Past Time for an Update

     So it's October now and Nerd Wars has started again.  I've been busy on the knitting front.  Before T6 began I made another pair of Elf Clobbers.  I used Berroco Vintage for the wrist and crochet sections and Queensland Collection Soft Comfort Mohair for the fuzzy mohair section. 

This is my second go at this pattern.  I made sure to do a very loose bind off at the top of the 2X2 knitted rib section.  I also made the mohair portion looser and longer. 

     I never really got to all the finishing I wanted to do.  The tea towel toppers and the Star Trek Pot Holder taunt me every day.  I keep them out as a reminder of the things I need to complete.  One of these days they'll finally get to me and I'll finish them. 

     As I said Nerd Wars started so I've been plugging away at projects and another dissertation.  I was able to go yarn shopping twice, yes twice!  On my first trip I picked up the yarn for my dissertation.  Four skeins of Berroco Vintage Colors for Abalone.  

One Skein of Berroco Weekend for Swirly Hurricane Mitts.  

My Aunt Ann asked me to make her a pair of fingerless mitts.  I sent her a link to my previous Swirly Hurricane Mitts, but it turns out she's allergic to wool.  She really liked the pattern though so all I had to do was get non-wool yarn.  I still wanted to get something nice and I was going to the yarn shop anyway...  Weekend had the best color choices so I grabbed a lilac and the rest is history.  I'm working on these now.  I just have the thumbs to go.

You'll  have to pardon the cruddy cell phone picture.  That's usually what's most handy when I knitting away on the couch.  Once these are done, they'll be my third submission for Nerd Wars.  So back to yarn, on my first trip I also picked up another skein of Classic Elite Yarns Liberty Wool, in the same colorway and dye lot that I was given for my birthday.  So if I want to, I can make another pair of socks.

I was in a very purple mood that day if no one could tell.  I was even wearing a purple shirt.  On that trip I forgot to pick up another set of US8 DPN's.  Half my set is being borrowed right now and I really didn't want to wait to get them back.  I've been wanted to switch over completely to Hiya Hiya's so this was the perfect excuse to go back to the yarn shop.  So, on my second trip I picked up the needles and of course more yarn.  I had a bit of cash left over from the first trip and I sold a few dishcloths so...  I got some Cascade 220 Fingering in black for knucks I'll be making for Hubby.  He knows about them already, he's been asking me to make him something since I started knitting.

Black really doesn't photograph well, in any light.  I picked up a skein of Berroco Vintage for my stash.  I really love Vintage.  Its my go-to yarn for anything at this point.

Last but not least I bought my first skein of Malabrigo.  Rios to be exact, its a superwash and very, very pretty.  I spied the Mal on my first trip to the yarn shop and it called my name, so when I went back I really couldn't say no.  I mean could anyone say no to this?

I got this for me, as a splurge, since I've been working stupid hours lately.  That's probably self centered but I really don't care, the knitting is for me, why not some of the yarn. 

     So on to Nerd Wars.  My dissertation was approved so I've done a little bit of work on the sweater.  I don't have pictures yet and there's not much to show yet anyway.  I have gotten two challenges done.  The first one was for Technical:  The Power of One,Two or Three...  We were tasked with crafting a project from either multiple fibres or multiple colorways.  The yarns could not be preblended or self striping alone.  I made two Tricolour Dishcloths.  Yes, more Tricolours, have I mentioned how much I love this pattern.  Here's how they came out:

I used four different yarns for these cloths.  The white and the solid blue are millends, so probably Hobby Lobby, and the self striping is Sugar and Cream Stripes.  In the second cloth (the one on the left) I ran out of the Sugar and Cream so I used Peaches and Cream Scents for the last row and a half (near the top, its hard to see on this picture).  I really like how these turned out.  I think the one in the foreground is my favorite Tricolour ever.  Thus far I've kept it. 

     The second challenge I've completed is the Intellectual:  A Lion Rampant.  For this we were tasked with crafting an element of what would be our coat of arms, if we were to make one.  Since the Hubbs and I enjoy winter and snowmobiling and I do the majority of my knitting in the winter, I made a snowflake to represent this love.  I also used a pattern that required both knitting and crochet, since I do both.  Here's the pattern:  Snowflake Ornament.  (This pattern is actually part of a bundle of 5 patterns). 

I'm not super thrilled with how it came out.  My decreases don't look correct and I'm still crappy at crochet.  I made this from Red Heart Super Saver which of course is acrylic so to make this lay flat I had to "kill" it.  That was fun actually.  I think I did it correctly.  Basically you run a steam iron over it, with out touching it.  It changes an element of the yarn so it doesn't curl or buckle anymore.  This only took me an hour total so I may make some more for the Christmas tree.  That's it for now.  I'll try to keep up a little better.  I foresee the knucks being a long ordeal as the yarn is fingering/laceweight.  I don't actually expect to get them done in a month, but ya never know, miracles do happen occasionally.  Happy Crafting!
-Q