I can make mittens!

...fingerless ones, but mittens non the less. I'm dead chuffed with myself because they look exactly like they're supposed to!! Yey for me!

Christmas knitting - revised priority list

I've been trying to stop myself aimlessly browsing the web (ravelry) and actually get some knitting done! Because of this, I am actually making some progress. It's taken me a while to work out what to make for some gifts but things are finally coming together. This is my new priority list and progress so far (more for me than for anyone reading this...)

1. Cable comfort throw. I got a call from Yarn last week to say that the rest of the yarn I needed had finally arrived. I got straight to work and have finished a second strip, just one more to go! Although...I have, due to my scrappy notes and a lack of checking) managed to make the two I've already done different lengths (d'oh) so am trying to decide whether I'm going to frog a bit of one, or add extra to the other. I'll decide when the third strip is at the critical point - I'm sure this will help me to see the potential size finished throw, and whether or not it needs the extra length. [60% done]
   
   
2. Sweater bag. Christmas gift for one of my nieces. It's coming along nicely and I'm enjoying the pattern and the Cashmerino yarn I'm using for it. The size 6.5mm needles are getting a little tiresome, but mainly because I have a few projects on the go on that size. Not sure how that happened. [25% done]
   
   
3. You Don't Know Our Women Hat and Cabled Fingerless Mitts for my other niece. I ummed and arred about making a bag, but couldn't find anything I thought she'd like. I've decided on a safe bet for now and will make something more interesting for her in the future (and I'm better at knitting). The hat's done! Only took a few evenings to do, and I'm about to make a start on the mitts). [30% done]
   
   
4. Skull Illusion Scarf [x2] and matching hats (not found suitable pattern yet, may improvise). I saw the skull illusion scarf and knew instantly I had to make it!! We've decided to give my boyfriends kids their hats for Christmas, together with the matching scarf. I really can't wait to see these develop. I'll have to get the yarn sorted out first though. [0% done]
5. Santa hat. I want to make myself a santa hat for Christmas morning. Hopefully this will be a quick knit, but if I don't get time for it, so be it.
6. Three Pay It Forward (PIF) gifts. I have one PIFer, need two more! I have lots of ideas, and an itch to get going, but I'm not going to make a start until Christmas is over.
   
7. My poncho has been relegated all the way down here. I pick it up now and then. It'll get there.

There are sooooo many other things I want to make too! (...and sooo many things to finish that aren't on that list).Ravelry has not helped, it just fills my head to bursting point with new idea's and favourite patterns. It seems to be taking me forever to finish things! ...although, that said, I'm really chuffed with the progress I've made - both finished item-wise, and knitting technique-wise.

Gifts

One for someone else...



(rubbish picture I know, but it was dark and the batteries ran out on my camera before I got a half decent shot). Pink girlie hat and leg warmers, all finally finished, wrapped and on their way!

...and one for me (with love from me), felt thimbles from a seller on Etsy...



My pointy Denise circulars were proving to be a little hard on the finger tips (or I have a rubbish knitting technique...). These are fab though and do the trick nicely.

Finished: Pink girlie leg warmers

I'm so pleased to have these finished...I've not enjoyed knitting on dpns, at least not 6.5mm ones. I frogged my initial attempt, then started again but didn't get very far. Not getting on with them and getting them out of the way was making me feel really bad! I finally picked them up again a few days ago and made myself work on them, which wasn't really *that* bad, and they were really quick to knit so soon finished them.



Now that they're done I'm really chuffed with them! They're really cute and go so well with the hat. I hope they're the right size as it was another case of me making the pattern up as I went along and hoping for the best!

I just need to wrap them up in pink girlie tissue paper and send them off...then hope to hear how well they fit... :o/

One third done

I just cast off the first of three chunky cable strips which will make my take on the cable comfort throw. The index finger of my right hand hates me and wants me to stop (one of my joints is swollen) where as I'm itching to cast on the next one! I shouldn't really as I only have a two half balls of yarn, with more on order - but no promise of getting the same dye lot. It would make things less obvious if I wait and do the other two strips in the new yarn, rather than having to change mid-strip. But how different could the colours possibly be? I have a feeling I may just have to start and just hope for the best. Alternatively, I could pick up one of my other WIPs... or even give myself a break!

Drop everything!

I suddenly have a new priority. My boyfriends Mam will be 80 next month...80!?! We obviously need to get her something extra special, but she is soooo hard to buy for! I decided that the best thing to do was to make her something, so after lots of thinking (she's hard to make something for too!) and some help from the Ravelry forum, I've decided to make her a modified version of this Cable Comfort Throw (Ravelry link). I'm going to make it smaller and a bit chunkier.

This is quite a big project and I'm a bit concerned that I'm not going to get it finished but I'm going to give it a try. I'm also a bit concerned because my arthritis has been playing up and I'm not sure how much knitting I can do - I hope it's just the change in the weather setting me off and everything will calm down soon.

Keen to get started I went out to buy yarn for it today (I would have bought online but the post strike means that waiting for it to arrive would cut too far into my knitting time). I went to Yarn in Beeston, Nottingham, as I thought I'd prefer to support my LYS rather than Hobbycraft for such a big purchase. I've only been there once before (last weekend in fact) in the hunt for 6.5mm dpns, but they didn't have any (had to buy online in the end). The lady who served me was lovely and really helpful. I had no idea what yarn would be best - just needed something in white or cream, machine washable and CHUNKY. After much yarn pondering and fondling we decided that Patons Symphony would do the trick if I doubled it up. I've been working on a test piece to workout needle size, I started out on 15mm needles but changed to 12mm which are working out fairly well.



I only have 5 balls as that's all they had, but they have ordered me some more. It's enough to be going on with.

At least I have another finished object! Yey! My green scarf is finished. I love quick chunky knits. I am wondering if I'm going to keep them though - they might end up as a birthday present for my sister-in-law...



That priority list I made needs to be updated, it's not exactly going to plan! :o)

Instructions I like no. 1

I'm not always that keen on how normal cast off looks - particularly for things like scarves where they don't become a seam. So...I've just finished my green scarf and needed a different method. I, of course, Googled and found these fab instructions:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/FEATsum06TT.html

I used the Elizabeth Zimmermann's sewn bind off and I just want to make a note here so I know where I found it and don't loose it.

My scarf is finished, I just need to finish the ends. I need a better method of this too as my ends keep poking back through my knitting :o(

Pay It Forward

Would you like me to make you a handmade gift? Yes? Then read on...

I'm taking part in the Pay it Forward exchange, I signed up via Sarah's All Fingers and Thumbs blog. It's a lovely idea and I'm really excited to be taking part. The concept is simple:

"It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

So, leave a comment, receive a gift, pay it forwards. Simple!

I'm not sure what I'm going to make yet. It may be knitted, they may not. I've got a few idea's in mind but it will depend upon who signs up!