My first yarn cake

I know I've been quiet lately. I haven't had much to update on the yarn front. I was a dope and forgot to take a picture of my mom's shawl for Christmas so I'll have to do that next time I see her. I still haven't finished Manda's socks yet (more on that in a minute) so my knitting production has been pretty much nil.

But! I did get a cool new yarn toy for my birthday. Kevin got me the ball winder from knit picks (after I've been whining about wanting one for about 2 years now). I just caked my first yarn, some Madeline Tosh sock yarn in Malachite.



I am so in love with this color and I fully plan on knitting something for myself with it once I finish Manda's sock. I'm thinking maybe some glittens or a shawlette? The ball winder is super neat and I love being able to make neat little yarn cakes now. Also, this picture was taken with my new 50mm lens that Kevin also got me for my birthday. This lens has a learning curve to it so my pictures might be a little fuzzy with it for awhile but practice makes perfect.

Back to Manda's sock. I haven't had much knitting mojo since I finished most of the other presents before Christmas. On December 5th Kevin and I found out that we are expecting a baby in August so I've spent a good chunk of December and January feeling tired and sick and without any motivation to knit whatsoever. I'm starting to feel much better now in the past couple of weeks so I'm thinking I can get my knitting mojo back soon. I really need to finish up those socks so I can move on to BABBY KNITS! Squee! I've already got some darling rainbow yarn that's been earmarked for a baby knit.

So that's what's going on in my neck of the woods. I plan on being more active now that my energy is coming back.

Quick update

I finished Mom's Autumn Leaves Stole and  completely spazzed out and forgot to take a picture before wrapping it up. I knit a cute little owl hat for one of my nieces and now I'm just down to finishing a sock. I may get all of my Christmas knitting done in time after all!

On another note, I can't seem to leave comments for anyone. It never shows me as logged in when looking at other blogs and I can't comment with my google account. So...um, everything you're doing is wonderful! Hopefully I'll get this issue resolved soon!

Christmas Knitting the OMG I'm RUNNING OUT OF TIME EDITION!

So we are 2 weeks away from Christmas and I have a little under half a shawl, 2 hats and 1 sock left to complete. It didn't sound like a lot when I had almost 2 months to knit all of my presents but somehow, time has gotten away from me and I've only managed to complete one sock and a pair of mittens. Hats are quick, so I'm not terribly concerned about them (plus I have one hanging around that I'm not attached to and can gift if I do run out of time) but the shawl concerns me. I'm getting tired of it, the pattern is very repetitive and not terribly interesting so right now I fee like it's a slough to get through. It will be lovely, but I don't anticipiate doing this pattern more than once. Also, there's no way I'm going to finish the second owl sock before Christmas. Those socks just take way too long to knit (I'm a slow cabler). 

Since these are all presents I'll keep pictures under wraps until they are gifted. I know this isn't much of an update but I just wanted to let y'all know I am at least still knitting. I'm really excited about the patterns I can start in January but I'll share more on that later.

Thrummed Mittens V 3.0

I finished up the second thrummed mitten this morning after taking a break to knit Hedera No. 2, start Mom's Autumn Leaves stole and read the Hunger Games (which BTW is excellent).

I knit the bulk of this mitten in 2 days. They're not terribly interesting to make but it goes quickly so making them repeatedly isn't so bad. I might try to knock out one more pair before Thanksgiving if I can get through Manda's present quickly enough. The yarn for her present finally came but I need to get some beads before I can start working on it.

So far progress on the Autumn Leaves stole has been going well. I'm through the first chart and it's simple and easy to follow. Definitely one of those 'looks way more complicated than it actually is' projects. I'm not even all that fussed about having to graft together two pieces. After knitting so many socks grafting is a piece of cake (though I STILL have to look up the steps and follow them, I just can't memorize the process). I like the color for it too. I went with a neutral cream yarn (Cascade 220 Heathers) and it will go with a lot so hopefully it will see a lot of use.

So far Christmas knitting 2011 is going well. Let's hope this trend continues.

Finished Hederas

So I finished the first Hedera over a year ago (last August to be exact) and I wasn't quite in love with the pattern so I shelved the second sock unable to face all of those purls and knits and yos. But when I was trying to figure out what to make for Kevin's Mom for Christmas I found the first Hedera and decided that they would make a great present for Laura. The second sock went much quicker and more smoothly than the first. I'm not sure what made me dislike the pattern to begin with but it really wasn't so bad.



The sock on the left is the second sock and the sock on the right is the first. I can't remember if I blocked the first sock but the stitches on it seem much smoother and more even. I'll block them both to see if that makes them match a little better. Over all though they're nice and squishy and stretchy. Very comfortable socks and they're basically red sox blue so I hope Laura approves.

October knitting round up

So far in October I've knit the honey cowl, finished up a Koolhass, started a pair of thrummed mittens (1 down, 1 to go), knit up a quick baby hat for a friend's baby that should be making an appearance shortly and decided to finally knit the second sock from the Hedera pattern I started like...2 years ago? Whenever the winter Olympics were going on in Canada. Or was it summer Olympics? Who knows.

I've realized that honey cowl and thrummed mittens are the two patterns I've knit the most at 3 times  each. There's something about them that seem to appeal to people and I don't mind terribly knitting them multiple times, they're quick, easy and great for tv knitting. I decided I did need a break after finishing the first mitten this time around though and started working on that second Hedera sock again. Kevin's mom did ask for a pair of socks (or mittens!) so I decided that the Hederas could find a nice home with her at Christmas. And because I already have one done it won't take long to finish and I could probably still throw in another pair of mittens for her too since I'll probably have the time. I'm actually not even hating the pattern as much as I did when I made the first sock. I've become immune to the yos before purls. (That sounds like it should be a slogan on a tshirt or something! It could be a knitting solidarity thing, Yos before Bros! Ha!)

The present I'm most concerned about right now is Mom's Autumn Leaves stole. In theory it really shouldn't take that long to knit, it is knit with worsted weight after all but also it's a stole and quite a large one at that. I want to start on it no later than Thanksgiving so I can give myself at least a good month of knitting time on it before Christmas finally hits.

I sure have come a long way with my knitting since my first year of giving knitted gifts. I still cringe at some of those early scarves and too small hats. I kind of wish I could ask for all of those gifts back so I can rip them out and redo them. At least I can make up for it now with super awesome stuff that people actually ask for.  

Honeycowl the 3rd

Honeycowl the 3rd is finished now. I cast on last Saturday, realized I was knitting a mobius and recast on Sunday, cast off last night. It's in Malabrigo teal something or another. It is absolutely gorgeous and oh so cozy. I'm a little sad that I have to give it away but I think it will be appreciated by the recipient. I got a little bored with the pattern so I didn't make it a full 12 inches wide but the pattern is flexible and it's plenty wide and long enough to double up.

I think for my next project I want to knock out a quick baby knit this weekend. We have friends that have a baby due by the end of the month and I do like welcoming a new baby with a hand knit gift. After that I'll work on more thrummed mittens for Kevin's Mom and her friend and then I'll be starting on Mom's Autumn Leaves Stole. I'm certainly not lacking for projects to keep me busy until Christmas.