Scarves!

My husband's sister and her family live about 12 hours away.  This was their year to come up for Christmas.  My niece's wish list included a hat made by me.  I knew it was unlikely I could get to that but I came up with the idea that maybe she and my youngest (they're six months apart) would like to make a scarf together on the knitting machine.  An "experience" gift.  That was a great suggestion, though I knew how busy they are when they come to visit, so I wasn't 100% sure it would happen.  It didn't.  On Christmas Eve afternoon, I decided to quickly "whip up" an infinity scarf for her.  How long could it take?!

  One strand of bulky yarn (an old Sears yarn, similar to Shetland Chunky) and a strand of Loops & Threads "Verona".  I've had this yarn for awhile, I thought it would be good for baby prop items (a layering blanket) but it was hard to work with.  It's a strand, with random long caterpillars of fluff.  So, where the strand parts lined up, the item would be thin.  Where the caterpillars lined up, it was thick and hard to work.  But crocheted along with a chunky yarn?  Awesome!  And it's 20% wool!

Doesn't that tag just look so perfect there?  Love it!  98gr.

I got her's finished on Christmas morning (or maybe it was late Christmas Eve?), and started on another one for my mom.

 I worked on it during the party (I wasn't hosting!), and finished it after dinner (156gr).  Started another one for myself before leaving the party.    Finished that one (except for the sewing) the next day and wore it to go see "Into The Woods" on Boxing Day (161gr)  This one is long enough that I can do one wrap around my head and two wraps snug around my neck!  Never have cold ears again!

These two were a strand of Paton's "Decor" along with a strand of "1lb Mill Ends of Unknown Fibers".  Well, this reminded me so much of Paton's "Pooch" that when I had seen it at the discount store, I snatched it up.  I knew it had a wool content, and could take dye, plus the soft cream colour would be awesome for baby items.  It was the equivalent of 6.4 balls (but in two large skeins), for something crazy like $6.99--what was probably regular price for one ball.

 Loved those so much, I thought I'd make another one, for the gift exchange game we'll be doing at my family party on Friday.  I'm really loving making these crocheted infinity scarves!  This is another one with Verona and a chunky Shetland style yarn (102gr)

This one is quite different from the cream and grey one I made.  Lucy had made a knit scarf with dark chunky and silver fun fur, and I loved the depth to it.  This one...well, I thought black chunky would be too boring, but maybe the charcoal chunky would have been better?  I still like it though!  This one, I made quite wide for a section, then tapered it quite narrow for the rest.  This way, it fills in at the front, but isn't too bulky around your neck in a coat.  Clever!

Now that I have one black, and one cream, I might get bold and make some colourful ones for myself.  That's why I bought boring coloured coats, right?!

These four scarves weighed in at 517gr!  Along with an additional 18gr for Lucy's cat, and 78gr for the scarf she was working on (the silver and grey one), and about 100gr for the cupholder mittens, that brings me up to 713gr.  I do have a Toothless that I'm finishing up tonight, but otherwise, I think I'm done!  There is one water bottle holder that is still waiting for a button, and a baby blanket from two years ago (?) that needs an edging....and a hat I'm working on for my Dad...

Yarn In:    10 076gr
Yarn Out: 713gr + 7348gr =8061gr
Balance: 2015gr  MORE brought IN then out
Costs:   $511.49/365 days = $1.40/day

Wow.  That's a low "Yarn In".  Less than half "Out" then last year, but last year I sold yarn and gave a lot away.  This year's "Yarn In" would have been a bit lower, but I did have 400gr+/- from the aran baby blanket that I changed my mind on, and quite a bit left over from Kelly's sweater.  From the summer onwards, I don't think I bought any yarn just for the stash (the Reflective yarn was probably the last of the stash adding).  My costs were more this year, but I was having to buy more yarn for orders.  I can't wait to add up how much I earned this year!

2013 Totals:

Yarn In: 16 153gr
Yarn Out:  16 805gr
Balance:  652gr more sent OUT than IN
Costs: $378.91/365 days = $1.04/day

2012's Totals:

Yarn In: 21 096gr
Yarn Out:  16 849gr
Balance:  4247gr more brought IN than used up
Costs:  $524.43 = $557.44/373 days = $1.49/day