THE PERFECT GIFT- FOR ME!

Christmas is coming. Actually, it’s barreling towards me at mach 10 like an out-of-control freight train, but I’m getting SO CLOSE to being done with my shopping and gift-making that I thought I deserved a little break so I could make myself something. What a novel idea! Something for me!

Okay, several somethings for me, but I only have one more gift to make and only a few to buy so what the hell, huh?

I HAD been planning on making myself a gorgeous sweater I found on the Caron site here: http://naturallycaron.com/projects/copenhagen/copenhagen_1.html. I had even bought some pretty olive green yarn to make it with. It was all saved up for when I was done (or almost done) with making Christmas gifts. Two weeks ago I dove into the pattern with relish. Unfortunately it only took ten minutes to figure out that a DK weight yarn does NOT work in a textured pattern made for worsted weight. *SIGH*

Not wanting to waste the yards and yards and YARDS of yarn I had bought I dug out an old pattern and went to town making this:

Fawne Sweater by French Girl

I’ve made this once before and as before I struggled with the vagueness of the instructions towards the end. No matter… I made it up and got it done.

Not satisfied with just a sweater I decided that with the cold weather coming I definitely needed a new scarf, hat and gloves. I splurged a bit and bought some Merino wool in a pretty grey color.

I modified a pattern that I wish I could find to share with you… but it has officially been sucked into some black hole and is no more. Regardless I am in LOVE with these cables. For sure they’re not quite as nice as knitted cables, but for crochet they’re pretty damn cool!

Here are some gloves that I totally made up on the fly with the help of my stitch dictionary. Pretty easy stitch and a very easy glove to make! I made a rectangle that would fit around my hand then sewed up one side, leaving a hole for the thumb. Working in the round I made the thumb portion. The wrist portion I crocheted in the same stitch pattern using the opposite side of the starting chain and working in the opposite direction. I chose to not work in the round for the wrist so I could close the sides with vintage buttons to add more interest.

Normally I hate crocheted gloves because they are so bulky, but even in worsted weight these aren’t quite as bulky as others I have made since I used a lace pattern.

The hat is next on the list, but of course since I made my gloves and scarf the weather has turned pretty mild and I haven’t been able to test my new duds yet. Nothing like being prepared…

-Lyzard