A home for socks

Look what I made! An ickle sock knitting bag. I was bull-headed and decided to just wing it based on a bag I liked.


I LOVE this bag and all it's imperfection. It was a nightmare to sew together. I am certainly not a pattern writer - but insanely thought I could do it after sewing from one pattern...once.


An important lesson I learned, metal zippers and fingering weight yarn just don't mix together. I'm off to make another bag, right after catching up with some bloglines reading.



Merry ChristmaKwanzaKah to one and all. Have a wonderful, safe and happy time.

Somewhat Cashmere Hat

FIL's hat is complete, with me modeling.



Pattern F&P Jess's Cashmere Ribbed Hat.
Yarn Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16) a wonderful blend of 40% silk, 30% lambswool, 20% cashmere & 10% nylon - thanks Alyson!
Needles Denises size 6.
Adaptations Unless you count using the Noro, none. The hat seems perfect, let's hope Mr. B. Senior agrees.



And the money shot, the top decreasing is so simple, but perfect...

Mmmm, Mmmm, Good.

What is that I see before me, is that more Malabrigo? Yes! It's Malabrigo in color 137 "Emerald Blue". This is such a vividly colored yarn, I can't wait to see how it will look for MIL's So-Called Scarf. Thanks again Alyson for the introduction to this stunning yarn.


This is the beginning of FIL's hat made using Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16) - thanks again to Alyson for the fantastic prize package, I know that Mr. B. Senior will love this color and fabric, so soft. The hat is going to be F&P Jess's Cashmere Ribbed Hat, I love the top of the hat, the decreasing is special.

Finally, the Shedir hat.



Pattern Shedir cap.
Adaptations I only did 3 of the 5 pattern repeats as I felt that I was going to run out of yarn and it would be long enough, and it is, except for the bottoms of my poor little ears, I wish I'd done 4 pattern repeats now.
Yarn 3 balls of Elann's Baby Silk in "Oxblood", a soft, beautifully colored 80% baby Alpaca, 20% silk yarn. I doubled the yarn.
Needles Addis Turbos, 32" #3's (magic loop method).


I love this pattern, isn't the top so pretty?

That was fast!

Sewing machine is here already - I can't quite believe that it came that fast. Okay, right I have to go play with the machine and the new fabric I got. While I'm busy doing that, here's a couple of shots of my first finished Ripple Weave Sock from the Fall 2006 issue of Vogue Knitting.

It fits!

So I finally made something that fits, which has been a tall achievement for me recently. It warms a knitters heart to complete something that can actually be used for it's intended purpose. I have to say that I love, love, love this scarf, the stitch pattern is perfect for this scarf, it shows off the beauty of the yarn so well.


Pattern: My So Called Scarf by Stacey.
Yarn: Malabrigo in "Velvet Grapes", courtesy of Alyson (thanks Alyson!).
NeedlesDenises #11
Adaptations: I only had one skein of Malabrigo, so cast on only 26 sts, giving me a 4 1/2" wide scarf, that was 56" long. Because of the tendency to curl, and since I'm getting a dab hand at it, I added a single crochet border, which completes it perfectly.



Coming up... one completed sock, and a hat (yes, that fits too).

In other news, the sweater, after blocking, is not only wide, but super-long now too - on to plan B.

Something new

I bought a sewing machine! Now before you go getting too excited, I don't have it yet, it will be with me in 5-10 business days (can't complain at $1 shipping) and it's only a pretty basic machine, nothing too fancy. However, I did get a $300 machine for less than $90 - does anyone else love overstock.com as much as I do? This machine had a lot of great reviews, okay, it's factory refurbished - but I've had a lot of luck with factory refurbished items in the past. Anyway, the machine is a Brother XL3500T machine, here's a picture for ya.

FO-less

I know some of you have been anticipating a modeled picture of my proudly finished Nantucket jacket. What I can say, is that it is finished, however it's far too wide for me, so I'm re-blocking it, stretching it length-wise, giving it length and thus, making it narrower (or so I hope). Failing that, I try shrinking it, failing that I re-seam - thanks Spiders for the hints and suggestions. Anything to avoid knitting it again. Just in case you're wondering, yes I did gauge swatch, I think I may have knit one size too big.


In the meantime, I cast on for My So-Called Scarf with that mmmmmmmalabrigo. I'm in love...

Defeat and Joy.

Okay, the Thanksgiving deadline drew closer and closer and I gradually came to realize that Mr. B's zipped raglan would not be done (I had finished it - AGAIN - but the collar needed frogging and re-thinking). My sweater still had hope, until my social life became hopelessly busy, and before I knew it, I'd seamed only one side and BAMM! my family had landed. It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and I, sadly, admitted it could not be done, all blog reading and posting stopped (well, almost all) and I was 'indisposed' I have the day off today, but they're still here until Wednesday. On the bright side, both items are so close to completion, it won't be long before I have some FO's to share with you all.

I had a wonderful surprise for me the day after Thanksgiving, a package from Alyson, not just any package, but a prize-winning package, and I mean this in more ways than one. I won the goodies just by commenting on her blog, which is no hardship, I love it, it makes me smile, and she has some pretty pictures (esp. now she's taken up spinning, they get yummier). If you don't read her blog, you should definitely check it out. The Haiku is fantastic.


Anyway, on to the what was in that pretty little package.

Number 1, Malabrigo in "Velvet Grapes". I nearly deafened Mr. B. when I opened this. I then had to see, touch and smell it - have you sniffed Malabrigo? Yum! The color is stunning, the texture is soft as a babies, you know. I'm already wondering what kind of knitter I am to have never even touched this stuff. This could be a dangerous affair beginning.


Number 2. Elann's Baby Silk in "Oxblood", a soft, beautifully colored 80% baby Alpaca, 20% silk yarn. If I wasn't sure about Elann.com before, I am sure now, I love this yarn, it's love and luscious.


Last, but not least, number 3. Noro Cash Iroha (in color 16). I do believe I am one lucky, lucky knitter. Thank you Alyson, you really spoiled me.


Just one last look at the prettiness all together. Excuse me now, while I go and play :)