Lusekofte, baby!

After much trial and error, I finished the Lusekofte Cap from Hats On! by Charlene Schurch. Actually I finished it twice. The first hat was 132 stitches on size 6 needles. I was on the 3rd to the last row and I knew that something was very off. After closer examination I found this



If you look closely at the right side of this blurry picture, you can just make out a dropped stitch. Actually there are two dropped stitches. I tried to rip it back but ended up with a mess. Too many stitches to pick up in too little time. The mistakes were found on December 23rd. The hat was supposed to be finished by Christmas. So I cast on 108 stitches with size 9 needles and started over again. Luckily the pattern is easy to follow. And yesterday morning (not Christmas) I ended up with this hat:


I think it came out quite well. And here is a picture of the inside of the hat.



The finished hat was knit in Patons Classic Merino. The disaster hat was knit in Cascade 220. I tried doing the decrease rows on the disaster hat with double points and lost control of them somewhere. The good hat I used 2 circular needles for the decreases and it was much easier. It surprises me since I do hats with double points all the time. But now I think I'm going to use the 2 circulars to finish my hats.

The hat is supposed to have a long tassel on it hence the pointy top. I'm not sure how the recipient will feel about a tassel so I'm going to be sure it is easily removed. And, just in case he doesn't like the pointy top, I'm making a k2, p2 ribbed hat in Lamb's Pride worsted weight in Blue Boy which is basically the same color blue as the other two hats.

Next up on the needles is a k2, p2 ribbed scarf in what I think is burgundy Encore. I can't find the ball band or the second skein right now so I'm not sure. The scarf is for the Red Scarf Project which gives scarves to orphans who are now college students.

And I need to start two more Calorimetrys for dd and her roommate. Ariane wants black and Ashley wants white. Not very exciting colors but very practical.

Then I hope to get back to the three pairs of socks that I started back in November. I've been wearing the socks I finished for myself and want to make more for me. But first these need to be done for some other people.

So maybe I was mistaken...

Maybe there will be a little Christmas going on here after all. The new issue of Knitty came the other day and I loved this pattern. It would be a perfect gift for several people I know. I'm just not sure how many I'll have time to make.

It is Calorimetry designed by Kathyrn Schoendorf.



And here is another shot of it.



I started the pattern last night, knit to the halfway point, and then finished it today during the hour drive to my sister-in-law's house in Syracuse. Really fast and fun to knit. The only mistake I made was to bind it off in knit instead of knit 2, purl 2. I won't do that again.

I used Tesco by di.ve', color 25565 on size 8 needles. It's 55% wool and 45% microfibre and very soft. I think the gauge may be off by a little. It fits me fine but feels like it could be a little tighter to my head. It's going to Ariane, though, and she had more hair than I do so I hope it'll fit better. If she doesn't like the fit, I can just whip up another one! I have already cast on the second one in Art Yarns Super Merino, I believe. (The shop owner put her price sticker over the name of the yarn and I can't peel it off to read it. I really hate that!)

There are no pictures of the stranded hat I am making Ariane's boyfriend. I ripped it out 4 times before I finally got it right. Stupid mistakes each time but they were unfixable mistakes. It is now correct and I'm up to row 8 of the pattern. I haven't had a quiet time to work on it but I need to get back to it.

The mittens went to church today to be given to the family we adopted for the holiday. I was going to do booties for the 4 month old baby but did a pair of thumbless mittens, instead. I did my two needle pattern using Patons Astra sportweight yarn and size 4 needles and just eliminated the thumb. They are shown here next to a pair of the same mittens done in worsted weight yarn on size 7 needles. I cast on 24 stitches for each set and increased to 30 stitches after the cuff. This is the difference between sportweight and worsted weight yarn and different needles sizes.



And then we have another cute picture of Isabella. She likes to sit with her chin propped up on the arm of the love seat. We think she knows she looks cute this way and everyone has to pet her when she does this. Her favorite dog is sitting next to her.



Tomorrow we're going to Carousel Mall in Syracuse to hopefully finish the bulk of our Christmas shopping. That's the same hour drive we took today and I should be able to get a lot done on the second Calorimetry.

Not much Christmas knitting here!

I'm not really making much for Christmas this year. In fact I think the only thing I'm knitting as a gift is a hat for Ariane's boyfriend. I'm attempting the Lusekofte Cap from Hats On! by Charlene Schurch. Pictures are not being posted until this sucker is done! I had the ribbing and 10 rows of pattern done last night when I realized that I had dropped a stitch in the ribbing. Off to the frog pond it went! I cast on the 132 stitches again, worked one row of ribbing and realized I had another hole which I couldn't fix. So it was unraveled one more time. I think the problem is that the ribbing is k1b, p1 and I'm goofing up the k1b on the first row. This leaves me with a hole. So for the third (and hopefully last) cast on, I'm going to do the first row in a plain k1, p1 rib and will start the k1b on the second row.

Here's my latest knitting endeavors. Even though I said I wasn't doing any more hats for a while, I made another hat. Alek couldn't find the two hats I made him last year so I whipped up a new one for him. This one is a few rows shorter and he prefers it that way.



Just two shades of Woolease.

And I believe I told myself that I wasn't doing anymore charity knitting until after the holidays.

Behold! Mittens for a needy family that our church is giving gifts to this year.



I did luck out though. I made the bottom three pairs and a good friend made the top two pairs. She belongs to the same church and had these in her project basket. Perfect!

The deadline for the dishcloth swap came up way too fast so I only knit two of them and crocheted the other three. The top dishcloth is really two cloths tied together with ribbons to look like bloomers. Aren't they cute?!



And finally I'll leave you with a picture of my silly dog.



Isabella loves to sleep propped up on the little pillow on the couch. Doesn't she look comfy? And ridiculous?!!