Brrrrr!

Winter came back! This is my Dorky Hat; a tuck stitch rectangle done on the LK150. I wanted to seam it so that either side could be worn out, but then what do you do with the tassels? When I blocked it, some other stuff got piled on top and it finished drying with one corner bent funny. I really should fix that, LOL. I used Titan Wool, I think it is. And the mitts are done on the machine, from the top down. There's a few thumb design issues, bu they're acceptable. But not warm. Despite being 50% wool, compared to my Shetland Chunky 25% wool mitts, these are no where near as warm. However, my Shetland mitts are knit VERY tightly. I haven't checked the gauge on these ones, but I usually handknit worsted weight mitts in a lady's size with 40 sts on 4mm needles. These have 30 sts, and are still a little big. I was looking at a mitt pattern in a recent magazine though, and according to it, I have children's size small/medium hands! I know they're small, but NOT that small!

I ended up with just a very small amount of the two yarns left over. This was from my big purchase just before Christmas. Out of that whole basket of yarn, all I have left is one skein of the light blue, and less than one ball of the pink/red sock yarn! My socks are almost done. I had some issues with the ribbing on the first one, so for the second, I just started it at the body. I don't mind the ribbing in heavier yarns, but for some reason it doesn't look as good in the sock yarn.
I ended up making two pairs for Huey, one bigger than the other, and there is only a yard or two left. However, one of the socks that does fit him has vanished!

And this little fella...is wearing my mom's first hat done on a Knifty Knitter! When we were up there just before Christmas, we were going through some boxes, and she has a huge assortment of fiber manipulating gizmos. What else can you call them? Little flower looms, crochet hook/knitting needle hybrids/cardboard loom squares....she's a fiber artist who just can't find her tool of best fit. She tried knitting when I was a kid, and I think suffered from the same confusion of American vs British needle/yarn sizes. The slipper she was trying to make is so tight, I'm surprised she got as far as she did. In the ensueing years she became a prize winning gardener and awesome cook, but still wanted something to occupy her in front of the TV in the garden's off-season. I just couldn't give up my KnitSmart, or afford to buy her a Bond, but the Knifty Knitter round looms came to mind. Wal-Mart only had the baby size and the extra-large, so I opted for baby size. I got her started when I went up after New Year's, and it seemed to be going well by the time I came home. Then she sends me this picture of her first hat and says she's now on #4, and where can she get the other sizes!