Easy Peasy… NOT!!!

For some reason, March got away from me. I don’t feel like I got a lot done. Eh. Whatevs. Perhaps it is the fact that I will be moving across the country in two weeks. Maybe I just got lazy. Well, here is what I accomplished.

1. fininsh that stupid skarf! (DONE!! It only took me six months.!!)
2. a hat for my old roomie, by monday night!!! (DONE!! The malabrigo was totally awesome, even if I did finish it late, and had to mail it off)
3. start a babette (at least 10 squares). ROLLOVER
4. start a pair of socks (my first ever) ROLLOVER but I did swatch for them.
5. a slouchy copy cat hat for my sister. (to be kept in queue until I want to make this.)
6. a ripple afghan (by MAY) ROLLOVER I am half way done.
7. four dishcloths ROLLOVER again with the halfway dones!

in april i also want to swatch for a CPH, cast on some fingerless gloves, and maybe a pair of Mosey. i know that seems like a bunch, but I am hoping that I get quite a lot done in april, as I will be having two weeks of vacationing, and traveling by car.

And sorry for the lack of pictures, but it is 2:30 in the morning, and I don’t feel like dealing with my camera

2nd Quarter Challenge Item Done!

Woo-Hoo I did it!! I'm glad to say that I've worked all day on this gift item and it really was a challenge as far as the pattern went.

The Snow Girl Outfit
Made from Caron Simply Soft in Off White with Soft Pink and Bone stripes. The scarf and hat have been done for quite a while but the sweater I'll be going to the devil...lol Potty mouth I was at this baby..I had a hard time with the way the pattern was written, but I fumble through it and well looks good to me! I finished it with the buttons I had on hand, but I most likely will change those out once payday is here. But it is DONE!! That's my second QC!
Now to finish my sock which is just about done so hopefully be posting that tomorrow after I get home from work! Its my last item for March so I'll be making my hook fly so it done by tomorrow.

Last two gifts finished

Last two gifts finished - this Pidge Podge neck warmer and this Purple Cup Cozy.

Finished items for March:
* Pidge Podge (Xmas present)
* Cup Cozy (Xmas present)
* Burgundy Helter Skelter socks (Xmas present)
* Pink Helter Skelter socks (Xmas present)
* Maine Morning Mitts ('just because' present)

I'm really pleased this gift-a-long is keeping me on track, and I won't be panicking nearer Xmas!

Thinking about next months gift list ...

Burgundy Helter Skelter socks finished

Finished these Helter Skelter socks last night, a Xmas present for a friend.

Currently finishing off my Pidge Podge Neckwarmer, and hope to have this and another cup cozy finished by tonight, which will complete my March gift list.

FO: Skinny Eve Scarf

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

Here is Poncho Pig making his modeling debut. Just imagine if I made a scarf that actually fit him.

As I mentioned earlier I left my knitting bag with most of my current knitting projects at my parent's house last week. So I had no choice to cast on something new. Fortunately, I had something on my list of Christmas gifts to make.

I bought some Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande Paint at Hill Country Weavers last fall. I probably could have made this scarf a little wider, but I wanted length over width. It only took me a little more than one and a half skeins in colorway 8817. I also used the wooden US size 8 knitting needles I got in my Knitters Scavenger Hunt package.

This is the same ribbing I used in this scarf and this scarf. I'm not sure if it's technically the Brioche Rib or the Eve's Rib. (Hence the name.) I used the stitch I found in this pattern. It's a great stitch, and I love how it looks with the hand painted yarn. I also like the way it pooled diagonally.

Don't Hate on the Fun Fur

I'm including a bonus WIP, a simple fun fur scarf out of Lion Brand Fun Fur Stripes. The yarn was provided from a friend from church, who asked me to some scarves out of it.

Finished Feb list and Now my March list

My list for February was:
The Bag...Avocado...for my Auntie...FINISHEDThe Bag...Black...for me...Late birthday gift :o)...FINISHEDPinwheel Baby Blanket...for Grandbaby due in March...FINISHEDBaby Sweater...for Grandbaby Due in March...still on the needles :o)
Secret Washcloth for Christmas 2008...FINISHED...Q1Challenge FO #1

My March list is a little late in the month but I have been very sick this past two weeks and to busy before that to post my March list. But this is what I have come up with:

Baby Sweater(Carryover from Feb)...for Grandbaby...Who arrived March 10th but I did not get to see him because of my being sick until March 14th. He is so cute!
Another Secret Washcloth for Christmas 2008...you can go to my ravelry page (shannonspurls) to see what they are.
The Bag...Brown...for Christmas 2008 gift
The Bag...Avocado & Black for my Aunt Claire
2 Crochet Hook Caddy's...for an Aunt and a Cousin...Christmas 2008...FINISHED...Q1Challenge FO #2...these were the only thing I could do while I was sick. I am not sure why but they kept me occupied. :o)
I have been peeking in everyday and love all the gifts being made. What an inspiration! Keep up the Great Work everyone.
Blessings to you and yours,
Shannon B.

Q1 Challenge - done

I finished my Q1 projects (yeah! I wasn't sure I'd make it). But I'm really not happy with the beret. I'm hoping I only hate it because it looks awful on me. Luckily I had planned to give it to one of those fantastic friends who loved knitted gifts (and isn't a knitter) and who would wear a one sleeved sweater with pride, if you made it for her. Still, I may rip it and start over.

The Chevron Scarf and Beret go together - although the purples aren't quite as close as I thought they would be. The other scarf is going out into the world on it's own.

Chevron Scarf - I skein each of a purple koigu and an olive koigu. 52" long

Le Slouch - by Knit and Tonic. 1.2 skeins Kathmandu Aran Tweed. The colour is closer in the pics on my blog.

Diagonal Lace Scarf - 1 Skein Malabrigo in "Vaa". This scarf knits up fast and looks great. After blocking it's about 58"

Hot off the hook

After feeling pleased with myself that I finally finished one of my Christmas gifts last week, I've been hooking away all weekend, and yesterday, and hot of it's hook is another of my [7!!] lap blankets. This one is a different colour to the last one, but the screen seems to make it look almost the same. The first was two shades of blue with the odd line of cream, this one is lilac and cream.

I'll tackle something else before doing another, but feeling pleased that this is the second of my bigger hand made gifts sorted ;)

Helter Skelter socks finished

Finshed these pink Helter Skelter socks from pattern in Simply knitting magazine.

Gift for Helen for Xmas this year.

March Gift List, last two Feb FO's, Q1 Challenge

Finished these two cup cozies on 29th Feb! Xmas Presents for this year.

So far that's 4 Xmas presents for 08 ... 4 items for Q1 Challenge

March's Gift List:

* Finish Marble Helter Skelter Socks / for Helen / Xmas 08 finished 10/03
* Pidge Podge Neckwarmer / recipient unknown / Xmas 08 finshed 30/03

* Maine Morning Mitts / Lynda / 'just because' friendship present / by mid March - finished 15/03

* Helter Skelter Socks burgundy / for Lorraine / Xmas 08 finished 29/03

* Purple Cup Cozy / Rachael / Xmas 08 finished 30/03

February FO's

I haven't had much time to be checking in but I did manage to finish two of my three goals for the month:

1. Cabled Headband - a holiday gift for an unknown recipient - maybe a teacher or one of my nieces, paired with a Starbucks gift certificate.


2. A pair of socks from leftover sock yarn


that I sent off to www.warmwoolies.org

Not sure if this technically counts as a gift, but I think it should. While we are thinking of little luxuries for those on our gift lists, shouldn't we also be thinking of those who really need warm things?

I didn't get to sewing the retro apron and potholder for a friend's birthday in November, but that will go onto my March list.

2 FOs by Heather K

[posted by BrownBerry on Heather's behalf]

Hi all, finally got two things finished for Christmas 2008, yea me! First is Patricia's Scarf done in Aran wool which I love. It has a triangle back with two long tail in front. Plain, easy and warm! It is a free pdf from Katherine Misegades of A Time to Knit. And second is Inga's Crocheted Bag by Inga Joana Mertens, another free pdf, which I finished last night.

Both are very nice patterns, and I really appreciate designers who gift us with free patterns, but why oh why don't they put the url on the pdf so we can direct others to their patterns? (no worries Heather, BrownBerry linked for you - these are great gift ideas!)

- Heather K

Garter Stitch Cup Cozy Finished

Garter Stitch Cup Cozy finished ... pattern from Interweaves Holiday Knits 2007.

Ready to fill with nice goodies for next Christmas.

List Change

To Make

• Handtowel for Mom by February 15
• Heet the Feet Slippers Ongoing till Feb 29
  
• Waterloose Socks for DIL by Mar 6 (1 1/4 sock done)
• Square Cake Inspired Bag for Eldest Daughter by March 28 (front panel almost done)
• BMP Hat for Youngest Son by April 1

FOs

• Christmas Stocking II (Q1 FO)
  
• Snake
• Ball
  
• Christmas Stocking (Q1 FO)
  
• Heet the Feet 4 pair
• Kitchen Set for Son and Family -

Finished

It's done! I've finished both my projects for the Quarterly Challenge. Two Christmas Stockings!