So, wow... we did our gift exchange .

Yay Christmas gift giving has completed! No seriously...... we did our swap for our group of friends... it was great! Here we go, for gifts that I gave today... and the goodies I was gifted later.

Mitts for Julia, inspired by her dog Strider......

She squeed... it was very gratifying. I really wanted to make sure that the fingerless gloves that I made for Julia were perfectly suited for her.  I did begin with a pattern that I was familiar with, but it didn't work out, so I had to make it up as I went along. The dog I found in a Selbu mitten book, and I tweaked it to look more like her furry big guy. I really like how they turned out.

I made her two tea cosies, and I only got one photographed. The first one, was begun out of recycling a sweater..... it was a great adventure, but I had total swap anxiety about it..... so I tossed it in the pile of fix it later, and went with a back up plan of lopi yarns and knitting..... and the lopi made me break out in cold sores! So I had to get a pinch knitter... Thanks Jen! When I was discussing my trouble with Jen, she got a chance to see the recycled sweater project, and was sure that Julia would love it.... so I finished it off too....

As you can see I felted a sweater and did some embroidery on the front. And lined it with some great botanical fabric. She liked it, I also liked it, and I think I will be making a few more. Seriously this was a inspiring project, I have so many notes on new ones that I plan on... and one cut out sitting beside me now. LOL

Sorry about not having the other cosy photographed, but I also like that pattern so much that I am on my third one... really easy and so easily made to match other peoples tastes. I will have pics of the others.

Finally I knit a Multnoma in a colourway that I thought she would love. And she did! YAY!

Here it is on a blocking board.
It looks great around the neck, I may see if I can get her to model for me....

On my needles.... two tea cosies, a sweater or two, socks and mittens. More on that later. Have a good Sunday.

Hello... how are you?

Hi there! Busy long weekend in the works? Not for me.
At least, I hope note.
So far this morning I was at 88 Stitches for a nice sit and stitch with the owner and a pal of mine. Lovely muffins and coffee on a blustery day.
Then on my way home I stopped in at a favorite nursery for potting soil and two new house plants.
Now I am blocking shawls, blogging and spending sometime getting back on line. I seem to be exhausted when I get home from work lately, so I avoid the computer altogether ..... but hey, What can I say. I really want to see what everyone is up to so I really can't stay away. LOL

So news. Fibres West was a great day last Saturday. Jane has a great little synopsis on her blog ... go check it out. There was a great vendors area, althought no presentations that we wanted to see while we were there. Lots of local yarnies, and some great hand-dyers.
We saw some friends grabbed some lunch and spent some money. I wish I had planned a little better, last year I had notes on the patterns I was intrestd in and the yardage i would need..... not so much this year. I was just happy to have some time out with the gal pals.

The Three purchases.
One: Soak Unleashed I was out of wool wash, and this was at a booth, YAY!

Two: Sweet Georgia's Silk Crush Sock Yarn ..... yummmy. The color is named "Saltwater" and this photo does not do it justice. It is beautifully deep and a lighter shade of blue. Not softer, just lighter, if that makes sense.

Three: Licorice twist from Unwind Yarns, which I have been stalking for a year. I wished that I had bought it last year and so this year I found it and took it home.

I was wearing my completed Central Park Hoodie! YAY  I finally finished it. I love wearing it! It Is so warm and comfy, so I am considering making a second ..... we shall see.

I have started a new sweater and I am not really  along enough to show it off, so I will save that for another day. In short it's a design by my friend Jane, mentoned above, called Sedum. I did have much in my stash that would work for it, so I was doing some swatching, and  finally settled on a yarn that I already own. That makes the process way easier, so I started, and I am almost to the arms which makes it just a strip of knitting at the moment. As I said pictures when it is a little farther along.

Hope you are well and getting up to something that intrests you. I look forward to reading about it. I think my next post will be about something neat to get up to on rainy days......

The knitting continues.... again

Olympic excitement is in my life.... my knitting is going great.  This is what I began with ....

and here is where I am now.....

Two mittens! I have ends to weave in on the one I just finished... which is all inside out to show off the crazy ends. I also have thumbs to put on them. That may be a challenging or lots of fun, but I don't know yet.

Hope all your knitting is going well.... I am off to weave in ends and keep this momentum up!

Olympics 2010

Well, they are here. I thought the opening ceremonies went well!
LOL
Things around town are getting intresting.

This is the banner that is up around Surrey, where I work. As you can see, the blue and green theme that is going across the events is all around us!

Here is my Ravolympics cast on. I have finished the cuff, but it's going to get complicated. Fun fun.
We were at a friends house watching the opening ceremonies...it was fun and funny. We heckled, we clapped and laughed. What a great time. I was so glad that they used multiple people to light the final torch.
I am super proud to have the olympic here, so I have to get out around the town and get some more pictures to share some of the intresting things that are going on here. Happy knitting and good luck to your countries' teams.

Knitting cotinues.

Well, I have completed three baby blankets in the last two weeks for showers that my sister is going to. I think I may take a break, but I still have some things left unfinished like a sweater or two and some socks that i do want to get some use out of.

The olympics are almost here and I plan on getting some info and pics to share up here. Can't wait to see what is up. The torch is coming throught the area tomorrow, and there is a big celebration and concerts just down the street from my work on Friday for the opening ceremonies. Should be neat. Now to convince my lovely husband that we should check it out! LOL So much to do! yay! I am excited!

Sorry to make this short and sweet, and lamely without pictures, but I have to get off to sleep and work tomorrow. I also have to put the final touches on the baby blanket in my lap. Have a grea night, and good times doing whatever you are up to.
Later guys!

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.