Nip, Tuck, Stitch, Weave

A friend has a beloved sweater that was in need of some TLC and patching.













So out came the tools...





It was a challenge. The yarn is hand-spun singles, and quite fragile as it's not a tight spin on the yarn. I ended up having to replace the missing yarn with a wool/linen blend. The rest of the repairs were thankfully minor.

Sucked Into The Yarn Vortex

The cousin (who also knits) made a quick visit this weekend. As always, it was too short a time and loads of fun. Among other activities, I took her to Knit & Knot for seduction...and it worked. (Of course!) And I admired her restraint and stayed on budget.

I, however, will probably be noshing on Ramen noodles for a week or two. These are worth it:




The WoolBuddy is "Quint," but I've named him Sharky (after the character in "Eek! The Cat").








I blame cabin fever for the next two purchases. This is such a beautiful winter white/natural color, and throw in silver sparkly. Mine.













And really, even cabin fever isn't enough for me to justify this purchase. Pink. I know! Who am I anymore?! I think the erratic hormones have wrecked havoc. It's so much lovelier in person, though...






I know, I know. They're laceweight. I don't knit lace. I thought about crocheting them. Or knitting a pair of hand warmers out of them. I'm not sure yet. However, I have them. I pet them, and admire their colors and sheen.

31 days, 20 hours to the first day of Spring!

Slogging Thru The Winter of 2013-2014

Third coldest winter in weather history for our area:

1978-1979
1977-1978
2013-2014

And winter isn't over yet...

I did manage to get this Cafe Slouch Hat finished for a friend (who looks great in it!):















* * *
Down & Dirty Details

Needles
US 5 - 3.75 mm
US 7 - 4.5 mm
US 8 - 5.0 mm

Yarn
Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash
How much?
55 yards, 25 grams 0.25 skeins = 55.0 yards (50.3m)
Colorway
Blue Velvet (AKA "Tardis Blue")

Yarn
Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino
How much?
150 yards, 50 grams 1 skein = 150.0 yards (137.2m)
Colorway
caribeno


Meanwhile, I've had to frog this hat. It was too small for the person I knit it for, so I'm going to use this cabled hat pattern to reknit it.




I've named it the Twisted Carrot Hat, because I'm easily amused...

No Knitting Here, Move Along

I mean, I am knitting, but there's really nothing to see at the moment.

I'm starting repair work on a friend's sweater from some leftover yarns in my stash.

I'm working on the re-knit of my cashmere scarf because I was bored with the pattern I had knit a few years ago with it.

I've a baby sweater that needs to morph into a toddler sweater, so it's been frogged, the yarn washed, and rested, then wound into yarn cakes. Ready for the needles once again.

Then there's the holiday gift knitting that I hope to finish by March 1st.

In the meantime, here's some Tank to distract you from the lack of knitting photos:




















And yes, it's still cold. Snow. Wind. Winter around here. Still.

FO x2

Now that the recipients have their thank you gifts, I can show them off here.

Thank You Gift Scarf #1







Needle
US 8 - 5.0 mm

Yarn
Knitting Fever Tricor Lux

How much?
52 yards, 200 grams 2 skeins = 52.0 yards (47.5m)

Colorway
red

Dye lot
63

Purchased at
Jimmy Beans Wool in Reno, Nevada

* * * * *

Thank You Gift Scarf #2 (knit in two pieces)

It started out beautifully...



I have no idea what the hell happened that I thought about putting ribbed knitting going horizontal on this piece of the scarf. I blame the bad plumbing virus and fever.




For gods' sakes, 2x2 ribbing.




Thankfully, I snapped out of it and frogged the ribbing. It worked out kind of alright...
















Needle
US 8 - 5.0 mm

Yarn
Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash

How much?
330 yards, 150 grams 1.5 skeins = 330.0 yards (301.8m)

Colorway
Amethyst

Purchased at
Knit & Knot in Bettendorf, Iowa

Making A Dent

I finished one after the holidays gift. I can't show it until it's shipped off to its owner. But here's the yarn I used:





Next up is a scarf/shawl in Cascade 220, it'll be simple, warm, tidy in a lovely dark iris color:





Meanwhile, I'm watching the Nature documentary on Lipizzaner Stallions. Tank wants me to know that basset herds have eluded humans for centuries with their sheer cunning and napping abilities to avoid such rigorous training. Then she went back to napping.