and you thought I hadn't been knitting...

Back in October it looked like this.....

Today it looks like this.....

I finally finished the Cabled Throw, with not an inch of yarn to spare! I think my neighbors will love it though. I know hubby does, he keeps hinting how nice it would be if we had 'one of our own'. Guess I know what I'll be knitting in 2010!

I got lots of little knitted goodies out to my family this year, some just quick knits like cowls and mittens. I didn't take pics of them all though. Hopefully the recipients will mail me pictures after Christmas?

One of my favorite little knits this year was the Hedwig cowl and mittens I made for my nephew's wife. She's a huge Harry Potter fan and I know she'll love the owls on these. I wish I could see her face when she opens them....

I also knit my sweet Mam a shoulder wrap... she could probably use it right now, she's in hospital having some complications after her pacemaker was replaced. We're hoping she comes home this week, after 3 weeks in there!

Didn't get a good picture of this, so hopefully Mam can model it for me after Christmas :-)

Ravelry Pattern can be found HERE.

I'm already thinking ahead to what I can knit next year. I know I said I might knit just for me... but I'm just not sure anymore? I get so much pleasure knitting for others, I find it hard to stop. I'm already planning on knitting toys for the kids.... I bought Susan's new book 'Itty Bitty Toys' and can't wait to try some of those cute things out. I also plan on finishing my mystery socks, that sadly got left by the wayside while I was trying to finish up the throw, and lastly I still have one small gift on the needles for a sweet friend for next week ;-)

SO, what will be your first knit of 2010?

The Winner!

I just realized I didn't post the winner on this blog after I announced it on Friday night at my other blog!

The winner of my scarf give-away was Jessica of The Pelkey's Place Thanks for everyone that took part in it.

I'm behind on my mystery socks! Haven't even started with clue 4 from last week, but I should hopefully catch up and get them knit before the next clue is out, at least I think there is a next clue? I haven't really looked at this one but I'm assuming it doesn't include the toe finish yet?

My latest knit. . . . A Give-Away!

It's my birthday this weekend, so to celebrate I thought I would have a 'give-away'. It's also my way of saying thank you to you all for reading my blogs and taking the time to leave your sweet comments.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month I wanted to knit something pink.... and I wanted to give it away to a lucky winner on my blog :-) I chose this beautiful 'Breast Cancer Awareness Scarf from Ravelry.com. Knit with Patons Baby Bamboo, it is a mix of 45% bamboo and 55% acrylic and is super soft. I love it (might have to knit myself another one!).It's machine washable too :-)

For a chance to win, it's simple really. . . . just leave a comment here and your name will be entered in to the drawing. I will draw a winner next Friday (Oct 23).

For an extra entry post about this give-away on your blog and link back here so others can enter too. (leave a separate comment to say you've done this).

For another extra entry 'follow' my blog. (leave another comment to say you've done this).

That's 3 chances to win :-) Make sure I have a way of contacting you (email, blog site etc) if your contact info isn't in your profile).

I will draw a winner next Friday (Oct 23).

I'll also be posting this give-away on my Daily Blog but duplicate entries over there won't be counted - a maximum of 3 entries per person will be allowed. This give-away is open to non-USA residents.

I've gone a little crazy....

.....with the cast-ons this week! I got started on my mystery socks last Friday as soon as my yarn arrived. Here's my 'cake' all ready and waiting :-)

and here's my progress from week 1 (the next clue is out today and I haven't even had a chance to look at it yet! That's next on my list as soon as I've posted this). I'm not sure the pattern will show much with this variegated yarn, but I do love the colors, and I'm loving how the yarn feels as I knit with it.

As well as the socks I decided to cast on for a sweet little scarf (in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month), it's THIS pattern over at Ravelry. I'm using Paton's Baby Bamboo in a soft pink. And just yesterday I decided I'd carry on with some small Christmas knits so I've just cast on for THESE. I will have to make about 6 pairs for my 'niblings' (the kids of my nieces and nephews back in England). But they are small so I shouldn't think they'll take me long.

Just off the needles is a 'bed jacket/shoulder shrug' that I knit for my Mam in Lion Brand Homespun. I need to add a ribbon tie, then I'll take a picture of it.

With that said, I'm off to grab my next clue ;-)

i just wanna hold it!

LOL :-) . . . but if I did that, I'd never get a sock started! My Schaefer 'Nichole' arrived today. Oooh she's so soft and squishy, I just wanna hold her all night! I love the colors in this. It doesn't say on the label what they are but to me they range from olive green to teal to mustard. I can now get started on the mystery socks. Well first I have to wind this in to a ball, then I might just be a good girl and check my gauge. . . . or then again I might not!

I've been dying to check the forums and see a sneak peak of what the pattern looks like (I'm assuming some of you have posted pics already), but I shall wait until I've cast on and got the cuff done and some of the pattern before I do. Hopefully that will be tonight.

Enjoy your Friday evening..... I'm off to wind ;-)

Getting Antsy!

Kirsten's Soctoberfest Mystery Sock 09 starts today.... and I'm joining in :-) Only problem is, I haven't gotten my yarn yet! I bought a lovely skein of Schaefer 'Nichole' from a fellow Raveler's stash but it was only mailed to me on Tuesday. I am hoping it might arrive today, but I think that's wishful thinking. If I'm lucky it might arrive tomorrow, or perhaps not til Saturday. I'll be a day or two behind in that case, but that's ok. I have nothing else on my needles (that I'm working on) except this. . . .

It's the Cable Comfort Throw from Lion Brand. I fell in love with this when I first saw Leslie's HERE. The one I'm knitting will be a Christmas gift for my lovely neighbors. I've also thought I might make some pinecone firestarters to go with it. It doesn't get cold that often here in Austin Texas but there have been times when it's cold enough for us to light a fire and many times when the mornings are cooler that we like a blanket over our legs when we're sitting on the sofa. I think I'd like to make one for us once I've done this one. I can't stand the thought of seaming, so I'm knitting this on one big circular needle.

Also, I finally finished Woodland!! Can I hear a big 'hooray' from you all? It only took me about a year, make that a year and a half. Ravelry shows I cast on for this in April 2008!

It's off the needles but I'm still trying to sew it all up, it's already taken me 2 days! Urghhhh, I never realized I hated seaming so much, and after Summer's End cardigan, when I realized that no seams was so nice, I will be hesitant about knitting a cardigan in 4 pieces next time with a band that has nearly 300 stitches on too!! I still have to block and find buttons for her, but I will try to get some modeled shots soon ;-)

So, until my yarn turns up I will knit away at the cozy throw. Are you joining in with Socktoberfest?

Farewell Summer

Hello Summer's End :-) Did a little photo shoot today to show off my Summer's End cardigan (despite the fact that it's still too warm to be wearing it right now). I took some pics inside then went out back too. You know how it is, you take about 50 shots and get about 4 good ones!!!

Specs:
Summer's End - by Heather Sapp
Yarn: Taki Yarns New Tweed - 8 balls
Size: 36"
Needles: US 6 and 8
Started: Sept 1 2009
Finished: Sept 14 2009

It's hard to see from the photos (unless you click on them to enlarge then study the edging!) but I made a HUGE mistake with this and I only realized it when I was adding the sleeves!! When I looked at the pattern again I realized that I was supposed to keep the edge in st st, but I had been keeping it in garter stitch. I wondered when it hadn't mentioned buttonholes by the time I was adding the sleeves. You think I was going to frog all of it? You bet I wasn't. I thought I could make it work by just keeping the edge in st st then doing a few rows of garter stitch around the neck. It worked out well, the only thing still missing was the button holes. Not to worry, I sewed on buttons and I just created a hole by pushing the button through, at least just for the photo shoot. When I wear this as it gets colder, I probably won't even button it up.

In hind sight it was just as well I knit it the way I did, otherwise I would have ran out of yarn for the band! All in all I'm pleased with how this turned out, and what I loved the most is no seams to sew. I've never really knit a cardigan or sweater this way before, but I liked it :-)

What next? Well I feel inspired to get on and finish 'Woodland' for myself (in between knitting a few small gifts). I only have a little of the second sleeve to do and then sew it up and knit a button band for it. And after that I'm thinking I will tackle Spook. It would be nice to get it finished for Fall or Winter this year.

Anyone bought the new IK 'Weekend' magazine? What did you think of it? I love IK and pick up just about every magazine they bring out, but I'm not sure there is much in this one that I would knit. Can't wait for their Christmas Gifts one though. There's always some lovely stuff in that, and I love looking at my older issues too.