Boots and Shopping

Today I finished Santa Boots for my husband, Will. He asked me for them a few months ago to go with my elf slippers that I crocheted last Christmas. It was nice to be able to start and finish a project in just three days. That is one of my favorite things about crocheting. The pattern is a modified version of Slipper Boots from Bernat Yarn Company. I added stitches to the bottom to make them wider as well as longer. I used two strands of Red Heart Super Saver in black held together and Red Heart Buttercup in white at the top. The Buttercup is so soft I wish I could make a blanket out of it and cuddle up with it forever.

While out shopping today I found a pair of shoes with knitted sides! They're Union Bay and I can't wait to start wearing them everywhere! I also bought some slightly ugly ribbon yarn at a garage sale this morning. I don't normally like ribbon yarn but it was in fall colors, was cheap, and it called out to me so it came home. I don't know what I'll do with it but it needs to be something fall-ish. There weren't any labels so I won't know what it is or how many yards it is, but it's always fun to experiment.

Forever Mittens

I have finally finished my Doe River Mittens. The thumbs took forever. They were boring and I ignored them. They were like tiny little black holes of knitting that needed to be ignored.

Now I feel free again. I don't know what to make next. There are too many options. Everything is calling my name, slippers, gloves, afghans, and I really need to be planning trip projects.

Tomorrow, tomorrow will be the day I decide. For tonight, I will dream of the many things I could be making...

A New Toy and Mitten Progress

My new Knit Kit arrived in the mail today! I'm so excited to take it with me on my trip next month. With a whole day in and out of airports... I am going to need a lot of knitting.

My orange alpaca mittens are coming along nicely. One is done except for the thumb and the other is just getting started. It's so much harder knitting that second mitten. Back to work!

Back to Knitting

It's been a long time since my last post. The weather here in Fairbanks was extraordinary! We had a hot June, a cold July, and an unpredictable August. Now it is time to get back to yarn things as the first leaves turn golden and the temperatures drop.

My hands were not been idle this summer, I finished my first sweater and made more hats, scarves, and mittens than I should count. My favorites have been from the special issue of Knitscene Accessories 2012. So far I've made the God's Eye Mitts by Alexis Winslow, the Inishbofin Cowl by Heidi Todd Kozar, and I'm working on the Doe River Mittens by Alisson Haas. I am going to be ready for this winter if it's the last thing I do! :-)

A Busy Week Without Results

          This was a very busy week primarily spent starting various projects, then spending an unreasonable amount of time working on those projects, and then finally ripping them apart. I only managed to finish and keep together one project, Peony Mat by Margie Dougherty from Crochet Today!'s March/April 2012 issue (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peony-mat).

          I did take a picture of my Ruffled Neck Kerchief by Larua Irwin (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ruffled-neck-kerchief).

           My new project which I hope to not rip out is the Moccasin Slippers by Deborah Newton from Your Knitting Life April/May 2012 (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/moccasin-slippers-2). We'll see how it goes!

Leap Day, Free Day!

Leap day is the perfect day to give away another free pattern. Temperatures here in Fairbanks, Alaska are once again dipping down into the negatives so it’s time to get back to the warm stuff . I made this cowl for myself last month to help stay warm while outside at the start of the 2012 Yukon Quest and it worked so well I want to share it with everyone!

In-cowl-nito

This super bulky cowl will keep you warm in any weather; even a -30 degree day is no match for this thick cowl.  It may also help protect your identity, once you put on a hat all anyone will ever see is your eyes!

Hook: L

Yarn: 2 skeins Lion Brand Jiffy Thick & Quick or

              approximately 168 yards of Super Bulky yarn

Supplies: 3 buttons and matching thread

                        Yarn needle

Finished Size: 7.5 inches X 24 inches

Gauge: 8sts in pattern = 4 inches

Ch 57

Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook and in each ch across (55 hdc).

Row 2: *Fpdc in next 5 hdc, bpdc in next 5 hdc, repeat from * across.

Rows 3-5: Fpdc in all fpdc and bpdc in all bpdc.

Row 6: *Bpdc in next 5 hdc, fpdc in next 5 hdc, repeat from * across.

Rows 7-9: Fpdc in all fpdc and bpdc in all bpdc.

Row 10: *Fpdc in next 5 hdc, bpdc in next 5 hdc, repeat from * across.

Rows 11-13: Fpdc in all fpdc and bpdc in all bpdc.

Weave in ends

Sew the 3 buttons evenly along one side. (The natural holes in the fabric will be your button holes).

If you have a bit of yarn left over it looks very nice, if you have extra room in your buttons, to sew over the thread with the yarn.

Ch – chain

Hdc – half-double crochet

Fpdc – front post double crochet

Bpdc –back post double crochet

Now you can all go out in-cowl-nito and cause some Leap Day mischief! 

Long Weekends are for Knitting

         This was a very productive President’s day weekend. I finished knitting my Ruffled Neck Kerchief by Laura Irwin from Boutique Knits (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ruffled-neck-kerchief). Once you get to the color change it goes so much faster than you'd ever think.

           I even started blocking it this morning! (I always procrastinate the blocking process, it's so boring when I could be knitting something else.) I also finished my green cabled hat, but I apparently didn't think to take any pictures of it. The hat  is also currently in the blocking process.

            I even made fairly good progress on my new project, Button Flap Fingerless Mitts by Missy Angus (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/button-flap-fingerless-mitts).

All in all, a good weekend!