Elizabeth's December List

I can't believe how well this Christmas season is going for knitting. I credit you, dear bloggers! I have knit 17 gifts for Christmas, including the one in progress right now. So I present to you, my December list!

1. Gift Item: Sherbrooke Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Gisèle (fiancé's grandmother)
Pattern: Sherbrooke by Lauren Weinhold (free PDF download)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Finished: Dec 1/08
Notes: This cowl went a little slower than my other knits. Maybe it was because the stitch pattern was a teensy bit boring… maybe it was because I needed a break from knitting… either way, it turned out quite nicely. Yay! One gift down, one left before christmas!





2. Gift Item: Hedgerow Man Socks (ravlink)
Recipient: Chris (fiancé)
Pattern: Hedgerow by Jane Cochran (free)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
WIP: Nov 30/08
Notes: Finished the cuffs of both socks, and got them both on the needles for two-at-a-time. Man this yarn is tiny! I love it though, very soft, I’m sure he’ll love them. I can see this stitch pattern getting a little boring, but that will make them great for a travel project. I’m already a good couple inches into the legs.

Once those items are all done, I'll get to start working on birthday and wedding knitting for 2009!

3. Gift Item: Gloves or mittens
Recipient: Joel (brother)
Pattern: Ken Gloves or Tweedy Mittens
Occasion: Birthday
Due date: Jan 7/09
Notes: To go with his hat

4. Gift Item: Undecided
Recipient: Auntie Julie
Pattern: …
Occasion: Awesomeness
Due date: Feb 7/09

5. Gift Item: Lace knitting
Recipient: One of my bridesmaids: Lise, Rin, Ve, or Elsa
Pattern: undecided
Occasion: Wedding
Due date: September 2009
Notes: I would like to start one of these in December

Other gifts I'm thinking about:

• Joel and Chantelle — Wedding Gift / May
• Dad — Birthday / June
• Auntie Julie and Auntie Linda — Thank you gift / September
• Holly — Thank you gift / September
• Fran, Pete and Blip — Thank you gift / September
• Mom — Thank you gift and Birthday gift / September

Elizabeth's 6th November FO

6. Gift Item: Bulky Lace Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Joyce
Pattern: Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea (free)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Finished: Nov 18/08
Notes: I finished a cowl on Tuesday night for my fiancé's aunt (who I'm pretty sure doesn't read this XP) that turned out great. The pattern is the Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea. The pattern is available for free on her website, and through ravelry. My ravelry project page is here. I loved this pattern. It was a quick as promised, knit flat and seamed (I did a 3-needle bind off because I'm lazy). It was easy to memorize and turned out really nice.

I also finally managed to get some photos of the hat I knit for my fiancé back in October. I never thought I would want him out of the apartment so badly! I'm really happy with how it turned out too. Please ignore my spaced out look, I was having trouble getting a good angle on the hat lol. Pattern is loosely based on the Fibonacci pea cap (free pattern)

Elizabeth's 5th November FO!

Gift Item: Alpaca/Bamboo Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Lise
Pattern: Zig Zag Cowl by Mandy Powers (free)
Occasion: Birthday December 1st
Finished: Nov 16/08
Notes: I started the Gemma Beret pattern first, but got so frustrated with how the pattern was written, and with how it was turning out, that I gave up and started this cowl instead.

I do have a minor complaint with the pattern though. When it tells you to cast on, it really should tell you to do a provisional cast on. I know there are people out there who hate prov. cast ons, but isn’t picking up stitches for a picot hem EVEN WORSE? Anyway, it was a really quick knit, and I love how it turned out.

ETA: I took a few more pics last night! See it in action :)

Elizabeth's 4th November FO!

So I'm crazy and I decided I needed to knit a hat for my FBIL for his birthday. Um… his birthday is tomorrow! **headdesk**. The wool arrived YESTERDAY, and I just cast off now. I'm going to be weaving in ends on the car ride over, but it's DONE. Gah. I don't know what possessed me… I'm fast at hats but now my hands hurt lol I think I need a break from hats. I know it looks tiny, but it stretches a lot, soo it fits, promise ^_~

Gift Item: Wool Toque (ravlink)
Recipient: Mike (Fiancé's Brother)
Pattern: Hat Fit For a Boyfriend/relative? (free)
Occasion: Birthday
Finished: Nov 13/08

Elizabeth's 3rd November FO!

I ordered this yarn through my LYS, Knit-knackers, a few weeks ago. Originally I had planned to reverse the colours for the original pattern; a blue hat, with brown fair isle. When the yarn arrived in the store, only the blue had come in. I really didn't want to wait, so instead, I used white for the colour work. I love how it turned out, and I love the tassels.

My only real change to the original pattern was to knit it in the round, instead of flat. I also decided to use both yarn colours in the tassels, instead of just the blue. This hat took no time at all. A real quick knit!

Gift Item: Fair isle Tassel Hat (ravlink)
Recipient: Kim (Fiancé's Sister)
Pattern: Emma Hat by Louisa Harding (not free)
Source: BOOK — Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding
Occasion: Christmas
Finished: Nov 9/08

Elizabeth's 2nd November FO

My friend, Anna's birthday was last weekend, and a whole bunch of us are getting together tonight to celebrate. Being the knitter I am, I decided I wanted to knit her something. I bought some variegated yarn and tried to make a cowl, and I hated it. So I made a hat with it instead, and I really don't like how it turned out. Back to the yarn store I go, and I picked up some Louet Gems Chunky on sale and spent the last two days making a pair of mittens. ^_^ Love these! I'm glad she loved them too ^_^

Gift Item: Basketweave Mittens (ravlink) — Late addition
Recipient: Anna
Pattern: Basket Weave Mittens by PolarKnit (free pattern)
Occasion: Birthday
Finished: Nov 7/08

Elizabeth's November Wrap-Up

November was crazy productive. I finished all of my November goals, and am now two gifts away from Christmas. This blog rocked my socks, and definitely helped get me finishing my knits faster than I would have otherwise. I still plan to knit a cowl for my fiancé's grandmother, as well as a pair of socks for him. Hopefully I'll have those done in the next couple weeks. Happy knitting!

~ Elizabeth

1. Gift Item: Picot Mittens (ravlink) — Rollover
Recipient: Anik (Fiancé's SIL)
Pattern: Picot Edged Mittens by Carolyn (free pattern)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Finished: Oct 26/08
Notes: These were actually finished in October, but I finally got the buttons in the mail (which I purchased from pinksupply's shop on Etsy), and sewed them on. Yay!



2. Gift Item: Basketweave Mittens (ravlink) — Late addition
Recipient: Anna
Pattern: Basket Weave Mittens by PolarKnit (free pattern)
Occasion: Birthday
Finished: Nov 7/08
Notes: My friend, Anna's birthday was last weekend, and a whole bunch of us are getting together tonight to celebrate. Being the knitter I am, I decided I wanted to knit her something. I bought some variegated yarn and tried to make a cowl, and I hated it. So I made a hat with it instead, and I really don't like how it turned out. Back to the yarn store I go, and I picked up some Louet Gems Chunky on sale and spent the last two days making a pair of mittens. ^_^ Love these! I'm glad she loved them too ^_^





3. Gift Item: Fair isle Tassel Hat (ravlink)
Recipient: Kim (Fiancé's Sister)
Pattern: Emma Hat by Louisa Harding (not free)
Source: BOOK — Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding
Occasion: Christmas
Finished: Nov 9/08
Notes: I ordered this yarn through my LYS, Knit-knackers, a few weeks ago. Originally I had planned to reverse the colours for the original pattern; a blue hat, with brown fair isle. When the yarn arrived in the store, only the blue had come in. I really didn't want to wait, so instead, I used white for the colour work. I love how it turned out, and I love the tassels.

My only real change to the original pattern was to knit it in the round, instead of flat. I also decided to use both yarn colours in the tassels, instead of just the blue. This hat took no time at all. A real quick knit!




4. Gift Item: Wool Toque (ravlink)
Recipient: Mike (Fiancé's Brother)
Pattern: Hat Fit For a Boyfriend/relative? (free)
Occasion: Birthday
Finished: Nov 13/08
Notes: So I'm crazy and I decided I needed to knit a hat for my FBIL for his birthday. Um… his birthday was the 13th! **headdesk**. The wool arrived on the 14th! And I only cast off at 11:30 the night before. I'm going to be weaving in ends on the car ride over, but it's DONE. Gah. I don't know what possessed me… I'm fast at hats but now my hands hurt lol I think I need a break from hats. I know it looks tiny, but it stretches a lot, soo it fits, promise ^_~



5. Gift Item: Alpaca/Bamboo Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Lise
Pattern: Zig Zag Cowl by Mandy Powers (free)
Occasion: Birthday December 1st
Finished: Nov 16/08
Notes: I started the Gemma Beret pattern first, but got so frustrated with how the pattern was written, and with how it was turning out, that I gave up and started this cowl instead.

I do have a minor complaint with the pattern though. When it tells you to cast on, it really should tell you to do a provisional cast on. I know there are people out there who hate prov. cast ons, but isn’t picking up stitches for a picot hem EVEN WORSE? Anyway, it was a really quick knit, and I love how it turned out.

6. Gift Item: Bulky Lace Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Joyce
Pattern: Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea (free)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Finished: Nov 18/08
Notes: I finished a cowl on Tuesday night for my fiancé's aunt (who I'm pretty sure doesn't read this XP) that turned out great. The pattern is the Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea. The pattern is available for free on her website, and through ravelry. My ravelry project page is here. I loved this pattern. It was a quick as promised, knit flat and seamed (I did a 3-needle bind off because I'm lazy). It was easy to memorize and turned out really nice.

7. Gift Item: Gulp Scarf (rav link)
Recipient: Mike (FBIL)
Pattern: Gulp by Donyale Grant (free)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Finished: Nov 23/08
Notes: I finished a scarf for my fiancé's brother, and also a pair of mittens for myself. The scarf took awhile, since it was knit the long way. I knit it using the Gulp pattern (free) by Donyale Grant. Yarn was: Knit Picks Essential Kettle Dyed and Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Frog Prince.

Elizabeth's first November FO!

1. Gift Item: Picot Mittens (ravlink) — Rollover
Recipient: Anik (Fiancé's SIL)
Pattern: Picot Edged Mittens by Carolyn (free pattern)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Finished: Oct 26/08
Notes: These were actually finished in October, but I finally got the buttons in the mail (which I purchased from pinksupply's shop on Etsy), and sewed them on. Yay!

Elizabeth's November List

November List!

1. Gift Item: Picot Mittens (ravlink) — Rollover
Recipient: Anik (Fiancé's SIL)
Pattern: Picot Edged Mittens by Carolyn
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Notes: The mittens are actually done, but I have yet to sew the buttons onto the cuffs.

2. Gift Item: Drop-stitch Scarf (ravlink)
Recipient: Mike (Fiancé's Brother)
Pattern: Gulp by Donyale Grant (free pattern)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Notes: Ordered the yarn from knitpPicks.com

3. Gift Item: Toque (ravlink)
Recipient: Mike (Fiancé's Brother)
Pattern: A Hat Fit For a Boyfriend by Stephanie Nicole (free pattern)
Occasion: Birthday
Deadline: Nov 14/08
Notes: Ordered the yarn from knitPicks.com

4. Gift Item: Fair isle Tassel Hat (ravlink)
Recipient: Kim (Fiancé's Sister)
Pattern: Emma Hat by Louisa Harding (not free)
Source: BOOK — Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Notes: Ordered the yarn from Knit-Knackers

5. Gift Item: Bulky Lace Cowl (ravlink)
Recipient: Joyce (Fiancé's Aunt)
Pattern: Quickie Cowl by Fawn Pea (free pattern)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: Dec 25/08
Notes: Ordered the yarn from KnitPicks.com

My 'If I have time' list:

• Socks for Chris (fiancé)
• Hat for Chris' grandma

Once these items are all done, I'll get to start working on birthday and wedding knitting for 2009!

October Wrap-Up, with a whole lotta FOs

I'm working on my very first pair of gloves with fingers. I'm knitting a picot edged pair of gloves for my mother in law to-be, and I'm very excited about them. The yarn is a mix of merino wool and silk, and they're really warm and soft. I'm sure she'll love them. Christmas knitting has been plugging along. I've made it really far down my list, and think that I can get a few more done yet before Christmas.

I already have knits done for my parents, my brother and his fiancée, my niece Emma, and my future father-in-law. I'm working on a secret project for my fiancé and have so far been able to keep it a secret from him, and would love to make a pair of mittens for his brother and his brother's wife. A pair of mittens for me wouldn't hurt either.

As of last night, I finished my goals for October.

October Wrap Up:

1. Gift Item: Llama Striped Hat for my brother, Joel (ravlink)
Pattern: Turn A Square Hat by Jared Flood (free pattern)
Progress: I finished this hat in record time. I think I started it on the last day of September, and it was done by the following evening. COMPLETED Oct 1



2. Gift Item: Baby Jacket for my new niece, Emma (ravlink)
Pattern: Buttons Hat and Jacket from Naturally Yarns
Progress: The jacket went surprisingly quickly, and the hat too. I had to wait a few weeks for the buttons to arrive, but once they did, they were adorable! COMPLETED Oct 13






3. Gift Item: Simple Hat for my FFIL, Gerry (ravlink)
Pattern: Jacques Cousteau Hat by Typy (free pattern)
Progress: Another really quick-knit. The yarn is from knit picks, and it's a big, warm hat. I know he'll love it. COMPLETED Oct 12




4. Gift Item: Embroidered Gloves for my FFMIL, Diane (ravlink)
Pattern: Cashmere Picot Edged Gloves by Insaknitty (direct PDF download link)
Progress: These took longer than the others. The picot edging on the first glove took forever but once I figured out the picot, I was much happier. after the edging, they went quickly enough. doing the fingers were a lot of fun, since I'd never done them before, and I learned some embroidery!



5. Gift Item: Striped Hat for my Fiancé, Chris (ravlink)
Pattern: Fibonacci Pea Cap by Lisa Bennett (free pattern)
Progress: Chris keeps complaining about being cold, and I've never knit him anything before. So, I went and bought a skein of some lovely alpaca, used up some scrap yarn, and made him a warm hat. This hat is very loosely based on the pattern above, but I didn't really follow it at all. This item wasn't on my original list. COMPLETED Oct 24





6. Gift Item: Mittens for FFSIL, Anik (ravlink)
Pattern: Picot Edged Mittens by Carolyn (free pattern)
Progress: These were fun to make, and a really easy pattern. Instead of seaming the cuff, I'm attaching buttons that I bought on Etsy. I'll post photos when it's done. This wasn't on my original list either. COMPLETED Oct 24

Jacques Coustea Hat: FO!

Plugging away at the Christmas knitting, I finished a hat for my fiancés dad today. I knit the larger size.




Gerry Cousteau Hat (rav link)
Pattern: Jacques Cousteau Hat by Typyhttp://pirouette.vuodatus.net/blog/402495
Source: http://pirouette.vuodatus.net
Recipient: FFIL
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Started: October 10, 2008
Completed: October 12, 2008

Yarn: Just under 2 skeins of Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Lava Heather
Needles: US 2.5 / 3mm

My October Progress:

• Turn a Square Hat for my brother — FINISHED
  
• Baby Cardigan and hat for my niece — WIP
  
• Jacques Cousteau Hat for my fiancé's dad — FINISHED
  
• Picot Edged Gloves for my fiancé's mom — Have the yarn, need to start
  

Elizabeth's October List and an FO already

I finished the socks too, but more about that later. I finished a hat for my brother for Christmas. I love it. It was fast to knit, it's soft and sqooshy and warm, and I think he'll love it. Hooray! Quickest FO in awhile. This probably counts more as September, but it felt like October already to what the hell eh?



A Llama Squared (rav link)
Pattern: Turn A Square Hat by Jared Flood (brooklyntweed on ravelry)
Source: http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com
Recipient: My brother
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Started: September 29, 2008
Completed: Setpember 30, 2008

Yarn: Just under 2 skeins of Mirasol Yarn Miski in Green and Jade
Needles: US 4 / 3.5mm





And here's my list for October. Hope I can do it all, it's a big one. May change once the Q4 Challenge has been announced.

1. Gift Item: Turn A Square Hat
Recipient: Joel (brother)
Occasion: Christmas 2008
Deadline: Early December, and it's done alread! WOo!

2. Gift Item: Baby Cardigan
Recipient: Emma (niece)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 25, 2008

3. Gift Item: Jacques Cousteau Hat
Recipient: Gerry (FFIL)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 25, 2008

4. Gift Item: Picot Edged Gloves
Recipient: Diane (FMIL)
Occasion: Christmas
Deadline: December 25, 2008