Not on the list

Recently, I realized that I had a lot of projects on the horizon.  I kept forgetting what I'd planned to knit and bought yarn for, so I decided to make a list.  Though my usual prerogative is to write such a list on the back of an envelope, I actually got out a partially used notebook with a gorgeous beaded cover, moved the bookmark, and knighted it my new knitting notebook.  When I make calculations about gauge, plan out decreases (damn you "decrease evenly across the row" !!!!), etc, I will now write them all down in this pretty notebook.  

So the first thing I wrote in the notebook was the list of upcoming knitting projects.  Things that I had planned to knit and had bought yarn for already, things that are still just in the planning stages, and projects already on the needles.  All in all, it totalled about 12 projects.  Within 48 hours of writing the list, I had crossed off three.  (Beam proudly here.)

But.

But after I finished the C Family's knitting (Prince Chase, Prince Alec, and Princess Brooke's hats, King Nate's mittens, and Queen Vic's socks - see previous post), I had lots of scraps of mission falls cotton in a variety of colors.  So I decided I had enough to make a striped hat for The Princess.  And after I'd knit it, I knew I had just enough cotton to make a little matching scarf for her.  I finished it all last night, and while I don't have any pictures today, I can assure you, they're both really cute.

So, the point is - I wrote out this lovely list, and after accomplishing just a few items, I knit two things completely off the list.  So glad this is working out.

The Lady Knits Again

This is a new forum for me, Lady Knits-A-Lot. Previously, I was using a service that wasn't fantastic, so I have packed up and move (cyber-ly speaking) over here.

It is fitting that my first post here should be about the xmas knits I've made for the C Family, as that is *exactly* what my first blog in my previous cyber-home was about last year. So without further ado, here are the knits.

Prince Chase's hat is made out mission falls cotton and was knit from domiknitrix's jughead hat pattern. I made it striped and added buttons to make it more fitting for Prince Chase. I have knit this pattern once before for The Princess, but I made it out of soy yarn, and I much preferred working with the cotton.

The pattern is knitted sideways with short rows and is in straight garter stitch. With all the markers needed to keep your place with the short rows, it looks daunting, but just like the pattern says, after you've done it twice, "mindless knitting ensues."

The buttons were a find and worked really well with the pattern. I wanted to put some embellishment on the hat so it was clear which side was worn outward, and I heard a suggestion to put jewels on it to make it look more like a crown. However, I didn't want this hat to look foolish or childish (Prince Chase is almost 5, after all), so these buttons gave just enough flair. I completed this hat in two evenings, significantly quicker than the last time I knit this pattern.

Prince Alec's hat was done fairly quickly as well. Also knit in mission falls cotton, the bulk of the hat was knit in Barbara Walker's heraldic pattern. It is supposed to be reminiscant of battle flags hanging on a castle wall, a very masculine pattern. This hat is second-generation from the same skeins, as I had a completely different hat planned for Prince Alec but ended up ripping out all 8 inches of it. I can't wait to see this on Prince Alec's head.

Princess Brooke's hat was the first of the three I knitted. Again, it is made from mission falls cotton, and is of my own design. I knit a 19" long panel with a 4-row repeat cable in the center with garter stich on both sides. I joined the panel's ends, then picked up and knit from one side. I chose the purple colorway because I remembered seeing a picture of Princess Brooke in a two-toned purple coat. Little did I know, her current coat is the same purple theme, so this hat should make a great addition to her winter wardrobe. (And after Yarn Harlot's recent discussion about matching winter knitwear, I thought this was a lovely antidote.)

King Nate's handknit xmas present is a straightforward pair of striped cotton 2-needle mittens. In navy and robin's egg blues, they seemed manly enough for a grown man. (Mittens for a guy is pretty safe, methinks.) (Right?) (Ok, now I'm not so sure.)

And lastly, Queen Vic's socks! My own ankle-sock variation on YarnHarlot's vanilla sock pattern, I added 4 repeats of Barbara Walker's knit-twist lattice to the top. I wanted some embellishment for the top that wouldn't be too bulky inside a shoe, so a cable was out. I found this pattern simple enough not to be overwhelming, but interesting enough to hold my attention. They are ever-so-slightly too small for my feet, which works out well considering Queen Vic's feet are smaller too.

I'm darn proud of these socks, really. If it weren't for this sickness that's keeping me homebound, I wouldn't have finished them so efficiently. The colorway is right up my alley - it feels like an autumn afternoon.

So now that I'm finally done with the xmas knitting (yes, I am aware that it is January 25), I am using the leftover mission falls cotton to make a hat for The Princess using 2 repeats of the knit-twist lattice to make a little argyle pattern. If this sickness doesn't let up, I'm worried I may completely catch up on my knitting, a scary, scary thought.