Lots of stuff

It has been way too long since my last post, and I actually took kind of a break from knitting for a few months. But I'm back at it with a pair of socks -- I'll post a picture when I finish them... or 5 months after I finish them. The yarn is BEAUTIFUL but it's that variegated purple yarn that I was using for those "Spot Check Socks", but I'm worried about how it will look knit up. We will see! The pattern I'm doing is the Berlin Muster one I've done before and loved, but I'm being reminded now how much of a headache it is. You have to follow the chart so closely or else you mess up.

Here are my finished projects from winter:

1) Felted Fair Isle Hat. I was actually intending for this to turn out as a beret but it didn't really look like a beret at all and just looked like a big hat. So I felted it! And it worked pretty well. Kind of tight in one area but not bad! So that was exciting. I made up the pattern based on looking at other fair isle patterns, and when i got to the decreases, completely improvised. It luckily worked. :)


I also made these ADORABLE little felted star things that are supposed to be ornaments but they are just little stars right now. I don't have pictures of them but I will take some and post them because they are really cute.

2) Shifting Sands Fingerless Mitts. Okay. Just for the record, before I knit these guys, I was SO not a believer in fingerless mitts. What was the point? They don't keep your hands warm because your fingers are the parts that get cold. Well I was wrong. I love them! Granted, they're not for outdoors in the harsh winter of South Bend, Indiana. But they are great inside in our cold, carbon-friendly apartment! They're very comfortable, and I'd wear them around the house all the time to keep my hands warm while I'm on the computer or doing stuff around the house.

I used some of my purple Malabrigo yarn that I love so much to make these and they feel so amazing on my hands. They do pill, but I've read that a textured pattern like this helps to keep the pilling down. But I love the color and the pattern really highlights the kettle dyed yarn so well. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. And knitted up so quickly!


3) Glittens! I don't really know what the proper name for these are, but I am also so proud of these! I bought this yarn at the South Bend Farmers' Market (from Alpacas of Algaesia) and it is so soft and great on my hands. I've been wanting to make a pair of these convertible glove/mittens for a long time now, so I am happy to say I've marked this one off the list.

Mittens...


Gloves!


That's all for now!