FO: Folk Flowers Headband

Pattern: My own design

Yarn: odds and ends of stash, with some nameless black merino for the headband

Needles: 3.25 mm

Notes: I love headbands, and was a bit sad that I didn't have a knitted one. Since I have kind of a small head, and straight, fine hair, the wider knitted headbands I've seen sort of.... devour my head (and make me look 12 years old). I wanted something really small, a knitted one I could wear any time, any season.

The basic headband is extremely quick and easy, beginning with an i cord tie at one end, then increasing for the headband, then decreasing for the second i cord. it could be embroidered any way you wish, or knit plain in a lovely variegated yarn. I think in a variegated yarn, moss stitch would be an awesome choice for the headband. I've thought about writing up a really quick pattern, but it seems so small, I wasn't sure there would be much interest. If anyone would like the pattern, please let me know.

For Christmas, my wonderful husband got me the Dipped Infinity Scarf Kit, and I am in love! Check out the progress so far:

It's so pretty, I stopped everything to cast on for it on Christmas Day.

Modification Mondays: Fair Isle Lemon Pullover

Original Pattern: Fair Isle Cardigan

Knitter Extraordinaire: Momo (rav id)

Mods: Turned a fully patterned fair isle cardigan ito a scoop-neck raglan pullover with solid sleeves. The pullover was knitted in the round with faux seams, which were created by a single purl stitch to represent the seams.

What Makes This Awesome: To really appreciate how different this looks, you need to go and check out the original pattern.  I already liked the original cardigan, but this pullover is such a great modification- the pattern takes on a real citrusy feel when done in a bright lemon shade. I love how only the body is done in fair isle, it gives the pullover a casual, unfussy look, and probably shortens up the knitting time considerably, too! Project page is here.

Assisted FO: Avery Pickle

I didn't do any holiday knitting this year, but I did help a friend (Taylor, see below) knit up a customized creation for his girlfriend, Fran. Everyone, meet Avery Pickle:

Avery is knitted in a soft boucle yarn, in garter stitch, with an improvised pattern. We added her initials to Avery Pickle's backside:

He's (she's?) so very, very huggable!! I'm thinking I might knit up a smaller, kiddie version in stockinette.

Also, I just found out that I hadn't set up my blog feed to Ravelry properly, so I've been working on fixing that. Sorry!!

P.S. Today is my birthday. That is all.

Modification Mondays: Hew

Original Pattern: Hew

Knitter Extraordinaire: Milly (Rav id)

Mods: changed the neckline completely by adding a leaf lace edging (which can be found here). Also worked the ties in garter stitch instead of stocking stitch. Added the lace trim detail to the sleeves. 

What Makes This Awesome: I already loved this pattern, it just seems like the perfect little shrug that you can thrown on to make a tank top or a t-shirt have a little more oomph. I love the way the lace edging at the neckline drapes, it gives this such a romantic feel. |I've got this in my queue, and I think I might do this mod- that's how much I love it! The edging on the sleeves is a great touch, as well. The project page is here.

Thanks. You Guys are Awesome.

First off: You are all so awesome. I really loved reading your comments about the things you are doing, suggestions for helping me get out of my little funk, and commiserating about how you feel the same. It's really comforting to hear that a) I'm not the only one who feels a little out of sorts lately, and b) some of you are doing really awesome things, c) some excellent suggestions on busting out of the rut (Eliza, I'm seriously considering coming to visit, and I want in on your book club!) such as making new friends (Erica we're on for January!), volunteering, trying new things, taking classes, exercising, etc. I recommend you read some the comments, I re-read them all the time.

I think I'm going to take a few different classes in the new year. And some friends and I are getting together tonight to do a Christmas hamper for a family in need.G and I are planning a couple winter getaways to the cottage in the new year, and I think I really want to try dogsledding when we are there. As for travel outside of gigantic Canada, I can either go without my husband (always an option), or wait until he too can travel. We'll see.

I'm not sure how many people know this, but G is British, and since we got married in March, we've been going through the delightful immigration/visa process. We're really happy, but the process is a financial strain, and G can't travel out of Canada until the paperwork is finished. I suspect something about the perpetual holding pattern as well as the inability to travel has made me feel a little lackluster. It's funny how the second you can't do something (i.e., have a spontaneous weekend away to Vegas) that is what you most desperately crave.

Complete Subject Change: Have you seen this dress?

It looks like the collar part is detachable. According to Butcher Couture, It was made for a Breast Cancer awareness fundraiser. It's made entirely of organic merino. I bet it weighs 300 pounds. All I can say is- WOW. 


If you ever need a laugh, I really recommend you read the comments from the FOs of Cats Love Sweaters, a cat sweater pattern on Ravelry. Why was I looking at cat sweaters, you ask? I'm thinking of knitting on for little Yarn, since she often looks chilly. But I'm not too interested in knitting something that she won't wear, so I decided to go the Ravelry pages to see what others said about their cat's reactions. Oh. My. God. The Hilarity!!

I'm not knitting that much this past week, the social calendar is crammed with holiday gatherings and I'm helping a friend knit a gift for his significant other, which takes up the knitting time I do have left over! But I am working on a little original project, and have recently started this cardigan. I'm counting on the upcoming holidays to give me the time I need to finish a couple of projects!

Modification Monday: Petal Halter

Original Pattern: Petal Halter

Knitter Extraordinaire: Marina (Rav id)


Mods: Aside from the lovely colour shift on the petals, she changed the neckline completely into a v-necked top, and added short sleeves using the same petal construction as the body. Details on the mods and instructions for knitting the sleeves are on her project page, here.

What Makes This Awesome: I love the graded colours from light to dark on this top, the shades she chose are absolutely perfect in relation to each other. And then there is the neckline! The sleeves!! When I first saw the pattern, I thought it was really interestingly constructed, but I wasn't sold on the neckline. This mod is the perfect solution.  I love that the sleeves are the same tiered construction as the body of the pullover, it's a great detail that really makes this top look really well designed and balanced. A great mod, for sure!

FO: Nativity Camel, and a bit of a Whinge

I don't know what it is, but lately I've been feeling... boring. Not bored (after all, I knit, so I'm never bored), but actually boring. I feel like when people ask what's new with me, I don't have anything to report- I'm making apple butter, I'm knitting something, and I go to work Monday through Friday, and take it easy on the weekend. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I used to think that as long as someone was interested in things and the world around them, they would be interesting naturally. But lately I've been feeling like maybe I'm not actively engaging the world enough- I've settled into the delightful coziness of married life, and I find that now I have a bunch of TV shows I regularly watch, which is great for knitting, and I'm reading lots of books.... but where is the zing? Where are the heady adventures of big city living when you're child-free, mortgage-free, and wanting to live it up until the mortgage and children come along??  I'll admit that part of the reason I feel this way is because I have a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, and then shortly after that, the new year ticks over into a brand new decade... I guess I feel like taking stock. And although I am very lucky in lots of ways, and really happy with my family, friends, and husband, I feel like I'm the one who is lacking. I'm craving adventure, new experiences, getting out there and doing... something. I just wish I knew what.

Anyways.  Oh look, I knitted a camel:

 (I'm sorry for the yellowy photos, my living room is pretty dark with the exception of a couple incandescent light bulbs- hence the yellow glow!)

I agreed to knit a couple of animals for my father in law's knitted nativity (which is in his church in Flax Burton, UK), and then didn't give myself enough time to start on them, and figured I could bang out a couple of knitted animals in no time (oh who was I fooling?? Camels are complicated!!). So, I'll only be sending this little guy over to the UK this season, and maybe a donkey to follow next year. I heavily improvised a pattern to create a camel about 9" in height, which I hope works out well for the rest of the nativity (which I've never seen!). Fingers crossed! Here he is having some adventures around the apartment, while I tried to get a couple of good shots:

For all my fear that he would look deformed, he's actually pretty cute. I'm pretty pleased, all things considered. I maybe wish he were a bit taller, but let's not tell him that. Wouldn't want to give the camel a complex.

Modification Mondays: Razor Pullover

Original Pattern:Razor Cami  

Knitter Extraordinaire: Anna (Rav Id, Blog) 


Mods: Turned this popular camisole pattern into a long sleeved tunic-style pullover. And how perfect is that little black stripe? I love the bit of contrast and interest it provides. You can duplicate her efforts by following the details on her project page, which is here.

 What Makes this Awesome: I'll admit that while I have some knitted tank tops (and tube tops) in my wardrobe, I don't wear them nearly as often as I wear things with sleeves. This is a brilliant way to take a great pattern and adapt it to what you'll actually wear more often. I love the effortless, just-throw-it-on look of this sweater, and a lacy pullover is a fantastic layering piece that can be worn through a lot of seasons, depending on the fibre content and what you layer underneath.I love how pretty this looks!

FO: Ultra Popular Mittens

 Pattern: Bella's Mittens

Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, "dove heather"

Needles: 5 mm dpns

Mods: I eliminated two sets of decreases from the cuff, after reading that others found them a bit too snug.

Notes:There is something a little strange about blogging on a project that has been done many, many times before. I studied these mittens for months before knitting them, checked out other people's FOs, the many takes on the textured palm that is more in keeping with the original mitts in the Twilight film, etc. 

Cabled mittens are without a doubt (along with colourwork and thrummed mitts), part of the holy triage of knitted mitten goodness. Subsequently, these mittens are awesome.

  But I'm going to take a moment to talk about the practicality of long mitts- they are not for someone who takes their mittens off multiple times on their commute to work. I probably take off and put on my mittens about 3 times on my way to work, and I do the same thing on the way home. I know that's a lot of mitten manipulation, but I need to get my metro pass out, show it twice, read my book or knit on the subway, etc. And then repeat all that on the way home. The long mitten needs to be tucked into the coat sleeve, which I can't do unless I put them on BEFORE I put my coat on. If I take the mitten off once I'm outside, I can't quite stuff the long cuff back into my sleeve, it bunches, I get cranky, etc. So, my advice is this- either a shorter cuff to make them more 'normal' length, or make the cuff wider and more gauntlet style to pull over your coat sleeve. Or maybe you're totally fine, and I'm the only mitten retard out there.

Never in my life have I thought about mittens in this much detail before. You've got to love the knits that teach you something, right? They would be perfect for putting on once and frolicking about, though!