First knitted mittens!

 My love for DPNs is pretty crazy.  I've done most of the knitted projects this past Christmas season in the round using DPNs.  Above is the start of a mitten with 1x1 ribbing that lasted for about 2 inches.  I used Berocco Vintage in worsted weight.  This was a ball left over from Hazel's Easter dress.

 The pattern is called Grammy's Mitts by Tanis Lavallee.   She has you go stockinette all the way up with some simple decreasing towards the end.  I was nervous about putting in waste yarn to do the after thought thumbs.  This was my first after thought anything!

 Not to be dramatic but this part was a nail biter for me.  I hate having live stitches or going back and ripping stitches and re-inserting the needles, I get all sorts of anxiety.  I had to mentally prepare myself by inserting the DPNs where they needed to go and not starting the thumbs until the next day because I was that relieved and proud that I got the needles through the stitches without any major disaster!

Et voilà!  It's like the thumbs were always there!  I was pretty pleased with how my first pair of knitted mittens turned out.  My best friend loved them and they looked super cute on her mom.  This pattern will definitely be a repeat, especially once I start making charity mittens for my buddy, Angela.

Love of Barley

 It was the Christmas of the hat for the kiddies this year.  I made two other hats in gray (Lion Brand Wool-ease) and brown (Plymouth Worsted).  Have you seen this pattern or have you been living under a rock?  TinCanKnits' free Barley pattern has got to be the hippest and easiest hat to make ever!

I love how the stockinette stitch is broken up with a garter stitch panel.  The best part is that any way you wear this hat, it looks freakin' awesome!  I'm itching to make one for myself in some Manos del Uruguay Maxima that I have lying around.  This pattern gets a huge thumbs up by me and while you're at it, take a look at the other patterns that are grouped together in the Simple Collection by TinCanKnits.  Oh and did I mention?  It's free!!!!

Some Amazingly Basic Hats

It's been a while!  I can assure you that I haven't stopped crafting since last post but if you follow me on Instagram, you would see that I was crazy busy knocking out Christmas gifts.  Now for the unveiling!  I start with these two hats made in Lion Brand Amazing yarn in the colorways Wildflowers and Mesa, respectively.  I used the Basic Winter Hat pattern by Brandy Fortune.

I had a ton of fun making the pom poms and using the last bits of yarn from the skein.  Yes, one skein of Lion Brand Amazing yarn each to make the toddler and child sized version of the hats.  I love how the striping turned out and the yarn is easy care for my cousins' kids.  They are super cozy as well and I highly recommend this pattern!

Christmas Crafting

Finished up the baby blanket for my friend's sister's new baby to be!  To clean it up, I put a scalloped edge around the border.  I think it turned out great!  I used a ton o' Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK which was so soft to work with.

I also made this little baby football hat for the future baby.  The pattern is from a fellow blogger.  I used Plymouth Yarn Worsted in brown and white.  It was a quick knit plus, I got to learn how to do a surface embroidery stitch.

I am carrying on with my Christmas crafting.  I can't show too much - just in case the fam reads this but I'm on a roll!  I have like two more Christmas gifts to kick out!  Hope your Christmas crafting is moving along!

Crochet Crazy!

I've been working monogamously on this blanket for my  friend's sister's baby since this past Thursday.  I'm about a quarter or so the way through and already used 5 balls of yarn.  This is a crocheted blanket and you can find the free pattern on the Bernat website.  The directions are a tad over complicated but I bookmarked several Ravelry users and their suggestions and it's been smooth sailing from there!  I hope to be done by the end of the week with this and that's if I hustle.  I sometimes long for the days when Angie would just lie next to me on the couch, dozing off in his wrap while I worked on my projects.  

Ah well, it's good thing he's so good looking.  For example: 

Stud!

....ho hummm....

#stuffonmycat

Move along...nothing to see here!

Crocheting Fool!

 I didn't realize it but the last few projects I've been kicking out have all been off the hook!  This past week, I made two Cardiff Cowls for my Mom using Berocco Vintage DK in black and gray.  I really love this pattern, seeing how I have made four of these so far.  My Mom requested another one in a heathered teal but I told her she's gonna have to wait for Christmas crafting to be over before I even begin to go there.  The Cardiff Cowl is a free pattern from Lion Brand and has a simple pattern that really makes it look more complicated than it is.  I love how you can pick up stitches at the foundation and go the opposite direction.  It makes for a very interesting pattern, even after the fourth time!

 I've also been making these little crocheted ice skates as ornaments for family members in green and red using Plymouth DreamBaby DK.  I was channeling my Grandma P as I was making them.  I have a pair she made many years ago that go on our tree and was excited to find a free pattern on the internets with very simple instructions!  I debated making more for co-workers but decided that since I'm at a new job, I was going to nix going handmade for gifts.  I'm thinking a card and some candy canes this year.  My co-worker who is also a knitter made me feel better about not going that route.   You're allowed to be selfish when it comes to your hobbies - a motto that I will try to uphold next year!  Even if it will only last past two projects!

The last thing I'm showing off are some crocheted booties.  I made these for my friend's sister who is expecting. These were made out of Plymouth Worsted and was another pattern off of Lion Brand for free.  I'm not a fan of making booties because they look weird when not on little feeties but I'm sure once these are on the babeh, they will look way better!  The pattern was easy to follow and I liked crocheting through the front loop to make the ribbed effect along the top of the toe.

I am about seven gifts away from being finished with my Christmas crafting.  How about you?

Helping out

3rd of the way done!

When a Raveler needs help, all they need to do is shout.  In my local Rav group, one of our members needed help knitting an afghan for her godmother who is battling cancer.  Many of us stepped up to help her out.  The blanket is based off of The Great American Afghan.  Because I am no where near being a cabling queen, I volunteered to make a square using some mock cables out of my Knit and Purl Harmony guide.  I think I chose well and thought the stitch pattern was really interesting.  I used Berocco Vintage, provided by Sheep Thrills, in the mochi color way.  I dropped off my square today.  I don't think I could've made another square with what was left.  I was surprised how much yarn this square sucked up but I must say, it's such a pretty pattern!

Now, back to my regularly scheduled program of Christmas crafting!

Fake cables and puffs

Swatching!  A first time for everything!

Donation to the hexipuff cause! Thank you, Chelsea!

This past week....

Trying to ply on a wheel

SO excited to use this Isager!

I freaking love this button!

Can you guess who I am?  Pre-guillotine of course!

I love DPNs something fierce..and Manos del Uruguay yarn

It's that time of year... :-P