First FO of 2009!

I'm trying to start the year off with a bang. My knitting momentum seems to be up right now - I'm really enjoying it and am itching to cast on quite a few new projects. But, the monogamous knitter in me keeps things in check. One sock and one other project on the needles. That's it. I'm not too good at multi-tasking my knitting!

The first hat I knit my dad turned out a bit too big. So, I cast on again (coincidentally in the same colors!) and knit him up another. I went down a needle size and did not do the increases after the ribbing. The whole base of the hat is 96 sts up to the point of starting the decreases. It came out pretty cute.

It is snug on me, so I'm hoping it will fit him better. It was quick and easy - a nice mindless knit with almost instant gratification! I'll probably knit him a few more if it does fit. He wears hats every day inside in the winter! He also needs another pair of socks...hmmm....

To brigten up the dreary days we have been having - snow and freezing rain for pretty much 24 hours straight, and today is just very windy and cold - I cast on for Naomi's next pair of socks.

The yarn is from Ellen's Half-Pint Farm - a whopping 500 yard skein! I knit just the cuff over 60 sts, but am going to I think rip it and start over. It kind of fits, but not great, so I'm thinking of going in a different direction. Originally, we had picked out the Herringbone Rib Socks from this winter's Interweave. The handpainted yarn seemed to go nicely with it. But she's inbetween sizes. I may just delve into a sock book I got and have barely even looked through it. New Pathways for Sock Knitters - book One looks fascinating. New construction and entirely new ways of knitting socks! I'm pretty sure we can find a pattern in there that she will like, and it will be fun to knit socks in a new way!

I'm also still contemplating which yoke sweater to do next. I owe hubby a sweater, so his may be first. The current sweater on the needles for him isn't working gauge wise. A simple yoke sweater with some nice stripes may be a good option....

More Stripes!

While the weather outside is frightful this morning, the knits continue! We had about an inch of snow overnight, then this morning it turned to a wonderful freezing rain and sleet combination. Made for a slow and long commute into work. The weather people are saying we get a one day reprieve tomorrow, then should expect about 6" of snow during the day on Friday. Ahh, the joys of winter in New England. At least the snow will cover up all the brown dead grass everywhere.

Power is still out all around us. Friends who live about a mile away are still in the dark. Phone, cable and internet were restored last night, but I found that I really wasn't missing them. I managed to keep busy other ways.

Another hat! This pattern has proved to be the perfect fit - I have tried many hat patterns that just don't fit right. I like my ears covered, and I want it to come down low enough that it covers my forehead. A nice snug fit also. This, I believe, is the holy grail of hat patterns for me. I plan on making more! They are the perfect stash buster. Just use what you have! Solid, stripes, whatever!

Now, Lolly and I can be stripey hat twins!

What do you do without power? You knit!

This past weekend was quite the adventure. We got hit full on with the ice storm that pounded the entire central Massachusetts area. We lost power on Thursday and didn't get it back until late on Friday. We are one of the lucky ones. The kennel still does not have power. A generator was hooked up to give heat and water for the dogs but it's just bare bones. There are still many trees down and the power lines at the top of our street are still laying across it. We still have no phone or TV, but we have heat. That is all I can ask for! It is amazing to drive around the area and see the shear number of trees and limbs down. Driving over the weekend was like an obstacle course. I am truly thankful we escaped any damage to our house.

So, stuck at home Friday with no power, I managed to crank out the knits. I finished the Boyfriend Socks aka Hubby socks.

I love how they came out. It has been mailed down to Hubby in Georgia to see if it fits before I start on the second sock. There is a lot of ribbing in the sock, so I'm hoping its a bit of a forgiving pattern if I didn't size it correctly!

I also knit a hat for my dad. He was our savior this weekend. He and my mom drove out on Friday with a propane heater to help keep us from freezing! We didn't end up needing it, but I think it was the mere presence of the heater turned ours back on! So, I knit him a new hat.

He works from home in the chilly basement, so he wears a hat all day in the house. Right now, he wears the Fake Isle hat I knit a while back, but it is a bit big. I'm hoping this one will fit him better. It's the Turn a Square hat - thanks to Sarah for letting me try hers on! It was a really quick knit. I finished it in less than a day and have now started a second one for me! It needs a good blocking at the decreases, but I like how it turned out. The yarns are Lang Polar and the burgundy is Patons Classic. Both leftovers. A great stashbuster!

Sunday I took Ace herding. We haven't been in about a month, so he was super excited! He did remember some things from before, and once he settled down, he did very well.

We go back again on Saturday, so I'm hoping that going more often will help focus his mind a bit more so we can get down to working quicker and not have as much "frantic" time. It is a lot of fun though, as Ace's enthusiastic barking confirms!

My other adventure was on the culinary front. A while back, I tried to make my own marshmallows. Let's just say it was so much less than successful. The cold weather and need for cocoa warranted another try. This time, I had a much better result.

They came out perfect. I love the taste. Not sickening sweet or grainy like packaged marshmallows, but creamy with a subtle sweetness and nice vanilla flavor. I used this recipe, but there are a bunch out there. Next I want to try peppermint flavored ones - I think they'd be perfect in cocoa!

Urban Aran Half Zip

It's Done! I really love how it came out (excuse the squinting - I was facing into the bright winter sun!) totally wearable and comfortable. Exactly as I wanted!
Pattern: Urban Aran from Patons Street Smart Booklet
Yarn: Rowan Cork (about 11 skeins!)
Mods: Made into a half zip - added 2 purl stitches at the neck divide

I love the ribbing on the sides - a great visual element to this wonderful sweater! (yes, those are the Denmark socks peeking out!)
The zipper installation wasn't too bad - I used Bonnie Marie's zipper installation tutorial and it went pretty smooth.

I ended up with a dark brown zipper, but about 15" longer than I needed! (I have no craft stores near by, so the only place I can get one had about 4 to pick from!) So, I made a new "stop" for the zipper and cut it off. Now, I have another zipper to use for another project! (it was a double ender)
This will be worn very often and will probably become one of my favorites!

With the Urban complete, I managed to knock off a few smaller projects I've been meaning to get to. With the hat I knit last coming out too big, I tried again with more stash yarn (where did I get all this pink????)

Much better result. A bit snug and short for me. Fingers crossed it will fit a just turned 4 year old. I think it turned out pretty cute!

My sister requested (a long time ago) a little case for her digital voice recorder that she takes to lectures and rounds at the hospital. I whipped this little baby out after a few hours and using some leftover Lornas Laces from these socks. Pretty cute....

I used yarn overs to create little holes to thread the braided yarn through.

The Adlebaran socks are a bit of a challenge. Since they are written for bigger gauge sock yarn, I may just wing it and use the chart and basic design, but use my own sock formula. I'd really like to use those bright colors! I have some swatching and scribbling to do before I start.

Almost There!

I got in some great knitting time this past week and weekend, so some great progress was made...

The Denmark socks are finished!

Pattern: Denmark from Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Henry's Attic Kona - hand dyed by me
Mods: Made the leg about 3" longer than called for as I had a ton of yarn

These are beautiful, cozy, soft socks. I love everything about them! For a simple 4 row repeat that I had memorized by the third or so time through, it creates such beautiful texture. All Hail Nancy Bush!

Urban Aran got some sewing and knitting time as well.

The collar is finished (modified in the same way Diana did hers) and it came out great. I have both sleeves done, though I have to block one and re-do the top 5 rows of the other - somehow I got my cable rows mixed up. But, I'm hoping to be doing lots of seaming over the next few nights! I measured for the zipper and it looks like I need one about 10" long. So, that is something else I'll have to go hunting for.

My best friend's little girl is having her 4th birthday party next weekend, so I was looking for a quick, stash-busting knit to bring. A hat was the first thing I thought of.

Cute, no? Unfortunately, it fits me perfectly. I am horrible at hat sizing. Even using the formula in The Handy Book of Patterns it still is wrong. Very frustrating. I may just make her mittens....but, on the up side, I got a new, super soft hat!

The hydroponic garden is growing right along. It's been about 2 1/2 weeks and they are almost real lettuces!

It will be nice when we can have an actual salad from it!

With Project Spectrum in full swing, I've been eying my blue stash yarns to see what will come of them. It's great timing. Denmark is done, Urban is very close to done. A perfect time to start something else!

I have 7 skeins of Araucania that I got at Stitches this year for a steal. It's a pretty teal/blue color. The light blue I got at Webs a year or so ago for even less. I have 20 skeins of it (about 2300 yd!)! A hoodie maybe? I had Mariah in mind for the light blue, but I may have been swayed over to the Patons Hoodie after seeing Lolly start hers....guess a browse through the pattern books is slated for this week! Any good suggestions? They are both worsted, about 20 sts/4".

The weather has finally taken a winter turn. Luckily, my immediate area was spared the rage of the ice storm of yesterday, but places only about 1/2 hour away were hit pretty hard. They are saying we should have a high of (gulp) 12 degrees tomorrow. Break out the winter wear.