Planning for the future

Well, sort of. I plan to knit a lace weight stole in February, so have been trying to get some other things out of the way. So I signed up for the lace weight knit-a-long, then I go ahead and organize a hat KAL, and join a mitt KAL for February as well. I must be insane. So in the meantime, I cleaned up any open claims/mailing I had in Karma Yarn Swap, those are all out, I think. one of them was a needle roll, with a side trade for a crochet hook roll, she wanted the hello kitty fabric that I had to hunt down and buy the last of last month, before the store went out of business.



I think the crochet hook roll came out rather well.

I also tried to knock out a couple chemo caps in honor of a rav friend who underwent treatment for breast cancer this past week,

here those are.


the second one is modeled both by me (in the mirror) and by Isabelle, who can wear anything and make it look good.



I also did a test knit for Snapper, some lovely cabled mitts, you can find her blog in my blog roll


I sent the cute pink mitts to my friend who underwent surgery. I figured she could use them when she starts Chemo.

I also sent her this pink elephant that I knit for no good reason.


Madeline, my oldest did the embroidery.


Ok, now I am going to cheat a little and cast on for my hat, and see how much I can get done on that, as I can't cast on for the stole until Monday.

How do you detox?

I usually knit. Yes, even if it's detoxing from knitting, I will just knit something else. so it is no wonder I have about 5 or 6 or more projects going at once.

I have plans to make a shawl for my mom, probably for her birthday. And after seeing the last lace item (a lace worsted weight scarf) tied in a knot at christmas, I decided to include a shawl pin with the shawl.

I have been looking for a decently priced shawl pin, and haven't found one that I want to pay the asking price, for my mother (she doesn't appreciate some of these things the way I do). I did find one in someone's etsy store. I decided I was just as capable, and could make the same pin... here it is


It's probably not quite as cute as the original... do you want to see the original? Not quite the same but close.

I also tried to make one for me, but I broke it while attempting to attach the beads.


I think I will have to go back and get another pin and continue on where I left off.

However I did salvage some of my efforts into stitch markers.


I really like them. I think I will either keep them, or maybe if I get involved in a st. patrick's day stash swap.... they may go towards that.

Little crochet Hershey's kiss.

My daughter wants to publish a pattern, so I am trying to help her out.

She made up this pattern for a little crochet Hershey's Kiss. I will try my best to copy the instructions she has written down.



I will assume that each row is ended by putting a slip stitch in the first stitch from the previous round, and that you then do a single crochet and do the first stitch in the same stitch as joining. (if this is incorrect, I will delete this after talking to my daughter)

I also believe that this is written for worsted weight yarn with a G hook. I don't think gauge is important, Any size yarn and corresponding hook would probably work.

12 hdc in magic ring
Round 1: (sc in 2 stitches, decrease over the next two stitches)prepeat 2 more times (9 stitches remaining)
Round 2: (sc in 1 stitch, decrease over next 2 stitches) repeat 2 more times (6 stitches remaining)
Round 3: (decrease over 2 stitches) repeat 2 more times (3 stitches remaining)
round 4: Slip stitch in 2nd stitch. Finish off.

weave in bottom string, leave top string out.

Other Stuff i finished recently....

I made about four of these:


very cute little turtle. I gave all of them away. All my girls want one now, but I need to make them in different colors of course, so everyone knows who's is whose.

I made Madeline a new hat, because her first one got felted. (grrr!)


very cute design. While making this, I decided that since we have Luke's family for Christmas next year, maybe I would make everyone a hat. I hope it's cold enough for hats in Carbondale. Now to find hats for 6 kids that ranging from 13 to 2, and only two girls among them (the 13, and a 7 year old I think).

I finished these for my friend Debi in California... I am sure she thinks I forgot all about her.

I didn't get them done in time for Christmas....

I did get these done in time for Christmas, for my cousin (either Hal or I had her for our family exchange)



The modifications being a covered pinky because she rides horses, and for some reason that was important.

This was for my dad (one of us had him as well)


I made him a project bag, a double pointed needle roll, and a sock monkey tape measure. He also got one of the Cthulhu.

I got the pattern for the sock monkey tape measure from a Secret Santa Swap, here is what I got, isn't it great!

yarn, a pattern, some knit picks cable needles, chocolate (which I just finished yesterday), some tea, and a cute lacy scarf that I wore to church on Sunday.


I also got a package from the bag swap in December, here that is:\

a lovely felted bag, with a purse organizer that matches the lining in the purse, some chocolates, a book on cd, some needles and some yarn. yay!

This is the bag I sent. It had a bag of Mint m&m's, stitch markers and a skein of matching yarn.



I think I need to send her a little something extra....

I have started a few more projects for good or bad, but I won't post pictures of them yet, as this post was so picture heavy.

Knitting goals

I have started one of my goals for the new year. I wanted to make grab bag projects out of some of my stash. It was a suggestion in the Fingerless Glove Fanatics group. Put projects in plain paper bags, the yarn the pattern, etc. then once a month or however often you wish, just grab a bag and surprise, there's your project. I never got around to preparing it for this year, so I did some today. I have 3 lace projects and 4 fingerless glove projects in bags. I have ordered some yarn, and can get some others put together when my order comes. Not that I don't have enough yarn, because I do..... but that's my plan. And I have started it. so yay!

I also want to tame my stash, organize it, catalogue it, protect it from moths or what have you. I haven't done that yet.

It was also my goal this year to learn to make socks. But I did that at the end of last year. so I guess for this year, maybe to make two at a time socks. That would be a new technique for me.

I also want to finish some of my numerous works in progress.... but don't we all.

I finished the year off in socks!

I did some Christmas knitting, I have a few projects that are gifts that I didn't finish, but I plan on doing that soon. I hope.

But me, like a dog with a bone, found a new knitting outlet. I made a pair of socks! I have been wanting to for a while, so when I found out that one of my Ravelry groups was having a sock knit along, I joined. Albeit almost 2 months too late. It had been going on since Nov.1, I joined right before Christmas. I finished these right after Christmas.


I then started another pair. The deadline for the KAL is midnight tonight, and I am very close to finishing another pair. not sure if I will make it though. I still need to feed the family, and take care of the kids.... :D