Hunkering down

What's a girl to do when it's below zero, windy, and snowy? Think hard...keep thinking...why knit, of course. This weekend was very productive:

1. Tea in the Sahara finished. Pictures to come once I've felted it down (read: sometime before March 21st..of this year).
2. Ribbit Socks - a FO before this blog started, except for the non-kitchenered toes. Which are now. And are on my feet. Sans picture (you actually expect me to shave my legs? and put on pj bottoms that match the socks? Bah! Silly rabbits.)
3. Kitty Discus - a variation of WendyKnit's Kitty Pi.

Now I'm off to hunker down some more with MrCatty and finish the Discus (which could be done in time to felt with Tea.)

Simple things

Like cat toys can brighten a day. Jack is in love with his 'Baby Monkey' baby monkey. Let me clarify right now before being inundated with requests for patterns - the baby monkey is actually a knitted rectangle, tri-folded to make a dense square, then stitched down on the edges. But he loves it no less than if it were an actually living, breathing primate. Which is to say "To the death".

'Tea in the Sahara' went to work with me today. I realized the last time I worked on it, I must have twisted it and inadvertantly created a Mobius. Which really won't work for a tea cozy. At. All. So, a-ribbiting I went. I've casted back on and am caught up to where I left off on the bar graph. So let's call it a draw for now.

I'm basing the pattern on

the tea cozy in this book. I haven't worked short rows much and with LouLou next up on the docket, I think this project will be good practice.

On fire.

Flame done in Colorlash and Gem. In the middle of January, a girl needs something that looks hot.

Not "Complicated" at all.

Avril Glovelets. Done on #6 circulars.

Avril was done in a lumpy Tibetan wool/recycled silk blend. These pics are the glovelets in the unwashed state. I think when they've been washed, they'll soften and smooth out a bit. I know I usually do.

And speaking of Avril, does anyone else think she looks like Meg Ryan's little sister? Ok, just me then.

Today is not my day

And tomorrow isn't looking good either.

The Olivia redo is not going well. I'm frustrated by how the stitch pattern is coming out - somehow I'm not accounting for an additional YO stitch, so this nice angle is emerging on one side of the panel. Since I really like the diagonal eyelet effect, I'm going to take some time this weekend to swatch a square to figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong.

On the upside, I started the Avril glovelets last night during "24". They are zipping along nicely in the Tibetan wool/silk. When they are finished, I'm going to to tighten up the 2x2 ribbing pattern and create a semi-boiled wool feel by throwing them in the washing machine.

And after that? I'm indulging Jack by making a Baby Monkey toy.

If you don't have mice...

Jack deciding Collection's "Baby Monkey" needs to be mauled.

Feel that ocean breeze?

Skinny McGinny - Caribbean meets neckwear.

Sitcom!

Sitcom Chic, pret a porter.


Closeup of Sitcom neck detailing

Soft as a baby's...

Plush Blankie ready for the baby shower. 


Closeup of colors 

Home again

Christmas has come and gone. I ended up frogging Olivia because it looked awful (I ended up setting a column of stitches off and ...well it's frogged.) But I did 1) start and finish Plush Blankie, 2) start and finish a special request scarf - Skinny McGinny (in a turq/lime/blue Splash colorway), and 3) start Skinny McGinny II for my mom who fell in love with McGinny I.

I also picked up a skein of Tibetan Himalayan Yarn Co. in 60% wool, 40% recycled silk; it's sapphire with multi flecks. I'm thinking of using it for some glovelets. And when scouting out an AC Moore store, I grabbed a skein of a mohair blend in "Orangina" to make the LouLou socks from Knitty.com.

Stay tuned for pics.

Yarn Over ...and over..and over

So I spent this weekend YOing. Between Mata 2 (which is now a Finished Object) and Olivia, I can do the YO stitch repeat in my sleep. Will Olivia be done in time for me to wear for Christmas? I'm thinking no, but I do have an 8-hour car ride ahead of me.

Doubting Thomasinas

So people have been asking - what's that you're knitting? "A poncho." ...pause...skeptical looks from the questioner...pause.

"No! Really, a poncho."

More skeptical looks, usually involving a raised eyebrow.

Trust me people, it's a poncho. Hmpf.

The poncho formerly known as Rebekah

I started Rebekah last night. Got a few rows into it and was at 1/2(!) the stitches I cast on with! What? There is no way I'm going to work this poncho as the pattern stands now. So? I've decided to keep the general form (2 19" x 24" panels), but I'm working the YOs my way. And since I've already decided I'm going to do a mandarin collar, it really isn't "Rebekah" anymore. Her name has been changed to "Olivia" in honor of Olivia Harrison (I was watching Great Performances' "Concert for George (Harrison)" during this decision making process.) I was going to call the poncho "Dhani", but thought that was a little too weird. But I will go on record as saying Dhani Harrison is all kinds of hot. (And yes, George was my favorite Beatle).


Stretched a bit for the picture, but here are the first 3 inches of Panel 1


A bit blurry, but the colors in this photo are truer than the other photo.

The Mata Matter

Using #13s makes the scarf much more "lacy". Doesn't it look like "Christmas in a Scarf"?

Mata 2 in Mohair/Eros. Once again, I'm over halfway done and have run out of yarn! When will I learn "leftover skeins are not as big as they appear?" Oh well, another excuse to go to KYarns.

I finished Sitcom last night. Ends woven in, neckband on, button on. I just have to wash and block this weekend. (And yes, I did try it on! And it fits!)

And I started Mata 2. She's for a friend who admired Mata Mohari and thought it would be pretty in brighter colors. So I'm using the black mohair from Mata 1, and the leftover skein of Eros in jewel colors. I'm doing it on #13s so the YO pattern will be a little more pronounced (plus it's a quicker knit).

Rebekah is still on for tomorrow's project.

They'll look better with shoes. Really.

MomSocks. No, my feet are not deformed, it's just the way I'm holding them. And Jack's decided if Cinco gets Mata, he's going for the socks.


Kitchener stitch on the toe. Look Ma! No seams!

The name's Cat. Mr. Cat.

This is a very handsome Cinco deciding that Mata may need to be his. The look on his face seems to say "Go ahead. Just TRY to take this off me."

Mata up close - the brown/red dots in the middle of the scarf are the glimpses of my desk through the YOs.

Done, but nothing to show for it

MomSocks - done. Mata - done. Tea - started. And I haven't been home long enough to get pics. If I play my cards right, I'll finish Sitcom's odds and ends tomorrow, get pics of FOs, and start Rebekah for the weekend.

Oh, and did you see the Knitty.com button changed? Bet I'm gonna have new stuff to add to the "Next" list. So many projects...

Mata Mohari

I decided the SkinnyMinny scarf wasn't quite as dark as I was hoping for, so I picked up a skein of Classic Elite La Gran Mohair to knit with the remaining Electra. "Mata" is 9 stitches on #7 Inoxs. To keep it airy, I'm doing a simple YO, knit 2tog pattern. So far so good.

While I was at my LYS, I picked up the additional skein to finish MomSocks, and the yarn/pattern for the Rebekah poncho. I was a little disappointed that the picture online seems to show a mandarin collar, but the pattern does not call out for it. So I guess I'll be figuring out how to add the collar.

Charmed, I'm sure

In a fit of creativity (not inspired by anything else I know of, so if you had the idea first, I apologize!) I decided to create some stitch markers from a mate-less earring, some tiny pendants from necklaces I don't wear anymore, and a charm or two. Now if I can just remember to use them!