Mmmmmanly - Xmas gift 1 (boy)

Pattern: "One Row Handspun Scarf" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, available free here
Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Lady Godiva (Ebony)
Needles: US8 straights
Size: CO 26 stitches; 3.5 inches wide and 7.25 feet long (from one skein, suckah!)

Plus: I am totally psyched about this FO! The color is subtle and masculine. The pattern evokes pinstripes on an expensive suit. The fiber is lusciously smooth on the neck thanks to the silk, while the merino mutes the finish to a warm velvet (rather than a girly, lacquered gloss). I thoroughly enjoyed working this pattern, even if it wasn't riveting--just clever enough to make me smile, just simple enough to keep my hands busy while watching a great movie.

Delta: Umm...this yarn ain't worsted weight. It's DK. No one can convince me different. I would have switched to size 6 needles for a sturdier fabric, but I wanted to milk this expensive skein for all the length I could get.

Two more afghan squares. As you can see, I'm starting to get into the funkier, colorwork squares. This was my first attempt at embroidery, so go easy on me. Actually, what you see below is my second attempt at embroidery. The first version was cut out earlier today after much sighing and excuse-making. This still isn't perfect, but I'm going to pretend that the "rustic" look makes it charming. The square above was also my first foray into bobbles, which were surprisingly easy and fun. I'm glad my knitting group pals urged me to give that square a try, despite how intimidating it seemed.

I've had quite a few minor knitting failures lately, mostly linked with my determination to knit a pair of fingerless mitts for both my mom and sister in time for Xmas. I started Susie's Reading Mitts in some handspun mom bought at the Canton Flea Market, and they looked bizarrely huge and "rustic" in a very, very bad sense of the word. Jake walked by as I was trying one on and commented that they look like an ax-wielding executioner's gloves. RIP. I cast on some Rhineback Mitts in Lorna's Laces sport; half-way through I realized that, even though I was concentrating so hard steam was coming out of my ears, the pattern was totally screwed up. And the gauge was off. RIP. Yesterday, Mom and Bec told me they didn't want mitts at all, but rather these capelet/ponchette thingys they had checked out at TJ Max and taken pictures of for me. SO, drafting out a pattern for those now. Que sera, sera.