Licensed2Knit

After finishing this cute Alligator scarf for a friend I find myself with a utter lack of inspiration for my next project.  My Ravelry queue is 9 pages long  with 270 different projects that I think I want to knit but I still cannot decide what to begin next.  Should I make a shawl to wear to a wedding in May?  Should I begin summer time birthday gifts?  I haven’t made myself a sweater in ages…is this what I am looking for?   If so which one?  A shrug is quick… but is that what I’m craving?   I have no idea what to knit.  This rarely happens to me.

I think I should knit something in black since my aging eyes have much more sunlight in the summer months to help me see what I am doing.  There is that Cheryl Oberle square shawl I have been wanting to get to or maybe that black lace smoke ring out of the Blackberry Ridge wool and silk lace.   What’s wrong with  me?!   I am so indecisive!!!!

I haven’t knit something lovely for myself in quite a while… I usually knit gifts…maybe I should just stick with that and begin one of those and get them completed with time to spare?    Less stress that way…

This is harder than deciding what to make for dinner.   I always love knitting an Evelyn Clark pattern.  Her charts and pattern just make sense to me and are so intuitive.  Ugh!

I love Silky Wool, it’s one of my very favorite yarns ever and I haven’t had my fingers into that yarn in a good long while.  Perhaps I should see what I have queued up in that yarn…

Maybe I am in need of a proper knit a long…yeah maybe that’s it!  Does anyone know of a really neat project group starting?  I have too much yarn laying about to keep my fingers still for much longer.

Thoughts?   Ideas?  Direction?  Anyone?

I’ve been beading some more!  I have two beautiful daisy chain bracelets to share with you. I really love making these, I should actually make one for myself with all white daisies but apparently that’s not how I roll.  I just keep making them as gifts.  They are very easy to do and I make them super sturdy by going through most  daisies twice.  The toggle clasp and jump rings are sterling silver…since I rarely do anything without going all the way.

Purple Coneflower Daisy Chain

Pink and Orange Daisy Chain Bracelet

I finished my Maine Morning Mitts last night.  I had renamed them Airplane mitts since I knit the entire body save the thumbs on my plane rides to and from California.  I had forgotten all about them as they hid in my “Emergency Knitting Bag” but I saw the WIP listed in my Ravelry projects and dug them out so I could complete them.  I wore them today and got a compliment on them from a salesperson at Hobby Lobby.  They are knit with Noro Aurora which has a sparkling strand in there.  I was at Hobby Lobby looking at sewing patterns for spring..mainly dresses and skirts.

Maine Morning Mitts

So last week or so I was in downtown Naperville when I saw a cupcake van parked outside the library.  I walked right past it and turned around and came back.  I knew I would hate myself later for missing a cupcake opportunity.   Since this was the final stop of the day the vendor who was packing up gave me a mini cupcake sampler…so yummy.  The cupcakes are from Flirty Cupcakes which usually sells in downtown Chicago but occasionally venturing out to the ‘burbs.  They are some of the best cupcakes I have tasted…with the exception of the Red Velvet.  The recipe I used for my Red Velvets with the $12.00 cocoa was way better.

Cupcake Sampler from Flirty Cupcakes

I am still working on the Alligator scarf but may have to hold off on finishing that since I have a need to complete a different project first.  I am attending a wedding in St Louis in May.  I bought a really lovely dress at Nordstrom Rack on Friday just for the occasion but I need a light cover-up  in case the weather is cooler than expected.  I have had the Pemberley Shawl queued up for years so I will finally put it on the needles since it’ll look so lovely with the dress.  The yarn I’m using is 50% Alpaca, 50% Mulberry Silk….so this is going to be a very luxurious project to knit!

I have been a busy little bee.  I’ve made a few cards…and this super cute daisy chain bracelet!  I love it!  I used to do a fair amount of beading in my youth so I decided to try it out again to make some cool gifts for a years worth of birthdays.  I love the fact that the bracelet can change looks so easily and become daisies or cone flowers or sunflowers or …. you name it!

Daisy Chain Bracelet

I also spent some quality time in my kitchen on Super Bowl Sunday and I want to introduce you to the FAT SANDWICH!!!!   This was my boys Super Bowl meal of choice….quite honestly I was sickened by it and couldn’t eat my own dinner once I had put two of these monstrosities together.    The list of ingredients is as follows:

• an Italian sub roll
• 2 fried eggs
• 2 – 1/4 lb cheeseburger patties
• 4 strips of bacon
• 3 breaded mozzarella sticks
• 2 chicken strips
• large handful of fries
• ketchup

Fat Sandwich

I also made a football stadium cake if the sandwich wasn’t filling enough!  LOL

Nordic Ware Stadium Bundt Cake

I recently participated in a Red Velvet cupcake bake off to see which of the two recipes from the 2010 Cupcake Wars show was the best Red Velvet cupcake on the planet!   This is my entry.   Personally I liked both of the recipes we tried.  My frosting was way too soft but it was tasty.

Yummy Red Velvet Cupcakes

Check out the batter though…it looks like fake blood and I felt like I was Sookie Stackhouse whipping up a bunch of True Blood in Sam Merlot’s kitchen!

Red Velvet Cake batter

In knitting news I have been accepted to the 2012 fall session at Meg Swansen’s September Knitting Workshop and I am currently knitting the Morehouse Merino Alligator Scarf for my friend Lisa.  It’s super cute so I’ll probably knit one for me too at some point!  Later gators!

While I blame keeping my Christmas gifting secret on my lack of posting the pictures of finished objects…I can’t blame it for my lack of posting in general.  Hopefully I can make up for that.  I actually blame Facebook.  I post my random ideas there often so I tend to neglect my blog.   I’ve been blogging longer so I should be more loyal…or so you’d think!  Anyway…let the pictures begin!  I’ll add my other random stuff here soon…I hope!

I just finished blocking my Stolen Moments Shawl knit out of Cascade 128 Chunky.  So pretty, so fast, and I am hoping so warm!

Something warm to keep me warm at work!

I knit the Nalu Mitts for my friend Kathryn who didn’t have anything out of alpaca!   How is that possible?  I used some buttery soft Plymouth DK Baby Alpaca for these.  I loved the pattern and one skein was more than enough for the pair!

Kathryn wearing her new mitts!

Next up…Lucy’s Hat which is actually Audrey’s Hat pattern knit in one of my new favorite yarns Spud & Chloe Sweater.  I am over the moon on this yarn!!!!

A hat for Lucy who outgrew the baby petal hat I knit her earlier.

My affectionately self titled Lumps & Bumps Cowl knit out of Arucania Rehue Multy which is a blend of 75% Alpaca, 18% Silk, and 7% Nylon.   I tried knitting this up in a pattern but I ended up frogging it and knitting a simple ribbed cowl that wouldn’t detract from the loveliness of the yarn.  Perfect for wearing with a t-shirt to keep your neck cozy and warm.

Yummy soft cowl!

I knit two Valery hats as gifts one for my dear childhood friend Cathy and one for my lovely friend Cindy.  I really love this pattern since the style pretty much looks great on everyone.  I “need” to knit one for me now!

Cindy's Valery Hat

Cathy's Valery Hat

I still love knitting with the Cat Bordhi Magical Mobius cast on so it was a natural choice for this Trendsetter Yarn called Treasure that I snagged at Tuesday Morning.

Easy Mobius Cowl for Carol

I knit the Lion’s pattern for the Constellation Mitts for my ever chilly Thursday night gal pal Susan.  I used my fave discontinued yarn Plymouth Dakota.

Someone's going to have warm arms and hands and still be able to text!

I also finished those Winter Socks using Cookie A’s Summer socks pattern and knit in Emily’s oh so lovely Sophie’s Toes Merino Sock.  I really love her yarn!!!  If you haven’t knit with it I have no clue what you are waiting for…go now and buy some!!!!

Winter Socks for Rashmi

So I think that is all you have missed knit-wise.  I have many other posts queued up in my mind that I meant to get to last year and during the holiday season.  Perhaps I can tweak them a bit and fit them in within the next few weeks or so…well that is my hope anyway.

I love Missoni fashion…apparently I am not alone.  Let’s not talk about the sadness I still feel over the whole Target Missoni fiasco.  So in the past two days…Missoni fashion and Missoni style items have been showing up in flyers and knitting magazines.    Take a look at the JoAnn flyer from todays paper.

Missoni crochet?

So while waiting for the train on Friday I snagged a copy of Knit Simple…look and see what I saw!

Pretty blue authentic Missoni.

Apparently Vogue feels that Missoni makes a beautiful backdrop for their knitting patterns.

Such a pretty backdrop for the Noro yarn.

And another…

Lovely Missoni sweater hiding underneath.

So what are knitwear designers doing?   They are busy coming up with clone wear…I actually really like this skirt, I would make this. This one is from the Vogue Winter 2011/2012.  I might not pair it with a plaid flannel shirt though.

A really nice Missoni "knock-off" design.

I’ve seen a nice Missoni style knitting pattern for mittens, I knit a Missoni style eternity scarf as a Christmas gift and I have spent the evening with Missoni for Target scarf and plan a clone of my own with all the zig-zag goodness I can muster.

Now that the hand knit Christmas gifts have all been gifted and opened I will post some pictures of the projects that have graced my needles these past few months…but that is a post for another day.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Sock one of my Winter Socks is complete so I think I can accurately rate my experiences.    I love the convenience of the Hiya Hiya 9-inch circular but I think that knitters with smaller hands than mine would have a much better experience and be happier than knitters with larger hands.   Admittedly, I have “man hands”  meaning I can wear a man’s medium glove…or a ladies XL glove.   My hands aren’t fat…they are just large….nuf said.    So the knit was slower as I got used to the smaller work space.  I am sure I would  have cruised though this sock if I had stuck with DPN.  I did have to use DPN for the flap, heel turn, gusset, and toe…but the rest of the time I used the 9-inch circular.  Regardless the results are beautiful.

Summer Socks by Cookie A

I took a trip to Knitche yesterday and ended up with more yarn and one book more than the single skein I was planning to purchase.  The book, 60 More Quick Knits by Cascade 220,  I picked up I grabbed as an impulse buy…but I totally love this book.  You need to add this book to your library.  First off I had no idea that Cascade 220 came in anything other than the original worsted weight yarn and a chunky weight version.  I learned from a WEBS email that a fingering weight was available.  When I got to Knitche I saw the sport weight…on which this book is based.  I love this book even more now that I have taken time to peruse it thoroughly.   The more I page through the longer my queue becomes.   The Basket Weave Pocket Scarf would make a great gift!  The Garter Hood with Lace Edging would be a lovely addition to anyone’s winter wardrobe.

I am nuts over the Embroidered Mushroom Cap!   I also love every pair of fingerless mitts.   Get thee to a LYS and check out this book…it’s a must have for any serious knitter.

On my recent excursion to Wisconsin, I purchased two sets of Hiya Hiya circulars in the 9-inch length to test drive.  I love the convenience.  I love the lack of ladder issues, although as an experienced sock knitter…ladders are not usually an issue for me…like ever.  But I wish my hands were not “man” hands…smaller petite hands would really have a much easier go of it than mine.  I refuse to stop using them because I love the convenience way too much.  Toting my knitting will be much more joyous with these.  I am always afraid that during transport  either my Brittany’s or bamboo DPN will break.

Winter Sox

I am using Emily’s awesome Sophie’s Toes Sock Yarn in Walnut and since the recipient really loved her Monkey’s from last year’s Christmas gift I decided to go with another Cookie A pattern…Summer Sox…but since this is a Christmas gift I am dubbing them Winter Sox.  It’s a great little pattern and the knit is going so well.  I am hoping sock number one will be close to completion by the end of October.  I would love to have my Christmas knitting all wrapped up by Thanksgiving!!!

I finished the Northumbria cowl for my MIL.   I really wanted the cast off to be scalloped like the cast on.  So after a bit of research I found out that the only way it’s possible to achieve that is to add more stitches on the cast off.   So I used a YO between each stitch on the cast off and instead of passing one stitch over the end I passed two..one at a time.  My edge is loose and a bit scalloped so I am pleased with the result.  I used some Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in a lime green as my MIL had requested.  If time allows she may also get the purple cowl she wanted for Christmas as well.

Northumbria Cowl

Today I need to cut out and sew my black taffeta web skirt for Halloween.  It’s going to look very couture…I am so excited!  I even bought some black shooties and fishnet thigh highs to go with it.  I’ll post a pic if all turns out well.

One of the items that I picked up in Wisconsin was a little booklet called Fickle Knitter Design Volume 1 Leaves; Eight knitting projects using 395 yards of yarn or less.   I only briefly leafed (no pun intended) through the booklet quickly before adding it to my pile to purchase.   Now that I have had plenty of time to pour over the pages… do I realize… that I want to knit pretty much everything in this booklet.

• There is a cowl that uses 150 yards of aran weight yarn that features a lovely cable bobble pattern and is knit flat then seamed.
• Golden Leaf Shawl, a triangle shawl using 395 yards of a laceweight merino/cashmere/silk blend.
• Wave Shawl with a lovely lace knit-on edging and interesting holes spaced throughout the main body.
• Ballet slipper flats
• Triangle shawl with floral motif out of Socks that Rock lightweight.
• Beret
• Leafy patterned “shopping bag”
• Another leaf and floral triangle shawl out of dk weight glittery cashmere!

All are very lovely designs and very wearable.  I am pretty sure that the designer, Michelle Miller,  is a genius of sorts and a big bonus is that I even have yarn for all of the designs…no big surprise there.  But I am going to have to wait until my Christmas gift knitting is completed before I indulge myself.  Today I added two more recipients to my list that I had neglected to scribble down two months ago when I began my plotting and planning for the holidays.   I kind of thought I was getting off easy this year.   I do so want to knit for myself though….and sometimes I think I shouldn’t feel guilty about knitting for me but I do and I am not either Jewish or Catholic.  What’s up with that?

It’s cold today…I may have to wear shoes and socks before the weekend is over.  I have been wearing my U of M hoodie all day.

Lastly, in honor of the Hallmark holiday…Sweetest Day tomorrow I will share a story about my sweetheart.   Today I rolled out of bed with just enough time to slip on way too baggy jeans and a slightly wrinkled t-shirt that I wore two days ago before getting the dogs up, fed, medicated and over to the groomers.   I also packed a lunch for Ty to take to work like I always do.  My husband warmed up the truck and after we dropped the dogs off he asks me if he can take me out to breakfast.  I look at him and say, “I have no make-up on.”  He looks at me in the same way that he has for nearly 29 years and says, “You do not need make-up, you have natural beauty.”  I sighed contently and smiled back at him as we headed off to Egg Harbor.    Happy Sweetest Day!

Rainbows End at Knitting Camp!

I followed this rainbow all the way to Meg Swansen’s Knitting Workshop in Marshfield, WI.     I had the most wonderful weekend with gal pal Jodee and new friend Laura.  I also got to meet up with many other knitter pals made from previous years at Meg’s camp…like Desiree, Amy, Mindy, Emily, & Lindsey.   So much fun was had!   This year’s workshop was all about cables and twisted stitches.   Here’s a picture of my hat in progress…BTW unlike a couple previous camp projects…I am totally finishing this one.

From the Schoolhouse Press Pattern leaflet #11

It took me a day and night to wrap my head around the way to work the charts but in a moment of clarity…spawned by an alcoholic beverage (my first in like two decades)…I got it and I am loving the construction of this hat so much.  It’s all about reading the charts.  I plan to make wristers to match with the second skein of yarn I have.  I also bought some of the Guernsey in blue to make another hat.  The Québécoise yarn I am using is sort of splitty and has some halo so I just want to make a crisper looking hat next time.

Jodee was an excellent navigator and directed us to two yarn pit stops along the route on the way up.  We visited Lakeside Fibers and Stitcher’s Crossing…both in Madison.  I only enhanced a little bit….We stopped at the Sow’s Ear in Verona on the way home and I enhanced a bit there too….and a touch at Schoolhouse Press.  Well look…here is a bit of what followed me home.  I grabbed two sets of 9″ HiYa HiYa needles in US 1 and US 1 1/2 to see if I like knitting socks with them.  I am considering this because I like to tote my projects everywhere with me and I have always been concerned about breaking my Brittany DPN while in transit.  I grabbed two skeins of Manos Silk Blend, only because I found it and rescued it from the clearance basket.  I also snagged a skein of Dream in Colors Club yarn for Sept 2011 that I will use to make fingerless mitts.

Just a few things...and only a touch of fiber.

You can see a pictorial of my weekend right here.  So much fun!!!!   I really want to go back to Southern WI and explore the yarn shoppertunities a bit more especially The Sow’s Ear.  I want to eat lunch there too.  Any takers?

In other news I have a FO that is earmarked as a Christmas gift…if I can hold on to it long enough.  Sometimes I get so excited about my knitted gifts that I release them early.  I am sure the recipient will not mind this of course!   I love love love Cat Bordhi’s magical cast on for knitting mobius scarves and such.  I really should buy a copy of the book to keep for myself instead of checking it out each time I need it.  The library is now down to only one copy of her book!  Not good!

Missoni Style Mobius using Cat Bordhi's CO

And speaking of Missoni…the Marshfield Target came through for me with the elbow length knitted gloves in exactly the color I wanted!  And today the Bolingbrook Target had the square silk scarf!!!!   You see, the gluttonous behavior of some ruined the shopping experience for the rest of us and now they are choking on it and returning the unsold Ebay items to the stores.   You simply need to be in the right place at the right time now…it’s a bit like winning the lottery.

So my Christmas knitting has now begun in earnest.  Next up a pair of socks, two pair fingerless mitts, two cowls, a scarf, and a hat.   I had better get cracking!  See you.

Blessings to all!