Christmas 2007

A rundown of my Christmas knitting projects:

Grandma's Fingerless Mitts

I wanted to make something my grandmother could wear to keep her hands and wrists warm inside in the winter.  These fingerless mitts keep the fingers free while covering pulse points and the wrist joint.
Yarn: Colinette Cadenza (a DK weight superwash merino wool)
Needles: US4/3.5mm DPNs
Pattern: Rose's Wrist Warmers

Florida Clapotis

Clapotis is a pretty popular scarf pattern, using dropped stitches to create an open texture.  I knit one for my grandmother in Florida in a cotton/linen/rayon textured yarn so it wouldn't be too warm (I hope).... She did say that it wasn't big or warm enough for her when it reached 32° in early January.
Yarn: Lang Oasis
Needles: US9/5.5 mm circular
Pattern: Clapotis

Green Hatmione/Hermittens

Inspired by knitwear in the Harry Potter movies (specifically, a hat worn by Hermione in Prisoner of Azkaban).  I made a set for myself, and decided to make another set for my mother-in-law.
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Needles: For hat, US7/4.5mm circ, US6/4.0mm DPNs
   For mittens, US6/4.0mm, US5/3.75mm DPNs
Pattern: Hatmione, Hermittens (also in Charmed Knits)

 Palindrome Scarf

Usually cables look good on one side of the fabric and bad on the other.  This scarf pattern creates a fabric with no wrong side; the cables are wide cables over ribbing.  I chose an acrylic yarn so it could be machine washed and dried, and a bright red so my father-in-law could wear it to Cornell hockey games.
Yarn: Red Heart Soft Yarn
Needles: US7/4.5mm circ
Pattern: Palindrome

 Ice Queen I/II

In early December, the new Knitty came out with a one-skein pattern that looked perfect as gifts for my mother and my friend N.  Kidsilk Haze is not a cheap yarn, but only one skein is quite doable, and I'd never tried beading in my knitting before.
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (mohair & silk)
Needles: US5/3.75mm, US8/5.0mm circ
Pattern: Ice Queen

 Mitered Tote Bag

I wanted to try a new technique: mitered squares.  This pattern was in a magazine I picked up on a whim.  Given to N's daughter A.
Yarn: Cascade Sierra (cotton & wool)
Needles: US7/4.5mm circ, US6/4.0mm DPNs
Pattern: Mighty Mitered Bag (in Creative Knitting Nov 2007)

Red Festive Top

When I got tired of knitting all these gifts, I worked on this crochet project for myself.  I planned on wearing it to church on Christmas Eve, and succeeded!
Yarn: Patons Brilliant
Hook: US I/5.5mm
Pattern: Crochet Festive Top