A Hat, a shawl and a hat.

I may have mentioned that we (meaning my knitting guild) was given a bunch of yarn by some lovely knitters who are downsizing, in addition to willingly carting off the leftovers from our stash swap the other month. 

Wait..... I didn't mention that? 

Really?   

oh, I see.........

Well, um. It isn't staying at my house. Honest. Most of it is acrylic, or fun fur crazyness. I spent the other weekend winding it up to make learn to knit knits for Guild events. We generally set up at community events to get the word out about knitting and our guild...... for proof check the FVKG blog.

Any-way I did manage to find something nice at the bottom of one of the bags...... and I made a hat. It's even finished. YES! DONE!

The Elizabeth hat by Jane Richmond

I have had this hat in my queue for ages..... since she first put it out and I have just now knit it! It was very enjoyable and easy to knit. This photo is just before the final bind off. I should really have some photos of my hats on heads...... that would look better. So glad I used up that bulky alpaca blend. That one lost skein was super lonely in the bag of orange acrylic. It broke my heart. Now it's a hat, and happy.

I completed my Cassandra shawl as well and since I had an extra pair of blocking hands here on Sunday I enlisted help to get it done quicker. Thanks Jen!

Lovely isn't she. There are more photos on the project pages in Ravelry if you need more detail. Malibrigo lace in Purple Mystery.

Finally I began a second hat 

That looks alot like the first hat I already made out of this yarn. I liked it so much I wanted to make a second to give to my sister or my gal pal. We shall see. Who knows.....

Happy knitting!

Keeping busy

This week had flown by. I think that somtimes it's not a good thing even if work goes quick. I have stuff to get done and if my week is over so fast, how will I get to it all. I have a goal list for 2011 that I have yet to share here, and I keep forgetting honestly. Sounds silly, but the reason I wanted to make another list this year is because I felt that last year it kept my head in the goal game.

That being said I would like to share it.

But first, what I have been dabbling with this weekend.

The green/ orange/red tube is a new hat for my niece. I tried to make her one already, but it was only big enough to fit my nephew who is one month old. Ooops... take two. Good news is my sister liked the yarn, and it's a washable wool so it will keep the little head warm. I do so  love knitting for my family!
Secondly, I was trying my had at CROCHET! I love the look of granny square blankets, and it's on the list this year, so I figured I better familiarize myself. I am not understanding the instructions in the book so far, but I am going to try the Attic 24 blog tutorial and  see how that goes. She makes lovely blankets.

Okay so on with my knitterly goal list for 2011. Even though it's late Feburary, I assure you I have had this list since at least mid-Janurary. LOL

1. A Yoke Sweater (to be determined)
2. A Bog Sweater in Purple Cascade 220
3. Fair Isle Inspired vest or sweater
4. Urban Aran sweater modified to a Cardigan
5. New sweaters for the kids in my life (6)
6. Crochet Granny Square Blanket
7. Rogue Kit knit up
8. Green Superwash top-down sweater
9. Brown sweater or vest for husband
10. Nephew's Christmas Stocking
11. Wedding shawl for a special bride
12. All 2010 WIP's complete or resolved.

Ta da! There it is. I am feeling pretty good about it so far. I have my own set of rules to go with it. One of which is a re-evaluation in July, to allow myself revisions. I am keeping track of yarn used for the 100 ball challenge and I am not restricting myself to JUST THIS LIST (as you may have noticed with my other project post this month) Too much restriction = no fun. That isn't the point. I really just have a few things I want to get done, so I think that this is helpful. Three of the WIP's from last year are sweaters that were on the list. Just need some finishing.... or a front, or some sleeves...... and I'm done! Progress to come of course. Can't wait to show you wha't up next. Oh! On that note......

Here is the yarn and needles ready to begin the Christmas Stocking for my nephew. No time like the present. I anticipate begining the bridal shawl in the next month. Happy crafting!

My geek cred.... and the first offical 2010 FO

Seriously... I knit a great project for my Brother in law

Just finished it today. It's the only Christmas project that I didn't finish on time. At least it's done.
here ya go.....

Thanks to my hubby who provided the head- model!

The first official FO of the new year was a second Multnoma shawl in the fantastic hand-dyed Berroco that I showed off in the fall HERE .

Here is the FO I really like it... but I am unsure if it would make a better gift...... I have someone it could be great for. However I have so much other great yarn that could work.

There it is.  The flash does have something to do with the colour... It isn't quite so "brassy" lol.

Maybe this is a better image...

Well.... I guess so.... I do like it. I did a larger middle section as reccomended by Hello Knitty. I think that I like having a longer lace section. I was also compelled to do some frogging. I had a Minimalist Cardigan on the needles, but I started it in a wool and it wasn't draping well, so I ripped it out and began a plain cardigan base. K2 P2 with a centre steek. I will just knit it in the round, steek the centre and arms, then give it a k2 p2 button band.
Nothing fantastic, just simple and useful. Nothing really spectacular, so no image at the moment it's just red wool. I was also going to knit up a acrylic sweater too, but I have never steeked Acrylic. I think that it can be done, but first the wool one, then the purple with some patterning. It is just sitting in my stash anyway. i may as well. I think that is the way I feel about several stash yarns that I have. I like it, I am not waiting to use it... why not use it.

I have re-thought the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I will knit it... I just need to get a longer needle, I have the size I swatched on, but I tried to cast on the required stitches..... and it was very inadequate. LOL Oh well. I really want to make that cardigan too, so why not.
Maybe that is what I will keep as my goal the year of "Why Not?" LOL

I hope all is well in your knitting, I haven't quite decided what goals I would like to have for the year. Some people have decided to knit 52 projects in 52 weeks, there is also a goal of 100 projects a year from blogger-pal Toni ,go Toni! That would be fantastic. I really haven't given myself adequate time to think it through, or write a bit of a list. I like lists... 

So, I have been considering a goal of 50 books this year. I also want to consider lots of other things.... listen to me, vauge and off beat. I can't wait to browse the blogs and see who has what. I will add my own when I can.

Well.......

I thought I would be sharing a completed project with you by now, but I am not.

Sadly I have to frog the new "We call them Pirates" hat that I was making....... it is too small for the recipient for sure! It is looking spectacular, and I knit it mostly in one day (Sunday) in between breakfast, shooting and all the other things I did that day. It knit up super fast!! So Monday I was getting reay to do the decreases for the top, and I thought I would try it on to see if it would be big enough...... it fit me snug.

That is not the plan!

My DF is bigger than I am, his head included. So having a hat that fits me, means it will not fit him! LOL..... so I had to order more yarn! Unfortunatally when I bought the yarn it was only one ball of each other and the modification that I have planned to make this hat work for him is to add a full fifth panel of skull pattern. That is alot more yarn. So, hence with the ordering!

Oh well, at least it has a purpose and I can frog back and re-knit until the extra arrives, hopefully the dye lot won't be totally off, but I did order the original Telemark last spring! LOL

So I do have some other intresting news, I have started an enterlac shawl as planned. I was planning on basing it off the Lady Elanor stole that has been so popular, but the book is taking so flippin long to come in to my library branch, I decided on another plan of action!

I have the Spring 2007 Interveave Knits with the enterlac socks in it...... it also happens to have a fantastic instruction on basic enterlac. So I am using that to make a new pattern! YAY!! no waiting! so as you can see it is in the colourway that I have already showed you, and it is knitting up quickly as well! Thank goodness, I hope to get this done ahead of schedule! (March 26) So far, so good.

I also cast on for a blanket for a friend. I have called it Embers and Ashes, as it is double stranded red and grey. This yarn has been taunting me for a while now, and it is time to get this project doen and to it's new owner! I have no pictures of this, all it is at the moment is 9 rows of moss stitch as a base border! I promise picstures once I have gotten a bit farther into the pattern, at least one repeat so I can make sure I like it! LOL

On the UFO front I am sitting down in the next little while to get this heel done! This weekend at least! It really bothers me that I have let this lovely pair of socks sit this long, I do not want this to be another UFO that I have to frog and re-start! I am going to figure out this heel and get these babies done so I can move on to other socks! The Icarus shawl may be suffering the same fate! I liked the pattern, but I put it down ages ago.... so now I have to get re-aquainted with the pattern. I didn't find it difficult at the time, but sometimes when you put something down.... you can have gauge issues when you pick it back up. That is my main concern. I wonder if I will have to re-start that one too......

Oh well, I will keep you posted as ususal ,LOL. Hope you all have a productive and great week!

oooo goodies!

So I was fortunate enough to get mail today!!!! I have pics..... let me show you what I got!

oooooo so much fun!! As a warning, there are four pictures in this post and I know that I have a few more on the blog, so be aware, I don't want to have anyone upset over download time......

I seriously love swapping!!! I have reasons.... LOOK......

This is Benson, my very own pincushion!!!! LOL is he not the funniest thing that anyone could get in the mail! LOL I think that he is great! I have been waiting for him for a while! I guess, judging by the customs tape................ that he spent some time with the Canadian officials, because seriously, what customs officer would know what this guy was!!! LOL the colourful dots on him are his pins!!! LOL I wonder what he looks like going through an X-ray machine! no wonder he has a hole in his bum and some of his pin decorations appear to be broken! (incidentally he is filled with cotton batting and plastic pellets.......) oh man LMAO!!

So that was my first joy!! ( in all honesty, I don't think my family understood the joy on my face when they beheld Benson in all his glory.........)

Moving on......

*giggle*

This fantastic array of goodies is from another swapping partner.....

I got a PURSE! with SKULLS on it!!!! how fun is that! the lining which I seem to have forgotten to take a picture of, is a red snakeskin! It matches the skulls bandannas.... YAY!

In addition to that I got a spindle and some roving that was kool-aid dyed so I can try out spinning!!!! She is awesome!!! I have already thanked all these great swap partners in the proper galleries on craftster. I swear.

But wait.................there is more! yes I have received from my fat quarters swap! LOL aren't these nice!!! I have to think of something to make, I can't let them be stash, they are way to fun, and I know that I will never have this fabric again, so why not have some fun with it!?!?! Pillows maybe? I have no clue! LOL Too bad I don't quilt. You may have noticed that I have 7, not 6 that was what I was supposed to have, but she wasn't sure that I would like the golden fabric, so she gave it to me and made sure that I had 6 other anyway! Good thing this happened to me too, I have an extra for each of my partners.....
This final image is not a swap..... I knit it this weekend.... you can see it on my noggin in the top picture, I used a squash here, and it doesn't do the stitch justice........but it was all I had, the family is in bed so I can't model it on my noggin right now, and I really wanted to post.... so maybe later. I was trying to make sure that I had something done for Project Spectrum..... So I went with white as the colour, to challenge myself, I don't usually use white! This is Patons Classic Merino knit in the round into the Maple Seed Stitch hat I found on craftster.... I am now going to make several more as they only seem to take a few hours...... I love that!

I think that I may try to have a less picture oriented post next time. I realise that for some it takes a while to load this up, and that can be a pain and frustrating..... sorry about that. I will keep it light for a little while...... talk at you later!