The Little Red Hen

Pixie Hat

During our drive to Kansas City for Quilt Market, I did a bit of knitting.

I finished this super cute pixie style hat. It's really a pretty quick knit.

Miss Petunia loves it. I like that it comes down and covers her neck. I think that will be great to keep the wind off her neck next winter and will also make getting ready for recess a little quicker - no fussing with a scarf. This one is a wee bit small for her so I plan to make a bigger one and make the neck/scarf part a little longer. She has chosen a pretty pink yarn. She said I could give it to her for Christmas. Isn't that sweet? 

The pattern is sized from baby to adult. I kinda want to make one for myself. M thinks that would be a little weird. I offered to make him one but he declined. Well, he didn't want the elf shoes either so what fun is he?

The pattern for the hat is Lyalya Hoodie by Natalia Schaffer.
The yarn is Artyarns supermerino.

Abbey Road Socks

I've been a knitting fiend in the evenings the last few weeks. I finished the mate to Addele's Abbey Road.

I love the texuture pattern in these socks and the way it flows directly into the ribbing at the top. The cable pattern also goes down the heel flap.

It was an interesting change to make these toe up socks. The pattern was fairly easy to follow. I ended up knitting the heel and flap a couple of times but that was because I miscounted stitches not because there was a problem with the pattern.
The yarn was also really nice to knit.

Pattern: Abbey Road Socks by Ann Budd.
Yarn: Tern by Quince & Co. 75% wool 25% silk.

I have also made a couple pair of crew socks for B in the Midnight Stroll Sport by Knit Picks.

Estonian Socks that Rock

Yay, I finally finished my Estonian Knee Socks that Rock. In case you were wondering, knitting knee socks with a fine black yarn on size 0 needles takes a long time. My ravelry notes tell me that I started these back in early November.

I love the way they fit. I decreased two stitches every sixth row down the back from the bottom of the colorwork to the ankle which creates a lovely "seam" line. I tried to take a picture but it didn't turn out. And since you can see those goose bumps on my legs there I'm not going to try again. You'll just have to imagine it.
Here's the full view.
The yarns are Knit Picks Essential Soot Kettle Dyed and Jewel of the Nile lightweight by Socks that Rock.

I used the color pattern from Nancy Bush's Estonian Socks in her book Folk Socks.

It really feels good to finish a slow going project like this. I know I'll be wearing them though. They will be great with winter boots!

Wordless Wednesday

Ladybug Picnic Mittens

You may remember this project from last winter...

I won the pattern and yarn in a mitten group on Ravelry last year. Adele and I knit them for our two make a pair project.
With most of our projects our guages have turned out to be the same. With these mittens, one came out tall and thin and the other shorter and wide. Hmmmm.

Not sure what happened there but we decided to go ahead and each make mates for the first that we knit. So, this time two make TWO pair.
The pattern is Ladybug Picnic Mittens by Elinor Brown. The yarn is Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport.

I love the little braid around the cuff.

After knitting so many mittens in 2011 I have learned a bit more about what I like and don't like in a mitten.
I like thumbs with a gusset and long cuffs that are snug to the wrist like these two. But these are probably not as warm as needed in our cold winters. (even if they weren't fingerless)

I like fun colorwork designs like the ladybugs, and these two pair. The stranded work mittens are a little warmer with the extra yarn carried on the back.

The warmest mittens I have made are these double layer felted mittens.

The knitting continues. If I find the perfect balance of thumb and cuff design, fun pattern, and warmth I'll let you know.
Here's one last photo of the ladybugs. My little photo assistant said I needed a butterfly hand shot. So here ya go.

Wordless Wednesday

Warming Gifts

Here's the hat I knit for M for Christmas! He chose the pattern, Northern Lights, and blue and yellow (U of M colors) wool from my stash for the main colors. He told me to surprise him with the other colors. I ended up starting this about four times before getting it right. I cursed it for a while but I'm happy with the way it turned out. I'll also have to check what happened there where it looks like there is an orange stitch that should be green....  I didn't notice that until I was just looking at the picture on the screen.  I'll have to duplicate stitch over it in green. I must have been half asleep while knitting that part. Heck, I think I was half asleep while knitting the whole thing.

The rest of my holiday gift making was rather mundane like crew socks for the members of the family who wear sandals all winter.  Other gifts were knit and shared earlier in the year - potholders, mitts, and mittens. Oh, and I did photo calendars for the family again this year too.

Rebirth

I may have mentioned this before, but I used to teach knitting at a local yarn shop. When the shop closed 6 and a half years ago I bought A LOT of yarn. I have been slowly working my way through my stash. Other items, like a sample of a short sleeve cotton sweater, came home with me too. I never wore the sweater. It has been sitting around here for years. I am giving it new life by turning it into something else - crocheting directly from the unraveling sweater. 

I think I need to make a blog category for "cleaning up the slow way". I am sure this qualifies. At any rate it gives me much satisfaction. I'm pretty sure what I'm making will be USED!

Black Friday

Wordless Wednesday