I finished the PingPong hat. It's not as deep as I'd like, but I used every last bit of the yarn. All that are left are the trimmings from tieing the tassles on, maybe 6 inches total. The yarn was nice to knit with, soft and squishy, but would be a nightmare for seaming, so I'm glad I did a hat in the round!

I REALLY liked the look of these little Ugg Booties everyone seems to be making. I'm trying to knit for a whole lot of babies right now, so I was considering making these, and I called the yarn store in town that carries Berrocco yarns. A mere $16.49 a ball for the Suede yarn. The pattern calls for 2 balls of the yarn PLUS a little of another kind for the trim. Those would be some DAMN pricey booties, I think I'll pass.

The star blanket is getting slower, the rows are longer and longer as the blanket gets bigger. It's also less fun to work on as I can't watch TV or read blogs while I crochet, I have to watch my hands. I'm going to try and do a round every day though, I'd really like to see the end result sometime soon!

I started a hat in PingPong yarn in Pink by Bernat. It looks and feels really neat, but doesn't seem that practical for a sweater. I didn't notice the yardage was so short, I don't know if I will have enough for the hat. I'll just keep knitting and see if I have enough, it goes fast so if I have to rip it out that's not a huge deal. I might use some Satin yarn I have in bright pink along with it if needed. I don't know if stripes or colour blocks would look better though........

Still working on the blanket. It's coming along really nicely, I can't wait to finish and see how it looks done.

I'm working on a little crochetes mouse right now, from a pattern here:
http://www.sarahanns.com/crochetworks/animals.html It's a lot smaller than I expected, but it will be really cute, I think.

The star baby blanket is coming along nicely. I'm really enjoying crochet! I do find it requires more attention than knitting, I have to watch my hands while I do it, but that's ok. Here's the blanket so far:

(moved the photo to another host so it wouldn't take so long to come up)

Finished the pixie hat. Hopefully my sister likes it :) I started a cabled baby hat using the Basic Cable pattern from Stitch n Bitch Nation. I like how it's turning out, and if there is enough wool left I might make mitts to match.

I have found something I REALLY want to make. Problem is it's a crochet pattern. I don't really crochet, and have never made anything from a pattern. I think I might just have to learn. The pattern is HERE and the photo doesn't really do it justice, I saw another photo in baby colours and it was gorgeous. We'll see how I do......

Working on another of those pointed pixie hats for my neice to wear - my sister liked the one Teagan was wearing and asked how much I'd charge for one. I didn't go into how you really can't charge enough for your knitting to make it worth while, I just said I'd make her one.

I also came accross a GOREGOUS sweater today, that I'd really like to make. Check it out HERE. It's written in one size - smaller than me - and meant for a yarn I don't think I can get locally, so I'm not sure if I'll try it, but it is pretty!

SOOOOO happy to be done with Christmas knitting and all the stress that it brings. I've said it befere, though I REALLY mean it this time, I will not leave it all to the last minute this year!

So I wanted to make my daughter a hat, she doesn't have many hats knit by me, which is a crime considering how much I knit, but I didn't want to make some boring old plain thing. I came accross a pattern for a pointed pixie hat, and I'm pretty pleased with the result:

I got the pattern HERE and it is SO easy - no increases or decreases, just knits and purls.

I also started on WAVY from the current issue of knitty.com. It looks like it won't be too hard, but keeping track of the pattern row will be key. I don't yet own a single knit scarf - another crime in my opinion - so it was time to knit something for ME! I had some pretty medium blue woolease from an abandoned christmas project (my sister's loss will be my gain) and I think it will make an excellent scarf.

Another finished xmas gift, the koolaid purse! This one was a bit of a challenge, the shape and material don't make for easy sewing! I had found pretty good instructions to work from, but had a minor disastor in sewing the darn thing inside out. After that was fixed, I think it turned out okay! Hopefully my cousin likes it!

Finally a photo! My hot water bottle cozy is done, blocked, and ready to wrap:

Unfortunately the photo doesn't show the cable well, and I'm far too busy to start messing with photos for the blog! The fingerless gloves are done except for weaving in the MANY ends, not sure if I will block them. I still have a bunch of coasters to knit, and some things to felt. Back at it!

I'm getting a grip on the christmas knitting. I finished the hot water bottle cozy, just need to block it, felted a baby gift, did some samples for mom's gift, and finished the sleep mask, save for the elastic:

So I'm feeling a little more in control. Still lots to do, but it's looking remotely possible now!

Christmas Panic!!

I don't think there is any way to get all my christmas gifts done in time. I was already running behind (babies don't leave you tons of free time for knitting) and had an ambitious list, and then I started having wrist issues. Doc says a bit of tendonitis. Knitting doesn't seem to aggravate it, but I need to be careful.

So I've pretty much axed the big project for my sister (Poncho) and am struggling to finish what I can. I'm almost done my sister's fiance's knit hot water bottle cozy, half done brother's fingerless gloves, and mostly done the sleep mask for my aunt. I have a couple other things waiting, we'll see how much I can finish.

I got started on the poncho from Vogue Knitting. Right off the bad I screwed up, I forgot to switch to the smaller needles right after the first 3 rows of garter stitch. Oh well, it shouldn't matter. Now that I am a number of rows in, I realize the needle I am using is a 4mm instead of the 4.5 called for. (darn my old inaccurate needle sizer!!) I am going to try to ignore that too. Finally, I missed the first decrease - but it's only half a row back so I'm going to fix that. At least it's moving along fairly quickly........photos when there is something to show.

I went to the yarn store today. Wow - there are some gorgeous yarns out there. I had to touch everything.....well as much as my baby's patience would allow. *I* could have spend a whole day in there, but she had other ideas.

I bought some yarn for a gift. (can't go into specifics as she reads this blog) It is fun but challenging shopping for yarn for someone else. When you are shopping for someone else you feel justified in "splurging" when you might not on yourself, and you can really get into the process. BUT it's worrisome to be picking out colours based on your own preferances, or guessing what the other person will like. Hopefully she'll be happy with the selection I made, I did my best!

Still working on things for my brother. The "family birthday dinner" was postponed, buying me more time. I finished a Seaman's cap for him, and now I'm working on fingerless gloves. I don't think I'll finish them in time, so they can be for christmas.

I found this neat pattern for a Hot Water Bottle Cozy so I'm making that for my sister's fiance. I bought some Decor yarn to make it, someone reccomended it to me and it feels nice, a lot like Woolease.

We're all moved into our new place! It's great, so much space! I don't have a designated crafting desk anymore, but I have loads of storage for my craft things. I haven't gotten much knitting done, partly because most of it is still packed and there is so much else to do. Plus it's all up in the storage on the third floor, so it's not easy and quick to grab. I think I need a "working" craft bin in the bottom floor. Maybe my folding knitting bag can live in the living room for easy knitting access.

I haven't started the poncho yet, I'm trying to whip up something for my brother. His birthday is tomorrow but I won't see him for a few days. I really like working with Woolease. It's a nice yarn, feels nice to work with and is forgiving to frogging as well.

I found a new poncho pattern I might try instead of the Harlot Poncho. Vogue knitting has a really nice slim poncho with a nifty cable down the middle. It's done in a similar weight to Woolease, so I shouldn't have to tweak the pattern. I might need to use a lighter colour though, dark colours don't show cables that well and it would be a shame to go to the trouble and not have it show up. The pattern is done flat in two pieces, but I might convert it to the round. I just need to check if the cable would work out okay if I do that.

Not actually knitting much, busy packing most of the time. I'm feeling like starting lots of projects though, I think feeling unsettled in general is making my kntiting unsettled too!

I'm not thrilled with the Harlot Poncho I'm doing. The rolling neck edge bugs me, and I keep getting nervous my sister won't like it anyways. She's particular about her clothes. I'm also finding it a bit boring.

I've also got a bunch of other things to work on. Christmas gifts make up a lot of the list, as well as a last minute hat for my cousin's daughter. She's in town and her birthday is Sunday, so we're having a little party for her. She's two, and has all the toys she needs, so I figured a cute hat was in order. They liked the blossom hats I made them when I visited up north in the summer.

Started the Harlot Poncho, but the neck of mine is rolling! I don't know if I'm going to ignore it, or rip it out. I think I'll google for other Harlot Ponchos to see if others have this happening.

I had to rip out my progress on a poncho for my sister today. 2 balls of Woolease into it, I had made the classic knitting-in-the-round error of twisting the stitches to create a mobius strip. There was so much knitting on the needles I couldn't flatten it out to notice the error earlier, and it peeved me to rip all that work out. BUT, there is a bright side, I realised the pattern I was using was just not going to do it. The edge was rolling, and the fabric was pretty thick, not drapey like I was hoping. I am starting over today, possibly with the famed Yarn Harlot Poncho still in woolease. I think with a single strand rather than doubled the woolease will drape okay. I've seen photos of others made in wool blends and they looked pretty nice.