Sally's August Gift List

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

July was better than June. Although I don't have any FOs, I did make some progress here and in other knitting areas.

July Wrap Up:

1. Gift Item: A lace shawl. (Rollover)
Progress: No progress this month. I need to restart the thing with new needles. There are more details here, here and here.

2. Gift Item: Finish Boogie Time (2 of them) (Rollover)
Progress: No progress this month. I'm still stuck. I still need a watch face that works for a boy.

3. Gift Item: Rainbow Socks (Rollover)
Progress: No progress, but they my "something old" for the Q3 Challenge.

4. Gift Item: Jen's Purse (secret knitting - Rollover)
Progress: The yarn is still lost in Jen's house.

5. Gift Item: Wickerware Socks (socks for a male relative.)
Progress: This is where I made real progress. I've finished one sock and gotten past the cuff on the second one.

August Gift List:

1. Gift Item: A lace shawl. I'm really going to finish it! (Rollover - Again)
Recipient: Grandma
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: June 2008, for the Second Quarter Challenge.

2. Gift Item: Finish Boogie Time (2 of them) (Rollover - Again)
Recipient: Family Friends
Occasion: last Christmas
Deadline: Overdue

3. Gift Item: finish my sister's socks (rollover - Again)
Recipient: Sister
Occasion: Birthday
Deadline: Overdue

4. Gift Item: Jen's Purse
Recipient: Friend
Occasion: Birthday
Deadline: Overdue

5. Gift Item: Wickerware Socks
Recipient: Male Relative
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Let's say December 18, to give me enough time to mail it.

July update

This month I had a stint on baby clothes, managed to get two cardigans and a jumper done for my cousin's granddaughter. All different shades of pink - what a treat after all the boys I've had to knit for.
Another Christmas gift crossed off the list :) What a great plan this is!!

Sally's Q3 Challenge

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

I've been meaning to officially accept the Q3 Challenge, so now I want to nail down exactly what I'm going to knit.

The challenge is to knit something old, something new, and something special just for you (err...me.)

1. Something Old - I'm finally going to finish my Rainbow Socks, which have been languishing for a long time.

2. Something New - Center Square

3. Something Special just for You (Me) - Entrelac Scarf

I have until September 30.

July wrap-up. Really.

I am making my july wrap-up post early this month, because I'm going away for a week and will be unable to blog on my progress.

Gift item: Miss Saigon scarf (bridesmaid gift)
I finished the triangle/swatch part of the Miss Saigon (ravelry link) last night. I’m confident that it will look great once blocked, but right now it looks a little small. It’s going great though. The yarn is soft and lovely (a nice break from the acrylic wrap I’m working on otherwise), and I think I may have decided who I’m going to give it to.

This is the first of lace bridesmaid gifts I'm knitting for next fall. I ordered the knit picks lace sampler a few months ago, with them in mind. I don't think they will all be scarves. I'm just going to let the yarn tell me what they want to be.



Q3 Challenge gift: Muir (something new, for my sister-in-law for Christmas)
It's also been awhile since I photographed Muir (ravelry link). My last update was a while ago, in knitting time, and I have almost twice as much knit up as before. Miss Saigon is a wonderful break from the acrylic (even if it's nice acrylic), but now I'm feeling guilty that I'm neglecting Muir lol.



There is also cause for a bit of celebration. The company I was working with on a trial-basis, has decided to offer me a full time job. Not only does this solve most of my work-related problems, but it's also right down the street from Knit Knackers (hooray!). So, I treated myself to some yarn. It's nothing overly special; I picked up some sock yarn for myself and for a Christmas present for my mom, and some yarn from the sale bin for myself. But boy did it feel great to be able to buy yarn again!

I'm going away for a week to visit my parents, so I won't be blogging until I get back. Maybe there will be knitting news when I return… and maybe there will be photos of the aforementioned yarn. You will have to wait. In the mean time, you will have to be satisfied with my hastily taken WIP photos.

Gift item: random birthday head band for Alex, will finish by Saturday.
And in the nature of spontaneity, I decided to de-stash and do some birthday knitting. Hope I can get it done by Saturday.



As for my goals this month:

1. Slippers for dad were finished early in the month
2. The stole is nearing the 1/3 mark which feels awesome
3. And I've started swatching/knitting the first of my bridesmaids gifts, all in all, not bad progress considering.

As for the Q3 Challenge:

1. Something old: dad's slippers (complete)
2. Start and finish something new: The stole (in progress)
3. Knit something for yourself: I'm completely failing on this one so far, I haven't even started ^^;; Still planning on a wrap for me

See you all when I get back. Congratulations for making it all the way through the post!

Wedding Gift for Best Friend

Hello!
This is the gigantic blanket (60inches by 60inches) I made for my best friend. It is one big granny square...I am currently writing up the pattern. For more information regarding the project, please click here.

Thanks,
Rima

helena

finally finished knitting Helena for my daughter...

made a few modifications to the pattern - details are on my blog

Q3 Challenge update and July Progress Report

The Muir stole I am working on for my sister-in-law is moving, but very very slowly. I've only been able to work on it while on the bus, since I've been so annoyingly busy that I can't see straight. How did I miss the fact that knitting a lace chart on a bus is next to impossible? Argh. And the people on the bus are so very uncooperative with the whole thing. I mean, why can't I get you to hold my chart while I knit? That's not a problem is it? Some people! lol (jk)


Once I got past the first repeat, I was able to see more clearly what was going on with the pattern. It seems I way doing one of the stitches incorrectly. Well, at least I was consistent! I'm doing it correctly now, and have sped up quite a bit since I started since I don't need to keep going back and looking at the pattern notes to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong.

These photos were taken at the 10% mark, I have about twice as much knitted up now.



Q3 Challenge Update!

1. Finish a work-in-progress: COMPLETE!
   Toe Warmers my dad (pattern)(ravelry)(blog). These were started the last week of June and finished July 7. Very quick and easy, but I'm happy they're done!
   
   
2. Start and finish a gift item: 20%
   The Muir stole (pattern)(ravelry), will fit into this category nicely!
   
   
3. Knit something for yourself:
   
   Part 1 — Arbor: COMPLETE
   I would say I'm 50% done because I challenged myself to finish Arbor (pattern)(ravelry)(blog), which I finished July 5th, but I wanted to start and finish something brand new for myself. I knew that finishing the pullover wouldn't be much of a challenge and needed more.
   
   Part 2 — Voyager Lace Stole: Pending Start
   My plan for the second part of this challenge is to use my Fiddlesticks lace yarn that could make a lovely wrap (ravelry)(pattern) for me ^_^

July Progress Report

1. Toe Warmers / For my Dad / Christmas / December 25, 2008 / Finished July 7, 2008
2. Muir Stole / For my sister-in-law / Christmas / December 25, 2008 / 20%
3. Bridesmaid Stoles (swatching) / For my Bridesmaids / Wedding / September 2009 / Pending start (probably will rollover to August)
4. Stole in Fiddlesticks lace yarn / For myself / Q3 Challenge / September 30, 2008 / Pending start
5. Arbor — Lace pullover / For myself / Partial Q3 Challenge / Finished July 5, 20008
   

July update

Well I finally finished item #1 for the Q3 Challenge... the Woodland Shawl for E's bday next month. It was an easy knit - quick to memorize the pattern which made it very portable. I didn't love the yarn, but the color is perfect for her and it's a superwash. Hopefully dirty little hands will stay away, but with 2 kids something washable is always a plus!



I did make a couple of minor modifications (see notes on my Ravelry project page)... finished is approx 20"x80"

One down...

Gina's Clogs and Channing's Toy

happy bastille day everyone

The end of the school year ate my life for the end of June and the beginning of July. I am just coming up for air and can look at my June goals and begin planning for July.
My June goals:
1. Finish the Wallaby

This got done though I still have to block it!
2. Finish A's socks

Well, one sock got done and so the first part of my 3Q challenge will be to finish these socks.
3. Make one hat for charity knitting

This also got done!
4. Start a going away present for P - to be finished by July 30
This did not happen and probably will not this month. I am going to roll it over to August.
5. To pick yarn and a pattern for a present for DH by June 30
I think that he and I will go yarn shopping in August and I will start this in Sept.

So, my July goals are:
1. Finish the socks for A
2. Make a charity knitting scarf -for the new gift part of my 3Q challenge - I want to make 5 scarves for my charity knitting project
3. Start a camisole for me - which is the last part of my 3Q challenge
4. Finish a special single sock gift.

Elizabeth's mid-July update

I almost have photo-worthy knitting done on a lace stole I'm working on for a Christmas present. Now if you're wondering if this knitting looks familiar, that's because it probably is. I frogged this blanket last week, because the fabric and the yarn and everything was not turning out the way I had hoped, so I started something new. I hope this goes better than the first attempt.

2 More FO's!

These weren't on the list, but they go with my last 2 fo's and were kind of spur of the moment projects. A cabled baby hat to go with the cabled shrug, and a teardrop handbag to go with the garter. Both my own designs.

July Goals

Between sick children and getting used to the summer schedule, June was a complete bust for me -- lots of projects, but no FOs over here; not even my Q2 afghan.

For July, I'm going to:

• Finish toe-up socks/my son/because I've never tried toe-up socks/July 31
• Baby Moc-a-Soc/a friend/newborn gift and because they are the cutest booties ever/July 19.

That's it.

FO pictures

Mousie Mouse with Soxie

Robbie the Fish and Lelephante for Maren

Argosy scarves  

here are the pictures of my finished items.  the Mouse took only one day to knit and sew together.  the elephant took a weekend and the fish took a little longer about a week.  

July knitting is for me.  75% knit my shrug I started last summer.  

Happy knitting everyone!

Barbara

2 FO's down!

Last night I finished up Elope and You are My Sunshine. Here they are:

For the Sunshine baby shrug we don't know if the baby will be a boy or girl, so I put on white ribbon to tie it, but I'm including purple ribbon in case a girl comes out.

I'm also knitting a lavender teardrop hand bag to match Elope, because I wanted to send something else with it to the shower. It's 70% done and I'm just making it up as I go, so no idea quite how it will turn out yet! I've also got 50% of the first sock for Betsy done. I'm not making enough progress on the MQW, and the honeymoon cami has been put on the back burner for now. Too many projects all happening at once!

Q3 Challenge first FO!

I started some slippers for my dad (Christmas knitting in July) at the end of June. I finished the first one on Sunday night. They're pretty good, I think. It's hard to know if they'll fit, though his feet are only half an inch longer than mine so I can guess based on how they fit me that they should be alright. The yarn I bought is enough to do five slippers. I've decided to do three for him (so he has a spare) and a pair for myself, but probably in a different pattern. I don't know if I can bring myself to knit five of the same pattern without going insane.

Anyway, here's the first slipper.



And completed slippers!

Toe Warmers — Footlets for Dad (pattern) (ravelry) by Patons
Source: Yarn Lover's Room (knitting-crochet.com)
Recipient: My Dad
Occasion: Christmas
Finished: July 7, 2008
Yarn: 0.5 skein of Lang Yarns Jawoll Cotton Aktion
Needles: US 2 or 2.75 mm circulars





This also marks the beginning of my Q3 Challenge knitting. It feels great to get such a good start on it. The rules were to knit an unfinished gift, start and finish a new gift, and knit something for yourself. This is probably the easiest of the three parts, and I'm probably making it more of challenge than it needs to be, but I really don't want to have any leftover yarn lol.

My second project that I want to talk about is Arbor, which sort of fits into the Q3 challenge, but I'm not using it in its entirety. I have loftier plans! Anyway, here's some finished pictures of it!



Another from the front, after a day of wearing (it hasn't stretched at all, which is awesome!)



And one from the back, where there might have been some slight stretching, but I'm not overly concerned. I still think it wore very well.



Q3 Challenge Goals!

Just a quick recap/update for you readers out there on my Q3 Challenge items:

1. Finish a work-in-progress: COMPLETE!
   Toe Warmers my dad (pattern)(ravelry)(blog). These were started the last week of June and finished July 7. Very quick and easy, but I'm happy they're done!
   
2. Start and finish a gift item:
   The cozy stole (pattern)(ravelry) will fit into this category nicely!
3. Knit something for yourself: 50%
   I would say I'm 50% done because I challenged myself to finish Arbor (pattern)(ravelry)(blog), which I finished July 5th, but I wanted to start and finish something brand new for myself. I knew that finishing the pullover wouldn't be much of a challenge and needed more.
   
   My plan for the second part of this challenge is to use my Fiddlesticks lace yarn that could make a lovely wrap (ravelry)(pattern) for me ^_^

My updated July List:

1. Toe Warmers / For my Dad / Christmas / December 25, 2008 / Finished July 7, 2008
2. Cozy Stole / For my sister-in-law / Christmas / December 25, 2008 / Pending start
3. Bridesmaid Stoles / For my Bridesmaids / Wedding / September 2009 / Pending start
4. Stole in Fiddlesticks lace yarn / For myself / Q3 Challenge / September 30, 2008 / Pending start
5. Arbor — Lace pullover / For myself / Partial Q3 Challenge / Finished July 5, 20008
   

Back in the Game

Hi all,

I have been out of it since March, but I am back. I have been crocheting but not posting and even made a crocheted gift for a friend in June. But life was a little crazy so I did not even attempt to set needlework goals. But I am ready to jump back in.

I accept the Q3 challenge.

1. Crochet Granny Square Throw for Sister In-Law (something old)
2. Boy Beannie for DH (something new)
3. Boy Beannie for a friend (something new)
4. Slippers for a friend (something new)
5. Something special for me: Fat Bottom bag(just about finished)

These will also be my July goals.

Glad to be back!

Mary Still Here!

I bet you all thought I fell off the face of the earth..lol I didn't, just got lazy and wore out from this heat. I'm not rolling over June's list, which was rolled over from May..think I will pick new items for July list. I take the Q3 challenge, but at this time haven't a list together. I will post my July list and the Q3 this week. (promise)
I'm back to working full time so I have to get myself back into a routine. Lately its been house stuff, ripping up carpet and doing screens so not much on projects has gotten done. I keep running out of yarn.

Congrats to Goldiegirl on the Q2 win!! That's exciting! Everyone is doing a great job on gift items and I hope to rejoin in getting something done..lol

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Carrie's July List

I didn't post a June progress report because... there was zero progress! Of course I had a ridiculously short list anyway so no worries on rolling it over. I really wanted to work on something for me, so that's what I've been doing.

I'm still thinking small because the baby is still very young, so my July list will be short as well.

• Advent calendar socks (two), the entire project to be completed by December
• Koolhaus hat / brother / December

I'm considering the Q3 challenge. The only problem I have is I don't have an "old" gift that I can think of! Maybe some other UFO can be turned into a gift? I will think about it because it sounds like fun!

Q3 Challenge Accepted

Well despite not winning the fabulous Jordana Paige bag from the Q2 challenge, I'm excited for another one! My goals for this challenge:

1. Make Something old - finish the Woodland Shawl for E.
2. Make Something new - socks for L.C.
3. Make Something special just for you - pair of STR socks (pattern tbd)

I haven't thought much about my July list.. hoping to get some FOs done, but the only additional gift is a baby sweater for N.R.

Q3 Challenge - Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Greetings again friends! This is the official announcement of our third quarter challenge. We're closer than we realize to the end of the year (yikes!) and like me, many of you still have visions of a stress free gifting Q4 dancing around in our heads. To help us along that path, here are the rules for the Q3 Challenge. To qualify as a contender you must complete the following:

1. Make Something old - finish an in-progress or unfinished gift that has been lingering in your project pile.

2. Make Something new - start and finish a new gift

3. Make Something special just for you - many times when gifting season comes, making things for ourselves is completely forgotten, so this is your chance to knit, crochet, sew something just for you!

Additional rules:

• Please email BrownBerry at mamamarce@gmail.com to accept the challenge
• All 3 items must be completed by September 30th to qualify
• Please post pictures or a description of what you plan to complete for each of the 3 items
• Please email BrownBerry when you have finished all 3 parts of the challenge
• Please tag your finished posts with "Q3ChallengeFO"
• One Bonus entry will be given for any item that is completed for a Q4 gift

Prizes
I'm going to give you only hints this time :) Hint #1 and Hint #2

ARE YOU IN??? I just know you can bring some energy and enthusiasm to this one! We're cheering you on to a Q3 Challenge victory!

P.S. Thanks for your patience with me recently, my work priorities seem like they have tripled, and some frequent travel has meant that I can't be as quick to respond as I would like - I'm tracking your great progress though, and doing my best to keep up with each of your posts and messages!

I accept the challenge

I accept the Q3 challenge. 1. shrug 2. Curve of pursuit 3. shell for me

I completed my June knitting with a couple of changes in the plans: made a knitted elephant and Robbie the fish for the baby gift and sent that off. will post pics soon.

also made the retirement scarf for a co-worker retiring at the end of this month.

snuck in about 3 scarves, finished my scarf and finally got the package for the scarf exchange in the mail to Missouri. phew! now for July.

Shrug for me, and a shell t-top. that's going to be it. this month is for me. I have a load of pocket books to catch up reading. happy knitting everyone!

Back on the Band-wagon

Um, can someone please tell me where the heck the last few month have gone? I didn't get the memo that time would be slipping by like that!

Needless to say that I have not completed any projects aside from a mindless scarf, so I ended up not being much of a contender for the Q2 challenge. I did a majority of the project, but fell short.

Here is my list for the remainder of the year. I'm going to join the Q3 challenge - I feel much more focused to complete it now!

May:
28th: Dad's Birthday - hiking/camp socks (thick)

June:
30th: Stole/Bolero of some sort for my Mom out of some yarn I had given her.

July:
30th: Charity item (not sure which charity yet)

August:
29th: Myself - tank top (have wanted to knit myself one for a couple years now!)
30th: Hubby - sweater

September:
30th: Dream In Colour Shawl for my Mom out of some yarn I had given her. (for Q3 challenge)
30th: Poppy - Winter Mittens

October:
31st: For the house - Knit felted pumpkins - saw them on a blog last Halloween, and I really want a few for the house!

November:
15th: Parent's House - table runner for the holiday table

December:
25th: Dad's Gift - Helmet Liner - Perfect while snow-blowing - DONE May 16th
25th: Mom's Gift - Mittens
25th: Sister - Calorimetry - DONE March 15th
25th: Brother-in-law - Winter mittens

The Q2 Challenge Winner Is - GoldieGirl!

9 Challengers completed the Q2 Challenge and gifted BIG for this quarter's Challenge prize - this lovely bag from Jordana Paige.

Barbara M, Diana T, goldiegirl, JavaNut, laughing purple goldfish, Liz, Sara W, Spiraling, and vicTORIa all rose to the occasion and created some gorgeous projects! Lucky, lucky, recipients. But according to the wonder that is www.random.org,






...it's our fellow GAL'er goldiegirl (Deborah) that takes home this sassy tote.*

Her BIG knit was the gorgeous and intricate Farmer's Market Bag from Weekend Knitting, which you can see by clicking here.

Challengers you did some excellent gift making this round!

CONGRATULATIONS DEBORAH!

*Those who made BIG gifts due in the 4th quarter were given 2 entries as stated in the original rules

Sara's Q3 Challenge

I just read the post about the Q3 Challenge, so here's another post for my Q3C list!

Something Old- A while back I started My So Called Scarf. I knit about 8 inches, and haven't touched it since. I keep meaning to work on this but just keep putting it off. It will be a rather lovely xmas gift when I finish it though. Hopefully this will motivate me to get it done and out of my wip box.

Something New- My friend Betsy's Birthday is in October. I want to knit her a fun and colorful pair of socks. Since I haven't seen quite the right color combo in sock yarn out there (she likes bright yellow, hot pink and purple) I'm planning on buying knitpicks sock blanks and dying something perfect to knit up. This is a little selfish of me as well, because ever since they released those on their website I've been wanting to give it a try. It looks like so much fun! I also want to try these as toe up two at a time socks. So far all the socks I've knit have been one a t a time cuff down.

Something for Me- I've been eyeing the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret pattern for a while. I just need to go buy myself some malabrigo and knit it up. It looks fun and fast.

June Review and July List

Here was my list for June:

1. Finish socks for Dad, Father's day, June 11th - DONE!

2. Work on the Modern Quilt Wrap, Grandma's Birthday, August 15th - WIP

3. Finish pair of Dashing, gift box, Christmas - ROLL-OVER

4. Work on the Honeymoon Cami, for me, for funsies - WIP

The socks got done in time for father's day. I'm making progress on the modern quilt wrap and the honeymoon cami. I'm a bit worried about getting the modern quilt wrap done in time, so I really need to schedule myself out on that to assure completion. The honeymoon cami is knitting along nicely, and I work on it while movie watching, as the endless rows of stockinette can be tedious. Per my usual, part way into June I got distracted by the new knitty, and immediately cast on Seascape. That has become my train knitting, and I get about 8 rows done a day so it's a little slow going, but I'm loving it. I also cast on You are my Sunshine and it's just about done. One and a half sleeves left to knit. Here's what everything looks like at the moment:

(I'm actually further along then this. These pictures were taken last week. This shows 1 repeat of the center chart. Now I have 2.5 repeats done.)

(I also have a few more blocks knit on this since the picture)

So my list for July is as follows:

1. Keep working on the Modern Quilt Wrap, Grandma's Birthday, August 15th

2. Keep working on the Honeymoon Cami, for me, for funsies

3. Keep working on Seascape, for someone, for xmas

4. Finish You are my Sunshine, for mick and sam's baby, end of July

5. Finish pair of Dashing if the mood strikes me, gift box, Christmas

6. Elope, Caryn, July 19th (bridal shower)

Elizabeth's July List and Q3 Challenge

Wow, now that the Q2 Challenge is over, I can start to concentrate on other knitting. That was a marathon! I think some selfish-knitting is going to take place this month, but I do have some knitting plans for gifts:

1. Gift Item: Green Slippers in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (pattern) (ravelry) by Sarah M. Hughes
Source: Pop Smear
Recipient: Dad
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 2008
Other info: I should be able to finish these fairly quickly once I pick up the yarn I ran out of.

2. Gift Item: Cozy stole in Bernat Super Value Solids (pattern) (ravelry) by Danielle Schoonover
Source: Knitty, Fall 2004
Recipient: Chantelle (Sister-in-law)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 2008
Other info: Using up some stash yarn!

3. Gift Item: Bridesmaid Stoles in Knitpicks Shadow
Recipient: The bridesmaids; Anna, Rin, Lise, Elsa and Kim
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 2008
Other info: I haven't decided on the pattern(s) yet, but my hope is to at least start swatching them out this month.

Q3 Challenge!

I'm happy to say that most of the items on this list already qualify as Q3 challenges.

1. Finish a work-in-progress: The slippers for my dad (pattern)(ravelry) were started last week, and I will need yarn before being able to get to them again, but I'm reasonably sure I can finish them by Sep 30.
2. Start and finish a gift item: The cozy stole (pattern)(ravelry) will fit into this category nicely!
3. Knit something for yourself: I'm currently working on Arbor (pattern)(ravelry), and again, need more yarn before I can continue. But I think I can finish this. I do however want to make something else for myself, and have some Fiddlesticks lace yarn that could make a lovely wrap (ravelry)(pattern) for me ^_^
   

July

Hi there,

it's already July and now it's time to post the gift list for this sunny month.

O.k. - my list is - like the other months - as short as it can be and I like to knit a pair of socks again. This time the socks will be for a very good friend. I hope I will get her foot measurements very soon.

Bye, B

July

hmmm.... July came around quickly, didn't it?

I'm not even sure what I'm doing yet.

Mum has a birthday this month... she has recently taken up knitting again, so I'm thinking of a knitting needle roll or knitting bag.

I need a present for my husband's aunt... might go with a crochet hook roll.

Another baby due to a friend soon... a boy this time, so maybe another baby afghan.

I'll aim for a few more gifts too... just not quite sure what yet