It's been a long time since I knit a scarf!

I feel like I haven't knit a nice scarf since forever. Perhaps because I haven't found an interesting pattern mixed with the fact that sometimes scarves can feel a little boring to knit because it can become quite repetitive. However, I was looking through my album of things I've made and I just feel like I haven't really made any pretty scarves since I mainly knitted scarves back when I first started since they were relatively easy to make. And, since they were my early projects, looking back, they weren't that nice looking.
Well, I finally have this nice looking blanket scarf to help pretty up my collection of scarves that I've made! It was a bit tedious to knit towards the end, but the beginning to middle bit felt pretty fun to knit. I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Quick Knit

Last several days have been rainy and boring. My introvert-ness is in full gear and I've basically looked like this all weekend so far: 

Lying around in my pjs harassing Ellie.. Of course, I fit in some knitting too while watching some of my shows. Just lazy lazy days. 

So what have I been knitting? Well, honestly, it's a scarf that I didn't want to knit. My sister lost her cupido stitch scarf I knit for her two years ago (lost hours worth of work!!) However, I still have pretty much an entire ball of it left so she told me to knit her another one. I didn't want to really knit it because the yarn she uses makes it hard to see any pattern because it's so fluffy, but I also wanted to use this opportunity to use up that ball of yarn, so I just knit her a simple 2x2 ribbed cowl. I made the cast-on number too big though, so it looks sort of awkward, but I think it still turned out okay. 

Cozy enough, wouldn't you say?

It's a Bird, it's a Plane!

 

It's a hooded lace scarf!

I think it turned out super cute, and it's such a uniquely knitted project too! Saves you the trouble of bringing both a hat and a scarf out I suppose! My boyfriend keeps saying I look like a mage though, haha!

 

It was much simpler to knit than I originally thought too. Basically, all you do is knit a giant rectangle first, and then bind off in the middle, then keep working the ends until they reach your desired length. Pompom and fringes are optional, although I always enjoy making those, so I added them for sure.

This is how it looks before you knit the back seems to create the hood:

The lace pattern is so pretty too! Kept me pretty occupied as I began my climb onto the Doctor Who bandwagon. I only watched ten episodes though (starting at the 2005 reboot). I was never into Sci-Fi, but it kept me interested enough.

 

Now that I'm done, I know exactly what I'm going to do next! I've been itching to dive into my new yarn stash!

 

Edit: Here's my sweetie modelling for me!

Show your Stripes

My newest project was sort of a spontaneous one. After the finish of my last project, I asked my coworker if they wanted me to make them anything since I was looking to start a new project right away (can't go one day without knitting it seems). They said they wanted a scarf, which was fine except I didn't have enough yarn of one color to make a whole scarf. So, I dug around, and finally found a pattern that she'd be happy to receive, and I'd be happy to make. I present to you... the Leftovers Cowl.

 

 

It didn't really use up a lot of my leftover yarn. The only color it completely used up was the white one. Normally, this would be a pretty boring knit for me since its basically just knit stitches while alternating colors, but it actually wasn't since it allowed me to binge watch my shows while mindlessly knitting. I got through 31 twenty minute episodes, heh!

It wasn't as if I didn't learn anything either. I learned how to do the provisional cast on stitch, as well as how to do the kitchener stitch in the round. I think I'm way better grafting now as it is actually practically invisible and not [immediately] obvious where I connected my tube together. Anyway, I'm really happy with how it turned out! I definitely want to knit more nice looking scarves. I know I should be proud of my earlier projects, but it actually does bug me that my first four scarves/ cowls were so ugly, haha. Well the only thing I can do is keep knitting more and more!

Happy Birthday!!

Yesterday was my boyfriend's birthday! For the last couple of posts, I guess you could see I was knitting something blue with fingering yarn that required several hanks. Well, it was a present for him! I previously made him a scarf already (the first scarf ever made), but he doesn't wear it too often because he says its too hot, so I only see it appear when its snowing like crazy outside. I decided to make him a lighter scarf that he can wear in the spring/ autumn weather, thus why its made from fingering yarn! Here it is:

As you can see, the scarf is unisex, as I think it looks pretty good on the both of us. I took the idea from this pattern, except instead of garter stitch, I did basketweave. Honestly. I think I would've been bored to death if I just did garter stitch (not that basketweave isn't easy or boring, but at least it isn't as repetitive)! Man, does knitting a scarf with fingering knit up slow! It took me practically the whole month to complete this project, and it wasn't even difficult! I love the way it turned out though! Especially the button which I got from Michaels! I think it just gives the scarf a classic feel. I was initially nervous about having to knit button holes, as that is the only new thing that I had to learn from this experience (other than don't knit scarves with fingering yarn ever again unless you want to be bored), but it was a piece of cake. It was literally just about binding off and casting on, both skills which I know already.

Did I already mention how glad I am to be finished? I hate working with hanks!! The third hank that I had to unravel got into this HUGE knot that I tried unknotting for an hour which pretty much ruined parts of the yarn so I had to cut some of the yarn off so now I have two balls of leftover yarn added to my stash when it could've just been one.. I was so mad at myself though because I tried people's advice on how to unravel it properly and I still screwed up! Anyway, although I say that, I do still want to work with hanks again ... I can't give up until I perfect the raveling technique!

Most important fact of all about all this: my boyfriend (appears to anyway ..) really like this scarf! And with the risk of being labelled cheesy, if he's happy, so am I!

To Keep You Warm

These were made very recently. You can't see it all all thanks to the type of yarn it is, but the cowl is made from cupido stitch. The ear-flap hat was made from various Youtube videos. My sister is going on a vacation to a place very cold, so I made these for her.

Things I learned:

• Cupido stitch (obviously)
• everything to do with making an ear-flap (also obviously...)
• How to attach pieces back onto the project (i.e. the ear-flaps)
• Making those nice tails at the end

A Secret Santa Project

This scarf was made for my secret Santa at work. I only started working last September in 2013, and this was made in December. So needless to say, at the time, I didn't know my co-workers very well and had no idea what I should get. A brilliant idea came to mind, and I thought I should knit her a scarf (since a. I get to work on my hobby, and b. she'll have to pretend to like this scarf since its hand-made, sounded like a win-win to me).

I'm actually incredibly proud of this one. Things I learned:

• Long-tail cast-on
• YO: yarn over

It just looks so nice, and I think it was one of the first times where I began to think that my skills were improving.

Pattern can be found here: www.auntekristy.blogspot.ca/2013/08/free-pattern-gallatin-scarf.html

The Bandana Cowl

My first scarf where I learned how to read a pattern! So, I didn't understand knitting in the round. I was knitting it flat up until one part, where I realized something was wrong, searched the term up, and did my best to salvage the scarf so I didn't have to start over. I also didn't understand different knitting needle sizes and yarn weight, so... this scarf doesn't look as good as it should. I think it looks okay though. I mean, its wearable. It's a lot smaller than it should be, and also the bottom part curls up a bit, but other than that .. well like I said, it's okay.

Things I learned:

• Reading patterns
• Knitting in the round
• Short rows
• S2KPO: slipping 2 stitches together knitwise, then knitting 1 and passing the 2 stitches over that knit stitch
• Decrease by K2tog (knit 2 together) and SSK (slip slip knit)

Well, as you can see, even though the project didn't turn out ideal, I still learned a lot from it! This project was given to my aunt, who is nice enough to wear it in front of me (and claims she wears it to work). 

The link to the pattern can be found here: www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/10/11/sweet-stitching-with-erin-bandana-cowl.html How it actually looks like is way better than what I created instead, so give it a try!

My First Circle Scarf

This was my first circle scarf! After my first scarf, I didn't knit again for practically a year. But then I had a friend who asked me to teach her how to knit, and to be honest, I completely forgot how. So, I scrambled on youtube, and found some videos that taught me how to knit again. And then I also came to find out, that knitting was more than just a knit stitch, and that's how I came to learn how to do the purl stitch.

Things I learned:

• How to connect a circle scarf from a flat piece
• How to purl
• How to rib

I gave this scarf to my sister (since she was the one who bought me the yarn). Even though this scarf is pretty ugly looking, I see her wearing it. It's also the project that sparked knitting into a real hobby for me. 

My First Project EVER

This was my very first knit project ever back in 2012! It's a scarf, and its all knit in the knit stitch. I learned the knit stitch from my cousin one day, and so I decided it'd be cute to knit my boyfriend a scarf.

Things I learned:

• To cast on
• To bind-off
• Knit stitch

To be honest, if you really see the scarf, you'll see I didn't really get the concept of knitting. I had a different number of stitches from when I started to when I ended. Quite sure I didn't know to pull the old stitch off the needle. A year later when I actually became into  knitting and making my first circle scarf, I was looking at Youtube videos and watching people knit in slow motion. That's when I really  realized what I'm doing when I'm going through the motions. For this scarf, I remember I started over approximately 4 times (even though a scarf made completely of knit stitch is the easiest thing you could do). The boyfriend likes it though, so I guess it turned out okay in the end!