This morning I have been to the post office, Target and Toys R Us.  I think I have everything I need for the soon-to-be 8 year-old's birthday this weekend.  I snagged some goodies for Christmas, too.  Jones Candy Cane Soda, anyone?  Sounds delicious to me.  Gingerbread Man didn't sound as appealing, but if anyone has tried it, I'd love to hear your verdict.

Yeah, more knitting.  This time it is a Christmas gift for Kate.  A sweet hooded poncho like the one Kristin made.  The brown yarn in the bag is to make one for Jane.  So far, they haven't asked what I am making.  I think I am going to have to limit this to nights and carpool time.   Then they surely won't be able to figure it out.  They want me to make them hats, too, and are very specific that they have ear flaps and pom poms.  Allrighty then - that is what I will do.

I need to go outside and rake today.  It's supposed to be in the high 50's and then the temperature is going to drop so I think this is my last chance.  The Christmas tree will be put up tomorrow and decorated on Friday night just in time for the birthday party on Saturday.  I also want to start on my Christmas cards.  I ordered prints of the photos so I just need to get over my huge fear of my print gocco.  Encouraging words welcomed.

I am participating in the Holiday Ornament Exchange again this year.  Again, I am at a loss as to what to make.  I was thinking embroidery on felt like last year, but my design is rather elaborate.  I just don't think I could get 10 done and in the mail by the 10th.  I have two back up ideas, though.  I guess I should just pick one and run with it.

Speaking of runs, I could use some exercise today too.  Other than leaf raking, that is.  Time to get on it.  Later gators.

While I don't plan on becoming a one-woman hat factory like last year, I have managed to get two gifts checked off the list!

I used ggh Bel Air for the yarn and a pattern from O-Wool (can't find it online - sorry!).  They were very fast knits - I'd say a couple of hours each.  The yarn is super soft too....next up in the hat department is one for Fatty.  He thinks the one I made him last year clashes with his sweater.  We wouldn't want that now, would we?

So here are the details on Fatty's newest sweater.  A photo of the finished object is in the post below.

Pattern:  Cobblestone by Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed) from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits
Yarn:  Cascade 220 Heathers (color 2438), 6 skeins for the 43 1/2" with about 1/2 of a skein left over.
Needles:  Size 8, addi turbos in 16", 32" and double points
Modifications:  I added 1 inch to the length of the body
Notes:  I started November 3rd and finished on the 16th - this was the only knitting project I was working on at the time.  I even took it in the car with me which I rarely do with a sweater.  I had gauge issues at the beginning - you can read about that here.  Suffice it to say, it worked out in the end.  I owe huge thanks to Sarah and Leslie for their words of wisdom.   You ladies always come through for me and I really appreciate it.  Also, garter stitch is not that forgiving - I made some mistakes and I can see every single one.  Ugh.  Overall though, I am happy.  And Fatty likes is so that says something.

Also, that kitchener stitch gets me every time.  I have found I am much better reading about how to do it than looking at a drawing.  This book has become my crutch.

Back tomorrow with some sewn things.  Enjoy your Monday!

I am so in love with this good-looking, bike-riding, beer-selling, book-reading, music-loving, wine-drinking, soccer-watching, foot-rubbing, pun-making, sunday-cooking, old blue pickup-driving, good-parenting, wife-supporting, hand knit sweater-wearing, kind, patient, smart, funny, loyal, considerate man.

He's pretty damn great.  But I am the lucky one - he chose me.

Happy Birthday Fatty.

More on the sweater at a later date.

I have been sewing when I have big blocks of time at home

and knitting when there are just a few minutes or when I am on the go.

I have been tidying the studio, starting new projects, knitting at break-neck speed and taking some outdoor coffee breaks.  I love this feeling of accomplishment - I just hope I can keep it up with the busy times ahead.  We have three birthdays coming up in this house and the holidays to boot.  Things may be quiet here on the blog.  Photo posts, probably.  Maybe some words.  We'll see what develops.

Happy Thursday!

Thanks for all the great knitting advice yesterday.  I appreciate it so much.  I do knit pretty big gauge swatches and normally measure over 4 inches.   I took Sarah's advice and measured what I had already knit over 6 inches and came up with 4.67 stitches per inch.  (Thank you, Sarah!)  We (that is Sarah and me) think I can continue on and get to 4.5 with some blocking.  Phew.

Last night was my local craft swap.  This time there were 8 of us so we each made 7 things.  I have spent the last month or so of carpool/soccer/volleyball practice knitting fingerless mitts.  I did one pair of Fetching (remember this?).  I used that pattern as a template of sorts and came up with some other rib, cable and lace versions.  They were a hit with the crafty ladies and I had fun making them.

Time for a new carpool project.   What crafts are you doing on the go?

or more precisely, why is it so hard for me to get it right?

When I knit my Juliet, my gauge on 10.5 needles was too many stitches to the inch, on 11's it was too few.  I went with the 11's because it was closer overall.  I kind of wish I would have used the 10.5's, mostly because the yarn I used is really elastic and I think I could have gotten away with it a bit smaller.  I still love it, but if I were to do it again, I'd do it differently.

I started a new project this weekend.  According to the yarn label, I should get 4.5 stitches to the inch on 8's.  I know I knit big so, 9 times out of 10, I need to go down at least one, if not two needle sizes.  So I knit my gauge swatch on 7's and get 5 stitches to the inch.  I try it again on 8's....still 5 stitches to the inch.  On 9's....5 stitches to the inch.  What the heck?  Can someone please explain this to me?  How is this at all possible?

I went with the 8's.  I think I probably knit bigger in the round.  That sounds possible, doesn't it?  I hope so.  I really do.  Fingers crossed that it was the right choice.