Chicken Soup for the hands... without the burning.

  I have been a knitting fiend lately.  So unusual.... (phh) After getting knocked out in the quarter finals of the trial competition, I was feeling pretty low.  Then the tidal wave of school work that I put off for trial team came crashing down.  All as the weather is turning cold, no - ear-numbingly cold - in Chicago.  So I have turned to knitting.  Which is the logical choice in the face of finals when my homework is so far from being organized into study-worthy material.  You obviously don't have to be a genius to go to law school.  So here is what I have been up to:

Lotus Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch in Twist Collective

I am making these mittens and Koolhas by Jared Flood over at BrooklynTweed for one of my girlfriends.  She and her husband welcomed their second little girl into the world a month ago yesterday.  Her name is Jayden and she is adorable.  Jayden is having a rough time, however, and has been in isolation at Children's Hospital more than she's been home.  She got a blood transfusion as her one-month birthday present and is looking good today.  But I think her mom needs a little knitting love.  So these are a little bit of warmth and comfort for my friend.  I am using Koigu KPM and KPPM.  It's sock yarn, but I love the color variation in the gray, and I couldn't find fingering weight in gray and black, and my friend's coat is black.  So there.  Oh, and here is Jayden:

On a side note:  I am IN LOVE with Twist.  After seeing their first issue last quarter, I really didn't think it could be better.  I was wrong.  The Winter issue is fantastic.  I don't want to infringe, so I'll juts give links to the projects I intend on making after the holiday gift rush:

Vaila

Heroine

Cabled Cuff Gloves

I love so many of the patterns, but those are the ones that really fit me best.  I cannot wait to be done with my Holiday gifts.  I'm actually getting quite nervous about how little progress I've made.  Which brings me to my next project.  (MOM - DO NOT CLICK THE LINK.... OR YOU GET BREAD CRUSTS)

Yes, this is not an exciting picture, because I can't spoil the surprise.  But you must check this project out.   I'm in love with it and it is perfect for my mom.  She's a University of Wisconsin-Madison grad.  It will be worn many Saturdays to come.  I can't wait to see it on her.  I'm using Berroco Cuzco for the first time.  I ordered it online so I wasn't able to feel it before using it.  Honestly - I'm not thrilled with the feel, but given what it is being made into, I think it is an appropriate texture.  I can't wait to show you guys pictures.

More gifts?  Okay.  So Jayden's big sister Riley needed a knitted gift since a) she's a big sister now, b) her little sister got stuff, c) I hadn't made anything for her in a while and d) she got a snazzy new purple winter coat that needed a topper.  So, I present to you the Thorpe from Through The Loops

I used Malbrigo Chunky for this hat.  I'll just say that I like the Malabrigo Worsted much better.  But Thorpe is a GREAT pattern.  It was a really quick knit and Riley looks amazing in it.  If you click the link you'll see that you can certainly make it in adult sizes and all sorts of options for color work.  A great great pattern.  And one of my favorite blogs!  She just came out with a brand new mitten pattern that is really tempting.  Oh, and here is a picture of Riley that I took this summer - she was pointing at 'duckies'.  She's even cuter now (I know, I know.  "Impossible," you say.  But it's true.)

Speaking of warm weather wear... I pulled out my copy of Last Minute Knitted Gifts to make another Child's Placket Neck Pullover.  But this time I made the matching pants too. 

This is a project I will always love to make and love to give.  People go nutty for it and I love the way babies look in it.  I'll try to get a picture of Jayden in it in the next couple of weeks before she (hopefully) gains some weight and grows out of it.  I used Malabrigo Worsted and the outfit is SO SOFT as a result.  I went without buttons this time.  She wouldn't be able to pull them off, but Riley, as an almost-two year old certainly could.  I'd rather not risk it.  The pattern originally calls for Rowan Denim for the pants.  I had a go at modifying the pattern, but in the end just really wanted pink pants instead.  Since Rowan shrinks I consulted the finished measurements in the book and knit according to those instead.  Highly recommended. (:

More for the weather and gifts... but for meee!!!  This is the Dolores Park Cowl From Six on Seven.  Yay free projects from talented ladies. (:

Now, I didn't make it with Malabrigo Chunky.  A bit of a mistake.  I made it with left over Plymouth Grande.  Because it has a much silkier hand to it, the cowl kind of just flops over.  Still warm, though! (:  During break I intend on backing it with some nice cashmere fabric remnant and quilt batting to give it the stiffness it needs.  As it is now, the Chicago wind would just laugh at me.

The remnants for the cowl came from this project:  The Sideways Grande Cloche from Boutique Knits by Laura Iriwn.  (Link to her blog)  

If you like getting complements from strangers on pieces of your wardrobe... MAKE THIS HAT.  Classmates have attempted to steal it.  Strangers stop me and ask me about it.  and every time I put on a different hat, I inevitably take it off to put this one on instead.  I love it.  It was worth the splurge on the Plymouth Grande.  If I look mad in the picture, I was.  The sky looked like that at 10am.  Completely disgusting.  But a good view, nonetheless.  The book is fantastic and I intend on spending a lot of time on a lot of these projects.  

So now I am going to try to finish two sweaters I have in progress and start and finish another I haven't begun.  Also, impatiently awaiting a package from The Netherlands.  I have been coveting the Mini by Else Schjellerup.  I can't get it in the US, but I found an international shipper in Denmark that spoke English.  Very excited.  I'll post pictures of what it looks like, but for all you Ravelers, here.  The finished pictures of it as a sweater and a dress are incredible.  I tried to reproduce it this summer on my own, but I couldn't figure out the measurements.  So yay.  Anyways, but to being a law student....

But first, just to represent from my own blood line:  Misha as photographed by my brother-in-law.

I love those cheeks.  Cheers!