Happy New Year!

I've had my eye on some Misti Alpaca Chunky at the LYS and just stumbled across this pattern, which looks nice. Just a few more projects to finish up before I'm full-bore on the Knit for Me in 2007 wagon.

I did knit up a little shrug in some bulky merino from Handpaintedyarn.com in Paris Morn, a pretty grey and rose variegated yarn, which they no longer seem to carry (or have renamed - it looks like Paris Night is now Persephone). It's drying now, so we'll see how it works. I may add a ribbed collar/edge since the part along the back is stockinette, so it curls. I ended up knitting it in two pieces (one skein for each) and kitchener stitching up the middle. I thought of doing a three-needle bindoff, since I haven't done that before, but I think the kitchener stitch works better at the center of the back. I could have done it all in one piece, but since the first skein ran out about the time I hit the middle, I thought I'd practice some finishing techniques. I also knit this flat (work on mattress stitch to finish) but could have done it in the round.

So, I'm still working on Grandma's shawl - just added the last skein (of three). I cast on for a 2x2 rib hat for DH in some orange Malabrigo (sooo soft). And then I have to knit up something for my daughter's two daycare teachers, since she's transitioning to the next room this month. I can't believe she's moving up again! I'm thinking mitts of some sort. I found two skeins of Nature Wool Bulky at A.C. Moore - one pink, one lavender - on sale, as well as a skein of their no-name Cashmerino in a rich grey. Or maybe I'll do a pair of the Garter Gloves - they're so quick and toasty.

At the LYS on Saturday I got some Reynolds Alpaca Regal in a lovely periwinkle color. Nine skeins. On sale. Which gives me 990 yards of Alpaca goodness. So, now I have to find the right pattern. I'm thinking a simple top-down raglan sweater with perhaps some pattern stitches somewhere. Maybe some cabling - I think the yarn would cable nicely. Since it's a chunky yarn (ballband calls for US10s), I should be able to get a small sweater out of it. Maybe I need to pick up another ball, perhaps a contrasting color for edging.

I just found a stitch book that a friend gave me when clearing out her unused knitting stuff: Mon Tricot 1100 Stitch Patterns. There are some very pretty patterns in there I haven't seen before, and it runs the gamut. Very inspiring.

Kool-Aid

Just in case I don't decide to do the Aran Tree Skirt (and, yes, I bought Handknit Holidays last night!), I'm still exploring the Kool-Aid dye adventure with all that Lopi, and this color card will be helpful in deciding on colors. Soon, my pretty pile of yarn, you will actually be pretty. One way, or the other.

Nice bind off

I'll have to try this next time I need a stretchy bind off.

Isn't December 20th the time to start Christmas knitting?

We've put up the tree and put a store-bought skirt beneath it, which looks OK, but last night I had a brainwave: Why not use some of the undyed Lopi to make a fantastic, cabled 'n' bobbled Christmas Tree Skirt? I'm venturing down the google-hole but have a feeling I may end up heading into uncharted (hehe) territory. Someone on the Knitlist mentioned that there are a couple of skirts in Melanie Falick's Handmade Holidays, including an Aran one, so I'll have to check the book out again at Knit Night tonight. Someone's doing it. Look, how pretty!

I did find this at Knitting Pattern Central. Perhaps we need some of those. Peter and I have some nice store-bought stockings friends gave us when we were first married (red and green for me, the little Catholic girl, and blue and purple for him, the nice Jewish boy), but maybe it's time for us to get more personal. I have a stocking at my parents' house that my grandmother made me when I was little, as do my siblings. And Mom needlepointed a stocking for Isobel when she was born; she's working on one for Frances now. But if we're going to spend Christmas in Gloucester, Fisherman's Stockings might be appropriate. Plus, I have all that yarn.

Just found some more cuteness! I think Christine's chat about cables on her Pointy Sticks podcast got me in a cable mood.

In other Christmas news, I gave my knitted gifts to my family this past weekend (scarves and hats), and Mom got her Clapotis, which I think she really likes. Now, I need to finish Grandma's shawl. I got a fair bit of work done on it between flying to Chicago and being a passenger on the way to and from visiting her. I'm on to the second skein (yay!). It's good, mindless stockinette, but I think I'm getting itchy for a pattern with a little more going on. Time to start Isobel's Christmas sweater (Purple Magic Malabrigo sweater).

The first rule of Stash Club

The first rule of Stash Club: There is no Stash Club.

When organizing/assessing your stash, make sure your spouse/SO is somewhere else. Not in the next room watching the game and then wondering where you are. Somewhere else. Or just as your cat/dog/toddler will invariably join you in the loo, your SO will come upon you working on the stash and say "Holy bleep, that's a lot of yarn. Why do you keep buying more?"

What can I say?

It's never enough. There is always more. There are so many possibilities out there in the knitting world. Even more if you spin or dye, which I'm sure I'll do eventually.I think we knitters love possibility as much as finished objects. And I think many knitters love the process of knitting.

There has been a long-running conversation on the Knitlist about prices for knitted pieces. But I'm sure some knitters sell their knitted items to get them out of the house and make room for more. If knitting is your therapy and you've already made everything you could use yourself, why not make a profit from your therapy?

But I plan on some stash reduction come the new year. Or, as I like to think of it, 2007: The Year of Knitting for Meee.

I did find a verynearlyalmost FO in the stash. A beautiful little lacy cap from Knitting for Two that just needed the ribbons added, so I did that, and now there's something for my niece in the FO pile. Which is very good, since I seriously sliced my left pinky prepping dinner last night. Ouch! I had to just watch television last night, which made me mopey. Grandma's shawl definitely won't be complete by the weekend. And the SNL we watched was pretty mediocre. What is up with Gwen Stefani?!?

And I finished a mitten for DD from the handpaintedyarns Shells yarn before the injury. Just hope there's enough yarn left for the second. If not, I think I'll frog the scarf, since she doesn't seem that interested in it. Or the too small hat, though I was thinking of giving that to DN or a friend's new baby. We'll see.

Lacy scarf

Started a new project from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts last night in some teal-y KSH I got from someone's destashing. Now I understand why people who start knitting with KSH become addicted. It's such yummy yarn that you want to make everything out of it. Well, not really. There are too many yummy yarns in the world to only use one.

Washed the Purl scarf for my SIL last night, and the colors are so pretty. I hope she likes it.

Now, I have to figure out something else for Mom. The Clapotis is ready for her birthday, but the Purl beret I made for her isn't working, and the cat attacked it while it was drying. I think he chewed through a strand of yarn (or the yarn gave up in one spot during the dinner plate blocking). I think I have to give it up as a lost cause, since the boucle isn't a very rip-friendly yarn.

Newsboy cap

New obsession! I need a hat to go with my garter gloves and purchased another skein of Sheep Number One from Sheep Shop Yarn Company at my LYS. But I don't want to do the same old same old. This is me we're talking about! So, I thought a newsboy cap would be cute. But it is almost impossible to find a knit pattern online. Only crochet. I can only master one craft right now, and it's knitting. So, after much time down the google-hole, I found this, which is pretty cool. I've encountered the Knitting Fiend's pattern generators before, so I'm feeling pretty good about this.

I did find another one, but I'm not wild about the pattern stitch.