So glad I got started on that scarf. Sigh. In true form of my compulsive craftiness (ie. A.D.D. knitting), I abandoned the scarf to work on a hat. Not needing much of an excuse to do so, since my natural inclination is to abandon projects, particularly scarves it seems. But the other day Franny remarked on how our hat supply had dwindled.

Ya don’t say?

That was Monday, and by noon I was at the store buying black and brown yarn and by Tuesday night was weaving in the ends on the completed hat. I had DT try it on for me and he said, “Nice hat, too big though.” And that’s pretty much what they all said, the little boogers. I was nearly maniacal, silly drunk with knitting that the “too big” part hurt me wee ego a bit. But, hey. I successfully worked some DPNs this time, so it is a learning process.

Lootie was my kind model. Again. So grace-filled in the morning hours while munching waffles before school.

(Photo on Picasa)

(Photo on Picasa)

I’m guessing my next hat will be started within a day or so.

I’m a knitter, but I’m not a knitter, if you know what I mean. I like to knit. I enjoy making fast and easy projects. But I can’t make a sock, or a sweater. And, for the most part, I have the tendency to abandon projects. I guess in my head I’m not abandoning them, but more “moving on to something else” for a bit. Right now I count… 1 blanket, 1 prayer shawl (ripped that out, though, made a major boo-boo with that… first time on the circs), 2 or 3 scarves, one dishcloth. Just off the top of my head.

I’m an ADD knitter. It is what it is.

Boredom with my current scarf project motivated me to dig out my box of yarn. I figured I could use up some of it on a project — maybe a hat. Mind you, there’s nothing to salivate over, no yummy hand-dyed yarns or expensive ooh-la-la skeins. A bunch of discarded yarns, really, bought for some project I meant to make but still haven’t gotten around to. Some of it is Sugar and Cream leftovers from my dishcloth making obsession, yarns for preemie caps, Fun Fur, stuff like that. Did find some nice wool in there. I have additional skeins lying around in mid-project or in bags, waiting to become yet another abandoned project.

Tub contents:

The rest in the tub:

Yarn is like books for me. I shouldn’t buy anymore until I use (read) what I’ve got. I could make hats for the kids. We can never have too many. Or an abundance of hats, scarves, mittens, preemie caps, maybe a prayer shawl for charity. But, as compulsion would have it, as the yarns slipped through my fingers, I felt inspired to run to Hobby Lobby and pick up yarn for a scarf pattern I found.

The fancy yarn, marked $9.99, I got for $1.99. Lootie helped pick it out (he loves the craft store). I needed a second yarn, but ended up going back a couple days later to painfully pick that out (hard time making decisions). I’m about 1/3 through the scarf. I messed up in the beginning bringing the yarn up the side as I knit and didn’t realize that I was carelessly adding in some stitches for a few rows. Was yapping with the husband, too lazy to go back and take it out.

I’d really like to finish this scarf. I need a new one badly. And I still have that itch to knit a hat.

Another project finished!! My Two-Hour Scarf. My mother was admiring one of my scarfs the other day and said that she wanted to star wearing scarves to cover up the wrinkles on her neck. I told her she could just gain some weight to “fill out” the wrinkles — how fun!! — but she didn’t like that idea. She figured scarves would be a good way to update her wardrobe without spending too much.

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Finally the Chunky Knit Mittens are finished!!

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I’m always on the lookout for simple ideas the kid’s can make for Christmas gifts. A gift in a jar has become pretty popular. Just get your recipe(s), grab a case of 1-quart canning jars, your ingredients and voila. You can find free recipes all over the internet. Here’s one that looks tasty:

SMORE BARS
Ingredients:
1 C. chocolate chips
1 1/2 C. miniature marshmallows
1 sleeve of graham cracker (ground into crumbs)
1/3 C. brown sugar (packed)

Recipe:
Pour SMORE BAR mix in large bowl. Melt 1/2 cup butter, pour over mix. Add 1 tsp. vanilla; mix. Place in greased 9×9 baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

Here’s a good list of some great free resources:
geocities.com/giftsinajar - tons of recipes and wonderful tips.
handmadegifsinajarrecipes.com
familycrafts.about.com
organizedchristmas.com
recipezaar.com - Butterfinger cookie mix (yum!!)
momof9splace.com

I have to admit, though, when I get a gift in a jar I rarely eat them. OK, I don’t eat them.. anymore. See, a couple times I’ve opened it up and the stuff tasted like crap. The way the ingrediants are packed in like sardines kind of grouses me out. When you attempt to empty the jar, each layer resembles a hockey puck, clanking against the rim, screaming for Sharon Stone and her ice pick. Turned me off of eating them. So if anyone has some recipes that are actually GOOD to make and consume, I’m all ears. Maybe you can convince me.

If YOU get a gift in a jar, do you actually consume it or do you toss it?

Remember that earflap hat I was working on? Well, it is finished. It is basically this pattern with some variation (because I can’t seem to just follow a darn pattern, got to stray a bit). Mainly I went a bit larger because of the big hair issue I have. I used Bernat Softee Chunky in Carnival. I’ll try and note the changes I made in red, but about half-way through I stopped writing them down.

First, you have to make the ear flaps. With two double point needles cast on 2 stitches. Purl 1 row. Work back and forth in stockinette stitch. Every time you do the knitting side, increase the first and last stitch. This will create the triangle shape. Keep going until there are 16 stitches for the XS, 18-S, 20-M, or 22-L 26-XL. Place these stitches on a holder. Make sure to make two!

Hat: With the circular needle, cast on 12-XS, 14-S, 16-M, or 18-L 22 stitches for the back of hat; knit across stitches of the first ear flap. then cast on 20-22-24-or26 30 stitches for the front; knit across second ear flap. There will be 64-72-80-or 88 101 stitches in all. Join stitches carefully without twisting. Knit 2 purl 2 on the front and back part of the hat (regular knit the ear flaps) for four rounds. This will make the nice ribbing and will prevent the hat from curling up.

Continue knitting until the hat is about 5.5 inches tall. Then start reducing as follows: (here’s where it gets screwy for me… the vino+knitting= I forgot to write down what I did)

Round 1: Knit two together, knit 6. Repeat for one round.
Round 2 (and all even rounds): Knit
Round 3: K 2 together, K 5 for one round
Round 5: K 2 together, K 4 for one round (this is where you should probably switch to the double points).
Round 7: K 2 together, K 3
Round 9: K 2 together, K 2
Round 11: K 2 together, K 1
Round 13: K 2 together
Gather remaining stitches with a darning needle and fasten off. Weave in all tails.

OK. Pictures, shall we?
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I’ve finally made the transition from MT over to Wordpress. Comments were always such a headache with MT, but I liked the format. This will take a bit of getting used to. I still have some tweaks to do, too.

Oh. Well.

Knitting: Working on a hat with ear flaps. Due to the girth of my hair, I need a large hat. I can’t seem to find large hats!! Frustrating. So, I decided to make my own. This is the first time that I’ve worked (successfully) with circular needles. Progress Picture?

I hope to have this finished before the end of the month. We go up to the cabin next week, and that will give me some time to work on it. Knit, read, knit read…

Edit: Update, finished hat is here.