Christmas Knitting Update - 2 Gifts Done

I'll post pictures when it's light enough to take them. I finished Jag is for Jen last night. Wove in the ends and all. Just need to block. I'll do a group blocking when I have another scarf or two done. Next up on the needles, Lauren's Checkerboard scarf in red Mountain Colors Bearfoot.

Christmas Knitting Update

I have officially finished my first Christmas gift. These are for my SIL. They'll match the mini clapotis we gave her last year. I think cables are impressive. I hope she agrees.

This is Jag is for Jen. I'm using a sport weight yarn. The pattern calls for worsted, so I had to adapt the pattern a bit to get the larger sections of stockinette and lace. I really like how it's turning out.

I've decided on the checkerboard scarf in Rich Red Mountain Colors for Lauren. It will be fun for me to knit, but not too difficult. At the same time, the pattern is very effective. Decision made. I'll cast on as soon as I get a current project off the needles.

Brett is definitely getting the red herring scarf. Well, I say definitely, if I don't hate knitting it, that's what he will get. I won't be able to knit from stash for this, but the Shabby Sheep has a great Joseph Galler Alpaca yarn that to me is cashmere soft. I'll have to dye it red, but it will be perfect. But I have the dyes and the desire.

Julie and Madonna are puzzling me. However, I hit Julie up for advice on Brett's scarf and she mentioned she thinks scarves should be a pop of color like fuschia. So at least I know what color to make it. But that won't be knit from stash. I don't have any fuschia yarn. Madonna likes red, blue or green. I've already done red for her, so that leaves blue or green. I could do blue if I use the Wollmeise. She is worthy of that yarn. Just need to find a pattern for both.

I wasn't sure what to do for my DS until I mentioned SIL's fingerless mitts and she said she'd like to have a pair too. I thought about trying a different pattern, but 1. I know this pattern works and 2. I enjoy knitting it. It's fun for me. She's going to get a purple pair out the Louet Gems. I'm so excited. Purple is her color and I have it in my stash. Wahoo.

Mom and Jeannie's projects will fall to the bottom of the list since we won't do Christmas until January, but I did get some of Mom's gift knit. It's pretty big so I will try to do a bit every once in a while so I don't end up totally behind the 8-ball in January.

Post Vacation Update

My vacation was great. Sad to see it go, but revived and ready to get back to work.

My plan to cast on 5 new projects was a moderate success. I didn't cast on 5 projects, but 6 projects currently linger on the needles. Only the Shetland Tea Shawl hibernates in the knitting basket. All the others I consider active.

I finished Madonna's Scarf and Robyn's Christmas Stulpens. Wahoo.

MOM "Red Emperor" stole. I cast on and finished the first of 10 repeats for the borders. I figure I'm about 5% done with this enjoyable pattern. Very interesting to watch develop.
Jag is for Jen. June is For Jag. I love this pattern and this yarn. At first, I followed the pattern, but the sections were too small. I frogged the project and doubled the repeats within each pattern to accommdate the sport weight yarn. Now it's perfect.
Helmet Line. The helmet liner is coming right along. A great knit night project because it's pretty simple.
Claudia Earwarmer. With a smidge of the BS Alpaca Silk left from the Clapotis, this project appeared just the right size for the leftover yarn. We'll see. I'm about halfway through the pattern and the yarn. It will be close. I hope to line the earwarmer with the same yarn, but I don't think it's going to happen.
The Inga Cowl. This hasn't gotten any knitting time in a while. I probably need to give it a turn. One to see if I'm going to like doing Fair Isle and two because the weather's cooling off a bit. Winter is just around the corner.

I didn't get any of these projects cast on. And I keep changing my mind about what I want to do. It doesn't really matter right now. I have enough knitting to keep me busy for a while.
3. Celtic Cable Neckwarmer.
4. Sunray.
5. Vogue Drop Stitch Scarf.

I plan to take the Jag is for Jen scarf on my business trip. Six hours on a plane (3 hours each way) and an evening in my hotel room should equate to serious progress. Do I dare think I can finish?

Jag is for Jen

I cast on the June is for Jag scarf for Jen for Christmas.

What drew me to this pattern are the large sections of stockinette that show off the variegated yarn. Along with the lacy portion that looks trickier then it actually is. It's the perfect pattern for my Brooks Farm Solo Silk.

I started the pattern and got through a couple of repeats when I realized I had a problem. Well, I actually should have known I had a problem after the first repeat.
The problem is my stockinette and lacy sections are way too small. The pattern consists of 23 rows to create the two sections. The pattern says to repeat 14 times total for a scarf. After the first repeat I measured and realized I would need to do 28 repeats to finish the scarf. No problem - just keep knitting, but the stockinette and lacy sections are too small. The cause, my choice of a sport weight yarn instead of the called for worsted.

My new plan is to knit rows 1-12 twice then 13-23 twice. I'll do that 14 times and it should be good. This picture is a more accurate color representation.