Red Verity and Not-Enough- Ruffles

I made a "Just Enough Ruffles" for Isabel. I had to modify it for size both because her neck is small and because I didn't have enough yarn.

I made one version of it and ended up with 20 cm yarn left when I had 300 sts left to bind off. Less than ideal. This is version 2.0.

The red hat she's wearing is a Verity. Size S. I love it. She looks like little Red Riding Hood.

The black and white dress was a Christmas present from my mom.

Hit and miss

I've been very productive lately. A few weeks ago I started on the Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau. (Ravelry link)

Looking at the pattern you'd think it would take a long time to knit, but it really doesn't.

I finished the Butterscotch one above in just 2 days. And ...



... immediately started a second one in a yummy green shade.

The yarn is Cora from ONline. I couldn't find a local store that carried the Malabrigo yarn suggested, and I didn't want to wait.

I've still not knitted anything in the Malabrigo so I can't tell the difference, but Cora is a very nice yarn. Acrylic content but ... meh.

Once the scarves were done I shopped around for a hat to match and came across Verity by Ysolda Teague (Ravelry link).



The hat was a really quick knit. Started on Monday at Knit night and finished today (Wednesday) with ends woven in, just lacking a button.

But.

I chose the wrong size. I thought the beret would have enough ease to fit my 58 cm head in the 56 cm size, but it just looks silly.
So I'm debating frogging it to the point where I skipped to Medium size and start over - or leave it as it is and maybe give it as a gift to someone.
I'm definitely starting another for my daughter who asked for one in red - and I thiink it will look adorable on her. X-small would be the way to go there.

So some hits and some misses - but it's all learning so I should just accept and move on.

I guess.

Bad blogger

I have been a very bad blogger lately.

Starting a new job and the (almost) complete loss of natural daylight hasn't made me very productive in the taking-pictures-department.

I'm still knitting away though.

I made a pair of felted mittens for me that I then gave to my mother when I figured out a colour combination I liked better for me.

I've finished the hat for Sofia to match her socks, but I ended up running out of yarn at the coffee place I was knitting at so I finished it too early. I'll have to rip it out some and knit another inch, plus I'll do the decreases differently because they were too bulky.

I finished Isabel's back pack, it's even lined!

I started a yummy shawl for me, but the yarn is so thin it's taking a while, plus I keep making mistakes that I have to fix so it's a slow project.

What isn't a slow project is the "Just Enough Ruffles"-scarf I started yesterday. I'm almost halfdone with the short row shaping - I think I'll finish those tonight and then I have the ruffle to make - 600 sts for 4 rows. Ouch!

I also started knitting a pair of wristwarmers from Interweave Felt but I got bored with those.

I made two red felted hearts to put up on the wall with spruce sprigs in them for Christmas.
One heart is felted and one isn't. I have to finish the strap for the grey heart I made so I can felt them all at once.

So you see - I am a productive knitter - but a bad blogger.

Wristwarmers

This is a pattern from my LYS.

It's super easy to knit and would have knit up faster had I chosen the yarn the pattern called for (Alpakka instead of Tynn Alpakka)

I wasn't too keen on the colour when I got the yarn - but at first I had intended to use it for something else where it wouldn't have shown that much.
But seeing the finished wristwarmers I'm completely in love with them. Exactly the colour green I love.
I need a cardigan in this yarn - alas it's too expensive for my wallet.

I wish I could have taken some better photos but since it's November daylight fades fast and by the time I'm home with my regular camera it's dark out and everything looks horrid.
A quick action shot at work will have to do.

Sock bug

A few months ago there was a raffle at the LYS and I won some sock yarn. A few weeks ago I was bit by the sock bug and decided to use it for a pair of socks for Isabel.
The yarn is a bit coarse and itcy so I'll probably use up the rest on another pair of socks later on.



Instead I bought a differenst sort of Raggsock-yarn that's a bit softer. And used it to knit up another pair of socks for Sofia, using the same pattern but tweaking it a little so they would fit her.
I think I got them a bit too small in the leg part but overall they fit well.
I had yarn left over and decided to use it up on a hat.

Damask skirt

I found this fabric at the fabric store a few weeks ago and just had to buy it. I saw the skirt in my head immediately.

I measured the length against another skirt Isabel has that's long enough, then adjusted so I didn't have to cut in the embroidery.

I serged it together then made a fold to hold a buttonhole elastic. I attached the elastic to one end and sewed on a button and buttoned the elastic.

Easy peasy.

Weekend travels and knitting plans

We went to visit Ran's sister this weekend. She had a birthday last Sunday and a baby three weeks ago (tomorrow) and we were all eager to see them all.

Isabel was thrilled all week that we were going to visit her cousin and his baby sister and their two dogs.
In all honesty I think she was more eager to see the dogs than the cousins.

We took off early in the morning and arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

The little baby cousin was a teeny tiny little girl with soft, fuzzy hair and big blue eyes.

I told Isabel to go stock up on baby cuddles because we're not having any more in our house if I get a say about it.
She'd pet and kiss the baby's head for a while then she'd more or less ignor the baby the rest of the weekend and focus on her other cousin and their dogs.

I got some crafting done in the car on our way up. I hemmed a dishcloth and finished a sock for Ran and started a sock for Isabel. I finished the heel before we arrived.
Later Saturday night I finished the sock and Sunday morning I finished the heel of the second sock and finished it in the car just as night fell and I couldn't see any more without a light in the car.

I'm going to Knit Night tonight and I'm gonna start a pair of socks for Sofia.

It was a rather prickly yarn so they won't be able to wear them without socks underneath.
I think I'll ask the LYS-lady for a soft strong sock yarn that I can make cuddly socks from.

I'm also toying with the idea to knit and felt indoor shoes for guests to keep by the door.
We have re-organized our hallway and a nice ratten basket with felted shoes would feel really welcoming.
I'm just not sure I can make that many shoes without crying my eyes out with boredom.

I have a few sewing projects planned for Christmas gifts. I think I should finish those first before I start a project like that.