Birthday Mittens

These have been done for a few days, but now that we're back State-side for a week, (Dr. BF is here with me for a conference that just happens to be held right where I live!) I can use the cord to download photos to my computer again. So I present the complete set of Grady's Birthday Mittens! One squirrel, one oak leaf:




Pattern: Squirrel Mittens from Hello Yarn
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Needles: US 3 for cuff, US 6 for rest of mitten
Mods: None
Recipient: Grady

These were fun and I'm going to have to make a second pair since I was originally planning on making these for myself (in different colours, though)!

Post-christmas posting

Well, things should be back to normal a bit here - I can show off most of the projects I'm now working on without worrying that I'll be ruining any Christmas Surprises. I also need to do a major reassessment of the wips I had going before all the Christmas knitting began about a month ago! There are a lot of angry, neglected projects in my knitting basket!

But first, a look at another gift that was being kept under wraps (pun intended):


A stripey scarf? But wait...


At the right angle you can see the heroes symbol (means "God send")

Pattern: Heroes Illusion Scarf, pattern available in my etsy shop
Yarn: Cascade 220, one skein grey, one skein black
Needles: US 7 / 4.5mm
Recipient: Dr. BF

Merry Christmas!

I know it's not politically correct... but it is Christmas today, so I'm going to say it anyway! Plus, it's a day off for everyone (or at least, it should be) so no one can argue with that!

For Christmas, I present another Christmas FO picture:



Pattern: Multidirectional Scarf
Yarn: Blue Heron Rayon Metallic in colourway Iris
Needles: US 6 / 4mm circ
Recipient: My mom

Sorry for the bad picture... winter grey day + lots of indoor lighting and flash makes for not very pretty colours. The yarn varigates from pink to purple to blue and has a tiny metallic gold thread running through it.

Whoops!

So I was going to take some pictures to share with the blog... I got back to Canada on Tuesday and a package that I had sent to a secret pal had been returned (months ago, actually, but I forgot about it the last time I was home). I tried to get in touch with that secret pal many, many times but I've never heard back from her. So, according to the secret pal people, I've tried everything I can (and I have, really) and so it becomes mine! Which is sad, because I did want my secret pal to enjoy the stuff, but happy for me because it's super nice yarn! Koigu, Pure Silk, etc.

However... I did bring my camera, but not the cord. So I can't download the pictures to my computer. I am going back to the States next week so I'll get the cord then. I can, however, share one Christmas present that has already been presented to Dr. BF:



I used what I remembered of the Mother Bear Project pattern and made a ninja for Dr. BF. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but he was invited by Team Canada to compete in a Hapkeido tournament in Korea next year and I'm going with him! He (the ninja that is) is wearing what is apparently called a "Blood Belt", which is the highest level obtainable - so don't mess with him! Nah, he's really just a teddy bear, much like Dr. BF himself! :)

Christmas Knitting DONE!

I just bound off the last Christmas Knitting project! Wohoo! Too bad you'll all have to wait until next week to see the FOs... unless you're on ravelry, and then you can take a look whenever you want! Link to my project page.

Christmas Time Post Slump

I haven't been posting much lately, despite a frenzy of knitting going on. I'm knitting the majority of my Christmas gifts, and I have shared some, but there are some I don't want to share just in case the recipients will check here. So it may be a while before I have knitting I can share. I am, however, documenting it all over at ravelry (link is to my project page so you must be a signed-in ravelry member to see the goodies).

I've also recently opened up an etsy shop to sell my new patterns. In the new year, I may also sell small knitted items - I know I'm missing out on the Christmas market, but knitting for my own loved ones was more important to me this year!

Grady's Birthday Mitten

squirrel.JPG, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

My friend Grady saw these mittens when I was "studying" at the cafe that he was working at and by studying I mean playing around on ravelry and knitting. They're the Squirrel and Oak mittens from Hello Yarn. She has lots of cool patterns, including a blank "fill in your own" pattern for mittens, which I have used in the past as well. Anyway, I really want to make these for myself (especially since I have lost one of my fingerless mittens and one of my regular mittens is at the LYS as a demo. Maybe I'll have to steal that one back though... it's getting to be darn cold out!) but when I showed them to Grady he flipped and begged for a pair for himself for his birthday (which is in January). He also strongly hinted that they should be grey, with blue squirrel/oak leaf. So, here is the first one. It took very little time at all (once I got past the corrugated ribbing).