Sunday, January 14, 2007

New Year, new FOs


I did start the new year off with several quick projects.
On New Year's Eve day, I was at Ellen's for the Football Widow's knitting Club. Melissa (of Loose Ends Farm, Brunswick, ME) walks in with her usual one or two skeins of hand dyed, hand spun loverly yarn. It is customary for the "football widows" to each handle, sniff, rub, pet the yarn and pass it around. Occasionally, one of the skeins will not make it all the way around the circle of friends. Well, when this one came in, it was tossed to me (I caught the pass) and it came home with me. The colorway is Flames. Ellen has a more flashy version of Flame, but this was just orange enough to grab my attention. I usually have to stew about yarn before buying, but I could not let this go. Well, when I got home, I HAD to wind it into a ball and get started. I looked around the house for just the tight pattern. I found it in Cat Bordhi's Treasury of Magical Knitting. It is the Lotus Blossom. It has patterning that allows one to wear either side and it looks great. I used a little over 50% of the 5.1oz. skein. I did not have enough for a second hat, so I knit up a mistake rib scarf. Just the right amount of yarn. The photo is rather pathetic, but there you have it.

I started the hat when I got home from Purl Diva, while watching the Packers beat the Bears, then on New years Day, watching the Rose Bowl, I finished the hat and knit the scarf. It was the fastest I've knit in a long time.

I then followed the crowd and knit the Misti Alpaca Chunky scarf. You know, the one with the ruffles at the ends? It's a free pattern from the yarn company. It's easy to do.

I've been working on a sweater for the last two months. The end is near. I've finished all the "parts" and I have to put it together. I seamed the shoulders and I am working on the collar now. I'll have pics soon. It's mohair. It's very pretty. It will be extremely warm, but very light weight.

In the mean time, I've cast on two more socks, one lace project, started a baby blanket, ordered and received the "Wedding Ring Shawl" pattern from Sharon Miller. It is no longer available. I think my copy is n.476/500. I also need to finish the edging on Shetland Tea Shawl, get back to the Frost Flowers and Leaves, finish baby sweater for my sister's newborn who is due to arrive this month, finish baby blanket for said baby. I truly do not have time to start any more projects!!! What do I do with the newly wound cakes of Merino Oro, on in navy and one in white??? OK, I gave in. I started the Print O' the Wave stole with the navy .

catch-up time


Well...all my hopes of being a better blogger is slowly fading. It is already half way through the month of January and this is my first post. Blechh!

Well, I do have FOs to show you. On the left is a pair of Trekking socks that I finished early December. They are leaving me to be gifted.

I used 2.25mm needles, toe up with short-row toes and heels. The cuff is 2x2 ribbing. I cast off using knit two then knit them together. It is one of the most elastic cast off I've tried.

This is a one skein scarf using the lace pattern provided by the label. It is Portrait Mohair. I knit this as a shop model for Purl Diva.
The mittems are make from yarn by End of the World farms, located in Maine. These are 100%wool hand handpainted. I thought they were a bit too scratchy for my feet, but sturdy for mitts.

The background quilt was made by my MIL. She found a magazine with patterns from Korea, so she designed her own version of it. It is very pretty AND I am allowed to use it. :)

This hat is a "Prime Rib" hat knit using Elizabeth Wimmerman's recommendations in "Knitting without Tears". This is hat no.2. Hat no. 1 is mine and the picture of it can be seen here. They are both knit with Sheep Shop Yarn's Sheep 2 and size 11 needles. I did mine in the greenish colorway, knit flat. This turquoise coloway is knit in the round. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be knitting brioche ribbing in the round.
This one has been gifted.


Finally, but not the least: I have photos of the Mystery Shawl 3 that I finished a while ago, but did not have the time to block. It has been sent away as a gift, as well. She wrote that she'll wear it for Christmas. I think she likes it. It is Zephyr, Jade, size 3.75mm KA circular, pattern here from Bo Peep's Wool Shop. It was originally a mystery shawl knit with a Yahoo! group.

Well, that's it for 2006.

There are other item that did not get finished, but that's another story .