On the Needles

I am not usually a multiple WIP (Works in Progress) kind of knitter. I usually finish a project before casting on for another. I usually have multiple projects on the brain, but not on the needles. My exception to this is that if I'm doing a large project (blanket or sweater) then I usually also have a smaller project on the needles for when I need a break from the large one. Right now I have ended up with three active projects.

I started Fuzzy Mitten's Fuzzy Farm (pig, chicken, sheep) first. I am making these for one or both of the boys for Christmas. I want to make a felt barn for them to go in. I think developmentally this might be more appropriate for N, but J is such a huge farm animal fan that I know he will love them. We will see. I just have to do the finishing touches (embroidery for faces mainly). These were a quick knit (about 2 nights to knit, sew and stuff per animal) and there are lot of clever things in their construction. I will blog in more detail when I finish them.


Next, I started the Hello Kitty purse for L. It's going to be part of her Christmas present. I'm on my third attempt and it's not perfect, but I think it will turn out. I'm doing intarsia in the round--which basically means that for the intarsia section of the purse, you go back in forth alternating between knit and purl (so not really in the round at all) and then at the round junction you do a "join." See here and here for more instructions. The pink background color is the leftover from the Fuzzy Farm pig. I wish I had picked something a little more vibrant for the purse, but I think my niece will still like it. I'm trying to knit from my stash whenever possible.


When I heard about Christie's cancer, I knew that I had to knit her something right away. I was torn between knitting a hat, a cowl or some sort of wrap/shawl. I searched around, went to my LYS, and yesterday I cast on for the Stolen Moments Wrap. I wanted to make her something that she could use as a comfort item these next 6 months while she goes through chemo. I decided this would be a simple knit that I could make quickly and I'm using it as a prayer shawl. I'm trying to infuse it with as many prayers and as much loves as possible while I knit it. It's a great pattern--I memorized it in about 20 minutes--so I can really focus on the prayers while knitting. It's going pretty quickly so far. I finished one out of 7 skeins last night.


I also have tons of projects on the brain but they are too numerous to get into...so I'll save those for another post.