Warm Fuzzy Knits: December 2004

Chica's Sweater Update

I've made a bit more progress on Chica's Sweater.

Chica's Sweater in Progress

I'm a few inches past the leg holes and I have about 7 more inches to go. Once I'm done with that I'll just have the seam and the ribbing on the edges. Chica might actually get her sweater before Spring!

~ Christina

Related Posts:
October 4 Chica's Sweater
October 6 Chica's Sweater Swatch
November 16 Chica's Sweater Started
December 14 Chica's Sweater Arm Holes

Lucky Me!

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a very Merry Christmas! I had a great time with my family on Christmas Eve and my Husband's family on Christmas day. I thought it would be fun to share the knitting related gifts I received (I feel so lucky!).

My sister, who is also a knitter, gave me 5 balls of soft and fun to knit with Karabella Aurora Melange yarn, color 0011.

Karabella Aurora Melange Yarn in Color 0011

It's 100% Extrafine Merino. The gauge is 18sts/26r=4in on size 7-8 needles. I've already started a hat with it (I'll post photos on that later this week).

My sister's boyfriend gave me a Denise Interchangeable Needle Kit.

Denise Interchangeable Knitting Kit

I've never knit with resin needles before (Most of my needles are bamboo) and I really like it. It's not as slippery as metal or as sticky as wood/bamboo. I have a feeling these needles will get a lot of use over the next few years!

My mom gave me tons of buttons and some purse handles. I'll show you these as I use them...there are just too many to try and photograph.

My husband got me a subscription to Vogue Knitting.

Vogue Knitting Magazine

This is the first knitting magazine subscription for me. I can't wait to get my first issue! He also got me a supercute knitting bag from Mackerilla.

Mackervilla Knitting Bag

We saw her stuff at a Feria Urbana and I hinted that I would love one of her bags for a knitting bag. It's the perfect size for a project or two.

My brother-in-law gave me a $50 gift certificate for Knitting Arts in Saratoga.

Knitting Arts Gift Certificate

It was pretty funny to hear him talk about his first visit to a knitting shop. He said he didn't know what to do with himself and was immediately identified by one of the clerks as a "gift certificate" buyer. I can't wait to go shopping for yarn!

~ Christina

Vintage Vogue

I was reading posts on the Stitch 'N Bitch SJSU Yahoo! Group and Tracey posted this link to Vogue Knitting From the 60's. There are tons of great photos of patterns from that era. Enjoy!

~ Christina

Less Than 5 Days!

I can't believe that there are less than 5 days until Christmas. I have so much knitting to finish before then and no time to knit. Unfortunately that leaves me with little time to post here either, so the posts will be short (and I hope sweet)...sorry! If I don't have a chance to say so later...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

~ Christina

Feria Urbana Dec. 19

I'm gearing up for another Feria Urbana in San Francisco.

Here are the details:

http://www.feriaurbanasf.com/

If you're going to be in the area please stop by and say "Hi"!

~ Christina

Chica's Sweater Arm Holes

Hooray, I'm making progress on Chica's sweater...finally!

Chica's Dog Sweater up to the Arm Holes

I've knit up to the armholes and I'm now at the point where I'm supposed to close the arm holes and join them with the rest of the body. But I don't get the instructions. Aaaahhh!

Here is the part in the pattern where I made the arm holes:

And here is the next step that I'm having trouble with:

Pat across 7 sts. Turn and cast on 6 sts. Turn and pat across 56 sts. Turn and cast on 6 sts. Turn and pat to end of row. (82 sts)
So what I can't figure out is the cast on. What type of cast on should I use? Do I use the first 7 sts when casting on the 6 sts? If I do that then after I've cast on the 6 stitches, when I turn and pat across the 56 sts I'm not at the next arm hole yet. I feel like I'm missing something here. Please help!

~ Christina

Related Posts:
October 4 Chica's Sweater
October 6 Chica's Sweater Swatch
November 16 Chica's Sweater Started

Snowman Ornaments

Every year my roommates from college (there were 5 of us) and our husbands get together for a holiday dinner. This year Brandi hosted the party, and again this year Maile wasn't able to make it as she is still in freakin' Tennessee (Maile come back to CA). Anyhow, last December I had been knitting for a little less than a year and I decided to knit everyone ornaments (we don't exchange gifts...its a rule). So I knit pathetic endearing felted Christmas trees. Everyone was gracious and actually accepted them.

I now have almost two years under my knitting belt so I decided to to try something a bit more challenging. I knit snowman ornaments. (Actually in the book they were snowman dangles that hung off of a Christmas stocking.)

Snowman Ornament

I got the basic pattern out of my "Knit Christmas Stockings!" Book by Gwen Steege. Instead of using the Filatura di Crosa 501 yarn the pattern called for I used Karabella Aurora 8 yarns as that’s what Knitting Arts had in stock of similar gauge. The first two I made didn’t look right so I modified the pattern by knitting it in white, without the buttons, eyes or mouth, and then embroidered those on later. I also just used three strands of yarn for the scarf instead of making a crochet chain. I think they came out ok...at least they’re better then the trees from last year!

~ Christina

A Final Package from My Pal

That's right...all good things must come to an end (why is that?). I received my final package from my KRSP II Pal and I now know her as Lin. Thank you Lin for being such an amazing pal!!

So do you want to know what was inside?

KR Secret Pal II Final Package

Felted Knits by Beverly Galeskas

2 Skeins of 4oz Peace Fleece PYHO MNPA Yarn

4 Beautiful Stitch Markers

A Yankee French Vanilla Candle

Peace Fleece Yarn, Stitch Markers & Candle

I think I might use the yarn to make one of the felted roll brim hats out of the book. How fun!

~ Christina

Knitting Update

Ok, I finally have time for a knitting update. First a preview of some of the in-progress items I was able to complete over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

I finished the Silver Linie scarf and I really like the way it turned out. I knit it the same as the Blue Linie Scarf. I used size 17 needles and cast on 9 stitches of Linie 73 Spot yarn. I then knit in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl the next row, repeat these two rows) until I ran out of yarn.

I also finished the Red Rhapsodie Scarf. It's really plush. The Rhapsodie yarn feels thicker when knit and the stockinette stitch gives it a nice spring.

Red Rhapsodie Scarf

Then I also knit two hats. Both are Cascade 220 Yarn (can't wash in hot water or they'll felt!) knit with an initial 80 stitches cast on. For the decreases I started with every 5th stitch, then knit a row without decreases, then decreased every 4th stitch, and so on. The taupe scarf has three rows of seed stitch at the brim. The brown fleck hat has three rows of garter stitch at the brim. This helps to keep the brim from rolling from the stockinette stitch.