Anticipation

Spring is just around the corner and I can't wait to see and smell the flowers. For now, I'll just have to be content with this little crocheted one.

Me and my hexipuffs

Progress continues on my Beekeepers Quilt. And I have to admit, I'm still loving this project. To help keep me on track I've joined a 365 photo group on Flickr. I thought i'd share this weeks contribution here.

Toast with a little jam please

I was over visiting one of my favorite blogs, a friend to knit with, and read Leslie’s entry for Jan 5th and immediately went looking for the copy of her pattern, Toast, that I had downloaded and stuck somewhere a while back, with plans of making sometime in the future.  I loved that she shared an e-mail from Char about the pattern.  It compelled me to pull out my skein of Shelter in the color soot and whip up a pair these little beauties.  Quick, cozy and a great knit to cast on dp needles and perfect their use.  So off I go to enjoy a cuppa with my pair.  FYI, these will be great to pull on in the wee hours of the morning when I grab my laptop and visit blogland.  The computer keys are always sooooo cold!

blue

I finished up my blue hitchhiker scarf right before the holidays and am finally posting it as a fo on ravelry and blogging about it.  I can’t say enough about the yarn, Rainy days & wooly dogs, Ricin.  It has a bit of bamboo in it, which gives it a beautiful sheen, softness and drape that I’m just crazy about.  Stephanie has such amazing yarns, no wonder I’m a gothsock groopie! This being my second hitchhiker to complete, it is a given that I’m in love with the pattern as well.  Martina did a great job with the instructions and making this such an easy one to follow. I hope to get much use out of blue this season.  

Enchanted

What can one do with a bit o stash yarn, warm sudsy water and a couple of magnets?  Why create a little castle to house your darning needles, of course!  I've been over the moon in love with this pattern by Stephanie of TOK since I first spotted it on Ravelry. It is a fun, fast and easy project and so adorable once complete.  I had the best time making up my little castle.  Who couldn't use a little whimsy in their knitting basket?  So looking forward to making up the next one.

Happy New Years!  Wishing you all a Knit & Crochet filed 2012...

Heartfelt Rings

This is such a fun fast project. These knit then felted rings are great last minute stocking stuffers. Tiny owl knits has generously posted a free pattern on her website and on Ravelry.

Planning stages

I got to thinking about my knitting plans for next year, which by the way, is a mere two weeks away, yikes!  What plans?  I really must map this out or I’ll go all helter skelter and jump from one ‘want to make’ project to the next.  I have bins full of yarn and UFO’s to prove it. So I went over to my Ravelry pattern library to do a bit of browsing and came up with my list for 2012. I have these two projects rolling over from 2011

Bee Keepers Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits

progress so far

Tutor Rose by Regina Hoppel

barely on the needles

And ’d like to make these items, in no particular order and I have the yarn;

Columbia Cowl by Cirilia Rose

Elphaba Mitts by Valerie Johnson

Helvellyn hood by Lily Kate France

Paris Roubaix cowl/mitts by Star Athena

Tea Mitten cozy by Elisabeth Kleven

Turn a square hat by Jared Flood

And, drum roll please, I’d like to make a pair of socks.
Yes, I‘ve said it out loud; I’m ready to take on the task of making my first pair of socks. I have yet to find the beginner/training wheel type pattern that I want to try, so, if you’ve got a suggestion, I’d love to hear it.

Places I’d like to go to improve my skills, hang with fellow knitters and yes, do a bit of yarn shopping;

LYS; Yarning for you

Stitches West; Santa Clara

Vogue Live LA; Los Angeles

Squam; East Coast

I don’t feel that this is too ambitious of a list, which will make room for those impromptu, OMG, must make patterns and yarns that come along and that I’m so looking forward to.  Dreaming and planning and wishing and hoping…  How about you?