Closing out 2006

Hello everyone!

I am pleased to announce that the semester is finally behind me! All of my papers and exams are graded and the final grades are in. An added bonus...as of this minute, no emails complaining about grades! We'll see how long that lasts! So, now it's on to planning next semester!

In holiday news, on New Years' Eve, DH and I will be doing our yearly tradition - ever since we started dating, we celebrate New Years' Eve by cooking together a really amazing meal. We haven't finalized the menu - I'll be sure to post the menu in my post next week - but I can tell you that it will involve...cornish game hens! Then, on New Years' Day, we'll be over at my in-laws...every year they always have everyone over so that should be fun.

In knitting news, I finished the first "Like Father, Like Son" Sweater:

Isn't it adorable??!! It looks to me like it should fit your average 1 year old. As I may have mentioned last time, it was knit with Rowan Big Wool in Gingersnap. It's 100% merino wool - and so soft and cuddly. I hope that they like it!

So, once that was seamed up, I started the second one - this time knit in Bohemian - a lovely vibrant red!

I just love this color - right now, I've only finished the back, but I know it won't be long before the whole thing is finished. I just love this pattern - it is such a super fast knit!

So, with that...I think I'll end my post with a somewhat obtrusive picture of Sam!

Happy 2007 everyone!

Happy Holidays!

Well, my weekly post was a little delayed. It's been very busy around here - as I mentioned last time, I was a little under the weather and then I've been grading papers nonstop and then I had exams!!! Luckily, my exams are now over so I just need to grade them. The semester is finally coming to a close.

In knitting news, as promised, here are pictures of the Hubby Hat and Knotty Hat being modelled:


Also, I've posted the pattern for the Knotty Hat in the post below. So, check it out!

In other knitting news, as I mentioned last time, I got the news that there are going to be 3 babies born in the next 6 months or so. So, I've started knitting baby stuff. So far...one baby sweater almost done - it just needs to be sewn up and the neckline needs to be finished.
I'll repeat that - yes, I basically finished a baby sweater pattern in about 3 days. How was that possible? Well, it's the "Life Father, Like Son" pattern from the Yarn Girls' Guide to Kids Knits. Here it is so far:

It's knit with Rowan Big Wool in Gingersnap. Now, I'm not usually a big fan of the huge needles (I used size 15 needles for this)..but it certainly works for instant gratification. This will eventually go with the Pumpkin Hat that I'm planning on making from Susan Anderson's Itty-Bitty Hats.

I'll be knitting another one of these sweaters with the same yarn in Bohemian (a bright red color) with a hat in red to match.

Well, that's it for now - I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

A Knotty Hat

© 2006 http://professorknitwit.blogspot.com

See copyright details at bottom of pattern

Original Pattern by Professor Knitwit

This hat is fun and quick to make - plus, the yarn is super soft and warm!!

Measurements
Circumference unstretched: 19'' at brim
Height: 7''
Size: Snug fitting - to fit women's average head
Gauge: 4sts/ 1''

Materials
Yarn: Catalina 100% Baby Alpaca - 1 skein (109 yards); Color: Lavendar Melange 105
Needles: 24 or 16 inch US 8 Circular needle; 1 set US 8 dpns
Note: Because you will be doing many p3tog and k3tog, it's a good idea to use needles with pointy tips. I used Bryspun Circulars and would recommend them for this project, but any pointy tip will do.

Pattern Notes
Make Knot: p3tog leaving sts on left-hand needle, now knit them together, then purl them together and slip off needle

Knot pattern uses a multiple of 6 + 5 sts - to increase or decrease size of hat, keep that in mind

Directions
CO 65 sts
Work 2 rounds in garter st
Start knot pattern:
Round 1&2: st st
Round 3: K1 *make knot, k3; rep from * to last 4 sts, make knot, k1
Rounds 4-6: st st
Round 7: K4, *make knot, k3; rep from * to last st, k1
Round 8: st st

Rep previous 8 rounds until hat is 5 inches from beg

Start decreasing hat on round 2, 4 , 6 or 8
Decrease 6 sts evenly in round
Transfer to dpns
Continue dec 6sts every OTHER row
When 23sts remain, dec every row
When 11 sts remain, break yarn and thread through remaining sts

Weave in ends

Enjoy!

Copyright information: 1. Contact me (professorknitwit@gmail.com) with all questions pertaining to the copyright, the pattern in general, or if you plan on distributing this pattern in any way for free. 2. This copyright notice and webblog address must remain intact on every printed pattern that is distributed. 3. No profit may be made from distribution of this pattern or the production of the finished hat. 4. Enjoy and happy knitting!

Yes, I do make things other than hats...just not this week

I think I mentioned last week that DH wanted a hat to go along with his new gloves. Unfortunately, I did not have enough left over from the gloves so I had to go and buy another skein - luckily, the store still had the same yarn and dye lot. Well, it didn't take me long to finish the hat:


I'll have to get DH to model it soon - but the good news is that it fits him and he likes it so that's great. I used the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns as a template - it's just a 3 x 3 rib on the bottom and then st st for the rest. Easy as that!


Then, I ended up making a new hat for myself. Don't get me wrong - I looooove my Droplet Hat. However, I think it's not as warm as I would like beacuse of the yarn. So, I bought a skein of this lovely bulky Catalina baby Alpaca yarn. This yarn is so luscious so soft! Plus, it's Alpaca so it should be very warm.


Anyway, so with this yarn, I knit up my very own first pattern! Here's my new hat:


It's knit with little knots throughout - here's a closeup of the stitch pattern:


If people are interested in the pattern, let me know and I'll be sure to post it in my next entry. It's pretty easy and super cute. I also promise to post both pictures of myself and DH modeling our new hats too. Unfortunately, I'm a little under the weather, so I wasn't feeling up to posing for the camera!

That's right...I'm feeling a little under the weather...again! Of course, this little cold came on immediately after my last class for the semester!!! Yes, classes are finally over!! Now, I just have a bagillion papers to grade and exams next week!

In other news, I just heard from my mom who happens to in from Zurich for the winter that two of my French cousins are now pregnant. Supposedly, they've been pregnant for some time..so, you know what that means....baby alert!! My brother in law's brother and his wife is also expecting - so I'm going to be knitting baby items for the near future!

Knitters unite!

Another busy week comes to a close. I'll tell you...there's just something about the end of the semester that drives me nuts. Aside from all of the papers that are due and exams (and yes, I'm still grading stacks and stacks of those papers)...by the end of the semester I always find that I'm sort of sick of my classes. I felt this way as a student too - so it's definitely time to move onto another semester!

I have been knitting though despite the craziness. I've been meaning to give an update on the next pair of socks I've been working on. Here are my Oriel toe-up socks:


The pattern is another good one from Sensational Knitted Socks - but it's an intermediate sock pattern so I'm taking it up a notch! The stitch pattern is a little hard to see - I think you'll get a better feel for it once I've finished it and can try it on. But, it's been taking a little longer because the stitch pattern is a little tricky. In terms of the sock itself, it's knit in a peachy Koigu.

Actually, so I have an interesting story to tell about these socks. So, this week I did a sort of stitch n bitch session as part of this community service project at a home for people with HIV/AIDS. It was my first time at this particular center...and the more knitters I meet, the more I realize that the online knitting community is not representative of your average knitter. I took out the sock and you would have thought that I had brought out the most complicated knitting project ever created. Most of the knitters there did not know how to purl and never moved beyond scarves. I don't know - it's just such a weird thing..because I thought everyone was like the average knitting blogger - and that my knitting skills are nowhere near those of many online knitters. But, instead I was treated like the "expert knitter". Weird. So, it was kind of a bizarre eye-opening experience.

In other news, I also started a hat for DH. After working on the gloves, he decided that he wanted a hat to match. So, I may need to run out and get another skein - for the moment I'm working on leftovers from the gloves and have gotten this far:
The hat is based on the basic hat pattern from Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns. The bottom edge is 3x3 ribbing - and then just stockinette. It's looking like I will probably run out of yarn - but we'll see.

That's it for now! Have a great weekend.