things unseen

sweet potato pi, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

I couldn't post these before yesterday because they hadn't been received yet.

Above are a pair of Cauchy socks from Cookie A's Sock innovation. Yarn is Knit Picks Comfy Fingering Yarn in Sweet Potato, about 1.5 skeins.

Mods: 1x1 ribbing on the cuff rather than a picot edge; 70 sts (down to 68 for the foot) rather than 60 (this meant messing with the chart a bit for the extra sts on the foot, but it worked out well).

Also for the boy and gifted yesterday:



A mug cozy to keep his coffee warm for longer in the slow-moving mornings. At least, that's the idea. Pattern is the Quick and easy mug cosy, made using the left-overs of the Lorna's Shepherd Worsted used on my dad's turn-a-square hat. There's something nice about using up every last yard of a skein, rather than throwing it away.

a merry whatever, everyone

slightly mishappen star, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

speaking of whatevers... whatever is that?!

I hope that wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, you are happy, healthy and surrounded by family.

I tried to make some knitted stars but instead of cute and rustic, like the original, mine just looks mishappen and sad. Maybe a really good blocking would fix it, but somehow I doubt that to be the case.

In happier knitting news, one of my gifts was this:



Some lovely manos maxima, from my sister. Not the best picture, but it is beautiful yarn, trust me.

Hope your day is filled with peace, joy and some quiet knitting time!

all the things are knit

turn a square again, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

I can't believe it, but all the things that I planned to have knit as Christmas gifts are DONE! OK, all the things that have to be done before the 25th, that is.

Above is yet another Turn a Square hat, and now that it is done I can safely say that I will be trading the recipients on this and the previous hat. Turn a square is definitely on the larger size. If I were making it for a woman I would stick with the mods I made previously.

Yarn was extra Cascade Soft Spun and Lorna's Lace's Shepherd Worsted I had from previous projects (and I must say I like them together); needles were US 6 (4mm) for ribbing and US 7 (4.5mm) for the rest.

Raveled here.

hat! and snow!

hat! and snow!, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

As you may be able to tell from my background, I have moved NORTH. Severely north. But it's kind of great! I got a new winter coat and boots, both with faux fur trim and they're keeping me quite cozy.

I started the hat yesterday, waiting in the airport for my flight around 9:30. I finished it up around 9:30 this morning. 24 hours (including plenty of time for sleep and even a nap yesterday on the bus!) is pretty good for a hat, right?!

I'm just a bit worried that it'll be short for the recipient but I'm working on another hat and will make a final decision as to who gets what when that is done.

Pattern is A Hat Fit for a Boyfriend.
Yarn is Cascade Eco Duo (approx. .75 of a ball)
Needles = US 7 / 4.5mm

Raveled here.

from naught...

damask, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

to a bounty to share!

I blocked out the Damask shawl I was working on for my nana. Here's the thing about blocking... it can make all the difference in the final project. If you look at the original, you'll see that it has rounded edges. I, however, have very few blocking pins (I know, for shame!), so I just pulled out the points and thus mine is much more, well, pointed. I still like it though.

Here's a close-up of some detail:



So, if I have a bounty, this can't be the only thing I have to show you, right?



A stocking! What could be more Christmas than that?! This is for my partner in crime... er... life. Soon to be filled with more goodies, both knitted and not!

I also received my card from Susie's card swap last night and it's quite something! I don't have pictures of it yet, but I have to save something for later, right?

emergency mitts

emergency mitts, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

Even though I'm swamped with Christmas knitting and prepping to go home (which includes trying to read all the things before I leave on Friday so that I don't have to carry an extra suitcase full of books with me) I agreed to knit an emergency pair of mittens for the charity drive at lovelyarns.

They're still down a few pairs and the school really wants to hand them out on Friday. If you are local and can get over there today to pick a kid (they were very colour specific!) and knit a pair up in a night (go bulky yarns!) I'm sure Sue and Hampden Elementary would GREATLY appreciate it. I'm actually going to call her today and see if there is anyone that would appreciate a pair in any of the bulky yarn I have at home so I can knit another pair tonight.

almost something

almost something, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

So it's been a bit of a marathon knitting day, but I got the Damask shawl finished for my nana. Or, at least, almost finished. It needs a very good blocking... it doesn't look like much (as you can see above) yet.

Things I loved about this shawl: for one, the yarn. I mean, how can you go wrong with malabrigo? for two, the fact that you start at the longest row and slowly decrease your way down to 1 final stitch. One of my least favorite things about shawls (and probably the reason that I don't do them often) is that it seems to take so. much. longer. when you start with 2 or 3 stitches and end up with 3 billion to bind off at the end.

Things not so loved: 7st nubs, purled together. Don't even try it. Instead, I slipped 4 sts, p3tog and slipped the 4 back over. It looks the same and it is much less frustrating. Also, use pointier needles than I did. Round-tipped needles = frustration.

Hopefully will be blocked over the next day or two (especially since I leave this coming Friday to head home and visit!) and you can bet you'll get a look at that too (since, again, can't show you much else in the ways of Christmas knits...)!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

medio damasco, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

which is why it's been so quiet around here lately. So many projects that I can't share for fear that the recipient will be reading!

This one, however, is for my nana, whom I know won't be checking out my blog (having never owned a computer), so I think it's safe to say that the surprise will not be ruined.

Unfortunately, lace shawls still on the needles aren't very photogenic. Here's a close up (but still not the best representation):



It will, however, eventually look something like this, one hopes. You know, only red instead of yellow.

Pattern is damask by Kitman Figueroa, yarn is malabrigo sock in tiziano red and needles are US7 / 4.5mm. How is it possible that I didn't have a US6 circ??

Long time coming

Socks on Fire, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

For about six months now I've been meaning to update the pattern for one of my first sock patterns, Socks on Fire. I finally uploaded a new pdf yesterday with much clearer instructions.

Links:
direct download

Rav link for queuing

Happy Knitting!

card swap

card swap, originally uploaded by gradschoolknitter.

When Susie of useless beauty designs suggested a card swap I wavered. I don't think of myself as crafty.

I mean, I knit. I knit a LOT. But that's about it for my level of craftiness. However, I had an idea for how I could incorporate yarn into a relatively simple-although it sounds better if we call it "minimalist, right?-card that would (probably) be within my crafting abilities.

So above is my entry. I might even make a few more and send them to family members... when I find the time between now and Christmas, of course. There is, however, quite a bit of gift-knitting to be done between now and then as well...