May FOs

A few of my finished items from May...

These are my son's socks - little a... he's getting big enough that these take a little longer, his feet are now officially bigger than mine (and he doesn't turn 12 until next month).

These were made with variegated blue worsted weight acryclic - so more like slipper socks than socks, but he loves them and he's outgrowing the others... I might make him another pair in July. No pattern, just cast on x number of stitches, knit in ribbing for an inch or so, then heel flap and then off I'm running.

The Handbrake Cowl is a for-pay pattern on Ravelry, But a dear friend bought it for me as a gift as the proceeds from the sale of it go to a great cause and it's really not that expensive.  The yarn I used ended up coming out far more camoflaguing in color than it did... which surprised me as the yarn in skein didn't look like camo-colors, just shades of green... AND GO FIGURE, when I've tried to get camo-like look... it doesn't work... but knit with hand painted green yarn and ... blam... camo!

The yarn is Pomaire Multy  which is sadly discontinued. It was a bit splitty, but a REALLY nice cotton yarn and it's so hard to find good color options in non-wool items... the yarn was also a gift (another time) from the exact same person, so when I got the urge to work the cowl... I figured I totally needed to use some of the yarns she has given me over the years.  

I'm just not so sure that I'm a green fan, and it came out a bit 'boyish' with the camo appearance... but it's a longer cowl - which none of the men in my life would wear a long cowl as that's too 'girlish' for them. So, we'll donate it to charity... I might make another in the future as it was very enjoyable to knit.

These four 'odd ball' squares are for some photography I'm requesting - there's a stockinette square, a garter stitch square, some cables & lace and ... the handbrake cowl purl diaganol in the last one. The photographer has a macro lens and will do some close up pictures for me. I want to frame them for my walls.

And then a few of my charity hats for May... I started playing with holding yarn double and using up some scraps to try to do some gradiants... so far its been fun, quick and interesting... so definitely a good use of some scraps! No pattern, just cast on 60 stitches with yarn held double- knit ribbing for a few inches, then stockinette then sort out some decreases.... use the yarn ball until the color runs out or you're desparate for a change... I'll definitely be doing more of these next month.

May progress

Classes !

Detention - Hat - Done

Charms - water inspired for augamenti charm - a blue Hat (yes, yet another hat) - Done

Muggle Studies - inspired by stamps - socks - simple variegated blue yarn for a - (his favorite color) - man are his feet ever getting big - ... found a fox in socks stamp inspired by Dr Suess - better tie in!
 - Done

Divination - Two colors - Hat (yes, yet another hat) - Done

CoMC - something for the home - photo props/hot pads - Done

History of Magic - inspired by Wall of China - handbrake cowl - Done

DADA - something that needs a final 'hardening' stage - third plan is the charm... ended up doing a Graduation Card for my niece and use the 'glue' hardening as the final stage - Done

Potions - something green - littlest a is due to get thrummed slippers and I chose green for his... they are super quick and turn out adorable. - Yikes - his feet ARE big!!! Have to frog back and lengthen them... about 50% done

Transfiguration - unexpected color - Yes, another Hat - Done

Other non-class projects:

My upcycle for the windows... I have all the materials now. Two large windows. Gold spray glitter, silvering spray, water & vinegar.... though I might need to pick up new hanging rings - as I think they'll easily be around 30 pounds each and I'm thinking two hangers on each - and hanging them over my fireplace. -- still need to work on these.

OWL progress...

Basket bottom is about 8" x 14" - am hoping to add the other 6" to the bottom yet this weekend.
Rug is about 10" x 44" - want to add another 2" to the rug this weekend.
Sweater is about 14" - want to add another 1-2" to the body.

Mission progress - two sweaters, want to be at 25% on both by next weekend.
Phoenix (half lace, some ribbing) - at 50% mark (what can I say... working with silk and some cotton that is nicer to knit with than I expected).
Indian Cross Stitch tunic - have about 2" done... the first 1/3 will take the longest time... so if I can get past the yoke I'll call it good.

Of course, then there's also Quidditch match #2 which started today... two more hats (yes, yet more hats)... which I'm ALSO hoping to whip out this weekend.... too bad I'll be in the car a lot this weekend.

May plans

Classes !

Detention - Hat

Charms - water inspired for augamenti charm - a blue Hat (yes, yet another hat)

Muggle Studies - inspired by stamps - socks - simple variegated blue yarn for a - (his favorite color) - man are his feet ever getting big - I found a blue princess stamp, still debating if it's ok to poke fun that I used a princess stamp to make socks for my very-much-a-boy son

Divination - Two colors - Hat (yes, yet another hat)

CoMC - something for the home - I'm making what will technically be photo props, we'll call them hot pads as most people don't knit little squares for photo props... but my goal is to get some macro images of the knitting and blow them up poster sized, frame them and post them as art in my home

History of Magic - inspired by Wall of China - handbrake cowl, a pattern gifted to me by a dear friend; with yarn she had gifted me at a different time; and I'm planning on using the spiraling lines formed in the pattern to make up a story about running after lost firsties.

DADA - something that needs a final 'hardening' stage - my original non-Rav craft this month didn't get accepted (upcycling old windows) - so I still wanted to try something non-Rav... and another member of the cup asked if she could use glue to seal (harden - or make permanent) something that basically was a type of home-made snow globe. So, I'm ready to make another mediation bottle.

Potions - something green - littlest a is due to get thrummed slippers and I chose green for his... they are super quick and turn out adorable.

Transfiguration is the only one I couldn't quite come up with something for - unexpected color... I'm kind of stumped on this one. Although, worst case I can always make Yet another hat - maybe in a color I don't care for, pink comes to mind quite quickly on that.

Other non-class projects:

My upcycle for the windows... I have all the materials now. Two large windows. Gold spray glitter, silvering spray, water & vinegar.... though I might need to pick up new hanging rings - as I think they'll easily be around 30 pounds each and I'm thinking two hangers on each - and hanging them over my fireplace.

And I need to make a card for my niece who is graduating at the end of the month... it's on the list, no idea what I'll do yet... but I'm sure I can find a tacky idea if I wait until the last minute - sigh.

Advanced Studies

I'm watching some great knitting video bloggers updates and feeling guilty about my sadly ignored blog. I do think that I have some fun things to share... but I think that I end up turning it into a task which isn't as much fun as just sharing.

So, no set schedule (that I know I'll break)

No specific types of updates (that I know I won't keep up)

But just some fun sharing as it comes... probably NOT going to be filled with hats as past updates were (although I may keep some counts going... it's just that when you knit nearly 100 hats a year, I'm sure a blog filled with hat pictures is just - well, tedious.

So...

Advanced Studies.

In HPKCHC - you get to do OWLs (one per term, and 12 subjects) and NEWTs (one for four months - the month before and term, and a combination of any 2 of the possible OWL subjects) - one or the other.

I've had a goal for a REALLY long time to get all 12 subjects completed once and become an OWL Mistress.

I'm hoping I'm not jinxing myself -  but I'm shooting for the Divination OWL this term (hopefully my 12th OWL - woot!).

I've got big plans... some of which are more frustrating than others.

First a basket. I've been playing with reeds and crochet and I think I've got it sorted out how to make a nice basket... though I've been wrong before.

Second, a rug. I've been dyeing to make a "Jump to Conclusions" mat for ages... and with the lessons learned that a basket made with crochet and clothesline rope (soggy basket) - I think I sorted out a quick, easy way to make a rug. Not so sure about the embroidery to put the verbiage on it... but I'm sure I'll sort that out.

Third, a redo on a previoulsy attempted sweater. The yarn dye lots might have gotten mis-labeled and I couldn't handle the color variation the way it was - so I ended up frogging the whole thing and am going to start over attempting a subtle wide stripe.

Then we ALSO have Order of the Phoenix Missions....

I'm going to join the Hill Vintage Knit-a-long this summer - and make TWO, yes TWO summer tops. I've had Phoenix on the queue for ages and bought the magazine the second I saw that pattern... and I got swept away with some really unusual and brightly colored yarn that I'm hoping to combine with some teal and make a cute summer top. I don't usually like to use a lot of highly variegated yarn in clothing (well, other than socks/mittens)... so it took me a bit to think of something that would be a show-case for the unusual yarn. I'm going to attempt to do a yoke in Indian Cross Stitch; then a simple teal tube (still not sure how to join the two - but I'm sure I'll sort it out.

Need to finish all five items by July AND all my monthly projects as well... so much knitting to do, not enough time  - of course, if only I didn't have to work full time.

Free Pattern - Christmas Wreath Ornament

Using worsted weight yarn - my ornament measures approx. 3" across.

Use scrap yarns of any size, with knitting needles sized appropriately for the yarn you are using.

Wreath strands (make 3)
Cast on 3 stitches and knit an I-cord (see this video if you haven't knit I-cord before)
Knit for 8" and cut the yarn through and run through the live stitches.

For at least one of the three, leave a longer cast on tail and bind off length to use to make the hanger.

Take three 'ends' and tie a knot with all three lengths of yarn.
Then braid the strands to each other.
Tie the opposite three ends together.

Tie the beginning ends to the opposite ends to form the wreath shape.
Trim the 'four' (two on each end) shorter ends.
The remaining 'two' ends (one on each end) that is longer can be knotted to form a hanging loop.

Bow (make 1)
Cast on 3 stitches and knit an I-cord
Knit for 8" and cut the yarn through and run through the live stitches

Weave in both ends.

Cross the ends of the I-cord - sort of like this:

Then using spare red yarn, wrap the center of the loop over the top of the cross so that it looks a little like a bow... then seam your bow to the top of the wreath covering up the knots formed with the ends of the green yarns.

September, only one week left

I've been a bit down and out.

There have been health issues.

I even went a whole month with only about ten minutes in total of knitting time (almost unheard of in my life).

But, I'm starting to get back on my feet.

In the meantime, my newest grandson has joined my family (there will be more baby pics with knitting).

And I'm going to be moving soon.

And classes are starting soon.

And I'm back to work in the office and everything (instead of just working from my bed in my pj's).

I'm keeping my knitting low-scale this term in HPKCHC to accommodate my life 'events'.

Mostly a couple of baby things, and lots of hats... and a medium-sized Order Mission which is my only big project right now.

Baby things - two burp rags (one double-knit, one knit in two pieces and seamed):

These were made after I noticed that the favorite knits my kids were using with the baby were the washcloths... and they had made an appearance because they kept running out of burp cloths. I was curious if a double-knit or double-layer would be useful. Since these have since been spotted in various locations after use - I'm thinking that they probably are being used pretty often.

I do think though - that I'll probably pick up a pack of cloth diapers for them for the purpose of more burp cloths.

And then there have been hats... lots of hats.... these are basically adult hats - some have been inspired by the golden pear pattern. EXCELLENT use of scraps... and I'm hoping to be down a 1000 yards or so for hats this month and again next month - maybe my stash pile won't be quite so overwhelming after I move (doubtful... but a girl can dream).

Charity hats the lot of them... though I may have to see shortly if there isn't a hat for Mr A (elder grandson) that might be on my to-do list.

And then, I almost forgot the socks I whipped up for little a (my youngest son). He's outgrown all his hand knit socks and all but the most recent couple of hoodies.... which means that he would really like more hand knits. His feet are as wide as mine, and almost as long. Since he loves the thick slipper socks as well as anything (and worsted weight is so much fast to knit anyway) - I whipped out a pair of slipper socks last week.

These were made using left over Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn in camouflage ombre print. I used the pattern from You're Putting Me On. I don't care much for the heel. He likes them a lot - so they must be more comfortable than I expected... but I'll probably go back to other toe-up heel patterns.


Since I needed  a short break from stockinette - I spent about an hour or two to make a wildlife nesting bed to donate to Blank Park Zoo (might send it off after making a couple more)... it took 3 strands of worsted yarn - super fast, super easy and I think it was just the break I needed.

I'm working on hats # 6 - 10 for my OWL - which will have a total of 32 hats before I'm done.

And I've cast on my Color Affection shawl - in cream and two shades of blue with Cobasi yarn. I'm hoping to have enough on the needles to show you in a week or so.

Been a bit busy/ill/etc

But figured it might be ok to pop in and share baby in knitting pics.

My newest grandson has arrived...

picture from Anna Douglas Photography

Isn't he gorgeous?

Blanket & hat is knit in Cascade Cherub DK, color Boy Blue. The blanket is the pattern Twinkle Twinkle Baby blanket. It was a super fast knit for DK and was easy to memorize the pattern. I created the hat by using the same pattern, but stopping the increases when I had the right number of stitches, adding a couple of increases to get to evenly divisible by 6. Then I was able to repeat the star pattern by simply staggering the stars. It came out a tiny bit big (room to grow into, huh?) and he's shown wearing it with the brim rolled up.