more small projects

Two quick FO's:

garter stitch booties
knitting pattern central
knit picks shine worsted in "wisteria"

Booties in the hosta! Booties in the hosta! I made these to match the heartbreakingly cute baby kimono for Casey and Kelly's baby, which is expected soon. They too about an hour to knit.

felted coasters
from Felted Knits
Patons classic merino, in "harvest" and brown

These were also quick and easy, and make very usable coasters. For my Dad for his birthday, which is an odd birthday present, but only if you don't know my Dad. The colors are darker and richer in reality.

I'm beginning to get some holiday knitting going! I have one fairly large project planned that I hope I'll be able to get done in time. The yarn just arrived, so I'm off to a good start.

small projects

You know, I think I might just be a small projects kind of gal. When I was in Knit Happens the other day, buying yarn for not one but THREE small projects, I confessed that I've never (successfully) knit an (adult) sweater (this is not technically true. I did knit something called a "fisherman's sweater" in high school out of pink wool. It was badly finished and, duh, made out of wool, so I never wore it). Oh! said the Knitters. You could make a sweater! But I hate seaming, sez I. We can help you with that! But I'm afraid I won't get the fit right. Of course you will! But...I have so many small projects already in the line-up. Ah HA! Really, I think I might just be a small projects kind of gal.

So while my Big Projects (afghan, clapotis, mystery stole, on which I've actually made modest progress through clue 4) languish on the sidelines, here are my most recent small ones:

baby kimono
from Mason-Dixon knitting
knit picks shine worsted, in wisteria

This is for an old friend of the family and his wife who are expecting their first child together. Mom asked if I'd make them a sweater, and I was delighted to oblige. I was going to make a hat to go with it, but I don't have enough of the yarn left and I'm not sure it's worth ordering more. I did get a really cute sculpey button for it:

Next up:

legwarmers
downloaded from chic knits
black horse yarn in black

The eagle-eyed out there will notice that one of these legwarmers has ends hanging out. The recipient grabbed the legwarmers and chopped off the ends with scissors before I had a chance to weave them in. I had trouble with this pattern: it was not transparent to me exactly how I was to maintain the rib pattern after the decreases, so I just fudged it and probably did it differently each time. Nevertheless, she keeps wearing them to class, so they must be at least OK.

Finally:

Odessa by grumperina
downloaded from magknits
debbie bliss rialto in pale blue

This, I'm sorry to say, is for my friend Katie, who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer over the summer. The taxol treatments are beginning to take their toll on her hair, among other things, so although it's still warm in Virginia, it is autumn and a knit hat seemed in order. Let's hope she'll be able to wear it both with and without hair for many years to come.

The yarn is lovely and very soft, but I think perhaps too stretchy for this pattern. I wasn't happy with the evenness of my stitches, which is usually not an issue. My only modification was to omit the beads, and while it's not as snazzy without them, I think it will be more comfortable against her bare scalp.

For comic relief, I offer you Poodle Wearing Odessa:


and Poodle Wishing Not To Be Wearing Odessa: