Winter Crafts

 

It's dangerously close to spring around here so I figured I'd do a little winter round up of the crafts I've been working on for the last few months.  First I made two cowls for Jamie out of yarn that she bought for herself (I've since taught her to knit and she could totally make these on her own now!).  I've made at least a dozen, maybe more of this exact pattern using this same yarn in many many colors.  I love the pattern and finished product so much.  It's fast, cute, reasonably priced and makes a great gift.  I have probably 6 or 8 upstairs in my dresser and mix and match them with outfits through the colder months of the year.

(Feb 4th)

Sometime around Christmas I started in on this blanket knowing it would suck up many months of knitting for me.  Truthfully, I'm running out of people to gift blankets and scarves to, but I love to make them because they keep my hands busy at night and me away from scrolling on my phone while we watch tv.  It's a good way to keep me focused on what's at hand.  So, the following pictures show my progress over the next few months....

(Feb 12 - Super Bowl)

(Feb 20)

 (March 11)

(March 27)

The pattern for this blanket is pretty interesting and you can see how it's coming together here in the last two pictures.  You use a two stitch decrease every other row to create the L shaped corner of the blanket.  I'll knit it down until there is just one stitch left across the top and then pick up stitches to finish it off.  I'm not exactly sure how it'll go once I get to that point, but that's almost ALWAYS the case when I'm knitting a new pattern.  HA!  I think to myself  "and then what will I do??" and decide, to just trust in the pattern and the directions it lays out...it usually works out for me :)

I'm excited to finish this one up because I've got a handful of shorter projects already in the wings - a few National Park hats (thanks to a Christmas present from Mom and Dad), a moose (a Hazel request) and a cowl.  My rule has always been that I'm not allowed to buy a new project until I finish the last, but, after nearly 15 years of knitting I know enough to know that I'll get to them eventually....but, I really have put a stop to the buying now.  I think I've got enough lined up to keep me busy until next winter at this point.