Preparing for 2012

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!  I did!  We celebrated Christmas Eve at my cousin's cabin and spent Christmas relaxing at my brother's.  Magical!

I don't know if I've mentionned it here, but although I learned knitting again from Knitting for dummies and the internet, I surely inherited the gene of knitting and patience from my mom!  Every week, she comes to my blog to see if there is something new and we talk about it over the phone (my parents still live in the little town where I grew up and it is a few hours from where I live now).  She will be surprised to see something she's made this time!  Funny fact: I totally get the "frogging and re-knitting satisfaction" from my mom ;-)

My mom is a smart lady and for Christmas, she bought some beautiful kits and made three of these scarves in one week: one in gray tones for my sister, one in pink tones for my SIL and one in blue tones (of course!) for me!  I'm not sure how it is done exactly, but these were fun and mindless projects for my mom and I can really appreciate that she gave us something crafty for Christmas!

As for me, as mentionned in the title of this post, I'm resisting casting on a new project in order to prepare for 2012.  The lovely Andi from My sister's knitter gifted me a beautiful pattern that I've always loved since the time it was released: Andrea's shawl.  Although I'm tempted to knit with the same colors as the original pattern (as I very often do when I pick a pattern), I'm almost decided on making it blue and without stripes with the beautiful skein of Malabrigo yarn also gifted by Andi-my-kntting-fairy ;-)  Thank you again Andi!

So here are my knitting goals for the near future: 

1. Finish the Douglas mittens.  I've just finished this morning the lining of mitten number one!

2. Cast on for Andrea's shawl if it arrives before the first package of the yarn club I suscribed to in 2012.

3. Cast on for the first project of TFA's Year in Color. I am so looking forward to it!

This is probably the last post of the year for me!  Take care and see you in 2012!  xx

So Sweet!

It really made my day when I found in my mailbox this afternoon a hand knitted gift from my dear friend Susan!  Susan and I met in the blogosphere mutually commenting on each other's blogs and exchanging e-mails!  She's hosting So Sue and she's also So Sweet!  ;-)

The color is beautiful although I wasn't able to capture it perfectly in the following pictures:

Such a nice color to brighten up the winter.  They fit me perfectly:

Can you see that they are have a touch of pink in them?  Lovely!

It was accompanied with a nice little card and a tape measure!  How thoughtful and I couldn't believe what a coincidence it is since mine broke one week ago!  And it is so cute!  Until now, there has been just a little bit of snow here, if you can see it through the window...

Thank you so much Susan!  I know I will be wearing them often! 

You definitely need to visit So Sue.  Susan not only knits beautifully but she is also sewing very nicely!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Baby shower

Today, we had a baby shower for Audrey.  She will have a baby very soon!  We all made a little something for her baby girl: hats, socks, blankets, toys, etc.  I made her a little Kira's hooded vest. I think it is such a cute pattern and it must be so practical!

Pattern: Kira's hooded vest by Yumiko Sakurai.

Size: 12-18 months.

Yarn: Sweater of Spud & Chloë.

Needles: US 7 / 4.5mm and US 8 / 5.0 mm.

Color: Firecracker.

Start to finish: November 2011 - December 2011.

For: baby Anne-Sophie.

Notes: No modifications.

The plain part went very fast.  The star tweed stitch took a little longer than I expected, but it wasn't that long after all!  And so worth it!  I was just a little worried that it would not be ready on time!

Yes, it was the secret gift I was knitting!  The good part about it is that there were only the shoulders to sew.  The rest is all picking up the stitches and knitting with circular needles.

There is also the so famous seed stitch at the bottom and around the armholes!  So cute!

Finally, I cannot pass telling you how I like the yarn I used!  I think it is perfect for baby knits because it is wool and cotton.  So warm but without being itchy.  Mostly, it's superwash wool!  The colors available are gorgeous too!  It was difficult to choose!

I really recommend this pattern!

Have a great weekend all!

Progress

This weekend is supposed to be productive in the knitting area. Here is a glance at what I'm working on.

The secret gift (priority 1):

And only if there is some time left, the lining of my mittens (priority 2):

I wish, but I don't know if it is possible, that I finish them before the 2012 Year in Color Club starts!

No more blogging for today.  I have to return to my knitting ;-)  Will you be knitting this weekend?

Have a great weekend!

In my future...

I've started working on the Douglas Mittens again this weekend.  Actually, I'm un-knitting a little bit (so that you know that this is really me!).  Two weeks ago, at our knit night, we were discussing how different increasing methods for M1 could create little holes more or less...  When I picked up the mittens again yesterday, I thought that the increases for the thumb lining were maybe a little too "airy" for my liking (if "airy" is an English word!).  So, I thought I could undo 15 rows and try to knit front and back loops instead of doing the usual M1.   I'll let you know how it turns out ;-)

So I guess that the lining of these mittens is not the most exciting thing to knit, but at least the yarn which is really tiny is very pleasant to knit.  It's also my favorite color (blue!) and knitting stockinette while watching Friends DVDs isn't bad at all ;-)

I'm quite motivated because it's my only UFO at the moment.  I'm gonna cast on shortly for a secret gift but it should be fast to knit (or at least I hope so!) 

Then, I'm still thinking about my next sweater.  I recently bought the new Coastal Knits book that you surely heard about lately!  I love it!  The patterns are beautiful and so is the book itself!  I could knit all the sweaters from this book.  Really, I love them all!  So, while I knit the lining of those mittens and my secret gift, I can ponder about it!

And finally, but not least, I suscribe on Friday to the 2012 Year in Color Club at Tanis Fiber Arts. Tanis is from our area (which I only found out recently, duh!) and look at the "brochette" of designers for 2012:  Julie Crawford of KnittedBliss (and TFA!), Hannah Fettig of Knitbot, Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting, Hilary Smith Callis of the Yarniad, Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops and and (woah!) Jared Flood of BrooklynTweed!  Really, I've had to pinch myself because it's almost too good to be true!  It's the first time I participate to a club like this. It will be a challenge for sure!

So, yes, this is what will be in my future!  This is a "pictureless" post.  Sorry!  I just had to share my enthousiasm about what's coming!  How about you?  Are you knitting for the Holidays?  What's on your needles or what will be on your needles in 2012 (if, of course, you already know)?

Have a great week everyone!

FO: Jaywalker

Today I finished my Jaywalkers.  Wouh! 

When I set this goal earlier in October (Socktoberfest 2011) to finish this pair of socks I started in the beginning of August, I just thought that it would be a fun way to accelerate my knitting pace and finish it a little faster so I can move on to the next project. 

Well...  it turned out to be a challenge more than I had imagined ;-)  I felt just like during the Ravelympics!  I've had to be disciplined!  And I made it! 

Here they are:

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina.

Yarn: Biscotte & Cie Super Bambou, 107g for the two socks.

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Color: Empereur

Start to finish: August 2011 - October 2011

For: Me!

Notes: No modifications

Very nice self-striping yarn from Biscotte & Cie.  I really enjoyed knitting with it! 

The second heel was the longest to turn.  I was just making one mistake after the other...  Maybe I was too anxious to finish ;-)

The final touch!

Overall, it has been a very fun project!  No wonder so many people knit that pattern!  I wonder though if one day I will be able to knit one pair of socks in just a week!

Have a great week everyone!

Socktoberfest and new yarn!

Happy automn dear knitting friends!

There will be at least two posts in October on my blog ;-)  This one and the one when I will hopefully show you my finished Jaywalkers!  I've decided to participate to Socktoberfest 2011. My "challenge" is to finish these socks in October.  Nothing extraordinary but it will be motivating for me to have a deadline!

After the socks will be completed - by the way, I love knitting them! - I will start a secret gift!  I will only show you the yarn I bought for it.  Yes, as I'm thinking a lot about the people who are at Rhinebeck this weekend, I decided I would have my own little knitting escapade by going to Espace Tricot.  This store located in Montreal is so nice!  The people are so helpful.  They even let us use their IPad to look up patterns and yarns.  I think it's pretty up to date!  There is also a space if you want to sit down and knit!  They have magazines, buttons, and mostly many very nice yarns!  I really recommand that you go if you live near or visit Montreal!

Here is my new acquisition.  It is Spud & Chloë Sweater.  The colorways are amazing or said differently, difficult to choose from ;-)

I was also very happy to find gift tags from the talented Knitterella.  I've been eyeing them for quite a while!

And finally, look at the little buttons I found!  Aren't they cute?  I think I must have chosen them so that they brighten up these rainy days that we are having!  Note that the trees have amazing colors these days over here!  The other day, I was on the highway and could not stop admiring their beauty!

I'm so excited!  Isn't fun to buy new yarn and related items?   Okay, I have to go now... for some Socktoberfest work!  Enjoy the weekend everyone!