Fishbone Gansey Sock

Pattern: Fishbone Gansey Sock by Anne Hanson

Made for: Dad

Size: XL

Yarn: 1.18 skeins of Malibrigo Yarn Sock in Azules

Needles: 2mm dpns

Started: July 22/11       Finished: Dec 22/11

Modifications: The length of the leg is 9″ instead of the recommended 10″ (I got tired of knitting ribbing).

This was Dad’s 2011 xmas present. I ended up needing a second skein to finish these (it is what happens when your father not only is a size 11 foot but also has fat feet) and even though the skein was the same dye lot it looked very different than the first skein (it had more purple). Luckily I didn’t have to switch until the foot of the second sock so most people won’t even notice. As per usual Anne Hanson’s patterns are very enjoyable to knit with great instructions.

Malabrigo is my Dad’s favourite sock yarn even though it is not the most optimal choice for the feet. I have told him I am going to start looking at different sock yarns trying to find a nice balance between soft which he likes and durability which I like. Hey, if I am going to spend all this time knitting a huge pair of socks they better last for years is all I am saying.

Holiday Knitting

So it has taken me many years to figure out how best to balance my desire to knit people lovely gifts for the holidays while balancing my sanity and not spending all my holiday time knitting. I’ve had many years where I take too much on and either haven’t finished it in time, spent all available free time in November and December knitting, stressed out and cursing why I decided to take too much on.

This year things have changed. I have decided to commit to taking on only three gifts to be knitted for the holiday season. Two are standard standby’s that are expected: a pair of socks for my Dad and a sweater for Sean. My Dad because socks are really the only thing he wants and there is no one else (except when Nanny’s feeling kind) that gives him a regular supply. Sean gets a sweater because he genuinely seems to like getting them from me and since it is a chunk of change and a lot of time it really only seems appropriate to be given as a holiday gift. The third slot will rotate depending on who hasn’t gotten something from me in a while and who would like whatever it is that I want to knit that year.

This doesn’t mean I will never knit more than those three gifts but it will only happen if time permits and I am in the mood. There is going to be no pressure for me to take on more than those three projects for the holidays (from myself or anyone else).

So how is this plan working for me? So far much better than anticipated. One gift is done and just needs to be blocked which I am saving for closer to the holidays. I have all the pieces done and the hems picked up and knitted for Sean’s sweater; assembly and knitting the collar is all that is left to be done. And as for Dad’s socks I believe this is the first year where at mid-November I am on the heel of the second sock. The holiday knitting is looking good and I don’t feel stressed for the first time.

I like this new plan.

Butternut Scarf

Pattern: Butternut Scarf

Made for: Gurmeet

Size: 13×46.5″ blocked

Yarn: Indigodragonfly Merino Silk Lace in Pink Freud colourway

Needles: 3.0mm circulars

Gauge: larger than recommended

Started: Aug 13/11        Finished: Sept 11/11

Modifications: Knit at a slightly larger gauge due to the right sized needles being in use.

This was made for a very good friend who also happens to be my coworker. She is an awesome friend for a knitter to have as she speaks enough “knitter-ese” to understand when I get technical and is always admiring and commenting on the projects she sees me work on during our coffee break. And to make her an even better friend to a knitter she has never once asked for anything for herself.

So I decided to make her a birthday present this year. It all started when I spotted the skein of Indigodragonfly’s Merino Silk Lace in Pink Freud and thought the colour would look fabulous on Gurmeet. When I came back a few weeks later and it was still there I snatched it up and decided to make her one of Anne Hanson’s Little Nothings.

Her birthday was this past Tuesday. Sadly I don’t have any pictures of her modelling it so the ones of me will have to do but best of all was her reaction: “I finally have a Lizzie!”. 

Frost & Flowers Cowl

This is one of the secret projects I have mentioned earlier in the blog that I would make for my mom from yarn that she sent me. This is the first one and she intends it for a present for a good friend of hers.

Pattern: I winged this one using the Frost and Flower stitch pattern.

Made for: Dorene, my mom’s friend.

Size: To easily fit over a 22″ head without messing up hair.

Yarn: one skein of Classic Elite Yarns Inca Alpaca in a periwinkle colour.

Needles: 4mm 16″ circulars.

Gauge: I don’t recall and I’ve lost the piece of paper that told me.

Started: Nov 5/10              Finished: Dec 1/10

My mom has received it which is the reason why I can finally show it on the blog! She likes it and thinks her friend will like it as well. Here are a few more pictures. Maybe we will get lucky and be sent a picture of her wearing it (hint, hint).

Space Invader Socks

Pattern: My own (chart for space invader characters borrowed from here and were done using duplicate stitch).

Made for: Dad

Size: 11 men’s feet with a 10″ circumference.

Yarn: Regia Solid 4-ply in black (2 balls); accent is Patons Kroy socks 4 ply in white (much less than one ball).

Needles: 5 – 2.5mm dpns

Gauge: 8sts per inch

Started: Aug 28/10                     Finished: Dec 5/10

Hopefully he will like them! On another note Piper has been perching on her tool box looking cute.

A Chemo Cap for Lois

Pattern: Shedir by Jenna Wilson

Needles: 5 – 2.75mm double pointed

Yarn: Dye-Version Silk Seacell in Tapestry

Gauge: 7 stitches per inch with yarn held double in stockinette.

Modifications: Added an additional repeat to make it a little bit bigger.This was made for Lois, a good friend of Sean’s family, who is currently fighting cancer and this project is a collaboration between Sean’s mother, Lee and I. She paid for and picked out the yarn as well as got the appropriate measurements and I picked out the pattern and knitted it up.

Lee and I brought it over to Lois on Thanksgiving. It fits her perfectly and should do an excellent job of keeping her head and ears warm while keeping her stylish.

A cardigan for Merry

The Specs:

Pattern – A Cardigan for Merry adapted by Anny Purls

Size – 1 year

Yarn- Indigo Moon superwash Merino Sockweight in cedar.

Needles – 3mm 16″ addi circulars

Gauge – didn’t bother with it so I think this will fit a 1.5 year old just fine.

Modifications – none though I was seriously thinking about making this in one piece.

This has been sitting in my knitting basket almost done except for the sewing on of the button loops for quite some time. One of my coworkers has a daughter Ella who is the perfect size for it right now, so I passed it onto her. It is going to be our Unit’s baby sweater and will be passed along to the next person who has a baby.