Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Cables & Seeds


Just started this yesterday. It will be a scarf of some sort, knit in alternating panels of cable and seed stitch. The yarn is a 100% wool, worsted weight. If it turns out well, It will be goven as a gift. I've got a tight schedule for this one as several people I know have birthday's coming up soon. I just finished another gift, which I'll post a bit later.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

FUGLY, We are not amused

I hate how those turned out. I've got a cold. There is snow outside up to my backside and i didn't even bother to crop the photo. There is nothing functionally wrong with those mitts but they are ugly and I don't like them. That is a perfect lesson in choosing the wrong yarn for a project. I used a worsted weight yarn in an K1P1 rib. The fabric is simply too coarse for my little paws. It knit up very quickly because of the thick yarn and large (size 8) needles. Next try will have to be in a finer yarn. A smoother stitch would look better, but I want the stretchiness of ribbing. Blech. Foo.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

My Chicken Viking Hats

I took a quick break from other projects to make two Chicken Viking Hats for some friends. I've wanted to make this design for about a year. The hats are made in worsted weight yarn, wool or wool blend. I used one skein for each hat. I did not have quite enough yarn to make the earflaps that are shown on the original model. I knit the drumsticks separately and sewed them on because it allowed me to judiciously use the last of my yarn. I found two friends who could use them. Mark is someone I've known since college. Mark, his wife Wendy, and I were all on the same dorm floor freshman year of college. For him, this is a "spherical chicken". The other hat is for the character "Gailia Chive" who has been doing wonderful cooking-inspired skits in the Philadelphia area for years. I will also make at least one more hat....as a surprise gift.