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Here's my latest project. I call her Anabelle.



My Aunt Rene's Birthday is right around the corner and since I'll be sending my cousin all of the mitts I've made her in the past few months I thought Auntie needed some luv too.

Pattern: Sweet Little Bird
Yarn: Red Heart Super Solids - Just a pinch of blue/black and white.
Size 3 needles. (Hard on the hands, but SO cute in the end.)
I washed all the pieces before I assembled her, it softens it up so it's not so stiff and plastic-y feeling.

And then today I finished Cindy's last pair of fingerless mitts:

Pattern: Autumn Cable Mitts
Yarn: Karabella Aurora 4 in Black
Size 2 Magic Loop

These were a bit of good and bad: a pain because of all the cables, yet fun because of all the cables. I like the pattern because it's not overbearing, still looks feminine, and I really enjoyed working them up. Okay, not all the times I had to tink back due to a "wrong way" cable but I should know better than to knit when I'm feeling too tired. I would've done these without a cable needle but in a splitty yarn, with size 2 needles, and BLACK yarn at that, my eyes and fingers were fumbling. It was a LOT safer for me to use a cable needle. I had two balls of this Karabella, so another pair of mitts may be in my future at some point I'm sure.

Are allergies killing anyone else? I was so bad both of my ear tubes got stopped up and inflammed. For two weeks now my ears have been clogged and I'm on the second RX to try to clear this up. I got an RX for Astelin (a nasal antihistimine) and it does help but it sure tastes NASTY! I'll sacrafice if it works though. You do what you have to do.

Happy Knitting.

Finally! A quick project for me!

Okay, Well, not super-duper QUICK. But better than the time it's been taking me to do anything else lately! Helmet Liner
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Chocolate
Size 6 & 8 circs & size 8 DPNs.
Modified: Did neck part for 7 inches to make sure it covered the neck better. I did some fudging by the picked up stitches to make sure no "holes" were visable. I just used a lifted stich in a couple of spots to just make things "snug". (Ignore the messy bottom neck part, he wasn't feeling very "vogue" modeling for me).

I have to admit, we laughed so hard when The Big Guy had this on, but if it keeps my nephew warm at night - or whenever - wherever he is in Afghanistan, then that's all that matters. He's always in our prayers.

I hope everyone had a nice Valentines Day! I have to admit, I'm pretty spoiled. I got my usual RX for sanity - See's Chocolates - so I was a pretty happy camper. I also scored some beautiful Sundara yarn the other evening purely by chance. (I think it was the 15th but it still counts!) She won't be mailing it out until the end of the month so I have something to look forward to. Who are we kidding, I've purchased more yarn than that but I'll save that for when I can get some decent pics.

My Doctor's visit went okay. Basically we'll just be re-checking my bloodwork every few months to try to pinpoint what "autoimmune" problem I have. We know I have one, there are over 100 so it may take a bit of time to get closer, and to order the right blood tests. I really do love my Doctor, he's just fun to talk to. He really lifts my spirits. I was apologizing about not being able to tolerate the side effects of so many meds we've tried but the way he put it into perspective for me was to tell me that if it was "meant" to be in my body it would already be there. There's no reason to feel bad about chemicals not working for me just because they may work for someone else. True.

I'm STILL trying to start another pair of fingerless mitts for my cousin. I got to thinking of how sensitive she is to wool and have another yarn that's a lot softer than the DIC Smooshy. Trying to find a pattern I like has been the hard part. I've started 3 and frogged them all. Speaking of which, that's what I should try to get back to now...

Happy knitting!

More of the Same

Another pair of fingerless mitts for my cousin.

Pattern: Jacoby
Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy in Black Parade
Size 1 needles
What can I say? You can't go wrong with 2x2 ribbing. These are SO comfy, I've started another pair for her in a softer yarn and will probably keep these for me.

I HAD to switch to a lighter colored yarn (as well as thicker), because all those black fingerless mitts just about crossed my eyes. I plan to make more of these to donate soon to a local chapter of Newborns In Need to distribute. They're quick and easy, just perfect for a tired knitter. Being a preemie myself I know those little people are pretty darn special!

Patterns: Preemie Hats for Charity
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby in Pink and a Blue Marl colorway. (You can get several hats out of one skein. I've knit two from each colorway and have PLENTY of yarn left for more.)
Size 3 needles. (I had to order a needle to do magic loop, DPN's were making me tired. Darn Fibro.)

I won this cool tool from a friend in one of the yahoo groups I'm in. We play games and I think her hubby may even make these himself. When I first saw it I was baffled at how to use it. Isn't it cute though?

Luckily Janet sent me this youtube video to help me figure it out. What did we ever do before YouTube? I had so much fun and got the hang of it right away. All I have to do now is learn to work on my tension. I was pretty loosey goosey at first but got the hang of it after watching the video more. I can see many possibilities here.

And here is "Sad Pink Sock" still waiting ever so patiently for her turn to be finished. I think I started this a few months ago.

Her mate is already done but the heck if I know where I put it. I may need to make another one in the end! Oh joy! She's going to have to keep waiting too, I have a request for a helmet liner from my nephew in Afghanistan (Army) that I've just started and pray I can finish before it's a zillion degrees there (or he's sent back?).

I have another Rheumotologist appointment tomorrow. I better go drink more water in case they have to take more of my blood. I just hate getting poked over and over. Owwww.

Happy Knitting.

Black is the new Black

And it's such a bummer for me to knit with!! My poor eyes! But my cousin is worth it because she really does USE the things I knit for her. That's the best reason to knit for someone, so when she asks for something I just can't say no. She's a Dosimetrist at a cancer center in California and is mostly on several computers all day in a VERY cold office. She requested black, so here they are.

Pattern: Sleekit Mitts
Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy in Black Parade (which really looks bluish, brownish, blackish)
Size 1 needles

I really like this pattern, it's simple, yet sophisticated.

I sort of "left out" one line in the pattern the first time I made one. It happened to be a part in the pattern that works the thumb gusset up to a certain number of inches after the increases. When you miss something like that you wonder why your finished mitt is literally cutting off the circulation in your hand. Oops.

The pattern calls for a K1, YO, K1 increase to start the thumb gusset and my knitter's mind warned me "You'll get a hole". And yep, I got a HOLE. Knitters Tip #746: Always Follow Your Instincts (REALLY!)
I used a few of the brain cells that are still working and did my own thing: KFB, K1.See? No HOLE!! Yay Me!! I really like how she wrote up the pattern for the top of the thumb gusset though. She has you pass a stitch over some of the ones you pick up along the top and it really closes things up nicely. I'm going to use that technique on other ones I make as well. It sure beats having to use the tail to "fix up" any holes that show when you're done.

Here's another pair that I made for her:

Pattern: Fetching
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Black
Size 5 needles - I added one extra cable row to the bottom and adjusted for the top as well. Did regular bind off rather than picot that's in the pattern. I think that keeps it from "flaring out" as much. These are thicker and I hope they work for her.

I actually have another pair in the works right now that's in the same blackish DIC yarn (since I had so much left over). She'll use them all the time so she can switch them out.

Today is a rest day. It was only supposed to be "light rain" today per the weather guy.


Oh my. Somebody sure got it wrong. School got out early but luckily my youngest was already here (she was up all night coughing). The Big Guy picked up my oldest who's just happy as pie to get out of school early. It'll probably all be gone by tomorrow though...