While visiting with family for my Great Aunt Rose’s funeral we went on a journey to WEBS. My great aunt Millie kept finding these wonderful fibers that were so soft. She doesn’t however knit. She says she knows all these wonderful people who knit or crochet and just give things to her because she’s so gracious. It’s true, I gave her the first scarf I knit because she was so crucial in helping me find someone to teach me to knit and she is always so excited to receive something homemade or heartfelt. So my mom pulled me aside and said I will buy the yarn you just find something to knit for her. 
So she did and I did and you can see the pics below!
unmodeled cowl. The color isn't so accurate here.
I made her a cowl because she lives in New England and it’s cold in the winters. She said that she likes to have something warm on her neck to keep the chill away. Oh and I haven’t mailed it yet, so if you know her don’t spoil the surprise. Thanks!
Description: Millie’s Cowl
Pattern: Darkside Cowl by Sarah Fama
Yarn used: .66 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino Colorway 419 (60% baby suri, 40% merino) 100 g /164 yds
Care Instructions: Hand wash
Needle Size: US 7 (4.5 mm)
Modifications: none
Finished Size: 17″ x 7″ (ish) [43cm x 18cm]
Date Started: 10/25/2008
Date Completed: 10/28/2008
Notes: No notes but I do like how this turned out.
I am wearing a cowl, not planning a bank heist. The color is more accurate here.
I see you taking my picture.
Isn't the stitch pattern cool?
While in the midst of perusing Ravelry for sock patterns I found and fell in love with these socks by Adrian Bizilia of Hello Yarn: Cable Twist Socks. They looked super comfy and also appeared to be a supremely quick knit. I s’pose knitting worsted weight socks will do that to you.
I was struck again by the “I know what gauge this yarn is” pitfall that has been plaguing me of late. I thought this yarn was worsted but on Ravelry it’s listed as DK although I would really beg to differ. The other fun part is that the label is almost entirely in Japanese. As I went to rip back my swatch I suddenly realized this yarn has mohair in it. Woops. I then proceeded with the knowledge that I can not make any mistakes. Luckily I did quite well and didn’t have to rip back once.
As always Adrian’s directions are great and really make it easy to learn a new technique - the cable twist. I plan to make these socks again for some loved ones. They were a really nice break from knitting very long man socks. The men in my life need to have shorter feet.
View from the top
Description: Squishy socks for me.
Pattern: Cable Twist Socks. by Adrian Bizilia of Hello Yarn
Yarn used: 2.36 skeins of Olympus Make Make in colorway 3 (90% wool, 10% mohair) 25 g / 68 yds
Care Instructions: Hand wash
Needle Size: US 3 (3.25 mm)
Modifications: I knit the cuff shorter, only 3 pattern repeats, because I didn’t have as much yarn as the pattern called for. Also, I wasn’t sure I could make up 64 yds in a 2 shoe size length difference.
Finished Size: Ladies US 7
Date Started: 10/14/2008
Date Completed: 10/24/2008
Notes: I would definitely make these again. Preferably with a little more yarn on hand next time.
full view of socks
mismatched socks
After a slight delay caused by very long extremities the Love Sweater is complete. This quick knit took a total of 6 days to knit. At 3.5 sts to the inch and 3 rows to the inch I am sure it is easy to understand why. The boy picked out the sweater on one of our trips to Barnes and Noble and the yarn at MDS&W ‘08. I wasn’t sure how the yarn would knit up at first but I rather like the fabric it turned out. I think I am also becoming a Rowan convert. Once I had bound off the sweater, I handed it over and we promptly broke up keeping with knitterly sweater traditions. 
The boy outside in his warm woolen sweater.
Self portrait of the sweater
Description: Love sweater for the boy.
Pattern: Berkshire Pullover by Margrit Lohrer from Weekend Knitting
Yarn used: 8.66 skeins of Rowan Big Wool Colorway 34 (100% merino wool ) 100 g / 87 yds
Care Instructions: hand wash
Needle Size: US 13
Modifications: I knit everything a little longer to fit the boy’s lankiness.
Finished Size: 41.5″ chest. The length measurements were about 3″ longer each.
Date Started: 10/5/2008
Date Completed: 10/17/2008
Notes: No notes.
Posing on the stairs
Look at the camera please.
Oh did I take the picture too soon?
Finally a decent smile and he’s sitting still. 
Tags: Margrit Lohrer
So I wanted another quick knit. They make me happy. I grabbed this mystery ball of yarn in my stash thinking it was bulky when clearly it was worsted. (This is because I was dropped on my head as an infant, it’s not my fault) [Ok not really please don't write angry letters to my mother.] At any rate it clearly wasn’t going to knit up anywhere near gauge so I just doubled the number of stitches I cast on and knit on until sunrise.
I like this photo. The boy thinks it’s silly.
Alas, it took a few more days to knit since worsted doesn’t knit as fast as bulky. Since the ball of yarn was a mystery to me (it never had a ball band - such a tragic youth it led) I had no idea how much yardage there was. I resolved to knit until it was gone since it was pretty and I liked it. I went to knit night working on it and the yarn rainman informed that it was malabrigo yarn.
From the left side.
Go figure. I was hoping in swaps and other activites to receive some of this mythical malabrigo I am always hearing about and there it was just sitting in my stash marinating. I really like how it turned out. I got a button from The Merc and fiddled for a bit to figure out proper placement. Enough of the babbling already. On to the details!
From the right side.
Description: A neckwarmer for me.
Pattern: Cashmere Neckwarmer by Kim K.
Yarn used: Mystery Yarn Malabrigo stuff 90 grams worth
Care Instructions: Well hand wash cool since I don’t know what it is.
Needle Size: US 9 (5.5 mm) DPNs because well I wanted to cast on and they were there in front of me.
Modifications: The pattern calls for knitting 25″ and I knit until I ran out of yarn. I also picked up the button loop a couple stitches over so that it wouldn’t be too large for the button. My button is 1″ the pattern calls for a 1.5″ button.
Finished Size: 6.5″ x 41″
Date Started: 10/1/2008
Date Completed: 10/12/2008
Notes: I really do love how the stitch pattern shows all the color in the cowl.
Close up of the front. I love the button.
Close up of the back.
The Merc was having a big sale and I found some very nice and soft Misti International Pima Cotton on sale. I bought up 2 skeins of the black to make a longer Liesl to be worn when it is cooler out. Liesl the long had her debut at the boy’s best friend’s wedding September 6. I finished it just in time to wear to the wedding. Alas it took me almost a month to get around to taking some better shots. So now she is officially done. Well except for the clasp that I bought to sew on the top that I haven’t sewn on yet. I rather like how this turned out.
Liesl the long from the front. Funny thing is it’s really only early dusk.
Description: Liesl the Long
Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda
Yarn used: 2 skeins Misti International Pima Cotton/Silk Colorway Black 50 (83% cotton, 17% silk) 100 g / 191 yds
Care Instructions: Hand wash
Needle Size: 7.0 mm
Modifications: I copied off Cassady on Ravelry and knit it without the purl ridges below the yoke.
Finished Size: 34″ size
Date Started: 8/29/2008
Date Completed: 9/4/2008
Notes: I made the high neck, down to my hips (ish) and sleeves a bit longer than the elbow.
Leaning up against the tree in our backyard
From the side. It’s really not that dark outside.
Closer up detail of the lace pattern.
Close up of the lace pattern from the back.
