Christmas Knitting...and Other Stuff

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I want to warn you before you read this post that it contains Christmas gifts in it...if your name is Olivia, please STOP READING!!! So far, you're the only one I've started knitting for!!!

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So, I wanted to start off with some non-Christmas knitting, just in case my niece Olivia happens upon this post...I don't think she knows about my knitting blog, so I should be in the clear.

A little while back, I mentioned that I had started a new OBB...well, here it is. The blanket is called, “Ilanaaq”, which is the Inuktitut word for “friend”. It is also the name of the logo for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The whole thing will be done in the logo colors and in garter stitch. It is already with the third knitter...pretty cool, huh??

Next up...Hannah's Miffy. Hannah and I were browsing through patterns on Ravelry, and we stumbled upon one for a Miffy doll. She really liked it, and asked me to make her one. So, off to Michaels we went to buy some white and blue yarn. I am not 100% happy with how it is going so far. The increases say to be M1, but I think if I had kfb, I'd be in better shape. The M1s are leaving little holes, and I'm not thrilled about them. I'm not going to frog what I have done, but I will make a note on the pattern for the next time I make this one...since I am sure that Hannah will request another. I also plan to make the dress with snaps, so I can make several different colored ones.

So, this is Miffy's head. I am in the process of doing the decreases and then I have to split out the ears.

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Okay Olivia, if you've read this far...STOP NOW!!!!

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So, now for some Christmas knitting updates. I asked my sister-in-law, Eva, if the kids had any requests, and she informed me that leg warmers are popular back home. Okay, I can handle round after round of stockinette...but then she threw me a curve ball when I asked what color Oliva is currently fond of (it has always been purple in the past, so that's what I was expecting to hear). Nope...not purple...ORANGE!!! Yikes!!! I am not a huge fan of orange, and it isn't a real easy color to find...unless of course you count the scratchy stuff at Michaels which is perfect for little pumpkins...not so much for leg warmers.

Well, I lucked out and found some multi-colored yarn that had orange in it...and purple. So far, I am liking the striping effect, and I think the colors will appeal to an 11 (almost 12 year old) girl.

Sorry that the photo is sideways...I have no clue why this happened!!!

I still have a LONG way to go, since this is only the first one, but I figure that I'll work on them for a bit and then move on to something else...then come back to them. I am also thinking about getting another pair of dpns for this project...the ones I have are not liking the yarn. I think I need something a bit sharper at the ends.

Here is my first finished Christmas gift. Olivia collects American Girl dolls, so I thought I'd make her some clothes for them. I started off with a basic cape. I still need to find a clasp for the front, since I don't care for the I-cord look as much.

Here it is...modeled by my Kirsten doll.

It is just basic stockinette with simple increases...then you pick up stitches around the neck for the hood.

My only real mod to this pattern is that I didn't do a 3-needle bind-off on the hood. Instead I seamed it up. I really don't mind seaming, so I was happy when the directions said you could do either!!!

Not bad...if I do say so myself!!!

So, that's what I have been up to. I have lots more AG clothes to make, a scarf/hat set for one of my nephews, and who knows what else. I'll keep you posted as I move through my "To Do" list!!

Cheers!

Sharon