Happy new year!

Last post of 2006...

<-<-<- Be careful around the fireworks everyone!








I hope 2007 is going to be a good knitting year! I've even thought up some knitting resolutions:

• I will finish seaming my Otis cardigan during January, even though I would much rater knit for Socktopia and the Stranded KAL.
• I will do my very best to knit for the KALs I've signed up for. No slacking tolerated!
• I will knit lovely things for all the babies popping out around me, even though they are plenty!
• I will knit a sweater for DD! A knitters child should not go without
• I WILL GET BETTER AT SWATCHING!

Also, I hope I can get a hang of pattern management, but I won't put that on the list. As I know I probably won't get there.

Wishing all my readers (I hope I have some) a very happy new year!

He said I could do it...

CIMG2079
Originally uploaded by G_u_r_o.

I started these socks 23 Dec, having an on and off for a few weeks project in mind. At a family party 25 Dec hubby told the recipient, his brother, that they would surely be ready for New Years Eve. Well, I just had to put other knits to the side and concentrate on these... And they are done now, with plenty of time to spare. Hubby was right:) I managed to fit in quite a lot of knitting inbetween all the Christmas eating and festivities.
I have not woven in the ends on the toes, as I'm not 100% sure they are big enough. I have a fair bit of yarn left, so I can easily undo the toe and make the foot longer. I'm even thinking of picking up stitches from the cast on edge and do a few more rounds of ribbing. I think BIL once mentioned he likes his socks long.

I really like these socks, although the stripes don't match up as well as I'd hoped. Apparently, no one notices but me.

We all love it!

The blue light special I knit for my brother is done. He really likes it, and the colours suit him wery well too.


The insides of the hat. The floats look a bit long, but they are just right when the hat is worn.

See how happy he is with his new hat, I got a bit hug for it and all:)

(This photo is taken by DD, 4 yrs old. )

For those wondering:

• pattern: Red light special by brooklyntweed. http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2006/12/red-light-special-pattern.html
• yarn: Falk by Dale yarns. I used up nearly the whole ball of the main colour, the others have plenty left over. For the lining I used Cotton Sport by Gjesdal, 3/4 of a ball.
• Needles: 2,5mm addi turbos for the lining, 3,5mm Inox bamboo dpn's.
• Time to knit it: about 4 evenings, the lining took one evening of knitting alone.
• Yes, I'll gladly knit this hat again!

So, now I'm a joiner too

I've joined two knitalongs recently. The first one is The Colorwork Challenge, a knitalong for stranded knitting. The second one is socktopia, a sock knitting KAL.

The Colorwork Challenge is already in progress. I've finished one item for this KAL. It was done late last night, the Red light special hat mentioned earlier in this blog. Awsome pattern and FO, now I just have to take some decent photos and then I'll post more on it.

Socktopia; I'm really looking forward to this! It's not one of those knit-a-sock-from-THIS-pattern KALs. Instead each month has a theme, and as far as I've understood, you're pretty free to come up with your own take on that theme... Kick off for Socktopia is Dec. 31, and it's on for the entire 2007.

Want to join too?

You find the KALs here:

http://strandedcolorwork.blogspot.com/

http://socktopia.net/blog/

Blue light

CIMG1960
Originally uploaded by G_u_r_o.

Two posts in one day. The nearing Christmas combined with absolute lack of proper preparations must be driving me crazy.

I'm knitting this hat for my brother, for his birthday. His birthday was in July *sigh*. It's a free pattern by the now somewhat famous Jared of the Brooklyntweed blog. I very much understand his popularity; his pictures are awsome and his knits are very inspiering. This pattern is really good! Judging from the state the hat is in now, I'll probably make more of these. But I dare not say anyting for certaing until it's finished
Anyway, this hat is for my brother. Good thing I have finally started it, because he called today to inform me that he's coming to visit us on monday. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to finish it by then, if life does not get in the way.
(Brother initially wanted a newsboy cap in camouflage green, but I never found the correct yarn for the pattern I have. This will suit him better I think, the gray goes with his winter coat and the blue with a scarf I've knit for him earlier.)

Thank you Winter Cheer/Spring is here SP!

Two days ago hubby brought a package for me from the post office. My second cheer up from my wonderful Winter Cheer SP, k2togbabe. There were soo many nice things in there. Chocolate coins in a very nice piggy bank chest, Doctor Burts products, sticky things to put under socks, weird bubble gum, lots of tea and two skeins of Lorna's Laces Sheperd Sock in the Wisteria colourway. Also, in the card, she writes that she is going to make and send me a needle case as soon as her sewing machine starts working again. Isn't that awesome? This was my very first SP round and I've had so much fun, both putting together packages for my downstream SP Natasha and being on the receiving end of awesome, kind and generous k2togbabe. As you can see from the pictures, we really really like the Lornas...


There is no doubt I'll join up for more SP rounds in the future!

And someone really, really wanted to get their hands on that bubble gum and those coins...

Mason-Dixon things

I've been doing some knitting from the Mason-Dixon book.



A heartbreakingly cute baby kimono. I really like this pattern! Quick and simple enough that you can adjust the pattern to your own liking. I'm thinking crystal Palace's new Bunny Hop yarn and seed stitch for the next one I'm making.




And sure, I made a Ballband dishcloth too. How could I not?

Working on projects from this book has also made me pick up an oldish WIP too. I'm nearly half done with a log cabin blanket. Very pink, very easy TV-knitting. Very lovely. Must be done by March!