Hole-y increases, Batman!

Well last night I got to the increases on the Star Crossed Slouchy beret, and it's starting to bother me. I did the M1's like the pattern says, but for some reason they look like purls and leave a hole (and I'm a tight knitter, so loose things hardly ever appear in my knitting).

I guess I'm going to have to sit this to the side for a little bit while I think about things. Do I want to just continue on, frog it and try again or frog it and find something equally as beautiful for the yarn? I'm almost leaning more towards the frog it and find something else beautiful. It seems like the Star Crossed beret would look better in a slightly heavier yarn, or at least I wouldn't see all sorts of holes that drive me crazy.

We'll see what the Ultra Alpaca becomes...only time will tell.

I'm a Star Crossed lover!

Ever since my vacation last year to Destin, I've had a beautiful ball of Berroco Ultra Alpaca sitting in my stash. Alpaca is my favorite fiber, and I wanted to make something out of this gorgeous yarn. After almost a year of browsing projects made out of this yarn, I finally found something I thought would be perfect...The Star Crossed Slouchy beret by Natalie Larson.

I swatched this morning, and was lucky to get almost 100% the gauge required. Of course, I usually end up being a little off when I actually cast on for the project (whether I was right on for the swatch or not, it's never the same when casted on). After getting close enough for me, I casted on during lunch. Now it's almost time to go home, and I'm half way thru the first stitch pattern repeat.

This is proving to be a pretty fast knit, and with the weather today I may need to have it finished so I can wear it. If my project turns out half as beautiful as some of the FOs on Ravelry, then I'm going to be wishing it was Fall now.

I was going to work on the adorable hat for my expecting friend's baby boy, but after casting on and almost getting done with the rib and trying to insert the brim...I found that working with DPNs for that part are not quite the best option. Trying to insert the brim while picking up stitches isn't very easy when you have needles that don't want to bend, which I was able to tell when I somehow was off in my stitch count when picking up the cast on edge (I know I had the same number off stitches, but when the needles won't move with your fabric it makes it hard to pick up in the right spot).

What did I do? I placed another Knit Picks order of course! I ordered a small fixed circular, since my Options sets don't go smaller than 24". I've also got some beautiful sock yarn coming to make socks for my boyfriend and myself, and sock blockers to make sure that they are picture perfect when completed.

Hopefully my order comes in soon, I can't wait to see the baby hat as an FO. There's just something about tiny clothes that is so adorable!

It's a boy!

This past week, my boyfriend and I heard from some friends who are expecting their second child. They just found out that they will be having a beautiful baby boy!

I don't know about you, but I have the hardest time coming up with ideas for guy gifts. It takes me all of a few seconds to think of things to make for the girls I know, but when it's time to make for a guy...I just hope that I can come up with something before the special occasion comes. It surprises me a little, since there's not quite as many patterns out there for guys as there are girls.

Well last Thursday and Friday I spent most of my spare time browing the patterns in Ravelry's database, looking for non-girlie baby projects. As usual, Ravelry came to the rescue! I really don't know what I would do without the pattern database and the pictures of the FOs! Thanks to all of that, I have found quite a few perfect projects to make for their baby boy!

• Chuck Taylor baby booties (a must for any baby boy)
• Baby Skater hat (baby version of the Half Pipe hat)
• Baby mittens
• Yet to be determined baby toy

As you can see, my "To Knit" list is starting to get back to normal. I've even been adding a few little gifts for the soon-to-be big sister.

I dusted off my hooks this weekend to get started on my list, and I've got to say that the baby booties are some of the most precious things I've seen! They are super fast, and absolutely adorable! Once my boyfriend builds his new lightbox I'll have him take some pictures to post (he loves any excuse for him to work on making a better DIY lightbox).

Well I better get back to the needles, have an ever-growing list of things to make! Ahhhh, it feels so good to be back into the crafting swing of things!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Well it seems like winter is coming early in my neck of the woods, well sorta. We didn't get inches and inches of snow, just a few flurries here and there that left pretty snowflakes on my car this chilly morning. I know some people are dreading the thought of winter starting so soon, but it was just what I needed to really get back into my Christmas knitting.

Not only am I a knitter, I enjoy video games too. This past week was the release of the new expansion to World of Warcraft (yes, I play that game), so this past weekend was filled with playing video games and seeing some of the new things in the expansion. I even scheduled a day off from work to stay at home and play, but after all the anti-knitting mobile happenings of last week...let's just say I really needed a stay-at-home day.

I was a little worried that my gaming might get in the way of my knitting time, and possibly cause some gifts to not be ready on time. But then yesterday it was freezing outside and there were some snow flurries, and that's just what I needed to get me in the knitting mindset.

After weeks of re-thinking Christmas gifts, I finally have something to make for everyone on my list! I even finished one of my dad's Christmas gifts yesterday, so I'm feeling good about my gift list again. Sorry, there are no pictures quite yet, because I was in such a crafting zone I immediately started another project on the list before taking time to snap some photos. Maybe once I get a few more completed, I'll post another visual progress report.

So here's the list of what I'm making for those hard to craft for guys:

• Papa Bear - Scarf and Slippers
• Eugene - Scarf in a neutral color
• Josh - Link doll and 1-up mushroom mitts
• Russell - Fingerless gloves

And here's a list of what is on my needles:

• Knitted Fairy doll (I really need to work on that some more) - 15% complete
  
• Lidsville (crocheted) - 5% complete

While I will still be cutting it close with the gifts, this cold weather will definitely get me on the right track. There's nothing better than a pile of yarn keeping you warm on a cold day!

Well, I better get back to work...I've got quite a few projects ahead of me.

P.S. - Sorry that I've been a little scarce recently, with the car problems and trying to get some progress made in knitting, it's been hard to focus on blogging. Once things get back on track I will definitely be posting more regularly, and I hope to get more pictures up of my completed projects.

Knit (or Crochet) One, Save One

Looking for a way to give back to the world? Looking for a way to do something special for children and families? Wanting to put those crafty hands to use?

For me, the holiday season always inspires me to do more for others...and it gets those crafty juices flowing. When I was looking at some of the blogs I frequent, I found Vickie Howell's post on Knit One, Save One. I had seen something in my email about this last week, but being without a printer at home I saved the information to look at later on. If it wasn't for Vickie's post, I might have forgotten about it until it was too late to send it in.

I got to thinking about all the things I have to knit/crochet between now and December 31st, but then I realized...it doesn't take hardly any time or yarn to make a hat for a newborn. Please check out the site, and if you feel inspired, take 30 minutes to create a beautiful hat for a newborn.

Once upon a sock...

Once upon a sock, there was a knitter who struggled with some of the basic techniques. Her first ever hand-knitted sock wasn't a disaster, but there was a long vacation of sock knitting after that attempt. Now she has many loved ones that have hinted at wanting a pair of hand-knit socks, so she must be brave and get rid of the monster that stands between her and a finished sock she is happy with.

Ok, I will admit that I'm not a lover of socks for myself (I just have a hard time with that sock-feet feeling) and that could be why sock knitting is becoming a challenge right now. In my latest attempts at sock knitting, I've had to do many froggings and don't even have a finished pair to present to you guys. It can be frustrating at times, so I'm working on just knitting on the socks when I'm in "the zone". Hopefully this new sock knitting schedule will produce some results I can be proud of.

With a majority of my Christmas gift To Knit list being socks, this could be a challenge getting everything completed in time for gift giving...but I'm going to do my best! Maybe visual progress reports of my sock knitting adventures will help me stay motivated....so for the first visual progress report, I present you with Eugene's comfy brown socks that I casted on last Thursday:

I'm doing a very simple sock pattern and knitting it from the cuff down. I've had issues with getting my kitchener stitch to be absolutely flawless, but I'm so determined to not let a tiny technique get the best of me.

Well, I've got the sock knitting bug at the moment so I better get back to the socks while I'm in "the zone".

77 days until...

Christmas!

Are you making your lists? Checking them twice? You've only got 76 more shopping days to find the perfect gifts for your family and friends!

Ok, some of you are probably thinking that I'm absolutely bonkers for thinking about the Christmas countdown already...but if you know me at all you will know that not only am I bonkers, I've been planning for Christmas since July! I'm not one of those people who wait until the last minute on Christmas Eve to hit the stores. I'm not one of those people who wakes up before the rooster on the day after Thanksgiving to get all the great deals (don't get me wrong, I love deals!). Rather than stand in lines a mile long or sit in traffic for hours, I prefer to sit at home during normal holiday shopping time...and work on making the gifts (that's right...I'm a handmade pledger!).

When you have 6 pairs of socks, 7 dishcloths, 2 hats, 2 fingerless mitts and 1 doll to make by Christmas, not to mention the one gift that has yet to be determined for that oh-so-hard to buy for person on your list...you would plan early too! Especially since last year life threw quite a few obstacles my way to prevent meeting my knitting deadlines (sorry Josh for the Christmas present in July!).

Well here's the visual Christmas knitting progress report:

I know that I still have a good bit of work ahead of me, but actually seeing the progress I've made and items I can check off my to-knit list makes me realize how much I've actually accomplished so far. Every now and then I start to panic that I won't get done in time, but then when I actually see how much I've already done so far and I realize that I've still got time (especially since I was just starting Christmas knitting this time last year).

Oh, and if any of you have great gift ideas for my boyfriend's dad (he loves motorcycles, FPS games, etc.) please post a comment below! After coming up with ideas for everyone else, I've become a little brain dead and can't seem to think of anything to make for him.

Josh's Link Hat and Triforce Scarf

As promised, I am adding my original pattern for the Link Hat and Triforce Scarf here. This is my first time designing/writing a pattern, so it may not be the best instructions. I wanted to make sure that things were easy enough for a beginner, because no one should be without their Nintendo inspired gear. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

There are only 2 things I ask in return:

1. Please share pictures of your finished hats and scarves with me. I would love to see how they turn out!
2. Please do not make and sell the hats and scarves you make from my patterns.
   

Well with all that being said, here are the patterns you have been waiting for (hope it was worth the wait):

Josh's Triforce Scarf

Materials:
2.5-3 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease (or other worsted weight yarn) in Pine - scarf
1 skein (or less) of any Yellow worsted weight yarn (I used 100% acrylic) - Triforce design
1 set of size 8 DPNs
Large eye blunt needle
Scissors
Tape measure

Cast on 54 stitches (18 on each DPN).
Knit every round until tube measures 60", then bind off all stitches.

Using a duplicate stitch, stitch the Triforce Pattern onto both sides of both ends of the scarf.
Stitch up the ends so that the Triforces on each side are centered.

Josh's Link Hat

Materials:

1.5-2 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease (or other worsted weight yarn) in Pine
1 set of size 8 DPNs
1 size 8 circular needle (16" or 18")
Large eye blunt needle
Scissors
Tape measure

Cast on 78 stitches using circular needles.
Knit every round until it measures 7".

Start using the following for working decrease of hat:
Row 1: Knit all stitches
Row 2: k2tog, knit the rest of the stitches on the row.

*Note: Work decrease until the hat is the hat is about .5" less than desired length (for my hat I worked 66 rows of each - total of 132 rows of decrease pattern).

For the last 2 rows repeat row two.

Leave about 10" of yarn and thread through remaining stitches.
Pull tightly and then weave ends through.