Christmas Knitting for my Crew

My crew at work are some fantastic folks, so I decided to knit them all a gift this year, forgetting I’ve got my own friends and family to cover off on. That’s a problem for another post.

The knitting for the crew is going wellish. I flubbed the first effort project I call the Watson shrug because I made it too fitted and at least a size too small. And because it was yet another experiment–as usual. It has other problems as well in that the back doesn’t lay flat against the body. I’ll have to rethink it a bit and see if I can set down a workable pattern, but only after I buy more yarn and remake something whilst following a pattern—not creating one.

For one of my other ladies, I made a bias scarf. It’s meant to be worn with a Sari and I hope the receiver likes it, because I fell in love with it. I had to buy at my LYS—Lion Brand Heartland in a heathered gold color called Bryce Canyon (her favorite color is yellow and I didn’t possess any) but I paired it with a burgundy shiny ribbon yarn (of unknown origin called Malibu Mark) from grandma’s stash. Still trying to whittle it down.

The ribbon yarn was so slick I could not weave in ends or use typical methods for ball changes—it would unravel almost immediately. I literally had to sew, using thread, the yarn into the scarf, but the combination of colors really turned out great and I love the drape and heft of the finished product. Too bad I don’t have enough yarn left to make one for me! But those are the best gifts—the ones you love yourself.

Two more gifts to go as long as I limit my knitting to the ladies on my team. I’ve got a few more of the Malibu Mark in cream, gunmetal gray and taupe, so maybe I’ll use of the stash, by pairing them with other similar yarns.

How’s your Christmas knitting coming along?

Summer Knitting in Winter

The not so new job is still keeping me very busy. So much so that it was really starting to be Fall before I started my summer knitting. And I’m thinking, it is this sort of thing that creates so many UFOs. You scheme and plan and get things gathered and before you know it *POOF* Summer is gone.

I managed in September to whip up a Sleeveless Mock Turtleneck Tube Vest by Stefanie Japel in a dreamy Bernat Panama Natural Flax (AKA oatmeal) color from some of grandma’s stash. So yes, I’m still “shopping” mostly from home, but that hasn’t stopped the buying new yarns. :-/

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It took two tries. The one I made in August was HUGE due to a brain fart I had on sizing. I swatched and fixed the gauge with the different yarn, but somehow I thought what stitches per side was just the stitches for the center pattern. Needless to say I was off by several inches (12 stitches each side of the center stockinette panel).

Try 2 in September was a winner, but it was already getting a bit to chilly to wear it. Don’t be fooled by the photos–it was a cool breezy day and my jacket was close at hand.

And what of the Smitten Tee I was planning to do next? *sigh*

Well, I cast it on with another grandma stash yarn, Lane Borgesesia, Cotone del Borgo in navy, when it was still warmish, but then I started to feel the pressure of Christmas knitting. So now after working so hard last year to punt UFOs and getting down to a project or two in progress. Smitten, is now firmly on my “to-do” list.

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Anyone else run out of time to finish their summer knitting plans? Did you carry on, frog or just tuck it away?