... 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.

Sweaters (and Sock)

I ride the train to work 3 to 4 days a week. Its an hour and 20 minute ride each way, so that provides lots of knitting time. I usually knit about half of the way in the morning and the whole way home (except when I'm roped into playing poker. Which I always win.). Anyway, I really don't mind the train part of the commute - I've made quite a few friends and its a nice way to wind down after work. We actually have a lot of fun. What I don't like is that I dont like is that I don't get home until almost 7pm. My day is spent pretty much at work or getting there and back. Its kind of a drag.

But on to knitting:

First off, I finished a sock I have been working on forever. Its a pretty simple basket weave pattern in a purple and black yarn (Crystal Yarn Panda Wool) that I bought when Molly and I were in Austin last spring. I have yet to cast on for the second sock...

Otherwise, I have been on a sweater mission this winter. I started two sweaters; the first is a cozy sweater knit in bulky wool (I'm using Berocco Peruvian Quick). It is a hybrid between these two patterns. I have the body finished and I just started on the shawl collar. Its really too bulky at this point to take on the train, so it hasn't gotten much knitting time lately.

The second sweater is a top-down raglan sweater I am knitting in some sport weight cotton I have had forever. Its going to be a pretty simple striped sweater/tunic with bell sleeves. I am having a lot of fun with this one because I am using a "sweater calculator" and just making the rest up as I go. I think it will be nice for spring, which is already here in Albqueruque. It has been in the 60's lately :)

More Glittens

Pattern: Minnesota Mittens from Folk Mittens

Yarn: Berocco Foliage

Needle: US 4

Start: December 25, 2008

Finish: January 5, 2009

One of the first times Alex and I hung out we met in Santa Fe after work and took a walk around the Plaza. It was just before Christmas; it had just snowed and Santa Fe was all decorated with lights, so it was really beautiful. Anyway, he knew that I knitted, although at that point he hadn't seen anything I had made yet. That evening he asked me what I was making and, of course, I had my current project in my purse so I pulled it out to show him. I was making my glittens. He like them and immediately said he could use a pair for fly fishing. Thats when I had my first inkling that he might be a keeper. And so, I made him a pair.

They were quite a bit easier to make than the first pair I made, mostly because I used a size 4 needle instead of size 2, and because I knew what I was doing this time around. The 'pattern' in the book is really more of a guide as to how to make these, not really a pattern. I would not recommend it for someone who hasn't made mittens before and isn't familiar with how mittens are constructed. Anyway, it was much smoother sailing this time around. He requested that there be a way to poke his thumb out so he could use it without taking the mittens off (which makes complete sense - I'm not sure why I didn't think of that.), so I made a hole in the thumb by binding off 6 stitches and then casting 5 on the next row (just like a button hole). They turned out great, fit perfect, and he loved them.

Winner.

Some angora goats (the curly-haired ones) and other good-looking goats at a farm I visited a few weeks ago for work. They were so darn cute!

I have started a new hobby. It is printing. I have invested in some high quality equipment to the tune of $60 and renovated the craft space to be my new printing center. The photo above shows the disarray of the kitchen before said renovation. My first project was a tandem bicycle carving in linoleum. I've been doing a lot of simple prints on fabric to give to friends as patches.I can just sew the edges with some zig zag stitch (if only the sewing machines were my friends) and Voila, a personalized piece of art to sport on your backpack or bulletin board! I've also purchased a few cute tops at Target for $3.24 to print on. One of them is below, with a series of bicycles printed up the top.I have also done a few cuts in gum pads, which are a little cheaper than linoleum (and much much much much easier to find?) , but I'm not impressed. It is basically the same as cutting into an eraser, and just as easy to break. I had a nice little cut with a series of stems and leaves but it broke in half, and now I'm waiting and hoping Elmers will fix it. It is much softer to carve into, but it is also much easier to chip and just isn't as sturdy. Linoleum is very stiff and takes some elbow grease to carve into, but I think the end product provides much crisper edges and a stamp that will last much longer. I bought the only small sized linoleum block at the local art store, and Michael's doesn't even know what linoleum cutting is. boo.

Anyway, more prints to come but those are all the photos I have right now!

One and Only Christmas Gift

I only made one Christmas gift this year - these linen placemats for my brother. They are very simple double crochet rectangles. I started these in the airport on the way home on December 22. I finished the second one Christmas afternoon. My hand really hurt; it is not use to so much crocheting. But I really like how they turned out - they are small placemats because my brother has a small, round kitchen table so thats what works on his table. The yarn is Berrocco NaturLin. The two placemats took three skeins of beige and one skein of blue. I had a little left over which I crochet in to a little circular coaster, but I didn't get a photo it, so you'll just have to use your imagination!

Molly made the scones for Christmas breakfast. She is the best scone-maker I know.

Mountain Hat
Still using up the extra Cascade 220 from the shalom cardigan. This time I designed a simple black "mountain" pattern for the brim of this hat. Nice and cozy.

Globe Hat
I designed this hat from a stitch in The Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 2: Cables. I think it turned out really well and I gave it to my friend Sarah for Christmas.

Pattern: toast

Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino

Needle: US 7

Start: December 16, 2008

Finish: December 21, 2008

This yarn is amazing. I got it for Christmas last year (Thanks, Jamie!) and it has just been chillin while I wondered what it should be. Every now and then I would take it out and pet it because it is incredibly soft and fuzzy and squishy. I saw the pattern for toast online and thought that the two would be a perfect match. And it was. The pattern, of course, is incredibly simple - just a tube, but I love simplicity, especially when paired with gorgeous yarn. I didn't make thumb holes because I wanted to be able to just push them up my arm if I wanted to. And I do actually wear these... I have a lot of shirts with 3/4-length sleeves and when I wear them I sometimes get a bit chilly. But now I have something to keep my arms warm!

The armwarmers only used one skein of the yarn and I had two, so I made a matching cowl with the other skein of yarn: