Holiday Knitting Round-Up Part 1: The N’oreasters

For as long as I can remember, my family has spent Christmas with some cousins on my Dad’s side. Now we kids are all grown up, and sit at the adult table. (As an aside, I managed to point out that this meant our parents were sitting at the senior adult table. Har.) I still live in Atlanta, but the cousin children have all moved away to the chilly Northeast, so I love the holidays every year where we get to catch up.

The New Hampshire cousins spend a lot of time outdoors, so I wanted to make hats for them. For the boy, I chose – wait for it – The Boy Hat, which I found on Ravelry, and fell in love with because of the crown decrease. So cool. I used Cascade 220 Heathers and size, er, 7 needles, maybe?

Ravelry link
For the girl, I went with Foliage in Malabrigo worsted, colorway Dark Earth, size 5 and 7 needles as directed in the pattern. For the record, the hype on Malabrigo? ‘Tis true. Also, the pattern – very excellent. I have made one of the bulky variety as well for another friend.

Ravelry Link
The NYC Cousin is a classically trained vocalist, honing his skills in the Big Apple. He also tunes organs, and I thought he might need some fingerless gloves to help him stay warm and still have the dexterity he needs. First I tried Dashing, but my row gauge was ridiculous just a smidge off, so they ended up reaching to my elbow without really stretching. Evidence:

Not quite the look I was going for, so I scrapped that idea and jumped on Knitspot’s Hot Waffle Mitts with some Cascade 220 Heathers.

Ravelry Link
This turned out much, much better. They are a little big on my hands, but fit my cousin perfectly (I hope he’s getting some good wear out of them with the recent cold blast!). Anne’s pattern is super – well written and quick (I’m planning to make myself a pair with the matching hat very, very soon).

As usual, it was great to see them at Christmas, and I so enjoyed making these gifts for them – I hope you guys are enjoying using them just as much!

For When we need a comfort shawl the most…

But when the Sun in all his state
Illumed the Eastern skies,
She passed through Glory’s morning gate
And walked in Paradise.
-Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Last Friday afternoon, after a life in which she loved us all as hard as she could, my Grandmother passed away.

Words fail to express how I will I miss her.

 

 

*Project details and other photos of the shawl in this picture can be found on Ravelry here.  I finished it for her for Christmas, not quite one month before she died.

In which I remember the blog.

It has come to my attention that I have a blog.  It has also come to my attention that said blog has not been updated in, oh, roughly 4 months.  Woops!

I blame many things.  First there was buying my first house (stress) and moving into that house (stress).  That ran right into the holidays, and as a result of the moving messing with my holiday knitting schedule, my holiday knitting schedule messed with my blogging.  And then, you know, the great time-suck Ravelry. 

But now I’m moved, unpacked, done with holiday knitting (almost), and starting to normalize, I’ll try and get back to the business of entertaining you all with tales of stash enhancing, startitis, late-night finishing, and so forth. There have also been several FO’s, which I will get to in a series of Holiday Knitting Round-Ups. However, in the event that you are in Ravelry and positively cannot wait a moment longer to see them, they are updated here http://www.ravelry.com/projects/joymichelle.

If you’re not in the Rave, here’s some proof that I actually did knit while I was on blogging hiatus:

These are knit in the Moorish Lattice stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks, knit for the lovely Gale.  Yarn is Reynolds Soft Sea Wool, knit on Size 2 bamboo dpn’s.  Backdrop is my new backyard.

On that note, I wish you all a Happy New Year, friends ~ here’s to an amazing 2008 for all!

FO Friday: Cardigan and PINK! Purse

I mentioned yesterday that I have a few more FO’s (besides the Jaywalkers) from my blogging hiatus.

I’m combining these two since they went to the same place at the same time – sorry I only have one picture of each, but I cut my deadline a leeeeetle close. I’m hoping I’ll get pictures of the knits in action (ahem…Aunt Sheila, that’s a hint).

The first is a raglan cardigan for my baby cuz’ Zachary:

The buttons are courtesy of Mom (thanks!) but I think they make the whole sweater. The pattern is the Raglan Cardigan with Fully Fashioned Shaping from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss. I used Caron Simply Soft in Dk. Country Blue (easy care and all) and got guage with size 6 needles. Definitely a quick knit, but I would like to try it in the round to get rid of some of the seaming.

The second FO was for Zachary’s precious big sister, “Just Allison” (she calls me “Just Joy”). She loves purses, and loves pink, and so this seemed only right:

It’s a pattern from the 2007 daily knitting calendar, and it took about 4 hours total in Bernat Softee Chunky with size 10.5 needles. Color? Bet you can guess, but it’s Hot Pink. The button came from Wally World. I can only imagine Allison strutting her stuff with it!

Next up for this side of the family are some treats for the other lil’ cousins – Amber, Wilson, and Wyatt!

Next FO post will feature more socks (unfortunately, some of them are unbloggable with Christmas coming and all, but check ‘em out on Ravelry – er, once I get some pictures up…)!

I’m off to my first softball game of the season – be afraid…

Back With a Bang!

I had no idea it had been so long since I posted last.  It’s just that it’s been too hot to breathe – much less blog.  My Atlanta people can back me up.  After the long hot train ride, and the taking the dog out in the hot, the extra steps to the computer were just too much. This week is the first full week we’ve had in the last month where we haven’t hit 100 at least once, if not several days in a row.  

I have been knitting, though.  There are projects to finish and projects to start, and I can’t let a little heat wave get in the way!  Just to prove it, I’ll show you an FO…the Firework Jaywalkers!  (now read the title again. get it? back with a bang? har.)

See? Those are my feet they are on. Which means they fit! And they’re all matchy! W00t!

I’ve also finished 3 more socks (1 more pair and 1 single sock), as well as a scarf, a cardigan for my baby cousin and a BRIGHT! PINK! bag for his sister – FO posts forthcoming on those, I promise – I just have to take some pics.

Since I’ve got nothing else, let’s talk about other things that make , like these:

• I haven’t been taking pictures, by my friends Mandi and Diane have, and I’m proud! Check it out – http://media.freep.com/roseylackey/index.html and http://media.freep.com/respect/index.html…
• My boys won, and looked good in the process.  (Have I mentioned it’s FOOTBALL! season?) 
• It’s not like you knitters haven’t already all seen this, but really? I have never loved knitting so much.   

I’ve missed this place – hope you are all well!

FO: Beaded Rib Socks

I have had issues knitting my first socks.  I started with the Jaywalkers that tried to choke me from the foot up.  Rip.  Then I managed to complete a passable Woven Stitch sock, but somebody tied a knot (the word knot does not do it justice. ha.) in the middle of the second half of the yarn. And so, Single Sock.

But, as I promised I would (see the post about the Woven Stitch sock), I have prevailed.

I proudly present my first PAIR of socks.

These were knit out of Rowan Calmer (love) for a friend with no tolerance for the sheep, on size 4 Brittany bamboo dpn’s. 

The pattern (kinda-sorta visible) is the Beaded Rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks.  Knit toe-up, with an easy toe and short-row heel, per the book’s instructions.

From trying them on for the photo, I’d say they’d be great lounging socks. Super cushy and soft – perfect for keeping the tootsies warm when fall finally comes.  (Maybe in red or black for watching football games? Hmmm….)

Stay tuned for another sock FO; I’m on a roll.  Forces were working against me from the start, but I have overcome!

FO: Bennie’s Beanie

 And now to the second of the FO’s from vacation: Bennie’s Beanie!

 

Not much to say about this one – pretty basic, but I had fun doing it.   The yarn came from Knitting Addiction, in Southern Shores, NC – just above Avon where I was on vacation.  I had to stop by the store on the way in, of course, and what a lovely store it is!  I only wish it had been just a little closer to the beach house so I could have spent some of the windy afternoons there…  (Then again, I’m sure the rest of the family enjoyed eating real food and not yarn, so perhaps it was best for the vacation budget that it was a little further away.)

 

I did realize that I really need to learn colorwork, because the only think lacking on the beanie is the “OBX” that Bennie wanted incorporated in the stripe.  Not to mention some of the super duper patterns in the new Knitscene that require stranded knitting (The Stag Bag, Golden Road, and Highlands Zip, for starters), as well as the Tomato craze – it’s definitely time to get to learnin’!

 

The Deets:

Pattern: Spiral Top Web-Generated Hat, from The Knitting Fiend, for a size 23″ head

Needles: Susan Bates 6″ dpns and16″ circs

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Black Forest and Lime Light

Notes: No earflap, cuffed with 1×1 rib

FO: Ribs & Lace Tank

Here we go with the first of the FO’s from vacation…

This is the first garment I’ve made for myself, and the second altogether (after Peter for Dad). My goal was to finish it to wear to dinner at the beach, and while successful timing wise, it was 25 degrees the night we went out to eat. (Ok, it wasn’t 25 degrees. It was probably 65. But it was windy, and too cold for just the tank nonetheless.) I am very happy with it though, and can’t wait to wear it in the 90+ heat Atlanta seems to be so fond of these days.

So, without further delay, I give you the back:

and the front:

The Deets:

Pattern: Ribs & Lace Tank by Jodi Green, Interweave Knits Spring 2007, 36″ bust size
Needles: Size 9, 24″ Addi Turbo Circs & Size 3, 24″ Clover Bamboo Circs
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, Color 110 (Lake), about 3-3.5 skeins, ordered from Discount Yarn Sale
Mods: Went down a needle size
Notes: Love the pattern – I found it to be well written and fairly quick going, especially the lace pattern on the larger needles. (Not to mention, Jodi Green is a Bulldog, which makes her a winner.) I kitchenered (is that a word?) the straps on the wrong side, so the bump shows, but that’s my fault. Doesn’t really bother me either. Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased!

They are coming for me.

The Single Sock Liberation Movement ladies are out of control. I have proof that they are sending out little SSLM soldiers to wreak havoc upon the rest of us. I only just started knitting socks, you see, and after I finished the first:

I was proud! I was ready to get started on its mate! I wanted a PAIR of socks, not just one! I was not going to be swayed by other sock yarns or patterns! I was determined to be invincible!

And do you know what happened next? A knot the size of Montana appeared in the second half of my sock yarn, placed there, without question, by a microscopic little monster sent by the Single Sock people. This was not a knot to be reckoned with – I tried for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 hours to even make just a smidgen of progress and finally had to cut out about half of the half of yarn that was left. And you know what this means, right? No second sock to match my first sock. This was yarn that was gifted to me by someone helping me get started on the road to sock knitting, and so I can’t just go buy more.

And now? I’ve just started two more socks. Different socks.

In closing, I will say that I have only just begun to fight. I might WILL finish a pair. Mark. My. Words.

Good News and An FO…and Sadly, Frogging.

The good news? I almost have a sock that fits!

Here’s the sock at the Atlanta Jazz Festival last Saturday…

…where it was inspired by great weather and great music and has grown and grown so much since then – I think I have 2-3 more inches on the foot and then I’ll be able to start my first toe! W00t!

The FO: Monica #1 is finished…

I decided not to continue the ruffle on the back – I think this is already going to be a smidge big for it’s intended recipient and didn’t want to overwhelm the poor child with quite so much ruffle. Hopefully I’ll get it in the mail soon and then get some pictures of a human model, although the bear was quite cooperative. I think I’m going to do Monica #2 in the round – no seams sounds like a grand idea to me. I’m torn between using the same color combo as Monica #1 or doing the reverse – the variegated for the body and pink for the ruffle. The pink is a little more lightweight and might make a softer accent – what do YOU think? (Also? Does anyone have another word for ruffle? I’ve said it 124 times in the last three sentences…)

The Deets:
Pattern: Monica from Knitty, Spring ‘07
Needles: Addi Turbo Circs, size, 32″
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby in Pink and Pink Parade

What else?

Oh. The frogging. I made an executive decision to rip Ester and cast on again for the next largest size – there seems to be an emerging sizing problem with it coming out just a bit smaller than expected, and I am so in love with the pattern and the yarn that I couldn’t bear to not have it fit in the end. More on that at the KAL.