January Summary

In January, I knit (or crocheted) a total of 7 things. 3 small bags, 3 hats, and a cozy for my PSP. I also started a scarf out of the skein of Chroma I ordered with my last KP order. I knew I wanted to make a scarf out of it so I got a skein of Choma Worsted in Midwinter. The scarf is about half done. It'll get done soon enough so I can block it and wear it.

6 HPKCHC classes:

Choma scarf:

You'll notice the third bag is missing. I need to do 2 things before I post it, take a better picture and mail it out today to the one it goes to.

Free Pattern: Drawstring PSP Cozy

This pattern is a pattern I came up when I couldn't find many PSP cozies on Raverly. See, I have a few portable game systems and never felt the need to have a cozy for them, until now. My DS and GameboyAdvance both close, keeping the screens protected. The PSP doesn't so it needed a way to keep the screen from getting scratched.

Materials:

2.5mm needles

Fingering weight yarn

Small crochet hook

Stitch marker to mark beginning of round

Using Judy's Magic Cast on, CO 24 sts (48 total) and knit one round.

Start working in 3x1 rib. Continue for the length you want the cozy to be.

Work an eyelet row: (k2tog, yo, k2).

Work in 3x1 rib for another inch or so. BO.

Taking the crochet hook, chain a length of desired drawstring. Weave through eyelet row.

Weave in all ends and enjoy!

It only took me a few hours over a couple evening to knit this up. The pattern can be easily adapted for another weight yarn and would go even quicker. :)

2 of 52 Hats done

Finally got around to taking a picture of my second hat. I almost had a third done but it was way too big for my head and I wanted it for me. Ah well. I have a different one in progress now and will have a fourth one started soon.

Pattern: Point Lobos Hat

Yarn: Unknown Handspun - One ply and wool

Needle: 5mm

Project page

Pattern: Windy City Hat

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in DK Country blue

Needle: 4.5mm

Project page

Knit Picks Chroma

Knit Pick's new yarn Chroma comes in both fingering and worsted. It is a single ply yarn with 396 yards in a skein of fingering, 198 in a skein of worsted. It's $8.99 per skein.

Ever since Chroma was released, I've been itching to try it out. I probably won't use it for socks since it is single-ply but it would be great for things like scarves, hats, shawls, etc. The colorways I really like are listed below, my favorite one in bold.

Pegasus

Galapagos

Pool Party

Regency

Midwinter

U-Pick

Finished: Cozy & Pouches

So far in January I've finished five things. I'm going to wait and do my finished hats later, when I finally get around to taking a picture of the second one. The first thing I made this month was a self-designed cozy for my PSP that I got for Christmas from my Dad. The second and third were two pouches from the same pattern. I love quick little crochet patterns that can be done in a half an hour or so.

Pattern: N/A

Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks Stripes in Krazy Stripes

Needle: 2.5mm

Project page link

Pattern: One Hundred Yen Pouch

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Burgundy

Hook: 5mm

Project page link

Pattern: One Hundred Yen Pouch

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Lavender

Hook: 4.5mm

Project page link

Monthly Plan: January

January Plan

Flying: Accompanist’s Fingerless Gloves
Herbology: PSP cozy
DADA: Eagle’s Flight
Charms: HP Fair Isle Pouch
HoM: Odessa
Divination: Gretel

Detention: therealkarity’s advent socks

OWL - Charms: Seraphim Shawl

I'm going to try and get as much of this done as I can before the 10th - that's when I go back to school. At some point I'll need to do two hats that aren't on the list so I can end January with four hats complete. Am I crazy? Quite possibly.

2011 Plans

I'm probably out of my mind for doing this, but I've decided to challenge myself to complete certain knitting goals in 2011. Knitting to a deadline helps me much more than just knitting. There are four challenges I decided to do this year. The last one is the biggest and the others can be added into it. The first three are hats, shawls, and socks.

52 Hats - a hat per week in 2011

11 Shawls in 2011 - what it sounds like

12 in 2011 - sock club for me and Sparky

The last one listed, 12 in 2011, is the one I'm using for a sock club Sparky and I decided to do. We want to do a pair of socks a month and it works perfectly for that. Now, the last challenge is 111 projects in 2011. Yes, 111. Which means that everything I do in 2011 will be working towards that goal. Each time I talk about my FOs in 2011, I'll probably include a counter for how many I've done so far.