All Done Aidez

Well, the day before Thanksgiving I finished seaming my Aidez and put it out to block. I then wore it Thanksgiving Day to my mother in laws - it was still a bit damp but I didn't care. I just had to wear it. I had my camera - did I pull it out and get some pictures? No. So, here are a few shots of it hanging out in my room.

I love how it seamed up at the sleeves and the neckband worked like a charm.

Now, all my family knows I knit. I love to wear what I make. I love to give my knitting as gifts. What I love most is when someone compliments what I have made. Not one peep from anyone except from my proud husband about this sweater. Must say it took the air out of my balloon. However, I won't let it bum me too much as I LOVE this sweater and I know I'm going to live in it.

Lots of Knitting and Not a Lot of Blogging

I'm still here...you know sometimes I wonder why I blog because I have Ravelry too as an outlet for my knitting and creativity. Then I realize I can't write on Ravelry the way I do here. So, sometimes I have a lapse in posts as I start to write one and realize I don't have anything to say.

Today, however, I have somethings to show you. First is Aidez by Cirilia Rose which I've changed the back too look more like this Aidez. It looks so small when you put it on the floor - the back looks more like a sleeve but this is very stretchy and I can put it on me with no problem. I'm using Cascade Ecological Wool and it is a fast knit. I'm almost done with the front.













Next I cast on for Big Frill using Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo DK (long name but lovely yarn). My sister wanted a sweater and she survived going to the yarn store and being told about weight/gauge/yardage and went from wanting $400 of cashmere to make this sweater to $130 of bamboo. I'm halfway up the back and am making it a bit longer for her.














Last is my first lace project ever - I've knit with fingering but never laceweight. Thank God for Addi Lace needles. This is Citron and I'm using Skacel Merino Lace. I keep trusting in the magic of blocking and know it will be stunning...I'm making it for my mom. I had the chance to give her that pink scarf I recently made and she loved it.

Another Successful Knitted Gift

My niece's birthday was on Thursday and I had sent her a few scarves I had made (2 I made specifically for her) and 2 books. At the time she was opening her gift from me, my mom's gift arrived via UPS. She had purchased her an outfit with all the same colors that were in the scarf I made - it was as if we had planned the whole thing. Last night she went out for a birthday dinner wearing her new scarf and her new outfit...got to love when your knitted gifts are used right away!

This Year's Endless Christmas Knit

I started my string of Christmas lights from the Knit Picks Snow Day kit...this is going to be another endless knit but I'm having fun with it. This is how far I've gotten since Sunday...13 bulbs worth.

A Visit from One of My Sweaters

Today my godsister and her kids came over before we went out to lunch (no school today for election day...I know, ridiculous but that's how it is). As her daughter came in I spotted something pink under her very pink coat...I asked and yes, indeed, it was the sweater I made for this summer. One of my sweaters came for a visit. So we had a modeling session...the first photo was Robin's idea...the rest are poses that Miss America suggested.

She loves the sweater, wears it a lot to the point her pre-school teachers asked for adult versions. We also learned at lunch that a hot pink sweater is great camoflage for ketchup...got to love a washable knit.

Taa-Daa!

It started with 4 skeins of yarn purchased at Rhinebeck 2 years ago...a bad start to a project and it sat there for another year. Then I pulled the yarn out and Miss America drew a sketch of what she wanted with it. She picked out the lace panel pattern and directed each step of the sweater...length, waist shaping, sleeve style and a last minute lace edge to the sleeves.

My job - figure it all out - and I did! She loves it and that makes the challenge worth the effort.

Mom, If You are Reading This Don't Look!

My mom sometimes reads my blog so I'm hoping she isn't reading lately...I started this Firefly scarf for her in August using some old Debbie Bliss Cathay I had leftover. It's a light summery yarn which is perfect for her life in Florida. I'll be seeing her in 2 weeks and I figured I'd finish it up so I could give it to her in person.

Now, on to the next project...hmmmm...what will it be?

Was Yesterday Christmas???

Yesterday I went to Jennifer's for her usual Wednesday knitting group and I felt like it was Christmas morning. She presented me with this wonderful Knit Picks ornament kit. I've been eyeing it on their website and she knew I was on an ormament kick and got it for me! Thank you Jennifer - I can't wait to get started - I think I'll begin with the mini lights. Funny story - Major Knitter's son saw the lights you could knit and mused why she just doesn't use real lights...
















Then Jennifer said she had been cleaning out her basement and she had this wonderful kit of fleece for needle felting - I can't wait to use it on some felted mittens! What a lovely rainbow.














And if that wasn't enough, I was the only PC user in the group (I know one day Mac is in our future...) and she had this software - wow! Was yesterday Christmas or what???

I managed to finish my mom's scarf which I can give her when I see her in a few weeks. I hope she likes it - here it is in blocking stages.

Another One

The addiction continues....tomorrow I have knitting group so I'll be working on something easier than these mini-stockings.

I was listening to The Knitmore Girls podcast and they were trying not to use the phrase "mindless knitting" as it makes what we do as a craft isn't as clever as it really is. They proposed "cruise control" or "auto-pilot" knitting - I'm game for renaming it "cruise control" knitting...that's what I'll be doing tomorrow. BTW more on podcasts later.

My Latest Addiction

I ordered 3 skeins of Knit Picks Palette - the green is a little dark but I like it...I'm currently on my 5th one of these mini-stockings. They are knit flat and then you mattress stitch up the back - I decided to just seam them normally up the back and it is much easier. The first 3 are mattress and the one on the far right is seamed.

Okay, I've just finished the 5th one...

When in doubt...

Make mini-sweater ornaments out of leftover yarn! These are fun to do and knit up quickly. I was inspired by the Berrocco Minutia '08 and have started making my own designs ever since. I've given them as gifts and I've used them to decorate our Christmas tree and wreath. I put them up on a group in Ravelry and wondered where I could find mini-hangers. Low and behold someone posted where to find them so I've ordered 3 dozen!

P.S.
Someone asked if I used a pattern for these - no I don't. I basically knit the body in one piece and bind of 5-6 stitches at the neck and then cast on the same number and go down the back. I cast on an appropriate number of stitches based on the yarn weight (I compared this years batch to previous years and they getting bigger I've noticed...hmmm). I originally used the Berroco Minutia patterns to start and then just invented my own after that.

Using up Odds and Ends

Remember when I made this for Miss America years ago? She wore it a lot and loved it and I've since passed it on as a hand-me-down.















Well, here is the rest of the yarn in a fun stripey scarf for my niece. I have a few more little odds and end and I'm whipping up one more sweater ornament with what is left. I'm trying to use yarns that I have used to make sweaters for my ornaments...that way after the sweaters are long gone I have an ornament to remember them by.

Knitting Mojo

Today I had a lovely time knitting with Jennifer and a bunch of other lovely knitterly ladies at Panera. I brought with me a last minute scarf I threw on the needles this morning so I'd have some mindless knitting. When asked what I was making I explained I am not in a good place with my knitting right now - I feel like I've lost my mojo. So I took some old leftover yarn and am making a lengthwise scarf in stripes for my niece whose birthday is coming up.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have these 1500 yards of Cascade 220 sitting around taunting me...I don't know what to make and even swatched for the Monday Morning Cardigan. I'm not feeling the love. Then I thought a fun cardigan I designed with a colorful yoke pattern would be nice but nothing in my stash made for a good yoke. So the yarn sits there...taunting me.

Then I saw this lovely sweater on Anthropologie aptly named Knitting Needle Cardigan which is Haunting me...I want to make it...I know I could figure it out and try...however I don't have enough yarn in the Cascade 220...I think this would need more.

So as you can see, my knitting mojo is totally out of whack. It got even further pushed down today when I heard that a dear, dear woman who was like a second mother to me when we lived in Virginia lost her battle with cancer last night. She always had a kind word, made you feel like you were the most important person when she spoke with you and her heart was big and full of love.

So, I'm taunted, haunted and heavy hearted and will find a way to get my mojo back somehow...in the meantime, mindless silly knitting will have to do.

Makes My Heart Sing

They fit and he loves them - enough to make my heart sing!

After All That Help...

Thank you all for the button input - it was a landslide for the wooden button in the middle. So I sat down to sew it on and the snap to go with it (for some reason both Chic Knits patterns I have made have a thing against button holes and snaps are used) and when I tried it on for button placement I realized it looked better open and without a button! So, no pictures to show right now but I'm not using that fun wooden button just yet.

I'm in a bit of a knitting limbo/quandary. I have only one project on needles (scarf for mom) and I have two piles of yarn waiting for me to be clever and creative. I have 7 skeins of Cascade 220 in a heathered black and 3 skeins of Cascade Ecological Wool in a creamy white.

I bought the Cascade 220 to make Monday Mording Cardigan but then I got worried that the girls would just seem like "monoboob" if I wore that. So then I thought of making something close to King of Confidence of my own design but when I looked for yarns in my stash for the yoke, I hit a wall. Perhaps I should just make Vine Yoke Cardigan...what to do?

I won't even get into my quandaries for the Ecological Wool. So last night I sat down and cast on another mini-sweater to add to my collection.

If you have any recommendations for either yarn, I'd love to hear it.