On The Needles

I was awoken by sirens this morning.  Once I calmed down and realized that it was from the KoC (Kingdoms of Camelot) game that I play on Facebook, I nearly threw my laptop across the room.  Gaming addiction is a very sad thing.  

Once I lost about 250 thousand heavy cavalry in the game, I settled down to some serious knitting.  I had ground to make up after a big boo-boo yesterday.  Somehow, I knit my thumb gussets upside down...Silly ME!  When I realized it I had already been knitting for over an hour.  

I am thrilled with being able to knit the mittens 2-at-a-time on circular needles.  The pattern that I designed means that either mitt can be left or right, and will be double thickness.  If you are interested in making a pair of mittens you can purchase my pattern or other items through a link on my Facebook page.  I will post a picture of this pair of mittens once I finish them.  I hope that will be tomorrow, but who knows what kingdom I will have to defend tomorrow!!

Some knitting, finally!

Okay, I have dug out the camera and taken some pictures. Perhaps I should have warned you to sit down for that shocking news. I really haven't been knitting that much, or at least not that productively, since the holiday knitting ended. I have been rather fickle about projects, starting and then just frogging the whole thing to start something else. I have no interest in my WIPs at all.

I have finished two projects. The first is a pair of fingerless mitts for.....hold onto your whatevers ....ME! My hands get achy and cold while I knit and crochet, so I decided I need at least one pair of these handy mitts to help me be more comfortable. I may have accidentally discovered a new addiction. Watch out socks, here come the mitts! These are Mirror Twist Mitts designed by Rachel Maxson and made up in Schachenmayr Nomotta Regia Jacquard in the Farbe Partie colorway. The only changes I made to the pattern were to cast on 12 more stitches to accommodate my fat hands(the designer advises adding multiples of 6 stitches to enlarge) and I added matching ribbing to the thumbs.The next project was just easy fun. A cute Starfish Cloth designed by Sew-Funky and made up in Sugar & Cream cotton. Finally, I currently have on my needles a scarf that I am calling Cotton Candy Haze Scarf that I am working up in Berroco Classic Mohair on US size 10.5 needles. What have you been knitting or crocheting? Do you make things mostly for yourself or mostly for others? Do you go through phases in your knitting where, perhaps you only make socks, or only do lace or colorwork? Please share with me in the comments.

Holiday Gift Knitting

My, how time flies! I can't believe there are only 7 weeks, yes, just 7 weeks left until Christmas, which is my gift giving holiday. Many of you may have even less time if you are knitting for other holidays or celebrations. About one-third of my gifts have been made so far and I have so many more gifts to get knit and/or crocheted.

Since I last posted a picture, I have completed a few things. First are 2 pair of thumbless mittens with crocheted I-cords for my twin nieces.

This is a Fun Fur Bottom Hat that I made for another one of my nieces. I should have blocked it before photographing it. What's next? I have cast on for a child size 2 cardigan and I cast on a rather girly hat. I will keep you updated with pictures of those as soon as I complete them.

How are you doing on your holiday gift knitting?

Tink, tink, tink....

Here I go again. I had cast on to make 2 mittens at a time from the tip down, but it isn't going well. I used Judy's magic cast on, then increased to palm width and knit even to where the thumb needs to appear. The pattern uses a provisional cast on for the thumb stitches, which was easy enough to learn, but I can't figure out how to knit the thumb stitches from one needle to the next. The thumb stitches want to curve around and stretch the connection. I have redone them 3 times and now I think I will just frog it and make them from the cuff up, which I know how to do already.

For the record, I hate quitting. I want to figure this pattern out. If you have any advice, if you have made this pattern up, I would be grateful.