This and That

I have been a bad blogger lately. It isn't that I haven't had projects going, I have. I just have been really busy lately. I will try and be better. The picture below is a dress scarf that I finished in January. The yarn I used was a bunch of novelty yarns put together into one skein. I tried to do a different pattern originally and it just didn't work with the yarn. This is what I came up with. I would tell you what I used, but I can't find the yarn label. I am going to have to call my LYS and ask her what it was!In my last blog I mentioned that I had just finished an afghan. I am doing two of them the same for Christmas. I revised the dimensions a little when I did the second one. I liked it so much better that I pulled the first one apart and reknit it. Thankfully the pattern is really easy. They are both now done and will go on the shelf to wait.

I designed and knitted a felted bag to hold my phone charger and earphones. I take them to work every day so I can listen to music if I am filing or it isn't too busy. I will post a picture as soon as I find a button I like to put on and finish it.

I have a new "large" project. It originally started out to be an afghan for my daughter for Christmas. I showed it to a friend that knows her well and she mentioned that the colors seemed more mine than Ann's. I thought about it for a couple of days, and had to concede that she was right. I am still going to finish it. I love the pattern and the colors! It is an Heirloom knitted 9 patch quilt. I am going to make it for the guest bedroom. I haven't decorated in there, and so it will be my starting point. Now I just need to decide on a new Christmas present.

A couple of nights ago I pulled out a sweater that I started before Christmas for myself. I have all but the sleeves done. It is out of Bernat Baby Jacquards yarn. It has a background of white and then a lot of pastel colors. The yarn is dyed so that it looks like I am changing colors and making its own design. I really like the way it is turning out. Too bad that it is really starting to warm up here. It was in the 80's yesterday. If I can get it done I will debut it at work. With the air conditioning I am usually cold.

When I get my sweater done I will start working on the two ponchos that I want to do for Christmas. I have yarn for the smaller one all ready. Thankfully I have nieces and nephews that I can knit for since my kids don't want anything any more.

First One Down

I am really excited. I am on track for my goal. I finished my first Christmas present today. It really didn't take as long as I thought it would. I love the way it turned out. I made a lap afghan. I used JoAnn's Sensations Rainbow Boucle that I got on sale for about 40% off. They are huge skeins at 11 ounces. I got 3 of them, but only ended up using 2. I doubled the yarn and used size 15 cable needles. The pattern was really easy. It was one I found on the internet. It is garter and stockingette stictch in alternating rows of 8. I think I made this one a little too wide, but the way the length worked out it is still a rectangle. I have another one to make. I will just adjust it so that it is a lot less wide and the rectangle goes up, not across. Chris asked me what it was this morning. When I showed it to him, he said that he wouldn't mind one of those in blue!

Head Band

One of the women in our knitting group is Chinese. She has only been here for about 8 years. Xiaoping is one of the most amazing fiber artist's that I have ever seen. She can look at something and know how to knit or crochet it. She holds her needles like a pencil and is even faster that some of the English knitters that I have watched.

Last week she came to knitting with a winter head band. Her daughter had bought one for $20. She couldn't believe it. She borrowed it and made her two for the price of one. She brought it to show all of us. Everyone wanted the pattern, but we were having a hard time following her directions. She finally set down with me and showed me how to do it. I got the assignment to come home and write the pattern down. I had to make one while I was doing it to make sure that I was doing it right. This is the result. I put the flower on. I thought it was cute.

Sydnee at work has been biking at 5am. (Crazy girl!) I gave it to her to wear under her helmet. She loved it.

Girls Hat and Mittens

I finished the baby girl hat and mittens. I put the flowers on them and love the finished look. All I want to do is say awwww!

Baby Hat & Mittens

I have two friends that are both expecting in the next couple of weeks. One of them had her shower yesterday. Since we are in the middle of winter, and I was still in hat mode from Christmas I made hats and mittens for them. Shayna is having a boy, and Kari a girl.

I decided that I wanted to use a little stronger colors than I noramlly do. I used Debbie Norvill's Serinity sock yarn. It is super fine, and so I doubled it. The hat and mittens took one skein exactly. Nice! They are so small. It is hard to remember my kids that little anymore.

I borrowed a baby doll from Shayna's daughter to model. It is a little smaller than a newborn, but they look really cute. The other set is done, but I want to put a crocheted flower on the hat. As soon as I do that then I will post the picture

Little Butterfly Sweater

I am finally getting around to posting the picture of the sweater that I made for my other niece Victoria. I am calling it Little Butterflies. I did the butterfly stitch on the whole thing. The band and collar are garter stitch. I was really lucky and found some cute little pink butterfly buttons to set it off.

The collar was my attempt to make a peter pan collar. As you can see it didn't work, like I wanted it to, but not too bad.

I have started a couple of new projects. I have two friends that are having babies in the next couple of weeks. The first one is having a shower Saturday. I am 95% done with her gift, but can't say anything about it since I am not sure if she reads this blog. She is having a boy, and the other friend at work is having a girl. I am doing the same thing for both, but making them masculine and feminine of course. I will post pictures Saturday after she opens her gift. I think it is turning out darling.

Knitting Resolutions

I have so many things that I want to do this year. Here is my list of resolutions. Not necessarily to be done in this order. LOL

1. Finish my scrapbook/knitting/sewing room and finish moving in.
2. Help a friend finish two projects. (We are trading services. I love that!)
3. Make my 2 hat and scarf sets for my new coats.
4. Start on Christmas in Feb. (I actually have yarn for one of the projects that I am going to do.)
5. Finish the sweater that I started for myself. (I got the back, right front and 2/3 of the left front done before Christmas.)
6. Subscribe to a knitting magazine. (Just waiting for payday)
7. Learn a new technique. I am thinking about entralac. We shall see how the year goes.
8. Make 3 baby gifts for friends that are expecting all before March!
9. Start and finish the dress scarf that I have planned out of expensive yarn. (I have started and taken it out twice!)
10. Take a digital photography class. (Hopefully, I will take better pictures of my family and my handwork for my blog!)