Latest Knitting Projects

I haven't been posting much and I've been posting even less about my knitting. January was a knitting marathon for me, I have no idea how I knit so much (lots of bulky yarn and lots of hiding from the weather is a good guess). Here are the highlights of my favorites of what I've knit, most of you have seen the rest in person or on Ravelry...perhaps that is why I haven't blogged about anything?

Pattern: Therapi Braided Wrap (by Sara Golder, for South West Trading Company)
Yarn: 5 Skeins of SWTC Therapi
Needles: US 7s
Thoughts: This is such a great, simple pattern and the result is fantastic! The only part that semi hurt was kitchenering 75 stitches together but man was it worth it! The yarn was so lovely to work with (like butter) and blocking the braid pretty hard made it look wonderful. This was 'commissioned' by my sister for her mother-in-law's birthday. I do hope Millie likes it!

Pattern: La Parisenne Beret (By Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer - SockPixie)
Yarn: 1/2 a Skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Ms LaRock colorway
Needles: US 3s
Thoughts: This is a great pattern! It calls for 2 strands of yarn, different colors, but I cheated. This is a single skein (maybe self striping?) and it worked perfectly with this pattern. I did add on 20 stitches to the cast on as the recipient said she "had a big head" and others noted that the beret was small. I knit ribbing for 1.5" (instead of 1") and didn't start decreasing until 6.5" (instead of 4") and it is perfect - slouchy, like I was going for. This pattern was so simple to knit and memorize and a great use for sock yarn!

Pattern: Icing Swirl Hat (By Ysolda Teague)
Yarn: 1 Skein Cascade 109
Needles: US 10s
Thoughts: What a fast knit! This came out great - I wish it was a bit slouchier, but I'll fix that with blocking. This is a great use for a single skein of bulky yarn.

Pattern: A variation on 102-43 Knitted dogcoat in "Karisma" with Cable pattern (by Drops design)
Yarn: 1 Skein, plus a little of Plymouth Encore Worsted
Needles: US 7s
Thoughts: I made this for Sparky because he gets cold in the winter - he sits and shivers in the house. While the cables on the sweater is beautiful I wasn't about to knit them all the way around. Sparky is built very oddly so I had to use a combination of all three sizes in the pattern and did ribbing around the bottom half so that it might fit him a bit better. I didn't do the rolled turtle neck and I did knit legs, but his legs are too stocky so it didn't fit right (and he didn't like the legs) so I cut them off. He looks adorable in the sweater and once we get it on him he tolerates it, but getting it on can be a bit of an, um, adventure!