What Next?

Okay, the shawl is done (Wheeee!), so now, what's next?  Well, I do need to block & steam the shawl.  I have to get some rustproof pins first, then wait till after the Christmas tree is gone, so I can use the living room floor for a blocking pad!! 

There is a sweater on the needles calling my name.  It is made with a lovely cream yarn with green, blue & burgundy threads running through.  It is so close to being completed, too, only a sleeve & a half, plus a collar of some sort.  I'm not sure if I'm inspired enough to return to it yet.  Maybe I'll take it out & look at it awhile, get my enthusiasm flowing again!  Or maybe I'll make a hat...! 

Yippee! Finishing a WIP!

Hooray for me!  With Christmas over, I've been relaxing with an ongoing project...a circular shawl.  I originally started it last year while on vacation.  I admit, I did not work on it regularly, though, mainly while we were on vacation.  But I picked it up a few days ago & realized it was about the right size to start ending it! 

I'm using Helen's Lace, a wonderful variegated lace weight yarn from Lorna's Laces, in the tahoe colorway.  I'm using a larger needle & a lace stitch from "The First Book Of Modern Lace Knitting".    Right now, I'm adding a small lace border instead of casting off the stitches, like Elizabeth Zimmerman suggests in her books.  The best part is that its more than halfway finished!  Whoohoo!  It will have to be stretched & steamed, but it is coming out nicely. 

Its a great feeling to be almost done with it.  Sometimes these older projects haunt me, reminding me how much time I've spent & how little there is left to finish.  I can't help myself though, I'm wanting instant gratification with smaller, quicker projects, like hats!

Busy, Busy, Busy

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all who have stopped in to read my babble and A big THANK YOU to all who have posted comments!  Please be sure to check out the other knitting journals that I have linked on the left.  There is a lot of great knitting going on out there!  I love to see & read about what others are doing. 

Tis the season...to be busy!  I haven't knitted the last few days due to the demands of the upcoming holiday.  I think I will make time tonight, though.  I need a stress reliever!  I'll be back to babble again in a few days! 

Some Fun Holiday Stuff

Here are some pictures of the snowmen that I've been making.  I can't help myself, these are just SO CUTE!! I included pictures of the knitted body, unstuffed, and after stuffing but before accessories. 

The hats were a blast!  I made them up as I went along.  The green hat is a K1 P1 rib with a folded brim.  The purple was a 2 row rib, then St st, dec at the top.  I threaded some red yarn through it & tied in a bow.  It looks like a bonnet!  The red one is a stocking type with a white rolled brim.  I just dec to make it into a point, & added a small pommy. 

I still have to finish the unstuffed one.  I'm trying to decide how I want to do the face & what type of hat to make.  I have a braided scarf done.  I was playing with different ideas, I did 2 I-cord scarves, one garter st, & the braided one. 

Sadly, I think I'm done with these for this year.  I have tons of things to do around the house to get ready for the holiday.  Maybe after the holiday rush is over I'll keep making some for next year! 

Felting Pictures

Finally!  Here are the pics of the felting projects.  I tried to show before & after pictures, so you can see the difference the felting makes.  My daughter let me take pictures of her wearing the hat before & after, so you can see the size difference.  Even though I felted both pieces together in the washer, the hat felted a lot more than the eyeglass case. 

The case hardly shows a difference at all in the size,the knitting is just a little more blurred & fuzzy.  Now I just need to figure out what type of clasp would be best for this project.  I'm pleased with the results of both projects, but if I make another hat, I will make it longer.  Ah, well, live & learn! 

In the meantime, I'm still playing with the snowmen idea.  I'm having a blast with these...they are so cute!  I've gotten the pattern for the snowman's body to where I like it, & it is fairly easy.  Knit in the round, no seams!  It sort of looks like a pear shape, then the scarf pulls everything in to round it out. 

One of the most fun things is the accessories...hats & scarves.  The hats I'm just making up as I go along.  I just knit & see what I come up with.  The scarves are I-cord, but I may try a braided cord or maybe garter st, just for some variety.  Loads of fun, I will most likely keep making more!

Its Done!

The eyeglass case is done & felted.  The hat is done & felted!  They came out pretty good, I think!  I wanted to wait til they were done before I posted pics, so I could show a before & after shot.  My husband took the camera today, so the pictures will have to wait until tomorrow. 

I'm pleased with the results.  The case came out much like I expected.  I was a little worried because I used a different yarn for the edge trim, but it felted evenly.  The hat actually came out smaller than I expected.  It shrunk more in the lenght than I planned, even though I measured carefully.  But it still fits good, it just doesn't have the brim I anticipated. 

I'm currently "without project", sort of.  I have things to do, but I don't want to do them right now.  So I played around with a snowman idea I had been tossing around.  I made the first one yesterday, he's maybe 3-4 inches tall.  I think it came out so cute!  I added a hat & scarf, too.  My daughter wanted a girl one, so I made her last night.  I'll add the hat & scarf today.  These are really fun & very quick, so I may make a few more before the holiday.  I will definately take pictures of these cause they are just too cute!!

A Felting We Will Go...

Both the hat & the case are done, I think I'll felt them later today.  I wanted to get a picture of the unfelted hat being worn by my daughter, but I didn't wan't to risk messing up her hair! :)  I had to play around with the edging for the eyeglass case.  I wanted to do an I-cord trim, but it wasn't working out the way I hoped.  Instead, I used a reverse St st & used it to bind the sides of the case together.  It looks pretty good.  I did do I-cord around the flap & opening of the case, so it was a compromise.  I'm still planning on posting some pictures, so stay tuned...I hope to have them today or tomorrow!