What to do, what to do?

Hey Robin,
I find myself in a peculiar position... balanced on that thin line that we find ourselves on in this particular season. I finished a holiday gift (#18 or so in the list), so do I start another and face gift-burnout or do I start a little something for myself? Hmmm... to demonstrate:

I recently finished these for my Uncle Of the Large Feet (who's birthday is on Halloween but who I only just this weekend got to visit):

Pattern: Adult Moc-a-soc by Bekah Knits

Also finished this for a swap package, now received so it's OK to post a pic:

Pattern: Grid from Hello Yarn, colorwork pattern by my. 

Yarns used: Patons classic wool in natural and 

Debbie Mumm stuff from JoAnn. I'm too lazy to go find the ball band... sorry.

She is a fan of Moose. So the upper one shows the moose-print which is back-of-hand and the lower one shows the moose/antler motif I came up with for the palm. It was fun dreaming up this mitten, plus she really seems to like them so: score!

And now I have 50% finished this gift for another swap:

It's hard to see the leaf motif on the thumb gusset, no? Click to enlarge as always. This pattern is lovely and so well written. It's the October Leaves Mitts  by Abbie Tilden (yarn used: Malabrigo sock in Tiziano Red... I love this yarn base AND colorway... must get more). Mitt #2 is coming along quickly.

I did manage to make something that might or might not end up being for me, so perhaps I should not whine too much. I happened to catch that Woolly Wormhead was conducting a KAL (knit along) for some of her new hats and I have always wanted to make one of her projects. It ended yesterday thusly:

 

Pattern: KAL 'A' (name unknown just now) using Debbie Bliss Merino DK. See the purdy leaves??

Oh yes! I almost forgot that I also knitted up two hats for charity:

Both are the Warwick Hat by my dear friend Nina Machlin Dayton. Knitted up using Cascade 220 for both. They are extraordinary hats really. I think they might be my new faves as far as fun-to-knit factor and cuteness... both of them are child-sized but the pattern includes sizing all the way up to Adult Large.

So now.... what to do with all those lonely needles?

If anyone else has not suffered burnout from gift-knitting, Might I suggest the quickly-knit and wonderfully cute Baby Robitaille by a designer who's name currently escapes me?

Cute, no?

He's a Hermit.

Hey Robin,
Little Guy was constantly insisting this was a lobster, but now understands. He's a HERMIT CRAB! Woohoo!And detail of shell (very cool construction by the way)
This was another all-cotton construction. I am wondering if I should go to wool for the next ones (I have requests for an octopus, a jellyfish and another hermit crab). Anyone have any tips on that?

All that's left of this layette is to sew some fabric to the back of the baby blanket and send it on it's merry way! I hope the new parents like these things and USE them! I wish I could go meet the little fellow when he's born... but at the very least I hope I get to see some in-action pictures with the 'stuff' :)

Hope all is well with you!

Meet Small...

Hey Robin,
As you know I have been dying to try out my new Amigurumi Knits book. An opportunity presented itself and now I have finished one and started another! I present to you:

Small

Small is the name bestowed upon my son's pet earthworm who lives in our backyard. We are never quite sure when we will see Small, but we know he is out there, working hard, aerating our soil. And we love him for it.

Knitted-Small was chosen from the book (by guess who?) as a good starter-project from the book. He came out rather well I think! It's a cotton/acrylic yarn from Knit Picks (Comfy) which is nice and soft and works perfectly for a toy such as this. It's got the usual polyester fiberfil type stuff and a chenille bendy-wirey thingy for some poseableness... it works mostly....

Since Small was such a rousing success we have moved along to the Hermit Crab (unnamed because the recipient who shall be naming is not yet born). I have many parts completed!
This picture only has the shell and one-claw in it (sorry for the crappy pic, I prmise a better one when the whole thing is complete). I am learning a LOT from this book. I have gotten very good at the kitchener stitch (which for you non-knitters out there, it is a stitch which can be a bane to your existance until you understand/memorize the steps... and now I have). I am getting better at short-rows... though I still need work on it. However I have to say, the patterns are sheer genius and must have taken a good long time to work out. Love it so far! We're looking forward to adding a jellyfish and an Octopus to the team! :D

Small sez: Later!

march of the FO's

Hey Robin,
I see my last post date and hang my head in shame. I wish I was doing better at keeping this up! But I wanted to post a few finished items because it just makes me feel good. Here goes:

These are the result of a test-knit for my good-friend-in-Malabrigo: Nina Machlin-Dayton. She has designed the soon-to-be-famous (I hope) Faberge line of knit wear. We all begged for mittens and she let me test the knit. I love them! They have been worn quite often here as it has gone the way of the chilly... Malabrigo Worsted in Stonechat colorway... just sayin'. NEXT!

Finally got the BYOB done! It's a good knit really. I wish it was a little faster.... but the bag is HUGE! Seriously it will probably hold more stuff than a single person should carry... but it's tres stylish. I can't wait to give it to the recipient. Lion Brand Cotton Ease was the yarn, much nicer to knit with than the kitchen cotton I gotta say...

Little Guy's sweater is finally done! I wish I had posted more while this was in progress because it was an interesting journey. I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's seamless sweater formula from Knitting Workshop. It's really fool-proof. I chose the shirt yoke shoulder type. I like it a lot but when it was completed the first time, the neck hole was far too small for my youngling's head. He's got a large noggin. What can I say?? So I had to rip back and open it up a little... and now it's a little large, but at least he will always be able to put it on lol. He wore it to a party yesterday (actually ASKED to wear it!) and it fared well with the rough-n-tough crowd. The yarn was Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in blue with hem-facings in red from Aidan's sweater. It's a nice combo I think!

I will leave you with this:

It's the back of a certain garment which shall remain nameless until after Xmas. Certain persons have been known to check this page to see what I am up to and I don't want to give anything away! This one is not an FO yet... but it's so pretty I had to share :)

Next up I hope to share a new pattern with you all! Cross your fingers that I can get it written-up well enough ;)

Later!

FO's of the non-fibrous variety...

Hey Robin!
I am back from the anti-blogging-land that is the family visit. I don't say that with any kind of negative connotation. Simply, that when family visits I barely have time to check OTHER knitter's blogs much less make time to augment our lovely home, home on the web.

My Father is, as far as I know, now on the plane and safely on his way back to your neck of the woods! We had a great visit as always... went a few places in Seattle that we haven't seen yet which is always great! We saw the 'new' Downtown Seattle library (inspiration for the ubiquitous and wonderful Koolhaas hat). I have pictures, but there are already plenty of them to be found online that my poor attempt at photography would be un-loved for sure. We also went to the Kubota Japanese Garden in South Seattle. What a place!!

The intent of the garden, created around 1927, was to showcase Northwestern fauna in a Japanese manner. It's so beautiful! I LOVE Japanese style gardens, and to think that I could (with a LOT of work) create a garden like it from local plants just renews my interest in trying something in my own backyard. Here's a couple of nice photos to give you an idea of the beauty:

That's my Dear ol' Dad, ain't he handsome?

More importantly though, I wanted to share what we did to the house while he was here... that's the most EXCITING part! Well... to me it is anyway. First of all we changed this:

To This:

aaaaah....

Next thing that happened was this:

Any idea what that is? No? Want a hint? That's the largest amount of FLOOR i have seen in my garage since we bought the house. I can tell you right now THAT is an accomplishment and there's just no way to pay Dad back for all that help and brainstorming. THANKS DAD!!!

Don't worry, I paid him back a little with his favorite dinners and desserts ;)

You want knitting?? Man, some people are SO hard to please! Alrighty here's where I stand with the current WIPs:
The Greenlake Jays

This many sleeves for the Rogue Hoodie:

And I am unveiling the Grammy Square because it probably won't be done in time to ship to Mom for Mother's Day (woops):

It's coming along ;) Sorry about the blurry pic on the Rogue sleeves, there's just no great way to get the cabling detail with a flash.

That's all I got for now. What's happening with you?

Later!

Harlot may be on to something...

Hey Robin!
As this might be my last post for a week (depending upon my willingness to plunk down in front of the laptop while I am at Disneyworld... what are the chances?) I decided to cram as much stuff in this post as I can.

Got another FO!
Allie's "Strawberry bag" based on Daisy from Debbie Bliss Junior Knits. With changes of course. I can't say i like her idea of a good time... too much sewing man! I changed the purse part to be knit in the round and decided not to change the kneedle size when knitting the stockinette lining. I reduced a couple of times to make sure there was no puckering inside the bag. Although the green inside DOES look a bit like a sour apple candy :) Feast your eyes:

I haven't sewn the little flowers on yet, i want to wash the bag first. I hope that's not a stupid idea. The bag is Lily cotton in strawberry and hot green? (hot lime? i cant be bothered to get up and go look at the ball band sorry) and the flowers are from the Elsbeth Lavold Hempathy (rose) which i used to make Karin's Adornment. It worked nicely for these little things! I can now understand why the Harlot was so obsessed with the leaves! The flowers were right addictive and it was all i could do not to make 3 more for the other side (I really must move on to something else... really). I'll use a little of the green to sew them on with a French Knot like DB suggested.

OK and since i will be gone so long I have some promised yarn pr0n. Here goes:
Wendee of Hazel Knits fame managed to sequester one last hank of the Greenlake for me. Woohoo! Thanks Wendee!! Ain't it wonderful to see? I must have the perfect pattern for it. maybe I will use this for Vinnland... hmmm... tough one.

Then there's this for this:

I don't think I have to tell you how difficult it is not to take this with me on the trip. But it's going to be bloody-hot (in the 80's and i am currently acclimated to the 30's) so i am going to play smart and take a sock. Or maybe a hat..

Finally, today i got my Uraguayan wool (no it isn't MmmmmMalabrigo, but it's close) purchased on eBay from the manufacturer I think, for excellent price. Though it took way-long to arrive, it is quite nice! The aqua will probably become Loafers for my Aunt (who i will get to see this week but who probably won't get her loafers while i am there... i'm just not THAT fast!). And the green yellow... i have no idea why i bought that. I thought there was some pink in there. That's what I remember, anyway I think it might become a koolhaas or a Pithy Hat. What do you think?

I think i just want to roll around in it for a while...

I hope that is suitable to hold you until next week! :D
Later!

Sqeee!

Hey Robin,

DONE! You gotta make one of these for Emme!!


Pattern: Skirtsicle
Yarn: Lily cotton, Strawberry colorway
Size: 4

Me: SQEEE! I can't wait to see it on her!

I got my Rogue Hoodie yarn (Knit Picks Swish Superwash in Lemongrass... woo!) and i'm trying to tidy up the Kid Kaper so that I may unveil it at last... however it is eluding my attempts at reaching completion. Booo!! Wish me luck.

Later :)