2007/2008

I did quite a bit of knitting in December that I didn't post, so I'll try to squeeze it all in one big post now.



I know this first one isn't knitting, but I made these lavender sachets for several people this Christmas and some for myself as well. I simply sewed some square pillows of cotton fabric I got at WalMart and filled them with lavender I bought at LocalHarvest.com.




Pattern: Irish Hiking Scarf
Yarn: Lion Cashmere Blend
Needles: size 8 bamboo

I made this for my mom in just two weeks. This is my second IHS and again it was a quick knit. I love this yarn for this project.



Pattern: Honeycomb Fingerless Mitts
Yarn: Louet Sport
Needles: size 2 dpns

I made these for my sister. I love the pattern and yarn, but if I made them again I think I would shift the pattern a few more stitches from the thumb; it tends to shift that way when you wear them.



Pattern: Winecozy
Yarn: Sugar n Cream cotton
Needles: size 5 dpns

I made this for my aunt for her birthday which is just a few days before Christmas. Again I knit this in the round, and it was a very quick, fun knit.



Pattern: from EZ's instructions in Knitting Without Tears
Yarn: Paton's Classic Merino
Needles: size 5 dpns and circular

I made this hat for my dad. It looked much better after washing and blocking than it does in this picture. I absolutely had to wash it because this yarn smelled like a barn mixed with a craft store. I will never use Paton's classic merino again, I just didn't care for it and it reeked.

I think the hat turned out well though and didn't stink after being washed. I copied the fair isle pattern from a picture in Knitting Without Tears. Next time I'll go with Lion Brand if I absolutely need craft store wool.

Pattern: Punk Crochet Wrist Wamers

Yarn: Lion Brand Lion Wool

Hook: size H

I made these for my sister as well but I heavily modified the pattern. I made the bobbles as follows:

bobble: work 4 double crochet in one sc leaving the top loops on the hook. yo and draw through all loops on hook (5 loops). ch 1 to close bobble.

I skipped the ch1's on the next row to keep the same number of stitches in each row and didn't increase at all as the pattern does. I believe there were 25 or 26 stitches in each row of the hand on mine. And I do actually like working with Lion Wool. For a basic, affordable wool yarn I think it is very enjoyable to knit with, isn't scratchy and looks nice as well. And it doesn't smell like the zoo and potpourri.

That's it for 2007. In 2008 I have plans for several baby projects, in the next six months my goddaughter and two second cousins will be born. I also want to work on more Norwegian color work mittens, some more lace and I don't know if I'll have time but I have a strong need to make Jeanie from the Winter 2007 Knitty.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!