It's A Bird, It's a Plane!

It's SUPERMAN!

More important, it's finally finished! I started this months ago, and kept stalling mightily. But it's done, he loves it, and I think if I would just get over my intense hatred of intarsia, I'd be a lot saner!

Pattern: My own. Cuffs, hem and collar borrowed from a child's sweater in the Fall Interweave Knits. Superman chart from here.

Project: Scratchy's Superman Sweater
Yarn: Zara
Needles: Addis US 5s and 6s

Next up: Batman. Sigh.

When They Say One Skein, They Weren't Kidding

For a holiday lunch and gift exchange with some of my closest mommy friends, I decided to whip up a pair of Fetching Fingerless Mitts. Hopped over to my LYS, picked up a skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a yummy raspberry sorbet color, and about 3 hours later, had a wonderful gift.

I love this pattern, but when they say one skein, they mean ONE skein. This is how much yarn I had left over (and I was sweating mightily at the end):


The only thing I modified was the bind off. I didn't care for the picot bind-off in the pattern, and I wasn't loving the regular bind-off I did on the last pair. So I did this weird method that I must have read about somewhere, but I can't remember where. Basically, you K2tog, then pass the st back to the left hand needle, K2tog, and so on. It gives the edge a very clean look, which I liked.

I'll definitely make these again, but maybe next time splurge for 2 skeins, to make them a little longer, both at cuff and at fingertip.

Scarves are Done!

Two more teacher gifts finished, just in time for the last day of school tomorrow.



First up:
Project: My So-Called Scarf and fetching fingerless mitts
Yarn: 2 skeins Malabrigo in Brown Berries. Yum!
Needles: Addis US8s

This was my first time using Malabrigo, and it was lovely.

Next:
Project: Shifting Sands Scarf by grumperina
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft dk in poison, 3 1/4 skeins
Needles: Addis US5s


Also a first time yarn -- LOVED it. SO soft and scrumptious. In fact, immediately ordered some for Itchy's batman sweater. Pattern was very fun to knit, although much mind-wandering on my part in the beginning caused much ripping. Cabling without a cable needle a definite must!

Thanks, Dad!

A while back, I made my Dad some socks for Father's Day. They were only my second or third pair, but they came out very nice. He was very impressed, but I wasn't sure that he'd actually ever wear them. But, a couple of weeks ago, my folks came over for dinner, and Dad showed off his socks. I thought, "Oh, he's just wearing them to show me he wore them once." I don't know why I was so skeptical, but last week my mom called to tell me he was wearing them again. Unsolicited! And not just to show me! That made me feel great, and he'll definitely get more!

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Mineshaft
Needles: US2's
Pattern: Just your basic 2x2 ribbed leg, stockinette foot