What I Knitted at Christmas, and What I'm Knitting on Now

I've been knitting this slip rib stole for a while, when I get time. It's chunky wool, Lorna's Laces Swirl, and the pattern is very easy, once I got used to it. I'm making it for myself--I'm just going to knit until it goes comfortably around my shoulders, and then seam it and wear it on chilly mornings. The pattern is (even number of stitches), Row 1: K1 Sl 1 purlwise across; Row 2: Purl all the way back. Repeat.

I knitted a commissioned mistaken rib scarf for a teenager, using the requested yellow, which was a revelation to me--so lovely and so perfect for winter. Don't know why I didn't want to use a pastel for a scarf before! It was evidently quite successful, and I foresee a lifetime of scarves in this pattern. It has so much loft, and with soft yarn, is a fluffy delight wrapped around the neck. My recent Percy scarf was made in that pattern, and with a wool/bamboo yarn, it was wonderful! This was Shepherd's Wool in Spring Chick.

I made a felted cloche that sold in the shop--it turned out great. Have to hope the recipient liked it, but at any rate, here's a picture of it before I shipped it off. Boy, did it need a haircut! Mohair and wool, and it was so fuzzy at first that it was pretty funny.

I made another felted cloche for DD#3 for Christmas, in these brown/aqua/green tones, but it wasn't her cuppa fur, as the family saying goes, so I felted it further, gave it a haircut too, and am now trying to decide what to do with it. It's of course too big for the toddler mannequin, but it's also a little tiny bit too small for Clementine. Would fit a teenager or small adult.

I also had great success with the scarf in Lorna's Laces Worsted Tuscany, and after it sold, had other requests for the same. So now I'm headed toward a few more in this scrumptious wool, to meet the demand. What a grind to have to knit with it. ;^)

This is a skinny scarf I'm making for yours truly in Great Northern mink/cashmere. It seems I'm always saying how soft a yarn is, and I always oohh and ahhh over the softest and kittenest of yarns. Well, this one has to win some prize, because although I have only one skein (DK weight), I am knitting a scarf to whatever length it will go, and will consider it a great gift to myself.


Coming soon:
I sent off, midsummer, a huge package of cat hair combed from the four beasties over the past two years. There was a long wait at VIP Fibers, but I'm moving up in the queue (about 18 more projects before mine) and hope to see my yarn before the end of the month. It will be a lovely taupe shade, as the cats all together make a sort of gray/brown shade. Can't wait!