Winter Mode

I have definitely been in winter mode lately. Due to some strange but not serious medical things I was feeling really down and just exhausted. Much better now, but I feel kinda hunkered down, as though I should stay inside crocheting until May.

I made myself some wicked angora blend mittens for when I do have to go outside. They're so soft and so warm. I adore them. The white is some Fleece Artist Peter Rabbit a coworker donated to my cause. It's 100% angora and totally awesome! The pink is the Sugar Bunny I got myself as a treat before Christmas.

The matching hat. I was going to make a matching scarf as well before I realized how dumb that would be. Yes, it would be super warm, but I don't want a mouthful of angora all the time. I always wear my scarves up on my face to keep it warm.
Speaking of angora getting everywhere, because of these yummy projects my black winter coat looks as though it's been attacked by a madly shedding pink animal. I've cleaned it a few times, mostly, but I don't think I have enough lint roller sheets to really get it clean.
I think my boyfriend may just be a bit ashamed of the state of my coat. Whatever, the angora is worth it.

I finished this pair of socks for a test crochet. I adore them. The heel is perfect. My old heels I was making were never quite right, but this one is perfect. I'm going to start using it for my vanilla socks. They get closer and closer to perfection.


This is a pattern I just published on Rav.
(here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tunisian-rainbow-cowl)
My new year's goal was to publish at least one pattern a month this year. I already have my sweater that's being tested right now (someone finished it! It looks amazing! Eee, I feel like a real grown-up designer!) and another cowl that just needs a few more pictures, so things are starting off well. I'm also going to be writing up the design for the mitts pictured above and a hat similar to above. They're so nice and simple, but really warm.

This cowl pattern is free- it's so simple- but the other two I have ready I'm actually going to charge for! I want to get in to designing more seriously, and this has been a great start. I have lots of ideas... now I just need to start putting them down on paper.

New pretties, WIPS

So I spent the weekend at the Creativ Festival. I was working at the store's booth and so I was totally not going to spend any money. But then I saw some yarn, and you know how that works. Besides, my bank account was healthier than expected. So just three little skeins I was going to take home.Isn't it pretty? Party Angel, I love it! I adore light fluffy mohairs, pretty soft pinks and anything that's sparkly. Match made in heaven.
But you can see that there's only two skeins there. Not because they were out, though...

... but because before I got those, I found these. Kidsilk Haze. 50% off. The softest, dreamiest of pinks.
They were so sweet. They had to come home with me!

I don't know yet whether they'll be two small shawls or one big striped one. Thoughts?

And then the booth across from us had this. I had to take something really special and unique home, you know? And this is incredible. It's 70% mink, 20% merino and 10% silk. It is so soft and wonderful, the grey is just amazing and working with it was incredibly fun.
I got it from Knitca.com. They don't have it on the website, yet, though. Not that I can see, anyway. I want more. Ok, I can't buy more. But I want more.

I finally finished my first tunisian mitt. I started these as a way to practice gauge and tension in tunisian before I began my Betty's Tunisian Tee. I think I ripped them out 3 or 4 times, maybe more. I even finished and seamed the main body before I ripped it out the last time because they were too small. Finally, finally I have one finished.
The other one will join it soon- hopefully in less time than it took to do this one.

This is the beginning of another project. I fell in love with some wall art I saw on Ravelry and now I have to make some for my house. Think big, bright flowers and granny squares and motifs. I have a part skein of Chroma left that might go in the mix, too. We'll see.

The Pain of the Frogging...

I had to frog a lot today. I tried not to. Oh, did I try not to! I don't like to frog. It's giving in and saying that I made a mistake- but more than that, it's a lot of work and I'm so extremely lazy.

I'm working on entrelac socks. It's pretty fun as I've never tried entrelac before. I finished the body of the first sock and chained the heel space and started in on the pattern.

And then I tried them on. Oh yes, you can see where this is going.

The heel chain was too tight. Too tight by a lot. It hurt my foot. I kept trying to stretch things out, hoping that would be ok. I even kept going for awhile, pretending it was gonna be fine.
I mean, I was this far already!


But this morning I woke up to the truth. I needed to pull them back and redo the heel space if they were ever going to be comfortable. I tried to pretend again- I start the first round of the heel, and of course that made no difference. So I sighed and began to frog.

Then I added a few more rounds to the body of the foot and made the heel chain, and made that heel chain as loose as I could.
I'm back to the end of the first entrelac row. I'll catch up to where I was soon enough, and this time, they fit.
I don't think I have enough yarn for a second, though, so I might have to go back and hope there's still more of this on clearance! Otherwise I'll just have to make mismatched socks.



In better news, my pullover is dry and looking nice, and my gray mitts are still making me happy, which means they're done. No more adding to them- just done done done!