Pattern: Knitted Bunny ravlink
Yarn: ~35 yds of my handspun from Yarn School 2008
Needles: US 9 Knit Picks fixed metal circular
Etc.: Random leftover yarn scraps for the stuffing
Timeline: started 06.22.2008; finished 06.23.2008

I'm going to start this off by talking about the yarn. I made a batt at Yarn School this Spring of mostly a green woo with some bits of purple and a tiny bit of yellow. I also added some bamboo to give it some shine. It was one of my early attempts at spinning on the wheel, so it ranges from a bulky weight down to about a DK. I only had about 35 yds, so I didn't have many options on what to make.

I saw someone make this little bunny out of a bit of handspun on Ravelry and thought it would be a great way to use up this odd little skein. It made for great travel knitting one day, since I just needed to made a square of stockinette and two little ears; the rest was all seaming. It's pretty adorable, I think.

Pattern: Monkey ravlink
For: me
Size: US Women's size 8
Yarn: ~342 yds (1.88 skeins) Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Cotton Print in Strawberry Lime
Needles: US 1½ / 2.5 mm Knit Picks fixed metal circular (magic loop)
Timeline: started 06.15.2008; finished 06.22.2008

The first thing I need to say about these socks is that I kept waiting for something to go wrong. I usually have a hard time using variegated yarns with patterned sock patterns, but this worked out incredibly well. The pattern itself was well-written and the sizing worked out perfectly.

As for the yarn, I've worked with it before (Ene's Scarf) and I just love it. I can definitely see myself making another pair of summer socks with this. A tank would also be nice.

Well, I'm two days late, but I think I've come a long way since I started this knitting blog a few weeks after I started knitting.

Here's the first project I posted.


There were, however, a few things before that. First up is the ubiquitous first garter stitch scarf. (Nadine still wears it, too!)


After that, I made a little cotton kerchief thingy (ravlink). However, I didn't know what I was doing when I sewed on the ties, so they fell off pretty quickly. I don't even have a picture of that. Haha! I also don't have a picture of the Windy City Scarf (ravlink) that I made, which is silly, since I still have it. Ditto with a couple of cell phone covers (ravlink).

I never realized after those first few project just how huge a part of my life knitting would become. I also never imagined that I'd actually be able to do decent colorwork or lace knitting. Yay for knitting!

Here are a few of my favorite projects from the past four years...

January 2005: Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers (ravlink)


August 2006: Shedir (ravlink)


October 2006: Butterfly (ravlink)


November 2007: Swallowtail Shawl (ravlink)


January 2008: Tilted Duster (ravlink)


May 2008: Francie Socks (ravlink) (I'm wearing these today!)

Pattern: Cozy Armchair Socks from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
For: Grandma
Yarn: 135 yds Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi in Glenwood (I think.)
Needles: US size 7 Knit Picks metal Options
Timeline: started 06.11.2008; finished 06.15.2008

After three previous attempts at making my grandmother something for her birthday (some cabled footies, the duck feet, and another try at cabled footies), I went for something simple. I've knit this pattern twice before, but that was long, long ago. Overall, it's a nice, simple (and fast) knit, but I hate the heel. I need to remember to just do a heel flap or, better yet, a short row heel the next time I knit this.

I bought the yarn forever ago and I'm pretty sure that this is what it is. Haha! It was supposed to be a shrug at first, but then just languished in my stash for years. It was nice to finally knit it up into something successful. Of course, I still have over 65 yds left. Not sure what I'll do with that yet.

Pattern: Slippers
For: Grandma
Yarn: 189 yds Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran in 415
Needles: US size 6 Knit Picks metal Options
Timeline: started 05.21.2008; finished 05.31.2008

So, yeah...these may looks sorta cute and fun in the picture above, but they make my feet look like duck feet. They are so incredibly not cute that I didn't even give them to my grandmother for her birthday. I'm trying to figure out something else to give her. I'll probably end up frogging this eventually. I just haven't been in the mood to pick out the seams.

The pattern, however, is well-written and the construction is interesting. I just didn't like the finished product.

OK, so I lied. Here's a picture...


Update 06.16.2008
I brought them over to my parents' house yesterday to show how horrendous they were and...my mom liked them. And so did my grandma! Crazy. So, grandma got a pair of socks and some slippers for her birthday.

06.01.2008
Stash: 20,294.40 (up 4,074.00)
To Swap/Sell: 501.00 (down 15,980.20)
Overall: 20,795.40 (down 11,906.20)

I keep vacillating between wanting to figure out a specific number and get down to it and just being content with having gotten rid of pretty much all of the yarn that I don't love. I mean, I only have a few skeins lying around that I'd like to sell or swap. That's a miracle, especially considering the fact that in May I found an entire Rubbermaid container full of yarn I'd been meaning to ebay.

In other news, I have two projects that are all but finished; they just need some sewing assistance from Nadine. I'm also working on version 1.3 of Tracy's wedding capelet. If I have the sizing right and the lace pattern looks good, I think this will be the version I use to make the real one. I can't wait!

Edited: Found another skein.
Edited again: Forgot about a swap.