Monday, November 13, 2006

Finished!

...and on time, too! The baby has yet to arrive, and the gift has been delivered! <forehead wipe>*Whew*</forehead wipe>

Here are photos with and without flash:



here are photos of the top, which did indeed come out flat, much to my amazement...



This was a bunch of firsts for me....my first finished hat, my first finished "I knit it in the round, but this thing is flat", my first I-Cord (which I have discovered that *I* must do by throwing or it comes out all funky), my first "altered" pattern. I started several times with different yarn, different needles....and ended up with 1 inch of the hardest, inflexible band of fabric you've ever seen. I just could not get a stretchy band of moss stitch. Therefore, I said, "screw it" and did a rolled brim. Yes, I know it's a bit odd to do earflaps with a rolled brim. I don't care. :P I used the rest of the yarn from the SSsOD (slipper socks of death, see previous blog entries), well, not all of it. I think there is still enough to make some Mary Jane's for my SIL's newest girlie, born on the 5th. She's only 6 lb. 6 oz., so her feet are TINY!!!

Until next time...
May your BOs be swift, and your FOs be many!

Friday, November 03, 2006

Any Questions?

KMKS: The Questionnaire
What are your favorite colors? I like darker colors, purple, blue, green....black.
Are you a new mitt knitter? Yep. These will be the first!
How long have you been knitting mittens? n/a
Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? depends on the pattern/end product
What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn? I don't know! Warm, but breathable. Nothing worse than hot sweaty hands.
Where do you usually knit mittens? I usually knit on my lunches at work in our "lobby", or in front of my computer at home (to listen to podcasts) with my feet up on the side of the bed.
How do you usually carry/store small projects? I have a backpack that is crammed with all of the needles and yarn that I own (except for the 10 skeins of Red Heart Aran Fleck that we aren't going to talk about....). I tend to jam each project into a quart zip lock (if it will fit). My baby sweater project is currently in free roam status inside the backpack.
What are your favorite mitten patterns? I love color and patterns. I don't have a favorite.
What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques? I would prefer "in the round" as opposed to knitting flat and seaming.
What new techniques would you like to try? Um....I'm a fairly new "serious" knitter. I'm up for learning anything!!! (Continental purling was not fun to learn...)
What are your favorite needles for knitting mittens? Circs all the way. DPNS give me cramps...and poke me a lot. I can use them, I just prefer not to. :)
What are some of your favorite yarns? Um...I'm not a yarn snob. I'd prefer idiot proof...machine wash.
What yarn do you totally covet? Any yarn I don't have to pay for!! :)
Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? (what about skill? is skill an object? lol) Ella from Knitty.com is on my "to do" list.
Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? I've been wanting to try the KnitPicks circs...they're on my wishlist. :P I prefer circs.
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? I'd probably be Tahki Cotton. Pretty colors, shiny, just toss in the washer and dryer...good to go!
Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? I'm trying to keep my butt from expanding....how about peanuts? almonds? OH...I love those Kashi TLC bars...MMMM.
What’s your favorite animal? (besides the fiber giving variety?) Horses, dogs.
Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts? I'd prefer covered fingers.
If you were a color what color would you be? Purple.
What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? A nice sunset.
Do you have a wishlist? Yep! Link should be over on the right. --->
Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? I'm weird? I like to have fun and laugh. I like being silly..... Funky is good.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Knitting Content?!

I have a feeling today's blog is just going to be a ramble.

Firstly, I've gotten my first commissioned piece! My coworker (the purple afghan, no pics...and FO#2 and a baby bib....) has asked me to knit her a hat for her soon to be son. I have to get a move on...she's due in 2 weeks!!! I cast on for the hat last night, and it's going to be a "going home from the hospital" hat. It's right about 13" in circumfrence....should last what....a month? LOL. So far, it's about 3/4 of an inch of seed stitch in a variegated blue. I listened to 3 chapters of Age of Innocence while getting it started.

I also started work on a baby sweater. It's one of those garter stitch jobs with a couple buttons at the chest. I'm using Red Heart Aran Fleck. Yes...I know... I have about 10 skeins of that yarn from a UFO from YEARS ago. I have to use it up somehow. In fact, I have about 6 skeins of it before I even begin to have to rip out the UFO (which will be so much fun...considering that I was using 3 strands together).

I'm still working on the I-cord edging for the bib, still working on the bootie (which is not earmarked for anyone in particular, I just want to see what the pattern looks like!), and the saxon braid dishcloth is still being snubbed.

Today is a new day for the Monthy Dishcloth KAL and I'll probably cast-on for that tonight.

I'll try to get some photos onto this later today. No camera right now.

Until next time...
May for BOs be swift and your FOs be many!