December 31, 2006

Santa Hat Progress

Here's the latest photo of the Santa Hat. I feel like it's taking FOREVER! I'm only on row 17 in the decrease section... out of approximately 107 rows. Of course, eventually, the rounds will become very small, but so far I have only decreased a total of 10 stitches. You can't even really see yet that the hat is starting to get a wee bit narrower. Soon, I hope!!

I've already started to plan my next couple of projects. I want to do the Fiber Trends Jester Hat for myself and a Christmas stocking based on this sock pattern: Standard Sock Pattern: Knitting 1 Sock at a Time on 1 Long Circular Needle. Of course that sock is plain all by itself so I probably will add some braids or bobbles or something, just to keep me from getting bored. But first, before any of that, there's another project I must do. Read on.

She Likes This Color, Really!

After I finished Nadine's hat earlier this month (pic near the bottom of this page!) several people came up to me and asked me to make one for them, including the Acting Assistant Secretary at my agency. I politely refused each one, with the excuse that my own mother doesn't even have a felted hat. She herself has pointed this out to me! So I've finally decided to rectify the situation. So I say, "Mom, what color?" And she says she'd like one to match her not quite olive, not quite apple green purse/backpack that she uses. What can I say? It's the color of snot. Not my favorite, but luckily, Cascade 220 had a shade that came close. I've never used this yarn before but I do hear it felts like a champ. I guess I'll find out! And I sure hope mom likes the color after all.

Not much going on for New Year's Eve. We plan to stay in with the kids and have a friend over and do takeout from Outback Steakhouse. I'm sure my stomach will regret it in the morning, but my tastebuds are going to enjoy for tonight!

Happy New Year, everyone, and be safe.

December 25, 2006

Christmas!!

Merry, Merry! Today was a good knitterly day. I did enjoy watching the kids opening their piles of loot and squealing with glee. It was fun watching their excitement!

I've been making steady progress on my Santa-style stocking cap. As predicted, it was not finished in time. But you can easily see now the progression of the cables and spirals. Just today I started the decreases section, which happens very slowly to create the long, long shape. I still have more than 100 rows to go! Ack! I guess I'll be wearing this one NEXT Christmas. But, I'll be sure to model it for the blog before I put it away! (smile!)

I actually received a couple of knitting gifts today, too! I asked for and received (thanks, DH!) the KnitPicks KIPer Knitting Bag Set. It contains three separate knitting project bags, each with handles and a strap, of varying sizes, And a purse, also with a strap, that connects to each bag in a unique way. The purse has a handy organizer on the inside for credit cards, cell phone, etc., and there's also a little zipper case, for knitting tools. So, depending on what size of knitting project I'm working on, I choose a bag, snap on the purse, and throw in the tool bag. Cool! I'll admit that the attachment system gave me a bit of a fit at first, but then my husband discovered a little trick for latching and unlatching the attachments. I think I am going to love this bag!

I also received the 2007 Knitting Pattern-a-Day Calendar from my inlaws. I haven't browsed it yet but I can't wait!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

December 16, 2006

Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas! No, I'm not afraid to say it. Though I do appreciate the winter holiday traditions of many cultures, at the moment I happen to be working on a stocking cap that will look like a country Santa hat when it's done. I purchased the pattern last year from Knitpicks and started it while visiting my dad. But alas, when he died I could not finish it. Then when I picked it up this year I realized it was a bit smaller than I would have wanted. So I set out to start over, but then I couldn't find the pattern. Of course Knitpicks doesn't sell it anymore. But then Amy from my Knittalk group came to my rescue. And so here it is! Thanks, Amy!

Of course, I have no real expectation that this hat will actually be done in time for Christmas. That's just not my style! Haha. But I'm giving it a good try. The hat has cables, which I love, and it is knit up in sort of a spiral pattern, wherein you shift the position of the stitch markers over by one at the start of each pattern repeat. It took doing about four repeats before the cables started to "pop" for me and I could see the pattern happening. I think I definitely will be making this pattern several times. I was showing the pattern to someone at the skating rink today and nearly left it there! I'll have to be sure to make one copy for myself to keep as a backup, since I can't buy it anymore.

When I wrote to Knitpicks about the pattern, they said the designer's name was Brian Kohler, and that maybe he is selling the pattern on his own somewhere. I've done a search on his name and have come across several Brian Kohlers, but none of the sites mentions knitting. Are you a closet knitter, Mr. Kohler? Or just laying low? You know, I just got this amazing DVD called "Real Men Knit" which is produced by the company, "Unconfined Mind." The video is great and I loved watching it. Not only is the main feature fun to watch, but it shows many men (and boys!) engaging in their craft. It also includes a conversation with Kaffe Fassett, which I found fascinating. How someone could be so gifted as to never have knit a sweater and be able to pick up 20 yarns and design a sweater that he saw in his head, well... wow! I can't imagine being able to do that. Someday, maybe I'll make a hat inspired by a Kaffe Fassett design. I could never imagine doing a whole sweater.

And so I must sign off for now... it's my friend Steve's birthday and he wants to go to the Melting Pot for dinner... twist my arm! Plus there are Christmas cards to address and a couple of things left to wrap. Catch you later!

December 9, 2006

Nadine's Hat!

Here is a photo of my friend Nadine, wearing her new turquoise blue hat! She loves warm weather and the beautiful seas, and so this is her favorite color. She looks great in it, don't you think? I must say that I am quite proud of myself.

I'm itching to start another felted hat, but for now I'm knitting on a long stocking cap that is done in the colors of a "Country Santa" -- burgandy and off white. Of course the design has cables in it. I got the pattern last year from KnitPicks, but they don't seem to carry it anymore. So imagine my heartbreak when I misplaced the pattern! But then Amy from my KnitTalk group sent me her copy. So yay! I can make the hat. I actually started it last year while my dad was in the last stages of his illness, so I couldn't bring myself to work on it at that time. And when I picked it up again, it seemed too small anyway. I guess it was the stress of the whole thing. So, I frogged and restarted it this year. I'll get a pic up as soon as I start the red section! Soon, I promise.

December 5, 2006

The Blue Flan Hat!

Well I finished it! This is my Fiber Trends AC-01 hat with wide brim. I was afraid I wouldn't get it done in time for its recipient's retirement party on Thursday, but with a little luck (and staying up til 2:00 a.m. this morning over a hot sink!) I made it just under the wire. The dome of the hat wasn't quite coming out the way I originally wanted to so I grabbed it around the edges at the top and pinched a crease in the wool to create the flat top. It kinda looks like a big blue bowl of flan, eh? Not really... I think it turned out cute. The wide brim is a bit much on my head but my friend wears "big hair" so I think it will go on her head really well. Of course these hats usually take most of a week to dry, so I set it out on the table over a bowl to hold the shape, with a towel and a trash bag underneath. When I woke up this morning the towel was quite soaked! Thankfully a lot of the water came out. But it was still wet enough to need to dry for days, and the party is Thursday! Then my smarty-farty DH says to me, "you know, our big, expensive dryer has a drying rack!" Ding Ding Ding! Give that man a prize! Two 45-minute cycles on medium-high heat and the hat is perfectly dry and ready for its debut.

And look at this cool hat box! I mentioned to my mother-in-law that I had been searching online in vain for an affordable hat box for my gift hat, and she said, "I saw these really pretty ones just the other day!" So she went and got me one, and it was only about $7.00 at Ross. I couldn't believe my luck. Isn't it pretty? Hopefully I'll get a photo with the recipient wearing it on Thursday. Yay!