Endpaper Mitts, v2

I finally finished my second pair of Endpaper Mitts on Sunday. They were nearly finished for at least a month- sometimes my finishing skills are lacking in timeliness. At least the quality is good when I get around to it! My live-in-photographer took the photos, and can I just say it's fantastic to have someone around to take daylight shots? What a sweetheart.

It would figure I would finally finish these, a holiday and birthday gift, only once the weather has turned and it's 70 degrees out. Details. What you can barely see in these photos? Tee shirt and shorts!! Hurray for spring.

Inaugural Vacation

I am thoroughly enjoying my four day weekend thus far. I watched the HBO streaming video of the inaugural concert yesterday- from the comfort of a cozy couch, as opposed to the sub-freezing temps on the Mall. Gym buddy and knitting friend Manda was going to head out there- wonder if she did, and if it was wonderful in person! I teared up a bit at a few points. I am not as patriotic as my kid sister, currently deployed with the Air Force, but I am certainly a patriotic girl.

I spent my viewing time knitting productively, too. I finished the first Endpaper Mitt for my coworker. Disregard the ends which I haven't woven in, yet- the concert ended on time:


I also have been moving along with the cashmere lace stole. I still haven't added the third ball of yarn, but that should be soon. It's getting so long it's hard to photograph! Here it is with my foot for reference:


And with a slipper instead:

The camera I can never find

Is invariably someplace completely obvious. In this case, in the pocket of my backpack where I always put it. Figures.

This does mean pictures! I've been doing even more knitting this week than normal. I got over my cold fairly quickly, thanks in no small part to my boyfriend G and his natural remedies. I'm an echinacea convert! I managed to destroy all that healthiness this morning, however, by slipping on some ice and ingloriously flying down five steps, landing on the side of my back. That destroyed my exciting plans for the day- running, lifting weights, brunch with some of my favorite knitters, and even latkes at Sixth and I with Chef Spike from Top Chef. DARN! I ended up chilling out on the sofa, watching The Tudors (not as good as True Blood, but better than most tv shows), and then this evening I was treated to Indian food. I even remembered to light the menorah- so a bad start to the day has ended up just fine. As long as I don't try and lean over or sit up too quickly.

I finished up a project that has been nearly complete for months- just in time to stuff it full of a holiday gift.


The cashmere shawl looks about the same all the time, and probably will until I block it, but the Endpaper Mitts are moving right along and photograph beautifully.



My favorite menorah, from the opposite vantage point of my usual sofa view.

Thanksgiving is for Knitting

I had an eventful Thanksgiving vacation. I don't blog much about my personal life here, because I know you just came looking for the knitting pictures. Suffice it to say I got to spend lots of quality time with a few different families, and my own personal tall drink of water. I also heard stories about a spinning wheel in Hawaii, and family tales of knitters past and present. I'm thinking hard about my goal to learn spinning at 30. That is such an arbitrary number, and I picked it mostly so I wouldn't get tons of fiber while I still have so much yarn. If I keep going like I did this week, I might be able to start spinning next year! In between the long car rides and meeting lots of wonderful people and the delicious food and kisses there was also a great deal of XBox-watching and car-sitting knitting time. So much so that I've outdone myself.

First, I finished up the Endpaper Mitts (ignore that I haven't blocked a darn thing since I got home- that's a lot to ask of a girl, I think).


And my semi-artistic shot. Apparently I need to give myself a manicure, too.


After doing that, I figured I should work on a commissioned item. Does knitting for Sharyn, even by request, count as a commission? I would knit the world for her, in vegan yarns. People who like my knitting get showered with it. At any rate, they're very Fetching.


And modeled, by the same recalcitrant badly polished hand:


Lest I spend all my time knitting mitts for ladies, I started on one for a man. The boy tested it out for me, and deemed it man-sized. He's got huge hands though, so we'll see if it fits the intended recipient. I have modified the initial (glove) pattern significantly, to make it more fun and fingerless.


Mitts of all sorts are well enough for hands, but what about other extremities? Check out the Manly Sock! New and improved. I finished the first sock some moons ago, and had done half the ribbing for my second sock. But now I am up to the heel! Watching Halo III and Mass Effect is conducive to stockinette:


Finally, I managed to get a major amount of work done on the Super Secret Holiday Gift, but it's far too soon to show off pretty pictures of that.

Thanksgiving really is for knitting. And mashed potatoes- I'm equal opportunity.

I have already got my family's presents sitting under the Christmas tree in my apartment (which my Christian roommate sweetly put up while I was driving home from vacation). I am ready for an early Chanuka! So ready that I'm going to be spending it in Raleigh with the folks... And vacation with Mom means lots of crafting. Maybe this time I'll learn how to hand-quilt a bit better than last time? She finished hand quilting the wall hanging in LESS than a WEEK. She's a machine. It looks great- I hope to hang it this week, since it is so festively colored.
My Raleigh time will surely include some sewing and some piecework and a lot of knitting. It always does.

Half done, photo proof

Palm up:


Palm down:


I think I like it just the way it is.

Also, these are the fabrics for some upcoming projects. First, beautiful cottons to make bird Christmas tree ornaments for the Roommie and me (and maybe a few other people):


And blues for a gift project:


It may be cheating to just use lots of fabrics from the same line, but I was too in love with these to care. They are all Asian-inspired, with fish and symbols of joy and happiness, and of course peonies. We all need peonies in our lives. Can't wait to get working on it!

One warm hand

I've had a bit of insomnia these past few nights. Not so good for my sleep schedule (4am to 11am is perfectly normal for a 3-day weekend, isn't it?)... but good for knitting.

There is something to be said for sitting up in bed in the wee hours, propped up on pillows with an iPod playing Librivox recordings and brilliant knitting all around me. Colorwork is ideal for knitting in bed.

I finished my first Endpaper Mitt last night, and cast on for the second one this morning. I already have decided on a number of changes I would make should I knit these again (which I probably will). First, I think I would do one less repeat of Chart 1. The mitts are VERY long, which is interesting but not as practical as shorter mitts would be. The medium size fits me perfectly side to side, but I think I would also try to figure out a way to shorten them slightly after the increases for the thumb. I might cut out the last repeat of Chart 1 as well- they'd be itty bitty mitts, but I think equally adorable.

I know most of the world is very over pale blue and brown as a color pair, but my love affair with brown only started a year or two ago. So I'm a bit behind the trends- I love brown and hot pink, too! Does that make me so far behind I'm ahead of the crowd?

I should note that it hasn't been all writing for work and knitting this long weekend. I went to see American Gangster, which I highly recommend. Just be prepared for the violence and drugs- I'm never really prepared for that stuff, despite the R-rated warning.

In addition to my knitting activity, I went to G Street to pick up some fabrics. I purchased quilting fabrics for a gift project, and for little bird ornaments for our tree. Having a Christian roommate has its perks! Crazy as it is, I even managed to wash and iron all the fabrics already so I am ready to stitch. I smell next weekend's activities...

You'll never guess what I did this evening...

I cast on for my Philosopher's Wool sweater. Shocking!

It's cute!


But it creates relative carnage in my living space:


The dark basket in the back left of that photo is currently holding the whole work in progress- lots of wound balls and so forth. I like my striping pattern for the sleeves so far, and can't wait to get to the fair isle. I figured I would start with a sleeve, to see how my gauge is. Thus far it seems accurate, for a sweater this enormous. It's meant to be mainly a jacket (and the wool isn't touch-skin soft, so that's fine). I'm thinking it may end up a bit 80s-tastic for my taste, but my Mom would probably love it. Either way, someone will get some serious warmth out of it. It is also my first real project for the Anne Knit-and-Read-Along- so hurrah for getting started. I am on Chapter 13 of Anne of Avonlea, which means I'm already behind on the reading as well. Tut tut.

I also cast on for another fun little project the other day. When I get very cold, I remember to start winter projects. This happened last year with leg warmers (knitted completely within a week, but then I never sewed them up). This year, I need fingerless mitts. I may try and actually finish them, this time.


The tubular cast on is very stretchy- it may even be too stretchy for my taste. But I can say I learned something new, which is good in and of itself.

The real life stuff has been fun- last night I went to see Fools and Horses, which is a band comprised of two brothers I know from high school and two other bandmates. They are, frankly, fantastic- check them out on iTunes if you like the Beatles, rock music in general, and superb guitarists. They played a lot of covers yesterday- the boy and I agreed that perhaps they could have played more of their own music. I understand that it was a college kid crowd, but they have already put out two CDs- and their music is better than most of the cover songs! I ran into another friend from high school while I was there, which was also lovely.

Tomorrow is a visit to my local yarn shop and then a pizza party with my college roommates. We may craft. And Monday, which is a blissful federal holiday, I plan to spend doing work. This rather defeats the purpose of not having to go to work, I realize, but it's time to knock out some writing. I'm hoping to put in a solid number of hours before heading to dinner in Vienna, and starting my workweek off right.

I would very much like to finish the Endpaper Mitts tomorrow. I wonder if it can be done? I'm still very wide awake, so maybe I'll work on the first one a bit more tonight and listen to more Anne of Avonlea from the Librivox recording... I am such a knit nut.