This and That

Opening Ceremony Team USA Knit Hat

When I saw the opening ceremonies on 2/12 for the winter games, and noticed team USA kool RL hat, I had to get it. Turns out its sold out. Too bad RL, you could have sold millions! But- someone on Ravelry charted a similar item!! Need I say more?????
Mods: made the hat shorter, and the decreases faster (Olympics, right?) still a bit too big. Perhaps if I shrink it a bit? Also, using alpaca for the white color, (which was just a bit thinner than the cascade 220,) was not great, cause it changed the tension. Voilà! Ready for the slops of NYC!
Pattern: Olympic Reindeer Hat by Helena Bristow (Ravelry link)
Yarns: Cascade Yarns Eco Alpaca, Cascade Yarns 220 Wool, Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
Needles: Addi circ, 16" US 6
GO Team USA!

Just can't stop.......

I am running out of Noro scraps, and went Noro shopping.....

When the going gets tough

The tough go to the living room and start a mindless/ log cabin/ magic ball/ not sure what I'll be when I grow up/ project. Lovely bag to keep the run away magic ball, by Tomo.
Noro scraps (Kureyon and Silk Garden). Addi US 6. Just keep going till you feel better.

Care for a Cozy?

Yes, thank you very much, don't mind if I do! It must be all this cold weather that is driving me to keep knitting tea cozies..... This one uses an old Noro hat pattern that spirals, and magic ball from Noro scraps. I am not sure how to finish this yet.

And then there where three.....

I think I can feel my groove back. It took "a bit" of Noro in the stash to kick some mojo into this knitter, but by the end of January, I think I'm BACK!
Noro Kureyon 165 (almost 2 skeins)
Addi circ US7
Pattern from Saartje Knits
One extra rep from what the pattern calls for since I like hats to sit low on the ears.
One happy knitter- priceless!

The tale of the two tea cozies.

In honor of Ravelry's Global tea party on Sunday, 1/24/2010, I have decided to knit a tea cozy for my Brown Betty teapot. Not sure how I ended up with two..... I shopped the stash. I got a bag of this Noro on sale, a while back, and it was just there, to play with. Ya'!
Mistake Rib Noro Tea Cozy, knit in 24 hrs.
US 8 / 5.0 mm Noro Kureyon 1 skeins Colorway 165

Simple Noro Tea Cozy, knit in 24 hrs.
US 8 / 5.0 mm Noro Kureyon 1 skeins Colorway 165

Gentlemen's Fancy Leg Warmers

It can now be revealed that the Noro magic has not only made me feel better, (you are welcome Jo....) but also created this fun pair of leg warmers. The stitch pattern is one of my favorites, (as can be seen here, here here,). It is Nancy Bush's Gentlemen's Fancy Socks, and combined with Noro Kureyon color magic, = instant gratification!
I knit this to fit my legs, as I went, so I am not sure if I can give general directions, but I can give a tip that if you make your increases and decreases on the second row of just knit around, it will be smoother. Also, I started with US7, later for the wider part I used the size US8 and at the top, US 6 to make it a tighter rib.

The Specs:
Noro Kureyon, 2 skeins of color 165, plus some bits of Kureyon from other projects for the last few rows. (Never get rid of your Noro odds and ends; for you never know when you will need them…..)
Addi circs US 6, 7 & 8, knit in the round, two at a time, to ensure identical shaping.
Nancy Bush's Gentlemen's Fancy.

If you are feeling blue-

Take 2 Noros and call me in the morning!

The beginning of a new project... full of mystery...

Its been a dramatic ending to a rough year

Happy New Year

Alpaca Tales

Its cold, and the day light hours are shorter and shorter. What is one to do when one has an hour free unexpectedly? That's right, drift into a yarn store and fondle the alpaca. Spot a lovely cowl on one of the sales associates and run to the bank to get the $ just as they try to lock the doors for the night. (nice try, but can't keep me away from my alpacas!) Got the vague idea of how its done, remember Aryn said 96 stitches, but not much else... and lets cast on. I CO 96 st and joined to knit in the round. *5 rows stockinette and five rows of reverse stockinette* 5 times in color A, and 5 times in color B.
Change to color C and *5 rows stockinette and five rows of reverse stockinette* 4 times. now do one more repeat of just 5 rows stockinette.
BO with size US9 to prevent pulling.
Pull on and indulge in the cloud…..

This is a lovely mindless pattern, you could (just saying...) even knit this at a party and have a holiday drink with it, that's how easy it is!

Luxury Cowl / Hood- (kind off)

Needles Addi circs US 8 / 5.0 mm

Yarn Cascade Yarns Eco Duo,

(70% Undyed Baby Alpaca / 30% Undyed Merino Wool)

3 different colorways.

Red Scarf Project

Its simple, they need more scarves!

The Red Scarf season is upon us. Your wonderful handmade creation will be sent in a Valentine’s Day Care Package to a foster youth student enrolled in college or trade school. The OFA will take scarves from September 1-December 15, 2009. Approximately 3,500 scarves are needed. They have only about half right now, so get your needles clicking!

Some free unisex patterns here.

The mailing address is:
Orphan Foundation of America
The Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive
Sterling, VA 20166

Don't forget to include a fun note.

Scarf Size: Approximately 60" long and 5" to 8" wide. Scarves should be long enough to be wrapped around the neck, with tails long enough to be tied in the front.

Style: Think unisex collegiate. Ask yourself if your son, brother, and/or husband would enjoy receiving the scarf. Fringes are optional. Your scarf should drape and tie easily.

Yarn: Preferably DK, double fingering-weight, worsted weight, or light bully yarns. No laceweight, super-chunky, or mohair yarns as there are many people who find mohair too itchy. The yarn should be soft.

Color: Red! However, this could mean burgundy, cherry, russet, red stripes with other colors, or multicolor hues including red. Other unisex colors, including black, navy, teal, olive or gold are also welcome.

Finished and tagged: Yarn ends should be securely sewn in. For a personal touch, attach a tag saying "Handmade for You" with your first name, city, and group affiliation, if any. Donors have also included washing instructions, messages of encouragement, gift cards, burger bucks, books of stamps, etc.

Child rainbow scarf
Noro Silk Garden Sock
Addi US 4

Soon

Autumn winds
always drift me into yarn shops!

Frogged

Gothic Leaf stole by Sivia Harding. Sorry Sivia, my heart was just not in it. This is part of my effort of cleaning knitting house and getting back to my projects. This one had to go.

Signature - Superwash Sock Yarn by Brooklyn Handspun will be put to some other use soon.

Desperatly seeking mojo

Can a bunch of Rowan magz and some alpaca save this knitter's mojo? This knitter here, sure hopes so. please share- how do you find your mojo back?