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Check this one out! This is the super cool hat Holly mentioned in an earlier blog entry. I am really pleased with how this turned out.
Pattern:
The Newsboy Cabled Cap
Stitch 'n Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller
Overall I enjoyed the pattern. This is my first "real" cable project. No issues with the pattern. I had a little problem with the decreases at the top. I believe it was operator error. 
Yarn:
The same I used for the Zippy Cardigan. This time in a gorgeous green. Love, love, love this yarn.
Needles, Notions and accessories:
I used the suggested needle sizes which leads me to believe the Blue Sky Patterns are knitted by a very loose knitter. 
A cable needle and stitch markers.
Plastic canvas is suggested to make the brim stiff. I substituted a very heavy fabric used for backing purchased at G-Street. I can’t remember the name. But it worked well.
Time: Not much. A great weekend project. Enjoyable knit. Great for those new to cables.
Fun factor: 9
Funky and cool. I could see myself making another hat.
I am wearing Eloise today and receiving LOADS of compliments. Between that and emails from lovely friends, I’m having a great day!
Sweater Details:
Eloise has been quite the popular knit. Check out this Knit Happens blog entry for additional details.
Pattern: Eloise
A quick knit. Well-written pattern. The any change I made was to make the sleeves 2 ½ inches shorter than suggested. The edges are a bit weird. One sleeve curls under, the other over. No worries. I haven’t blocked her yet and when I do, they will be just right!
Yarn: Noro Blossom
Like with all Noro yarn, I love the surprise! The colors, the striping, the little blossoms that pop out. I had a blast knitting with Blossom. The color worried me at first and I almost ripped and went to get a new color way. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was held captive in a car so I kept going. Low and behold, it turned out wonderfully! A few “weird” browns but it works in the overall coloring.
A bit of a pain to seam with the yarn. I made the largest size and used 10 skeins of yarn. I have a very, very small amount leftover. Not even enough for a coaster.
Needles, Notions and other accessories: Size 9 addi circulars. I had to go up a 1 size to get gauge.
The buttons I originally purchased looked hideous. They looked okay when the yarn was balled. When I placed them on the knitted sleeve, I thought Brittany and Holly were going to run from the store screaming! Not the right buttons. So off to G-Street where I found the leather ones Eloise is sporting now.
Time: A little more than a week from start to finish. Granted this was a week with LOADS of knitting time. One sleeve was completed on the drive to/from southern VA.
Fun factor: 10
It’s done! Seaming was wonderful. I am not sure if it was due to the yarn, pattern or the fact that I’m starting to understand what I’m doing. This is the first sweater where I did not groan, moan and try to bribe someone else to finish it for me. AND, most importantly, I’m happy and proud of it.
I’m off to Charleston to celebrate the New Year with the Husband and our best friends. Hope you have a Happy New Year! CHEERS!
That was the question. The Zippy cardigan is complete. The overwhelming majority agreed no zipper required. I’d most likely never zip it, so why bother? I will have a hook and eye installed sometime in the future.
Sweater Details:
Pattern: Zip Cardigan from Blue Sky Alpaca
A lovely pattern. I had no issues outside of operator error. 
The cardigan is very nicely styled. I did not make the sweater the suggested length, way too long for me. If I make it again, I’ll shorten the sleeves by 3 inches and include the crochet edge on those.
Yarn: Blue Sky Worsted
I used the black and had quite a bit of dye on my hands. (This is not normal. This was a weird dye lot.) I wore the cardigan over a white shirt yesterday and found no black dye rubbed off. I enjoyed knitting with this yarn. I’m using it for a hat in a lovely green and enjoy that even more than the black. It knits up beautifully!
Needles: Size 9 addi circulars. Or did I switch to 10s? This is the problem when you actually finish knitting a sweater about a month prior to seaming.
Time: See above. Actual knitting time was quick and easy. Found it to be a lovely project to work on while socializing. The crochet edging took 2 full nights but that was with a great, great deal of ripping and re-starting. This was only my second time doing this type of edging and the last time was more than 2 years ago.
Fun factor: 8
I might make this again. The pattern is a wonderful, all-purpose cardigan. I would choose a color other than black. You really can’t see the stitch work and it picks up EVERYTHING! I learned a few new skills on this project:
· 3 needle cast off, for the shoulders
· Crochet edging
On a side note: when you purchase supplies at your LYS, they are more likely to help you with the project. All of my supplies were purchased at Knit Happens. I received help from the lovely employees at Knit Happens as well as my friends who are much more accomplished knitters than myself. Thanks!
I’m currently working on Eloise and hope to have her completed by the end of January. Must work on finding “good” buttons.
Have a wonderful, happy and safe holiday!
This is our Nativity scene. Notice anything wrong or out of place or simply not in place? You got it . . . no baby Jesus.
There is a bit of a disagreement in our household over the proper nativity scene display. The Husband believes that the baby Jesus should not be placed in the scene until December 25th,. I believe that the Nativity Scene is simply a representation of the actual events, as most of the characters standing around weren’t ACTUALLY there until well after the birth. The Husband feels so strongly about this subject that he has hidden the crib and Jesus. Meanwhile, I have a Mary sitting with outstretched arms and a multitude of people and animals looking at nothing. Look at that poor lamb, he's so very confused.
So, it’s my mission to poll friends and family to determine whose right. (We all know I am but I am currently baby Jesus-less. So I have to be the one to prove it.) Informal results to-date: Baby Jesus included prior to the 25th: 8 Baby Jesus should be added on the 25th: 2 (that’s mine and another Husband who is wrong.)
Can to ring in on your tradition?
Notes from my research: A nativity scene generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. Nativity scenes, usually show Jesus in a manger, Joseph, and Mary in a barn intended for the housing of animals. A mule and an ox surround them, after the Apocryphal Gospels. The scene sometimes includes three wise men, shepherds, angels and the Star of Bethlehem. They are placed around Christmas in Catholic (and some Protestant) homes, churches and parks. A life-sized one is on Piazza San Pietro in the Vatican City. The traditional manger scenes that assemble together the shepherds and wise men are not true to Scripture, since the Magi arrived much later (Luke 2:7-16). When the shepherds arrived, Jesus was in the manger (a feeding trough in a stable). By the time the wise men arrived, Jesus was moved into a house (Matthew 2:11). To read more about Nativity Scenes.
Over at the Knitting Knotebook the season is celebrated with a Hanukah Hat. I can't wait to see Cindy wearing it! It was Cindy who inspired my Christmas hat and Brittany who made my hat a reality.
My Christmas Hat was knitted for me by the wonderful Brittany. Look! Isn't it great? Brittany, thank you so much for making it for me. It's a great hat and exactly perfect! Now what was the date I had to stop wearing it?
Happy Holidays! Yes, that is Bosco visiting Santa in the album with my hat. Sophia was a bit shy and freaked out. Strange since Santa is someone she sees every day.
Lots of knitting this weekend. Will take pictures and blog about it tomorrow.
