Nuclear Knits: Where knitting is the bomb!

Project Details: Started on January 5th as a KAL with Bonnie. Finished on January 30. I used my own yarn, Serenity Stitches Black Hole, which is a blend of alpaca and silk. I hope that the blend gives the hat enough slouch. I hope that Bonnie finishes hers up soon!

I'm not sure how it works for you all, but in my craft room I always have an inbox. My inbox is filled with projects that need to be fixed or redone in some way. I normally wait and wait and wait before starting my inbox. I'm not sure why, but the idea of sitting down for a whole stack of hemming just doesn't appeal to me. Yesterday I decided to crank through my inbox. In the end I fixed holes in a girlfriends pair of jeans, hemmed 3 pairs of Mike's pants, fix a pair of Mike's bike shorts that were ripped and removed a zipper from a sweater I made for Mike and place in a new jacket zipper. All in all it took me a few hours, but it was worth it just to finish up and empty out the inbox (which is now empty and looks fantastic).

I know you can't see much in this photo - and that is sort of the point. I'm still working on the designs for the sock club that is coming up in April. I hope to have over half the patterns done while we are on vacation next week. This is the Brambles Beret. I'm not working on it much, but I have made some progress.

Project Details: These are for the Sole Sisters exchange. I hope to block them and get them in the mail this weekend. I used Knit One Crochet Two Ty-Dye Sock Yarn. Size 2 needles. I found the thumb to be a bit strange and I had a hard time getting gauge. These were started on January 1st and finished on January 21st. I like the cable repeat but will probably not make this pattern again.

I finished mitten #1 for my soul sisters swap. I'm not sure I like the thumb - the design of it is a bit strange compared to normal thumbs, but we'll see after I finish the next one and put them on together. They will fit my partner (I hope) since I made them to the dimensions she needs. Fun swap so far. Great energy and lovely group of people from all over the world.

These are the mittens I'm working on for Soul Sisters. I need to finish them up in the next week or two. I wish that I had paid more attention to the pattern before I started. Do you see all the stitch markers I need just to keep track of where I am. Pain in the butt, but worth it I hope!

I had two jelly rolls of this retro fabric. I used the majority of it for a quilt, which I'm still working on, but what was left I used to make two reversible aprons. I put a few buttons on one side, inside the flowers, but the apron can be worn either side out. I've sent one of the aprons to a friend and I'm going to keep the other one. Directions for Jelly Roll Apron: ************************************ 10 different colored strips 2 matching strips for the tie buttons or beads for adornment Attach 10 pieces lengthwise. Iron. Fold down the middle and stitch across bottom and side. Turn right side back out. Take 2 matching colored strips and attach together on short edge. Iron in half and then in quarters (with the raw edges up next to the center line). Place the center where you attached the 2 matching fabrics together at the center of the apron on the top of the open side. Pin along the top side with the apron up within the ironed tie. Stitch all the way down ...

2010 was a strange crafting year for me. With the house fire it seems like all of my projects were interrupted or messed with a bit. Here are the totals though. The numbers: 14853 yards of knitting 2010 2 lb 4 oz spinning 2 quilts (1 king, 1 queen) 1 quilted table runner The break down: 2 vests 1 shrug 2 sweaters 1 afghan 9 pairs of socks (6 of my own design) 5 scarfs 4 hats 3 washcloths lavender sashes 3.5 (mittens - one set was messed up in the fire and had to be tossed) 3 crochet rock covers 1 woven scarf When you see all of the numbers it doesn't really seem to be that much, but it sure did keep me busy!

With the year rolling over I find myself looking at the projects around me and the project to come. I started a group called Sole Sisters (for handknit socks or mittens to a secret pal). It officially kicked off Jan.1. I also joined a Ravelry group on knitting socks or mittens to work through stash. The first pattern is out of Enchanted Sole and is something I've wanted to do. So, I'm casting on for it as well. Of course I still have the lace project that I've been cranking through. I'm not sure when I'll finish it but I keep working at it. While cleaning up my craft room I found another quilt that I started. I've decided to finish this up this year as well. Why have something sitting half finished for a decade? Why? I'm sad and sorry to see the side bar on my blog though. It says I haven't knit this year and I haven't spun this year. LIES I tell you! :) To recap 2010 I knit 14853 yards and I spun 2 lbs 4oz of roving. A pretty darn good ...