FO: Fracture

These days it seems I can't get enough of shawlettes/scarves knit in fingering weight yarn. The fact that I added several lovely skeins to my stash with the two StevenBe gift cards I received for Christmas (and had to spend before flying back to Albuquerque) certainly is aiding my momentum.

You could say I'm in a rut... But this shawlette only looks like it was designed by Stephen West.

Pattern: Fracture by Paulina Popiolek

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light (Grasshopper)
Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 (Charcoal)

And while green is no stranger to my FOs, nor even acid green, it's the first time I've used a full skein this vibrant.

Then again, perhaps I'll just skip the rationalizations and add 12 in 2012 to my goals for the year. Something to ponder as I finish up the Spectra currently on my needles. And, yes, that one is designed by Stephen West.

FO: Hearts & Bows Headband

Ah, the joys of having a tween. While Izzy specifically requested this headband for Valentine's Day — and was thrilled to get it this morning — you'd have thought I asked her to scrub the toilet based on her facial expressions in the quick photos I took today.

It's quite the miracle that this one smile slipped into the mix.

Pattern: Strada Headband

Yarn: The Knitting Goddess DK Alpaca & Silk (Topaz)

The yarn, which is a perfect girly pink and fuzzy soft, made its way to my stash via an online trade. (Last fall, I got a Ravelry message from a UK knitter in need of my leftover Lavender Cotton Glace.) While I got gauge, the fabric seems pretty airy... And now has me wondering if DK in the UK is actually what we call Sport in the US/Canada. It's a fun, fast knit and I have plenty of yarn still, so think I might try reknitting it with the yarn doubled.

FO: Baby Steps

This post needs to start with an admission — my fine motor skills are seriously lacking.

I don't jest, as my friend and former co-worker Laura would be happy to confirm. She once handed me an X-ACTO knife and asked me to help cut Peter (or was it Plinky?)* out of foam core. Not believing my claim, she insisted. And so I started, cautiously and carefully. Really trying. After about two minutes, she said, "You know what? You're right. Never mind." and promptly took that X-Acto back.**

So it's not surprising that I've avoided knitting with smaller yarns and needles. But this past Christmas I asked for and got a lovely set of sock-size DPNs. A member of my team is expecting a baby at any moment, so I took the opportunity to grab some fingering weight yarn from my stash and knit up my first-ever pair of booties. On size 1s (2.25 mm). Here are the booties on top of the needle set for a sense of scale.

And here is my snoopy ever-helpful cat Chloe walking into the photo, providing her paw as further evidence of the wee size.

Patterns: Saartje's Bootees & Gooseberry Hat

Yarn: Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted (Mermaid Lagoon)

Once I got past the feeling that I was knitting doll clothes on toothpicks, I found the booties fun. In fact, the size 3s (3.25 mm) felt clunky when I first started the hat. I'm counting the booties as my first new item/technique of the year... Now to decide, socks or mittens next?

* For the record, Peter, Plinky, and all the Mint Pals have changed quite a bit in the (how is it possible?) more than a decade since we brought them to life. Laura's art was far superior.

** Also for the record, Laura is a lovely person — so lovely, in fact, that I could only laugh and not feel the least bit offended.