nanowri...snow?

Yup. It's happened. I'm not ready... but it happened.

This morning I woke up to SNOW. It's cold, it's wet and (in a way) it's beautiful. But it's still snow! And it's only October!! I mean, I knew when I moved to Ottawa that I wasn't going to have Bay Area weather anymore... but I'm not sure I realized just how EARLY I'd be dealing with snow. I haven't even unpacked my boots yet. I still have to find full on mittens. I only have my fingerless ones unpacked! Ahh.

But at least I have hats. An abundance of them it seems. Like this new one that came in useful this morning.

So this is a totally weird hat. I made it with more free yarn from my grandma. Thus... I didn't have enough for what I originally planned. I got more than halfway through and then ran out. So I frogged it back and made up the rest.

As you can see, it's a mixture of knit and crochet. Normally crochet sucks up yarn, but with the huge holes it actually worked out pretty well. Once I was just about out of yarn I switched back to knitting for decreasing along the top.

So there's my new it's snowing hat. Just in time for November and all of the snow that is forecast for this week. (Cause we are supposed to get MORE?!)

Speaking of November... It just happens to normally be one of my favourite months of the year! How could it not be when I'm in the middle of doing this awesome event? Seriously - if you've never tried it, you don't know what you are missing. This year will be even more super awesome because this fun lady and I are collaborating! I have a feeling it is going to be hilariously amazing.

I'm still going to post at points throughout the month. I have a few project that are near completion and I hope to get one up every Friday. (Or for some of you firday.) But based on recent history we'll see how that goes!

(And what do you think of the new banner? I love it. I didn't make it, but I still love it. And I'm still working on trying to make a better layout for the blog. Give me time. I am not good at artsy stuff... although I try.)

Halloween in Norway

When I saw the hat pattern for From Norway with Love, it's totally understandable why I wanted to make it. What isn't understandable is why I decided to make it with orange.

What is up with that? Isn't this the most obnoxious hat you ever did see?

So I will be keeping this one. I don't know who else would wear this! And to be fair, there are some good things about the ridiculous colour combinations. 1) Cars will be able to see me when I go running. 2) No one's going to steal it. 3) I have an orange hat just in time for Halloween.

But I liked the pattern enough that one day I just might make another one.

Orange

The trees are changing colour. There are butternut squashes on the table. The morning air has just enough of a nip that I want to wear a light scarf.

Fall is really here!

And that means it's time for me to bring out the sweaters! For the first time in seven years I'll get to actually wear fall and winter clothes. It's exciting! And exciting to finally pull this out:

I've been sitting on this sweater since the spring. (not literally sitting mind you... it's been in the closet) I was happy with it when I finished it back in May, but for some reason (the colour mainly) I thought it was better left until fall.
You may recognize the yarn from another project I made. Luckily I had enough to make this too. I really like it.

And now that fall is here, it's time for me to bust out some more I think!

Kleptomania

I can't explain it, but sometimes there are just projects that I *love* to knit. Sometimes they are the randomest things too. Some are easy. Some are hard. Some are because of the yarn. Some are because of who I'm going to give it to.

I just started one of those projects. I'm in love with it.

It's hard to explain why. I don't love the colour. (Free yarn from my Grandma. She gave me some of her stash last weekend because she can no longer knit. :( ) And I don't love the raglan increases, but I am in love with the image of the FO I have in my head. It's going to be so CUTE!

But really, I have no idea how this is going to turn out because this is another one of those patterns that I'm making up as I go along.

See... I have this problem. It's a stealing problem. Yes. When it comes to knitting I'm a kleptomaniac. I stole so many things for this sweater. I stole this lace pattern.

I saw the little bunnies in another pattern and thought - I should use that. So I am! I stole of the body from a sweater I gifted last year for Christmas. And I think I'm going to steal a few other ideas for the sleeves.

But that's how it goes with knitting. Isn't it? See something. Love it. Use it. Make it into something new. I just hope my stealing ways turn to profit, cause this could be one cute Christmas gift.

So it begins

So it begins. Christmas crafting!!

My list is smaller this year. Last year I decided to make every single person in my immediate family a hat for Christmas. The kiddies got cardigans. And my brother and his gf got mittens. It doesn't sound like a lot, but trust me. Ten hats, three cardigans and two sets of mitts (all different patterns) took me a long time!

This year? Well, I just don't have time to do all that. But I'm still going to make the kiddies their cardigans. I gotta! It's tradition! And if I'm lucky I've got a few other things I'd like to make and gift as well.

And this is the first one! Isn't this crochet hook the best? I don't know why, but I love love love how it says it's worth 10c. I have no idea which relative I inherited this specific hook from, but I love the fact it comes a different era. I wonder what this crochet hook made before it came to me. And I wonder what I'll make now that it's in my possession.

Only one way to find out. Keep crocheting!

Autumn!

Is anyone else out there wondering what happened to summer? I swear, two weeks ago I was wearing tank tops and shorts. Now? Today I had to look through my sweaters to figure out which one I wanted to wear! And last weekend it was so cold that I wore a toque on my run. (Seriously. I did. But maybe that's just cause 6 years in Cali made me a wimp...)

But I can't say I mind the cooler temperatures. I'm looking forward to fall! I haven't had a real fall in sooo long! I'm looking forward to the changing of the leaves. And fall veggies! (I already made pumpkin muffins this weekend!)

And! I'm looking forward to fall/winter wearing my wardrobe. Including new hats!

Like this one I crocheted over the weekend. I got the pattern from here. I've made a few of her hats. Not surprisingly this one was just as well written and understandable. I just had to make them into an adult size!

Those mods?

1) I did double crochets rather than half double crochets. (This was more by accident than on purpose, but I think it helped.)

2) I did an extra row of increasing for the crown of the hat.

3) I did 10 repeats of the shell pattern

(Another great thing about fall? I feel like I can spend all day curled up with a good book.)

All in all, I'm pretty happy with this hat. Now I just need it to drop one or two more degrees and I'll be wearing it all of the time.

For Grandma

I have an awesome Grandma. Seriously. I love her. She turned 95 this summer and she still lives on her own. Sure, she has help. She's never driven a car, so my aunt takes her to do groceries and other errands. But my Grandma still does all her other housekeeping tasks. She cooks for herself. Cleans. Gets up on chairs to get her good teacups down. (Giving all of US heart attacks meanwhile.)

So when I was knitting this dishcloth at my parents a while ago and my mom mentioned Grandma would love one, it wasn't a hard sell. I was doing it to use up the yarn anyways, and pretty much anything I can do for my Grandma, I'm there.

I mean, considering my knitting love probably does mainly stem from my afghan love - an afghan my grandma made me by the way. So, I kinda owe the woman my life and my love of knitting. Two very important things. Right?

Thus Grandma, next time I see you, expect this to be coming your way!