white elephant hat

For the Grad student Christmas swap


A quick hat done on 8s with chunky yarn and simple cables, this baby turned out to be quite a hit! The grad students in my department had a Christmas party white elephant gift exchange this year: everyone brings a wrapped gift, names are pulled out of the hat, and when your name is called you have the option of either unwrapping a new gift, or stealing someone else's, who then gets to pick a new gift. It's a fun game, and I was happy when this hat kept being stolen around the room. Everyone who had it for a while and then had it stolen approached me afterwards and asked if I could make them one. I even got an offer for a $30 purchase! If I was not busy knitting the rest of my gifts, I might have considered it. And in the mean time, it's back to studying for finals.

May all your knitting dreams come true this Holiday season...

failed felting

putting my foot where my face should be....


My first feat with felting has been a fantastic failure. I was trying to make Knitty's FuzzyFeet, crafting the giant slippers and looking forward to adding them to my laundry for months to come to mold them craftily into warm and fuzzy feet sized slippers. But alas, it was not to be. I finished the first foot, which was big enough to make a delightful hat:


I then picked up my next skien of yarn to start the second sock, and quite clearly, on the front of the label, it says "Machine Washable." That, my friends, translates to "Will not shrink in the wash," aka "Will not felt." Nothing to do now but take them apart and start over, this time foot sized. Farewell felting, may we meet again someday under better curcumstances...

monster booties

For Desmond and Miles


Two of the coolest people I know, Carrie Havranek and John O'Keefe, just had twin boys. What better for twin boys than monster booties?? Or as Carrie put it... Booty-Licious! I'm so excited for them.

the monet bag

For Alexa, from Sam




Upon my return, this summer has been spent attempting to do research and studying for my PhD qualifiers: a huge 28 hour exam (with a 6 hour break for sleeping) that covered all of the material that we had learned throughout the past year, and if we fail we will not be allowed to get a PhD. I finally completed the exam last week, and all I did the next weekend was knit and watch movies as my brain attempted to recover from this ordeal. It was a wonderful break, and it was about time I paid an old dept.

I had been asked, long long ago, by a friend who admired this design as previously posted on the site, if I would be willing to knit one as a gift for him to give to his sister, and he in turn would exchange it for some of his own art and design. I now present to you the Monet bag, forAlexa.

Pattern is the brea bag, yarn a soft white, the inside sewn with Monet fabric, strap of moss stitch and a tie instead of a button. An artistic and sophisticated purse for the next time they get together, may he take her somewhere fancy.

market rewards

The best thing about cooking is that you have to eat. Here in the desert 104 degree weather, it becomes difficult to justify searching through yarn stores to make hats or sweaters. And with grad school constantly looming over my head, anything unjustified is suddenly far back burner. Yet we come back to it: I have to eat. This opens a world of sweet possibility to my fingertips! Suddenly California, despite the heat, is the perfect place to be, because I know immediately when tomatoes are in season: when the Saturday farmer's market down the road suddenly has giant, red juicy tomatoes 4 for $1. Ripe asparagus tips, round succulent oranges, fresh red pepper! Now, that which I have to do is miraculously beautiful. I love it.

to sleep to dream of knit

but briefly i return to you, at the turn of the tides, when the work load is pilling ever larger and the spirits sink low and long. and here at the bottom, it has become a lovely pleasure even to image what i could be knitting if only there were some little time.

I want to share my dreams with you.

i would read all the Harry Potters again, and someone would turn the pages for me so i could knit Ron's animal cracker hat at the same time.

I would watch the entire season of Serenity, and knit the Jayne Cobb hat. This hat is my hero.

i would visit the ocean, and search for the leopard shark and rare species of a sea horse in a champagne glass. i would need to knit myself this hat.

i would finish what iv'e started, i would sleep every night and eat meals, i would love research again and play frisbee every day, i would stop complaining, i would get a job and go to italy. soon enough, i imagine, there will be time enough for life again. but not yet. not yet.

i hear and keep

For Kara


This African symbol is called “Mate Masie” which means “I hear and keep.” It is a symbol of great knowledge and wisdom. The design is modified from the Adinkra Bag for a smaller coin purse, k in the round on 3.5s 44 CO with the pattern worked on both sides in fair isle. Lining, zipper and handle are sewn and attached separately.

My friend Kara was in need of somewhere to stash her laundry change as she is working through med school, and being one of the smartest people I know this seemed only fitting.

missing winter

California is still so strange to me, and grad school has taken over all my knitting time. I miss the snow because I love how blue it is, the sharp contrast of deep color. In the desert, everything seems faded or washed. But, for my own sanity, I will find time to knit again! I swear on the color blue.

the hoodie

For Jayson

May I formally present the largest and longest project I have endeavored and accomplished, the Shogun Saints black Hoodie and Jacket. Shown here by it's recipient, my brother Jayson, this represents:12 skeins of yarn, 2 re-starts, 10 inches (vertical) of backwards knitting, hand drawn patterns, an entire couch devoted only to materials and pieces for weeks, hours of stitching, months worth of knitting and an entire season of Star Trek.


For no greater love is there than this: to knit a hoodie for one's brother. Finished dimensions are 30 in + 14 in hood tall, and 40 in around, modified from the Hardcore Hoodie with longer torso and sleeves, minus buttons and plus pockets. Also Includes my own design on the back; requested as a personal symbol of the wearer himself.


Looks happy doesn't he? He better be, because it took forever. But now I have finally managed to knit him something he will wear and love, which of course is the entire purpose. Happy Christmas Jayson, with tons of love and yarn.

Socks for Mom

This is what happens when you let the non-knitter pick their own sock yarn for their gift! Tiny yarn knit on 1s! But the result was so beautiful, I actually had to show my dad the unknit yarn to prove I didn't buy them in a store. I actually knit 2 more pairs of socks for the holidays, but didn't get pictures of them because it was getting too close to the giving time not to just wrap them. I always knit myself into a hole around Christmas. But everyone is sad if they don't get a hand knit gift now, so I have no choice but to keep going! Happy Christmas Mom.

Hunting hat for Dad

The Christmas gift blogging continues! ...with the Hunting hat I made for my dad. This was a specific request, lovely orange shade and all.

I began with Vickie Howell's Brimster, which was useful for making the brim but little else; her directions for the front of the hat made no sense that I could see, so I composed my own, and added ear flaps, then sewed in a thick fuzzy lining. I think he was really happy with it, even though he may never wear it where anyone but the elk can see. Happy Christmas Dad!

Stocking for Ben

Huzzah! Now that the Holidays are over, I can finally start posting all of these projects I've been working on to give as gifts for Christmas. Small as the chance may be, I never want post before hand and give any hints away.

So first up is the Christmas stocking I knit for my boyfriend Ben. Originally the idea came from my mom, because it was the first Christmas gift she ever gave to my dad. And also, when I started the project, he wasn't going to be coming back to the States for Christmas, so I thought he would need some holiday cheer in Italy. By the time I finished the project, the plan had changed four times, and ended with me visiting him in Boston, which was wonderful, and he still appreciated the idea and all the goodies I stuffed inside.

The pattern is from the Christmas Stocking book shaped like a stocking, and the pattern allowed you to mix and match different patterns for unique stockings. Unfortunately I was so excited by this that I used a few to many, including one of my own design: the wolves on top. It turned out very pretty, but a little big longer than normal stockings. But I say, all the better for more stuff from Santa! Overall, it was a really fun FairIsle project on cic 8s with thick yarn, and the heal is just kitchener stitch pickup like a toe in the middle, and I think it turned out pretty great.

Happy Christmas Ben!!