Saturday, December 29, 2007

Holiday knit-o-rama

Pictures of a few Christmas gifts I made this year. Nothing spectacular, just more utilitarian. But utilitarian is good :)

This was the Fuschia scarf o' doom I made for my Aunt. These first few pictures don't do the color justice, but you can see the stitch pattern better. It's the One Row scarf :) I do love this pattern and I expect I'll make another one for myself in a not eye-bleeding pink color one of these days.





Here's a better representation of the BRIGHT color.





I also used this yarn and some multi-pink Opal sock yarn together to make a groovy ear warmer/headband thing for my Aunt. Sadly, no pictures. She seemed to love them both, but after opening them, she decided to wrap the scarf around her head instead :)



Remember this shawl for my mother that I started back in April? Well, I finally blocked the damned thing so I could give it to her for Christmas. I didn't know until I was done soaking it and pinning it out on my son's floor that you aren't supposed to wet-block cotton. Ooops. Oh well, it came out nice anyway and my mom loved it!







The look on my mom's face when she opened the package was priceless :)



Each side is probably 5 feet long, so she had to wrap it a few times around her shoulders, but it looks good on her anyway. The coloring goes well with her skin-tone, just as I had hoped!



One day in passing, I found a pattern for something called the "Magic Scarf." It's just a plain ol' stockinette rectangle, but you cast off in such a way that, once you're done, you can pull the two ends of the scarf and it becomes three times as long and lacy. I wanted to try it out...and well, I had this Wool Ease Thick & Quick sitting around, so I put the two together into a scarf for my sister who just moved to Ohio a few months ago. I think it's really pretty!

I had another ball in the same color, so I also made her an ear warmer/headband thingie for walking my furry niece and nephew in the snow.







Currently, I'm working on a plain ol' simple as can be garter stitch scarf for myself. Why? Well, I have plans in a few weeks for a SUPER DUPER AWESOME vacation in the snow and I need a warm scarf. I'm using a skein of Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks tussah/merino dreamy yarn, so it's just scrumptious. So soft, an amazing drape to the fabric and I am in deep lust with the colors. No pictures now, but I promise once I'm done :)

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Bad blogger

It's cold.

No, It's really cold. For California...it's COLD. I have a heater going under my desk and my big heavy wool coat on and cords and hig heavy socks and...I'm COLD.

*shiver*

I am taking life in stride...which is surprising me. The ex wife and I observed a special ed class for the boy to go to yesterday morning. In a lot of ways, it was just a regular classroom...but it was also a SPECIAL ED class...only a few students, several teachers....and it scared the heck out of me that my boy will be in that classroom.

He starts on Monday.

Actually, it's a really great, mild classroom and they follow the school district curriculum, so he will still get his education and learn what he needs to learn. Yeah, it's a special ed class, but they were adding and subtracting when we observed...and the boy can barely count to 30 : He'll have some catching up to do educationally, but I think he'll like it. He said he thought the school looked a lot better than his current school and he was excited to start there next week.

I hope it goes well.

*fret*

Not a lot of knitting has been happening...which isn't a good thing, because I have to finish the hot pink scarf of doom for my aunt! That's the last present I have to make...unless I somehow whip it out and am able to make her the matching hat I wanted to make her :)

I'm stalled on my Mr. Greenjeans sweater because my needle broke and then I got into holiday knitting and haven't gotten a new needle yet. But, after christmas...yes! I'm up to where I start the cables on the body, so hopefully it will wiz by and I'll have a groovy new sweater to wear in 2008 :)

I also REALLY REALLY want to make myself this hat :D

Click on the picture for the pattern :) I will, of course, make it in orange alpaca with brown trim.

*shiver*

Did I mention I'm cold? :D