Knitted Gifts

I chose to knit for one family this year, my husband's sister and her daughter, son, and granddaughter. I made the Acorn the Baby Elf by Rachel Borello Carroll in Malabrigo Rios in the Ravelry Red colorway, as well as a matching hat for my 10 month-old grandniece:

©dedolha

©dedolha

©dedolha

I made two pairs of Welted Fingerless Mitts by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas; one pair in a Berroco Vintage:

©dedolha

 The second pair was knit in Misti Alpaca Best of Worsted, in the Cochineal colorway: 

©dedolha

For my nephew, I made the Ridge mitts by Jennifer Beever in Berroco Blackstone Tweed in the Pitch colorway:

©dedolha

Making Waves, Lipstick, and Aspen Island

In November, I finished a cardigan I had started in 2011: Making Waves Cardigan by Mary Annarella. My version was knit with Misti Alpaca Tonos Carnaval in the Rosemary Garden colorway. Love the top-down design and the ruched details. This was the first time I had attached eye hooks and it took a couple of hours. I love the tonal green of this yarn; however, the alpaca hairs were particularly bothersome knitting up this garment:

©spdolha

©spdolha

I also knit Joji Locatelli's Lipstick.  It was a very enjoyable, quick knit and has flattering details with the lace sleeves, seaming, shoulder ribbing, and henley collar.  I re-used some aran alpaca/merino yarn as I loved it's warmth: Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL in navy.

©spdolha

I modified the design, as I had seen some other Ravelery knitters do, to be a pullover. The design has a shorter front/longer back, which I originally knit to pattern. However, I have since gone back and made the front longer (will add a pic later). Most knitters knit it with more ease, but after fitting the shoulders and upper chest, mine ended up as a more fitted version.

A third sweater I worked on this month was a test knit for Allison Loeliger, the Aspen Island Sweater.  I made mine with bamboo yarn, Debbie Bliss Prima, in red. It was knit top-down and the lace front panel was enjoyable to knit. I love the light weight of bamboo and it was smoother than knitting with cotton, however it has stretched a bit in length:

©spdolha

©spdolha

Works in Progress: Criollo and Caffe Macchiato

I've started the Criollo cardigan in the Madelinetosh 80/10/10 fingering, Hearth colorway:

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Here's the designer's, Justyna Lorkowska:

© Justyna Lorkowska

It's a top-down, contiguous design with beautiful lace edging. I like this yarn base even more than Madelinetosh's tosh merino light.

Also working on some socks, Caffe Macchiato by Marian Holdan, in Blue Dog Fibers fingering:

©dedolha

I've learned a new type of heel with this pattern, the Fish Kiss Lips heel designed by Sox Therapist Designs.