To create a superstrain of knitting!

They said I was mad – mad! I’ll show them, I’ll show them all! Bwahahahahahaaaa!!!!!

….a’hem. Behold the list of insanity:

1. A St Kilda beanie for my da.
2. Bedsocks for my da.
3. My niece's skirt being turned into a cushion.
4. My cabled orange shrug.
5. My scoop neck Fair Isle vest.
6. An alpaca teddy for my new nephew, Rohan (hi!)
7. My two yarn brown jumper.
8. My purple scarf of gorgeousness.

See? I am somewhat capable after all. I’ve managed to create finished products. Miracles do occur. Now to turn water into Cointreau…

My da’s St Kilda beanie was awful. Horrible. A mini-nightmare of tears and recrimination. Stupid ribbing! First I picked it up on a 6mm needle, thinking “Rib, pulls in doesn’t it? Best knit it larger…” A very bad move. It was huge and very quickly frogged back. Next it was on the 5mm I started off with – now to try and remember the pattern. This is next to impossible when watching dvd’s at 11pm on a Saturday night. Trust me on this. Eventually I finished it, made a highly vindictive pom pom top and swore to beat my father with a stick next time I saw him. But only after I give him his bedsocks that I really want to keep for myself.

Here is the horror that was niece’s skirt. I promised I would never take any pictures of it and I kept that promise. It’s a cushion now, so the old vow still holds. She is going to love it, sadly, so some good has come of it. Oh, and I promised to make her cousin (no relation to me, mind) a pink beanie for her teddy bear out of the remnants. I must be either inane or nice, I can’t decide.

Here is Rohan’s bear. He is perfect, he is adorable, he is exactly how I hoped the bear would turn out – but better. It almost makes up for the fact that I made the right arm three times. That’s right – three. I made it, lost it, pulled a bootie I’d made to pieces, knitted up a second arm, lost that one, and using the absolute last remnants, made a third. Just. And I mean just – cut off tails of yarn were being used. But isn’t he just perfect?

The buttons were bought as expected, and I heart my gloves. A lot. Waaaaaaayyyy too much. I think they’re elegant, stylish, original and beautiful. This leads me to ask why I’m wearing them, but Felix says they suit me. So I’ll trust his judgement this once.

The brown jumper is kicking along nicely to the tune of “Bleak House” (yes again! It’s only the fourth time I’ve watched it, and it’s only hours long…) and this evening I started the sleeves. Now, the problem is that this is the last of the mohair. At all. I bought it at Lincraft two years ago, and I don’t think they stock it anymore. It seems to go far, but as far as two sleeves and a cowl neck? I don’t think even I’m that lucky.

In brief 10 minute increments, I’m casting off my Melanie Falick Christmas scarf. I can only cast off stitches for 10 minutes at a time, because otherwise I shall go mad. The final row had 1600 stitches, and took me three hours to knit one row, so casting off is a bit…well, painful. And yes my observant friends, that is a hospital bracelet being used as a needle stop. It works perfectly.

Isn't he adorable?