elizabeth_mn

I washed my kirtle wool and while I wait for it to dry I will post about my latest knitting.

I cast this shawl on during our recent trip up North. It doesn't look like much yet (ooh, a black triangle!). The Girl specifically requested black with grey stripes. The pink bows are my RS markers.



The pattern is the Godey's shawl that mala_14 recently made.

The pattern is so super simple, but I have to admit the archaic language threw me at first. I don't like admitting that because I have knitted Many Complicated Things! But here is a row written out:

Slip the 1st stitch, that is, taking it off the pin without working it; then to increase a stitch, knit the next stitch plain, but before taking it off the left pin, insert the right pin in the back of the same loop on the left pin, and, bringing the wool between the pins, knit the stitch, taking it off the left pin; there will now be 3 loops on the right pin; knit the next 4 stitches quite plain.

Which, in modern knitting, would say: Slip 1, kfb, knit to end. Because these days all knitters know what "kfb" means, but in 1864 I guess they had to write it out.

Once you get started it is just a mindless two-row repeat. It feels like I got to this point in the project really fast, but of course since every row is longer than the last, the shawl seems to grow more slowly as you go. Since it is for The Girl I am not going to make it huge, but who knows how long it will take me. I am a slow knitter. Just as long as it is done in time for winter.

I am using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes superwash worsted and US 6 needles. My Ravelry project page is here.

I finished the baby hat for my niece and mailed it to her. I was so sure I took a picture of the finished hat but now I can't find it! Argh! Please believe it turned out super cute.

With some leftover yarn I agreed to make a hat for F's Lottie doll. it is by far the smallest and cutest thing I have ever knitted.





It was fun to make a small hat for a newborn baby and then follow it up with a miniature hat for a tiny doll!

I've been making a few other things here and there but nothing else got photographed. Trying to work on men's clothes the past month has been an utter fail. I am going to have to set my HB's projects aside for Costume Con prep. I feel massively guilty about this, but at least it feels better to be working on Girl stuff. I'm not being selfish if it's still for someone else, right? Just not the same someone else.

This morning we decorated the tree, and I figured it was time to finish stuffing all the balls I knit last month. So I spent an hour in front of a sappy movie with the fam tonight and stuffed these. I got tired of making crochet chains for the hanging loops so I just used a plain strand of yarn. If it breaks, oh well. I am noticing now that I did a few upside down, but only a knitter would notice. ;)

I was overcome by greed and fell in love with each one a little more than the last. It will be hard deciding which ones to keep and which to give away!

Pattern #14, "Xs and Os version 1"



#3 "Snowflakes"



#17 "Selbu"



( wanna see lots of my balls? )

All the patterns are from the book 55 Christmas Balls to Knit by Arne and Carlos and my Ravelry page for this project is here.

Finishing up the knitting on these, just a little assembly left.



This huge yarn and these huge needles are making my hands hurt like hell! They are cute and soft, and they went pretty quickly, but I am glad to be done.

You guys, I am seriously addicted to knitting adorable christmas balls and I just cannot stop. I am not doing anything else with my life this week, every free moment I have is spent knitting.

I just started my sixth, even though #3, #4, and #5 are still just empty sad sacks because I haven't stuffed them yet. The knitting is the most fun part!

I would love to have my whole christmas tree covered wih knitted ornaments and a bunch to give away as gifts too. I will just keep making them until it stops being fun! That doesn't look likely any time soon.

No pictures today because I am too busy knitting!

I was recently given the book 55 Christmas Balls to Knit by Arne & Carlos. A friend of mine was moving and downsizing her bookshelf so it was my lucky day!



First of all, it's hilarious to say "balls" and I just cannot stop myself. Second, I love All Things Scandinavian and these are no exception. They are so adorable!

And finally, I have always loved the look of Fair Isle and other stranded colorwork knitting, but I have been intimidated. The small scale of these projects is ideal to learn on.

So, yesterday I went to The Yarnery and got some yarn, wound it up, cast on, and finished half of the ball by bedtime, then knit the other half this morning. It was addictive!

Here's my ball:



I am amazed the color pattern doesn't look lame and sloppy. I have read that beginners often have a problem with pulling the floats in too tightly, but I am such a loose knitter I was worried about gaps instead. But I am very pleased with how this looks!

I only knit right-handed, "throwing" style, so it was tricky deciphering the increase directions in the book, which were illustrated in the left-hand "picking" style with just pictures and no words. As for the two yarns I ended up just wrapping them both around my pinky in my usual way and using my index finger to pick up the one I needed. I am sure there is a better way, but whatever. This worked and my speed was hardly any slower than normal. For some areas with very long floats I twisted the yarns together.

I used polyfil to stuff it instead of the wool batting specified because a.) wool is hella expensive, and b.) I don't have any right now and I really needed to finish this ball!

Yarn info, etc is at my Ravelry.

I really want to just keep making these and then I will have a bunch for my tree as well as some nice gifts.

Lots of progress is happening around here, but I'm not getting a lot of chances to take photos. Still, progress!

I finished knitting the sweater for my HB. YAY! I started this over four years ago (!!!) and it's finally done. I actually started and completed 2 different sweaters for him during that time, but this one just hibernated. It's boxed up now and just needs to be wrapped.

Two new dolls for The Girl are complete. One is the Little Red Riding Hood featured on the cover of We Make Dolls, and the other is the Red Matryoshka from the same book. Of course I can't just follow a pattern as it is because that is boring, so I did make a few changes to make them more unique. Alas, the only opportunity I've had to take photos is after bedtime (because they are surprises!) and the lighting is so bad I just give up.

Also, we have been doing some wooden star and snowflake cutouts with paint and glitter. We painted first and let it dry, then applied loose glitter on top of Mod Podge. This has been slow going because one side needs to dry before we can flip it and do the other, so that makes it a slightly more advanced craft for my 4yo, which is great. She loves sprinkling the glitter, but oddly, hates getting her hands messy.

And finally, there are 2 different kinds of homemade cookie dough in my fridge, just waiting to be baked. And I'm doing a third tomorrow.

Still a few things left on my craft & gift list, but it's getting smaller!

Blocked the Citron, had a good time at Shepherd's Harvest, bought some yarn, had a fun Mother's Day.  My whole weekend was Go! Go! Go! what with driving out to visit my mom Saturday and the yarn fair the next day and then working all day Monday.  I did manage a nap on Sunday afternoon, but I didn't really have a choice, I just collapsed.  Today, F and I are finally having some nice downtime and doing some sorely neglected chores.

Here's the Citron:



( And laid out flat )

Now I am desperate for a new portable project.  (Is this why people knit socks?)  I plan to do another simple lace scarf in a yarn I bought a few years ago that's just a little too variegated, but I'll use it up and do something simple before tackling another complex lace project in my new All For Love Of Yarn yarn.

Another "finished, but not quite finished" project!

I've done all the seams, placket, and neckband on my stripey sweater.  I've woven in all the ends.  Now I just need to get buttons and sew them on.  I found some in my stash that look nice, but they're just a little too small.  Since the sweater has some negative ease over the bust, I don't want to use small buttons that will just pop out of their holes under a slight strain.

All these undone projects are starting to annoy me.  They are cluttering up my sewing room and my brain.  Loose ends everywhere!

In time to mail before the recipient's birthday!



I love the way it turned out and it was much, much more fun to make than the last gift scarf.

Details are on my Ravelry page.  (If you're not on Ravelry and you want the details, just let me know!)