Winter Hat 2011

I have this goal (like SouleMama) of making a beanie for my hubby every year. He is a man that likes a good beanie. The one I made last year got only moderate use - there were complaints of it not being warm enough so I set out for a super warm hat. It was also suggested that it should cover the ears. 

The Christopher hat was perfect - very simple, but double layered for warmth and mostly covering the ears. I had never knit a hat like this. Its basically two hats connected at the lower border. You start at the top of one and knit all the way through until the top of the other - super easy, but now reversible and thicker! I LOOVE Jane Richmond's patterns - she uses affordable yarn so you can easily use what the pattern calls for and the patterns I've used are really easy, but way cute.

This knit up surprisingly fast and the best part - he likes it AND wears it!

details:

pattern - Christopher
yarn - Patons Classic Wool in Natural Mix & Mercury
...also detailed on my ravelry page

Candy Canes & Treats!

I made a few of these sweet ornaments for friends and family this Christmas. This fit the bill of quick and easy with an adorable and big impact. All it took was some denim, felt, and embroidery floss and I had myself a candy cane!

I love how simple they are! But don't you love them? You could do so many cute shapes - tree, wreath, snowman.... love them! 

I also made some of this awesome (and WAY easy) snack mix for me to give as thank you gifts for my preceptors at work. I'm all done orienting at my new nursing job!

Lastly, my hubby and I only exchanged stockings so I decided to make some of his favorite treats - chocolate covered pretzels. I wasn't going for most beautiful snack of the year, but I think they'll do the trick. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! 

three years in the making: christmas stockings

Three years ago, the first Christmas we lived together, I bought the pattern for these stockings. I tried to make us some that year, attempting to model them after the ones my mom made us growing up. I failed miserably - got VERY frustrated and gave up. The following year, we got married and just after the holidays moved to Missouri so there was little time for crafting. Then there was last year. I had a few weeks off of school and I thought there would be NO problem knocking out a few stockings. I was so wrong. A little being came into our life and TOTALLY took it over. I did have time to get fabric, thread, and I cut out a few pieces, but no sewing was undertaken. THIS was going to be the year. No excuses. And, remarkably, they got done! 

Not without a fair bit of strife, but done. The pattern has a cuff that was just straight, but I wanted ours to be scalloped like the ones my mom had made. I'm not much of a seamstress so I struggled to make my own pattern piece and get everything to match up. I made Grant's first so it suffered a bit more, requiring complete redoing and embroidery of the cuff. But after that the other two whipped up pretty quick. They are, by no means, perfect, but perfect is overrated, right?

Can you imagine how excited I was to find CHRISTMAS PUPPY fabric for Olive's??? Totally made my day. Grant and I picked it out together. He thought her stocking should be smaller, but how would I get all her toys and treats from the doggie bakery in there? Big it is!

I embroidered our names on them, leaving the other side blank so that if/when we have babies we can decide if we want to put Mama/Papa on ours. My parents' stockings always said Mom/Dad so I kind of feel like its weird if the parents' say their names. Is that just me??

So the 'better' side is actually them hanging the other way, but since, in theory, they will be used for longer after we have kids we are using the crappier side for now. I'm SUCH a freak for thinking that all through, huh??

Tassel Hat

I made this quick little hat for little one a friend is having super soon! We are so excited to get to send this off to help celebrate the little one's arrival.

The pattern is out of this book, which I love and have been hoarding from the library for 2 months. It has so many cute, quick baby hats!

details:

pattern - chocqua
yarn - lion brand cotton-ease in seaspray
size - newborn (0-6 months)
...also detailed on my ravelry page

Autumn for Winter

Umm I LOVE this hat! It was super quick to knit and is really warm and I am loving the green. Grant can't get enough of it either - apparently he likes a girl in a slouchy hat - who knew?!

I knit the bigger size and I'm thinking I should have knit it a bit smaller, but I will be making lots more of these so there is room for changes. I also think I will increase the length slightly next time for a little extra slouchyness!

Don't I look happy freezing my ass off for these pictures?? My hubby is so great and indulges me in all my blogging photo shoots. He takes tons so I can pick my favs.

OH and I didn't mention that the other plus of this pattern is that it is mostly seed stitch which is my ALL TIME FAVORITE because the texture is so amazing. Yay! I love this hat!

details:

pattern - autumn by Jane Richmond (love all her stuff)
yarn - lion brand wool-ease quick 'n thick in grass
size - large
...also detailed on my ravelry page

its done! its done!

I apologize for how washed out these pics are...I finally got photoshop, but I don't know how to use it and the picasa editing thing wasn't helping so I just left them as is. Anyway... I finally finished it! Can you believe that? I've been working on it on and off for SEVEN months, but all 36,799 stitches of it are done, ends weaved in, buttons chosen and sewn on and its even been worn a few times!

At first I wasn't sure if I was lovin' it, but its growing on me. I'm learning to be easier on myself when things don't turn out perfect and just be proud that I made it. That is really what counts, but sometimes I let the Type A in there convince me it should be better, perfect. So stupid, but something I constantly struggle with. What is important is that each time I knit something imperfect I'm training that voice to be quieter and calmer AND my knitting is improving so that things will turn out with less imperfection and more skill. 

Can you tell how awkward it was for me to take these pictures?? I'm a bit of a freak! I will have to keep you updated on whether it gets much wear - I feel weird when I wear it like people will know its handmade...which isn't a bad thing I just feel weird about it. 

PS...remember when this yarn was supposed to be something else way over a year ago??

details:

pattern - garter yoke cardi
yarn - lion brand cotton-ease in terra cotta
size - small
...also detailed on my ravelry page