On The Needles

I feel like I've really been cranking out the handknits lately, and when I stopped to count them up it turns out the knits really have been piling up! Here's a glimpse of a few of them:

First up are two pair of fingerless mittens I worked up for a new pattern of mine, called Huckleberry Mitts. This pattern just came out last week and is also part of my Ravelry group's current knitalong, so if this pattern is speaking to you, come on over and join us and enter to win a yarny prize!

Blue pair features Lorna's Laces Solemate

Red pair features Alisha Goes Around Panoply of Peacocks ________________________________________________________________

I've done quite a bit of non-work knitting lately, too...

I ran across a new children's pattern, Edith, that's a basic tee with super ruffly sleeves, and I loved it so much I bought the pattern (about $4.00) and immediately cast on! This is the 3-6 month size in Phildar Strike. I can't say enough good things about this pattern! It's sized for newborns through 24 months, but of course you could have even more size variation by changing weight of yarn. I made this one just to make it, and have decided to send it to Jenny of Stash and Burn fame for her new wee one. I just need to find the perfect buttons first!

Next up is another baby knit, this time created for my sweet friend Lisbeth's baby, Poppy. This pattern is called Bitty Bump and costs $5.00. The pattern is sized for newborn through 4T, so loads of size options. This is one of my go-to baby knits, as it's a great match for novelty yarns (I admit it - I love novelty yarns!) and it works up in about 3 hours due to the ginormous needle size. For this version, I used a strand of Crystal Palace Bamboozle held together with a strand of Made in America Florafil Super Soft Cotton. So soft and thick and squishy and cool! I added a dark grey grosgrain ribbon for some contrast; the Florafil is a great cotton boucle that's bound with a dark grey nylon thread, and I thought it made that really pop.

I managed to knit up another Surplus Stripes cowl, this time in monochromatic shades of blue. This was completed in just a few hours last Saturday, and I decided to donate it to the box my LYS is getting together to send to the local women's shelter. Apparently most of the women at the shelter do not have cars (presumably because they had to flee the place where the car was) and are having to use public transportation to get to work, etc., which means a lot of walking out in the cold. I hope that this will help keep someone's neck warm and spirits up!

Also donated to the same box is this cute little helix-striped hat worked up in worsted weight scraps. The pink is Berroco Vintage, the green is Spud & Chloe Sweater, and the yellow is a bit of Red Heart Super Saver left over from my latest Gryffindor scarf. Surprisingly, these yarns look well together, and I was pleased with the result. I added a feather hair clip that I made myself for a bit of flair.

Still on the needles is a Cadence, from Knitty Deep Fall 2010. I've loved this sweater ever since it was first published! The aforementioned Lisbeth happened to gift me a sweater's worth of the very yarn called for in the pattern, and in a color I just love! So I had to make this happen. It's something I've sort of squeezed in an hour or two on, in between other things; at this point I have only the sleeves left. Unfortunately, I have just two and a half balls of yarn left to knit two long sleeves out of, so I'm going to have to find someone to buy a couple of extra skeins off of. If you happen to have any Elsebeth Lavold Silky Flamme in Brandy, dye lot 45321, please give me a shoutout, won't you? I'd appreciate it! This has been modified from the original pattern (which I usually do not do when working from others' patterns), and I'll be posting more about that a bit later on. I'm excited to get it finished and start wearing it!

That's it for now; the next thing going on my needles is my showpiece for Anzula Luxury Yarns, which will be on display during the February TNNA in Long Beach. What's been on your needles lately?

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Hunter Hammersen giveaway update! I never heard from schwip, so I'm drawing a new winner for Rabble Rousers, and it's Kenyetta! Congrats, girl! Give me a shoutout at Sarah AT sexyknitter.com or over on Ravelry as TheSexyKnitter, and let me know your mailing address! If I don't hear from you by  December 14, I'll have to pick another winner. :)