Just keep knitting, just keep knitting.....

So yeah, this xmas knitting thing is getting old. I am advancing however and have managed to crank out another couple FOs. I finished the pink/peach/coral socks:

Details:
Pattern: 3x3 Cable with Moss Stitch by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: louet gems fingering - soft coral 04

Needles US 1 / 2.25 mm
Made for: Nan N.
Timeline: July 7th, 2008 - Nov 25th, 2008
it didn't actually take this long, July 7th was the date I cast on with the original colourway. Sometime after that I changed colours, and did other projects between the two socks.
Modifications: Only really used the stitch pattern, did the sock over 66 sts. continued cables on heel flap.

I really love the pattern and will definitely be making myself a pair at some point.

I also made myself another hat. I realized that when I wear my hair up in a headband it makes my head bigger and non of my hats would actually stay on. I opted for a slouchier hat but not too slouchy cause I still want it to stay on by itself.

Details:

Pattern: Slouchy Copy Cat Hat by Terra Jamieson
Yarn : Susan Andrews Collection Inca Gold Marra - Dusty Rose 3995
Needles US 6 / 4.0 mm
Made for: Me!
Timeline: Nov 19th, 2008 - Nov 27th, 2008
I was working on this while working on the second sock. I wasn't really digging cabling on the metro so this was my commute knitting.
Modifications:I cast on more stitches in the beginning, I was worried about it being too tight. It worked out perfectly.

I also finally cast on my dad's sock. I said I would wait, but I saw someone at Ariadne's knit night doing a method that I found quite intriguing and I decided to try it. Two socks at once toe up, using the magic cast on. I'd wanted to do these socks toe up and two at a time, but I don't like the short row toe and I wasn't crazy about the one in Interweave. This one seemed simple and really nice. So I tried it and it's awesome. I probably should have cast on more stitches but oh well, the toes will be slightly pointy.

I'm a bit further than this, almost done the toe increases. It will be done in 2X2 rib once the toe is complete.

The last of my projects is not really knitting but I'm sure they'll get lots of knitting related use anyway. I decided to finally make myself some Placemat Sock Blockers, I've had the placemats for a while so it was just a matter of printing out the template and doing them. You can see them in the photo with the pink socks as well but here they are all nekkid:

Details:
Pattern: Sock Blocker by Maryann Wu
Made for: Me (Size 7-9 foot) maybe even more.
Timeline: Nov 30th, 2008
I really needed some sock blockers, but I'm not really able to spend $30ish on them right now so I decided to go this route. They're flimsy-ish but work really well.

I also procured some yarn this week, Ariadne got in some more Marra, and this stuff makes me weak in the knees and it's really inexpensive due to it being discontinued. I bought 15 balls of Fuchsia: The colour is not quite right, but is as close as I could get it. I figure that it might become Mr. Greenjeans but I'm still not sure.

Next is something I've been eyeing for a while. I went to a craft fair a while back to see Biscotte (shop link) and she was all out of the colourway I was really looking for. I did end up walking away with a skien of her Watermelon and one in Lavender fields. (I didnt take pictures before winding into cakes. I need to photograph the cakes). The colourway I was looking for was this one:

Biscotte & Cie's Kiss the Frog sock yarn.

I love the colours and I can wait to see how it knits up.. I just have to find a pattern.

I also cast on for the second Heavy Sock but It's such a boring knit that pictures were just not necessary. I'm still not sure I will finish.

6 down
3 in progress
9 to go (3 hats and some other optionals or at least later deadlines.)

More FOs

Apparently November has been kind of a slow month. I only managed to get a couple more things finished.

First I finished the Icewine mittens (The second was considerably faster than the first). In the end I ended up ripping out the thumb of the first too to change the placement of the border and then make it longer. Here they are in all their glory.

Details:
Pattern: Icewine Mittens by aemmeleia

Yarn: Berocco Ultra Alpaca - Pea Soup Mix 6275 & Prune Mix 6284

Needles US 3 / 3.25 mm
Made for:Aunt June
Timeline: Sept 12th, 2008 - Nov 10th, 2008
Modifications: slightly longer thumbs and changed placement of border on the right thumb.

Next up was another simple hat for another cousin. I used the Boyfriend Hat pattern again because I quite enjoy the simplicity of it and the nice decreases.

Details:
Pattern: A Hat Fit for a Boyfriend by Stephanie Nicole
Yarn: Cascade Superwash - Gray 816
Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm
Made for: Grant
Timeline: Nov 10th, 2008 - Nov 11th, 2008
Modifications: None

I also cast on a pair of gloves for my mom, but the colour was all wrong, so I'm waiting on another colourway. I also cast on another hat for myself, a slightly slouchier version that I'll be able to wear when I wear my hair up. the peachy-pink socks are also close to be done, but since the second looks exactly like the first I haven't bothered to take pictures. Next up will be the second Briggs and Little sock. Hopefully I can actually get most of what I'd hoped accomplished.

In other news I have started working again. I'm working as a Temp for an agency that I was referred to by janemumbles. Obviously it's not permanent but I'm ok with that. I figure that this gives me a chance to try different kinds of jobs while actually still making some money. Obviously this is cutting into my knitting time a little but I'm still hopeful that I'll be able to finish at least most of what I started. I'll be back soon with some more FOs and pictures.

My Birthday

For my birthday this year JF offered to take me on a road trip. I desperately wanted to see the Ocean (I miss it so much), so I decided to go somewhere in New England. After a little bit of research I almost chose Boston, but then decided on Maine, since it's so pretty and apparently has quite a few yarn shops.

We took the scenic route down and drove into Portland to check out yarn shops (Central yarn Shop, Knit Wit and Seaport Yarns) and in the evening we took a little Ferry Cruise around Casco Bay. We decided to stay at a B&B about an hour outside of Portland in Kittery where the Outlet Malls are (we were within walking distance to the mall).

On my birthday we went to one of the beautiful beaches along the coast (I can't remember which one) and we shopped at The Yarn Sellar. I had seafood for both lunch and dinner (MMMMM!!!!). In the evening we did some outlet shopping, but only had 2 hours so we didn't actually get a lot done. (I hit Old Navy and got an awesome argyle cardigan in pinks and green Oh my!). We did the rest of the outlets on our last day and then drove all the way back home.

Here are some highlights:

Beautiful sunset on Casco Bay.
There was a spinning wheel in my B&B room. (hehe)

Knitting on the beach.

I did a lot of yarn shopping because I set out to buy most of my yarn for Xmas knitting (everyone is getting something knitted this year, yes I'm that crazy). Here is the haul:

Berroco Ultra Alpaca in (l-r) Plum Mix, Salt & Pepper, Cardinal, Peat Mix, & Winter White.
The purple and green are to be the Icewine Mittens for my Aunt and the rest I just had to have.
Cascade 220 in green for a hat for my cousin.
Rowan Felted Tweed in Phantom for a hat for my brother's bday.
Some Baby Cashmerino in blue for my mom for gloves and the red is mine.

Plymouth Galway Colornep for Koolhaas hats for JF's parents and Galway Paint for some felted slilppers for my grandmother and JF's grandmother.
Berroco Touché for an Anouk for our friends baby girl.
Sock yarn (l-r) Oasis Aussi Sock in grey for my dad, Colinette Jitterbug in October Afternoon for myself (I just loved the colours) & Jojoland Melody superwash for me(interesting and cheap).

My birthday also brought an awesome gift from Robyn. I only photographed the yarn but included was also some awesome Sheep themed oven mitts and pot holders, some candles, a couple of interesting drink mixes, a wip/notions pouch and this awesome pendant:

from http://jessejanes.etsy.com
the yarn. Some lovely green mystery merino and Colinette Jitterbug in Ginger cinnabar (I was eyeing this in her shop).

Thanks so much Robyn I love it all!

Mitten Swap package

So I got my mitten swap package from the lovely Kristo, here are the goods:

The mittens are so nice and fuzzy with such nice Gem colours.

Here's the other awesome goodies I got:

I just love the two little sheep who are named Ebony and Ivory! Here's a closer look at them.

I will be putting the needle case to good use because I'm such a scatter brain with my needles, they're everywhere and I keep loosing them. There was also chocolate in the package, but it didn't survive very long.

SP11 Birthday Package

Happy Birthday to me!

My secret pal officially rocks!!! As soon as she found out it was my birthday (1 week after the official start of SP11) she packed me up a package and sent it out. It's great, she says in her card (and I quote) "I didn't have much notice for your Bday so I've sent some of my own handspun" as if it was a bad thing. I'm so honoured to receive someone's handspun, I just imagine the work that went in to it.

Check out it and the other goodies:

So we have the handspun at the left. some yellow and pink fuzzy stuff (polwarth?) and some ribbon/ladder yarn that will definitely be a scarf, I also got a bath bomb, some milk bath powder in Milk Chocolate (mmmmmmm), and some lovely green crocheted beads.

Thank you so much Secret pal, I'm so spoiled!

Happy Early Birthday

So I celebrated my birthday with Robyn and Kadi today and she is awesome by the way, for amongst other reasons:

Knitting themed pencil case!?!?(ewe-some :oP), Chocolate body truffles products, raspberry stuff, and best of all Socks that Rock in Chapman Springs (OMG)


Also a Tinkerbell lunchbag, and iron on transfer (I HEART TINKERBELL!!) and some really cool springy corn picks.

Thank you so much Robyn, you rock..

Kadi brought us little mini cakes, which were so good and so rich.. I love cake, especially when there's chocolate involved.

A while ago I spotted something that I wanted for my birthday, a little cupcake display like this:

JF got it for me.. YAY!! It's awesome. I love to make cupcakes, and I never have a nice way to display them when I take then somewhere. And now I do.

I also have to photograph the yarn I bought for myself with the birthday money my grandparents gave me. Briggs and Little, now that it's all wound, I'll photograph soon.. Promise.

Gifts from The Rock

I couldn't very well go to Newfoundland without bringing back a few gifts for Robyn and her little guy so I shopped a bit while I was there and found this cute little t-shirt for Sean:

It's probably going to be a little big, but at some point I'm sure he'll be able to wear it.

I got an awesome gift for Robyn as well first thing was some Cherry print fabric, some lobster coasters, since she was joking about me bringing her back some lobster. I never could have imagined I would find the best part of her gift though... Here he is... The Knitting Lobster:



He's the awesome-est.Apparently it's from a Newfoundland souvenir Christmas ornament collection, but what a better gift for a lobster loving knitter. I Hope she likes it.