Thursday, January 31, 2008

Goodbye to January....

Introducing Cat, a capelet:


Noro's Cat


Firsts:
Making somewhat of a garment and doing quite a bit of seaming.
Doing a project nearly entirely of ribbing (with exception of the decreasing).
Learning new stitches! (k2togbl)

It fits me but I'll either be giving it away or frogging the entire thing as I'm not happy with it, all in all.

More details on my blog.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This KAL has been so much fun for me and I'm so glad that I joined. I met so many new and lovely people along the way and have a lot of new blogs that I've been reading and will continue to do so. Additionally, I have challenged myself to go beyond my comfort zone, branch out and Do Something New each month which was obviously the point of this KAL, but it has given me the confidence to step up the pace as a knitter and try those projects I had been wanting to but didn't have the courage to. So Tina, thank you so much for putting together this KAL! It was a great idea and so much fun!

Jaye

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Ugg--they're done!


I made the UGG-type suede booties from a DIYnetwork.com pattern for a set of newborn twins. I've seen many comments that although the pattern says it is for 3-6 or 6-12 month babies, the booties turn out to be toddler-size. So, I went from needle size 4 & 5 to 1 & 2 and reduced the cast on to 12 from 26. I made other changes to maintain the proportion. Anyway, the something new for me is re-working a pattern. Oh, I've added a stitch here or subtracted one there, but have not changed a pattern so drastically, especially one with shaping.

You can find the changes I made posted on my blog. See ya again in February!!
Cheers, Annie.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

My First Socks!

I finished my very first pair of socks this weekend and I am submitting this well before the deadline to ensure that I finally get a letter in this KAL!! I started these back in October, finished the first sock in November... then experienced my very first outbreak of SSS.

Without further ado, here they are!!

It's the starter stockinette pattern from the book "Knit Socks!" Done in worsted weight yarn (Wool-Ease, so they are washable). They are really thick and so freakin' warm!

Now I want to try socks in sock yarn, smaller needles, and maybe a stitch pattern on the leg. I feel so empowered!

Monday, January 21, 2008

gimme a "J"!!!!

Hi all: here is my January project completed!




My new skill was learning to knit cables without a cable needle. This was fun and easier than I thought it would be... and I think I did OK at it! :-)



For more information, check out my blog.

Cheers and good luck to everyone else!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

January Project

This month I will be doing another pair of socks. The thing that will be new will be the cables I am incorporating into the socks. I don't have a pattern per se more like guidelines. I casted on 64 sts on s3 dpns and am doing a 12 stitch cable over 18 sts to compensate for the drawing in of the cable. So far they fit. I will update with a pic so. Hopefully I can finish the socks before the end of the month!!!! :)

Saturday, January 19, 2008

cabling without a cable needle

Look ma, no hands!!



This is a detail from the Gathered Pullover I am making... I tried a technique of making cables without a cable needle. It's great! (and I highly recommend the pattern, which is simple knitting yet I think will look very good when done, hopefully by tomorrow).

More photos to come when it's done.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The December Winner is . . .

Betty (MysticLobo)!!

Congratulations, Betty! Please email me your mailing address and I'll get your prize in the mail to you!

We've only got a couple of weeks left on the KAL, so keep those new things a-comin! At the end of the month, I will have the January prize drawing. Then, around the 5th of February, I'll draw for the big grand prize!

My January project is finished

Here are my double knitted mittens, my project for January. This was a fun knit and now I have 2 pair of mittens instead of one.
Here from one side;

And here turned inside out;


I have used Lett Lopi yarn from Island, knitted on needles 4,5mm .
This is sad, it is the last entry to this KAL. But it has been a really great KAL! I have made a lot of new friends, I have learned a lot English, and I have tried 6 new things within knitting - great!

Monday, January 14, 2008

intended project for January

Happy belated new year, everyone!

Thought I'd drop a line and let everyone know that I've finally decided what my Do Something New project will be for this month: learning to knit cables without a cable needle!

I will be making a sweater from the Gathered Pullover pattern from Interweave Knits' Winter 2007 issue:

The cable pattern doesn't look too taxing, so I'm hoping to be able to manage it by the end of the month. Am starting tonight. Will be using some form of Rowan Cotton that I got in a swap.

I first read about this in Melissa Leapman's Cables Untangled (which has some lovely patterns and is a really good resource for anyone wanting to learn about cable knitting). Grumperina also has a helpful tutorial on this topic.

(Anyone who is really bored and who doesn't usually visit my blog is also welcome to check out my general To-Do List for 2008.)

Wishing you all great health, wealth and creative fervour in 2008!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Happy New Year everyone!

Since I, not once I think, have knitted new things according to my list, why then, as the last project in this KAL, am I going to knit cables??? Just because I said so in December??
Oh no - my January project will be double knitted mittens!!
I have started and this is great knitting, making one color inside the mitten and one at the outside, and a bit with both colors...

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

I'm a miserable failure

I didn't finish the swallowtail shawl on time to get my D. I am still working on it, maybe I will finish it this month.

Congratulations to all of those that did finish their projects.

Happy New Year to all.