{Finished Object(s)} Happy New Year!

I hope your holidays were festive and fun and filled with laughter and love. And maybe you got some awesome goodies like books and knitting needles and yarn?

Come on, I can't be the only one who thinks those are the perfect presents? Hee-hee.

Well, I forgot to photograph the FOs I had for Xmas. Whoops! A shame, too, as they were quite pretty. I shared one of the scarves, but the second one was a loop (not quite infinity) scarf I made for my brother's fiance. She loved it (phew!) and put it on immediately. So, whoops on forgetting to take a picture of the finished object, but I'm here with one picture of something I made post-Christmas! And I used my Xmas gift to boot!

Check out the loveliness from my brother and his fiance!

Why yes! Those are the Knitpicks Interchangeable Circular needles in Harmony! 

I'm a crappy photo taker...these are just gorgeous and rich in color. And oh my do they feel awesome in the hand! I also received a couple skeins of yarn. My future sis-in-law didn't know what to get as she is not a knitter, so she picked up a couple balls of Cozy Wool. I made her a hat with one skein from the pattern on the label. 

It didn't turn out too badly! I still need more practice with the ribbing. It's soooooooo loose and this is the second hat that is like this. I don't understand why. Have my stitches gotten that loose? I'm going to have to try knitting tighter for the ribbing or seriously shrink down my needle size just for the ribbing.

Any suggestions?

And just because I adore my bracelet, I'm sharing with you that pic again...

So cool. :) Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, whatever you celebrate! I'm making another hat, and gonna work on that ribbing.

Yay! And Bummer!

Owl hat...done, as you know!
Scarf for BFF - done and mailed
Loop scarf for sis-in-law-to-be - done and wrapped!

WIPs:
--Cabled Persephone Scarf
--Cabled tie vest


My wrist has been aching so  I haven't really been knitting as fast as I want. I hurried to get the scarf done I had to mail and the other one for Xmas exchange. The Cabled Persephone Scarf and Cabled Tie Vest are also for mom, so I can take my time on that. Let my wrist heal up a bit.

My love let me open my Christmas gifts early. One was the perfume I have been coveting and the other is this AMAZINGLY awesome, fantastically cool, utterly fantastic bracelet! It's made from an antique, silver fork. Is it not fantastic? As you can see, I have fat hands and wrist. It was a bit hard to get on, and then I yanked it off so I could turn it around and have the hearts on the inside of my wrist so I could see it better. :)

*photo coming...for some reason instagram isn't playing nice*

 Wrist recovery time (damn you, carpal tunnel! damn you!) and then back to knitting up that vest first. Scarf second.

Merry Christmas!

Gift(s) in Progress! And one of my furkids!

This is version four...I've frogged this scarf so many times! Now, it's just a simple garter stitch scarf, but I think that's okay as the yarn is fun and bulky.

It started off as a cowl, then a moebius scarf, then a cabled scarf, now it's just garter. My hand is in a brace from carpal tunnel, so basic scarf it is!

The next one should be a bit fancier. Maybe. I'm running low on time and with my wrists aching...

This is my blind, old, sweet westie-girl, Maddie. She is my constant companion whether I'm reading, knitting, or just hanging out. She whines to tell me what she wants, she demands snuggly hugs, and if she isn't feel well, she'll whine until I sing her to sleep. My voice isn't exactly on key, but she seems to like the singing. She especially seems to respond to Once Upon a December from Anastasia. lol She's 13.5 years old and the sweetest little dog ever.

One Xmas Present Down!

It wasn't a secret as she was constantly checking to see what I was knitting, but I didn't let her fully see until it was done. And she loves it. So she got it early!

Made mom this owl cable hat. Button eyes on every other owl, it looks super cute on her. I made it a little TOO loose, but nothing a quick wash and shrink won't fix.


Donegal tweed from knitpicks. :)

{Progress Report} FROG FROGGY FROG FROG

I haven't gotten very far in my #122 tie-front cable tunic vest. I've been too busy reading. So I've been knitting while getting caught up on my shows on Hulu when I can sneak some time in.

I came across a questionable instance in this pattern for which I pleaded for help on facebook. It was decided that, where I had to do a ssk and the place marker was in the way, remove the marker, ssk, add the marker back.

Well, as I was setting up the cabling rows, my numbers are all kinds of off. Instead of 13 before the first stitch marker, I have only 11. Instead of 23 for the next row, I have 24. URGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

So I'm frogging it.

Isn't this a cute image? Visit http://purplekitty.biz/ ! They allowed me to use their image, but they have this on totes and shirts and stuff at http://www.cafepress.com/thepurplekitty/8810028

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Sigh. Tomorrow anyway. And only 8 rows or so. Trying again. I must've screwed something up with that decrease.

Starting a new project, this one will be the Persephone Cable scarf and fingerless mitts. Hope this one goes smoothly and quickly. I would like to make it for my mom for Christmas! :)

I'm hoping scarf, which needs no shaping, will be something I can whip out quickly and relax while watching my shows. :) If you couldn't tell ... I'm a total noob knitter. I may have been knitting for years, but I'm definitely a beginner, especially when confronted with patterns! :) 

Here's the first bit of it done! Do you like my notes? LOL I need to keep tallies of the repeats or I go insane trying to follow the pattern! :D

Craftsy Rocks.

I'm still doing the rib on the bottom of the vest. I have about 12 more rows to go. I'm a VERY slow knitter who does a row and then walks off to do something else. =D

I subscribe to the Craftsy newsletter and thought to share this with you. This is a one-hour (well, not if you're me) project that's perfect for getting started on your winter holiday knitting! Stephanie Japel always has great patterns (I first learned of her from knitty.com). This is an easy Herringbone Cowl that is free to DL!

Here's her step by step video

And here's the link to the downloadable freebie PDF pattern! 

Tie-front Cabled Vest Knitting Project HAS BEGUN!

I started! After reading through the pattern once thoroughly and highlight all the correct sizes, I realized that I haven't knitted in years. So I decided to swatch. I NEVER swatch.

I like to live dangerously in my knitting. So there.

Tonight, however, I decided to swatch. No so much for gauge, although that was helpful to make sure my gauge matched the instructions as closely as possible, but also to remind myself how to do certain techiniques.

Did I remember how to PFB and KFB? What does that do again? When it says decrease, WHICH decrease do I use? (I'm still uncertain on this one for the pattern. SSK leans left, K2TOG leans right, right?)

Hum uh nah what with the pockets? I've not done pockets like this before. Why do I need stitch markers? Do those go on the needles or on the yarn as I'm knitting?

You know...basics. :P

I've started the first of two pockets. I've never knit on circular needles before so this is gonna be my virgin run. It is NOT circular knitting though, which is interesting. Circular needles are just like DPNs, right? I've used DPNs for mittens.

Awaaaaaaaaaaaaaay I go! Will check in as often as possible. In the mean time, I leave you with YOGA CAT.

This is my DSH Webbie, who is 14 years old, diabetic, and the biggest love bug in the world. He is the cat that comes running when you call him, wants nothing more than to play with my yarn, and adores being brushed. I don't know who taught him yoga...but this is how I found him sleeping today!

Webster sleeps in mysterious ways...

COMING SOON! :)

It's been a long time since I've knitted/crocheted anything. The urge to do so has come on strong and now that I can afford to splurge a bit... :)

I'm starting a project!

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/teefahknee/122-tie-front-cabled-long-vest

is what I am making. You can buy the pattern from knitpicks here: http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/tie-front-cabled-tunic-vest.html.

I chose the Swish Bulky in Hollyberry and will be making a size medium for my mother. I am currently locked out of my gmail account (was sending photos of a wedding I took to a friend and apparently it was unusual usage for my account :P ) or I'd share the pic of the yarn. I was able to instagram it though, so let's try embedding that...

OH LOOK! TAHDAH! I feel badass now. :P So yeah...this probably won't have as much blogging on it as my book blog (tiffyfit.blogspot.com), but it's definitely gonna start something! :D