Catching up

A lot has been going on with my knitting, but I haven’t been blogging. I’ve gotten so far behind, that I keep putting off blogging because I have gotten so far behind, which only gets me more behind. So, today is my day to catch up.

My niece started reading the Harry Potter series this year and she has fallen in love with the characters. She requested a Gryffindor Scarf for her birthday (the one from the first few movies). I browsed the web and used this for a pattern idea. I truly struggled with finding yarn that would work. I didn’t want to use wool since I knew it would be too itchy for her by experience. She was the flower girl for our wedding and minutes before she was to walk down the isle, she had a small meltdown over the itchiness of her dress. So, I tried finding some soft acrylic, but I really had a difficult time finding the right colors. I finally settled on two different types of yarn that were slightly different causing a difference in the knitted work that I ended up deciding wasn’t too much to be concerned.

Yarn: Caron-Simply Soft- Autumn Red and Caron –Perfect Match-Sunflower
Needles: DPS Size 8
Details: I knit this with 50 stitches in the round, beginning with, and ending with, the autumn red. I added tassels also, beginning and ending with the autumn red.

I participated in the Make Me a Handmade Item on Swapbot. Connie had me as a partner and I received her wonderful Market Bag yesterday. I love it! It was perfect considering that I’ve had this on my list of things that I really want to knit. It went with me to the farmer’s market this morning and was perfect. Thanks you so much Connie!

I can’t seem to get past making the Warshrags from Mason Dixon Knitting. Maybe soon I’ll grow tired of them and move on to making something else from their book, but they are fun TV knitting. I’ve been making a few from the varigated cotton recently and I like them just as much as the bright colors.

About two months ago I started Lotus Blossom Tank from the IK Summer 2006 issue. It was a project that seemed to take me a long time to get started on, and then I took a break and it’s been sitting there abandoned. With how cool the weather is today it seems like maybe this is something to finish for next summer. I struggled most with what size to make, since I’m between sizes, but in reading through the Lotus KAL I decided to go with the smaller size. I do love the way South West Trading Company Bamboo is knitting up.

My latest project is the Ufserud hat by Bea Ellis Knitwear. I found a few similar ones that I admired like mellowtrouble and this KAL gallery. I couldn’t believe how fast this kit came. I think I ordered it on a Saturday and it was here by Wednesday. This is for my husband and he picked out the colors. It’s been a rough beginning….From reading through others experiences, I decided to do a provisional cast on, I started with this and after giving that a good try I was ready to give up. I now realize the problem that I was having was that the waste yarn was getting two twisted up with my knitting. I tore it all out and tried again with this suggestion and it seems to be working much better now.

Well, that is enough for now. I finished a baby set that I'll get to next time.