Knitting WIPs

A week gone?! Actually, this past week has gone by every slowly for me. Sadly, little Mr. C has been waking up in the middle of the night every night since Christmas. I don’t know if it is bad dreams, growing pains, or what, but it is really wearing me down. Unlike my husband, when I wake up it takes me a very long time to fall back asleep, so most days I’ve been like a sleep zombie, barely holding it together until bed time. And this, as we all know, isn’t very conducive to crafting.

I do have a few knitting projects on the needles though, since knitting is easier than needlework when one is sleeping walking through the days.

Narnia Shawl by Lily Go

My lovely Narnia Shawl by Lily Go is coming along nicely. Although, when I tried to knit it last night, I made mistake after mistake. I’m using Classic Elite’s Classic Silk in colour Old Lilac, and it looks just perfect. (It’s even better because my husband bought the yarn for me, of his own free will, as a surprise!)

I’ve also knit one sock of a pair:

Tardis Socks Tribute by Ellen Botilda

Dr. Who fans will recognize these. I’m knitting these as a commissioned project (sorry guys, I’m not a Dr. Who fan). The yarn is Berroco Comfort Sock, and the pattern is Tardis Socks Tribute. (I will be duplicate stitching on the little sign later.)

And my first finish of the year is an afghan square:

Never Ending Love Afghan Block

The pattern is Never Ending Love by Aurora S. I added an extra row of double crochet to make it 12″ (I crochet very tightly). It is made from Bernat Satin in colourway Flamingo. And, sadly, I made it as part of a comfort shawl for a lovely lady I know who’s mother passed away right at the start of the year.

I’m also working on a wrap kit from Mary Maxim that is just plain stocking stitch squares. Surprising, this is the project that I’m having the most trouble with. I think the suggested gauge in the pattern is wrong. (It says 17 stitches for 4 inches using US10 needles, when the suggested gauge on the band is 18 stitches for 4 inches using US8. So, if I wanted the flowing fabric in the finished model, like one would get using US10 needles, I think the gauge would be closer to 14 stitches for 4 inches. And that is what I am going with. The fabric is so much nicer and more suitable for a wrap!)

So, that’s the state of my projects right now. Soon I’ll be adding some more sewing projects. I’m just waiting for some fabric to arrive. The project I’m most excited about is the Craftsy Block of the Month class. It teaches twenty beginner quilt blocks, assembly and basic machine quilting all for free. Check it out here.

 

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2012 – More SAL Than You Can Shake a Stick At

Well, my title may be a bit of hyperbole, but it sure feels like I’ll be taking part in a lot of SAL that start today.

First up is Geeky Heather’s Theme-a-licious.

This month’s theme is Jardin, which is garden for those of you who might be French impaired. My project of choice is Egypt Garden by Chatelaine. (Terrible pictures today since it has been raining and grey all day.)

Egypt Garden by Chatelaine (WIP)

Egypt Garden will also be one of my focus pieces for Measi’s WIPocalypse for this month. I’ll also be working on my WIPs of TW’s Gingerbread House and Bargello Basics as part of WIPocalypse. And, they will be doing double duty as part of my personal project of a small TW finish a month.

Gingerbread House by Teresa Wentzler (WIP)

 

Bargello Basics by Teresa Wentzler (WIP)

I’m a little unsure of Bargello Basics. I am using DMC cotton instead of wool (because of my allergy) on 18 count canvas. I don’t really like the coverage I’m getting. So, this, along with her crewel piece, may be a TW I miss out on.

Lastly, I’ll be taking part in a KAL of the lovely Narnia Shawl by Lily Go. And the yarn I use for it will count as part of my Pre-Process-Stashdown goals. So, I may be busy and have lots planned, but nearly everything is doing double duty. And, it will all help me use up some of my stash and get me some lovely finished projects.

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Happy 2012!

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A Knitted Christmas

I really enjoy making gifts. I do know, though, that not everyone likes to get handmade gifts. Thankfully, my mom and dad both appreciate it when I make them something. Some years I cross stitch them gifts, but for the past few years I’ve been knitting gifts.

This year I made my dad a Dublin Cap by Wooly Bear Hand Knits (Rav link) using Mary Maxim Starlette Tweed.

Dublin Cap

 

My mom got a Molly Stark Scarf by Beth Leggiere of handknits.net (pattern no longer available) and a Graduated Ribs Hat by Mary Keenan, both knit from Kraemer Tatamy Tweed Worsted.

Molly Stark Scarf

 

Graduated Ribs Hat

 

And, to keep her hands warms, I made her a pair of Commuter Fingerless Mittens by Stephanie Sun (from the First Fall 2011 issue of Knitty). I used a lovely pink shade of Mary Maxim Starlette. The buttons I picked are very cute; they have a snowflake etched into them.

Commuter Fingerless Mittens

 

And to house her new Kobo, I knit her a Kobi Kobi Case, just like mine. Again, I used plain old kitchen cotton (Lily Sugar ‘n Cream), which will hold up quite well in her purse.

Kobi Kobo Case

 

My yarn stash saw a small increase thanks to a couple of wonderful gifts from my parents. I got yet another skein of On Your Toes Bamboo, one of my favourite sock yarns, as well as a kit to knit a wrap. I’ve been wanting the kit since it was released in 2010(?), so I am super excited to be able to finally make it.

I hope all your handmade holiday gifts were met with excitement and gratitude, and I also hope that your stash is a little bigger now than it was at the start of the month. 😉

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Ornament of the Month – December

You’d think that I would eventually learn not to leave the most difficult thing to the end. This month I stitched Vermilion Stitchery’s 2006 Santa (from the 2006 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue) as my ornament of the month. It is smallish piece, about 2″ x 3″, but it contains over 25 colours. And, of course, I was missing two colours. But, after a quick trip out yesterday, braving the post-Christmas sale crowds, I was able to finish him.

2006 Santa by Vermillion Stitchery

He was stitched with the called for DMC on 28 count white something. I switched out the metallic DMC for PTB. And instead of blue eyes, I gave him green eyes.

I’m very proud of myself for keeping up with my goal of stitching one ornament a month for fourteen months. I’ve now stitched at least one ornament from every issue of the Just Cross Stitch special ornament issue, with the exception of the 2011 edition. I will remedy that in 2012, even though it isn’t on my official list.

Now, I’ve just got to find time to turn all of these ornaments into something I can hang on my Christmas tree…


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TUSAL – December 2011

Well, we survived Christmas and Boxing Day. Everyone was happy with what Santa brought, and with what was bought at the after Christmas sales (massaging chair for the computer? Yes, please!). Of course, in all the hubbub, I missed the new moon on the 24th. So, as always, my TUSAL (totally useless stitch along) post is late.

TUSAL - December 2011

If you’d like to take part in the TUSAL next year, head over here to Daffycat’s blog and sign up. The first posting date for next year is January 23rd.

To help keep my ort collecting a little neater next year, I’ll be using this cute little thread catcher that Erica picked up for me. It’s made by Lantern Moon, a US company that works with women and families in Vietnam, Cambodia (a country currently close to my heart) and Bali, providing them with education, safe work environments and fair pay.

Mort Ort Collector

I hope Santa was good to each and everyone one of you, and to your families and loved ones.

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Merry Christmas!

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