see mi knit

The wool fumes have gone to her brain

All the snowboarding trip hats are done!

Norwegian Star earflap hat (rav link).  It's the first time I've used Lion Wool before and my verdict is that it's OK.  I guess I got what I paid for.  It's wool, durable, cheap... not the softest, not the most luxurious thing to knit with, but it'll work.  That said, I think I'd think twice before using it again. Life's too short. :P

On the other end of the yummy yarn spectrum is the Owls sweater:

I am using Rowan RYC Soft Tweed and get this, the name of the colorway?  Blanket.  Nothing could be more suitable and I can't wait to wrap this around myself.  It feels so soft and lofty and cuddly!  A very small part of me is toying with the idea of trying to finish it before we go on the snowboarding holiday.  Did I mention we leave in two days?

Brief bout of finishitis

So far the sock survey is 2 for Paraphenalia and 2 for No Purl Monkeys.  They both sound tempting, so what did I do?

I started on the Owls sweater of course.  I am absolutely hopeless. Thank you for your indulgence.  I am pretty sure I want to start some socks soon so your votes have not gone wasted.

To make up for my hopelessness, I do have some FOs to share!

Firstly the Razor Cami (rav link):

It's very "rowr"

The wool cotton is really nice to work with and it's surprisingly warm for a hole-y tank top.  I still plan to make a wee matching shrug for it, but the design of it is still forumulating in my head.

I also resigned myself to not finishing Craig's hat from last year in time for this year.  So instead, I went stash diving and whipped up a little something in a couple of hours (thank god for chunky wool!)  Unveiling Craig's snowboarding hat for 2009: Les Arcs (rav link)

He is not sad about the hat. In fact he is delighted with the hat.  He is sad because he couldn't get his PS3 to work.  Isn't my fiance a cutie?

Ok enough blurry pics of the cutie fiance, here's a close up of the  hat (after he finally got the PS3 working and could sit still for a minute)

It's your basic hat using a stitch called Irish Moss (stitch pattern follows).  I did a few rows in a different color to give it some zing.  I used some random Rowan Big Wool that I salvaged from a failed scarf.

Irish moss:
Row 1 - K1, P1
Row 2 - repeat
Row 3 - P1, K1
Row 4 - repeat

The decrease rows were a pain in the arse. I couldn't get my maths right to get it to decrease prettily while keeping the pattern.  I eventually got it but man, I'm glad he likes it!

I will now close with some pretty stash enhancement I'd like to share with you simply because it's pretty:

I'm almost scared to use it because I don't know what project would be worthy!

Feeling a bit sock-ish (socky?)

I have finished the Razor cami, washed, blocked, tried it on and everythin'. I just need to take a picture.

I have also finished a Norwegian Star Earflap hat for Craig's sister but that saga continues. It's too big, I knew it was too big, finished and bound off anyway and now there's all sorts of heartstopping experiments with hot water soaking and radiator dryin' these past few days.  Actually contemplated lining it with polar fleece but seriously, who am I kidding, I'm not going to do that when we go on our snowboard trip in a week and a half. (that's what the hat's for)

I'm also like 75% done with my clover mittens.  It would be nice if they were done for the snowboarding trip.  It would be nice huh?

Craig's own hat, which I have been working on since the beginning of last year's snowboarding trip is about 6 rows closer to finished than last year but closer is not done.  The yarn keeps catching on the join of the circulars (the one time Addi Turbos have failed me) so it's just not that fun to knit (although I'll be sooo happy when it's finished so I don't want to rip out or give up).

And despite all these half-finished and FINISHED items literally an arms reach away, I find myself reaching right past them and contemplating some sock patterns.

Wanna help me pick? (hopefully you are on Ravelry)

Mary Jane slippers
Paraphernalia
Embossed Leaves
Climbing Lace Socks
No purl monkeys (I ripped out my purl monkeys)
Froot Loop

I think I'm hoping that by starting socks I will magically feel like finishing those other WIPs.

hehe.