Q2 Challenge - Go BIG!

The 2nd quarter of 2008 is already here and I am so pleased with how many handmade gifts you all have already put out into the world :) As you know, one of our main goals as a group is to avoid the last minute rush that comes along with trying to finish gifts for special occasions and holidays.

For the second quarter...we're going to do some BIG gifting!

To qualify for the Q2 challenge, you must:

1. Choose your biggest, most challenging, or potentially longest project endeavor for this year.
2. Post the chosen project and it's details out here.
3. Post progress photos and descriptions (and cries for help and/or support) out here.
4. Post FO photos and details by June 30 . Email mamamarce@gmail.com to let me know.
5. Dance a jig.***

***This one is optional, but you'd be surprised how tempted you'll be.

**Knit, crochet, sew BIG!**
Each person can have up to TWO entries, and you'll get a bonus entry if your item is one that you plan to give in the last quarter of the year (October through December).

Need more motivation?? Ok...here's the prize you're going for...

The new Jordana Paige knitting bag, Bella in bronze
(prize and photo courtesy of Jordana at JordanaPaige.com)

As always, PM or email me with your intention to accept the challenge, your FOs and any questions you may have(mamamarce@gmail.com).

Morning

May will be here shortly and I am still working on the wedding afghan. Haven't completed my March or April Dishcloths, scarves or fingerless mitts. will have to carry all of these into May.

I just have to add, I have been leaving comments here and there on peoples posts and when I go back to see additional comments, mine aren't there. so I apologize, I could have sworn I left comments this month, alas, they aren't there.

will try commenting again next month. there are some beautiful purses, arm warmers and other projects being completed. Great job peoples.

no longer a bowl

This project started out as a bowl for my gift stash...

using 40 years felted bowl pattern

But I really wasn't happy with it, and gave it a bit of a makeover...

Ta da! Now it's a handbag

Sara's April Recap.

April has totally gotten away from me. I did get some knitting done, but after a trip to the yarn store, my knitting got side-tracked from what was on my list. This is what I was planning on knitting:

April List:

1. Finish Socks, for me just because; 1.5 down, .5 to go

2. My So Called Scarf, xmas gift box.

3. More washcloths, gift box

4. Dashing, Brian, xmas

And here's what I actually knit:

1. Finish Socks, for me just because; DONE

2. My So Called Scarf, xmas gift box, WIP

3. Fetching (again), gift box, DONE

4. Dashing, Brian, xmas, DONE
5. Tam A, Mom, DONE
6. Ribbed Hat, Ken, WIP

Twisted Rib Socks
Yarn: Meilenweit Magico


My So Called Scarf
Yarn: Alpaca Soft, Knit Picks Gossamer; held together


Fetching
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Note: I remember a post way back with someone having trouble with the bind off curling. I've found if you block it out, it turns out lovely and doesn't curl.


Dashing
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca, held double



Tam A
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Noro Silk Garden.
Note: My first fair isle project!! Tons of fun and knit up pretty quickly. My gauge was a little off though, so it turned out a little small. I hope to knit the other 2 tams as well in the future.

Carrie's April Progress

My April list was short!

1. Yoga bag for MIL
   
2. 2 baby socks for holiday advent calendar

We did have our baby, so only number 2 is done! I've actually started on the yoga bag but it's nowhere near finished. I'm only finding time to knit a few rows per day, if at all, so knitting is going to be slow for a while, I'm afraid! And no pictures.. I'll have to get proper pics of the advent calendar progress some day :)

Where did April Go?

I have totally fallen behind on my gift knitting. In April I managed to finish these fingerless mitts.

Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts

Yarn: Noro Kureyon color 95

Time: a few hours!

For May, I plant to knit the Skuld bag in Nora Gaughan Book 2 and either a scarf or shawl as a gift for myself to wear at a wedding.

Elizabeth's April Wrap-up

I feel like April was a huge success. Three FO's and my Q2 Challenge item well under-way! I finished three of the five items on my gift list for April. I really enjoyed reading about everyone else's Q2 challenges as well! See my May list coming soon for more details on mine ^_^

APRIL WRAP-UP

Gift Item: Thermal (ravelry)

Recipient: Myself
Occasion: Because I haven't knit anything for myself in awhile and thought I was due
Deadline: Finished!

Gift Item: Cabled Fingerless Armwarmers (personal pattern) (ravelry) by Elizabeth Martin
Source: Harmony Guide: Cables and Arans
Recipient: Anna
Occasion: Belated birthday
Completed: April 16, 2008

Yarn: 1.25 skeins of Knit Picks Essential in Grass
Needles: US 2
Other info: It took me long enough to start them, and then I finished them in record time. I'm so happy I decided to do them both at the same time! I highly recommend it!

Gift Item: Branching Out Scarf (pattern) (ravelry) by Susan Lawrence
Source: Knitty
Recipient: Anna
Occasion: Belated birthday
Completed: April 20, 2008

Yarn: 0.75 skeins of Knit Picks Essential in Grass
Needles: US 3
Other info: I had some yarn left over from the arm warmers (see previous finished item) and decided to put it to good use and made Anna a lace scarf to wear with her arm warmers ^^ It's a lovely lace pattern, and it turned out nicely.

Gifts not finished:

4. Gift Item: Handbag or Purse

Recipient: Chantelle (brother's fiancée)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 25, 2008
Other info: I didn't pick up the yarn this month so it didn't even get started.

5. Gift Item: Voyager Lace Stole in JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk (pattern) (ravelry) by Shui Kuen Kozinski and Benne Ferrel
Source: Elann.com
Recipient: Rin
Occasion: Birthday
Deadline: June 7, 2008
Other info: I've purchased the yarn and chosen a pattern. Here's the yarn:

April update and FO sighting

I seem to keep getting distracted from making Christmas gifts. Other events have been popping up that need gifts whipped up ASAP. Here's an FO from last week - a birthday gift for a friend who just turned 50. It's a scarf done in Trinity stitch made with Knitpicks Shimmer lace weight. It feels sooooo good.

At least I have finally cast on something from my April list - the Hazy Paves scarf in this same yarn. I loved this pattern in Malabrigo lace weight, but the jury is still out as to whether it will look good in this.

Cobblestone Finished

My first 'big' gift for the holidays.  It's intended for my step-son, can't wait to see him in it!

Here is the pre and and post-blocked version.  

A third of the way through 2008!

As April draws to a close, I've only managed one gift this month - one of the new babies needs a granny square blanket, so that was on the agenda for this month. Not exciting enough to put up a picture, but I id enjoy making it. Now I'm hoping I'll have time to knit a couple of little cardigans for him/her before delivery day ;)

ramblin'

so sorry for the lack of posting, and commenting, and reading.... my family and i are in the middle of our move from california to connecticut. i will be writing more in the beginning of may.

warming the heart

finally completed ONE of my april projects...

this hot water bottle cover for my friend Tess

it is crocheted from a pattern I tested for a fellow raveller (Adriann)

List update

I need to give myself a bit of an update on what I'm doing and what I've done...

River shawl: for me... finished.
nightcap for crispin jr: finished
juliet scarf for Gaynor: finished
to do:
- 2-3 more juliet scarves for gift stash
- witch mittens for sister (these look fun)
- a to be determined baby gift. baby socks?
- crocheted flower pots for mom--I've started one. I don't think I'm doing it right... what-eve-
- socks or shawl for Carrie. Not sure yet.

happy knitting!

Need to Carry Over to May

Hello fellow gift-alongers! Your all doing such a great job and I'm loving the pic's. Keep up the great work!!
I myself am not doing so well. I've been crocheting, but nothing from my list! Just haven't been able to concentrate on what I should be doing. So I will be carrying over my April list to May and hopefully will add to it as it was a short list. I'm still going to do my Angel Afghan though I don't think I'll make the Q2 challenge with it. Don't even have yarn for it yet, in fact I started a new blanket for Lady and ran out of yarn, thought her blanket would work also for the challenge but now awaiting the yarn to come in. Its gonna be a slightly felted blanket. (maybe it'll hold up alittle longer)
I'll try to comment on every ones items..so far everything has been beautiful and makes me want to learn to knit more, (though I'm currently in a knit-along for a cloth and going good so far). I'll catch it all up next month in May! I'm just in limbo-lost- land for concentration, guess now that Lady is doing better with the loss, it must be my turn.

FO: Red Blood Cell

Cross posted at Sally Comes Unraveled and Year Long Gift-A-Long.

My mother has had serious problems with anemia in the past year or so. She's adopted the phrase "Don't take your hemoglobin for granted" as her new motto. (It was on a pamphlet at the doctor's office.)

A while back I sent her a link to this picture. She replied "I hope mine are that pretty."

So it seemed fitting to crochet her a red blood cell for her birthday.

Of course, now that I compare the finished product with the photo that inspired it, I realize just how far off I was.

If I had kept trying, I may have gotten closer to the "biconcave disc shape." I realize now I should have focused more on making a dent in the middle and less on creating a ridge around the outside. (Basically, I should have listened to Lyndsey, but I had this all figured out in my mind.)

There isn't really a ridge to speak of, just a puckery edge:

The other thing I could have tried was sewing a strip around the edge and filling it with stuffing.

And yes, that is a zipper you see. This red blood cell is also a coin purse. Or a make up bag. Or something.

Mainly, I wanted Mom to be able to see the "hemoglobin" inside. I used curling ribbon, which I decided was close enough for a red blood cell with 10mm
"Googly Eyes" sewn on it. (I probably should have used bigger eyes.)

Everything is better with Googly Eyes. I'm convinced this red blood cell talks like Insanity Prawn Boy from On The Moon.

Here is a look of the haphazard way I sewed in the zipper. (I know it's hard to see with the red on red.) I think it's a running stitch. I used the same yarn and a fairly sharp tapestry needle. I used a six inch zipper, so I didn't have to trim it.

I also used a US H aluminum crochet hook and some Pop'n Yarn that only seems to exist on eBay and at the Goodwill. I found mine at Goodwill. (I keep old acrylic yarn like this around for occasions like this.) I used color 218 Flame Red. I think I used about half of a 3.5 ounce skein.

At some point, I might write this pattern out, or try to make it better. We shall see.

Q2 Challenge

Thanks Marce! Duh, I wasn't even thinking these baby blankets qualify for the Q2 Challenge, but they are in fact the biggest projects I have taken on this year for gifts!

Here's the progress on the Diagonal Stripes Baby Blanket. Its my own pattern, simple diagonal knitting and trying to use up some yarn in my stash. Cast On: 4/18/08. Need to complete before June.



I am also going to crochet another blanket for a co-worker who is also due in June, I'll start that once I finish this one.

Finally

042108103359
Originally uploaded by bianca_b

I have had the knitting blues in the past month and a half. Climbed out of it... and now I have: One sweater to show... finished this one early this morning. Steven received the yarn as a surprise gift in December, and he wanted me to knit his little brother a sweater. So I did. Our little yarn eater is showing his sweater...after trying to bite the buttons off.

I finished a few other things this weekend as well; they are to be mailed out to the US... Can't show them yet as they are designs to be accepted I hope. LOL! Now I need myself to find something interesting to knit again.... Projects, where art thou?

Baby Stuff

Rima
www.yarnydays.com

Elizabeth's Third April FO!

Branching out into lace

I'm on a roll! This is my third FO for April which is unprecedented. Awesome! I had some yarn left over from the arm warmers (see that post here) and decided to put it to good use and make Anna a lace scarf to wear with her arm warmers ^^ It's a lovely lace pattern, and it turned out nicely.

Gift Item: Branching Out Scarf (pattern) (ravelry) by Susan Lawrence
Source: Knitty
Recipient: Anna
Occasion: Belated birthday
Finished: April 20, 2008

Yarn: 0.75 skeins of Knit Picks Essential in Grass
Needles: US 3

Nightcap for Crispin Jr

Here is my old friend Ted modeling my latest FO. It's the nightcap from Lucinda Guy's book And so to bed, which is full of cute things for babies and kids. I used some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino that I had in the stash left over from another project. So that's another thing off the list. I've another baby to knit for but not sure what I'm going to make yet.

Angela T. April Gift List

Well I've already past the deadline for my March/April finishes, so I am re-working my list now.

1. Mom Scarf - Well let's just put this one down for NEXT Christmas, her birthday is in May so a scarf really isn't appropriate for that!
2. Marion Socks - Also going for next Christmas and her birthday is also in May and I am not going to get them done by then.
3. June - Jen Baby Blanket - Diagonal striped blanket in Cotton Ease.
4. June - Orlando Baby Blanket - Crocheted blanket.

I think that's it for now. I have too many other things going on and I'll be surpised if I can get the two baby blankets done for co-workers who are both due in June. Luckily they are both in yarn I already have in my stash, so no extra money is or shopping is required. I think I will start the knit one today.

Other gifts I have yarn for:

• Diane Gloves (Christmas)
• Brianna Blanket
• Hat for co-workers daughter
• Derek Dr. Who Scarf
  
  Angela T.
  http://angcraftcorner.blogspot.com

Q2 Challenge- I'm In!

For the Q2 Challenge I will be crocheting 3 afghans this year. 1 for my youngest son in blues (not sure of the pattern yet), 1 for my Step-Mother ( a round ripple in blues- already started), and 1 for my Hubby (a Diagonal Box-Stitch in shades of green-already started 2 days ago using RH yarn).

I hope to get all of these completed by November at the latest!

Elizabeth's Second April FO!

I knit some cabled arm-warmers for my friend Anna. These are long overdue, and I'm very happy to have them done. We're going to consider them an early birthday present, even though her birthday is in November. The pattern is pretty much my own, and the cable pattern is borrowed from a book even if it is a really simple one. I intentionally off-set the cables and I think they look pretty cool.

Cabled Fingerless Armwarmers (personal pattern) (ravelry) by Elizabeth Martin
Source: Harmony Guide: Cables and Arans
Recipient: Anna
Occasion: Belated birthday
Completed: April 16, 2008

Yarn: 1.25 skeins of Knit Picks Essential in Grass
Needles: US 2

Q2 Challenge -- Count me in!

For the Q2 challenge, I'll be crocheting an hourglass afghan for my niece for the holidays. I haven't read over the pattern completely yet, but having to crochet pieces and put them together, this is just the thing that I would tend to leave until...

So count me in. I'll be sure to post progress pics.

Michelle M's Q2 Challenge

Since I'm here, I want to post this separately...

My Q2 Challenge is to knit the Dishcloth Square Afghan for each of my children! HUGE project, I've wanted to do for eons...

Big Girl's is a fairy afghan
Middle Guy's is a boy afghan, bugs, sea creature theme
Little Girl's is a girly bugs afghan

My plan, knit a square for each every 2 weeks.
I"ll post the required pics... promise!

Michelle M

Michelle M's March update, and April list

Oh I'm SOOO behind on getting on here...

I did well on my March knits.. of course I owe pics.. but I wanted to get here and make my April list 'known' and mark a spot so I can find it again later.. I have the hardest time with this... but I now have a plan. I'm going to add a Tab to my blog where I"ll keep my posts for this 'challenge' so that I have an easier time 'finding' what I'd previously posted. so I'll be working on that today too :-)

My April list is small and sweet...

1. Knitted Marshmallow for Mary
2. First Communion Wrap for Abby, Due May 4th

That's it! :-) The wrap really demands my concentration so I take breaks from it to knit other fun stuff, but I do need to finish it.. I have a deadline!

I'll be back a bit later with march finished object photos

Michelle M

April Progress Report

My Hazy Paves scarf is done, blocked and ready to wear. I love this pattern - so easy and fun.

I changed gears a bit on Mom's scarf. I'm doing an all over Trinity stitch in Knit Picks Shimmer. I have about 24" done and I just started it Sat. night.

Aquila started!!

Here's my Aquila started.[13:04:08

It is a gift for me!!

Its knitting up a drem. Using Aluminium needles and loads of stitch markers to keep me on track, need to get 1 more colourway of yarn, wanted to knit a few rows before i made the decision.

Im loving it so far...

Finally a FO

Here it is the Juliet scarf for the lovely Gaynor. It's from Louisa Harding's book Knitting Little Luxuries which has a lot of cute things in it. It was fairly easy to knit--a 12 row repeat. The result is a soft and elegant scarf. I've bought this angora yarn in a few colours and will likely knit this again.

Otherwise, I'm working on a nightcap for a baby due in June.

Happy Knitting.

April FOs

Hello fellow gifters!

I've got two (#s 1 & 3) of my April items completed...

Green Celtic Tote... sadly, this is gifted to myself because a) I missed part of one cable's outlining and didn't realize until after I felted it, and b) it's a bit wonky despite much stretching. So not gift-worthy, but I still like it. Someday I may try to outline the part I missed, but I don't want to felt the bag anymore or it will lose the cable definition.



(made with Lamb's Pride Worsted)

I'm much happier with Carie Lynn Bag from SheKnitsforKnitters. It was a fun and relatively quick knit. This one is made with Valley Yarns Berkshire.



This bag will be donated to a raffle at a women's retreat next weekend.

Have great rest of the weekend!
JavaNut

Come Sail Away ...

Here is a picture of my latest gift FO, a baby hat for the next door neighbors' baby, due at the end of June:

I am so pleased with how well it turned out, and how even my somewhat lame sewing skills managed to place and secure the applique pieces so that it actually looks balanced. Personally, I think it looks yar!

For those of you who are interested, here are the details:

Pattern: Sailboat, from Itty-Bitty Hats, by Susan B. Anderson.Size: 0-3 months.
Needles: US7 double points.
Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic in colors denim, red, navy, white. (The color numbers are: 3001, 3818, 3997, 3856, but I don't have the bands in front of me to know which number goes to which color ...)
Started: March 20, 2008.
Finished: The pieces were all knitted by March 30; I sewed the knitted applique pieces onto the finished hat on April 6.

This is a fun pattern to make, and really doesn't take long to do (unless, like me, you keep getting interrupted). I love all the patterns in the book, but this is the first one I've been able to try.

Pocket Scarf FO

Wow, Sorry I'm behind some gang...been a rough week, but I'm good, its my remaining doggie I'm worried about but hopefully I can get her through missing her buddies. Think I may be making her a new blankie to lay on. Anyways, I managed to finish up a project I started in Dec 07, glad I put it on this month list as it is done!! Past couple days I was able to do alittle during my lunch hour and then when home got the pocket parts sewn on..April FO # 1..
Pocket scarf: I used Midnight blue Chenille so its really soft, was alittle sheddy for a bit, but fine now I think. So in the Gift basket it goes and I'm thinking I may make a hat to match with it. Be a nice gift set if needed.

Everyone have a great weekend!! I'm back to shaking the pom poms for you all. I know you can do it!! :)