x72

It's not raindrops on roses or a bright copper kettles or even warm woolen mittens, but this scarf is my newest favo(u)rite thing:

Isn't is such a fun scarf!? (Well, cowl? Infinity scarf? Thing to keep neck warm... Whatever it is... I love it!) Ravelry link.

Best thing about this scarf? Everything. I loved making it! It had been so long since I've done colo(u)r work. I love that it used up scraps of old yarn. I loved getting to make up a few charts of my own. I love how bright the scarf is! I loved that there was always something new coming. New colo(u)rs, new patterns. I loved planning it! And I even loved doing the kitchener stitch at the end to weave it all together.

I also love the math. 72 stitches. Fabulous number! 2x2x2x3x3=72. So many possible divisors! You just cast on 72 stitches and go! Use any of chart that is 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 32 wide. What's more simple?

Note: When I was making it, I tried to switch up the width with each new pattern. For example, after using a x32 chart, on the next one I would use a x9 width. I didn't want the patterns to match up. 

I love it so much... I just might have to make another one.

tomboy

I love how crafty this past Christmas was. Earmuffs, hats, sock animals, and a drum. But this was my BIG knitted Christmas gift this year: A sweater for my 3 year old niece. 

I got the free pattern here, and would definitely make another one. In fact, I was wondering if I could use this pattern as a basis for an adult sweater. ... you know... for me! Although, I am well aware of my horrible track record for wearing sweaters I make for myself.

I also really like the plain, but cute buttons I found for the sweater. But, that is a story in and of itself. It took me forever to actually find some buttons, and then when I did? On sale! Yet, I didn't totally watch them ring it up. Instead of getting one set of buttons for 60% off, the clerk added 60cents to my total! Horrible. Okay... not so horrible. In fact, it was too much of a pain for me to even go back to the store to complain. So, whatever. I'm happy with the buttons and happy with the sweater! 

And now? 1) It's time for me to knit a few things for myself! and 2) Time to scan patterns and dream of what I'll knit family members for Christmas next year. 

Tuva

It's Christmas vacation! A time for family, friends and lots of Barclay's Premier soccer (err... football) to watch! Whoever came up with the idea that making teams play on the weekend like normal, plus on Boxing Day and New Years day was a genius! Genius!! And I owe that person(s) a debt of gratitude! There's been sooo much soccer!

And lots of soccer watching means lots of knitting. 

Like this hat. 

 (Free pattern here.)

Nothing too special about this pattern, but in general I like it. I don't love it. In general, I don't think slouches look good on me. But I could use another neutral-ish sort of hat. So, good enough.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and all the best in 2013!

Elephants on parade

It finally hit me today: it's almost Christmas! When did that happen? Oh, right.  When I wasn't paying attention. And suddenly I realized that all these crafts I'd been meaning to finish and meaning to start had to get done NOW. 

Hence the reason I haven't been outside today. 

Here's one of the crafts that I finished. An elephant monkey. Pretty much, I did the same thing as I did for the sock monkey, but instead of using the heel piece to make the tale, I used it to make a trunk. 

I will be the first to admit that the trunk park could use some work. (The elephant looks a little more like Gonzo than I would have liked...) But I love the ears. Hopefully my niece will like him too. Only a few days to find out.

Hope everyone has the happiest of Christmases!

dum-ditty

The last few times my niece M has visited, at some point in time some portion of the family has ended up being in a marching band. We grab whatever we have on hand to make pretend trumpets, cymbals and, of course, drums.

So when I saw this tutorial for a pretend toy drum, I knew I had to make it. 

It couldn't have been easier. I even added an old lanyard so that M can string it around her neck. Thus, making the marching part easier! This is now wrapped and under the tree. I'm looking forward to more parades in the near future! 

Monkeying around

This past Friday, I realized a hard truth. It's seriously, seriously, seriously almost Christmas. Like, the merry holiday is right around the corner and I have not don't my Christmas shopping yet. I've also not finished my Christmas crafts!! Yikes. 

Before the weekend, I didn't have many plans on what to make for my nephew baby G. A hat? Maybe a sweater, if I had the time. But then, I saw the absolutely cutest monkey that my friend Adrian made, and I thought: I can make that! 

Okay, so what I actually thought was something more along the lines of: Well, I can try to make a sock monkey, but I don't think it will ever come out quite as cute as Adrian's. (He's pretty darn crafty.)

Well, look at how mine turned out!

I have to say, I'm pretty proud of him! And, truth be told, he wasn't that hard to make! 

Following these amazing step-by-step instruction, it only took me about 3 hours start to finish (while watching the Arsenal [English Premier] game). Not too shabby for an old pair of socks that were going to get thrown away anyways!

I didn't have a erasable fabric pen, so I used a sharpie. What does it matter? It's on the inside and going to get cut out anyways.

When my monkey was done he looked a little... well... boring to me, so I decided to knit him up a hat and scarf from scraps. I wouldn't want him to get cold. Winter is coming, after all.

The scarf is a simple seed stitch. CO 5. Each row: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1. Knit that pattern until the scarf is as long as you want it.

The hat is a tiny Turn A Square.
CO 48 stitches.
Row 1-4: k2, p2
Row 5-6: k
Row 7: ssk, k8, k2tog
Row 8,10,12,14: k
Row 9: ssk, k6, k2tog
Row 11: ssk, k4, k2tog
Row 13: ssk, k2, k2tog
Row 15: ssk, k2tog.
Done!

Now he just needs to be wrapped up and put under the tree for baby G. Although, I have to admit that I like him so much, I almost want to make one for my niece M, too.

Graham

It's December! I'm sooooo excited about that. Although the month hasn't had quite the auspicious start that I would have liked (I burned my first tray of Christmas cookies. Peanut Butter!), I'm very ready for the holiday season.

Wait... Did I just say that? I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. (Unless you count the $3 thing I got my mother... which I don't.)

This hat - a gift for a friend - didn't quite turn out as I'd hoped. I should have done a longer ribbed edge. I should have read the instructions more closely to realize that the right side, was the inside. I kbs on the ribbing, but it doesn't matter b/c it's on the inside of the hat. Oh well.

But, for a project I could finish in weekend, it's okay by me.