60-Quick Knits

My good friend Em and I have made a knitting New Years Resolution. That is to knit EVERY pattern in the 60-Quick Knits book by the end of the year. Between the two of us we have already almost completed half the patterns in the book. I can't say why we are so addicted to it, but I think it has a lot to do with the simplicity yet the detail of each pattern. When you look at some of the projects highlighted in this book they seem to be so difficult or intricate, but as soon as you start them you realize the simplicity. They aren't simple to a point where you get bored, but also not so difficult that you get confused and have to take your project apart over and over again. When we do complete all of the projects we will probably make a post with all the pictures, but for now you will have to wait.

Anyways, currently I am working on three different projects from the 60-Quick Knits book. I am working on the #11 Wave Scarf, #17 Plaid Mittens, and the other is the #23 Smocked Fingerless Mittens. I started the Smocked Fingerless Mittens (pattern #23) on Friday after buying a beautiful purple heather cascade 220 from someone on ravelry. As soon as I saw the color I knew they needed to be something beautiful and I had my eye on the Smocked Fingerless Mittens for quite sometime now. Since Friday I have finished the left hand one (other than the buttons) and I have started on the right one. I am really happy with the first one and just had to show them off.


And yes, I am wearing a Green Bay Packer's jersey. I am currently watching the game and hoping that the 14 Packers - 0 Bears will lead to a Packers win!!! Packers in Superbowl 2011? I hope so!

EDIT 1/23/11 - 6:42 PM - THE PACKERS WON WE ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!

Christmas 2010 Presents Post

I made all of the Christmas presents I gave this year. Because of that I decided to make one massive post with all of the Christmas gifts I gave out this year. Below are pictures and descriptions of each project and who it was given to.

Starting with my family, I made my sister a Noro scarf. These scarves are made by many many people and there are a lot of different styles and shapes. I picked a brown Noro that is very neutral colors and then I chose a skein that is full of all of the rainbow colors. The actually knitting is also simple as it is starting with an odd number of stitches, then every row you knit 2 then purl 2 across. Because of the odd number of stitches it creates the nice zigzag look of the scarf. Here a few photos to see what it looks like:

Click the picture for a picture of my sister wearing the scarf

For my brother I knit a hat. I was very inspired by the rather new 60 Quick Knits book. I was so inspired that about 6 of the winter projects I created were from the 60 Quick Knits book. This particular hat is called the Tweed Watch Cap. I chose Cascade 220 yarn in the following colors: #9458 - Bainbrige Island Heather (brown), #2424 - Heather Summer Night (blue), and #2452 - Turtle (green). Here is a picture of my brother wearing his Christmas present as well as a few close-ups of the hat:

Click the picture for a picture of my brother wearing his hat

My sister-in-law was gifted some beautiful mittens. These mittens are the Tweed mittens from the 60 Quick Knits book. The colors I used for her mittens are the following: #2419 - Heather Aster (purplish-pink) and #9921 - Caribbean Blue.


I made my adorable niece a soft sweater for Christmas. I used a pattern from Lion Brand called the Little Princess Cardi. I used Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK in a purple, blue, and green. Here is a picture of my niece's sweater.

Click the picture to see my niece wearing her sweater

My mom received a pair of mittens from the 60 Quick Knits called Checkered Mittens. I don't know the exact Cascade 220 colors I used for her mittens as I have no documentation for them at this particular moment. However, I do know I used a light blue for the cuff while I used a dark blue and magenta variegated yarn for the checkers. They were finished already over the summer and my mom finally received them on Christmas Eve. She really liked them and said her hands will probably stay very warm. Here is a picture of them:


My dad was the final family member I made something for. He also had a gift made from the 60 Quick Knits book. His gift was the slip-stitched hat. I made it in a burgundy and gold color. The specific colorways are Cascade 220: #4008 - Heather Ruby and #2415 - Sunflower. Here is a picture of the finished product:


Hope you enjoyed, Comments and Critiques are of course welcome!

It's been a while

It has been a while since I last updated my blog. I thought I would update you all on what I have been up to. Obviously, school ;) hence the lack of updates. However, I have managed to work here and there on a number of different knitting projects. As you will note I said knitting projects not crocheting projects. I have put down my hook for the time being and have become rather attached to my knitting needles. Why? Because of Em of course she is a knitting queen (actually knitterqueen1953 on ravelry) she has been helping me learn all types of things.

Lets see my last update was about my booga bag and I showed you pictures of it. Well since then I have made yet another booga bag. Someone asked me to make them one and so I am getting paid for making what I have entitled the Fruity Booga Bag. I entitled it this because it is full of bold colors that really seem to be fruity in nature. It is yellow, a dark blue/purple, pink, and a beautiful lime green. All of the yarn is cascade 220 and I had to double up in order to make it the right size. It turned all great and looking like a colorful basket of fruit. When I showed it to my sister-in-law she gave me yet another paid knitting job. I am now in the process of making a tote bag. This tote bag has no exciting name yet... maybe the Watermelon bag or something... I'll think of something. I am a little over half way done with the bottom of this bag. Pictures of both of the bags will hopefully be up soon. Probably in about four weeks when I'm done with classes. :)

Other knitting projects I am working on:
a pair of socks
a scarf
a pair of flip-top mittens (I am already done with the first one)

I am going crazy with all these projects going on. I'm normally a one project type of girl but Em has slowly been changing me ;)... Anyways I hope all of you are doing well, I love what you all have been doing and I have still be reading some of your blogs! Keep of the great work!

Making Myself Some Mittens

Now that my booga bag is all finished it is time to start on my second knitting project. Em was making some really cute mittens with the flip-tops. I really wanted some for myself, so Em is teaching me how to make them. It is getting kind of warm so I won't need to wear them... however, I'm alright with packing them away. I showed you in the last post what the yarn looks like. Here is a picture of the first mitten so far:




I now have learned how to purl. :) After working on my mittens a little bit, Zoe gave me some yarn that she didn't want! I'm so excited.


Now to end this... My mom brought my bag to work with her... and someone really really wants me to make another one, for her daughter. Her request was some bright colors. So, I headed over to Loops and Links and picked out some more yarn. My mom was bringing it into work, telling her how much it would cost, and then she can decide if she really wants it. The best part is, if the woman decides she doesn't want it... my mom said she will pay me to make her a bag :)!!! Well that is all, pictures of the colors for the next booga bag, coming soon...

Spring Break At Last

It is finally Spring Break. That means I actually have time to knit and crochet and update this blog :)... First, I want to show you my booga bag! I finally finished the i-cord today when Em came over. (She actually did the finishing steps on it... because I was really really slow :( )... Below is a picture of my booga bag before the wash:


And here is what it looks like now!:


...

Now that I'm finished with my booga bag, it is time for a new project. So Em is going to teach me to make this awesome flip-top mittens :)... I already have the yarn picked out for it!


The best part is. I got the yarn for it as part of my birthday present. My amazing boyfriend gave me a gift certificate to Loops and Links for my birthday... :)

Spring Break is oh so close........And YET SO FAR!!!

I cannot wait until Spring Break. Spring Break = One FULL week of crocheting, knitting, and practicing... It is going to be one sweet week. I cannot wait... Then I'll be able to share with you some pictures... and some projects. Oh I wish I had time all the time for knitting and crocheting. It is just so darn relaxing and makes me so happy. Over spring break I plan on finishing my booga bag and then Em is going to help me make some sweet mittens :)... YAY!!!