Finally, some finished objects

For your viewing pleasure, some things I finally finished near the end of 2008.

Gathered Pullover

Specs:

• Yarn: Knit Pick's Telemark in Colonial Blue
• Pattern: Gathered Pullover from Interweave Knits
• Needles: size 7, circulars and dpns
• Modifications: Lengthened the sleeves a bit, skipped the yarn overs in a row across the bust for obvious reasons.

Started in Feb '08, finished December 30th, 2008 (whew! Less than a year :-). Very wearable. Slightly scratchy - dang wool.

Elisa's Nest Tote for Ann

Specs:

• Yarn: Knit Pick's CotLin in Morrocan Red (Ann's signature color!)
• Pattern: Elisa's Nest Tote from The Purl Bee
• Needles: I forget - size 9? 10? Who knows
• Modifications: none but my occasional mistake

Pattern is still fun the second time and doesn't take too long, although I stretched out working on it over months. Was fun to make for Ann in red.

Morningside Neckwarmer for Colin

Late-minute Christmas idea for Colin. Sadly, kept screwing up, so it didn't make it by Christmas, even though it's only 1 ball's worth o' knitting. Sigh. The pattern's only two rows of just a few stitches, repeated all the way in the round, no purls or anything. So, I really impressed myself when I realized that I'd managed to flip the stiches inside out halfway through. Jeez.

Specs:

• Yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Brindle
• Pattern: Morningside Neckwarmer from Brooklyn Tweed
• Needles: US size 9
• Modifications: none
  

Yay, it's cute!

But don't put anything too heavy in there, or with pointy edges, or sharp (like knitting needles ;-). This thing STRETCHES! With elastic in the yarn, it's no wonder. Oh, and someone please show me how to do a kitchener stitch with combined knitting? I suck at grafting. Yicky - don't look at the handle joins, okay?

Specs:
Yarn: Skacel's Schulana SuperCotton
Pattern: Elisa's Nest Tote
Needles: US size 11 circular (for bag), US size 8 double-pointed needles (for handle)
Modifications: yarn substitution, that's about it. Might be the first pattern I used pretty much as is!

So ugly it's cute, or just plain ugly?

So, I got this yarn. It's a little homely. Just a funny color combination (what looks grey in the picture is really olive-y/dusty green, then there's that mustard yellow and rosy pink). But it was $3/ball at Ben Franklin, and I was tempted. I think it's so ugly, it's cute, but others have their doubts. What do you think?

I'm using it anyway (it's Skacel's Schulana SuperCotton), to make into this: Elisa's Nest Tote. I think it's turning out great. The yarn is fun and stretchy and oh, the wild color combo. Wacky!

Oh, and did I mention that I went back and bought the rest of the balls they had (only 6). Not to mention, I'd also bought two backup yarns, in case I didn't like that one.
Hmm. I think I officially have a "stash" problem now. AKA, big useless piles o' yarn waiting to be made into something. Plus, too many projects on the needles. Max's hoodie is waiting for me to figure out if I've messed up the sleeves. Then I'll get going again. I've given up on the felted bag for now, cause if you do combined knitting, and you knit in the round, you end up twisting stitches all over the place. Yick. So, I went to "regular" knitting and it's slower and frustrating. So, sitting on the needles, gathering dust, until I decide that I should just knit it flat and seam it.

Aside from that, some more quilted postcards. One for Teri:
And one that I think I'll keep:

We've been busy making stuff this summer! Here's a snap of Max relaxing after a hard day of berry picking and jam making.

This batch set up. Yay!