The Stocking is Done.

Yay! It's done. Now I have to make another stocking for C#1, and then hats for everyone. What I would really like to know is how C#1 managed to lose every hat last year? Except for the one he will no longer wear, of course. D always loses hats, so I'm really thinking about what kind of hat I'll make him, nothing too fancy that's for sure.

Sure.

You had to ask, didn't you? No. I have NOT forgotten about, nor have I finished, the mohair sweater.

Well, I guess Aunt G. will be in town on the 15th of October, so that's my new deadline for the mohair thing. Can you tell I have no more enthusiasm or energy for this sweater?

I don't know. Knitting someone a sweater is a big deal. Especially when it's a big person, well, no she's not that big, I mean she is an adult. So you know, it would be nice if someone acknowledged all your hard work in making every single ****ing stitch and cable in a handknit sweater...

Sigh.

Sadly, I am sure you know what I mean.

Well, there really isn't much more left to knit. If I dedicate a day to it I should be able to finish. I need to get it done and out of my house. If it stays any longer it'll just gather more hard feelings.

I'll try to take photos of the stocking tomorrow...

Heels.

Drive me crazy. I always get stuck on them and have to put my sock in time out until I can sort out the idea of the heels in my head. Completely lacking in confidence and in need of more practice.

I took a Sock Heel class at Sock Summit with Heather Ordover. She showed us some great heels with different fits, but the one I really liked was this fabulous square heel and it fit me quite well. The problem is, I knit toe up and the pattern wasn't.

Math drama. Crud.

Bohus Stickning Wristlet

I took this class at Stitches Midwest with Susanna Hansson, who is a fabulous teacher, and I fell in love with Bohus designs. The sweaters are just lovely, and even though the charts can be challenging, they are not really difficult as long as you pay attention. I love the fudge factor in the patterns, add a stitch here, take one out there... the gauge is small enough so that it doesn't change the size by enough.

The Blue Shimmer pattern had 5 colors total, and the chart had some stitches knit in stockinette, and some in purl. The purl bumps add so much to the designs, the charts in plain stockinette are interesting, but with some of the stitches purled they really pop and have so much more texture.

The yarn is a blend of very fine wool and angora. Even though I tend to dislike angora since a lot of commercial sweaters seem to use just enough angora to make the sweater seem soft, later it proves to be just the right amount for an inordinate amount of pilling, this yarn was luscious. Even the samples of old sweaters weren't pilled and still looked lovely and soft.

I was on a mission, and I decided that I was going to finish my wristlet that day, otherwise if it hit the UFO pile once it got home, well, who knows when it would be completed.

Here she is:




Susanna dubbed our row "the speed demon row" since all three of us seemed to be zipping along, ... if she only knew

...don't tell her about the mohair thing, okay?

I'm Ahead of the Game!

Look, C#2's Christmas stocking! Since the beginning of Christmas-time in a kid way in our house, C#1 and C#2 have made do with hand-me-down from daddy and uncle Rice-a-roni Christmas stockings. They are made of wool, hand knit by MIL, and while they are quite cute and nostalgic, they are also moth eaten. Hard to put things into and pull things out of a piece of Swiss cheese.

The Cs chose new patterns, designed by Arnhild Hillesland, and I started C#2's on the way to Sock Summit. I'm starting the heel now and the toe won't take long. I had to frog over 1/2 of it once (forgot the decreases) and it still went quickly. I forgot how much I like stranded knitting and working from a chart for color.

So, this means I'm ahead of the game for Christmas, right?

Yeah, right.

Okay, you can stop rolling on the floor now, and go get a rag to wipe off the monitor.

Mint Chocolate Chip

This is what C#2 picked out for his warm (wool) socks, which coincidentally matches his current favorite ice cream - mint chocolate chip. He wanted stripes and even though this isn't exactly what he envisioned he seems pretty happy with them.

And he wants the second sock NOW!


In progress as we speak...

February Toddler Sweater is Done!

Done! The buttons were in my button stash, from where or when I am not at all certain, and the yarn is Cotton Fleece from Brown Sheep. I used exactly 2 1/2 skeins (250 grams- exactly!) on US size 6 needles. The original pattern is from The Knitters Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I knit it for a toddler rather than an infant.

I'm not entirely certain of the proportion of this sweater, I need a toddler model to try it on.



...and since he hasn't been seen in a while, here is Ollie, keeping an eye on things.

Button Related Inertia

Why is it so hard to sew on buttons?

Not actually physically difficult, but the procrastination over some little plastic, glass or shell bits that can be essential to some clothing is just so difficult to overcome.

Yes, the February Toddler Sweater.

No, I haven't sewn them on yet.

Help.

Photos? Oh, maybe tomorrow...