Scarfy Love

As most of us knitters (and various other crafters) know, the holiday season is only 4 months away. This may seem like a long time to go, but for everyone who last year was knitting up to the point where they were wrapping their gift seconds after binding off, you know you can never start too early.

With this in mind, I have started my holiday knitting in August! I have a rather ambitious list that covers various family and loved ones. Mostly scarves, but scarves with more difficult patterns such as cables. The dilemma I'm encountering is whether to blog about these projects. While the persons for whom the knitted objects are intended may read my blog, would they ever know the project is for them until they unwrap them at the holidays? So, I've come to the decision to show pictures of the gifts I'm working on. So, without further ado, here's the first Holiday 2005 finished gift!

This is the Midwest Moonlight Scarf from the book Scarf Style. I used 4 skeins of KnitPicks Elegance in Cornflower. I really love this scarf. When I first saw the pattern in the book, I was not too impressed, but then I saw pictures online of finished ones in various colors and yarns, I thought I'd give it a try. I did an extra 3 or so repeats (I like scarves long) and then after I bound off I was afraid it would be too short! However, the Elegance washed beautifully and blocked out to a terrific length. It also became even softer! I highly recommend this yarn.

My current gift project is an Irish Hiking Scarf in Brooks Farm Four Play which is a silk and wool blend yarn. I am having a great time knitting this pattern. It is so simple, but creates a beautiful design. I've been using this project as practice for cabling without a cable needle and I'm getting rather good at it now! The Brooks Farm yarn is lovely to work with and I look forward to knitting up more of it.


Even though I have a holiday knitting list a mile long, I have fallen in love with the Eris pattern and began swatching last night. To the right are the swatches that were done on 3 needles sizes (4, 5, and 6) and washed, just like Leslye Soloman said to in her class at Stitches. I want this cardigan to fit perfectly! This lovely and detailed pattern was designed by the same wonderful designer as the beautiful Rogue. I am working with KnitPicks Merino Style in Nutmeg. (The picture is not showing the color exactly, it is a warmer more nutmeg-like color in real life). I feel very grown up using such a neutral color. I know it will show the cables off beautifully! I am a little scared of this (40 page!!) pattern, but I want the cardigan so badly I know I'll persevere! I've joined the knitalong (button on the sidebar) and if I get stuck, I'll know where to go for help.

In wow this took a really long time news -- The Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban Gryffindor Scarf is done! It came out great (sooooo loooooong) and M has already claimed it as his own. Now I can begin my Ravenclaw scarf! (For those that care, the yarn is Bernat Satin -- yes! Acrylic! I know it's awful, but it's cheap, the color is right, and it's done!)




And finally, here is a gratuitous cat picture I call Laska with Alpaca....













Smober Update:
36 days, 18 hours, 2 minutes and 46 seconds since we quit smoking!