On & Off the Needles

News from the holiday knitting front:
Items are falling off the needles quickly around here.  I feel like Molly Weasley.  Accomplishing all sorts of domestic tasks while my needles are busy click clacking away in front of a warm fire.  I am eighty percent done with my holiday gift making!  My deadline is the first week of December since I have to mail everything this year.  Here is a peek at my finished gifts without giving anything away!

Other news in knitting:
I finished my Gryffindor House Scarf!  After consulting with Kara and Amber (both started their scarves long after I started mine and finished theirs promptly!); I opted to do without the fringe (I think fringe is kind of juvenile).  Now, I just need a hat and some fingerless mitts to go with my scarf and I am ready for the next Quidditch match.  Go Gryffindor!

Pattern:  House Scarves Year 3-4 by Lauren Kent

Yarn:  Cascade 220 in Wine and Gold

While my sister, Nikki, was visiting a couple of weeks ago; she brought back a cowl I made her last year.  She liked it well enough but it was "itchy".  So, together we went through my stash and found a yarn that was not "itchy".

Pattern: Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho

Yarn:  Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal (discontinued)

I have plenty of the Reynolds Alpaca in my stash (a great buy from a great friend) and I think there might be a a couple lovely ladies in my life that need a "bird of prey" headdress.  In return for making Nikki a new cowl; I got to keep the original!  Itchy?  Not. At. All.

Yarn: Berroco Peruvia

Other news in my knitting world:

Awhile back, I revised my Ravelry Groups and joined the Shibui Knits group.  The very talented Lidia Tsymbal was hosting a pattern give away for the then new Shibui Geometry Series.  All that was required was to follow and comment on her blog.  Done and done.  Lucky me, I won!

Pattern: Parabola by Lidia Tsymbal

Pattern:  Rectangle by Jenny Trygg

Pattern:  Radii by Kirsten Johnstone

Recently, I took the plunge and purchased the Signature Needles straight needle set.  It was a bit of a splurge since I do not have an income right now.  I am happy I did it because they truly are awesome.  And beautiful.  And magical.  I was only going to buy the US7; since that was the pair I needed for a specific project (p5tog and making 15 from 1 stitch is a breeze with these needles).  After doing the math, it made more sense to buy the set because I knew that I would want and need them all eventually.  The best thing is I will never need to buy another pair of straight needles and sometimes you just have to invest in yourself!  Now, all I need to do is find employment so that I can purchase all of them (ha!).  Seriously, I want them all.

Happy Knitting friends!