Wild Fire Knit

The Yarn Harlot is knitting one therefore, I must knit one. I present the noro ribbed scarf (that I'm knitting in SWS).



I don't follow the crowd. I make a point of not following the crowd, or I should say - I try to resist following the crowd, but sometimes resistance is futile. But hey! I haven't made a clapotis yet. (I actually cast on for one, and promptly frogged it, but not before getting this far)


I even got further than that and it was looking gorgeous, but I didn't want to take a picture of it. I started it in Kauni, and it was a poor choice. The colour is gorgeous, and it would have been beautiful, but the yarn is so sticky. Its meant for colourwork. Doing those intentional drop stitches was a royal pain in the arse with the kauni. The kauni will wait. I have something in mind. You will see.

I finished another Kim's hat - this time I made it big enough for Riley. Hopefully I have. Since I haven't seen him this year one can't be too sure. Perhaps his head grew inexplicably large in the past year. I really hope not.

A Hat for Max

This actually started out life as a 'hat for Riley', but for some reason it was turning out small. So now it belongs to Max. This actually works out okay. I 'owe' Max a handknit since I recently finished a sweater for his little cousin Morgan. I'm such a true Libra in that I have to be fair to everyone.

Morgan's sweater was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but he is growing so darned fast that I had to give it to him as soon as I finished. I'll do the same with Max's hat. The next time he visits, the hat is his.

The pattern is 'Kim's Hats' from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. The yarn is Valley Yarn's North Hampton with a tiny bit of Noro Kureyon.

Mad Eye Patch (Free Pattern)

Materials
Size 4 mm hook
Small amounts worsted weight black, blue, white (I used Paton's Classic Merino)
50 yds (?estimate) light brown
tapestry needle
small amount of fiberfill
two buttons
elastic (about 6 inches)

This pattern is made up of 4 pieces. The eyeball part, the socket part and two straps. Here is a picture of all 4 completed parts before being pieced together.



Eyeball
* Pattern is worked in the round. Each round begins with ch 1 and ends with sl st in first sc of round to join.
Rnd 1 (Black) – ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook, sl st, fasten off
Rnd 2 (blue) – attach blue at first sc of Rnd 1, ch 1, 2sc in every st, sl st (12 sts total)
Rnd 3 – ch 1, (1 sc, 2 sc in next st) 6 times, sl st, fasten off white (18 sts total)
Rnd 4 (white) – attach white at first sc of Rnd 3, ch 1, (2 sc; 2sc in next st) 6 times; sl st (24 sts total)
Rnd 5 – ch 1, (3 sc; 2 sc in next st) 6 times; sl st (30 sts total) fasten off

Here are some photos of the eyeball being worked







Socket
Work in brown

Repeat rounds 1-5 of eyeball part
Round 6 Ch1 (4 sc; 2sc in next st) 6 times; sl st (36 sts total)
Round 7 Ch 3 (counts as 1 DC) DC in 35 st around in front loops. Sl st to ch 3. Fasten off

Hard to visualize? See here




Straps (Make 2)
With Brown, Ch6. DC in 3rd st from hook (counts as 1st DC) 3 DC across Chain 2 turn
Round 2 - 3 DC, Ch 2 turn
Repeat Round 2 until 3 inches long ending with 3DC (omit C2)
Fasten off



Finishing

Sew straps to socket at a slight angle as shown



Weave in all ends.


With brown, whip stitch 'eyeball' to 'socket' as shown, but leave a small opening to stuff slightly with fiberfill.





Sew elastic to both ends of straps and sew buttons in place. Note that buttons are purely decorative.



Try on patch and enjoy

Gift knitting continues

I've finished off 4 things recently. So, I thought I would show them off. They are destined to be gifted to someone this holiday.

This hat is Half Pipe from Debbie Stoller's Son of Stitch and Bitch.

I've had this book since it came out, but this is the first project that I've made from it. There are quite a few really neat patterns here. I always find that when I put a book down for several months and go back to it, there seems to be new patterns there that I didn't see the first time around. I've got so many books in my knitting library now, its beginning to get a little embarrassing. I think I will put off buying any new books until I reexamine all my old ones for new possibilities.

These mittens are the Elegant and Easy Cabled Mitts from Designer One Skein Wonders.



This being the third time that I've made them, its safe to assume that I like this pattern. And I do, but I'm done with it now. I had to force myself to finish these, I had become so bored with this pattern.

And this is Marigold by Marnie Maclean - a free pattern available online from Spindlicity. This is only my second pattern with my handspun. As I've said in an earlier post I'm determined to knit more with my hand spun. I have cowls on the brain, and I want one for me - so a cowl is up next.



And finally, I have the little bugger that caused a knitting fatality. I won't be rushing off to knit with cotton anytime soon, but I do like this little hand towel. I've always liked mitered knitting too. I guess a wool one wouldn't be that effective hey?

Damn, I hate cotton

So, I'm knitting the hanging mitered hand towel from Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. Its a kitchen hand towel so of course its in cotton. At the hanging loop part you hold your yarn doubled. This is hard to do with cotton because there is absolutely no give in cotton. This is why I hate it so. That and that fact that it is so .... ummm...not nice on the hands. Unlike wool, it isn't soft to the touch. It is dry and crunchy. I have a friend who hates the feel of cotton balls, the way they squeak in her hands. Well thats what knitting with cotton is like. And....look! Look what it did to my needle!

Marigold

This Harry Potter house cup thing is just wonderful for production. I'm knitting up lots of little gift items. The latest is for Herbology class. We are required to knit something plant like. I'm knitting marigold from Spindlicity Summer 2006 edition. I'm using my handspun too. The Sea and Surf scarf was such a success that I'm determined to use my handspun in more projects.

This little hat is knit in a lace pattern that resembles leaves. I don't think it will keep a head warm or anything, but I do think it will be great for those 'bad hair days'.

Alohamora

Thats a charm from the Harry Potter series which opens and closes. I'm knitting in the House Cup challenge on Ravelry. Charms class this month was to knit something that opens and closes. So, I've knit this gaiter. It was a very, very fast knit. And so cute too. This pattern is from Knit.1 Fall 2007. I knit it in Brown Sheep Burley Spun. I may keep this myself or give it away, I haven't decided. I have enough yarn left over to make another I think.