Saturday, January 23, 2010

Blogging Backlog

Well, once again, time has passed, and I haven't blogged. I was certainly busy up through Christmas. Grad school is over! Hoorah! Holiday entertaining kept me quite busy too. But now, that is all done, and I have been relishing having my evenings and weekends back to myself. I have been having fun knitting, knitting, and knitting.

I completed quite a number of projects that I haven't posted. These pictures aren't the best and I will need to retake some that I wish to make into patterns or kits for sale, but I just felt an urgent need to post something here, so I'm not going to be too fussy about the photography.

So here we go. This is what I've been up to:




1. The Buttonless many Buttoned Vest. This is a Cheryl Oberle pattern that I actually completed in August, but I didn't post a picture because I planned to get buttons and finish it before blogging. I haven't been eager to finish because, quite frankly, it's an UGH! Not that I don't like the pattern, but the yarn is totally blah! Blah color and a stiff texture. It is a silk/wool blend that I received in a stash swap. Now I know why it was swapped. The yarn has no elasticity and the vest doesn't hug the body. I will find buttons and finish it, but I'm not sure I'll ever wear it because I feel like a chunk in it.


2. This next item is another UFO. I started these mittens a few years ago. I call them my Baltic Mittens because they have a Latvian scalloped border combined with some Estonian braids. They are not quit an Ugh!, I do like the pattern and colors, but I knit them at too tight a guage and I wish I had made a gusset thumb instead of a waste yarn thumb. For whatever reason, I made many mistakes while knitting these and reknit several times. Now the yarn looks lumpy. One mitten is done, but I don't have the courage to start the other right now--too time consuming, and other projects are pressing to get done. Back to the yarn basket for you!



3. Adult sized All American Baby Hat Finally got around to figuring the size adjustments to my All-American Baby Hat pattern. I have the new pattern with baby, child, adult sizing for sale on my website. I'm not sure what to do about the pattern on Ravelry. Do I replace the original or post this additionally?


4. Heart of Stone Necklace This will be a new kit for Knitter's Journey. I still have to write up the pattern, but I will have this for sale by Sheep in the City at the end of February.


5. Ribbon Winner Mittens -- This is a child sized version of the mittens I knit that took 1st place at the Wisconsin State Fair a few years back. I really made these as examples for the Mitten class that I will be teaching at Sheep in the City and Hands on 2010. My knitting buddies are urging me to write this up as an individual pattern and offer it for sale. I suppose I should. The problem is, I used old yarn and I don't know if I can find similar ribbon yarn. If I can find the same or similar I may make kits.




6. Baubled Rib Aran Mitts -- I started making these as a sample for the mitten class, but I may also write this up as a separate pattern. I really do love these. I can see making a variation for gloves and fingerless gloves. They need a name though. Something Irish, I think. Ideas anyone?

Hmmmmm . . . looking back on this post, I see a theme here. Knit now, write later? So, now instead of a blogging backlog, I have a writing backlog. It may be a while before you hear from me again.