Flurry of Finishing

While much of the lower 48 is being inundated with snow flurries (okay - that's a bit of an understatement; more like blizzards) - there's been a flurry of Finished Objects around chez Arcticknitter the past couple of days. Drum Roll please....

The Amanda Hat II

Details:

Cast-On: December 13, 2008
Cast-Off: December 21, 2008

Pattern: The Amanda Hat

Yarn: Left over Peace Fleece from Amanda Hat I & Cascade 220 remnants. I thought I would run out of Peace Fleece (after knitting 2/3 of the hat), so I frogged & restarted using the Cascade 220 superwash, held double, to maximize the Peace Fleece. Of course - I over estimated & still have yarn left over.

Recipient: No one in particular. This hat may go into the winterwear box.

Welted Fingerless Mitts

Details:

Cast-On: December 19, 2008 (evening)
Cast-Off: December 21, 2008 (morning)

Yarn: Manos Silk Blend in colorway 3019

Pattern: Welted Fingerless Mitts - A free pattern w/yarn purchase from Churchmouse Yarn & Teas. We visited this shop on Bainbridge Island, WA during our summer road trip. There was a knitted sample that I thought was soooo cute. This is a fun, quick knit!!

Recipient: A great friend...

Thorpe

Details:

Cast-On: December 21, 2008 (evening)
Cast-Off: December 22, 2008 (morning)

Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande Paint

Contrast Yarn: Mission Wool 1824 - remnant from the Koolhaas project (which I did finish - just no new photo to share....)

Needle: US 9

Pattern: Thorpe by Through The Loops

Recipient: No one in particular while I was knitting. I've now decided I'm keeping it!

Wowza!! This is a great pattern made with a fantastic yarn. I've oogled this yarn several times while visiting Far North Yarn Co., thinking it'd be perfect for this pattern. I wasn't mistaken. This hat is knit from the top down & the size large uses every bit of yarn. I think I had maybe 1 foot left over. Perfect!!!! The Alpaca is sooooo soft & warm. I purchased another skein in a blue colorway - that will become a hat for DH. I think I now know what I'll knit for teachers as late holiday gifts. (as fellow teachers I'll hope they'll forgive my horrible procrastination & understand why they weren't done prior to holiday vacation).

Those of you with astute observation have probably noticed that none of these projects is a finished Icelandic sweater. Ahhh - the art of procrastination - I have mastered thee. The sweater is out of my room & in plain view so it can't be ignored much longer. I also purchased thread today so I can attach buttons. So - buttons, button hole band & collar to do. I have until the 27th to finish, so I think I'll be okay...

Ciao! For those of you under the newest blanket of snow & ice - knit on & stay warm!!!

First FO 2008

Here it is.... the first Finished Object of 2008! Details:

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash - Have I mentioned how much I love this yarn! Have I told you I've actually (those weak of heart stop reading now) put the hat in both the washing machine and the dryer? Yup - it truly is superwash yarn!

Pattern: Combination of the Norwegian Star Hat (Cuff & Picot Edge), Doublemassa Hat (Pattern) and Danish Earflap Cap (Crown). All from Charlene Schurch's book Hat's On. (I know I've told you how much I love that book!)

Needles: Addi Turbo Size 4 US for the cuff, Size 6 US for the body & crown (switched to dpn when crown got too small for the circulars)

Recipient: Originally intended for the kindergarten aide, but after Orion saw the finished project, he wanted it for his teacher. So - Julie's Hat has become Sharon's Hat and the original Sharon's Hat became Julie's Hat (you get the picture).

Size: Medium (112 stitches)

Project Timeline: Cast On during an all new episode of ER (finally!!!) Thursday, January 3rd & finished Saturday, January 5th at 11:15 pm.

These really are quick projects!
Along the lines of Finished Objects - A Knitterly Shout-Out to my friend Jen down in Tucson, AZ who finished her first pair of socks for her 2-year old daughter! Hooray!!! If I had a photo - I'd post it for all the knitting world (okay - perhaps not all the knitting world, but those who wander by...) to see. Well done!!! I know my MIL, Sylvia, is almost finished with her first pair as well. They were without power for several days in Sacramento due to a big ol' storm, so I think we can give her a little extra time to finish. :0)

Speaking of finishing - need to wind yard & then finish the foot for Vintage Sock #2. Yee haw!

Happy Day! Ciao ~

Last FO for 2007

How to spend the last day of 2007? Enjoying an afternoon ski with the husband after recovering from a bumpy 2.5 hour snow machine ride back from my parents cabin. Snow machining is a true full body workout. Bump - Bump - Bump. At least we made it back safely!

I gave DH a pair of Skate Cross-Country skis for Christmas this year. He's been using an old pair of back country skis forever, and I'm ready for him to come out on the groomed trails with me. He is such a natural athlete that I was surprised that I was able to ski faster and better than him. Wow - I think this is the only time I'll be able to say I'm better at something athletic than Wade. I'd better cherish it, because once he fine tunes his technique & becomes more efficient, I'll be left in the dust (I mean snow), I'm sure.

Last Finished Object of 2007. Yup - another hat from Hat's On! This time its the "Triple-Patterned Watch Cap" for Orion's teacher, Sharon. Can I say again how much I love this book?!? Too bad my in-laws don't live in a climate more suitable for hat wearing. These are such a quick & fun knit - great gift ideas - so, all future teachers (at least every other year - the kids have the same teachers for 2 years in a row) are pretty much guaranteed a hat! So - only one more hat to go - a gift for Iain's kindergarten aide & Camp Fire leader. I think it'll be another combo pattern from the book - perhaps the Doublemasa & Danish Earflap (I so love the crown!) I guess I know what the first FO for 2008 will be.

See how the cuff rolls? Hmm - not quite sure how to avoid that except to tack it down after the fact. I also want to point out the twined herringbone edge - it looks pretty good!

This is what the top of the hat looks like. You won't believe how many shots it took for me to get the hat centered in the photo. Yup - self portrait of the top of my head.

Ta Da! Once the hat is on the brim doesn't seem to roll as much. Ohh - and the kitchen even looks clean in the background. Whew!

Details:

Pattern: Mentioned above

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash ( I *love* this yarn & it washes (in the machine) great!

Needles: Addi Turbo Size 6US

Size: Large (20")

Modifications: None - The twined herringbone edge even worked out this time! Hooray! I'm not crazy over this hat as the cuff rolls a bit - I may try to tack it down later. I also don't understand the need to knit fair isle for 4+ inches when most of it is covered by the hem. The construction is pretty neat - knit the cuff, turn & knit the rest of the hat. This way the cuff can be turned & everything is on the right side. Orion thinks Sharon will love it. She is a wee little thing, so I hope it's not too big.

Happy New Year!!

Hat's On!..

and on, and on... I almost entitled this post "Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire" since I claimed in my post on Dec. 24th that I'd restrain from casting on another hat. Well, butter my butt & call me a biscuit, but I could not ignore the siren call of the Mission 1824 Wool & the Hat's On! patterns. So - I cast on Sunday evening and combined two patterns from the book & finished early this afternoon.


Details:


Pattern: Norwegian Star Cap & Danish Earflap Cap from the book Hat's On!

Size: Medium

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool (superwash) - 2 skeins of the dark purple, and almost 1 skein of the pink.

Needles: Addi Turbo 20" circulars Size 4 for the hem, Size 6 for the body & crown (used dpn when I was close to the top)

Modifications: The gauge is slightly different using the Mission Falls yarn. I chose it for it's softness & color - I wanted to do a purple/pink hat. So - the body is using the Norwegian Star pattern & I was so enamored by the top of the Danish earflap cap, I used it for the crown. I'm pleased with the result, however I think the cap needs more depth. The Danish pattern accounts for lack of depth with the earflaps. Live & learn I guess. So, after a little soak, I gently pulled it into the shape/length I like.

Recipient: Iain's kindergarten teacher, Pam. His teacher left early for vacation to visit Cambodia, the birthplace of her adopted son. So - gave me some time to create some hand knits for her.
Cute little picot edge is created after folding up and securing the hem.

My only complaint is the jog at the seam. I googled "fair isle jogless jog", but no luck - any suggestions out there? I understand the jogless jog for stripes, but that doesn't quite work with the pattern, so it's a little off kilter at the back. I guess it could be used to always know where the back of the hat is?

~Ciao (I make no promises that I'll work on those Vintage socks. I think the "Triple-Patterned Watch Cap" for Orion's teacher.)

P.S. - If all the photos don't show up, I don't know what's up. It's not your computer. iPhoto is acting strangely this afternoon.

Ahhhh.....

Christmas / Winter break has arrived!! That means....

1. More time for knitting
2. More time for outdoor play
3. No excuse for letting the house fall into disarray
4. NO GRADING!!!
5. More time w/my family
6. Sleeping in...
7. NO GRADING!!!
8. Time to relax & do whatever
9. More time for knitting
10. Time to get Christmas letter written..
11. Actually put Christmas cards in the mail...
    
12. Did I mention - NO GRADING!!

Yes - vacation has arrived. For high school teachers this meant a week of midterm exams, so other than the grading (argh) it was a nice, 'easy' slow, week leading into break. I can't imagine the chaos that reigned in the elementary & middle school classrooms the week prior to break. I think Iain fell asleep in the car on the way home at least 3 times this week. Everyone was ready for break!!

The temps have warmed up so this afternoon we met up with friends for a little ice skating. I haven't played organized hockey for the past few weeks due to late game times, so it was fun to get out on the ice & move the body. A wee bit of wind, but we all had a great time!

Orion & Iain skating around. Surprisingly, Orion's skates still fit from last season. Of course, Iain out grew his, so we had to buy a new pair. The days of 'hand-me-downs' are over.

Iain, Gary, Tazlina, Me, & Orion skating around while Wade takes the photo. This was taken around 3:30 pm! Keep in mind, Solstice was Friday, so our days are actually getting longer!! I think we gained 14 seconds of daylight today. Whoo hoo!!

Knitting update: I'm on a bit of a hat jag right now & Hat's On by Charlene Schurch is now my favorite knitting book. I'm having to restrain myself from casting on another hat tonight - I do so need to finish my vintage socks for my swap pal by January 7.

Here's the beginning of the Norwegian Star Hat from the Hat's On book. The bottom 3" of stockinette are knit on size 4 needles & then folded up & knit to create a hem. How slick is that? So - that means if your floats from the Fair Isle aren't very neat & trim, they'll be hidden by the hem. The hem adds another layer of knitted fabric, so this hat is very warm - great for Alaska!! I began this hat w/size 4 for the hem & then onto size 7 for the main body of the hat. I only used size 7 size I didn't have a size 6 circular w/a small enough cable. When I moved into the crown I experienced some difficulty w/the lice pattern (due to error on my part of not completely reading the directions). It quickly became apparent (well not so quickly - I just kept ignoring the 'little voice') the hat would be too big, so riiiiip, riiiip, riiiip the hat went - back down to the hem. Arghhhh

After purchasing the correct size circular, I picked up the live stitches & knit like a fool. I ripped back Saturday, Dec. 15 & finished the hat the evening of Dec. 16th. I love the picot edge formed when the hem is folded. The band is a smidge loose, & I could have knit a few rows to make the hat a bit deeper, but overall it's really cute & I'm pleased. The jog in the pattern where I joined in the round isn't too terribly bad. I've vowed to work on that in the future... The hat was originally a Christmas gift for Wade, but w/his short hair & small head, it didn't look right, so - a new hat for me. :0)

Orion proudly models the Danish Earflap cap - hat #2 of my hat jag & again from Hat's On. Again - this was originally knit w/Wade in mind. I think the hat is pretty cute on Orion - they'll have to duke it out.
I love this hat!! A very quick knit - I cast this on Tuesday evening & finished it this morning. The earflaps are double layers & knit using short rows. Man, Charlene Schurch is just brilliant! The patterns are well written & easy to follow. Any mistakes are totally mine. I think the trickiest part was making the lanyard things for the earflaps. They aren't totally perfect, but they'll do.

Here's the driving force behind why I wanted to knit this particular hat:

How cool is that? I think I'm going to knit the next hat w/this top regardless of what the pattern says.

Details:

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash - I used the same skein of white in both hats. I think I can even get a 3rd hat from it as a contrast color.

Needles: Addi Turbo 20" circular in both size 4 US (hem/earflaps) and 6 US (body/crown)

Sizes: Large for Norwegian Hat; Medium for Danish Earflap cap

Love these hats! I'm planning on knitting at least 3 more from this book during break as gifts for Orion & Iain's teachers. Small tokens of appreciation were given prior to break - no time for knitting before, so I'll take advantage of the time now.

Ciao! Off to make cookies for Santa!