Category: Accessories

  • giving and getting

    Giving:
    The fiery bolero is finally done and steamed! Whew. (Sorry for the blurry picture.)

    Fiery Bolero
    Pattern: by Debbie Bliss, Interweave Knits summer 2005
    Yarn: TLC Cotton Plus, black
    Finished: December 24, 2005

    Notes: I had a different-gauged yarn, but also needed a bigger size – so I cast on for the largest size in my gauge and fudged a few things. My mom wanted short sleeves, which I tried to do – but ended up having to hem up the sleeve quite a bit, and they’re still not all that short. Ah, well. Lots of boring stockinette, but a pretty cute result.

    Here’s a shot of the bottoms of the felted clogs, and specs:

    Felted Clogs
    Pattern: Fiber Trends
    Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes
    Finished: December 24, 2005

    Notes: The WotA feels quite nice, and felts really well! The pattern was well-written and pretty quick, although I found the soles a bit fiddly to do (just not mindless knitting). I used leather (with a grabby material on one side) salvaged from a vintage store $3 bin – I also took off the buttons, and I’m thinking of leather accents for other (sewn) projects!

    Everything’s wrapped and under the tree or ready to go. I’m just working on the Urban Aran now – I’ll finish one of the fronts today, since I’m doing it as a cardigan. I’ve also been spinning up a bunch of merino, the thinnest I’ve done – laceweight singles, about fingering/sport weight 2ply. I think I might 3-ply it though actually, depending on when I get sick of spinning the skinny singles.

    Got:

    Hand carders from Megan! Thanks again Megan! I think I’ll be getting some silk noil and seeing what I can do with it. There was also a Christmas yarn Incident:

    Elevent skeins of luscious brown Artyarns Supermerino for a sweater for me! Any suggestions? I’m thinking a cardigan.

    Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

  • two down

    Cabled Gauntlets
    Pattern: based on this free one from Crystal Palace
    Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, 1 skein
    Needles: Brittany US 5 dpn
    Finished: December 3, 2005

    Pattern notes: I started with 48 stitches and made below-the-elbow armwarmers – the decreasing and increasing still worked out just right. I also did a different thumb gusset. Fun, fast. Still need to be blocked but I figure I’m probably going to be doing a mass-blocking in a little while, so until then, they’re in the FO pile. I’m almost done my sister’s HP scarf, as there’s a scant 2.5 blocks to do – about 10″. Between reading and Dead Like Me tonight, I should be able to finish it. I’ve even cut the fringe already.

    In the meanwhile, I got a big order from Knitpicks:

    In my defense, not all of it is for me; the pile under the colour-your-own on the left is for Megan H. at the store; we’re both going to make the Nordic Memories pullover from an old IK. There’s also yarn for presents – clogs and toys. But let’s face it, the full bags of yarn in the front are for sweaters for me!

    Oh – check out this Koigu (and Palette) massacre…

    – it can only mean the end is imminent!

    P.S. For those that asked – the Urban Aran is from the Patons “Street Smart booklet”.

  • more or faster?

    It’s December, and you know what that means – high gear gift knitting. Well, I don’t even know if it’s possible for me to knit more than I do – so I’m just going to have to knit faster!

    I’m still waiting on a box from Knitpicks (it’s been 10 business days since it shipped) and those projects are somewhat smaller anyway (toys, slippers). Here’s a photo of part of a pair cabled gauntlets I’m knitting for my cuz:

    I’m roughly using the pattern from here, but I’m doing them shorter (to the elbow) and a different thumb gusset. I’m just hoping they’ll fit – I’m already using needles 2 sizes smaller than suggested and it’s definitely not very tight on my arm. I think she might have smaller forearms than me, too. Hmmm. Anyway, they’re fast, and I’m working on the thumb gusset having started the first 2 inches of the project last night.

    Next up, some progress on the (not-so) fiery bolero. Not very exciting, and difficult to see progress – I need to buckle down and finish those looong rows (body + sleeves) so that the fronts will go fast.

    Of course, I’m not completely abandoning projects for myself. I must have something new and fancy to wear at Christmas of course! I’m working on the waistband of the Koigu skirt – I’m going to do the waistband, weave in the ends, block, and then do the waist elastic so I can adjust for post-blocking. I’m a little concerned it’s going to be too short, but I’m a firm believer in the power of blocking. And even if it’s a little short for my taste, it’s definitely not indecently short.

    The Urban Aran. Lovely chunky wool, I want to wear it now! I’ve got one sleeve done and part of the back. I’m thinking the rest of the back will go quickly since the edges will just be 2×2 rib and not the cable pattern.

    Whew! I could barely tear myself away from the needles to write this up! Back to it!