for me. And I love the cushiness (totally a word) of these mittens.

I did make some modifications. Very minor. I have these freakishly long fingers, so in the decrease section I added a row before each of the cables, total of  two extra rows. (I apparently use the word "totally" far too much for anyone living outside of the 80's since I orginally typed "totally of two extra rows" and failied to even notice it at first.) Perfect. The joys of being a knitter for me include having mittens and gloves that fit. And of course, the massive sex appeal it gives me.

I liked how the palms of these were done versus some others I saw on Ravelry. I thought I'd be able to link to a couple, but there are a number if you just search "Bella Mittens". These have a 1x1 rib on the inside and then switch to stockinette when you get up to the palm section and I think it gives it a nice clean look.

So I guess now I'm ready for my own vampire to arrive? Okay, so I think Jacob is hotter.

The Copy Hat

This is the story of a cheap girl who saw a hat pattern and being an overly confident knitter said she wasn't going to spend the money on a ribbed hat pattern and tried to deconstruct the hat. And failed. Really, just buy the pattern.

Project Name: The Copy Hat

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, Black

Needles: US7 & US9

Rav Project Page

I cast on 92 for this hat. Which was pretty much a shot in the dark, but seems about right! Working the 2x2 ribbing to six inches on the smaller needles (US7) and then switching to larger (US9) to work in stockinette stitch to ten inches.

At ten inches I began decreases by k2tog one round, knit one round, and repeating until I got to the number of stitches that seemed like a good idea to thread the yarn through. A number of stitches I’m not remembering.

Things I did wrong. Hmm, where to start?

* I did the ribbing too far I think. It seems 5 inches would have been adequate.
* I should have maybe increased a few stitches when I switched needle size and went to stockinette. It doesn't have that droopy.
* I think I should have knit at least another half an inch before starting to decrease.
* I also should have did one more decrease round. It has this funny outie belly button thing going on.
*And I should have bought.the.damn.pattern!

And what the hell is going on in this pic?

Something about this hat made me feel like a baller. So that was me doing my best baller wink. Instead I look like a bloated constipated pirate. Argh!

Updates....

A few random things.

1) I dug something out of my naughty basket and finished it! I cast on for these slippers a year and a half ago while camping with the fam, than never finished them. It was pretty pathetic. I just really hated the attached i-cord. So I left it off!

Project: Mary Jane Slippers by The Purl Bee
Yarn:  Schoeller+Stahl Big Print (7941) & Moda Dea Washable Wool (Black)
Needles: US10
Ravelry Project Page

I used the Moda Bea on for the soles and strap since I didn't have enough of the super fun retro looking Big Print. Altered to fit a size 10. Added 2 sts to the CO and kept stitch count 2 extra. I also added an extra 3/4 in to the length. Since I didn't do the i-cord they are a bit droopy, but I still like.

2) When Mom visited a couple of weeks ago she decided since I lost 25 lbs of my 40 lb goal I needed new underwear & bras (which I won't show you, no worries) and new mineral makeup and more complicated eye makeup. Since to look more natual I apparently need more makeup and brushes and stuff, I outgrew the little makeup bag I've used.

But I'm a sewer, so you can guess what I did.

New makeup bag and brush burrito! I modeled the brush burrito after a needle roll and sewed on some clasps to close it instead of a tie. While I've been sewing for five years, I have an irrational fear of zippers, but I did it! Both have a layer of batting and the bag is quilted.

3) I signed up for match.com. So freaked out. Dating scares the crap out of me. Never learned the rules and online is an adventure! The new profile pic, which is better:

or

Or do they both suck. Holy crap, this is awful.

Autunno Hat

It's about that time of winter where it's not fun anymore. It's cold. As a knitter I was a bit ashamed this weekend when I went searching for a hat and really didn't have many to wear. So this week may be a bit hat heavy. Overcompensation at it's best. Well, maybe not it's best. Men have the edge on this.

Project: Autunno Hat

Based off this hat, Ravelry project page is in English

Yarn: di.Ve Autunno in 33051 Coral (One skein plus just enough of a second to annoy me)

Needle Size: US10 (See below)

Ravelry Project Page

I did some slight modifications from the notes I used, but wish I would have done more. She did a knit one through back loop to result in a twisted ribbing, I'm not a huge fan of this, especially after the inches and inches of it in Dad's Cambridge Watchcap. So, I did a knit two purl two ribbing. I worked it for an extra .25 inch, bringing it to three inches. I cast on with US10's, planning to switch up to US10.5's after the ribbing (which would have brought me to gauge on the project), however, even with the smaller needle size I still had a pretty loose gauge, so I stuck with this needle size for the whole hat. If I could time warp I would have went with US9's to cast on and uped to the 10s for the top half. I knit to nine inches before decreasing, but probably should have done at least nine and a half.

However, I am very happy with this hat. This was a great destash project. I’m bummed I need that .1 of the second skein, as I have three more skeins of the di.Ve Autunno hat that have been haunting my stash for a few years and this hat is pretty divine in this yarn. And I'm confident enough to wear it around church even if people did look at me funny.

So, while the above pictures would totally suffice, here is some evidence of the difficulty of trying to get good project pics by yourself with a point and click camera. Very serious business by the look on my face in these pics.

And...first finished project of 2011!!!

Damson

So, I have a project finished. And a non-ranting and overshare post. Just a shawl. Nothing that should make you squirm too much. Although there is a tiny personal back story to this shawl.

September 7th, 2010 was a rough day for me. It was the day I got the call from my lawyer my divorce was finalized. After three years of tears and the bottom falling out when you don't think it has any further to fall; two years of separation; two and half of wanting to kill each other, making up, and repeating that cycle a few dozen times; almost a year of papers going back and forth between lawyers, the ex, and the courts; and a refusal at one point from the courts to accept our papers; you don't think it will hit you as hard as it does. But it does. It knocks the wind out of you. It dazes you. It spins your world in whole other dimensions you didn't know where still left to turn. And it makes you feel very alone. It makes the smallest acts of kindness the biggest things someone could ever do. Like a friend sending you patterns you've queued to let you know they are thinking about you. Even though you've never met them in real life. Something about someone else telling you they know you hurt makes the pain feel a little less. This shawl was part of the gift package on a day where I will always remember right where I was and what I was doing when my phone rang.

Project: Damson by Ysolda Teague 

Yarn: Aslan Trends Santa Fe (3 skeins)

Colorway: 1334, Tango Reds

Needle Size: US6

Ravelry Project Page

I'm a more of a small project girl. All about the instant gratification, so I think this may be the largest/most yardage project I've finished in my knitting career. I worked on this during some trainings, which seemed like a great idea at the time and a pretty ingenious way to score a extra hours of being paid to knit, but resulted in me getting some of my yarnovers off a stitch or two and not realizing it for awhile! (At this point you are thinking, "Why the hell do I read this blog of a crafter who seems to mess  things up constantly, life included?" No worries, I'm with ya.) I like the pattern, but I'm unsure if the pretty blue skein of Smooshy I bought to make a second will go with this pattern or not.

I'm not sure how I feel about the squared off shape of this. It makes it kind of akward to wear as a front facing scarf, which is how I prefer to wear my shawls. I may feel this one out for awhile longer. And I somehow went through 100 yards more of yarn than the pattern called for. In the whole midst of knitting during training I did do a few ridges extra, so I'm thinking that ate up more yarn than I thought it would with the lace section. Simple math if I would have stopped to think about it. Which I didn't. Still satisfied though. With the project that turned out not quite like I planned that is, the life thing is still a ways from being termed "satisfied".

P.S. This is not my first finished project of 2011. Close, finished late New Year's Eve. (I was sick, really, there was a reason I spent New Year's on the couch with the cat, tissues, knitting, and maybe a little wine even with the sick. A good reason. Don't judge me.) So it's the last finished project of 2010 I guess. The first finished project of 2011 is yet to appear!

Wisdom Stripe Scarf

What do first day back to work after a week and a half off (most of which you were sick), trying to fall asleep with your annoying new neighbors playing video games on the other side of the thin walls until 2:00am and blaring "Wild Thing", having your ex-husband text you at 2:02am right when you fall asleep to tell you something innane and stupid meant you're pretty sure to piss you off, a meowing cat all night, waking up early and getting ready for a doctor's appointment only to realize en route it is tomorrow morning, and then changing into no-one-is-going-to-see-me-today clothes only to get to work to discover you have an afternoon meeting that didn't show up on the crappy mobile planner mean? A VERY crabby April. And that is the short list of what is making me crabby. So let's look at a finished project instead. A finished project that took 10 months to finish since it was pretty much only worked on during conference calls.

Pattern: Noro Striped Scarf by Brooklyn Tweed

Yarn: Wisdom Yarns Poems & Patons Classic Wool Merino

Ravelry Project Page

And I think it's just best for all of us if I end this post right here. Because anything that ensues could not be pretty.

I bid you farewell for now.

Christmas Wrap-up

I post a lot about the stuff I make, but I'd like to wrap up Christmas this year with sharing some of those I hand made in love for. (This is a very picture heavy post. Bear with me.)



Layne and his Tucker Teddy

Grandma and her Summer Flies Shawl





Brooke sporting her French Press Slippers





Callie and her Sunset Beret

Brandon and his Hawkeye Pillows



Renee all toasty in her Aspen Mittens

Grandma with her quilt

Dad all perky in his Cambridge Watchcap

Grandpa and his new little buddy, Bramble Owl



Mom definitely not square in her Squared Set

And now, at long last, I get to make something from me.