The Birthday Knits

This Saturday is my mom's birthday.  I've been knitting like a mad woman (more mad than usual). On many occasions my mother has said she likes this or she likes that.  It was tricky to decide what all I could do for the birthday. 

Here is the short list:

• Hooded scarf
• Necklace
• Slippers
• Sassy Scarflette
• Mousy

So the hooded scarf is done and I think it turned out pretty good since I adapted a crochet pattern for knitting:

The necklace is nice and she picked out the beads for it.  Also I made a matching bracelet:

The slippers are crocheted, an adaptation of a Mon Petit Violon pattern:

The second edition of the Sassy Scarflette in gray tones:

I received the yarn for the mousey...it came in time.  Now to get it knitted in time...

Also, my mom's best friend has a birthday on Sunday so I want to make her some things as well.  I'm still thinking about her list.  One of the things I thought might be great is the strawberry bookmark I saw on Dona Knits web site from ravelry.

Should I give her the sassy scarflette I made last week or something else....hmmmm. Another necklace...?

On another note, it seems our little kitty (who is now enormous) is really not a girl.  So I'm calling him Mr. Kitty, not a very original name but I am at a loss...he's "Sassy" to me.

 

This Week, Knit-Wise...

So this has been a strange and wonderful week.  I've so much to do but I've enjoyed it a bunch!  I enjoy cooking to a degree just not all the time.  I had the cooking party about two weeks ago so it got my creative kitchen juices flowing.  Mostly I've gone back to things I used to do all the time like making homemade salad dressing instead of buying.  I like it better for sure.  I usually stick to the perimeter of the store where the whole foods are, avoiding the center aisle where the processed food is.  There are some things there I still need like cleaners, cat food and oatmeal, etc. 

Also, my mom has worn out the cotton slippers I made her for her birthday last year so I made her some new ones.  I decided to use a different thread so that the slippers would last longer.  One with more or all acrylic.  You see, its Texas and wool can only really used about 4 days out of the year.  So this yarn is beautiful and only 20% wool.  I saw this adorable pattern in a magazine.  I should have known there was going to be Yarn Violations when the 3rd line of the pattern was incorrect.  But trudge on I did, finding additional errors.  Now you're wondering did she make a swatch, the answer is "yes!"

Needless to say that first slipper was a nightmare and is now rolled up, the cat plays with it, we call it her "rat." She loves this thing.

So I dragged out my Mon Petit Violon patterns and selected the suitable pattern.  Here's where it went wrong:  So without a gauge and thinking that 2 strands of DK would be more than enough to work the pattern which required worsted, I proceeded.  It didn't come out quite like the pattern, in fact the slippers were small.  Huh?  should have been slightly too big, right?  Slightly too big would have helped me finish the pattern which called for stitching the top section over the toes together. I couldn't do this or the slippers would have been too small to wear.  Well, they are slightly tight for me without the top stitching so they will fit my mom.  I also think these will last much better than the cotton one but they may not be as cool.  I may have to resort to making her two pair per year.

Next up, I needed to knit something so I selected a specialty stitch cowl pattern that I had bought on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/phydeaux-twist-cowl) which turned out really great, It was so easy, I finished it in one evening and then added a crochet chain around the edge and a button the next evening.  I can't wait to wear this!!!

So the last thing I tried this week was lace knitting.  I bought one of those "teach yourself" books.  Its really pretty good.  I made a very pretty bookmark but I can't show it to you because I think Sassy the cat has it but second, I tried a bulky weight yarn scarf.  This is still in process but it is going quite well.  I did learn from the book to periodically lay in a "lifeline." Of course, I didn't at first, not until I made an error and then dropped stitches.  It was too tricky for me to correct...at least not without spending forever on it.  So I pulled back to a neater row.  Now, I'm putting the lifeline in every 10 to 15 rows.

Considering its not blocked yet, it doesn't look too bad.  Its certainly a great way to learn. 

When I write my next blog, I have one more thing to tell you about.  Its really exciting but it will need its own blog entry. 

So for all you Americans out there, Happy Independence Day!!! If you are reading this then you live in a country that is free.  So lets remember those who are not so fortunate with our prayers and/or donations to UNICEF, Red Cross, Save the children or whatever charity speaks to your heart.  God bless us all.

The Whole Molly

Ever since I saw the Molly Weasley sweater, I have wanted it:

I don't know why.  Its obviously meant to be a mass of left over yarn crocheted violently into sleeves that were meant to be used to dust with or something... 

I looked around on the Internet and found various patterns none of which I think captures the true essence of this thing.  I heard about a book, Charmed Knits-projects for fans of Harry potter that contains a pattern.  I ordered the book and the pattern is, um, not what I expected.  So I think I will, like many others, embark on my own cheap copy of this incredibly ridiculous sweater.

If I really cared about end results, the question would be:  will I wear it out in public or just use it to dust my house?  I think I'll just make it to make it...as (nearly) always.  I have the first few rows worked out of the shoulder. The body is definitely knitted.

I really won't be starting an all out assualt on this yet.  Its just a dream I have and I think of often and ponder...

Insanity knows no bounds

...at least mine doesn't.  I have 7 open projects.  I cannot believe how close some are to completion but not done yet. 

1. The racing socks are two inches from the toe.  Just an hour or two and they will be done. 
2. Another hat, but its actually done, just not photographed and I don't like it all that much and its black, blah, blah, blah. 
3. Then a diagonal dishcloth, its done but blocking right now.
4. I still have the two knitted sweaters started at Christmas. This is actually 2 projects but they are in the same project box so I'm not counting the second for now.
5. I have the free-form capelet that is so nearly done its unbelievable, maybe and hour left to completion.
6. I went completely insane and started a crochet short sleeved jacket. its about 40% done.  I am quite smitten with it.
7. A small portion of a crocheted hat which I started only because I wanted to try out the stitching.

Worst of all is I saw this really cool crocheted shawl pattern (one of those free ones on a card in the craft store).  I bought all the stuff except one color they didn't have.  I searched around on the internet for it and it seems to be DISCONTINUED.  That is so annoying. But I guess is kept me from starting something else.  /sigh

So why all the crochet?  It uses way too much yarn.  So pretty though.  I do want to knit.  I'd rather knit actually.  So tomorrow, really, I'm going to finish something and put it on this blah-blah-blog.  Really, time to tuck in my crazy and look like a normal person again.

Oh, yeah, I had to order another yarn ball winder!  I can't believe I've broken another one.  This new one has brass gears though, not plastic like the last two.  I hope it will be as persistent as I am.

So if anyone locates some Caron-Spa in Purple Rain, I'd really appreciate it. I just need one skein. 

Swathe Sleeves and Free-Form Crochet

I've been thinking about adding sleeves to the Swathe sweater.  I wore it during some cool-ish evenings in March.  I've been trying to decide if I want to join a straight-topped sleeve or one that curved; taper the sleeve or not; add a garter row or two to the wrist; and, finally, show the stockinette or reverse it like the body of the sweater.  I guess I have all summer to decide.

So, in the meantime, I bought this online, download booklet called free-form crochet.  There's a capelet in there that is really pretty. So I started it.  Looks good so far. I started with multiples of the basic pieces, 12 flowers, 12 large leaves, 6 broad leaves and 22 lacey leaves:

Then join the various pieces.  I drew a paper "form" for this formless design in order to make it look like I wanted.  The side pieces were mirror images of each other.  Here's where I joined the flowers and large leaves:

 and the other leaves for the front and back:

The next part was to crochet some mesh around the joined sections:

So then it was Talladega 500 weekend and my husband really wants "racing" socks so I had to set that aside and get something going on the socks.  I am trying to figure out how to get the "17" on them. This picture isn't up to date, I've added two stripes at the ankle and the heal is started in black. The instep and remainder of the foot will be yellow but the toe will be black. The yellow is also much brighter than the picture shows, DeWalt yellow to be exact. 

I've been obsessed with the socks.  They are going so fast, they really are racing socks!!!

I'll have a lot of church to do this week but hopefully I can finish the capelet and the sock this week.  Stayed tuned!

The January Effect

I have noticed on all of the blogs I read that they all are concerned with unfinished projects. As a general rule, I am a good finisher, meaning I finish what I start at least 90% of the time.  But I noticed that I've started a good many projects lately that are un-done. 

I think this is what I call The January Effect.  We start the new year by clearing out the old.  Most of us are like that I think.  So in December, I had this frenzy of everything I wanted to do in 2011.  I had limited myself to four projects and guess what?  I not only started those four and had a great start, I started four other things. I made three hats and a pair of gloves.  I mean I started five, because I also started a crochet shrug.  I used to say crochet didn't count because its not knitting.  Who's fooling who?

The three hats and one pair of gloves are done, but the four main things I wanted to work on are in various stages of completion.  The Rowan Winter Drift sweater has a completed back. The "mixed media" sweater also has 95% of the back done.  The one piece garter sweater is actually pretty close to half way and the baby blanket is well past half. 

The main thing I wanted to accomplish in 2011 was to "knit-down" my inventory.  I came up with little plans to use up some of my excess stash.  And then I promptly went out (online mostly) and bought MORE!  Why did I buy more yarn?  This is the whiplash of The January Effect. I start thinking I can get all this done, I am so efficient.  I started knitting in June of 2010 and have made forty or more knitted items.  I am so conceited, lol.

So next month is February, Knitters Repentance.  I will turn from my "start a bunch a stuff" ways and bend low over the current in-progress and mend my ways.