FO Friday: Sherri's Christmas Gifts :)

Happy Friday!

The day after Christmas and I have some FOs to show off....not that they haven't been done for a couple weeks but, you know, I don't do anything in a timely manner, apparently. But, at least I'm getting it done before the end of the year :)

Waiting for Winter Mittens (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Waiting for Winter Mittens and Fingerless Mitts by Susan B. Anderson

Time Frame: started November 21, 2014; finished December 3, 2014

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Celery

Needles: US #7 (4.5 mm) Signature DPNs

Size: Medium

Modification(s): None, other than sizing them to fit Sherri's hand

Thoughts: This is the fifth pair of these mittens I've made. I still like the pattern and I love how these turned out. That's about all I can say about them.

Sorin (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Sorin by Carrie Sullivan (irishgirlieknits)

Time Frame: started December 3, 2014; finished December 16, 2014

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Celery

Needles: US #5 (3.75 mm) Knitter's Pride 16" circular & US #7 (4.5 mm) Chai Goo 16" circular and Signature DPNs

Size: One size

Modification(s): I used US #7 instead of US #6 needles.

Thoughts: I think if I were making this for me, I'd leave out the last pattern repeat and make it a beanie. It came out as a slouch, which is fine for some people but I'm generally not one of them. I do like this pattern and I think I may just make it again :)



I hope you all had a lovely Christmas or whatever holiday/non-holiday/day you celebrated/didn't celebrate this past week :)

I have new pretties...

Husband ordered me the KP Rosewood Interchangeables. Woo-hoo!

The aftermath of opening presents...

Stormageddon's first Christmas

Little Man loves his X-Wing Fighter backpack

I'll be back on Sunday for my Self-Imposed Year of Projects Update #52: The Roundup :)

FO Friday: Jazzlynn's Christmas Presents

Happy Friday! I finally got enough decent light to partake in another edition of FO Friday! Today's FOs are more Christmas knitting, this time for Cameron's younger sister (who may as well be my niece and, if we were the religious kind, she'd be my goddaughter). Sooooo, let's get to it!

Waiting for Winter Mittens - Jazzlynn (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Time Frame: started November 11, 2014; finished November 17, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in 1971 Dark Periwinkle (~ 0.48 skeins = ~ 48 g = ~ 105.6 yds)
Needles: US #7 (4.5 mm)
Size: Small
Modifications: None other than sizing the hand and thumb length to Jazzlynn's hand.
Thoughts: This is my fourth pair of these gloves. There's nothing left to be said about them other than they're super easy and adaptable for all sorts of sizes...and I think I've said all this before. Just go buy the pattern and make them already :)


Next up.....

Barley for Jazzlynn (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Barley by tincanknits
Time Frame: started November 17, 2014; finished November 20, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in 1971 Dark Periwinkle (~ 0.5 skeins = ~ 50 g = ~ 110 yds) - I'm not positive about the amount but it was most of the rest of the skein and I had a teeny little ball leftover.
Needles: US #5 (3.75 mm) and US #8 (5 mm)
Size: Child
Modifications: I used a smaller needle for the ribbing than what the pattern indicated. I also knit until 6.5" before starting the crown decreases. So, it has a very slight slouch to it...or it'll fit Jazzlynn's head. It fits Little Man...
Thoughts: This hat is stupid easy...and yet, I managed to screw up a teeny section of it. If you scrutinize the photos, you can see where the problem is located. I have no idea how it happened other than, apparently, I can't read my stitches as well as I thought I could. Oops. I could easily make it again and not screw it up. It's a lovely pattern and fits well.



And now, here are some outtakes and other photos from our photo session...

I swear Little Man wasn't *that* sick when we did these photos. It was horrible lighting due to rain in the afternoon, and someone would not hold still....so the few good shots were just that: few.

Also.......

Yeah, that happened.

FO Friday: Cameron's Christmas Presents

I feel very safe participating in today's FO Friday because Cameron, my 13 year old non-nephew, does not read my blog, nor does his mother (who is my sister from another mister).

So, I have a two-fer FO Friday for you :)

Graham for Cam (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Graham by Jennifer Adams
Time Frame: started October 27, 2014; finished November 11, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (~ 0.72 skeins or 72 g which is ~ 158 yds)
Needles: US #5 (3.75 mm) and US #7 (4.5 mm)
Size: Large
Modifications: None that I'm aware of.
Thoughts: I should have gone with my gut instinct to make this hat longer than I did...but I followed the pattern. If he doesn't wear the brim folded, it'll be a slouch but if he folds the brim, it's a total beanie. I don't think he'll care either way, to be honest. It was interesting as this hat is knit inside out on purpose...and then you weave in the ends on the side you've had facing out, which is actually the inside. Why is it knit inside out? Because purling is a pain in the ass. Let's not beat around the bush here. Purling and purling and purling just sucks. So, if you knit it inside out, you avoid most of the purling. I don't know that I'll make it again because it seemed to go on forever but it's a good hat and I'm sure someone will love it, even if Cameron doesn't (and he better!). Also, the color is all wrong but no matter what I do in the editing process, I cannot get it correct.

Waiting for Winter Mittens - Cameron (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Time Frame: started October 9, 2014; finished October 24, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (~ 0.76 skeins or 76 g which is ~ 167 yds)
Needles: US #7 (4.5 mm)
Size: Large
Modifications: No major modifications other than sizing them to Cameron's hand/thumb length.
Thoughts: These mittens are fabulous. They are a very basic pattern and can be modified to fit the wearer. A seasoned knitter will be able to do more modifications (like widening the thumb base or adding some sort of pattern) but even a new knitter will be able to adjust to their needs. In this case, I had to add length to the hand and the thumb to match Cameron's teen boy hands (I was sent an outline of his had to work from) but that's not unusual. The nice part is that the pattern comes in three sizes and with the two different types (mittens and fingerless mitts), you have six options to work with. This was my third pair (I made myself a pair, and Little Man a pair)...and there's a fourth pair finished and fifth pair planned. Either way, at the end of it all, I will have made five pairs. So, obviously I like this pattern :) Again, the color is all wrong...but at least it matches the hat (it's the same yarn so it should).



You may have caught that I've finished the fourth pair of mittens, as well...and I have. But, I'm going to do a FO Friday post with Jazzlynn's mittens and hat at a later date (as I'm still working on the hat), so as to keep everything together. I guess you'll just have to wait.

Until then, have a wonderful Friday :)





I expect I'll be back soon with another FO Friday installment....or not. Depends on how things go around here :)

I hope you're all having a lovely Friday!

Y3: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #33

Happy Sunday :)

I feel like I'm on repeat when I say that I'm still sick. Unfortunately, I'm still sick. This cough just will not go away. Admittedly, it is getting better...too slowly for my liking, however. Perhaps it's a combination of smog (which is common here in the San Francisco Bay Area), wonky weather (one day it's dry and hot, the next day it will be humid but cooler...), being pregnant, and these weird west coast germs. Who knows.

But, it's Sunday and we're here for my Year of Projects update :)

Fnished Objects (FOs)   
1. Windschief: started January 3, 2014; finished January 10, 2014     
2. Welcome to the World Newborn Hat: started January 10, 2014; finished January 11, 2014   
3. Five Hour Baby Sweater: started January 16, 2014; finished January 29, 2014  
4. Baby Surprise Jacket: started May 27, 2013; finished February 2, 2014  
5. Welcome to the World Newborn Hat: started February 4, 2014; finished February 4, 2014 
6. Milo: started December 25, 2013; finished February 9, 2014
7. Zombie ViXen Fingerless Mitts: started November 23, 2013; finished February 19, 2014
8. Traveling Vines Socks: started May 31, 2013; finished March 3, 2014
9. Babbeh Hat: started March 3, 2014; finished March 6, 2014
10. Hurricane Hat: started April 22, 2014; finished May 15, 2014
11. Hoo Hat: started May 19, 2014; finished May 20, 2014
12. Hoo Hat: started May 20, 2014; finished May 21, 2014
13. Stormageddon's Stripey Hat: started May 22, 2014; finished May 23, 2014
14.  Greyson: started May 29, 2014; finished June 17, 2014
15. Waiting for Winter Mittens: started July 20, 2014; finished July 25, 2014  
16. Oreo Socks: started March 8, 2014; finished August 5, 2014
17. Waiting for Winter Mittens: started August 8, 2014; finished August 12, 2014
18. Sacrificial Goat: started July 27, 2014; finished August 16, 2014

Well, hey there, lookit that! I have TWO FOs for this past week. I included the mittens in this past Friday's FO Friday post, along with the Oreo Socks. The mittens were just a smaller version of the ones I made for myself, out of the remaining ball of yarn. They fit Little Man for now and he's quite happy with them. 

The other FO that I finished early yesterday morning was the first of six Sacrificial Goats. Admittedly, all I had to do on that goat for the last two weeks was putting it together and stuffing it. I just didn't want to do it when I was really sick. But Friday night, I pulled it out, looked at it, and thought, "Why not?" It took me about an hour to put together, stuff, and seam all the little pieces. I'll have a proper FO Friday post this week :) 

That means my WIP List looks like this:

 Works-In-Progress (WIPs)
1. Dragon's Egg Socks: started September 2, 2013
2. Baby Stormageddon
3. Pacific Shawl: started June 8, 2014
4. Swatch for The Dude: started July 16, 2014
5. Swirl Hat: started August 5, 2014

Admittedly, the only things I've "worked" on this past week were the mittens, the goat, and the Swirl Hat. I've got maybe another inch or so before I start the crown decreases on the Swirl Hat. I'm still tossed whether it should be for a boy or a girl. It's using the same yarn as my Oreo Socks...I have a feeling that it'll be too girly for Stormageddon (not that I care much). 

Stormageddon is still hanging out, punching me when he feels I'm not sitting properly. I had my 34 week OB appointment on Friday. I'm measuring perfectly, his heart rate is fine (130s and steady), and I haven't gained a ton of weight. Honestly, I've only gained 13 lbs for this entire pregnancy. I'm kind of surprised. When I was pregnant with Little Man, I lost about 15 lbs right away, gained it all back, then gained another 35 lbs...which isn't that bad either. It's just so strange this time around. I was getting around much better at this point in Little Man's pregnancy though, even with all the weight gain. This time...I'm just exhausted. Little Man and I went to Target on Friday afternoon to pick up things for the house (dog food, garbage bags, medications for sickie me, and some baby clothes). We were there for a little over an hour. By the time we left, I was exhausted, hot, sweaty, and ready for a nap. It was awful. Other days, I'm okay...sometimes, it depends on the time of day...it's just a wonky pregnancy.


Anyway, my remaining lists look like this:

 Children's Items
1. Elefante
2. Nottingham
3. Shaun
4. Gramps Cardigan (need to purchase - $6)
5. Smaug Hat

Items for Me (Selfish Knitting, FTW!)
1. Hermione Hearts Ron
2. Godric's Hollow Hat
3. Jabberwonky (which might be in the SSCB below but I don't remember) *
4. Gallifrey Fingerless Mitts
5. Weeping Angel Socks *
6. Stormont
7. Drip Drip Drop (which might be in the SSCB below but I don't remember) *

* I'll probably only pick one of these but, you know, choices and all...

 Secret Sock Club Bags
(These bags are already set up with pattern and yarn - I just pick one at random and no, I don't remember what I put in there right now...I can go look later, if you're really interested. I really probably should...but, honestly, nah...)

Designs
1. Little Man's Baby Blanket
2. Susan's Hat (adult and child versions)
3. Assorted Dishcloths
4. Traveling Vines projects (adult socks, baby socks, scarf, hat, fingerless mitts, shawl, etc.)
5. Pinwheel Market Bag
6. Anything else that comes along at the right time




We'll see how things go.


Little Man cannot stop talking about Halloween. Yes, I know it's only August. Yes, he's had his costume picked out for a few weeks. No, he has no concept of time. He keeps thinking Halloween is tomorrow instead of 11 weeks away. ::sigh:: Yes, it's going to be a long 11 weeks...


Little Man is going to be Iron Man. Stormageddon gets to be Hulk (?). Puppy can be Thor. And Daddy is going to be Spiderman. This is what he tells us.


I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday :)

FO Friday :)

Happy Friday :)

We're still recovering from the plague but I'm still posting FO Friday posts. Today, you're going to get a twofer because I owe one from last week and I finished something this week :)

Oreo Socks (link to Project Page)

Pattern: None - basic vanilla sock
Time Frame: started March 8, 2014; finished August 5, 2014
Yarn: Zitron Trekking XXL in Mint Oreo (maybe 3/4 skein)
Needles: US #1 (2.25 mm) - two circulars (ChaiGoo, perhaps)
Size: 72 sts.
Modifications: None as there really is no pattern. I CO 72 sts, did an inch or so of ribbing, worked in stockinette until I felt like stopping, did my heel flap over 36 sts using the modified Eye of Partridge heel from Hermione's Everyday Socks, did the rounder heel from Heels by the Number, and did a double gusset heel decrease, more stockinette until the toe decreases, and Kitchenered the end. Woohoo!
Thoughts: The only thing I would have maybe done differently was to make them a bit longer on the leg. They're not quite long enough...I thought they were and I was wrong. Oh well. It's not a big deal. They're just socks for me so it doesn't really matter and it's not like there was a pattern. Just something for me to keep in mind later.

Waiting for Winter Mittens (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Time Frame: started August 8, 2014; finished August 12, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints (leftover from my pair of mittens by the same name) in Spring Meadow (#9863) - less than a half skein
Needles: US #7 (4.5 mm) Signature DPNs
Size: Small
Modifications: I made the ribbed cuffs 1" shorter than the pattern calls for but that's the only modification I made.
Thoughts: The mittens used up almost the last of this skein of yarn. So, you can get a medium and small pair of these mittens out of a skein of Cascade 220. I was worried I was going to run out and that could prove problematic because (1) I received this yarn in a swap, (2) the yarn has been discontinued, and (3) I would have only been short a few yards. But, I had enough...barely. These mittens are really easy to make and they honestly don't take that much time. I still think I'll be making a few more pairs of these before the end of the year.

And, as further proof that these fit Little Man...

I'll link up with Tami this week if I can...and if not, I should be back on Sunday :)

FO Friday: Mittens in July?!

Happy Friday :)

If you wandered in on Sunday, you will have noticed that I mentioned finishing up a project...which, of course, needed it's very own FO Friday post. And now it's Friday :)

Waiting for Winter Mittens (link to Project Page)

Pattern: Waiting for Winter Mittens & Fingerless Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Time Frame: started July 20, 2014; finished July 25, 2014
Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints in Spring Meadow (#9863) - about a half skein
Needles: US #7 (4.5 mm) Signature DPNs
Size: Medium
Modification(s): None other than sizing to fit correctly lengthwise. Apparently my hands aren't as stubby as I thought they were because I had to add length to both the hand and the thumbs to achieve a length that would fit my hands.
Thoughts: These were quick and dirty. Okay, not dirty but they were so easy to make. The only problem is that if you're making them for someone else, you may need a trace of their hand to make sure they wind up the correct length. I keep forgetting how easy the backward loop cast on is, also...I had to look it up for each mitten. Silly me. But it's really easy. Also, these would be fairly easy to customize if you wanted stripes or some sort of cable pattern on the top or.... I have full plans to make at least four more pairs of these (probably two in the medium and two in the small). Little Man has requested his own pair so I'll probably use the rest of the ball so we'll have matching mittens (not that we need them here). But the other three pairs....well, I'll have to decide what yarn to use :)

Anyway, I hope you're all having a lovely Friday :) I'll hook up with Tami if she posts today!