I knit, sometimes I spin, and I blog about it all here.

Koolhaas is finished, and is currently winging it’s way to it’s recipient in the frozen tundra of Idaho.  I just wore it for the photo here.  I wanted updated pics for my project page on Ravelry, so after I got this one photographed, I put on some of the other hats I’ve knitted (and kept) for updated photos.  Flickr set here.  I especially enjoy the “deer in the headlights” look in one of them.  (I was trying not to blink.)

I’m probably going to make Koolhaas again in a color that I like.  This one was okay, but not really “me”.  And the Encore yarn is fine, but I”d like to do it in one that doesn’t have such a “halo” to the yarn.

Meanwhile…there has been sewing, and more hat knitting.

I finished “Morgan” and it is currently blocking.  It was pretty hillarious looking before I felted it – kind of resembled a graduation “cap” only round.  I knit it in Paton’s Classic Wool, worsted weight, and I think the pattern calls for DK or maybe fingering weight yarn.  So, my intention was to felt it all along, but wasn’t real sure if the final result would work.  It looks like it worked just great.  Actually, I almost felted it a little too much.  We stretched it over Smitty’s head tho while it was still damp (he’s such a good sport) and now it’s blocking over towels.     I need to add the stabilizer (not really necessary, I’d be willing to bet) to the brim or “peak” as it’s called in the pattern, and this time I might add a snap to keep the top and the brim snapped down.

Typically, I’m a late bloomer. It’s a rare instance when I jump on a bandwagon immediately, and this was no exception. I remember when Jared Flood first blogged Koolhaas. I thought it was a nice pattern, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to knit it yet. I should have just gotten the pattern then, because after a while I started thinking I’d really like to knit that! And then getting the pattern wasn’t really possible since money was that tight. Then, Interweave published their new “Accessories” magazine last month,

I bought the magazine and now I have the pattern.

It’s probably considered “easy” by most knitters with any experience – but it took me a few rip-outs to finally get things established, and I’m pretty sure that a smoother yarn (like Cascade 220) would be a better choice, but I’m knitting this in Encore.  I’m just about to begin the top decreases.

My friend and her husband visited us this week, and we took them on a (kinda lame since most places were closed and it was raining) sight-seeing tour of our area.  Of course, one of the stops was By Hand Yarn in Sonora.  She bought herself a knitting basket there – which I forgot to photograph, and I found a set of Brittany cable needles that are PERFECT.  Just the right size – not too long, not fussy, just a little stick that I can slip a stitch off to the front or back of my work and then knit off when I’ve knit the other stitch.  I didn’t “NEED” them – I’d been using one of my Denise needles and it worked just fine, but I am ever so much happier now with a little “stick” dedicated to exactly this use.

I’m well in to the second Selbuvotter, but it is sitting on the back burner for now until I get Koolhaas finished.  I’m also knitting another “Morgan” for MP.  This one in a pretty heathered olive green color, and have plans for another one after that from a charcoal tweed.

Right mitten is finished. This was taken (obviously) before the thumb was done – but this shows the top side – I had intended to do the opposite of this – main color red, and snowflake etc in white – and would you believe I didn’t even notice my mistake until I’d finished the whole thing and was showing it to my husband?  I really like the palm and the design that goes up the side of the mitten – well, I like the whole thing but here’s a look at what I’m referring to:

That chain design up the sides is so cool!

Have yet to cast on the left glove, but plan to soon.

Not sure if I’m just tempting fate, or if I really am getting just a little cocky thinking I can start all kinds of projects and ride the tide of ambition all the way to the end of getting them all finished – BUT – apparently I was afflicted with “startitis” recently, and now have about four or five things going at the same time as these mittens…

AND…

I’m also sewing a few projects while I’m at it, just to raise the bar a little.  Today, I finished a small sewing project.  Have another one all cut out and waiting for it’s turn next.

I made Smitty a pair of boxers.  We found a piece of flannel on sale at Joann’s recently – so while Smitty stood in line to get the fabric cut – I went to look at yarn.  I don’t “wait” well – and neither does he in a fabric/yarn store – so that worked out great and he got a pair of sleep shorts in the bargain.

I even matched the plaid.

This is KwikSew #1663 and it is a fabulous pattern for men’s PJs.  The shirt comes in two options – one is a V-neck pullover, kind of like you’d see with hospital scrubs, and the other is a button down the front type shirt which you can make short or long-sleeved.  Pants the same – short or long, your choice.  It’s also a multi-sized pattern, so you can custom-fit it.

Here’s a “frugal” tip: You know how guys have a tendency to wear their underwear to the point of shredded, holy, rags?  Just rip the “holy briefs” off of the elastic and toss them in the trash – and use the elastic in the PJ’s.  It’s the most comfortable elastic out there, and it’s already cut to size – and you didn’t have to buy any elastic.   I actually do that on a regular basis now – harvest elastic and keep it stored for future projects.  That serves a couple of purposes – my supply of comfy waistband elastic is always replenished – and the underwear supply remains respectable.

I hope these don’t take as long as the first pair did.  I’m using Comfort Sock again.  I probably have enough to make a couple more pair of mittens from.  When I make a pair for me they will likely be wool, but for kids acrylic is probably the best choice anyway.

This is the cuff.  The chart on this one has a little “jog” in it and I got confused and ended up having to rip back to the beginning of the actual palm and hand pattern.  Will give it another try soon and hopefully it will work out.   I’m such a “paint by number” person when it comes to knitting – I really get lost if the pattern has errors or mis-prints in it.  In this case, I think it’s just the graphic kind of went a little wonky when I copied and enlarged the chart so I could see it better when knitting.  Although, the cuff pattern stitch count was wrong in the book.  It said it was supposed to be 63, and it only worked when I had 64 stitches.

Sigh.  Who said knitting wasn’t suspenseful?   All this guess-work and I’m only at the CUFF of a mitten.

As is almost ALWAYS the case – I learned a couple of things from the first experience.

1. Do the thumb the way she recommends.  <sheepish grin>  That way the palm-side pattern works out and you don’t have to keep shrugging your shoulders and being okay with the NEW one you’ve just invented.
2. Don’t tell yourself that you will remember to move your post-it notes up to the next row when you pick up your project the next time .  Just this once you will remember to do it.  No you wont.  More shoulder shrugging and coming to grips with the NEW pattern you just invented for the palm.  Next pair I want the palms and thumbs to be like the picture in the book.  We shall see how that ends up.

I got to spend a little time hanging out at my LYS yesterday.  Wish I had brought my knitting in with me since I ended up having a little extra time and sat down and visited with the knitters in attendance while I waited for my ride.  Nice experience.  Came home with enough yarn to finish the felted clogs I’m working on, as well as a couple of hat projects.  I’m going to have to wean myself from so much time on Facebook (love the games over there) so I will have enough time for my projects.   I even have a couple of sewing projects cut out and waiting, so unless I can figure out cloning – something’s got to give.

Nothing like a freak snowstorm to inspire you to get those warm-weather accessories finished.  My Selbuvotter mittens which I started in March had been simmering in the WIP pile until recently.  Actually, I had already retrieved them and began to work on them.  Had some waiting-room time last week while DH had a 20 minute test that the hospital managed to make into a 6-hour one.  I got plenty of progress made that day.  And then, we got SNOW.  So, now my mitten is closing in on being done.   I just have to finish the decreases and then knit the thumb.  See:

Can’t wait till I have two!