Oh Shknit!

When I saw this pattern on Ravelry, I fell in love with it.  I loved the slouch, loved the lace pattern, just loved it.

Well, when I knit mine up, it didn’t slouch so much, even though I used the largest size.  I have a big head, and lots of hair, so I guess I should have known better.  I couldn’t love this hat more though, than I do.

Project Details:

Pattern:  Pasha

Yarn:  Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Colorway Candied Yam

Modifications:  None!

Thoughts:  I loved this pattern.  The lace repeat was easy to remember, and the yarn was a delight to work with.  This was my first time using the Ultra Alpaca, and I love the tans and browns and slight ‘other’ colors in this colorway, giving it a bit of a rustic feel.  This project was a quicky for me, and I just love it.  I really enjoy the look of the ribbing flowing right into the lace pattern, I think it just adds to the beauty of this hat.

Some more pictures:

I am trying to organize this blog. Categories, tags, etc…making my head spin. I just want to get it figured out because as this blog is around for longer, and more active, the harder it is going to be reorganize. I am planning on doing some research on blogging and how best to organize it. I am a research freak. I like learning and like understanding things, although I do admit to flying by the seat of my pants. I do, on the other hand, realize when I am over my head and will look into things. I did change the layout. Next time the layout changes, it is going to be my own design. I really want to get all the administrative things sorted out before I get the creative part figured out. No point in making it pretty if it doesn’t work right!
I DO have an FO. 2 in 2 months…it’s amazing. I have really tried to knitting more. I have started and ripped several projects, I just feel like a deflated balloon. I got some great knitting mojo, I felt like, and then it seems like everything I tried doing was just bad juju all over the place…a train wreck, really.
I am going over to the folks this weekend with the kiddo, though, and am going to have mom help me measure myself. I have a few sweater’s worth of yarn on it’s way, and I plan on using Big Girl Knits to make my first sweater fit me. I realize that it is a process, and there is lots of learning, but I really feel that I have a good foundation to knit a good sweater for myself with this book. I am looking forward to it.
FO post tomorrow, my mom’s camera is way better than mine so I am going to use her camera tomorrow. All I have to say is that I loooooove it!!

I finished the Gap-tastic Cowl.  I love it.  I used Ironstone Colorchanges yarn, which I had no idea what to ever do with.  But I am sticking with my resolution…using that yarn I have always been afraid to use because I didn’t want to ‘waste’..well wasting is letting it just sit and never be used.

I loved knitting with this, and as much as I abhor seed stitch I actually enjoyed it with this project, because the colors turned out so neat the way they changed as I went.  There were sort of long color changes, so a knit-in-the-round cowl was really a good way to go.  I knitted them on slightly smaller needles but cast on more stitches.  I wish I would have cast on even more stitches, and there will be another cowl in my future, that will be longer.  Probably 5 inches longer, preferably.  It does fit over my head like a hood though, which was my main goal.  I wanted something I could cover my noggin up when my ears felt like they were gonna fall off.

And PICTURES.  Do you believe it?

Excuse the re-re self photos, but I had just cast-off and was doing a happy dance because I actually FINISHED SOMETHING.  Love it.

OK, so I have huge monkey feet (no offense to any monkeys intended).  I had turned the heel on the first Jaywalker and was working on the decreases to continue onto the foot, when I noticed this gaping hole and I could NOT figure out what I had done.  So I took the needles out, ripped it back  or so rows, and decided now was a good time to just try it on for size.  I COULDN’T FIT IT OVER MY FLIPPIN HEEL!  Granted, I am swollen as hell because I am 38 weeks pregnant, so I had my mom try it on because her feet are much closer to my ‘real’ feet size.  She couldn’t either.  I was in love with how they were turning out, too…

So I did look for other Chevron patterns that I could use, but I am going to wait.  I think I am going to get a more solid color sock yarn and just knit something lacey.  It stretches more, and frankly, I have been working on this sock so much lately (for me) I just need a break from this type of pattern.  I was very happy with how it was turning out, so I don’t hate you, oh ripped Jaywalkers, but we must part for a bit of time.

Finished the gloves for bro’s friend…will post pics of that tomorrow, they are going out in the mail and they are outta here!  WOO HOO!  Also need to post pics of the kiddo with his minion, which he has slept with since I made it for him…he loves it.

I also was working on a Grumpasaurus tonight for my son using LB Magic Stripes in black, white and red (his choice), and it turned out looking like poo.  I realized this when I was just about done with his body, so mommy is making an executive decision tomorrow and picking some solid colors for his wee Grumpy dinosaur.

I am the hugest fan of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, and it’s killing me not to watch the episodes from this season, but I have my C-Section scheduled soon and I figured that would be a really good thing to do while I was recooperating from that.  I wasn’t sure how droopy/drugged I would be and wasn’t sure about the knitting, but TV watching I could handle.  If I can knit, great, I will when I’m watching my shows, if not, no biggie I still have something to do.

That’s about it, my so-called life!

My dad had to leave rather unexpectedly to get out of here before the weather went sour, so I haven’t had time to take those pics I promised a couple of days ago.  But today was Johnathan’s first day back at school, so this morning after I dropped him off I took those damn pics and here they are! (I think I would do anything right now just to distract me – having him for 2 weeks and then the house being so quiet is killing me!)

First off, the Gathered Scarf that was a Christmas present for my mom.  I am very happy with how it knit up and it is sooooo soft.  She said it doesn’t itch her neck at all which is the whole point of a soft and squishy scarf!

Lace Gloves.  The thorn in my side right now just because I hate weaving in ends and there are too many for my liking.  Eek.  This is the first time I had used Cascade 150 and I LOOOOOVE it.  I still have quite a bit of it left, not sure what I am going to do with it.

Next up:  Fingerless mitts for my boy.  He loved them.  And they look so freakin cute on him.  I just made it up as I went along…no pattern.  I did a 3 x 1 rib and thumbhole.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy as my son says.

Finally, some dishcloths I gave my mom for Christmas.  She used to knit her own but with her arthritis her paws don’t like to knit so much.  She made the plain ole Grandma’s favorite dishcloth, so I thought I would mix it up a little for her.

That is all for my FO’s.  I have to seam up the first twin sweater, make the 2nd twin sweater…I just haven’t felt up to doing much of anything, this baby is coming soon and I have been pretty uncomfortable.  So small things make me happy right now.

A couple of UFO’s…a minion from Despicable Me at the request of my son, and the Jaywalkers that I FINALLY started that I can’t believe I didn’t start sooner.  I love how easy the stitch pattern is, but this yarn is knitting it up in an interesting pooling pattern.  I usually hate pooling but this is pooling…cool.  At least so far.  And the yarn is some I have never knitted with before and it really is a nice knit, especially with the affordable price range.  We will see how the FO holds up!

I have already gotten another 2 inches or so done on these.  They are going way faster than I would have expected on size 1 needles, but I think it’s because every row is a little hidden surprise for me.  Weeeeee.
Well, that’s it for now.  I started this post this morning and am ending it 10 minutes before TOMORROW morning comes around.  The days are so busy even when I have my ass planted firmly on some seat or other.  Tomorrow I hope to working on some (gag) weaving in ends and more Jaywalkers.  I am going to get googly sew-on eyes for the Minion, and have to do his feet and arms, and then more Jaywalker.  That will be my guilty pleasure for now, I think!

Yes, insert generic title up yonder.

My Christmas was wonderful.  I actually got some yarn from my mother who is constantly riding my ass about not buying more yarn, so that put a huge smile on my face.

I just finished her ruffled scarf this afternoon, so I will post some pics of those tomorrow.  I am on glove 2 for my brother’s friend, and have the index finger, thumb, and weaving in allllll those ends and I can get them off in the mail.  My brother and father both showed up for Christmas and I thought it was going to be a very melancholy holiday for my mother and I.  But it made it a wonderful Christmas.  I told them they could take all my presents back because I had what I wanted – my family together.  I found out the day before my brother was leaving (he only stayed for 3 days!) that he was indeed leaving, so I didn’t get a chance to finish the gloves to send home with him, unfortunately.  But they should be done in time for me mail off on Monday.  Then I only have to finish the 2nd twin sweaters and get those off.  Those who know me know I am a late runner always it seems, so I am hoping that the fact that these are handmade items will lend some forgiveness.

I have been cracking out on getting caught up on Knitmore Girls, and KIPing it Real podcasts.  Every night I listen to them without fail, and when I am cleaning and stuff, they are always playing.  I am thoroughly enjoying both of them.  It took me forever to get caught up on the CogKNITive podcast, and I did get caught up, so I found some others that I really enjoy, and the 2 mentioned above have been my onlies lately.  I am listening to Jackie’s darling voice as we speak, as a matter of fact!

Johnathan’s fingerless mitts were a hit, I have some pics of them and they are so comfy on him, he LOVES them.  So tomorrow, scarf FO, glove UFO update, and fingerless mitt FO pictures.  I hate blogs that don’t post pics, and I am horrible at posting them.  Pot calling the kettle black, much?

Back soon with more updates!  I have some exciting things coming up I hope, and knitting is at the top of that list!

He wants out.  Now.  He is not due for another month.  This has been a rough pregnancy, I am extremely uncomfortable and I am not getting around well these days.  So who knows when he will show up.  Sooner rather than later, I hope though.

I have been continually working on Christmas gifts.  I have abandoned the gloves that I originally was making for my brother’s friend.  They were coming out too small, the yarn just wasn’t working for the project, and I just wasn’t feeling it.  I can’t give away something I have made that I don’t feel 110% proud of.  So I went to plan B, picked up some Cascade 150 in this gorgeous red color (which was his friends first choice anyways), and am making the Lace Panel Gloves from the Vogue Knitting Fall 2009 issue.  I am almost done with the thumb increases and ready to start on the fingers.  This project is giving me much more of the warm and fuzzies.  It is the first time I have knit with this yarn and I ADORE it.  Great stitch definition, not splitty at all, and it just knits up so nicely.  I am excited to try it on another project one of these days when I’m not broke!

I still have to finish the sweater for Marie’s twin #2, and I am making a last minute hat for my son per his request that knits up on US 7’s, so it should be a fast project.  It’s the Batman Hat, and I just went and bought some acrylic for it.  He has several wool hats that I have made him, and I think that this hat is going to be more used to run around the house wearing his ‘Thing’ hands, a scythe, and an Iron Man costume.  Yes, you read right.  His outfit combos CRACK ME UP.

So I have just been knitting away, trying to stay off my feet, and ignore the contractions as much as I can.  That’s about where I am right now!