SM5 - Eisregen

Round Five of Sock Madness brought me to my knees. It used more stitches and yards than any of the other rounds. It was just filled with bobbles - I was not a fan.

They were also far too big for me. Far too big. Since I started a day or so late, and a few of the speedy teams had finishers already, I knew this going in, and decided to knit it for my mom. I used the yarn I had bought for her - Knit Picks Stroll in Wine Tasting - and knit them on size 2 needles. When she visited in April, I tried them on, and they fit comfortably.

So I had her Christmas Gift! I wrapped them up and set them aside in my "gifts" bin for the end of the year.

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Razzleberry Fest Socks

That guy of mine, my hubby, who loves hand knit socks, will be getting a third pair this lovely winter. His birthday is near Christmas, so he'll be getting one for his birthday, one for Christmas with my family, and one more for Christmas with his family!













These gorgeous Razzleberryfest socks are the culprit! I used Knit Picks Stroll Brights in the color Razzleberry, and the pattern is Oktoberfest Socken (the same as I used for my own pair last year)!















I'm quite happy with them, and I know they'll fit him quite well - both his feet and his personality!

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Amethyst Diamond Socks

I don't have very many pictures of these, but my brother, one of the guys in my life who is obsessed with hand-knit socks, will be getting these for Christmas. He picked out the pattern and the colors - he needed professional looking socks, and he liked the argyle effect in the original pattern (the Border Socks), but the blue and brown were not colors he would wear, so we went with his favorite color - a bright purple - and black. I love them, and I hope he does too!

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Headwind

A friend of mine, Rachel, the lovely lady behind Arbor Twist yarns and designs, was featuring a new hat pattern and needed test knitters.

The hat comes in Beanie or Slouchie, and she was in desperate need of Beanie testers, so I signed up in a heart beat, and was able to use some deep-stash yarn from way back in 2013 when I went to Tennessee.

I'm very happy with it, and it's warm, comfy, and beautiful - what more can a girl ask? I love the pattern - it's so simple to follow but beautiful - and I love the result!


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Stained Glass Blanket - Second Pyramid!

Another pyramid was made for my stained glass blanket! The whole is really coming together, and I couldn't be happier!

Kitty Cozy

My kitty cat sits under the bed atop this zip-top sheet container.

A few days ago, when I pulled it out to switch out the summer sheets, I discovered that the poor kitty had thrown up on it. It took a while to clean it properly and let it air dry, so while I was waiting, I whipped up a quick cover.

Essentially, I just used a King sized flat sheet we've never used, and folded it triple so it was one long piece. Then, I folded that in half the other way, and seamed the sides.

I was able to put it on the sheet container with the fold in the back and the open edges up front, and the kitty loves his soft, and easily washable, new bed.

Sontag

My mother-in-law works at a working historical farm. She works in authentic historical garb, and cooks, spins, and cleans in an authentic historical manner, giving tours to visitors and explaining her processes.

She mentioned to me last year that at the later-season (fall and winter) gigs, her co-worker had a bosom-buddy, or sontag - a historical woolen shawl that wrapped around to allow a woman to work while she wore it. She mentioned that she would like that for Christmas this year, and then she (hopefully) forgot about it.

So, I made one! It's humungous, and I followed a basic pattern from 1860 that I adapted, due to my gauge. I also created a button using Kate Davies Button Tutorial. The garter edge was knit with the body, and when I broke for the "wings," I cast on the 6 stitches needed for the "inside" garter ridges. Later, I went back and knit from the cast-ons, and applied a garter ridge by picking up a stitch from the neck edge, and knitting two together near that edge to maintain the six stitches.

I knit a 6-stitch garter ridge strip, and knit about 300 rows, and then continued that same applying technique to attach it to the bottom back of the sontag, and then knit another 300 rows. I then knit an applied i-cord all the way around that garter strip, which stabilized and strengthened it.

I sent it off to her for a late birthday/early Christmas gift, so she could use it this fall season, and thankfully, she loves it!

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Disco Dance Socks

These are another pair of Christmas socks for the hubs - since we celebrate Christmas twice, once with each family, I love to have something for him to open at both celebrations!

I used a discontinued crazy neon self-"striping" yarn, which I love, and it's using Susan B. Anderson's Smooth Operator Socks pattern, which uses an afterthought heel. I used a contrasting heel, toe, and cuff, from the remnants of some yarn I used for another pair of his socks (upcoming).

He actually hasn't seen these yet (although he's seen the yarn). I tried one on him, but made him close his eyes. I hope they're a good surprise!

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Farmer Saffron Socks

Last year, I bought some "Firefly: Serenity Class" yarn in Bounce and Stomp from Nerd Girl Yarns for a pair of Firefly Weave socks for my brother! Well, I also bought a second skein at the same time, for my husband, and I finally got around the making them!

I used the Farmer McDonald socks from Socktopus, which was a pattern well-worth purchasing! I turned it into a toe-up sock, and didn't carry the pattern on to the back because it wouldn't fit over the Mister's heel.

I absolutely love the way the pooling turned out! It was completely un-intentional, but I'm so in love! It's completely different from the other pair!

These will be given to him for Christmas, since he doesn't actually know I finished them!

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Stained Glass Blanket - First Pyramid!

I finally decided to bite the bullet and jump on the cozy memories blanket train.

For those of you that don't know, the "cozy memories" blanket is a fad that is sweeping the knitting world, and the term is a catch-all for mitered-square scrap blankets.

In my case, I decided to make my squares about three inches, and use fingering weight yarn. I also decided to add a little black border between the squares to off-set them, and set them on the bias. I've decided to call this my "Stained Glass" blanket, and I'll be updating you every fifteen squares or so!

Soon, I plan to come out with a tutorial for the process that I'm using, but I'm planning to get through all the steps before I start releasing it.

So far, I have used scraps from:

• Firefly Weave Socks
• Eisregen
• Pickle Harbor Socks
• Waimakiriri Socks
• Birthday Moss Socks
• Accidental Socks
• Rose and Thorn Socks
• Gallifrey Sunset Shawl
• Inara Wrap
• Sweet Nuttins Socks
• Marin Hat
• Razzleberryfest

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Home-made Sponge!

Around the same time that I made the facial pads, I made this sponge.

It uses the same yarn, but it's just a triple layer.

It was a quick crochet, but honestly, I haven't found it to be particularly effective. It just gets really water logged.










Has anyone else had that problem? How did you fix it?

Ravelry Project

More Facial Pads

I wanted a few quick-finish projects, and in an effort to do so AND use up stash, I pulled out some deep stash (almost a decade ago) and whipped up these two cotton facial pads.

I use them for removing my makeup, and I have to say, so far, they're far more soft and comfortable than the ones I made before.

I have definitely become a fan of using cotton for things like this. I'd never used it before, really, and I always thought it felt crispy in my fingers, but (especially after washing) it's so soft once it's worked up.


Ravelry Project: Without Border

Ravelry Project: With Border

Stitch Markers into Progress Keepers!

I recently started attempting to keep track more carefully of what I knit every two weeks. I love doing this because it helps me in January. You see, in January, I sit down with Ravelry, and with sewing patterns, and I analyze how much time I have during the year, and decide exactly what everyone is getting for Christmas. The ability to know more accurately how much I knit per week, on average, is extremely helpful.

 Well, in order to keep track, I needed progress-keepers. But I only had one. That wasn't going to cut it. So one day, while I was stopping at Michael's to kill time before an appointment, I wandered into the bead section.

I ended up walking out with a purchase of some bronze gator clips and rings, some bronze ringed beads, and some silver gator clips. I attached the bronze clips and rings to one (or three) of the bronze beads (and a few I had on hand), and the silver gator clips to some old stitch markers that I had, but rarely used, because I prefer the non-dangly kind.

Wha-la! 15 progress keepers!

Gallifrey Sunset Shawl

There was a Doctor Who themed Knit-a-Long a few months back, and I almost didn't know it was happening until it was over. But as soon as I knew it was happening, I immediately tried desperately to think of something I could do.

That's when I remembered my orange and burnt brown yarns. These are both subtly variegated, and they're beautiful together.

And they remind me of a Gallifrey Sunset.

It's so comfortable. I wear it all the time.

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Inara Wrap

My Inara Wrap. Oh, my Inara Wrap.

This was my longest-running shawl. It was huge. I mean, huge. Look at it!

It's silk. It's beautiful. I can't even handle it. So comfy. 

I almost don't even know how to wear it.

But it was totally worth it. I'm in love.

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Portland Plaid Socks

These socks were a quick knit near the middle of June - Portland Plaid socks. The yarn was thicker and sturdy, and I thought they made the perfect summer socks.

These were a free de-stash yarn as well!

I made them in time for my trip back east, and even got to wear them at the Portland Airport Carpet!












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Heather's Mitts

A co-worker of mine saw my October Mitts when I wore them to work, and she asked for a pair of her own, but picked out new colors.  

They turned out very well, although my tension got more even (and therefore smaller) on the second mitt.

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