... a little bit of craft:
A pillow cover I made late last night when motivation struck.

Pattern: Incredible Custom-Fit Raglan
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport (gray and green)
Reynolds Saucy Sport (purple)
Needle: US 5
Start: January 21, 2009
Finish: March 19, 2009

Its finally finished! This seemed to really drag on there at the end... I just wanted to be done. But I finished it up last week and I love how it looks and how it fits. The yarn is so soft and comfortable, and its not too warm to wear at my scorching-hot office. I really liked the top-down approach and the calculator/pattern I used came out perfectly. I definatley will be making more sweaters using this method. My only problem is that I got so antsy there at the end I basically made everything too short and then I had to pick out the bind of edge and make both the body and the first sleeve longer. This should have been entirely avoidable because it is knit from the top and I could have tried it on to make sure it fit, but I was impatient and I went ahead and bound off without trying it on... and it was too short. Originally I was going to leave the bottom edge with no ribbing so that it would curl, but I didn't really like how that looked so I decided to do the narrow band of ribbing instead.

The pictures were taken in my new apartment... so you get a sneak peak!

Warmest Slippers Ever: thrummed with wool for warmth, in army green for fashion (ha!)

So, I wrote out a pattern for these, and it should be better than the last one, although it was difficult to write with the thrumming, I think that it is pretty clear. If you're interested let me know. They were very quick to knit up, it took me a month because I took a few long haituses. I'm very happy with them and they are keeping my toes warm as I write!

Crochet Love

I have not finished my second sweater. I only have about a half a sleeve left and all I can think about it crochet. Yes, crochet. I'm completely obsessed with crochet. I don't know why or where it came from. Well, maybe I do - there are so many colorful crochet projects out there. I had to get in on some of that color. So I've been crocheting with no particular project in mind. Just making things... its actually really fun. I've known a little about crocheting for a couple years now, but I'd really not done much more than a straight line. As I started playing with the yarn and hook, with my crochet book nearby, I realized that crochet is really intuitive. I know three basic stitches and with those I could play around and figure out how to make different shapes. I figured out how to make these flowers just by looking at a photograph of some flowers! I was pretty impressed with myself!

And I've made this thing, I'm not sure what it is or what I will use it for... but it was fun to make! I think I want to make one of those lovely hexagon blankets with reds and oranges and yellows.

Sweater #1

Pattern: DROPS 109-1 Jumper with hood

Yarn: Berroco Peruvia Quick

Needles: US 10, 10.5, and 11

Start: December 30, 2008

Finish: February 22, 2008

My first sweater of the year is finished! This was one of those total spur-of-the-moment, I must make this sweater kind of things. The pattern included a hood, but I decided to make it with a shawl collar instead. I followed this pattern's instructions for the collar. I knit the body on size 11 needles, the collar on size 10.5 and then I only had size 10 dpns, so I used them for the sleeves and just cast on a few more stitches to make up for the difference in the needle sizes. That worked out fine and the sleeves fit perfectly. I am fairly happy with how the sweater came out, but it tends to bunch up around the ribbing on the bottom. I think if I would have knit the ribbing in a smaller size needle, it would have probably eliminate the bunching. I like the sweater, but I'm not in love with it. I like knitting things with bulkier yarn because it goes faster, but I think sweaters knit in a finer gauge are more comfortable and flattering. From now on, I think I'm going to stick to things knit on a needle size 8 or smaller. Well, until I want a quick sweater...

A Challenge

I have decided to take on a challenge: Knitting 12 Sweaters in 12 Months. There is a knit-a-long going on for this purpose and I have decided to join. I know that is a ridiculous amount of knitting, and generally I don't like to have deadlines or even goals when it comes to knitting, but I think it will be fun and it will be a challenge.

My rules are this:

• Twelve sweaters finished in 2009 - it doesn't matter when they were started
• Any adult garment is considered a sweater - this inculdes tank tops, vests, and traditional sweaters
• All garments must be finished and wearable by December 31, 2009

In 2007, I completed 6 adult garments: 3 tank tops, 1 shrug, and 2 sweaters... ...so I will have to double my efforts in 2009. However, I already have 3 sweaters and a vest on the needles. I am hoping to have my first sweater of the year finished this week - I just have one sleeve left to do. And I have yarn and plans for 3 other tops: a vest, a tank top, and a cardigan. So, if (when) I finish those, I will have 7 projects completed and I will have almost cleaned out my yarn stash, which has been a goal for over a year now! The only problem I forsee is that I have other projects I also want to work on - I know I won't be able to work on sweaters exclusively... my attention just won't last.

Valentine

Pattern: Helleborous

Yarn: Ornaghi Filati Superkid

Needle: US 9

Start: February 4, 2009

Finish: February 12, 2009

I had to interrupt my sweater knitting to do some gift knitting. I decided at the last minute to knit a scarf for my friend Heidi for Valentine's Day. I had this yarn on hand and it worked perfectly with the pattern. I held it double and about half way I thought I was going to run out of yarn before it was long enough, but I just kept knitting and ended up with a scarf that was about 60 inches long. If I would have had time to block it, I could have probably gotten another couple inches, but I didn't have time. It turned out great and looked beautiful. I really hope she likes it as much as I do! I love mohair - its so soft and so warm, despite all the holes. I have another mohair project on my mind.

I hope ya'll had a nice Valentine's Day... Alex and I decided last minute (I was looking for an excuse to take my new car on a little road trip) to go up to Pagosa Springs for a night to sit in the hot springs and relax. It was snowing and really nice, but COLD! I persuaded Alex to go cross country skiing - he had never done it before. He has been downhill skiing since he was 4 years old, but had an accident last season and tore his ACL, so he hasn't gone since then. He said cross-country skiing was like 'driving a ferrari all your life and then being demoted to a golf cart'. So, um, I guess he wasn't sold it. I think next time we're gonna try snowshoeing instead.