Tea cozy and slouch hat

These I made for my almost sister-in-law.  The first is a cute tea cozy that has a simple, but pretty, "butterfly" design is what the pattern calls it.  I don't know that I would call it that, but it is pretty anyway.

It doesn't look quite right here, because I didn't have a teapot to put it on, but it fit her teapot perfectly.

She also got a slouch hat for Christmas.  She had gotten one from her family the night before, but mine was homemade, so I claim better hat!  Ha!

Best or not, I was really pleased with how it turned out.  I wasn't sure how the variegated yarn was going to look with this particular pattern.  But I think it actually worked quite well - better than I had expected.  It fit her well, and the pattern and the yarn colors ended up making this a really cute hat.  Can't complain about that!

More gifts

I made some absolutely fabulous mittens for a good friend of mine this Christmas, too!  She kept asking me after I gave them to her how I had broken into her house, found her asleep, and measured her hands because they fit so well.  Felt really cool to have her say those things, though, naturally, I had done none of them.

The pattern was pretty close, but I did add a couple of rows because I know how tightly I knit. I also knit these via magic loop rather than on DPNs - it is quicker and my fingers hurt less afterwards.  Because I knit so tightly, DPNs often hurt my fingers after a few rounds because I have to push the stitches around so much.

 As it was they turned out as well as I could have possibly hoped.  Plus, the color is fabulous!

They are 100% wool, I used Malabrigo's Rasta yarn, so the downside is not being able to wash them easily.  But they turned out really well and are very, super warm.  So I was, and am, thrilled with how they worked up and turned out!

I can't do just one project at a time!

So, here is the progress I have made so far on my socks.

Admittedly not very far along.  This portion has been very easy, though the tiny needles still vex me sometimes.  I am just doing a simple pattern - I figured learning sock techniques was enough without mixing in a fancy pattern.  So far they seem nice and stretchy - I am looking forward to getting one done.

Part of the reason I have not worked on them much is because I have been working on hats for my niece, as well as Christmas presents for various family members.  And some fingerless gloves that a friend asked me to make for her.  It was actually one of my very first projects a year ago, and I am finally getting to the second glove.

Both still need thumbs added, but I feel good in getting this pair worked on and, hopefully, completed soon.  

I am still working on whittling down my yarn stash, too.  Though I did buy some sock yarn for the socks, the gloves are yarn I have had for a year, and the couple of baby hats that I have been making are all from things I have had for a while.  So, that is making me rather happy, too.  Feeling like I am cleaning up my home while at the same time making fun and cute things that people will wear is a feeling that I like.  I didn't get a picture of the hat that I made for my niece this weekend.  I had to tear it out 3 times on Sunday and I finally finished it yesterday when I had free time again.  I think I just crochet too tightly - meaning that patterns written for normal crocheters don't fully apply to me, so I end up adding extra rows.  But, I learned that lesson well this weekend, so hopefully I can just begin adding rows sooner and making sure to measure circumference so that I don't have to rip out hats three times!  Measure twice and crochet once?  Something like that.

Socks!

So, I have taken the plunge.

I haven't really seen a cause to knit my own socks.  I don't wear socks that often and I don't have a thing for cute socks, so I just never saw a need.  However, while shopping at the Loopy Ewe a couple of weeks ago, I had purchased enough this year to make the Loopy Groupy minimum and I got a free skein of sock yarn.  So I went to Hobby Lobby to pick up a cheap set of needles and while there they had some sock yarn 50% off, so I grabbed some.

All of that to say I have started my first pair of socks. And that I plan to do at least a couple of pairs of socks. I have settled on a very simple pattern of k3p1 just so I can get the hang of making heels, turning the work for the shift from leg to foot and doing toes.  I have some other much cuter patterns that I want to try, too, but I figured I would start simple so that if, and when, I do mess up those new pieces that I haven't ever tried before, the sock will still, hopefully, look ok.

I know that socks are the staple item to knit for some knitters out there.  It isn't so much that I have had anything against making them, but I do insist on making items that I am going to wear.  I know some people who have made tens of shawls but they never wear shawls.  Though I understand the fun of making something like that, I just can't bring myself to make lots of something and spend hours of time making things that I or someone I know is not likely to ever use.  However, the new job has me on my feet for 10+ hours a day, and come winter time I understand that it can get rather cold in our building.  So, aside from the yarn being on sale or free for these, I also think that I might have cause to use them this coming winter.  The pair that I am starting with is a variegated super wash wool with some polyamid, hopefully meaning that I can wash these when they are finished without a problem.  I will take a picture as soon as I get a couple more rows done so that you can see the color.  I only have two rows finished at this point, so you can't really see much coloring yet.  I will get working on it!

Magic looping

I am continuing with my magic loop project.  I am making this (and I can make a plug for a fellow blogger) http://100percentmadebyme.blogspot.com/2012/12/ballet-shrug-free-pattern.html.  I am going to have to modify the sleeves some because my wrist is certainly not the same width as my upper arm.  Even with the stretchyness of stockinette, I am quite sure I will need more room, so I will be doing some increases as I get farther along.

Part of what I love about magic loop now, given that I have to figure out where and when to put in increases is the fact that I can put the piece onto the long cable and try it on easier, by far, than I ever could with DPNs.  So that part is really nice.  I know I wont lose stitches and I can get the item to fit me exactly how I want it to without having to guess.

I admit, there is a learning curve.  It isn't so much that it is difficult to use magic loop, I just have to remember where I am in the work and where I need to move the active stitches so that I am not just going back and forth over the same side.  Basically I just have to pay attention to what I am doing and where my yarn is coming from.  It is not difficult, I just have to pay attention.  Getting the yarn where I want it after moving my stitches is also a trick that I am still working on.

Overall I like the technique.  I think once I get used to working with it I wont have many long-term difficulties.  As long as I am paying attention to what and where I am knitting it is turning out great so far!

I really enjoy learning new techniques, especially when they work!  I will have to work on thumb gussets more, since they didn't turn out how I wanted.  But this, so far, is going really well for me!  I will get a picture up of this, but it will probably be after the weekend.  Family stuff going on that will keep me super busy!