Knitting....as Usual :)

I've been SUCH a busy knitter.....so busy that I couldn't even get on here to talk about it!


So, to make up for lost time, I'll try to show everything I've done since my last blog post.



A friend of mine is opening a new yarn shop in Charlotte (in the NoDa district of the city), called "Yarnhouse". He gave me 3 skeins of yarn, asked me to knit some things with them to display in his shop.



Using Queensland "Kathmandu Chunky", I made this nice, cushy hat.

Here's the free pattern: "Handspun Ribbed Hat"





With Mirasol "Hacho", I made this lovely "Gloria Cowl".





And with Elsebeth Lavold "Silky Wool", I knit this sweet baby hat and booties.

Scalloped Lace Baby Cap (free pattern on Ravelry).

Mary Jane Baby Booties





While working on those, I was also adding a few rows on one of our large Oddball Charity Blankets. I was actually able to bind off the stitches this week! Yahoo!!! Now, I'm adding a crochet border, and the blanket will be ready for donation to charity. :D





I'm still going on the Bernat Side Button Hooded Cape, and have also cast on my next Bernat Blog project, the "Knitted Star Afghan". I'm using red, black, and gray yarns, because that's the colors my step-son requested for an afghan. He's been waiting a couple years for one, so this is my opportunity to make it for him. The beginning was the hardest part, with the 3 dpns in a teeny tiny circle. It's getting better now.





I'm using a large project bag (LL Bean) that my mother-in-law gave me for my knitting. She used to knit and crochet a lot when she was younger, and knew that I would need a bag this big. It's PERFECT for carrying my afghan project supplies. :)





And I'm still working on the gloves and Christmas stockings as well. Maybe I should just go back and knit now..... I don't have time to sit at this computer any more, with all that waiting for me in the craft room! (tee-hee)



Talk again soon.

Finished the Back of My Cape!

Yay! Last night, I finished the back of the cape I've been working on. It looks so nice! Cushy and comfy. I just can't wait to wear it.


I didn't let myself rest on my laurels, though. Time to start the front!

Bagsmith "Little Brown Bag" Kit

Yesterday, I got the greatest gift from a friend in the Knitting Help Forum.

It's a "Little Brown Bag" kit to knit a nice purse. How cool!


The kit contains everything I need to make a nice purse...and it's in my favorite color - brown!

Yay!

Getting Busy on the Christmas Stockings

Now that I have all the yarn I need to make the Christmas stockings, I'm able to get to work.

Before I started knitting, I charted all the names and years I'll need on a sheet of graph paper. I placed the chart on a music stand, with a magnetic bar to mark my place. The stand is just in front of my knitting chair, so it's easy to see.


Here's my knitting chair. I'm using my old Fujitsu laptop computer to view the pattern. It would have taken 5 sheets of paper to print it out, and I'm out of toner right now. This is working very well, because I can zoom in and out of the document for better viewing.


After the first day of knitting, I had completed casting on all 3 stockings. Now all the ribbing is done - Yay!

The following day, I completed the name and year on one of the stockings. Looking good!


Everything I need for knitting the stockings is in a basket, so I can get going right away.

Persistence Pays Off

Yay!!! Today, I received the yarn I needed for my Christmas stockings. I asked my client to order the yarn from Knit Picks, because it looked like it would be a perfect match (gauge and color) for her stockings. I was right! WOO HOO!!!

Here's the yarn and stocking together - couldn't be better.


And here is another photo, without flash. It STILL matches! :)

In Other Knitting News....

Aside from the lovely gloves and Christmas stockings, I'm also in the midst of knitting a cape, and a ribbed hat, among other things.

Here's the latest view of the cape. I'm halfway up the back now!


And the hat is going well also.

Cedar Chest is FULL

Remember my new cedar chest? Well, it's filled to the brim now, with lovely wool yarns and a few handknitted items. Time to buy another chest! Ha!