FO: Tauriel

It's not been a great week in the Smith household, I'd hoped that dropping my brand new iPhone down the loo was the low point but on Sunday our poor little Izzy cat had to have one of her eyes removed and that kind of put things in perspective a little.  We're not entirely sure what happened but she probably got into a fight with another animal where her eye was very badly damaged.  Stu spent most of the weekend travelling up and down the motorway to a specialist vet who was unfortunately unable to save the eye.  Izzy is home now, merrily crashing into everything with her cone of shame and enjoying the fact that no one has the heart to turf her off their lap in her condition.

However, to lighten things up a little, I have finished a pair of socks that I have been working on since February.  This has encouraged the weather here to perk up again so I can't imagine I'll be wearing them much for a while, a shame really because they are so pretty!  The pattern, Tauriel, is exactly what I'm into at the moment.  Cute little cables knitted through the back loop which look super complex and time consuming but are really pretty simple.  I've actually got an idea for a pair of socks along similar lines floating around in my brain right now, I've put pen to paper but it may be a little while before I put needles to yarn.  Watch this space.....

My favourite little touch on these socks is the ribbing on the gusset.  I think it makes them just a little extra fancy and the way it is knitted makes it very easy to keep track of your decreases without actually having to do counting.  Not that counting is a particular struggle or anything, I'm just lazy!

The yarn is Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer, which has really subtle little glittery strands in it.  They are maybe a little too subtle for this magpie, but the effect is quite tasteful.  I had to get in really close to get the glittery bits to photograph at all, but they are in there.  I really like the way the cables really stand out in the light coloured yarn and I think it was a really great choice for this project.

All in all, I'm really pleased with these.  They felt like a little win after a rubbish week and I'm sort of glad to be done with them after knitting them for so long.  My next project is a breezy cotton sweater, so hopefully more seasonally appropriate.  Oh, and for anyone that was worried, my phone has been thoroughly dried out and appears to be fully functional at the moment.  Fingers crossed it stays that way.

FO: Commuter Mitts

I know I've mentioned it before but my Sister-in-Law is completely knitworthy.  As well as being generally awesome she always sends me pictures of my knits in use and often posts photos proudly on Facebook for all to see.  While I don't knit for appreciation and accept that I mostly hand my hard work over for it to never be heard of again, I do love getting little updates like that.  So, when Rachael asked if I'd be able to make her some gloves to keep her hands warm while she is pushing her pram I was only too happy to say yes.

About 3 years ago I made a pair of Dashing mitts for my brother and, as he was refusing to lend them to his wife in case she stole them permanently, I thought I'd make her a pair of her own.  Those of you who are familiar with that pattern will recognise that the mitts above are not all that Dashing at all.  My row gauge, which I'll admit I never measure, must have been way off because by the time I got to the thumb it was clear that they were nearly elbow length.  Not necessarily a problem, but it's April and not really elbow length glove weather.  So I ripped those back, stuck with Knitty and cast on a pair of Commuter Mitts by Stephanie Sun instead.

I've also knit these before, a couple of years ago for my sister (who is ably modelling this pair for me, thanks Jess).  I really like the way they look and  being able to undo the cuff and button it over the fingers is a nice touch.  I didn't bother with the little buttons on the underside with the last pair I made because Jess didn't think she'd actually bother ever using them, but I thought Rachel might really find them useful so I stitched on a pair of tiny hidden apples for her.

All in all, I'm really pleased with these.  They were a quick knit and economical too, made using some Cascade Hollywood leftover from Lissy's Abate sweater.  Rachael seems happy as well, a Facebook post praising their sparkly purpleness and hidden apples appeared with gratifying haste, cementing her status as one of my favourite people to knit for.

Soooo sparkly!

Knitty Winter 2011

I was having a little browse about on Ravelry yesterday and spotted a few threads on the forums which suggested that the new Knitty was up.  Luckily, I think I was a little late to the party, which meant that I had no trouble accessing it.  As usual I head to the website half hoping that everything on there is completely fugly so I don't end up adding anything else to my queue of things to knit now.  It sure is nice to have loads of choice, but every time I find a new pattern which I love love love another pattern ends up lying fallow for another few months.  I really should learn not to look, but look I did and thankfully there is nothing there that is screaming out to be knit right now.  Most of the patterns are not really for me, but I have faved a few on Ravelry with the vague intention that I might knit them one day.  Jacqueline is a bit of a long shot, bulky cardigans are not something I often knit, but maybe one day I might feel the need.  Shetlander I actually really like, but I'm still; feeling quite intrepid about colourwork so these will have to wait until I'm feeling brave.  Maeva I also really like, there's loads of socks in my queue and I tend to choose a yarn and then match it to a pattern so maybe these will get lucky soon, or maybe they won't.  Finally is Quest, which I think I really like but I'm not entirely sure.  I think I'll wait until there are a few more completed projects on Ravelry before I make up my mind.  So that's it, another 4 patterns in my favourites, but none of them are really threatening to leap to the top of the queue.  Thank heavens!

Knotty But Nice

Another night of telly and knitting yesterday saw me finishing the cable section of the Knotty But Nice hat and cruise through the 7 rows of ribbing. I got home from work tonight and started to decrease for the crown. An hour and a half later and I am done. I'm so proud of this hat, it just looks all cool and complicated. Clearly this is not a hat for myself though, anything this shade of yellow should not be allowed anywhere near my hair! Hopefully I'll see the intended recipient in the next few days and I can get a pic of them wearing it. I'm really hoping it fits him though, the cable pattern in the middle really pulls in so the centre of the hat is a lot snugger than the brim and the crown. If I make this again I will absolutely use a larger size needle for the charted part.

Normally as I finish a project I would be deciding what to cast on next, but after yesterday's little look at my UFO pile I really should be concentating on those. Of course knowing this I have all of a sudden come down with a dreadful case of startitis...must resist! Luckily the lastest issue of Knitty has arrived without bringing much for me to covet. I have added these socks to my queue, but I'm not so in love with them that they can't wait. Phew. So for the rest of the night I think I shall try and fix the shoulders on the Slouchy Cover Up and start the foot of the Kai Mei sock accompanied once again by the Brothers Winchester and the odd chocolate digestive. Yum!