I Had So Much to Do Today... But I Didn't...

Knitting is still going on... a lot.  It's a great time occupier!  Throw on some TV and knit away.  January and February brought some items that I am particularly proud of...

Silvery-Gray Cable Knit Cowl

I LOVE the way this turned out.  I had taught myself cable knit via youtube.com to make my mom's scarf for Christmas.  I took that pattern and figured out how to make THIS!
It's an alternated 6 stitch and 10 stitch cable pattern repeated to make this deliciously soft and warm cowl.  I wear it ALL that time!  It's a great winter addition to the majority of my wardrobe.

Ms. Smith's "S" Scarf

I created this scarf for an ex-co-worker of mine.  I had seen patterns where people has alternated between knit and purl stitches to create patterns in the knitting.  They patterns I had seen where from someone who had used the technique to make washcloths with Disney characters on them.  I thought I would start a little smaller then Eeyore and so I created the "S" pattern on this scarf.  The Ss looked awesome cause they were understated, but still visible as a texture on the scarf.  This was meant to be an experiment as well, but when I started, I like the way it looked so I gifted it.

Tracy's B-Day Scarf

This was just a simple scarf that I made for one of DJ's golfing friends.  She requested a scarf so I delivered!  Super soft and warm.

Mom's Dodger Blue Glovelets

I made these for my mom for her birthday.  I had some left over silver from my cowl and some left over blue from her Christmas scarf.  I love the way these ones turned out.  From color (which I didn't mean to coordinate with her favorite baseball team) to fit to length and all the in betweens.  They are made with super soft yarn and I made them a bit roomy.  Apparently she wears them "all the time!"

Experimental Hat for Ms Partma

I had been requested by a good friend for some glovelets.  So I went and got some pretty silver gray and made these.  I had so much yarn left over that I decided I would start to learn hats.  I had a pattern from online somewhere that looked to be a really cute oversized slouchy beret......  I followed the pattern to a T and what I got was..................

THIS...............................

It's not horrible... it's just nothing like the comfy slouchy beanie looked in the pattern pictures.  I was also unsure of how to use the Double Point Needles (DPNs from here on out in this blog) so I dropped a few stitches and didn't realize it so I kind of cheated and sewed them into the hat.  So... it's not perfect... but it was a start.  To make myself feel better... I added a pom pom......  

Selfish Knitting for ME!!!

I enjoy knitting for others, but I find that when I have too many gift projects I start pining to make something for ME!  So..... after finishing my mom's glovelets, I made these out of the left over yarn I had from three different projects.  My patchwork glovelets.  I love them.  I have worn them SO many times....  I don't want it to warm up because I don't want to have to put these away........

After the disaster with the previous hat.... I decided to try again.  I had bought this fuzzy "eyelash" yarn solely because I LOVED the red color, especially mixed with the black.  It was the first time I had bought yarn without a clear cut project in mind and I fought with myself over what to make with it for a long time.  I finally decided on a hat.  It's a bit big on my head, and with the yarn texture, I can't tell if I missed any stitches or messed it up some other way.  I'm ok with that.  I also don't know if it's something I'll ever wear.......  But I made a hat.  And I now know how to knit using DPNs..... so the possibilities are now endless!!!  

... and knitting... and knitting... and knitting......

Knitting... it's taken over the time for my reading....  Bah.  But I love it.  I'm still learning, and I'm teaching myself, but I think I have concocted some interesting and awesome knitted things.  Here's what I made in December 2011....  

DJ's USC Beanie

My first and so far only hat to date.  It was difficult to figure out.  This was also my real first attempt at knitting in the round.  I was using circular needles, and I couldn't get the stitches all the way towards the end, so I ended up gathering more stitches and making the top look kind like a balloon knot with the way it was all bunchy...  However... It fits and looks awesome... AND I got it done in time for the big game day family rivalry party.  I want to make more, but I need to purchase some double point needles first.  That is next on my wish list.

Monica's Christmas Scarf and Glovelets

My sister was the first one to tell me she wanted me to make her something for Christmas.  It  got the idea flowing and I ended up making both her and my mom something for the holiday.  My sister only said she wanted a green scarf.  I went and found this really soft and uneven yarn in a nice forresty green.  When I was about halfway through with the scarf, I decided I wanted to try and make her little finger-less gloves.  Wrist warmers my aunt in Arizona called them.  So I finished the scarf and figured out an easy way to do the glovelets and finished those.  She LOVED them.  I don't have any proof that she has been using them, and we do live in Southern Cali... but I like to think they will get their use in the coming months.

My Own Glovelets

I liked the way I made my sister's little gloves... I made some of my own.  I took a break and lived out my dream of being a selfish knitter.  I used the left overs from DJ's beanie (good thing I liked the color) and did some of my own.  I wear them all the time.  They fit in my purse and are there to keep my hands toasty.... except for my fingers.... but that is a sacrifice I will just have to make.

My Mom's Cable Scarf

It's a shame you can't see the detail... or the pretty blue color (stupid phone camera flash).  This is what my mom asked for for Christmas.  She wanted a thin scarf with just a single cable knit.  So, I learned how to knit a cable.  It's surprisingly simple.  I watched a few youtube videos that weren't much help.  Then I found a pattern online and went at it.  

Attempted Chainlink Scarf

This was my attempt at those trendy chainlink scarves.  I realized when I was already too far in that I needed the double pointed needles to really have them be smaller chains.  That or else knitting a rectangle and sewing the sides up.  But, as I said, I am kind of making it up as I go along, I decided to stick with my vision.  What I have is a boring scarf that doesn't quite look right and that I will probably never wear.  But I made it, so I give it distinction here.  I definitely want another try at this when I purchase those needles I mentioned earlier.  

I might need to make a stop at Micheal's tomorrow after work.  

I'm Addicted....

I am utterly addicted to knitting.  I fear this blog might take on the form of a chronology of my knitting projects.  Apologies, but as I never really laid out guidelines per say for the blog, you can't truly be mad at me.  It's already pretty ADD as it is... just add one more branch of conversation to the concoction.  

Knitting was a craft I'd always wanted to learn, but just didn't know how to correctly start down the path.  A craft that my mom had done as a youth and constantly told me she would show me (much as what happened with learning to play the guitar).  A group of my <ahem> nerdier and more awesome friends started knitting in what seemed like a mass of creativity.  We would meet up for breakfast somewhere and they would all have their yarn and paraphernalia.  I wanted to learn DAMNIT!  So I asked a friend how she had learned.   Youtube.com.   

About a week later I talked my mom into taking me to Joann's and I bought my first knitting needles and a huge skein of black yarn.  Went home, set myself up in front of the computer and started watching video tutorials.  Try and fail and try again.  I eventually got the knit stitch and started to go like a bat outta hell.  Well, kind of...  There were plenty of dropped stitches, accidental double stitches, and quite a few combined stitches. But I just kept going with it.  And before too long, I had a large black mass of knitted yarn.  It was too small to be a blanket and much to large to be a scarf, but I had knitted it!  And that was what counts.  

After that, the bug slightly nibbled on the back of my neck.  I started a scarf project with four colors and it ended up being more work then anticipated so I lost my thrill of it.  I put it in the closet, just another one of many failed projects I lose interest in after awhile.  

It wasn't until a Saturday morning, sitting at a local dive bar waiting for the college football games to start... that the pesky little bug in the back of my mind decided to attack!  I had to have something to do with my hands.  I dragged my boy around Target in the hope I would find something cheap that I could do sitting at a bar for the next 5 or more hours.  Nothing!  Then it struck me.  The light bulb hovering above my head light up so bright and quick it exploded.  Joann's!  It was right next door.  So I went and got a skein of yarn and a set of needles.  We went back to the bar and I started knitting.  About two weeks later I had a scarf (pictured below on the left).  A friend asked me to make her one (below on the right, pictured right after finishing the last stitch at the bar that started it all).  And my piece de resistance, the middle picture, soft, warm, super long, fringy... everything I wanted to make for my very own scarf!  

And from there, who knows.  My sister has requested a scarf.  My boy has requested a hat!  How nice it is to have a hobby that is calming and useful and appreciated!

All I know for sure is I will keep knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting....