swap package for Krista F!

I had the good fortune of meeting Krista of Spotted Stones Studio when in Loon Lake last November!  She is not only an incredibly talented quilter with an amazing eye for colour, but she is also a sweet and genuine person.  I just love her.

When she uttered the hint of the word "swap" in regards to my Snowfling mittens, I jumped at the chance to offer to make her some as part of a swap.  I knew they would be well used and appreciated by her up in Alaska!  She picked her colours, cobalt blue and grey on the outside with a bright turquoise lining,  and away I went, slowly picking away at them over the past few months.  Finally, they are finished- in time for spring of course!

I packaged them up along with some other goodies and away they went.  In exchange, Krista is working on some form of quilting project for me....it is all top secret, I have given her full control over project, colours and design because I don't want to limit her creativity- everything she makes is epic so I know whatever the result, I will love it!

Thanks for the opportunity to swap, Krista!!

snowfling mittens

When you live in "Winterpeg," you need some good mittens.

And I think mine are THE BEST!!

This is likely the fanciest thing I have ever knit up, my first go at colorwork, and while they appear really advanced, they were quite simple to do.  It is a pattern and kit by Tanis Fiber Arts aptly named "Snowfling Mitts."  I tested them- they fling snow alright!

Not only are they perfectly adorable on the outside, they are LINED with a super soft and happy coloured cashmere wool blend to keep your hands extra toasty!   That little flash of colourful lining makes me so happy, like a best kept secret :)

(I love the picot edging at the wrist- so many cute details like that in this pattern)

These have already gotten plenty of good use and have received many compliments.  I feel like a knitting rock star!  These should definitely help with the winter blues when the snow is still here in, like, April.

Atlanta trip- the loot

Ali came up with the great idea to do a swap while we met in Atlanta.  Everyone was assigned a secret partner and make a little handmade treat for them.

My partner was Cara.  I am convinced that she and I are somehow linked in the constellations.  First off, we share the same birthday.  Secondly, her oldest daughter is the same age as my youngest, and they share the same name.  Thirdly, we both have funny embarrassing crap happen to us ALL THE TIME.  I could go on and on about all the things we have in common.  In addition, we both have 3 kids and careers and struggle to find the balance.  She has become a true friend and support to me, and I was so glad to have a chance to make her a little something special.

Cara's favorite color combination is pink, yellow and orange, and I had so much fun with that colorway! First off, I decided to knit her a fun pair of fingerless gloves in some soft squooshy yarn I had been saving!

The pattern is called Nalu mitts, free on Ravelry.  Nalu is Hawaiian for wave, and I loved the wave cable down the front.  You can read more details here.

My second gift had to do with her daughters.  When I was having a particularly bad parenting day last November, Cara not only gave me her ear, but also sent me a copy of her favorite parenting book!  So I decided to do the same.

I love having this book on hand, to record all the cRaZy things my kids are saying, the funny moments and such, so that I can remember and focus on those good moments when they are driving me around the bend.  I flip through it often to recall those moments!  So I knew I needed to give Cara a copy.  I then proceeded to make a patchwork hand quilted cover for the book!

 

The personalizing touch was to add the three little girls across the front to represent her daughters, using Heather Ross's pin people fabric from her Crafty Chloe collection.  I was fully inspired by this pouch made by Krista.

On the inside cover, I added an inscription on printable fabric.

Then, as a final treat, I made three little coin purses with the corresponding pin people sewn on, one for each of her daughters :)

I had so much fun making this package for Cara!!

In return, I had a gift made for my by Ali.  That girl is such a sweetheart, I love her.  And she could not have hit the nail right on the head any better than with these pouches!!

I love them so hard.  They are absolutely perfect for toting around my knitting projects.  I just love the hand embroidered touch!  And she used some of my favorite fabrics of all time, the Heather Ross roses from FFA2, including the pink roses, which I used the last of mine up for Cara's gift!  So now I have a little of my own to enjoy every day.  Thank you so much, Ali!!  I am already using it to tote along my latest project, a cabled cardigan all for me, using the same yarn that I used for The Middle Child's sweater.

Just love watching these cables take shape!

ALL of the swap gifts were just amazing!  There were minis, bags, and so much goodness, and all so perfectly matched to the recipient.  I wish I had a better photo to capture all of the amazing details.  We were a happy, screeching bunch!

(and a foot picture, just for giggles.....just because it is SO GROSS to see feet in quilt pictures, IMO!!)

In addition to Ali's amazing gift, some of the girls decided to bring packages for the whole gang!  Man, were we spoiled, get a load of this!

So many fun goodies.  Incidentally, if you want to make a beaded necklace like mine, Ali wrote up a tutorial here.

I showed you a peek at the bags I had packed before I left. Inside I had tucked in a couple Canadian goodies, since I was the only Canuck represented.  Some maple green tea and some Bernard Callebaut chocolate, along with some cute stitching tags I found at my favorite shop, Pine Ridge Hollow.

So fun to be spoiled!!

Next post- the quilt top finished!!!

cutest kid ever (and her mittens)

I made a pair of classic mittens on strings for Last But Not Least, in the perfect pink/orange yarn, as bright and sassy as her young self!

To say she loved them is an understatement.

She wore them while eating dinner......

.....and then sobbed until I let her "cuddle" them in bed.

Cutest kid ever, made even cuter by some mittens on a string :)  Makes me almost love winter!

More details on my Ravelry page here.

Seed stitch mittens: a pattern

I wanted to make some mittens in seed stitch to go with my hat made with the Autumn pattern by Jane Richmond. Nothing I could find was catching my eye, so, with necessity as the mother of invention, I decided, what the heck, I would write my own pattern!


This pattern is for one pair of seed stitch mittens. The smaller size is a woman's, the large are made to fit men. To modify size larger or smaller from here, you need to cast on with +/- 6 stitches to maintain both the 2-1 ribbing and to have an odd number of stitches for the seed stitch.



Pattern notes:

Sizes: Woman (Men)

Materials:
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky, gauge 3-3.5 st/inch
- approximately one skein (104 yards/ 3.5 oz) required (I went slightly over for the men's size)
Needles: 6mm/US 10 dpns or long circular if using the magic loop method
Yarn needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations: K=knit, P=purl, M=make one, dpn= double pointed needles, st=stitch, K2tog= knit 2 together, P2tog= purl 2 together

Seed stitch: this stitch involves alternating knitting and purling stitches, then repeating the same in the opposite order in the proceeding round.
round 1: k1, (p1, k1) to end of round
round 2: p1, (k1, p1) to end of round

Note: Both left and right mittens are knit the same.


Directions:
Cast on 21(27) stitches. Divide stitches in multiples of 3 onto 3 dps or into 2 groups for magic loop method. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing:
Round 1: (K2 P1) to end of round
Repeat for 2.5 inches

Thumb gusset:
Round 1: K1, (P1, K1) repeat to end of round
Round 2: K1, P1, K1, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 3: K1, P1, K1, M1, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 4: K1, P1, K2, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 5: K1, P1, K1, M1, K1, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 6: K1, P1, K3, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 7: K1, P1, K1, M1, K2, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 8: K1, P1, K4, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 9: K1, P1, K1, M1, K3, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 10: K1, P1, K5, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 11: K1, P1, K1, M1, K4, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 12: K1, P1, K6, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 13: K1, P1, K1, M1, K5, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 14: K1, P1, K7, P1,then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 15: K1, P1, K1, M1, K6, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 16: K1, P1, K8, P1, then then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 17: K2, slip 8 onto stitch holder, cast on one stitch using backward loop method, then (P1, K1) to end of round: 21 (27) st on needles

Body of mitten:
Round 1: P1,(K1, P1) repeat to end of round
Round 2: K1, (P1, K1) repeat to end of round
Continue to repeat round 1 and 2 (i.e. seed stitch) until mitten is 7 (8) inches from top of ribbing, ending with round 2

Top shaping:

Men's:
Round 1: P1, (K2tog, P2 tog) to end: 14st on needles
Round 2: (K1, P1) to end
Round 3: (K2tog, P2tog) to end: 7 st on needles

Women's:
Round 1: P1, (K2tog, P2tog) to end: 11 st on needles
Round 2: K1, (P1, K1) to end
Round 3: P1, K2tog, (P2tog, K2tog) to end: 6 st on needles

Both sizes: Cut yarn, leaving a 4 inch tail, thread through remaining stitches and pull tight. Weave in tail on inside of mitten to secure.

Thumb:
Transfer 8 stitches from holder onto needles and knit. Pick up 6 stitches at base of thumb (for a total of 14 st). Divide on 3 needles (4-4-4) and knit in the round until thumb measures 2 inches.
Next round: K2tog to end (7 st on needles).
Next: knit
Next: K1, (K2tog) to end
Cut yarn with a 4 inch tail, thread through remaining 4 stitches and pull tight. Weave in tail on inside of mitten and secure.

Finishing:
Weave in remaining ends and get set to make some snowballs!! Don't forget to make a second one, eh?

stuff I've knit lately

I am a bit behind lately with blogging stuff that I have made. Keep forgetting to take pictures, which must tell you how very busy I am, I am usually really good about that! Anyways, with snow and cold now finding us in the Great White North, these items have been swallowed up into my everyday wardrobe and are being happily put to use to keep all my bits and pieces warm :)

Another slouch hat (details on Ravelry here):



Another Autumn hat (details on Ravelry here):

And some matching seed stitch mittens, in a pattern by yours truly. Which I plan to post for you in the next day or so :) Again with the Ravelry.


The winter ensemble. Photo courtesy of Big G :)

Knitting conquests and WIPs

This summer, knitting was my craft of choice. We had such a hot, dry summer here that I didn't want to miss a minute inside at the sewing machine, so knitting was the perfect solution to satisfy my crafty urges while keeping me in the great outdoors. I brought it on car rides to the lake, to the playground while my kids played, or for just lounging in the back yard. It may have looked a bit odd, knitting up toques and mittens in the blazing heat, but it was all good to me!

So- here is what I have been weaving together. First up is a pair of mittens!

These little lovelies were made for a friend, to go with the purple hat that I showed you last month:
I looked high and low for a pattern in the same seed stitch as the hat, but nothing came up. So, I decided to make my own pattern! My first knitting pattern, and they turned out really well! I am planning to whip up another pair to double check a few things and then I will make the pattern available here on zee blog!

In progress: tiny tea leaves, take 2. An orange version of the blue sweater I had made for The Middle Child. Naturally, Last But Not Least started whining for one the second I cast off her sister's. It is my first time using Madelinetosh vintage hand died yarn, and I am IN LOVE. Cost a bit, but, like the "good" quilting cottons, is so worth it. I have to remind myself that, while I would never spend this much to BUY a sweater for my kid, the cost is really part garment and part entertainment for me ;)

Also making up a really cool new slouchy beret-style hat using some gorgeous Malabrigo Rasta yarn. The color is called laguna negra, and has some really beautiful shades of grey and amber.
I have kind of sworn off buying more fabric for a bit while I catch up on my stash, but yarn? Game on! This shade of Madelinetosh Chunky, called Cove, with its greys, browns and blues, has to be one of my all time favorites....


I also added a couple more skeins of Malabrigo Chunky to my stash, in Hummingbird. Likely for another set of seed stitch hat and mittens!
Soon, soon, soon, I will succumb and knit a sweater for me. Looks like I will be spending a lot of time in hockey arenas this winter again, so I think my needles will come along for the ride!