FO's - 3

(photos were taken with -10C, that's the least she could do to model it-right?)

I'm very proud of this cardigan. I saw it on Melissa's blog, long before it was in Knit 1 magazine, and fell in love with it. She made her first version in grey with orange buttons - instant love! As soon as I knew the pattern was in the magazine, I hunted down a copy and crossed my fingers, that my DD Hannah would like it too, so I could knit her one. Sometimes, she's just too good to me, and said YES. When she came home for Christmas we went yarn diving in my stash, and she choose Patons Classic Wool Merino in royal purple. Besides the February Baby sweater, this was the first adult top down sweater I've knit, and it was fun!

She said she would love to wear it at New Years Eve (she didn't in the end, but I finished it in time anyway), so I got to work. The body was knit quite fast. But I think the sleeves were cursed. As soon as I sat down to knit them (on double point needles), somebody, something interrupted, so I had to put it down and get up. Once I was so fed up, I (cursed) put it down, and went to pick up my crochet blanket to work on that instead, and wouldn't you know it, no interruption whatsoever, for as long as I wanted to work on it.

Of course, as you can see, the sleeves got finished eventually. Hannah would have liked them a little longer, but I made it exactly the length given in the pattern.

If I were to do this again, the only thing I would change is the garter stitch border at the bottom edge. It's only 4 ridges and it kept folding up. I had to seriously steam the heck out of it, to ly flat. I did not wet block the whole thing, but steamed everything.

Hannah found the buttons downtown Toronto. I did not like them, when I first saw them, but after they were sewn on, I thought they looked O.K. The other thing is, my tension sucks. Knitting stockinette stitch on a large piece like that, with back and forth rows, my purl rows are always way looser. I was hoping the steam would take care of that, and it did - some.

pattern: Garter Joke Cardigan , Knit 1 Magazine Fall/Winter 2008, by Melissa LaBarre

yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, royal purple, 4 balls

needles: 4.5mm needles

size: 34"

start-finish: Dec. 21-30

This was a fun and easy in between project. Great for relaxed knitting, because I didn't have to look at any pattern.

pattern: simple K3-P1 ribbing socks, with German heel, and star toes

yarn: Fortissima Socka, color # 1026, 2x 50g, I had this yarn in my stash for a very long time

needles: 2.25mm DP

size: men's 11

for: DH Karl for Christmas

start-finish: Nov. 30-Dec. 02

My last knit for 2008 was this "Thermis" cowl. Hannah choose the yarn/color/buttons for it, and I enjoyed knitting it immensely. I'll knit one for myself soon.

pattern: download (not free) Thermis by Kristen Patay

yarn: Ultra Alpaca Light, color # 4281, 1.25 skeins

needles: 4mm circs

size: large (because I used DK weight yarn)

start-finish: Dec. 30-31

Well, there's only two more FO's left to show you, and one handspun yarn. After that it will slow down a bit here, since I'll actually have to knit/spin/crochet in real time before I can show you.

Yesterday afternoon, I finally got around to bake these Chocolate wafers. I don't really know the real name of this "cake". My mother in law used to make these, and my son wondered, if I could make it, when we saw the wafers at the store. I wanted to make it for Christmas, but DH Karl brought home 5lbs of Christmas cookies, over 20 different kinds, and we really didn't need any more sweets then. I don't have a recipe, just a memory of it, so they are not quite like Helene's were. I cut the pieces too big too, but they dry out quickly. DH said, it's "soul food" for him, too bad he can't have any of it.