Oh Shknit!

I have started three sweaters/cardigans in the last few months.  THREE.  And they are all sitting there unfinished, with no plans on finishing.  So today I am going to face reality and rip them all out.

With the lack of time I have for knitting, I really have been sticking with smaller projects.  I made my mother a pair of armwarmers.  I am working on the 2nd of my sons armwarmers and should be done with them today.  And I have been knitting little mittens for my mother’s little Christmas tree like CRAZY with bits of sock yarn, and crochet cotton.  They are so easy and cute.

These are the Cafe au Lait armwarmers from Ravelry.  Great pattern, quick knit, and the FO was definitely appreciated by the recipient.

There will be no more baby knitting.  I just don’t have it in me to do it.  I am am looking for a good sweater pattern to make one for my son…all the patterns that I like seem to use size 4-ish needles and I need something more like 7 or 8 US needles for the yarn I have in mind.

I have been spending more time lately reading knitting blogs and looking at patterns on Ravelry and listening to knitting podcasts.  Usually between those 3 things I get super-inspired, but it just isn’t happening these days.

I just checked out the new Twist Collective and I am in LOVE.  There are several sweaters I want to make.  I am going to wait until the baby is born and I get rid of some of this weight.  Not only do I just not want to knit ginormous sweaters, but the yarn can go a lot further if I just wait a bit and knit when I’m smaller.  So not only health-wise is the whole losing weight thing a positive, but also it’s a bit easier on the pocketbook.

I have just been so restless and frustrated lately with everything I seem to touch.  So smaller projects that it doesn’t matter if they get ripped, if any projects at all.  Hopefully this will pass when my life is a little less hectic.  I know this is all in my head but I can’t seem to get rid of it.  Time will hopefully help.

I just finished my first sock. It’s for mom, and I think I am going to have a hard time giving them up. The colors are TOTALLY not me, and totally mom, but I LOVE the fit! Now I know what the obsession with socks is about! So I’m working on the 2nd sock, and then I’m gonna make some for JD, then some for me. LOVE LOVE!!! I have enough sock yarn to make about 5-6 pairs of socks…so I am definitely on the lookout for some more good deals. I heart thrift stores! With JimmyBeansWool right down the street from me, it’s oh-so-tempting to just go in there and buy some of the beautiful yarn I have never worked with but hear about in blogland on a daily basis. For right now I will just have to stick to being thrifty!

So, here are the pics. Just a couple of them taken outside, taking advantage of the BEEEEEE-utiful weather we are having today.

Made with Lion Brand Magic Stripes in the crackhead colorway. Seriously? It’s the Jelly Bean colorway. I used size 3 needles and the Sensational Knitted Socks book that I completely adore. I wanted something reeeaaally simple, so I did the garter stitch rib pattern.

I have not gotten grafting the toe down, even though I tore it out and redid it on this sock about 7 times. It definitely is way better than the original try though. I figure it’s one of those practice-makes-perfect things. I was very proud of how the heel turned out, though. Perfect size, perfect fit, no huge gaps like my last attempt at socks that met the frogpond. I hadn’t yet weaved in the ends, just stuck them in the sock…that’s the funny little loopy on the side view on the ankle of the sock. I was so proud I just tried it on, grabbed the camera, and hopped outside to take a pic!

Update on Christmas knitting. I completed not Branching Out for mom, but another more simple lace scarf. I figured it would be better to finish something that wouldn’t take me forever because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, as opposed to having to give her an IOU come Christmas because I have so much other knitting to do!

Mom’s Scarf:

Made out of 1 skein of Joann’s Sensations Bellezza Collection Stellina Yarn. It was actually a pleasant yarn to knit with. It has a nice sheen to it because it has a shiny bit wound into the yarn. Pattern here.

Dad’s Beanie:

This is made out of the Telemark by Knitpick’s in Charcoal Heather. I have one of the fingerless mits done also, but am not going to post that until I’m done with both. This was done on US4’s, my own pattern. Just a simple ribbed brim beanie with basic decreasing. The top of said beanie, modelled once again by baby boy’s red monkey:

And last but not least, a buttload of washcloths. And yes, that’s my technical term! I have more but have yet to dig them out from their hiding place, and I think I still have to weave their ends in. I am 4 rows away from completing another one that is white and rose. Like it a lot. I have yet to get tired of this pattern! It always keeps me occupied.

Now to go post all of these same pics at the Holiday KAL CAL!

Well, I not only finished the one I had started on last week, but I have another one done, and another one on the needles. I have decided I am going to make these for Christmas gifts. They are fast, easy, and completely affordable for a broke girl like me. The one I have on the needles right now is Peaches and Cream Peppermint, red and white variegated (what else)? I wanted to try one with just one color/colorway to see how that looked too.

Anyways, this weekend mom is going to come over and help me dye yarn for her Christmas present. She doesn’t know that’s what we are dyeing it for, but shhh, she doesn’t need to know that. I am taking this yarn, measuring it out, and using some grape kool-aid to dye it a sort of muted, dark purple. She isn’t much of a beige chick, and she likes purple a lot. I am going to knit her Branching Out. I will be starting on that as soon as I get it dyed, washed, dried, and reskeined. I got that HUGE cone of yarn for $3.99 at a thrift store. So this gift is going to literally cost me pennies to make! Yay!