Reason #5,486,921

Why I love my mom:

She sent me a pair of fingerless mitts for Valentine's Day, which was a true motherly gesture. I have chronically cold hands and feet unless it's the height of summer. She then made a pair for herself, and from the leftover yarn, she made Zoe and Ilsa each a pair. They arrived on Saturday, and, honestly, they are just about the cutest, most silly little things I've ever seen. The girls love them, of course.












I finished the Succulent Sock. I think it turned out gorgeous. The pattern should be available very soon here.
I tried to get some good angles so you can see what a really beautiful sock this is. Everyone who's seen it in person has gone completely gaga over it, so the pattern should sell well, especially since the photos for the pattern won't be my personal exploration of contortionism!

For Once!

For once, I have a gift knit completed well ahead of schedule!

Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn Clark
Yarn: Misti Alpaca laceweight
Needles: US 4's

This was the first triangular lace shawl I've knit that uses more than one lace pattern. The nupps were far easier to work in the alpaca than in the mohair I used for the Estonian Garden Lace scarf. This was knit as a gift for my grandmother's upcoming 90th birthday in March. It is small, weighs practically nothing, and is really quite lovely, so I deemed it an appropriate shawl for a little old lady (who would be mortified if she learned that I had referred to her as such!). I'm gifting it with the offer of lifetime laundering and blocking services. I only hope to have the favor called in for many years to come!

The DH is wearing his Cambridge Jacket again! I guess for once I picked a winner with this one! He is also excited at the prospect of adding Avast to his wardrobe, so I'd best get swatching for that soon.

Glancing at the sidebar, we can see that the Year of the UFO is progressing quite well, with far more filled progress bars than not. I think I'll keep them all up there until they are all filled up. Kind of adds some color.

In the biggest knitting news chez Bitter, Ilsa knit five stitches this weekend! All by herself! I'm so proud. That girl is getting her own needles for her fourth birthday, that's all there is to it!

Now, Where Did I Put That Marching Band?

Because Zoe's Green Sweater is done! Yes, the sweater so nice I knit it thrice!












Pattern: Tater's Cotton Cardi by Marie Grace Smith
Yarn: Sinfonia Cotton
Needles: US 4

She loves it and, commendably, has forgotten all about how achingly long it took me to finish this thing already! (Work kept getting in the way, alas!)












I love a happy ending (and also, apparently, I love psychedelic pumpkins!)



So, there's one more for the FO column. (And yes, Mrs. Feezy, I know your foot is cold! All in good time, my friend!)

Notes To Self

• It might be a good idea, in the future, mind you, to actually have the item on hand for which you intend to knit a cover. (see i-Pod cozy)
• Just because you're knitting it on US 3's (practically logs, I know) doesn't mean that 9" of 2x2 rib in black acrylic won't drive you over the deep end. (see Oddball Golf Club Cover[s])
• A "quick knit" isn't so much when you pile on everything else you have to do. (see DH's felted clogs and ever-expanding holiday knitting list)

Here's to a half-fast knit Holiday! See you in the New Year!

P.S. If you are expecting a gift from me this year, be forewarned that I hereby declare this "The Holiday Season of Enlightened Imagination" as in, you may have to use said enlightened imagination to conjure the effect of the completed gift when you are actually presented with a scrap of yarn and a picture (if you're lucky)










eta: Just got word, the i-Pod cozy doesn't fit. Oh, poo. To futz and reknit or not? Can't decide...

SAM2 November: Done!

And here they are!







Sorry, the image had to be altered to protect the innocent (actually, these socks were a work project, so I can't really show them to you). I know the whole, "here are my socks for the month but I won't actually show you the socks or even discuss the actual socks" thing is getting old, so here is an artist's rendering of me and my November socks.

Nice, eh? You'll notice I'm winking in the picture, and that I have a celebratory rainbow over my head. Nice symbolism from a 3 1/2 year old, no?