Kayakwoman and I stumbled out of the quilt store in a foggy daze. My arms were full of the above traitorous substance. It was a long, hard trip, but sometimes you just have to restock your elephant contrast fabrics.Of course, elephants aren’t the only project I have. If they were, I might have something to show for myself. I did finish the green mittens, which means my hands have been properly warm for the first time all season.

The base yarn is 100% wool. The cuff is plain, but for the body of the mitten I doubled the wool with a strand of dark green mohair for extra warmth. They smell a little sheepy/goaty when damp, but as far as I’m concerned that means they’re doing their job.I have three other “main” projects at the moment. First is the “12 socks in 12 months” challenge, which is on track so far. I did have to backtrack a bit due to ill-fitting cuffs, but I should finish the January socks tonight.The second project is a winter coat, which I’ll hopefully finish by…erm…spring.

The third is the Colette Patterns Palette Challenge. I’m not incredibly far along on this, but partly I need a trip to the (real) fabric store to help me choose colors and materials. The idea is to choose a selection of colors and inspirations, then build a pre-determined partial Spring wardrobe. More information is available here.Apart from that, I’m just trying not to freeze. I love you too, Michigan.

Okay, most of this knitting was finished several months ago. Starting with the last knitting of 2010, I give you the Owl Sweater:

I made the smallest size, using Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride in Autumn Harvest. It fits very well and quite comfortable. The only downside is that it’s itchy. I’m usually not bothered by the itch of wool, but I think it’s more pronounced because this sweater is so close-fitting. It’s also surprisingly cool to wear in relation to the weight, but then again it is made of wool. (Wool breathes, repels water and dirt, and is generally excellent for temperature control.) I’m hoping that long sleeves are comfortable to wear underneath.

I’ve only put eyes on one owl, but I think I might like it that way. I’m giving it a few weeks before I decide.The “bridge” project is Nora’s blanket:

One of my friends had a baby in October, and this was is my gift. I could have finished the knitting in time quite easily, and yet somehow my plans didn’t turn out that way. Still, most of the knitting has been done since November; I just needed to finish embellishing the corners so I could block it out and deliver it. Unfortunately, I got slow.

I finally finished the detail work on New Year’s Eve, wove in the ends, and blocked today. I’m pretty pleased with the embellishments; the elephant eye should be horizontal for visibility and the E should be one stitch closer to the H. I’m counting this as the first “finished” knitting of 2011.I’ve also decided to try the “12 socks in 12 months” plan, à la Yarn Harlot. For January I’ve started these:

The pattern is Welt Fantastic from Sensational Knitted Socks. (I seem to have a weakness for chevron stitches; they particularly work well with self-striping yarns.) My current large sewing project is to design and build a winter coat (to be finished by…well…probably spring, to be honest). I’m also getting around to the vast pile of garments-to-be-altered that I told people I’d do several months ago. Now that I’m arguably “readjusted”, it’s a little easier to get things done.

By the river in late November.

I’m hoping this productive streak can last, but that remains to be seen. I have a little more time off work than usual, but we get busy again near Valentine’s day. Finally, I’m planning to be stricter about making things this year in an overall sense. That includes these funny creatures:

I’m sure you’re already aware, but they’re pretty cuddly. You probably want one.  <:3 )~