socks and lace in december

Basic toe up socks with short-row heel, started December 16, completed December 31 just before midnight. Cascade Yarns Sassy Stripes, US 1 - 2.25 mm, used just under 1 skein = about 210yds.  About 8 yds left over.  Sized for 11 yr old girl.

Alpha stockings, started December 1,  completed December 31 in the afternoon.  Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash, US 3 - 3.25 mm, used about 268 yards.  Changed stitch count to work with worsted wt yarn.

Christmas Snowflake started December 11, completed December 16, hook - 7, steel, Boye USA, size 10 crochet cotton. I've wanted to crochet this pattern for a long time and finally got the courage to make it.  I wasn't that hard after all.

Last Project for 2010

Can't believe these are DONE!!! it was a long knit.

final 2010 12/12/12

I was sweating it out about 10 last night, but I got 'er done. Yippee!

This is a compilation of about 3 different patterns made out of something silk from Tess' Designer's Yarn. It's the last of my Stitches Midwest haul.

Hope you all are having a great start to the new year!
Shelly

Yeah, I didn't think my face was going to be in there. Yes, I've cropped it. Nope, I cannot find it! -chuckles- It's nice to know the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Done!! And 2011 project started even!

I finished the thumb of the 2nd mitten at 10pm last night! Adrienne is laughing at me for making the whole set in 24 hrs, but aren't they pretty??????

So they together weigh 159gm, which is 333yrds by my calculations. (And I even started a sock for my January project when I was done!)

Jill (jaerrt)

12/12/12 Carefree KAL - December

Wow, I'm feeling good! I finished the year with a few hours to spare. Annetrelac pattern by Sandy Beadle from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007 (also available through Ravelry). I used Trekking XXL in colorway 108. I saw this yarn with this pattern in Ravelry and since it was in my stash I knew it was a must. I love the way they turned out. Used size 1 dpn.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!!

aren't you lucky cpy cleaned out closet drawing!

susan has cleaned out the closets at the cpy warehouse and found some unlabeled lab dips. there is nothing wrong with the yarn. they just don't have the official labels. she has 8 packages of 2-3 skeins already packed and ready to go to some lucky people.

leave me a comment and tell me something. i will draw winners on tuesday, december 21st. how much easier can it get? you must be a member of the carefree kal blog.

ps. there is one package of panda cotton, so please let me know if you don't want a wool blend.

eta: extending deadline to december 31st.

welcome more new members!

a warm carefree kal welcome to:

carol (bustapurl) who has been kal'ing on 50 socks

tracy (tvanwormer)

denise (lost city denise)

mel

suzieQ

leslie (soxnitter)

judyG

becki (cre8ing gospol links)

jennieblue

nancy (knitwitz)

melanie (la dolce knita)

kateC (glumnmum)

sage71

ps. just a reminder that you have to accept the invitation to join the carefree blog before you are an official member.

December Project Take 2

Hat WIP Pic

Hat finished. 1st mitten started.

Hat and 1st mitten finished. About to CO for mitten #2.

So, I thought I had finished my december project, but I was mistaken about the yardage. Sooooo, the only thing on my needles was a hat. Decided quickley that I would finishe hat and make matching mittens in 24 hours to finish on time. It is the Amanda Hat in Malabrigo worsted and mittens (improvised by me) to match. It is 9am and I am finished Hat and Mitten #1. The hat weighs 65gms and the mitten 48 gm, so if my calculations are correct, byt the time the second finished mitten is done, the total weight will be 160gm, which is just over 300yrds. I'll have sore fingers and wrists, ut I'll finish the KAL and have a beautiful Hat and mitts to show for it!

Off to knit......

Jill (jaerrt)

12 months/12 projects/12 balls of yarn kal!

well, i can't believe 2010 is almost over! you have 2 more days to finish up your december projects! and have until january 4th to get them posted here for credit.

thank you for a wonderful year of knitting and sharing! congratulations to all of you who managed to finish a project every month. i bow to your awesomeness. (total slacker here!)

here's to a wonderful 2011! and to some "prime time" knitting!!!!

december

i did finish a scarf! it was a pretty quick knit.

progress

done!

the galway seaman's scarf
designed by meagheen ryan

the color in real life is closer to the progress picture. i made the ribbing section longer than the pattern as the giftee has a hefty neck. LOL! i used close to 350 yds.

and here is an official photo of the socks i posted for the holiday or not kal.

llama, llama, duck
designed by moi for a sock club

see!!! i can knit socks in pairs!!!! sometimes. i did give my mom a mismatched pair of socks and told her there was another set just like it coming in the future.

i am almost done with one more project! just 4 more rows....

Something other than socks

See? I do knit something other than socks:The pattern is Knotty, and this is my first attempt at knitting gloves. I started on Christmas Eve and haven't had a lot of time to knit (and the first glove has been finished since I took this picture), so since I have this week off I think I have a reasonable chance of finishing the pair in the next couple of days. I'm enjoying having a bit more time to knit.

December 12m/12p/12boy Finished....whew!

WIP Pic

I finished this little Shrug on Christmas Eve, just in time for my daughter to wear it with her Holiday dress on Christmas Day. It is the Little Girl's Shrug from Knitting Pure & Simple with mods to make long sleeves. I doubled the yarn and did the 18 month size to make it fit a 3 year old. It was a bit snug, but worked fine. I also made long sleeves and tapered them to the wrist, then did the lace pattern which made a bit of a flare. I used Bernat Baby Coordinated yarn and used nearly all of the skein so, well over 400yrds. It was white with a shiny thread which made it "sparkly" as per my daughter. Not my favorite yarn or FO for sure, but she loves it!


Finished Pic.

A little bit amazed with myself that I completed a project every month. Can't wait to do it again next year!

Jill (jaerrt on ravelry)

New baby knits from prize

Here's what I knit with the yarn I won in helping to name the CPY Purls from the Palace (I wasn't the first to suggest it though)
For my grandson, in Merino 5 this vest.
And the Mini Mochi sweater for my granddaughter. It's the Nadia lace trim pullover.

December Project

These are Fiesta Mittens by Lucy Neatby. Unknown yarn, as it was a kit from some yarn festival that surfaced when starting to clean house. Pattern followed almost exactly, just a little change to the thumb. (Some day I will follow a pattern or recipe exactly, without any tweaking - yeah, sure, uh huh.) Since I was making the large size, I used her suggestion of a provisional cast on and then made the cuffs later, to make sure I had enough yarn.

Also this month, I ripped out the ending of last month's shawl and made the other border. When posting, I discovered that it was 100% merino and realized that neither mother (91 or 86) would want to care for a handwash shawl, so it could be larger. That took almost another ball of yarn.

The double-knit dragon hat was also modified. The top was frogged and reknit to a smoother curve. It could still be better, but not without modifying the dragon. As it came down to my mouth, it then got semifelted. (I know, it's really fulling, but that sure sounds weird.) Warning: KnitPicks BlueJay yarn bleeds. Also, there has to be a better way to do it than sitting in the bathtub and using my head for a mold, with a bucket of cold water beside the tub. When first wet, it came down to my chin - yikes! It now comes to my eyebrows and is quite warm. Works well, as it it is 20 degrees (F) in Milwaukee today.

All this energy (frogging, cleaning, plus cooking and some home repairs) is because I was off work since before Thanksgiving. I'm back to work for three days now, and then off again (burning accumulated vacation time) until I retire officially in January. It's good to be back to work to get a rest - we have a boomerang son at home now and cooking has been a full time job, not to mention the guys are expecting real meals on a regular basis now. Since husband normally works evenings and I worked day shift, we were out of the habit of cooking during the week. I've been doing at least 10 dozen cookies and three dozen muffins at least once a week, plus regular meals. Husband has gained at least 15 pounds, as he and boy seem to be in an eating contest, and boy has taken over the dog walks (three dogs, walked individually, at least an hour each). Sigh. They are upset because I am not cooking this week while working. LOL.

Hope everyone is having a good holiday season, and staying healthy and warm. Regards to all, aj

Holiday (or NOT) KAL WINNERS!!!

looks like some of you are already winners having finished much of your holiday knitting. i, unfortunately, do not fall in that category and am still working away on my holiday knits. sigh!

our generous sponsor, susan of crystal palace yarns, has decided to send a prize to everyone who posted a completed project. but wait, there is a deal! we are hosting a rodekool brioche scarf KAL on our sister group over on ravelry. if you choose "door #1" and promise to join the kal, susan will send you a skein of mini mochi or 2 skeins of panda silk for the project. if you choose "door #2," susan will send you 2 balls of sock yarn.

so, angie, bianca, brenda, debi, jardin rouge, jill, jody, kadezmom, lorraine, peacockmom, and yoyosocksister, email me at carefreekal at gmail dot com with your mailing address and whether you want "door #1" or "door #2." if you select "door #1," please let me know whether you want mini mochi (with 3 color choices) or the panda silk (with 3 color combinations). if you select "door #2," please let me know if you want a wool blend or a non-wool blend.

congratulations to all!

December KAL Projects

Here are my projects for December. I did a pair of crocheted mittens, a crocheted Christmas wreath, and three knitted dishcloths. These are all Christmas presents. I had fun doing this KAL this year and look forward to next year.