Fingerless Mitt Kick

My fingerless mitt kick started off with the last of my holiday gifts.  This completes a set with a pair of Rib & Cable socks that also coordinated with the Koigu acid green set I had knit up awhile ago.  Both sets just got gifted this weekend.

yarn: Koigu KPM in Raspberry
pattern: Fine Cabled Mitts by Anne Hanson
needles: size 2.5 (3.00 mm) KP dpns
no mods for the gift

Monkey2 then asked for a pair for herself in a color she picked out.

yarn: Cascade 220 in Magenta
pattern: Girly Mitts (free off of Ravelry)
needles: size 7(4.50 mm) Knit Picks Harmony dpns
mod: extended the ribbing on top to hit higher up the fingers per Monkey2's request

I haven't taken a pic of the full pair, but these are done.  I decided that Monkey1 would get  a pair of fingerless mitts that would match the Owl hat I had knit up awhile ago.  I also decided to practice my Yarn Harlot lever method on this pair since I hadn't done it in awhile.  I expected to be really tight, but maybe due to the larger size of Clover's size 6 dpns, the mitts actually came out a little larger/looser than I anticipated, not that it mattered to Monkey1 or I.  She's still growing & I have large wide hands. 

yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool in Dark Grey Mix
Pattern: Owlings
needles: size 6 (4.25 mm) Clover dpns
no mods

After the January private trunk show of The Plucky Knitter, I decided to wind up the very first skein (& only one up to the trunk show) & knit them into a pair of mitts.  And speaking of my large hands, I had to add quite a bit of length to the pattern as written to have them fit my hand the way I wanted. 

Yarn: The Plucky Knitter MCN sport in Mansfield Park
Pattern: Foxgloves by Clara Parkes (Ravelry link)
needles: size 4 KP Harmony dpns
mods:
- longer ribbed cuff
- longer thumb gusset by doing the increases every 3rd row & added one more set of increases

Last for now, but not least, I had lost one of my burgundy Fetchings & needed a new pair in a similar colorway.  The yarn had been marinating in my stash & I finally felt it was time to knit it.

Yarn: Shibui Knits Merino Alpaca in Mulberry
pattern: Cozy Thermal Mitts (also free off of Ravelry)
needles: size 6 (4.25 mm) Clover dpns
mods:
- tubular 1x1 rib cast on & sewn bind off 'cause I was in the mood to practice

Next up: A few of my long-term projects including a cardigan.  We're going on a family cruise this spring & I'm still trying to figure out what to knitting projects to bring. 

In the new year

Some gifts got made on time during the holiday season & delivered on time:

Hill Country Hat
Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Squirrel Heather
1 extra repeat of pattern

Some gifts got made in time, but not exactly delivered on time, but then that was an address thing:

Scarf to coordinate with the Norwegian Star Hat - motif on the 2 ends only
Knit Picks Swish DK in Coal & Dove Heather
size 8 & 9 KP circs
CO 64 & knit in the round for 60"

Some didn't make it on time & stilll need to get to the giftee:

Baudelaire by Cookie A
Curious Creek Wasonga in Ruby Slippers - special put up of 78 g/360 yds for a Woolgirl kit
size 2.50 mm KP circs
pattern size small - for my cousin

mods:
- Judy's Magic Cast On for the toes
- sl1, k1 on right side of reverse heel flap

Despite that, I somehow have an extra. This'll be for next year:

Burberry Inspired Cowl
Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed in Charcoal
size 10 KP circs
4 repeats

Since it's a fun & quick pattern, I foresee 1-2 more of these for future gifts, maybe in a drapier yarn.

So I'm now onto a little bit of selfish knitting for me.  Though Monkey1 had decided this is now hers:

Wesley
pattern size 2
The Fibre Company Organik in Magma, Desert Canyon & Heather Moorland
no mods

This is definitely for me, though it's in need of blocking:

Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Madelinetosh Pashmina in Tart

size 6 KP circs

pattern size small

mod: Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off

I have quite a bit left over, I may see if I can make the matching Ishbel beret.  

Hope everyone had a nice start to the new year and wishing everyone health & happiness in the upcoming year.

I was killing time

'til I got my test knit assignment, aside from slowly working on birthday brother's cardigan.


pattern: Hermione's Cable & Eyelet Hat
yarn: Paton's Classic Wool in Grey Mix
needle size: 7 KP circs
hat size: adult

Larger needles meant larger row gauge and so only had to do 1 more pattern repeat for the adult size and I also kept the same cast on number. Also replaced the k2tog's in the crown decrease for ssk's like I did with Monkey2's version. I found this suggestion to keep decrease slant the same as the cable crossings cruising through the myriad of finished Hermione hats in Ravelry. I'll have to dig through this list again to figure out who I copied that idea from.


Pattern: Who?
yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool in Dark Grey Mix
needle size: 7 KP circs
hat size: adult

No mods. Still needs to have 1 or 2 pairs of button eyes sewn in.

I knit the hats with no one in mind to give them to and am wondering if I should keep them since I didn't choose a machine-washable yarn. If no one else, the Monkeys can always wear them.


So for awhile, I'll have nothing exciting to show yet 'cept for the BMFA Peru (oops! Thought I had bought BFL. My bad.)in Bleck I'll be using for Samro's test knit.


Oh, and one more thing. I almost forgot this was arriving. From Woolgirl, the Hello Kitty Halloween kit. Jen never fails to delight.

A Roguish Rose

My knitting focus is not as it usually is, but at least I'm back to 1 sock/week roughly.


I managed to get my March Rockin' Sock Club kit the day before I headed to Camp Knitty Haha and get it started at Camp. Unfortunately, I only got to half a repeat of the pattern (1 little rosebud) before I put it down for all the Sock Camp activities and other knitting responsibilities. I even had to rip back once due to using the wrong chart. I hastily copied the pattern & didn't staple them in order.


Once organized at home, the sock flew. And except for a little bit of wonkiness in gauge due to not working on this sock for awhile, it does fit nicely.


Quick deets:
March Rockin' Sock Club Kit
pattern: Rogue Roses by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot)
pattern size: medium
yarn: Socks That Rock medium weight in Gertrude Skein
needle sizes: 2.50 mm KP metal dpns (for the inside of the picot hem) & 2.75 mm KP metal dpns for the rest orf the sock
no mods otherwise


Also completed 'cept for the lack of stylish wardrobe according to Monkey1 is her Knitted Babe. And just like my Monkeys, the Knitted Babe's hair is in need of a haircut and a good styling.

Some deets:
Knitted Babe
yarns:
various shades of Knit Picks Palette for the body & clothes
Patons Classic Wool for the hair
size 2.75 KP circs
eye & mouth felt pieces by Monkey1

Winter Grey

I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season. It's been busy at Chez Nartian so I haven't had a chance to blog, let alone knit.

I was all set on publishing this post during our gray, rainy winter weather to match my color theme but by the time I got around to working on this post, the sun comes out. Figures. Anyway, I was mentally and "officially" done with my gift knitting by Christmas Eve Eve.


Pattern: A Boy Hat x 2
yarn: Knit Picks Swish in Coast Grey - 1 skein each hat
needle size: US 8

I actually finished 2 of these, washed & let them dry in time to give them to one of my guys at work for his 2 boys before the end of last week. I was in such a rush though that I didn't do the obligatory Nartian hat shot of the hats over my Monkeys' eyes.


Felicity
Patons Classic Wool in Black/Noir
size 7 & 9 KP circs
for: my cousin's daughter to replace Le Slouch which went to Monkey1's teacher

However, this hat did not dry in time for Christmas Eve when we saw my cousin. If we don't get a chance to see them again before winter is over, I'll save this for next Christmas.

The following 2 were actually destress from the holiday knitting and not a last minute attempt to have 2 more spare "just-in-case" gifts. But thinking back on it, it probably wasn't a good idea to put size 15 & 17 needles in my hands, even if they were hollow metal alloy.


Seastorm Scarflette
Rowan Big Wool Tuft color #56
size 17 Boyes needles - I think I bought these when I knit up some Ozark Handspun
still in need of a button

This ball of yarn was from my first & only Patternworks end of the year grab bag buy when I was a newbie knitter. This and the ball of Big Wool below were in a bag marked "Cotton." Yeah, it took me 3 years to figure out what the heck to do with these, especially the Tuft.


knit COWL
Rowan Big Wool in Cloak
size 15 KP circs

Now that I'm all done with my gift knitting, I took a quick break and finished some reading. Younger Sis, who curses me for getting her hooked on that vamp series (hah, I wasn't the one with a really long layover at LAX w/nothing to read 'cept what was at the airport magazine store), paid me back by getting me book 3 (something to do with eclipses ;) ) & 4 (I'm not sure how I think about it yet - I spoiled myself on major plot points) as my Christmas gift. I am sometimes too cheap in buying books and was willing to wait 'til May for the paperback version of book 3, but Younger Sis said no way she was waiting that long to finish the series and bought the last 2 in hardcover.

Okay, off to indulge in some major sock knitting. I still have DH's second sock to do (yes, I'm rationalizing that it is not a holiday gift knit), a Merlot Vine Lace sock I started while waiting for DH during one of his obligatory medical tests when you reach a certain age :p, a Digitessa sock (though that Rav group KAL seems to be rather strict on when you do what portion of your socks, not to mention doing them 2-at-a-time - ugh, I don't think so!), my last Rockin Sock Club sock (Muddy Autumn Rainbow - love!), and a Leyburn sock KAL on the Socks that Rawk Rav group. Pics of that stuff in my next post since I'm not sure I can fit them all into this post.