2 Months to Go until the Holidays.....

With around 2 months to go until the start of the gift-giving season I have been concentrating my obsession, I mean attention, on holiday knitting projects. This weekend I knit like there was no tomorrow. I knit all Friday night. I knit all Saturday afternoon and night (I sleep in so no morning knitting will ever be reported). I knit all Sunday afternoon and night. The fruits of my labor:

A mistake rib patterned scarf using some of the Brooks Farm Four Play yarn I got at Stitches Midwest this past August. This scarf used 2 hanks (270 yards each) and was knit on size 5's. This is my first time knitting mistake rib, but it most definitely will not be my last. (Cast on a multiple of 4 plus 3 extra, then k2p2 every row). The pattern is wonderfully well-suited to the slight variegation of the yarn. It gives interest without being fussy. I'm tempted to keep the scarf for myself, but I know, in the end, it will be given to the person it was knitted for and s/he will give it a proper home.

Next up, we have the beginning of a second mistake rib scarf (told you I would be making more). This scarf has actually been frogged two times already, but I am really thinking third time is the charm. First time it was frogged I was doing a simple pattern of k1p1 one row, knit the next, then just repeat. The stitch looked awesome in this lovely Malabrigo -- I got a foot in and realized it was curling like stockinette. I tried to ignore it for another few inches. I finally realized it was not going to magically uncurl so I had to frog. Second incarnation was mistake rib, but this time I got in around 6 inches when I looked more closely and thought that the scarf needed a little more width. Frogged again. Now, third time, proper pattern, proper width, and fantastic yarn -- smooth sailing, uh, knitting.

Finally, I have a little cap I made last week. It only took a couple nights. I bought the pattern from the same designer who designed Eris (let's not talk about her languishing with only one sleeve). This is the Celtic Cap made with one of the new KnitPicks yarns - Ambrosia in the color Night Sky. Wonderful feel, a little splitty, but so soft I didn't mind (the ingredients of this yarn are: 80% Baby Alpaca, 20% Cashmere). My only hesitation on this project is that I made this for a man (not Papa Smurf, though he looks dashing) and I am concerned it might not be masculine enough (whatever that means). What do you all think?

(It does match my jacket....:)