One down

I didn't finish ALL my UFOs but I did finish one. These alpaca armwarmers will be sent off to their recipient to be enjoyed in whatever is left of winter. Although they look small on me, they will fit her better as she is a tiny wisp of a woman.

I am close to finishing one of my own armwarmers as well and did succeed in not casting anything on during Feb. Other projects, like unfinished Branching Out, stayed in my knitting bag all month.

Thanks for this project! It really kept my knitting time focused on projects I needed to finish. Now if only I can keep that focus AND make more time for knitting in March!

Updated: One? I totally finished more that one! I forgot about all the ends I wove in (3 scarves worth) and blocking of one of those scarves. All the things I finished were for other people and all the ones that remain to be finished are for myself so I am happy about that as well. I am actually gifting one of those scarves tonight so it is REALLY finished!

i'm 5 for 8!

I bet my friend Preacher never knew he wanted an Sn'B Nation Rockstar Doll, Palaver style! This doll is largely improvised, but I love a challenge. I'm now past the deadline for Preachtoberfest, but I was determined to do this one right, no matter how many times I had to knit the head. The embroidery was damned finicky as well. Fun.

my apologies for this garbage picture

This guy is coming with us to his new home NY this March Break. Good thing I managed to finish him in the last gasp of NaKniSewMo!

and one makes three...

Rutelilje is done and she’s so gorgeous I could cry. This tiny little sweater is the triumph of my knitting career so far, that’s a bit melodramatic maybe but I’m so insanely proud of her I could pop. I learned a lot on this knit and really stretched myself to do some things I was really afraid in the beginning I wouldn’t be able to do successfully. I knit the colourwork, I steeked, I did what seemed like an endless amount of finishing to get the details just right and in the end I think it’s paid off.

I thought about going with off white buttons to match the body but DH thought the pink would have more pop and I have to say he was right, which he generally is when it comes to these things which is why I consult him so much. I’m glad that I decided to knit the body in flat stockingette, the allover moss stitch in the pattern would have been too much I think and would have taken away from everything that’s going on in the yoke.


I used a bit of grosgrain ribbon to seal the steeked edges which weren’t that nice to look at as I used pink thread to sew them so I could easier see what I was doing. It took hours last night to sew it in by hand with the tiniest little stitches but I think the work is worth how clean it looks on the inside now. I also sewed in the tiniest little tag I found at Knitomatic (click here, they’re having a huge sale).


If I had to do this one again, and it’s a strong possibility as I really enjoyed it, I’d cast on more stitches in the steek to leave myself a bit more leeway on the sewing, five was just a few too little and made things a bit tight in places where my machine stitching wasn’t perfectly straight (tough to sew really straight when you’re that nervous!).


This was mostly a stash knit which is great, I don’t think I’d have ventured to do this one had I had to buy a new ball of each colour only to use just a smidge of it. I was told by the lady at the LYS that I could probably get away with two balls of the main colour if I was doing the body stockingette but I was skeptical and picked up a third (to add to the two I already had) just for insurance and I’m glad I did, I used the majority of the third ball and I always like to have little bits of Baby Ull or Lanett laying around for something like this. Of course I'll give you the obligatory inside shot to show off my wonderful stranding.

Specs for this knit:

Yarn: a mix of Dale Baby Ull and Lanett Superwash, two of my fave baby/sock yarns as they come in great colours and wear like iron (not to mention machine wash like a dream), three balls of the MC and scraps of the CCs

Pattern: Rutelilje from Dale of Norway Baby #129 in six month size (but would almost fit M so I have to think that the sizing runs a bit on the large size)

I started this early in January so it wasn't the quickest knit out there but I'm still glad I did it and will do it again

Sock it to me baby!

Well, they aren't pretty but they are functional, and even better, they're complete and he likes them! The Moda Dea Sassy Stripes has a few production problems wouldn't you say? Look at those sad stripes! But this is about celebrating the completion of another project!! YIPPEE!!!

Status Report

Well it’s the third last day of the (short) month and I have to say that things haven’t gone as well as I’d hoped on the finishing front. I started out with seven UFO’s and at this point I have two that are actual FO’s, mom’s socks and the Fleece Artist mitts. Still unfinished from the original list are:

-the cowl of doom- needs the shoulders taken apart and reseamed and the collar knitting on, I’m going to go with a low roll neck so I think it should just be a few rounds more to knit then the bind off, this will be finished this month

-dad’s socks- I started these on Wednesday at work and I’m almost ready to start the heel so then it’ll be just the heel and leg to do for the pair so these are still a possibility

-the seamless hybrid- about 6 inches of each sleeve are done and they’re not likely to be done in time to knit the yoke and do the finishing before then end of the month (barring an act of God like time standing still or knitting gnomes invading my knitting bag during the night)

-Rutelilje- all the knitting is done so it just needs some ends woven in and the grosgrain ribbon sewn in to hide the cut edges of the steek, this one will be done by the end of the month

-Lady Eleanor- I knew this one wouldn’t get done by the end of the KAL but I did hold to my promise to move it in a forward direction, I have added almost four tiers of rectangles to it this month, can I call that a triumph?

Anyway, lots still to do but I’m getting there at least

Halfway there!

I finished my Jaywalkers

They're in Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Sock, in Liberty, knit on size 1 DPNs.

I also finished everything on BabyHoodie, except for attaching a button. I was going to go get a cute button today, but it was snowing. No pictures of BabyHoodie, for now. It's a gift for a friend - I don't want to ruin the surprise. I started seaming my Pinup Queen, but I think I've had all the seaming I can take for one day.

At Last

I had to wait for daylight to do the final steaming and sew on the buttons (finishing details are on my blog, primetimeknitter.typepad.com), but here it is:



I'm really glad to have this off my UFO list, because there is still a lot of time to wear this sweater before it gets warm. I work in a loft-office, and if I heat the house so that the office isn't cold, I'd never be able to afford to buy yarn again. And when I saw the pattern, I thought this loose-fitting sweater would be perfect to work in. The pattern is from Interweave Knits, Fall 1997, and the designer is Nancy Bush. I used Rowan Magpie (now discontinued), size 5 and 7 US Inox matte grey needles.

I still have three more UFO's. One may be frogged and redone completely. Another is of Cotton Fleece, and I've decided to work on it in the summer. But the third is in about the same state as this one was when I started it. So now that this KAL got me off my rear and I realized the finishing wasn't as arduous as I imagined, I think I can get the next one done by the end of March (even though that isn't "national knitting sew-up month"). So thank you, Aleta for hosting this blog.

Fashionably late?

So, I'm joining this party a little late. Luckily, I have few plans for the rest of this weekend or next week.

Things I have to finish:
- My February sock (my goal this year is a sock a month). I might finish this one tonight.
- A baby hoodie. For a friend's baby that's not due till July, but I might as well get it all finished. Mostly seams on this.
- The seaming on my Pinup Queen sweater. I finished the actual knitting in...October. Yeah.
- Lining on my Marigold Tote, finished not long after the Pinup Queen sweater.

I keep hoping that if I ignore these things long enough, the finishing elves will come do the work for me, but alas. I have finished one thing this month already - I blocked a Branching Out scarf that I finished knitting sometime in the summer. (As you can see, its a good thing a KAL like this has come along) For pics of the scarf, other adventures, and general rambling, you can visit me here.

The F Word

Finishing, that is...

A few days ago I drafted a rant about how even though I had signed up for this KAL all I was doing was starting projects:

*spa socks from Knit1 (one of the very few reasons to keep that issue as far as I'm concerned)
*My So called Scarf (as an instant-gratification break from the sweater)
*crocheting [a whole other craft!]
*and I'm seriously trying to stop myself from casting on for the Razor Cami.

It was so bad that I found myself avoiding posting on this blog, even just to introduce myself.

[I am sienna & you can find me here; I am thrilled to see everyone else's accomplishments and am terribly embarrassed that it's taken me until almost the end of the month not only to post here but also to have something to post about.]

Yesterday, however, I finally blocked a scarf for my friend.
I also finished my My So Called Scarf.
I'm almost finished the first sleeve for my sweater (just have to fix a couple of cables)

and at long last I finished my resume!

I guess it's not too late to start finishing in February!

The toe that never closes

I don't even want to admit how many times I tried to do the short row close on the hubby's sock this afternoon. I will give it another go tomorrow! ARGHH! I WILL finish those boogers!

Crossing off a few!

Alright, slightly modified list (just because school work is killing me) but still quite a heap:

DONE:
Husband's Knucks
My Knucks
Mason-Dixon's Baby Kimono

STILL NOT DONE:
Last of 3 pairs of Nephew Mittens
Either Damn Sock or Jaywalkers done

Finished!

This is my first KAL & I've finished the Mary Ann Sweater. See picture at Whatchamacallknit?

Renee

sequel to "I've finished"

The photos of my finished afghan and teddy are now up on my blog. The post also includes my next project; please drop by and take a look. Comments welcome too! ;-)

2nd Project Finished

This KAL has really helped me move along my outstanding projects. I have now finished a second project which is my First Lace Weight scarf, which is a gift for my Auntie B. This was the Bellini scarf kit from Morehouse Farm. I have one more project on my needles. I however am contemplating changing G's new scarf, so I don't think it will be finished by the end of the month.

The Hard Part Is Over

It took two weekend days to complete the buttonbands, which were the obstacle to finishing this sweater. I did the buttonband on Superbowl Sunday, and the buttonhole band yesterday. It took about five tries to get the ribbing so it would match on both sides. And I never made one-row buttonholes before. There is a wonderful video showing how to do it (and many other techniques) on knittinghelp.com (the buttonholes are one of the advanced techniques). I usually don't knit near my computer, but this time I took the partially-finished sweater to my loft-office, watched the video and knitted along to it.




Now it is smooth sailing. I'm sure I'll finish the neck ribbing tonight (who can ask for better knitting TV than "24"!). And I've never minded sewing seams together. So I hope to have this modeled before the end of the week.

This is the major project I hoped to complete in this KAL, and I'm on track to do it.

Another dishcloth finished...

I need to change my list of things needing to be finished to include only things I start in February! HAHA

Anyway, I finished the "round dishcloth". The 2nd pic is of a piece that may one day 7,000 years from now become a bedspread. I was really just attempting a lace pattern, so we'll see how it pans out in the future.



A few more pics can be found on my blog.

I've finished!

I wanted to shout but it's not good etiquette! ;-) Rejoice with me - the ends are finished, all 2200+ of them.

I did knit all (or most) of my ends in as I was going but as the patches were small and the ends in some cases were less than 2 inches in length I was a little scared they would unravel (it's loose tension) so I sewed them all back on themselves. Not to mention all the nasty ends that kept wiggling their way through to the front of the work!

Photos will be posted on my blog some time later today when DH gets home from work to take them. (It's Monday morning here in Sydney, Australia) Here's one I prepared earlier, a close up of the right side of the work (before the ends were sewn in)


And more good news...I've also finished the teddy that I was working on! Yeah for me, two projects down, hip, hip, hooray! (Sorry, I'm just a bit excited)


Cross posted from www.stashalong.blogspot.com

2nd F.O.!

I made a dishcloth these past two days... Yes, I realize that all the things I've finished are things I've started in Feb. and not things on my list!! LMAO!! Oh well, I TOLD you it was chronic and terminal in my case hahaha.

On the road to finishville

Seems like most things are moving in a forward direction at least. I'll update the original list:

1.The Seamless Hybrid- sleeves have been cast on and are in progress now. I can't say how many times I had to do the provisional cast on to get the right number of stitches. Then getting them onto their two circs was a comedy of errors so I finally settled on double magic looping them to save myself from pulling out all of my hair.


2.Rutelilje- the body is finished and I steeked her today, a totally nauseating experience let me tell you. First I did some deep breating sitting at the sewing machine. Then I sewed one side and sat and cried a little bit. Once I had it all sewed and made the first cut I sat with my head between my knees for a bit to get the room to stop spinning. In then end it steeked fine and didn't disintegrate into a pile of Baby Ull scraps on the floor so that's a good sign. I'm working on picking up stitches to knit on the button bands now. I think once that's done I'll get some grosgrain ribbon to cover the cut edges and neaten up the inside some.

3. Mom's socks- done and gifted!

4. Dad's socks- still haven't cast on the second sock.


5. Fleece Artist Thrummed Mitts- done and in action. They came out great and they're super warm, I love them with all my heart. I may add a silly string though because I dont want to lose them.

6. The Cowl of Doom- it's blocked and seamed but is having neckline issues. It grew in blocking, it's really long so it may need a trip through the dryer to bring it up to an acceptable length. If it doesn't shrink I'll still wear it but it's more tunicish than I wanted but the fabric is so nice and soft I won't consider hiding this in the back of my closet. The cowl may get scrapped for a short ribbed neck, I need my Denny to advise me before I do anything rash though.

7. Lady Eleanor- I picked her back up and have knit one triangle and one rectangle since yesterday so I'm using her to break up the monotony of knitting two huge sleeves at the same time.

So two out of seven done and two more very close to being finished, not bad for mid-month I think.

Still finishing!

One of my UFOs for February finishing was a wrap (afghan) with a few dozen ends to sew in. Make that a few hundred. :-(


So far I have sewn in over 1600 (yes, I am counting them with a row counter and a tally sheet for every hundred). I sew in 100 a day and have got ahead of myself because torrential rain (which we needed badly) fell over the western suburbs of Sydney on Monday and my class was cancelled so I had extra time for finishing.

This is what the back looked like before I started; now multiply that by 100 and you get the idea!

2 for the price of 1!

My first Dulaan 2007 hat, knit from a Caps for Kids pattern in Knitting for Peace and my leftover Plymouth Galway worsted from the marsupial bag. Now, with pompom! I wonder if it will be warm enough for the little Mongolians - I'll solicit more opinions before I take up space in the shipping box.

This is why I need deadlines. As soon as I decided to give Blake his robot for Valentine's Day, it went from completely knit, no finishing to completely finished in 2 nights.

check out the love between boy & robot!

It's the Jess Hutch pattern in Lamb's Pride Worsted. I had a brainwave during finishing, and instead of knitting, felting & attaching appliqués to the front, I dug through my buttons to find some excellent remnants. The heart button is my absolute fave - the Boy used the name Heart Shaped Robots for a music project once, and I knew that our robot would have to have a heart on it somewhere. I also used some of the safety eyes I ordered a few months ago, since Blake is past the swallowing everything phase (I hope).

His name, Ro-Bert (or more formally, 81:Ro-Bert), is a reference to our imaginary second son, Bert.

This was such a satisfying project to finish. When the Boy saw it for the first time he said, "our family is complete." Hee.

bert watches the snow day develop

More victories for NaKniSewMo!

x-posted from knittin' smitten

Little girl's jumper

This is a size 8 little girl's jumper, and its finished, finished finished! Yay!

I am posting this here, first, and details will be on my blog tomorrow morning.

This is the third project for me to have finished courtesy of this KAL, and I have a couple of pairs of socks and a shawl to go, but probably not all in the month of February...

Finished Object ! Woot-a-loot!

Yay - finally a F.O. this month!!!!!!!
From a chronic starter, this is a good thing. :-)

I finished "Purple Rain", and it turned out really good, I think. It's my own pattern and its knit on RedHeart Sport Weight yarn because its my first test and I test on cheap yarn hahahahahaha!

You can see pics of it here on my My Blog!

Knitting bags done!

I have been meaning to make up these two knitting bags for months now. One I promised to make for my mom and the other one is for me. I couldn't find the exact coordinating fabric I was seeing in my mind's eye, so I sort of set it aside, then went on to other things.

I drug them out in the spirit of February is for Finishing, and I'm glad I did. They both went together fairly well, and although it took me most of the weekend, the results were good!

Both bags have a large pocket on front (the pink one is matching, so it does not show up in the photo), zipper pocket on the inside, knitting needle pockets on the other side of the inside, and matching needle rolls with three inside rows for different size knitting needles.

Now I'm all set to go to Stitches next week!! More photos (including actual knitting content!) are on my blog.

No Time to Blog...Gotta Knit!

This KAL is just what the doctor ordered! Thank you, thank you!

I've been knitting every moment I can; even holding my knitting under the table during class so I don't waste any time. My house has suffered, my garden neglected, my blog outdated and my dog ungroomed, but on I knit.

And February zooms on by.

I'm working on a sweater (my first) and once that's completed, it's on to Jaywalker socks and a shawl. I hold little expectation for the shawl to be completed, but the sweater and socks should get done.

Thanks again for lighting that fire under me!

A pair of socks means 2 projects down!

A pair of socks mean that I have finished 2 projects so far this February.

Specs: Ladies socks made from Rowan Calmer.
My own pattern. I cast on 40 stitches on 4.00mm needles and did a Turkish afterthought heel over half the stitches, and my usual wedge toe. This was leftover yarn and I think I used maybe a whole ball of white, or maybe a fraction more, and then a little of the laurel gree.



If you are knitting socks for someone else and not sure that they will fit, these socks are just the ticket. Soft and stretchy, they have a great comfort factor and you are pretty well assured that they will fit.

Only a couple more projects to go! (Can I cast on something new, then?)

Check out the details on my blog, knittingnatty.typepad.com.
See you there!

Newbie here

I just started a blog, and I have to say I feel so old (I'm stumbling through the process). Anyway, surfing around I found the link to this one the other day, and since I had just finished two of the four projects I'm shooting for this month, I'd say it's serendipitous!

The cloche is made out of Blue Sky cotton



and this hat... is made out a very soft yarn. It's been years since I started it (shame, shame), and I set it down because I didn't like the way the top rim puckered. I can't find the original pattern, and I have a tendency to modify every pattern I use (which I vaguely remember doing with this one). I originally made it for my niece, and her birthday is coming around again, so maybe she won't notice?




I'm not a big frogger in any case. I like the planning and starting out parts best (hence the four (ouch) boxes of UFOs sitting in my yarn closet).

Since I haven't figured out how to cross-post from my blog yet, I used the old standby Ctrl-C. Pictures and links - no problem; buttons - still working on it...

whew, atleast I have one February project finished.

Hah, in the last picture I look like the captain of a ship. As a general rule, I think ponchos can make full figured women look fat! That being said, I still love making them and I love wearing them because unlike shawls, they tend to stay on easily, and unlike capelets, my arms have still have a full range of movement.

The thing I liked best about this project was that it worked up quickly. It also required minimal finishing, and required no brain power whatsover. It practically knit itself. The original project was in wool (from Weekend Knitting), but I used a cotton alpalca blend, because I already have a poncho (made out of a merino-mohair blend) and given the warm climate of Macon, I knew I needed something more light weight.

At first, I hated this project. It felt like a let down to work on it after working on the Clapotis. Although the Clapotis was simple had enough pattern variation to keep it interesting, also the colors where bright whereas the gray was sort of drab in comparison. But I would say if you are looking for a quick easy poncho this one will do nicely. The cables are simple to make, and I think it looks more complicated than it is. It has the added bonus of being lightweight and neutral which means I can probably wear it year round.

Also since the majority of it was knit while I was traveling from Macon to Clearwater, FL. it really was as Melanie Falick promised a perfect car trip project. Originally, my goal with this group was to not start anything new in February. I broke down yesterday, and cast on for a quickie (it's for a cover for a hot water bottle).

I am still working on my two big projects a lace shawl and cushion covers. Boring! So I am glad I got this off the needles.

slow and steady

Well, I finished the front...and started the sleeves. You can see pictures on my blog, but no new pictures for another week (my camera is on a trip to Australia without me). Hopefully by the time the camera returns, I'll have pictures of both sleeves to show!

Corded bag done!

I had knitted this little corded bag out of Noro Daria a few weeks ago, but meant to line it and add a zipper. That was where that project stalled, until today, when I got off my rear and did it.

I thought it turned out very cute! I love the texture of the Noro Daria. Very interesting. The pattern by Grumperina went very well and was a very easy knit, after getting the dpn's going.

I can't decide to use it as a makeup bag, or a knitting goodies bag. Hmmm.... I think the cat wants it for cat treats.

More finished objects on my blog.

sweater!

I'm done! Another victory for NaKniSewMo!

This was supposed to be for Blake's birthday (cough*mutter*cough), but I had trouble working up the nerve to install the zipper. I did it the way I do anything pesky: pin the crap out of it, go very slow, and check progress all the time. And lo! It turned out okay.

It's an Accordion, knit from Peace Fleece in three colours (hemlock, shaba, ancient fern). The main knitting was done in time for his birthday, as was the sewing up. If not for the zipper, he'd have been wearing it long since. And plus, since it's comically oversized, he'll be wearing it for some time to come!

And no, he doesn't always look like he's been caught out by paperazzi. Just when I'm trying to get him still for a pic.

x-posted from knittin' smitten

better late than never...

Joining my first knit along sounds like a great idea when it's a knit along designed to make one finish those darned UFOs! I'm nowhere near as ambitious as many of you, and we're already 1/4 of the way through the month, so my goal is only one FO by the end of the month, a sweater for myself (my first sweater--I'd rather screw up my own than someone elses!). I've got the back done, almost done with the front, and it needs sleeves and a hood. Pictures once there's decent light in my apartment.

Wish me luck!

six to go!

I finished Blake's sweater! And all it took was 2+ hours of zipper installation. Hee. Pictures tomorrow, when I get a chance to wrangle the baby into the sweater.

First project finished!

Here are two of the projects earmarked for finishing in February blocking:











And here is the Lace Panel Jumper completed and laid out:


You can see the specs on my blog, knittingnatty.typepad.com!

ack!

I haven't knit a thing in days!!! BAD ME!!

One Down

I managed to finish off one project just last night. It's G's first hat by me. I am quite proud of this piece, because this is the first piece I have made with out a pattern. With the exceptions of some ideas from existing patterns, like for the number of stitches to cast on and the decreases to close up the piece, I pretty much made this hat free-hand. If you know me, going freehand is a big thing for me. I like my patterns. So this is a great first for me. Look here to see what this means to me.

Not so fast there Banff-O!

The Banff sweater and I are about to part ways. The front nad back are nowhere near the same size! ARGHH!!! Read more on my blog.

The good news is that I did spend my required 30 minutes on attempting to finish a project which will free me up to work on other, less frustrating things.

Sleeve Number One Done!

I've completed my adapted version of the sleeve for the sweater that has been staring at me. I was rapidly running out of yarn and wasn't sure about the sleeves for my climate so I greatly shortened them and reduced some of the bulk. As I said on my blog, Lordy please let them fit!!! I will have to sew one in and see before I knit the other one.

How are your projects coming?

Projects to be finished this February

I currently have 3 projects that I would like to finish this month and they are:

G's first scarf by me - currently at 10%
G's first hat by me - currently at 50%
Auntie B's lace weight scarft - currently at 60%

I know that this may be quite an optimistic goal. But don't all goals have to be optimisitic? Maybe by joining this KAL, I'll actually set myself up for success.

With time comes knowledge

This has to be one of the best KALs for a girl like me! I am forced to sit and work on this burgandy sweater that I've been bypassing for years. It needed very little finishing but I ran out of yarn as I neared the end and got so frustrated that I put it down. I was fairly new to knitting when I started it so I didn't know all the possible ways to complete it successfully. Now I know how to work the sleeves from the top down and can shape and complete them as the yarn runs out. The good news is that the sleeves on the pattern were big and bulkier than I'd like to this really is the best way for me to get the overall shape that I like.

How many of you are like me and find that you spend more than the "required amount of time" on your UFO? Was that part of the overall evil plan launched by the KAL author? Hmmm......

My Very First KAL!

While cleaning out my stash in January, I found so many UFOs, it was frightening. Surprisingly, they just got tossed right back on top of the stash, unfinished. This KAL was just the kick in the pants that I needed. When I first joined February is for Finishing, all of these projects were at various stages:

• blue sky alpacas bulky scarf
• sue's Christmas socks
• baby kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting
• two wool vests (in acrylic) from Erica Knight's Simple Knits for Cherished Babies
• amigurumi bunny
• baby booties
• sable sweater
• ribbed jacket (baby sweater)

In the days before my first post, I have managed to finish the blue sky alpacas bulky scarf, which was easy as all I had to do was weave in the ends. Wearing it now, I can't believe I put off finishing it for so long.

Then, some time during a six hour Gilmore Girl (season 6) marathon on Tuesday, I finished the baby booties. I even ran out to get the buttons on Thursday and sewed them on that night (during a second, although shorter, Gilmore Girls marathon). I guess this makes them my first official finished project for this KAL!

Two down, six to go.

one down, seven to go!

And yea, the easiest shall be completed first. It's a little cotton bear out of left-over Sugar n' Cream for the Mother Bear Project. The Boy got me Knitting for Peace for Christmas and this was my first foray into the charity knitting therein. I had trouble with the facial embroidery (this is the third draft of that nose/mouth combo) and one of the seams is kind of gross. Other than that, I couldn't be more pleased at the way this little girl has turned out.

and then there were six...

Yay! I cast on and finished the second sock for mom's Christmas pair and gifted them yesterday. Between not being really all that happy with my mother right now and hating both the pattern and yarn made me really not want to even look at these much less finish them but here they are. I figure if I intersperse some of the more painful knitting with stuff I want to work on everything should get done.

Ive also cast on and knit half of the second sleeve for the cowl sweater and should have that done tonight for blocking tomorrow and I'm about half way through the second mitten so I'll work on that while the sweater pieces dry. Hopefully I'll have some more FO's to show by the middle of the week.

Two Down

As soon as these are dry, which won't take long since today is the coldest and driest day we've had all winter, I have two FOs!



These were the least demanding of the four UFOs I am hoping to complete in February, but it is a start. Mentally I can think that I'm half done, even though finishing the two sweaters, the UFOs that are left, will take many more hours. But tomorrow, to avoid annoying the men in my family during the Super Bowl, I will work on the brown sweater. (I'm not a football fan, and I've learned that any utterance, no matter how important, is just an annoyance.) If I can finish the buttonbands, the rest will be smooth sailing. I really don't mind sewing sweater bits together. The stumbling block on this sweater is the buttonholes.

The orange scarf is the feather-and-fan scarf from Scarf Style. I used Debbie Bliss's Alpaca Silk DK, a very luxurious yarn. I personally would have trouble with it in a sweater because it stretches easily and would probably sag over time, but the scarf is a dream. I've made the same one in red (both to match pairs of leather gloves). The blue scarf is made from Acera, which I bought at the Brooks Farm booth in Rhinebeck this fall. It is wool, silk, and vicose. I usually don't like synthetics (since the specter of 1970s acrylic haunts my yarn dreams), but this yarn is lovely. I've made two of these seamen's scarves from Myrna Stahman's book on shawls and scarves, and I'm hoping that Brooks Farm shows this yarn again next October. It would make a lovely lace T, which would be fine for New York weather in spring and early fall. For those of you in warmer areas, you could wear such a garment all year round, except, perhaps for the summer.

I'm a Mac user, and Blogger only gives me the options of typing and inserting pictures, but not links. I will have links to the sources and books on my blog some time next week, when I will also show the finished scarves after they've dried.