Finished size: Child’s 6-8
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Purple & White
Needles: Size 6
Pattern: Fox & Geese mittens

Started: New Year’s 2006/2007 …
Finished: 7 January 2008
made for: L (was supposed to be her xmas 2006 gift. just a year late.)

I don’t know what took me so long to finish these.
The cuffs curl more than I’d like. I think one curls less than the other (I used long-tail on the first, and the Maine cast on from the book for the second one. that one curls a bit less). I think I managed to swap the dominant color on one of them - if I look close enough I can see the difference. My stranding leaves a bit to be desired.

but overall, I like them, and they fit L, so all’s good.

I’ve been playing with the knitting machine a bit more. I finished the knitting part of the Harry Potter scarf on Sunday night:

and then I started a hat to practice ribbing. I finished the ribbing part last night, and now I need to take it off the machine and then I’ll hand-knit the decreases at the top. I think I’d be better off hand-knitting the next time I need ribbing (at least in mass quantities). no pics yet.

I’ve also been making good progress on the Vintage Velvet:

the loop of yarn near the needle is about where the first ball of yarn ran out. I figure I’m about halfway through the second ball now.

k-chan #2 was felted back when the clogs were, but I still haven’t taken the time to sit down and sew the handles in place.

I’d also set a goal last month to finish L’s mittens from last year by the end of the month. unfortunately that hasn’t happened. I think I’m going to sit down tonight and at least get a good start on the second one.

and as a wrap-up, I’m a bit bummed to report that I spent absolutely no time knitting socks during socktoberfest. =(

NaKniSweMo starts tomorrow. I’m trying to decide (still) if I want to participate and whip out a sweater this month, or if I’m better off focusing on the holiday knitting. tough call.

(heh. can you tell what decade I grew up in?)

Here we have the WIPs started in 2005:
* red toe-up socks (one sock has a bit of the cuff started, the other is in the middle of the short row heel redo)
* a soap bag - just needs a cord to cinch it closed
* Mother Bear #2 - still needs an arm and a face
* The Sweater Workshop “Thing” - this is probably a perma-WIP
* modified mini-skull tote - got too tangled. I’m not sure why I’m so concerned with keeping the colors as continuous as possible - it’s going to get felted.

The 2006 WIPs:
* Fox & Geese mittens in purple & white - for Lilin. I’m at the point of increasing for the thumb.
* Dad’s xmas gloves - all that’s needed are one pinky finger and two thumbs
* Tasha bag
* placemat from sari silk
* lacy snowflake (it’s the tiny speck of white by the addi dpns)

* CTH glitz socks
* the start of some fuzzy feet (the blue wools)
* the test-knit sock - I have a toe! (and it fits! shocking)
* Dulaan hat #1 - needs a cuff. and maybe a pompom
* felted penguin

The Swatches that Mock me:
* blue KP Wool - a sweater of some sort. would help if I remembered what size needles I used on the swatch.
* carmel Dale Svale - to be a tank (think it was Calla from MagKnits last year). gauge was a bit off.
* sock yarn ribbing swatch - I was thinking of making gloves with it at the time.
* brown sock yarn - swatching for dh’s socks
* fushia CE Princess - possibly my Wicked sweater. again, gauge problems.

the result of this is that it feels like I have a lot less WIPs then I think I do. maybe cuz in my head, the list includes all the things I have yarn for but haven’t done much with yet. or maybe finishing and frogging things for the UFO Challenge has helped. (March’s project was my “Olympic” legwarmers. They are now frogged. frogging frozen mohair isn’t nearly as bad as ‘dry’ mohair. still a pain though.)

so, what to choose for April’s UFO project… I’m leaning towards one of the bags - either Tasha or the felted mini-skull.

Tomorrow, I’ll share the stash. Assuming I can find a WIFI zone that’s open.

I’m getting rather tired of finger-city here. the end is in site though. glove #1 now has 3 and a half fingers and glove #2 has 2 fingers.

I really want to work on some socks (I’m torn between the never ending pair and a new pair. both are red, coincidentally. good thing I’m not doing Project Spectrum.), but I really want to get the gloves done first, which isn’t going as fast as I’d hoped since my knitting-at-home mojo has gotten lost.

oh, and a long-lost-WIP made an appearance Monday night while watching Under a Tuscan Sun. I pulled out the Tasha bag, since it was simple back and forth stockinette - should be easy mindless movie knitting, right? except I’ve got both of the sides on the needle at the same time (much like doing two sleeves at the same time) so they come out the same length. and well, I couldn’t remember when I needed to turn it or not, so I didn’t get very far. I’m thinking I need to put some safety pins on the ends to serve as ‘bumpers’ so I know when it’s time to turn around and go back.

this, according to my notes, was started in July 2005 with the thoughts of “it’ll be quick - it’s just garter stitch!” I think the yarn was bought during the xmas shopping season of 2004. good ol Lion Brand Wool-Ease and Fun Fur. finally finished: Feb 6, 2007

let me tell you, my it’ll be quick thoughts were so far off, it’s not even funny. yes, the circle base did go pretty quick, but the sides. tell me how you feel after you’ve knit a garter stitch scarf made with those yarns held together. (the fact that I alternated white and black fur every few rows probably didn’t help my speed.)

on the plus side, Kashka took to using just the base quite nicely. I think she enjoys it fully finished better though. I did make a modification - I stuffed the sides (with the stuff you stuff stuffed toys with). definitely like it that way.

here’s some pics for your enjoyment:

from January:

What do you mean it’s not finished? It feels finished to me?
(I don’t think it was stuffed at this point, and if you look closely, you can see the gray yarn ends floating about on the floor)

all finished:

thanks for putting this in front of the heater. now I’ll be comfy while lounging here.

ok, stop it with the pictures already. I’d like to sleep without that light that keeps flashing.

they don’t call me the Russian Spy Kitty for no reason. I’m keeping my eyes on you…
sidenote: she’s not really Russian. just her name is.