Stitch

Back in November, my husband and I took a daytrip in the Niagara region to stock up on wine, and organic meat for the holidays. We came across this charming yarn shop called Stitch, in the village of Jordan. I'm almost done knitting the wonderful red yarn I bought there: a warm scarf for myself.

Finally!

I have finally finished my sister's blanket, and it's only two months after her actual birthday. Mind you, with the current heat wave we're experiencing, I don't think she's about to use it.

Other projects on the go: a scarf for myself, and a pair of socks for me too. And then the Christmas gifts crunch time.... I'm trying to keep all my knitting last minute ;) really, I'm trying!

Unfinished project...

Well today is my sister's birthday, and her blanket is not finished. It's about 85-90% finished. As I was finding it getting heavier, and painful to knit for more than a couple hours a day, I started knitting baby bonnets. I did about a dozen and gave them to my Mom, as she seems to be invited to baby showers a lot lately (handmade items are still quite appreciated).
I also finished a pair of socks for a Christmas gift. Can you believe it, just seven months until Christmas! Yeah, maybe I should knit more socks or scarves for Christmas.

New projects started

Here's a blanket I started about a month ago for my sister's birthday in late may. It's very similar to Sophie's blanket I finished for Christmas (all cables), but just on a bigger scale. I find that even though I'm using circular needles, it still takes a toll on my shoulders, so I have a secondary project started: A new pair of socks in Berrocco Ultra Alpaca. This new pair of socks will be a Christmas gift for either one of four people with similar size feet.

I love my new shoes!

New socks

Here's a new pair of socks I started while on vacation at my parents about a month ago. It seemed very much needed then: it was very cold and these are made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca. But spring is coming, so I won't need them so much, right? I hope spring is here to stay...
I've started another pair of socks in Berroco Ultra Alpaca. This pair is for a Christmas gift. That's right Christmas! There's only about nine months left!

Waiting for spring to come...

Quick update

Well, Christmas came and went. I managed to complete ten presents out of an expected eighteen. A scarf for DH, socks for both my sister and my niece, hats and scarves for my nephews, and a blanket for Sophie. I also knitted a scarf for a colleague, but gave it to her last month. Here's Sophie and her blankie, and my niece modeling her socks.

I also managed to save a few pair of socks. A few weeks ago, I went for a vacation at my parent's and took three pairs of socks for which I still had yarn. My Mom taught me how to darn them, but I must admit that her method is not quite seamless. At least I get to keep those socks for a bit, or until I knit myself a few more pairs.

Darn!

With the colder weather coming, I decided to go through my sock drawers, and see if anything needs to be thrown out. I found eight pairs that need some degree of darning. No big holes, nothing that's unsalvageable. Here's the kicker: I've never darned socks before. I usually just throw them out and knit a new pair when there's wholes in them. Since my dear Applelaine yarn is hard to find now, I want to hold on to some of those socks. I'll search Youtube for darning techniques videos.... Any suggestions are welcome.

Other projects update: my purple blanket is 90% done, and I've completed eight Christmas gifts out of an expected eighteen.

New projects on the go, and old ones completed

Last post, I had started a scarf for DH as a Christmas present. Here it is, now completed. He really likes the autumn feel of the colours (but by Christmas time he won't remember the scarf and will be totally surprised that I chose the perfect colour for him). It's from Knit Picks' Imagination line and the colour is called Gingerbread House.

I figured that I still have plenty of time before Christmas is here, but I don't want to be caught at the last minute, and end up hurting my shoulder from overknitting (did that last year). So this year I'm starting early and I'm making a list (I'll check it twice for good measures). I'm aiming for eighteen presents, of which I have completed four. I have a pair of socks on the go, and will be knitting a few more.

I've also started a gift for myself: a blanket. I've been wanting a heavy blankie in purplish tones for a while now, and I found a great deal at Zellers last week, so I bought eight pounds of purplish yarn. I've used a smaller needle than recommended, so it will be a tight knit and hopefully warmer that way.

Just a quick post...

Here's more yarn I received for Christmas. It's Berroco's Ultra Alpaca. I've only used it once before (see socks in previous post), but I really like the thickness, and the colours are fantastic. First is "Potting Soil", "Lobster", and "Salt & Pepper".
I'll have to make a knitting list for this Christmas. Having spent four months with my parents, and taking care of my Dad, has make me feel a lot closer to my family. I really want to take the time to knit something for each (immediate) family member this year (and maybe a few more for the little ones). I've already started a scarf for hubby.

New socks for me!

Here's a new pair of socks I finished when I was at my parents. I used Berroco's Ultra Alpaca in Lavender (which was a Christmas gift from hubby). Sophie couldn't resist being part of the picture.

I'll have to do a sock inventory sometime soon, as I seem to have quite a few pairs worn out, or with what seems like the start of holes in them. When I moved in the new house, I cleaned up my stash and I'm not sure if I have yarn to darn them. Oh well, I guess I might have to knit for myself for a change...

Will be back posting shortly

I can't believe it's been a year since I last posted. A lot has happened in that year: a new house, lots of renos, and my father battling (and still battling) heart problems. Of course, during stressful times I knit...and sometimes more than usual. While Dad was at the hospital, I knitted over fifteen baby bonnets which I donated to the maternity unit. I've also knitted socks and mittens as thank you gifts to our family friend that were so caring, thoughtful, and very helpful. I wish I had taken pictures of all of them, but I only took a few.

These mittens were knitted for Dad's friend when he works outside in the cold. I had no patterns for these, so I made them up. I knitted them with Briggs & Little yarn, which will felt a bit after the first wash, and make them really warm. He was quite happy. I also made this other pair which were a little big on him...

Another felting attempt...

After a few unsuccesful felting attemps, I have yet tried it again. This time, I thought I'd try a simple bag. "How badly can you mess that?", I asked myself. So here I am knitting a large rectangle, and a band to use as the strap.

Felt in hot water and a spin in the dryer, and you get this...

a bag with a very long strap.

Is it me, or is felting that unpredictable?

Baby bonnets

One of my husband's colleague gave birth to a little eight pounder named Jamie. Both mother and son are doing great, and trying hard to get into a certain routine. Here are the little bonnets I knitted for him. They're both in Applelaine.