I Have Completed...

... the back of my first sweater:


I am so excited! It seems a little big to me for a not-quite 2 year old, but I would rather it be big than too small.

It is the Perfectly Plain Sweater from Alison Dupernex's Beginner's Guide to Knitting, it is an easy to follow pattern and it is really just stockinette with 1X1 rib on the collar, cuffs and bottom.

I am using Sirdar Snuggly baby bamboo yarn and it is so nice and soft and a gorgeous cherry red color, sadly despite being awesome yarn, it has no cool colorway name, what a waste.

I am going to see the Christmas recipient of this sweater next weekend and will surreptitiously measure her. Oh, in case I haven't mentioned her before, here's Madison:


Doesn't she look cute in red?

A Revalation

So just now as I started working on my first sweater (a tiny little one for my niece), I realized why handmade gifts are so special... When you are working on a project for someone they are constantly on your mind. As I knit this adorable little red sweater I keep smiling as I picture my little niece Madison wearing it.

I had the same pleasant thoughts about my brother as I worked on his socks.

So, yes I could buy 2 sweaters for Maddie with the $$ I spent on fabulous bamboo/wool yarn, but I would be done with the transaction in 5 minutes. This project will keep me smiling over her sweet little face for hours and days.

Knitting in the Car

Expect many more posts like this as we delve into the holiday season. "Knitting in Line at the Store" "Knitting While Walking Down the Street" "Knitting in the Shower" things like that.

In an effort to maximize all possible knitting time I took my knitting on 2 road trips this weekend (I was not driving of course). On Saturday I knit for about an hour while chatting with a friend in the car and had absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Sunday I knit for awhile while chatting with a friend and got totally nauseated. I guarantee it was not the difference in friends :) I will admit to being slightly hung over Sunday, so perhaps that was it, but have people had knitting-related car sickness before?

Pros and Cons of Multiple Projects

So, I am currently working on 3 projects: an Irish Hiking Hat, the Stupid Lace Scarf that Hates Me and the Hunter Socks.

I like the variety of having multiple projects going, but I find I never get into a good groove with any of them and they all seem to be going very slowly.

I am resigned to not finishing that Lace Scarf in my lifetime, but the others are really plodding along.

I don't know if it is a result of not enough knitting time in general or because I don't really get on a roll with a project so that I can knit faster. It is as if I am starting over each time I pick up a different project. Perhaps that will change when I am a more experienced knitter, but in the mean time, I feel behind all the time.

Knitting for Boys

I don't mean "Boys Knitting" as I have absolutely no problem with that (unlike the woman who accosted my friend Jimmy on the train one day and told him knitting was a woman's craft) I mean taking the time and effort to make a handmade item for the oafish sex.

Some men truly appreciate handmade items and treat them with the love and respect they deserve, others leave them on the floor of the bathroom wrapped in a wet towel until they smell like last week's old cheese.

I am going out on a limb and making a pair of socks for my brother. This was met with awe and confusion by my mother who asked very politely if I remembered what my brother was like. Now distance does make the heart grow fonder, but I know my brother is a big boorish brute of a man, but here's the thing: he asked. Nicely. He asked nicely and with sincere interest in my craft that I knit him a pair of socks for Christmas.

So, I have cast on:
and started a very simple, very wearable, very washable pair of socks for my brother. The yarn is Lambs Pride Super Wash so it is both washable and sturdy and warm. The colorway (which I love) is called Rootbeer.

It is a very simple 2X2 rib that looks ridiculously tiny, but has a nice stretch that looks natural and meant for an adult male foot.

I don't know how long these socks will grace the planet before they end up left by the side of some fishing pond, but my brother asked. Nicely. And I can't say no.

Progress Thy Name is Patience

This is by far the furthest I have gotten on the Stupid Lace Scarf That Hates Me. How did I do it?

Very slowly.

Each day I do 4 or 5 pattern repeats (8 or 10 rows) and I count the stitches each time. At this rate I should have a full length scarf by Memorial Day, but it will be done and done correctly!

Knitting has taught me many things, not the least of which is the true meaning of "a stitch in time saves 9."

Irish Hiking Hat and Scarf

So I wanted to learn how to cable and a friend at knitting group showed me the basics and it really did seem as easy as everyone promised me it would be. I was going to do some practice cables, but decided to jump right in to the Irish Hiking Scarf (which is apparently a popular pattern for young cablers like myself).

Once I got rolling someone at knitting group mentioned there was an Irish Hiking Hat pattern as well and I got all over-excited (as I am prone to do) and started on that too (here is a solo shot of just the hat):



and loved working with cables!

Now the end result of my impulsive hat-making was that my scarf is much shorter than I would have liked (I only bought yarn for a scarf and then took some to make the hat), it is a suitable scarf length, but I tend to prefer longer scarves. Also, the hat doesn't actually fit my ginormous skull...

So, we are chalking this up to practice and I will donate this set to charity, it is perfectly functional and fashionable, but not quite perfect for me or a gift.

While working on this set I found a pattern that was adapted from the Irish Hiking pattern, but is reversible! It is called the Palindrome Scarf (and hat!) and I believe that will be the gift project I will be starting soon for various Christmas gift recipients.

Oh, and this came in the mail yesterday:

So much yarny goodness!