FO Friday! w00t!
FO: nemesis <–ravelry project page
pattern: star crossed slouchy beret (free pattern)
yarn: berroco ultra alpaca tonal in fumar (6345), around 175 yards
needles: US 6 (4mm) for the brim, US 8 (5mm) for the body.
thoughts & mods: i did my usual little roll brim of three rows of stockinette before beginning a k2, p1 ribbing. i’ve used this pattern before, but i’m not sure i’ve ever actually followed it. i just use the chart and fill in the rest how i like it. but i think it makes a great little slouchy hat.
made for tessa! named after this kate beaton comic, and they are my favorite star crossed pair. if you need another link to click, then go look at tessa’s cats, because they are so adorable and i will steal them. from two thousand miles away.
tessa has promised us pretty pictures of her wearing her hat, which i will hold her to, but thanks to mimi for being an interim model!
target- cardigan, jeggings
j crew- thrifted grey shirt, boots
gift- robot necklace
elbow patches! robot necklace! as far as i’m concerned, any outfit that has these will be an automatic win!
another crafty task recently accomplished:
jake managed to burn two holes through his flannel on set the other day, trying to darken a pesky light they couldn’t turn off. fortunately it’s one of those higher quality flannel shirts with a double layer of cloth on the back yoke, so i snipped out the inside fabric to patch the holes. i don’t mend often or very well, but this is one of his favorites.
FO: slippers for the rustic man <–ravelry project page
pattern: nola’s slipper socks (the pattern is about halfway down)
yarn: macauslands woolen mills 3-ply fine, held double. had to just barely dip into a third skein of yarn for the very end, so i used approx. 310 yards.
needles: US size 9, 5.5 mm
i got inspired by my own quick knits post to make these slippers. they looked so fab and rustic for a man like my father-in-law. he’s a maker of things himself. i got his review last night, after dinner. he said the soles are nice and cushy, it feels like walking on carpet.
the yarn is scratchy as can be and i told mike as much, so he can wear socks with them. the knitting on these went fast, and they are knit flat and then seamed, which (as usual) i dragged my feet on. but we got them to him on time, so it doesn’t really matter.
this year i tried to use mostly recycled materials for gift wrapping. newspaper, seasonal paper shopping bags, leftover postcards (i like postcards, but i never send them…), scrap yarn, or reused wrapping materials.
the tree has never really reached a state of completion. we just keep adding things to it. some silver tinsel garlands… and then i decided to make the owl more seasonal and made a leetle silver pipe cleaner halo.
i have a hard time figuring out what to wear to certain kinds of events… cocktail parties, weddings, church on christmas eve. i stress about it. so here, for my own records, is what i wore to to church on christmas eve this year:
(forgive the photo quality. it was the evening part of christmas eve.)
gifts both necklaces
target grey cardigan
jones new york ruffly blouse from eons ago
forever21 belt
j crew, thrifted grey wool skirt
h&m tights
it’s a mystery! boots
dkny, thrifted my seasonally bright green coat
we were watching nativity! on christmas day and i saw these cute fingerless mitts. you can almost always count on british films to have abundant knits and woolies!
they’d be easy enough to make. the market mitts from my mitts quick knits would do just fine! so would some toasties, for that matter! one skein as the base color, and a little leftover yarn from some other project for the edges. i’ve been loving that tiny edge that a little contrast provides (as you may know from the cowl i made recently. and on pinterest in these mittens, and i’ve also been loving the dipped quality of these mitts and these mittens)
oh noes! it’s the last quick knits! today we have last minute knits… some of them might will be on and off the needle before you know it, and some of them might be better to knit to the colin firth pride and prejudice. but as far as projects go, these are some of the fastest.
katerrific‘s bandana cowl (bandana cowl is a free pattern!)
this one has been making the rounds on ravelry, and for good reason. a little bit of chunky yarn, and you’re in business!
jadeblade‘s my kinda cowl (my kinda town cowl is a free pattern!)
i was going to use my mondo neck cozy, because it has to be the fastest thing i have ever knit. it took maybe three hours from start to finish. but the pattern isn’t available online. my kinda town cowl is online, it’s free, and it’s very similar!
medvssa‘s baby smush keepsake (stjarna is a free pattern!)
maybe a little star ornament? as a special touch hung around the neck of a bottle of wine? for the christmas tree of a couple celebrating their first christmas together?
knatty1‘s spa day facecloth (free pattern!)
knit up a quick facecloth, pair with your favorite product from lush, or a fancy handmade soap? that present is lovely and personal!
a little bulky, a little slouchy, and very simple.
there’s many many more, like oversized bow (free!), bunny nuggets (free!), twisted ear warmer, fidget and i could go on and on. good luck finding the right knit for your recipient!
happy solstice, y’all! this concludes my holiday quick knits series. what’d you think? did you enjoy as much as i did? cuz i had a lot of fun!
i made this pair of mitts for jake in 2008:
i think he has loved these better than anything else i have made him.
three winters of near constant wear and abuse. i think it might be time to make him a new pair. it makes me happy that these are so well loved.
this time, i will knit them in something other than malabrigo worsted. soft as it is, malabrigo is single ply, very feltable, and not terribly hard wearing.
here’s some more pictures that haven’t made it up anywhere else. they span the last two months or so.
back when there were still some leaves
at the farm for thanksgiving
great grandma’s necklace (the pearl-y one)
gift pen necklace!
nyhop gifted rabbit t-shirt
lands end cardigan with leather covered buttons
thrifted jones of new york woollllly blazer
target jeggings
gifted moto boots
it was quite windy when i was taking these pictures. the camera got a little shaky, as it was balanced a tad precariously. and it was cold. as a result, you get only one picture of the full outfit that was in focus, and oh well, i just happen to be hitching my pants. always glamorous, my life. let no one tell you otherwise.
i bought this jacket thrifting. i really really want some great tweedy, possibly herringbone, elbow patches thoroughly acceptable, must be a minimum of wool-blend, blazer. maybe in an olive, or grey… did i mention it pretty much has to be cheap? it’s a tall order, i know. we’ll see if the shopping fairy godmother has her listening ears on.
anyways! there was this blazer: woolly, well made, a lovely fabric. it was under $5. so i bought it.
but i haven’t really figured out how to wear it. once on, it’s a leeetle big on me. and a tad boxy. we will see if it sticks around. but at less than $5, i was willing to gamble.
this sweater has leather covered buttons, but is otherwise completely cotton. so i guessed that the leather covered buttons are why it was ‘dry-clean only’, and i cut them off to throw it in the laundry. and then it took me two years to sew the buttons back on. maybe i should’ve sewed on some non leather covered buttons… on the other hand, if i keep up this particular cycle, i might be able to hang on to this cardigan for the rest of my life.
forever21 earrings
j crew sparkly tee and cardigan
grandma woven belt
grandpa watch
thrifted cerulean cords
toms shoes
other people have sweater de-fuzzers. i do not. where does one buy those things? i have a few sweaters that could really use it.
my nikon’s autofocus isn’t working. it makes clicking noises and then… doesn’t work. it’s very sad. time to send it in…
are any of you behind on your holiday shopping? with our christmas tree up, last night i wrapped the presents i’ve acquired so far. and then i was horrified. there are three presents under the tree! i have to go christmas shopping. IMMEDIATELY. excuse me.
ifandany 