I spent the weekend attempting to give order to my massive yarn collection (more on this and what I found later.)  Of course, the main thing I found was that I have a lot of yarn that I can’t really imagine using.  That isn’t to say that I can’t imagine needing this yarn for something, but just looking at it isn’t an inspirational activity.  My husband thought it looked warm and fuzzy all laid out on the floor.  To me it looked like waist deep mud that I would have to wade through for some kind of craft basic training.  It’s back in tubs now, labeled into general categories: “acrylic worsted” and “natural worsted,” for example.  

I also found some “science experiment” knitting poking around, little swatches and tests.  One that’s been around for a year is the answer to the question “What if I made this bigger?”

I thought I was going to make a thread bedspread at some point, which, still might happen in my lifetime.  Of course, the pattern I chose was time consuming and thread consuming, and even popped up as the subject of some justified mockery on a well known knitting blog.   

I would need to make a gazillion, and I’ve made around 10.  Also, I can only imagine that this bedspread, once completed, would probably weigh so much that people laying beneath it could not move.  

At some point, I wanted to see what would happen if this fiddly little square was done in worsted? 

Again, the result eats up a lot of yarn, the brown part used almost a whole skein, but I love the effect.  Looking at all my acrylic worsted weight yarn, I’ve been thinking, I should finish this project. It seems like a great way to get rid of yarn and end up with a lacy extravagant blanket.  I was thinking maybe 9 squares, maybe 12.  I’m going to shoot for one a month and see where that gets me.   Though I just realized I have no idea what size hook I used for the big one.  Hmm.

Sarah just finished making me this beautiful silk shirt.  Last February, I took a trip to California to visit the kids and go with Sarah to the Stitches West Show in San Jose.  There, we found this pattern and yarn.  It sat around until late July when we gathered in Paradise (Michigan), and there, Sarah started working on the project.  So soft, so lovely. This pattern can be adjusted for any body size.  And of course, Sarah made it so it fits me perfectly.  [pattern]

The cute red and white placemat is 100% cotton, and 100% LOVED by Sarah’s cat Mona.  I guess you could say that it is a catmat…  The pattern is a free pattern from Red Heart.  [pattern]

Lovely wool socks for the fisherman.  Sarah’s father-in-law loves to fish – and loves to keep warm.  These socks work for both!  I love the red toes and the heals as well as the ultra cool pattern on the leg. [pattern, though I did a jojo heel, which is not in the book.]

Mom and Mom-in-law both got a pair of these paneled socks.  The blended yarn worked in sections really makes for some cool socks.  [pattern, above with a short row heel and picot hemmed cuff, below with a heel flap heel and ribbed cuff.]

Having such a talented daughter, I tend to make a lot of special requests.  Sarah really went out of her way for a dear friend of mine.  With a new German Shepherd in the family, I thought it would be nice for my friend to have a knit German Shepherd for her collection.  So I sent photos of the puppy to Sarah, who went through her stash to try to match the markings of the actual dog.  She did a fantastic job (of course).  The odd thing was that the dog was scared of the knit dog.  She wouldn’t stop barking at her miniature.  Sarah thought this might have happened because she made the dog while dog sitting.  Maybe the dog could smell the other dog on the yarn?  Who knows? [pattern]

And the HATS. 

My husband has worn a knit hat forever.  His mother was an amazing knitter (as is his daughter).  When Sarah was researching the perfect hat to make for her Dad, she came into a quandary.   There were TWO hats that she liked.  The best solution was achieved.  Sarah knit two hats for her Daddy.  One for really cold weather, one for medium cold weather.  Both lovely (although the patterned one is my favorite).  Both blue (because that is her Daddy's favorite color).  Both wool (because that is what Daddy loves).  [and I never got a finished photo of the one on the right!  left: pattern, right: pattern]