Started Another Scarf

I started a quick scarf in Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino,, Blackberry color. It's being knit in (please don't laugh) the Feather & Fan stitch. Why?

I have so much to get done and this is a fast stitch. Since the yarn is variegated, the simple pattern won't be noticed by the recipient, who is not a knitter. Oh, and when this yarn is washed, it becomes nice and soft. All of the stiffness from the spinning process disappears, leaving it with a cozy feel for the neck of the wearer.

I've finished about two inches and will take a pic later, when the sun is up.

Xmas/Birthday Presents for Others

Here are some of the handcrafted items I've been working on. Some are for Christmas presents, and some are for a post-Christmas birthday.

The Gambit Scarf, from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders

Fleece Artist 2/6 Merino in Victoria

A view of the it being blocked. I don't have those nice blocking pins of a board, so it's improvise, improvise!
Finished:

There was too much light on this pic.

Next here are some unblocked mitts:

Spring Garden Shorties, from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders

Panda Superwash (bamboo, wool, nylon) by Crystal Palace

Lake Trail color

 These are so soft! I'm going to knit myself a pair in a different color.

My Spring Garden Shorties

I started these fingerless mitts twice and had to rip them all the way out and start a third time. I did not understand the directions. Knitting is like math--if you get one step in the process wrong, everything after that will be wrong.

This is my third attempt, and it is succeeding because I read and reread the directions, using my copy of Vogue Knitting to help me figure out the pattern.

My gripe: the person who wrote the directions in this book (Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders) should have made them as explicit as possible, not just "work in pattern," because the K (even) rows were deliberately omitted in places. If designers and editors want more people to knit, buy yarn, and knitting books, they need to write out the patterns line-by-line as well as give the symbols and charts. I'm keeping track by crossing off every step in a notebook.

This is a Panda Superwash yarn, but not exactly the one in the book. I have to find the label.

Petal Shawlette

I ordered some Fleece Artist yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Company because I want to make three of these Petal Shawlettes, from the book "One Skein Wonders." The one pictured is in color "Hercules."

I chose Cosmic Dawn, Blackberry, and Victoria. One will be for me and two will be Christmas gifts. This book is so awesome!

My Lace Scarf

I stayed up past 1 a.m. several nights in a row in order to finish this lace scarf. I ended one end straight across, instead of finishing to the end of the motif and creating a zig-zag, which was how the scarf began. I had just enough yarn--it took 2 skeins of Gloss from KnitPicks.

I blocked it on top of a sheet & towels pinned to the floor of the living room. I cannot believe how much it stretched. I hope my sis likes it!  I enclosed the yarn description card so that she will know how to take care of it.

A Scarf & Internet Service Problems

For several days we have been experiencing outages of both our landline and our internet service. The rest of the family is waiting for the computer, so I will post one little Xmas present that I'm working on:

I don't remember if this is a KnitPicks pattern, or one from Ravelry. I will check. I finally learned how to do a SSK--I was knitting it wrong(on a different scarf). The yarn is KnitPicks "Gloss"--merino/silk.