March Madness

All I have to say about the NCAA tournament is GO DRAKE! My dad used to follow Drake back in the day, and who doesn't remember Dolph Polliam from 1-2-3! ... that's how elementary it's 'gonna be...
I've finished a few things lately. The weather is getting better and this might be my last push before the knitting mojo is gone.

These are a nice cotton-y socks for Kristin - I hope they fit. They seem a little small,as I suppose they should be, for my size 10ish foot. They're super soft and made from Comfort - a yarn I now love. They're a basic, top down, 3x1 ribbed sock with nothing fancy. That toe up sock was too much for me. I did use a size 3, 11" circular needle - it was fantastic.
Okay, project number 2 is a baby Giacomo hat for Sarah's friend's brother's baby boy (poor grammar, I'm sure). It was knit up in one night using some left over Falk yarn and a few odd skeins from KnitPicks, Wool of the Andes. It's cute and was simple. I may try a larger version and some baby, thumb-less mittens to match.

Next up a photo of the Inga hat that I finished. I love the colors the pattern and the process (which I'm much better at now having watched a tut on knitting with 2 hands).

Anyway, the only thing I don't like is the fact that the hat is too long, too tall. Next time I'm going to take a few rounds off the bottom for a shorter, better fitting hat. I loved the braid and used it on the very next hat, the Center Square hat from Knitty Winter 2006.

It was a joy, made with double strands of a worsted weight yarn, nothing note worthy. I made it while the rest of the family watched an incredibly long, Pirates of the Caribbean. It's for Cece but unfortunately, it too is a little small. Next time I must remember to add some extra room for that ponytail! Here it is, I incorporated the braid from the Inga hat. It was even shorter before I picked up the cast on stitches and made a short ribbing. I think it needs a pom-pom/pon? but Cece says no.
Next up? More ISU sweaters, but with a different top-down pattern that must be perfected. After that, (in no particular order) Kristin's Pumpkin Sweater,White Witch Mittens, felted clogs/slippers,more hats, those unpaired socks x 2, Christmas stockings x 2, and the Must Have Cardigan. Wow that seems like a tall order - good thing I love to knit.
Thanks for taking the time to check this blog out.
Best
Amy
p.s. after adding that photo of Dolph, I thought, wow - how does Dolph Polliam end up on a mostly-knitting blog. 'Ya never know.

Prell Girl

Here's a better photo of the olive green cardigan that I made for Sarah. Shout out to Jen for the perfect photo!

WIP that Inga hat is so freakin' cool. Anyone need a brown and pink hat. Funny that I sometimes knit something that I love in colors that I love and have absolutely no idea who I'm making it for...hence the offer...anyone need a pink and brown hat?

peace

This N' That

just wanted to share a few photos of FOs. Some from a long time ago, and some fairly new. NO words - just photos, here ya' go.

Knit-Out 2008

I started out on Friday afternoon at Knitted Together in Des Moines, and found a few skeins. Then off to pick up Kristin and my sister Biddy a newer knitter and a great spender! We headed north on Saturday morning in great weather and got to the MALL at about 11:15. We got rock star parking and headed in. We ran into Jenifer and found Susan B. Anderson of Itty Bitty Hat fame all within about 2 minutes. We by-passed the huge lines of people waiting for free fun fur and other wonderful swag. I was more than impressed with how nice, not to mention humble, Susan B. Anderson was. She was just so darn cute. She signed my book, took a photo with me and allowed us to walk with her to another one of the Knit-Out venues. I felt like I was stalking her, I watched for her everywhere that day. She gets my, 'you made my day award'. (once again, a BAD photo of me - next time I'll dress as if I might get the chance to take my picture with Susan (?) SBA (?)) To my defence, I was sort of shaking on the inside, but I could have at least smiled.
Okay, now that I've come down from cloud nine, I'll give my humble review of the Knit-Out. Let's just say it doesn't get the 'you made my day award'. People stood in line for hours to get free, well, with no better word to describe it, CRAP. Save the authors and designers it was not a great gig. It was not what we were looking forward to, we were looking for the hand dyed, hand spun yarn. All we wanted was a chance to spend some money on yarn. We did eventually find that opportunity to spend at a few of the LYSs in MPLS. Our motto was leave your money in the Cities, and we did.
The weather took a turn for the worse and we had to make an over-night stop in Mason City due to the ice and blowing snow. It gave us time to knit and to have a few adult cocktails.
Here's what I purchased over the weekend and what was waiting for me when I got home.I got this sock started during the 25 mph drive home. I love the yarn and I love my new 11" Balene Needles even more. Socks will be for Kristin. A great travel pal - no complaining or foot tapping while we shopped endlessly for more yarn we didn't need.

I got this Pumpkin color for a sweater for Kristin - those who travel with the knitters will get something knitted for them.
These skeins are for the Inga Hat, a free pattern from eweniquefiber.com.

These skeins are for the White Witch Mitts, a free mitten pattern on Knittingdaily from Interweave Press.

I got these two skeins in Des Moines. Both are sort of Neopolitan - browns,pinks,tans. I can't wait to make some socks from these. They're Opal and Sockina Cotton.

This is what was waiting for me when I got home. Three skeins of LionBrand Cotton Ease in pineapple for more ISU sweaters. I bought it on Ravelry (my newest obsession).

This is the longest blog ever - so thanks for hanging in there. By the way, don't the photos look better? Amazing what a piece of white poster board will do for the photos.
One of the best things about the Knit-Out was the opportunity to meet people who just plain love to knit. We met Anna and Lou from California and they were great. I hope they read this blog and we become long-distance knitter-friends.

all my best
amy

Oops

Oh yea, and I forgot to add...I finished the Noro striped scarf. My photos don't do it justice, nothing like Jared from brooklyntweed. I think I really liked the photos of his scarf more than the scarf itself. Oh well, live and learn. The process of hunting down those four skeins of yarn was fun, it was a quest. I only used 2 skeins, so I think I'll make some fake fair isle hats with the left overs.

And since I'm confessing, I also broke down and bought 8 more skeins of Noro to make and felt some Christmas stockings for Joe and Claire as a wedding gift.

So my 'no yarn purchases until Feb' has been busted. But it was on sale, 20% off, couldn't pass it up.

best
aim

Friday Update

Since I've last updated the blogsite, I've completed another pair of leg warmers. I made them for Sarah's very tall friend, Fran. Hope she like's them. They look just like Sarah's only 'a few rounds' longer.

I also made these

Cece got a new coat, in MY current, favorite, mint-chip colors. I made them with my two-color knitting in mind. It's pretty simple 2 color knitting, but 2 color non the less. I even made a cute little picot edge around the wrist. I watched Susan B. Anderson's tut and it was super easy.

Next on the needles? MY mint-chip socks and some felted slippers for some of the girls at work.

Until the next post. Keep at it.

Here's To a Colorful New Year

Hello all. I've had a few 'good' knitting days lately. A few projects actually started and completed. I had three days off from work and Dave was home so that meant that I could spend some quality time with the ol'knitting needles. I made a hat, 2 bibs, and one sock. Here's the photos.
More to follow - and as promised, 08 is the year of 2 color knitting.