new glasses
resolutions for 2008
Hmmm.... These historically never work out for me, but here are some...
- Continue the downward trend in yarn aquisition. I'm not saying I'm not buying, but hopefully I'm buying less and using it.
- Finish the blanket out of Mainline sometime next year. If I don't resolve to finish it, it could hang around for years.
- Try to start Christmas knitting early and to resist the temptation to give those gifts early.
- Finish projects that were started in 2007- no UFO's older than 1 year!
- Try to use my sweaters' worth of donegal tweed, eco wool, classic elite provence, and matchmaker merino. These yarns have been in my stash for TOO LONG.
- Make a lace shawl. I've never done this.
- Try toe up socks. Never done this either.
teddy
I made this a while back in November for my nephew's birthday. I used the Blue Sky Alpaca's Bobbi Brown Bear pattern. 1.5 skeins of classic elite lush, plus some leftover brown malabrigo for the face, size 7 needles. He turned out pretty cute! Now the rest of his brothers and sisters want one.
some knitting and felting
Here is Nicole, holding one of my pre-felted clogs. Isn't it huge? Plus: doesn't her tilted duster look awesome? She is redoing the collar, but I LOVE it.
post felting. 7 (plus a litle extra) skeins of knitpicks merino style: 5 in moss, 2.15 in dusk. Beverly Galeskas is a genius.
I also managed to finish some socks.
Seeded rib pattern with Mountain Colors Bearfoot. I cast on 68 stitches on size 2 needles. They are meant to fit a size 13 foot- I think I could have managed with 64-66 stitches. I LOVE bearfoot.
These socks will be in Harold's stocking for Christmas- Trekking Pro Natura, cast on 72 stitches on size 1 needles. H was complaining that his feet get too hot sometimes in all wool or wool/nylon blends. Hopefully the bamboo will help cool things down.
I have two more pairs of unfinished socks to go. Plus I just cast on Jaywalkers in some very pretty Jitterbug. I couldn't resist it.
I also started the vest from Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery.
So far it is slow going, since you knit the whole body at once. Patons merino on size 5 needles. This vest is going to be for me! I plan on adding pockets and wearing it at work. I also started a giant blanket out of my Knitpicks Mainline. I need to get that out of my stash. It has been many things in my mind and will end in becoming a garter stitch blanket. Oh well. At least it will be warm.
New Knits
I finally finished Harold's aran jacket! I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's Saddle Shoulder Sweater recipe from Knitting Without Tears. I knit with a cone of School Products cashmere merino and size 10 needles- I think the cone was about 1600 yards and I have about 100 grams left. I think it took about 1500 yards of bulky weight yarn. Fortunately, the EZ pattern and my cable and moss stitch panels worked out so that the rib demarcations turned into a perfect saddle seam with no adjustments from me. After it finished drying, I took it to a tailor to get a zipper put in. So pictures of Harold in the sweater are still to come.
I've been knitting other things, but nothing blogworthy- I made 5 hats out of malabrigo for my 5 preceptors at work which I never ended up getting pictures of. I made a scarf out of Artfibers Kyoto and Bitty Bunz. I made a pair of armwarmers out of Curious Creek Fibers' Serengeti in Autumn in New England. That colorway is totally gorgeous.
Now I'm trying to finish shedir, take control of my second sock problem- I have 3 singles without mates, and decide on the next sweater project. Oh yeah, and I wanted to make Kate the cat and the Woodland shawl by Nikol Lohr.
Justin's Birthday!
After I read Jackie French's Diary of a Wombat, I knew that my nephew would feel a special kinship with the animal. Now all my nieces and nephews are demanding carrots and have decided that my sister makes a good pet. Happy birthday, Justin!
