Fuzzy Noodle Knits

The Game Plan

Greetings and Happy-Almost-New-Year!  I hope you had a lovely holiday!  We did...we saw all the families, and even had a birthday party and a baby shower (both for my SIL).  We are now very tired and cranky about being at work.

I really didn't do any knitting while on vacation.  I mostly read.  Call it exhaustion, or perhaps I just wasn't in love with anything I had brought with me.  I blame it on post-big project funk.  Upon returning home yesterday, I tried to knit, but just moved from one project to the next...with no emotional attachment to any of them.  I cast on for a pair of Swedish Fish (rav link) and even got to the first row of fishies, then realized I was using needles bigger than what I swatched with...so I had to rip those.  They only success I had was finishing the button placket for Fana (rav link).  I didn't seam it to the sweater though as it was dark out and the yarn is dark blue, and I don't have the best light on my couch (which I was not moving off of to save my life).  Tonight I'd like to work on the buttonhole placket, but we'll see what happens as the DH and I need to go shopping for a snowblower.  We are supposed to get two more storms this week, and since the DH hurt his back and shoulder, I am doing all the shoveling, and I'm about to loose my mind if I have to shovel anymore (I have shoveled more this month than I have in the last 2 years).  I am DONE with this Winter...and it's only 8 days old.  Sigh.

So, I think the game plan for the next few weeks will be this:

1. Finish Fana cardi...1 buttonhole placket, knitting the collar, and seaming the the sleeves all that remains
2. Finish a pair of wrist warmers for a co-worker (I only have 2" on them and haven't even put them up on Ravelry yet)
3. Start the Swedish Mittens...cuz they are really cute and I want them badly.

Once Fana is done, then I'll think about the next big project...but I'm sort of on a finishing kick, and it'd sure be nice to finish the Kilt Turtleneck (rav link).  Oh...and then there's Sapporo.....

Wait, here's the game plan for 2009:
FINISH ALL ADULT SWEATER WIP's!!

There...list making complete, I feel better.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the frozen tundra of Minnesota!

Ta DA!

Pattern: "Asymmetrical Cardigan" from "Knitting Nature" by Norah Gaughan
Materials: 8 skeins Malabrigo Merino Worsted in "Lettuce", US Size 8 and 9 needles
Finished: December 21, 2008

Finished just in time for a blizzard, arctic blast, and Christmas!  I know I say this every time I finish a sweater...but this one is my favorite!!  It fits well, looks good, and is crazy comfortable!  I am totally sold on Malabrigo now...I want every sweater made of it!  The only modifications I made to the sweater was adding 2 inches in length.  I have a long torso, and need 27" at a minimum.  That was an easy mod to make with this design.

I also finished my Monkey Cowl, but it's blocking right now, so you'll just have to live with a "WIP" picture of it I took earlier in the day yesterday:

And last but certainly not least, I did some sewing for my nephew-in-utero.  May I present the cutest darned things in the entire world:

Pattern: "B-Movie Monster" by Bit of Whimsy Dolls
Materials: Cotton chenille, Amy Butler "Belle" fabrics
Finished: December 20, 2008

These are actually the first toys I have ever made, and I am so in love with them!  They are super soft and snuggly, and really imaginative and whimsical.  I hope the little tyke enjoys them as much as I enjoyed making them! 

So Close

Last night, after a lovely 2.5 hour commute in the snow (my second 2+ hour commute this week, grr), I cast off the body of Asymmetrical Cardi (rav link), and started on one of the cuffs!!  After the cuffs, I just need to knit the collar and button bands (a separate piece then sewn on the cardi).  Can I make it by next Tuesday night when I pack my bags for Christmas?!  Stay tuned!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

We here in Minnesota are having a bit of an "Olde Timey" December, reminiscent of my childhood.  The last time there was this much snow by the middle of December was back in the 1980's.  It's also been REALLY cold...it is supposed to be -1F air temp on Monday, -20F with windchill.  This is way, way too early to have this weather, IMHO.  It also happened really quickly, and I haven't been able to get adjusted to the cold yet.  I am always cold.  That's rather unusual for me as I am usually always hot.  I've been in my house, in front of a fire, with a cashmere sweater, Koigu scarf, wool socks, and felt Birkenstocks and still feel cold.  This is why I've become a little obsessed with cowls recently.  I need something around my neck at all times lately.  With the help of Ravelry and my stash, I have lots of options to try to stay warm this Winter.  Here's my first finished cowl:

Pattern: "Spiral Cowl" by Keri McKiernan (rav link)
Materials: 1 skein Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 4-ply in colorway "Pebble Beach"; US Size 6 needle; one 1" button
Finished: December 12, 2008

I had 2 skeins of this cashmere in my stash, just waiting for something special, and this cowl was it!  It is so unbelievably soft, and the cowl is so comfy! I have one more skein left...thinking about knitting that up into a Bainbridge Scarf (rav link).

I've also started 2 more cowls.  My itch to knit with Koigu has returned, so I just had to make a Tapestry Cowl (rav link).  I miss double knitting, so this is a nice little treat of a project:

I actually had a bit of a problem with my first attempt at the cowl..I accidentally cast on 10 too many sts, but didn't realize it until I was 5 rows into the chart.  Duh.  I had to rip and restart, which sucks because I lost of week's work of knitting and am now further away from being warm.

I also cracked into a skein of BMFA Socks that Rock Lightweight in "Tide Pool" (a 2008 Rockin' Sock Club color).   I ADORE this color...it is so sophisticated.  It also has chartruese, which is my new 2nd favorite color, after pink.  I've seen a couple of "Money Cowls" on Ravelry, and decided to make one up.

The "Monkey" part is the stitch pattern from Cookie A's Monkey Socks from Knitty.  I'm doing this over 128 stitches.  Pretty easy, hopefully quick!

And last but not least, I finally got past the decreasing for the sleeves on the Asymmetrical Cardi!

I just have 9" of back left, then the ribbing, than the collar/button band!  Now that I'm getting closer to the end, I'm getting excited about wearing it.  I've been really cold lately...have I mentioned that?

What to Do?

I just got bit by the finishing bug.  I all of the sudden feel compelled to finish Fana (rav link).  However, I REEEEEELY want to have the Asymmetrical Cardi (rav link) done for Christmas.  With T-13 days, I don't know what to do!!  Both have about an equal ammount of time left on them.  This weekend was going to be a knitting/sewing weekend anyway, but maybe I'll have to cut back on the sewing projects to make more time for the knitting.

Also, I finished a quickie sneeky project last night...pictures to come this weekend!

Happy Feets

Pattern: Mingus by Cookie A.
Materials: Dream in Color "Smooshy" in Wisterious; US Size 1 needles
Finished: December 3, 2008

I LOVE Smooshy.  It is so beautifully dyed...just perfect for intricate patterns like this.  The wool shows stitch definition well, and I can tell these will wear well.  As expected, Cookie created another brilliant pattern...so well written.

Pattern: Saartje's Booties by by Saartje de Bruijn
Materials:  Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in "Bella Coola", US Size 2 Needles
Finished: December 4, 2008

These wee shoes were made for my nephew-in-utero, and matches the February Baby Sweater and Cat-Eared Hat.  So very, very cute!

Ebb and Flow

On the eve of my 5th Blogversary, some thoughts.

I've noticed something really interesting about me lately.  I think my approach to knitting, stashing, and project planning has completely changed.  I seem to be a one or two project gal lately...a sock or small project, and a sweater.  I'm not as project ADD anymore, which I think is a good thing.  I get stuff done.  I also tend to get a bug up my arse when something is lingering on the needles.  I'm all about finishing these days.  I'm also noticing that I'm more of a "finished project" knitter, and not a "process" knitter like I used to be.  This may partly be due to the fact that, forgive me if this sounds conceded, I kinda know most everything.  Granted, there are always new techniques that I will forever be learning, but I have all the big things down now...stranded knitting, intarsia, double knitting, entrelac, lace, steeking, etc, etc.  I now pick out projects because I want the end product, instead of picking a project because I want to learn a new technique.  I also don't walk into a yarn shop and buy things willy-nilly anymore.  I always have a list of the things I need.  99% of the yarn I buy has an intended project.  This is partly because I have such a huge stash I don't need to add odd balls to the works anymore, but it's also because for a while, I was stashing so frequently, yarn-buying lost it's excitement.  It's back now...when I go to an LYS, I get excited, and when I bring my purchases home, I love it, pet, it and enjoy finding a home for it in my cubbies while it awaits it's turn to be used.

I think this is all because I'm growing up.  I'm a much more calm, focused, patient person than I was 5 years ago.  For those of you who don't know me in person or who have only met me recently, I was actually a pretty hyper, impatient, "high energy" person who didn't have the time of day for detailed tasks.  I think knitting changed that, amd that makes me very happy.  I appricate the meditative, detailed work so much more now.  Looking over the past 5 years worth of blog entries has really made me appriciate this change.  I also appricate that my photogrphy skills have also grown (man I took some baaad pics)!

Here's to 5 more years!

PS: I finished the Mingus socks AND a pair of Saartje's Booties this week!  I'll post pics this weekend...it is so hard to get project pics in the Winter because I'm never home during the daylight, and I REFUSE to use a flash.

And We're Back.

Sorry for the unintentional blog brake there...a little thing called Thanksgiving Vacation got in the way.  We also had the added adventure of a family wedding on Saturday.  Now we're back, and realizing that there's only 3 weeks until Christmas, and no one's given us their gift list.  Family, if your reading this, get on that, will ya?

I also just realized that it's December 2nd, and I don't have a finished NaKniSweMo sweater, which means I'm a big ole FAIL.  I was doing so well on my Asymmetrical Cardigan (rav link) but I got slowed down considerably by the sleeve portion (the entire wing span and back all on the needles) as it takes me about 20 min to do one row, and I need to be able to have quality time with the sweater to do that. I’m still on track to finish it for Christmas, which was my original wish. Hopefully I’ll be done with the sleeve portion this weekend, then can just whip out the back.

I've also been trying desperately to finish the second Mingus Sock (rav link).  I swear to bajesus that this is the sock that never ends.  The more and more I knit, the less it comes closer to being finished.  Now it's all about me vs. The Sock, and I intend to win.  That's the only thing I'm working on until it's done.  I think I'm about halfway through the foot, so their is some light at the end of the tunnel.  Maybe.