Frazzled Knits

No, it's not a voodoo doll

I'm back to working on my Theodora doll:

 Kinda creepy, huh?  I feel a little like Dr. Frankenstein! 

The pattern has driven me crazy in a few spots (mostly the back short rows, which made no sense to me whatsoever).  Clearly, the designer and I do not think alike.  But I've muddled through, and I think she looks pretty good.  The shaping is quite brilliant, especially on the arms and legs.  Very realistic.  And I loved making her braids. 

I hope to get her remaining leg finished today, and then it's on to her clothing, which is the real reason I started this project in the first place.  The miniature Icelandic clothes are just too cute!

Principles of Knitting

Principles of Knitting arrived! I am so excited. I learned so much with the library's copy of this book when I taught myself to knit 9 years ago. Was very sad when their copy disappeared, and have been waiting ever since for the new edition. It's here! And 2 inches thick too - I forgot what a big book it was!

That's enough of gloves for a bit

I finished the blue-green gloves:

• Pattern:  Guess Who gloves by Holli Yeoh
• Yarn:  Fleece Artist Sock yarn (quite old - it's a 2 ply, which is different than the yarn now)
• Needles: 2.5 mm for the whole project
• Size:  Ladies small (middle size in the pattern), to fit my 11 yo son

Latest little projects

I'm working on two small projects at the moment:

A pair of gloves for DS2, my 11 year old, in a green and blue Fleece Artist sock yarn that he chose for socks many years ago, before his mother got daunted by boys' fast-growing feet and decided that she wasn't going to make socks!  The pattern is Guess Who, but without the contrast palms and cuff.  The variegations are a little wild, but generally I like the way the yarn is patterning up.  They don't look quite so contrasty in person. 

And project #2 is a Basic Beanie hat in Kroy sock yarn, from the free Patons pattern.  I'm stuck on it because I don't have a 16" 3.5mm circular for the stockinette portion.  Will have to find one, somewhere.  Maybe the smallest size cable from the KnitPicks set will work.  I did increase the stitch count to 142, so there are a lot of stitches to work with.

The only other knitting news I have to report is a small stash enhancement, courtesy of Pudding Yarn in Calgary this past weekend:

A skein of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in the colour "Thunderstorm", destined for a hat for DH.  He picked the yarn, and paid for it.  It was the only one in the store that spoke to him (he has very good taste).  Now I just have to turn it into something!  Am thinking of a Little Things beanie, probably without buttons to masculine it up a bit.  

Valentine's Day

My DH found the perfect Valentine's Day card for me:

Happy Valentine's Day!

A glove

The boys still wear their Guess Who gloves all the time, but the gloves are seriously too small for them!  The fingers end at about the second knuckle.  Bless them for not minding, but I thought it was time make some bigger ones:

One finished so far, and the thumb gusset almost done on the second.  The yarn is Patons Kroy in Gentry Grey (though it's more black) and the stripey stuff is a mystery yarn from my Aunt Ilse that I think I've identified as Regia Jacquard Color 4 ply in "Taiga".