Blogging? People still read blogs?

It's a shock, I know! A lot of blogs I have read in the past are now defunct. I can understand, as life surely gets in the way. I look at my blog as a journal of my knitting projects with some other stuff thrown in. I wanted to keep them separate at some point, but over the years I feel like I know people just from reading their blogs. I guess it's voyeuristic, but if you put it out there, I guess it's fair game!

 A lot of bloggers I know have gone the route of Ravelry or Facebook. And that's ok! I like looking at photos on Rav and reading the updates on FB. But there is something a bit more personal about a blog, maybe more of a backstory. And I like stories!

I want to show some of my projects I've completed. It's been so long since I did any updating, I forgot a lot of the details. As I update my Ravelry page, I can't put in needle or yarn. And I know that helps some people, it's something I need to be more diligent about, I guess.

I belong to the dozen groups on Ravelry: dozen shawls, dozen neckwarmers, and dozen hats. It was my goal to knit a shawl a month, a neckwarmer (cowl), and a hat. I've been pretty busy, just not taking photos or updating.

I made the Jacques Costeau hat for the dozenhats group.

I think the yarn is Lorna's Laced Shephard Worsted Weight in the color Zombie BBQ. I had to get it just for the name! Love the colors, and since it's a beanie/watchman hat, I think it would look good on a boy or a girl.

A crocheted slouchy for my daughter. I needed a quick FO fix, so I turn to crochet when that happens. It also helps to stave off castonitis. 

I ran out of yarn for the body, so I used a solid for the brim. I made the brim quite a bit wider than the pattern called for (4 rows of sc). I really like the wider brim and the slouchy-ness of this hat. It's mostly cotton, so I don't know how warm it'll be in the winter. Maybe it'll have to be a transition season hat?

this Cowl is called Gray Loop and it's been in my queue for a loooong time. I saw this pink yarn and when it was the choice for April in dozen neckwarmers group, I knew it was time! I love the yarn, the color, and the pattern. Long infinity cowls are becoming my favorite. Unlike a scarf, you can't lose a cowl, and if it's too warm, unloop it and let it hang!

I made the hitchhiker cowl as part of instagram Kal. I love instagram. In fact, I use instagram more than I use my digital camera. My phone on my ipod takes pretty good pics, and the filters are way cool. I went stash diving for the yarn, some orange fun sock yarn! I might have to make this again in a different color, maybe a variegated.

the first real lace cowl I have made is the Rosewood One Skein. Since it was knit in March, I can't remember the yarn or needle. It was a fun knit though and I like how the edge rolls. I like the shaping, too.

And I did a test knit for an online friend. The shawl has a cable spine, so cool. Though I don't like my shawls so open and airy, this one was nice and pretty easy to knit. I used a lace yarn (Alpaca Cloud by knitpicks) and size 6 needles. I had to block this one, and blocking does make such a difference!

The last pic is a close up of the cable detail. I really really like the cable!

 I have a few more photos that I will show you, but I'll save it till next time! In the meantime, I need to start preparing for our new adventures in homeschooling. I will have 5 students this year!  Going to be busy and fun!

Until next time!

March March March

I hate coming up with titles of posts. If I wait until the end, I forget.

It's been awhile, but I have been knitting. I like to take more than one photo and post it. So my FO's seem to build up and I seem very productive :)

I am still working on my Simple Lines shawl from January. I really need to just finish it. It's just the edging and I can be done with it. I made a Molly hat, but I ran out of yarn near the end. I went to my LYS to see if they had the same yarn and sadly they did not. The owner advised me to frog the whole hat and restart on smaller needles. She said it'd be worth it, and I totally agree, since I am a loose knitter and usually go down a needle size anyway. Except on this hat. I have it where I can see it everyday, and soon I will finish it. Hopefully in a marathon knitting session.

I am working on the Jeweled Cowl, and so far I really like how it's turning out. The yarn is a pastel pink and purple, not really my colors, but they are knitting up nicely. The cowl is beaded, another first for me. I must say adding beads is a fiddly time consuming process, fortunately it's only 14 beads every other row. There are 200 stitches around, though, so it does take some time. I am trying to be monogamous to this project so it doesn't become a UFO. I hate those (like Simple Lines!)

I finished two cowls and need to block and photograph them. I also finished a hat. My daughter wore it before I could get pics, and now it's MIA. At least I have a good idea of where it is, it's just not here for me to get a photo of.

I have several projects lined up as well. Two shawls for March and a hat. I need to get knitting so I can add these projects to my project page on Ravelry. I would love to have more FOs than in my queue. Lofty goal I know, since I keep adding projects!

Next post will feature some photos of FO's.

Zombies and Dreads

I have some completed projects! Yay!!! I've been trying to get at least one a week, but so far, no go. That's ok, though. I can make several hats in a week, or a cowl, so I can catch up if I need to to complete my 52 project challenge.

Number 4 is my Zombie Mitts. They were for the Instagram KAL and the FGF group Literary KAL for Feb. Funny, how are zombies literary? Well, I was reading The Twelve by Justin Cronin (which is an excellent book!) and thought it would be awesome to make something for that book. No vampire mitts, so zombies was the closest I could come. It's ok. They turned out awesome and I love them!

I used Borocco Sox in this awesome colorway. Once I did the cables without a cable needle, they zoomed right along!

I guess they are fraternal twins! I really really love how they turned out!

And number 5 for 2013 would be my Dread Tamer Hat, a modified version of the Felicity hat pattern.

I did all the increases in the beginning, did a few decrease rows at the end, added an eyelet round, and tied it off with a crocheted chain. This works nicely to keep my hair off my face and back. It's also nice for going out in public. My hair is a "bit" crazy right now, and I need all the help I can get!

I can close it off if I want and keep all the hair inside. Haven't done that yet, but I might. I really need to make some headbands so I'm not wearing a hat all the time.

So far that's all I have accomplished. I'm working on a cowl right now and another scarf from 2010. I finally got my needles from my LYS so I can complete my Simple Lines shawl. It took a few days to complete my dreads, so I didn't get much done then. And I've been reading a lot, too.

Here is a before and after picture of my dreads. I really like them. I've had them for about a week, and they are crazy!

The ones in front are a very short and kind of stick up right now. I look like  Side-show Bob! LOL!
I'll be back  soon to show off some more FO's!

OOps, no title!

I haven't shown any of my FO's recently. I was into taking tons of pics, but kinda got away from that for some reason. I tend to do it in batches now, about once a month, updating Ravelry as well. It works, but it takes a long time.

One good thing is that I got my needle issue resolved. I went back to my LYS, the one I was complaining about in my last post, and all my wrongs were righted. There was a different person there, and she was so friendly and helpful. It helped that I was the only one in there...but I feel better, and I will visit again. They carry a lot of nice yarns and are very close to me!

I made my daughter a hat. She wanted one. I thought she needed one. So when we were at the LYS, I told her to pick the color she wanted. She loves a deep purple, so that's what she picked. I had to steer her away from a solid purple, though. How boring. So I kept showing her different yarns, more variegated, and we decided on this one. The hat itself was super easy and quick. It looks quite small, and I wondered if it would fit her. But it does, and nicely! It has tons of stretch.

The brim that you see here is what the outside of the skein looked like. After a bit of knitting....

The inside was more blue/green than purple. But it's ok. When she looks in the mirror it's purple! You can see my project page here. The pattern is here.

I started this shawl in New York when we went to visit over the Christmas holiday. Why I had to get more yarn and start a new project is beyond me. I brought enough stuff for our two week stay. I haven't seen this yarn anywhere else and I liked it. It is acrylic and feels like it, but it so similar to Noro it's scary! I shortened the shawl a bit just to get it over with since it got very boring by the end. I like the colors, but I don't really like blue and red together. It reminds me of Superman for some reason.

We were having a good time getting the pics for the projects! She's about five feet tall and broad shouldered. It can be worn as a scarf, but it would be large! I need to block it still, the edge rolls. Project Page.  Pattern here.

And if that wasn't crazy enough, I decided to cast on for another hat! I wanted to make the sock head hat, and this pattern is perfect for TV knitting. Around and around she goes...It took awhile because it got boring, but after a few movies, it was pretty much done! I used Serentiy Sock yarn. It's a bit big. I even cut down on the number of stitches. I'm going to make another in pink, casting on less so it's not so big.

I like how light this is. The brim is nice, you can fold it up for extra warmth. But this hat is not for COLD weather! It would help some, but not much. I like how lightweight it is, perfect for the chilly summer evening or changing seasons.

This is the side view. I might get started on the new one right away! I really like this hat! Project page.
Pattern blog. 

How about some fingerless mitts? I made a pair for the FGF group. They chose two for January. I made the Align mitts out of leftover KP Imagination in Castle Walls. Very quick and easy knit. I did have to go down a needle size since the size 3s produced a large fabric. I didn't have a 2, so wound up  using a 1. They area  bit tight for my adult hands, but fit my younger daughter nicely. And since this is a gray, I bet my son would benefit from them as well.  Project Page.

I also finished a WIP from 2010. It's a crocheted scarf. It has sat in exile for so long, and it worked up pretty quick. I don't know why I just didn't finish it!

Behold the Claudia Scarf! I used KP Palette in lipstick.  Here is my project page.

Well, that's about it for January. I have a few projects OTN that I'm working on right now. It shouldn't take too long, but with Ravlery and all, who knows? I love looking at all the projects and colors and yarns. It helps to keep me inspired.
I'm off to a good start, I think. I hope I can keep my mojo and get a lot done this year!

knitting knitting knitting

I'm still knitting! I wish I was more into taking photos and getting my stuff posted. It would help if I had more stuff to show! It's been an eventful 2013 so far. We have been transitioning from homeschooling to unschooling. It's been...interesting, to say the least. That, and reading a ton, has been keeping me busy.

I didn't set a lot of goals this year, or really, any clear cut and dried ones. I joined a few more groups on Ravelry to give me more of a focus, and that definitely helps for me! I may choose to keep up, I may just do the ones I like and go from there. I'm keeping it loose and fun!

I bought some yarn in New York when we went to visit for the holidays. Well, I went to Jo-anne's to get some size 1 needles so I could work on some colorwork mittens (that I have yet to start! LOL!) While I was there, I saw that they had some faux Noro type yarn. Who knew Red Heart made an acrylic version? I know Bernat and Lion Brand have their own line, so I guess it wasn't a far jump for Red Heart. Anyway, long story short, I got two balls to make the shawl on the ballband. I finished it up this month and started another shawl, very similar in style, but with sockweight yarn. It's getting tedious. You know, when you are knitting 300 stitches every row, increasing by 4 every other row....it gets old! I've been struggling trying to keep on with it, and I even decided to shorten it by a full pattern repeat. I will get to start the border in three more rows! So MAYBE this weekend I can finish it!

I'm also in the process of making a sockhead hat. It's just that: stockinette on size 4 needles in sock weight yarn. Round and round she goes...it's very nice for TV/movie watching. Well, the needles in there are Symfoinie interchangeables. And guess what? One broke! I bought these puppies in New York, so I called the LYS and she told me to find a store locally and they would replace the needle. I found a store nearby (almost on my doorstep that I didn't even know existed!) and immediately went there.

Well, let's say that I'm a bit disappointed by the customer service. It's a tiny shop with lots of yarn. Who goes into a yarn shop to just pick up needles and go? Of course I wanted to browse, but sadly, I felt rushed, and she did not offer to replace my broken needle. I know people have "off" days and there was someone in the shop who needed knitting help. While I can say that it's not my problem, I think the clerk (owner?) was too focused on the other lady to even want to worry about me.  I will go back soon, and see if I can replace my needle, and hopefully customer service will be much better. I like that there's a yarn store close by, even with weird hours!

I tried to make an earphone cord wrap cozy thing. You basically knit an icord around the headphone cord using sock yarn. I've tried this thing at least 4 times, casting on more for the cord, going back to 3 stitches. There are horrible ladders in the back that really bother me. And while icord is fairly quick, I don't want to waste my time if I don't like the finished product. I wish I could just accept the laddering, but it really bothers me.

My  next post will contain some FO photos! I have at least 2, maybe three things to show. Stay tuned...

2012 in Review

2012 was a very....interesting year. A lot happened and I am amazed that I got any of my goals done!
 Our family went to Disney in Florida in April. At the end of May, me and my husband went to upper British Columbia for a few days, then flew back to pack our house and move out two days later! We packed our four bedroom house into a 10X10 storage unit, bought a tent, and moved back to my hometown where we camped the rest of the summer. The summer of the drought and the heatwave. I did get some knitting done, but it's hard to knit when just touching the wool felts it.
I had plans to get an apartment for the winter, but hubby had a different plan. We bought a travel trailer, moved a bit farther south (by 50 or so miles) to be near my father, and that is where we are today. It's a bit cramped, and total unconventional, but it works for now.

I did complete a few of my goals. I made my hat goal. I knit a few extra that were not on my queue for gifts. I nearly made my fingerless glove goal. I did make a quick pair for my son (pics coming soon), but there was a pair that I ran out of yarn. I knit up a few pair of mittens, but I discovered that store bought mittens seems to work better (warmer).  I don't like the idea of using expensive yarn to make warm mittens for the kids, since they will probably lose them anyway.
I think I completed my cowl goal. I crocheted one that I didn't list yet, and I made one that had buttons that fell off, so I need to resew those on. My sock goal was a dismal failure. I think I knit six pair. I got behind in April, hoping to catch up, but was never able to do it.

Looking back, I would consider myself successful even though I didn't complete all my goals. I completed more projects in 12 than I did in 11, so that is success! I made lots of neat stuff and even made my queue on Ravelry smaller (though I've added a few projects since then! )

For 2013, I don't have any set goals. I will probably still try and get a cowl, hat, and maybe fingerless gloves done each month. I want to knit some shawls and joined a group on Ravelry to help me stay focused. I noticed if I don't have any goals, I don't knit. Having some sort of plan helps me to stay focused and gives me ideas when I hit a dry spot in knitting mojo.

I am going to complete my projects I wanted to start/complete in 2010.  I have those all bagged up with the yarn and pattern ready to go, so I just need to either finish them up or start them. On the side, I will my knit my shawls and other smaller projects. This might be the year of  the shawl for me!

Hats! Hats! Hats!

 

Since I haven’t done an FO post since July, I’m going to break up the next few posts so I don’t overwhelm you with photos.  I realized in November that I was not going to make my yearly goals. Not all of them, anyway. I only have 7 pairs of socks done, there is no way I’m going to knit 5 pairs of socks in the next two weeks. I might be able to crank out two pair, maybe, but I doubt it. I’ll be lucky to get one more done, especially since we are travelling over the holidays.

The realization made me feel a bit…pathetic. Until I realized that my hobby is knitting, and if I don’t reach my goals, that’s ok. I tried. I got sidetracked. I did double the amount of FO’s this year, so I guess that’s a pretty good achievement.

This post will be Hats! I am going to start with the most recently finished and go back till July. Hold on to your hats!

This is Star Crossed Slouchy Beret  made in Cascade 220 Paints. I like the subtle variegation with the meandering cables. The outcome, I think, is fun and not at all busy.

Isn’t the color scrumptious? I added a few extra rows to make this a slouchy hat, not a beret. It might look better with some blocking, but I think it turned out lovely.

The next hat I made was my daughter’s hat. She “needed” a new hat. I said yes, and she picked the pattern and the yarn. Which turned out to be Neon green. She really wanted a neon yellow stripe, but I refused. I had visions of my going blind knitting with such bright colors!

I really like the brim, it’s unique. I added a skull button that she wanted. Cute, no?

We love the slouchy hats here!

The next few hats were not part of my yearly goal. My Dad’s girlfriend had a birthday right before Thanksgiving. I discovered she liked frogs when we went to Jo-ann’s to get some yarn for a hat I was going to make my Dad.

This is the Big Man Hat. Acrylic yarn, went down a needle size. Quick and easy.

Melissa’s hat for her birthday, the Official Kittyville Hat that I added beaded frog eyes too. Thankfully, she knew what it was supposed to be right away! It helps that I knit it in green.

Around the same time, I was getting tired of trying to knit my goals. I needed a quick FO, and crochet is always the answer. I made this hat:

I used a few patterns and mashed them together. I used LIon Brand Hometown yarn in this retro color combo. A pompom added to the fun. This hat is so cozy and warm, and so fun! I must say that I really like the brim, it folds down in case I’m ever in a snowstorm so I can see!

The Cabled hat was actually part of my queue and goals for 2012. I used Wool and this thing went pretty quick.  There’s a brim on the inside, making this extra warm. I gave this to Melissa as well, since she had a hat that was too small and very ugly. I told her to burn it! And I hope she did!

What I really like about this hat is the amount of cables hides any mistakes. You’re looking at one right now, and don’t even know it (hopefully!).  I’m a perfectionist, but tinking back was daunting. I now have a one of a kind, unique project!

So these next few were from summer, from my queue. Minty was a fun and quick knit, and I adore the color combo. It is so slouchy and cute! I used Malabrigo, so it’s extra soft!

I like the gathers and the icord. It adds so much to the hat!

The top is very neat, too. I think this is one of my favorite hats that I’ve made. I might do another in a different colorway, maybe pink?

This hat is Swirly, made from Borocco Remix, a cotton yarn. I liked it at the time, but since then it has gotten very floppy and loose. I can’t say I’m in love with it, but it does count towards my goal.

 

So, that’s my hats! Next up is mittens and fingerless gloves.

Catching Up

I've been busy knitting like a crazy woman! Only to complete my goals. No Christmas knitting this year. I did a bad job of planning. I got waaaay behind in my goals, so now I'm rushing around trying to catch up!

I do have my hats completed though, and only two pairs of fingerless mitts to make my goal there. I am working on cowl number 11, and number 12 will be an easy TV knitting project. The only goal I will not meet is my sock goal. I think, if I try hard enough, I may get 8 pairs done. I have two OTN's and may try to get another done before the first of the year. I don't know, that might be wishful thinking.

I am going to show what I have made in several posts so I don't overwhelm you with photos. I will do a few at a time, and that makes it easier for me, too. I need to get some FO pics and update my Ravelry project page too.

So no photos today, just a quick update. I am setting a blogging goal for 2013 to try and blog weekly. We'll see how that goes! That means 56 posts with photos. I think I can do it! I'm also considering my knitting goals for the upcoming year. I'm not sure what I want to do yet, but I do know that I need to make goals or nothing gets done.  I'm thinking maybe 2013 might be the year of the shawl. I want to get into some lace knitting, and I think I will knit for Christmas early. Maybe a few sweaters for the kids. We'll see, I still have a few weeks to hammer it out.

Until then, happy knitting!

FO Pics!

It seems like I haven't been around lately. But I have been busy busy busy. You'd think camping would give you lots of time to knit.  Surprisingly I haven't had as much time as I first thought I would. I packed so many projects that I wanted (and thought) I would get done, and I'm behind on my monthly goals. Go figure!
My last post was in May, a quickie post. So let's see what I've been up to since then.
I made three cowls: Prickle, Peach Petal, and Owl Cowl. I made a pair of Fingerless gloves: Owlings. I also made 2 pair of socks: Socks of Kindness and Gull Wings. I am still behind in my socks goals, but I will catch up with the other goals I have set. I just need to buckle down and knit!

These are my Gull Wing socks made with KP Imagination in the colorway Castle Walls. This was very quick and fun to knit, the repeats were easily memorized. I made this during the heat wave and at one point, thought I was felting the yarn just by knitting it!

The Owl Cowl. I love how this turned out, and I think it was a one day project. I used Malabrigo. the buttons I got from Wal-Mart and I think they complement the design nicely.

Owlings. These mitts were fast and fun and easy to make. I only added buttons to one "owl" on each mitt since I didn't have enough, but I like how it looks. The yarn is Malabrigo in a yummy Pumpkin colorway. The pics don't do it justice!

This is Prickle, a mobius reversible cowl. I tried 3 different yarns before settling on Malabrigo (again!!!). It went fast once I got the right yarn for the pattern. The edging took forever, but it turned out nice. I used most of a skein of yarn.

Finally, my Socks of Kindness made from Lang Jawoll Bambus.  I didn't really like the yarn, but the pattern was fairly easy. I did an extra repeat on the cuff, so it's pretty long. I like how it turned out.

As you can see, I've been busy knitting, just not blogging. Knitting has been keeping me occupied in the hot days. We don't watch TV anymore, so sometimes it's hard to knit (I like to knit while I watch TV) but I still manage. 
I'm glad it's cooling off a bit. We had a heat wave last week that was killer. It rained a few days ago, and today it's been very  nice with a brisk breeze and lower temps (and humidity! the humidity leaves you feeling like a wet rag at the end of the day). I hope to get caught up on my current goals so I can start on some of my other projects and get some more of my queue pared down.

Crazy Crazy!!!

 This was supposed to be posted in late May, but somehow it didn't make it. I'll publish it now and update my blog soon!



I can't wait until I can settle down and get life back in order!
I haven't had much time to knit the last month. We took a long vacation to Disney in April and we are moving in May. Right before our big move, I'm visiting Northern British Columbia for a few days. I know the timing is not good, but it is a rare chance and I had to take it!
Once June rolls around, I'll get back to knitting and back to blogging more regularly. I hope to have tons of projects done. I'll have a lot of time to knit when I'm all relaxed and  camping. At least I won't be so busy!
See you soon!

Bittersweet goodbyes

It's that time again. It's been nearly two years, so I guess it's time to move again. I don't know why we do this, but so far that has been the pattern.
We are moving at the end of the month, close to my hometown. For now, it will be a summer adventure of camping. I'm not sure of our exact destination yet, which is scary, but I see lots of fun this summer for sure!
I just discovered a new LYS. I'm bummed since I'm leaving so soon, I wish I would have found it sooner. The customer service there was outstanding. It is what a LYS should be. Knowledgeable, fun, and informative. I discovered some new inexpensive yarns and even some new brands I wouldn't be averse to trying. Since I'm shelling out my hard earned money, I want to make sure I like the yarn and will enjoy working with it. 
Anyway, if you're in Central New York, near Syracuse or Utica, I suggest visiting Pleasantries Yarn. It's tucked in Clinton, NY, a very cool college town with quaint shops and gorgeous scenery. Really, you'll be glad you did!

So I'm finally starting on my cowl for April. It's funny to think I could have gotten all my knitting goals done while visiting Disney for ten days including a two day drive (each way!). I did get some knitting done in the car, which helped some, but I only finished one project in April. I caught up pretty quickly, though.
I finished my mitts, hat, and socks for April. I'm still working on Prickle, my cowl for the month. Prickle is a mobius loop, so I did  learn a new technique. I tried doing it on a shorter needle and the results were hilarious! So when you do make a mobius loop, make sure you have a looong cord- at least 40 inches! I had to order a needle and cable from KP, so that took a while. My first attempt was to make the cowl using a sport weight- Madeline Tosh Pashmina. I love the yarn, but it was too light and airy for what I wanted. I went to the yarn store and discovered Remix by Borrocco, which is a cotton yarn. I tend to turn my nose up at cotton since my experience with it is limited to mostly dishcloth cotton. This cotton is way different and soft!  Working on this cowl is so much fun!

Here are some of my FO's.

 I made these last year! I saw this pattern and fell in love with them! The Mystery Monkey socks were fun to knit and I like how they mock the socks that make Monkeys! (Please ignore the dirty socks, I wore them!)

This is the Opie Hat, based on a character from Sons of Anarchy. I actually queued this before I ever saw SOA (I'm a diehard fan, BTW) and just got around to making this. I don't like knitting all that ribbing in sock yarn, but it turned out nice! I think I might try it with the suggested yarn to see how soft it is.

These are my April Mitts: Can-Cans. It's a cabled pattern without using a cable needle. I really liked working on these and they worked up quickly. The only problem I had is the size of them. As written, they fit my very slender 9 yr old nicely. I'm going to make these in a pink yarn for myself using a larger needle and adding another cable repeat.
If you want to see more details, please visit my Ravelry page with links to the actual patterns.  I'll be back soon with more pics of FO's!

April...

Has come and gone, and barely a word from me. I'm still knitting!!
I didn't make my goals this month. I finished one project out of 4. I cast on 3 projects, and didn't even start one. Why? I went to DisneyWorld for two weeks! Yay!! And if you've ever been to Disney, you know there is hardly any time for knitting.
I did get to work on my hat some during the long 20+ hour drive. Of course, knitting only takes place during daylight hours, so that limited my time. And I  am one that likes to watch the road. Plus, knitting in the car makes me tired. On the way back I worked on my socks and got a lot of rows done, but I took a lot of naps, too.
I finished my Opie Hat, knit in sockweight yarn. I like the hat, but I think if I were to make this hat again, I'd go WW instead of sockweight. It took all month, weeks of TV watching. It was pretty mindless, if you consider 2x2 ribbing mindless. 
I still have to finish the foot of sock 2, and that won't take too long. I cast on for my mitts on the 30th, so that counts as April cast on, right? I tried to cast on for my cowl, but it's a Mobieus loop and I need a different needle, one longer and maybe a bit more flexible than the one I have. I can't do anything with the stitches once I have them cast on.
So May will be bust as well, but I won't be gone for two weeks. I do have  short trip to BC planned, with a bit of layover time. Maybe I can get some knitting done then. I'm a bit hesitant about planes and knitting needles. Maybe I'll have to get some circs or plastic needles for the trip. I'll post photos of my FO's once I find a willing model. 

Meringue Mittens

As cool as this mitten looks, it was a pain to knit. Well, it wasn't a total pain, since the stitch pattern was easily memorized and went quickly. It was more in the directions. I love a well written pattern, and this was not one of them! The cuff is knit and then turned inside out to knit the rest of the mitt. No where in the directions does it say to fold the cuff up. I guess it should be common sense, but still. I had to send the pattern writer a note asking if I was doing it right, and I was, but the lack of clear direction is frustrating.
The decreasing is not very clear either. I had to pretty much fudge it, and it worked out ok, but it surely wasn't easy. I had a better time on the second mitten since I had some experience with it, but it almost didn't get made. I had to rip back several times just to figure it out.
They turned out fine, if not a bit short. I would knit a few more rows on this to make the fingers longer, but all in all, it looks very cool!   (Link to Rav pattern)

 My daughter is the model, and they are a bit loose on her. I used Sensations Kashmira yarn and  size 3 needle. I finished the second mitten in two days, so this really is a quick knit! The pattern does not extend to the palm, though. I love how the ridges are right and left leaning.

I may dye the mittens, but I might just leave them white. I like them!

I am almost done with my socks. They are  not hard, not really. The pattern is very easy. I think it's that my yarn is so thin, they are taking forever! I will have them done by the end of the month, though. Here's a photo of my first sock.

Not a great photo, but I really like how they look and fit. I will post more about them when I get them finished. 
I'm working on a test knit for my friend Vicki over at SimpleKnits. It's a cute crochet scarf! I'll have that done and photos posted of that soon, too.