FO (and a possible Frog) Friday

Last week, I whipped up three quick projects - soft little hats for my friend, Ann, who is undergoing chemotherapy for Stage IV cervical cancer.  She will have three weeks of chemo, then three weeks off, then back to chemo for three weeks...for who knows how long.  I'll talk about the hats in more detail below, but first wanted to show you the little gift basket I gave her Sunday evening.  She was thrilled, and I'm hoping to make a new set of three for every chemo session - bright colors and interesting designs to keep her spirits up.

Now...on with the FOs!

Pattern:  City Tweed Dropped Stitch Shawl
Yarn:  City Tweed DK
Colorway:  Plum Wine
Purchased at:  Knit Picks
Needles:  #8
Made for:  Bev
Date Started:  10/11/2009
Date Completed:  11/30/2009
Yays:  I love City Tweed DK, and this project was really fast and a lot of fun to make.  I was hesitant about doing the unraveling for the fringe, but it was sooooooo easy, not a chance of dropping the wrong stitch. 
Nays:  The fringe was really curly and crimped when it was done, and I had to do some serious tugging during blocking to straighten it out. 
Other Comments:  I started this shawl last fall when we were on vacation in Tennessee.  It was supposed to be a Christmas gift for Bev, but it took me a long time to order blocking wires, then they were on backorder for even longer.  I packed the shawl away and forgot about it till Bev told me she would be coming through Ohio.  I love how this project turned out, and she was thrilled with it, too.  Even though I finished it ages ago, I didn't consider it truly "finished" till it had gone to it's home.

Project:  Mystery Purple Thang
Yarn:  Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend
Colorway:  Violets
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #6
Made for:  a Christmas gift
Date Started:  7/13/10
Date Completed:  7/28/10
Yays:  I love, love, LOVE this yarn.  It is so soft and smooth, like knitting with butter.  The colors are incredible, and I love how they make the slip stitch pattern look woven.  As you know, I had some doubts about this project initially, but the more time I spent with this yarn and stitch pattern, the more I was convinced they are made for one another.  I'm also incredibly pleased with the buttons I found...however...
Nays:  There are some serious nays with this, and I may end up frogging it.  The silver buttons feel too heavy for the rest of the project and, after I blocked it, the project just felt way too loose and floppy.  I'm thinking I need to do one of two things:  either frog this and make it with two strands held together, OR frog it and go down to a #3 or #4 needle.  Since I am also making one of these for myself, I'm going to work on the second option with mine and see how it comes along.  Either way, the bad news is this project will end up being frogged.  The good news is it will be reknit, and since it's only August and it knits up quickly, I'll have plenty of time before Christmas to make to work to my satisfaction.  I also have some different ideas for the buttons which I'll play around with. 

  Project:  Brandywine Shawl
Yarn:  Alpaca with A Twist Socrates
Colorway:  Americana
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #6
Made for:  Me
Date Started:  6/30/2010
Date Completed:  7/18/2010
Yays:  This yarn is a perfect match for this pattern.  So soft and with just enough of a color blend to keep it from getting boring while knitting across the garter stitch desert those last few repeats.  The i-cord bindoff is the icing on top of a lovely cake.  I like it so much I had to take a close up pic of it.
Nays:  The fact that I originally started this shawl on March 10 in another yarn that just was not a good fit...and I struggled along with it for three months.  What's worse is this yarn was patiently waiting it's turn - the moment I saw it I knew it was destined to be a Brandywine.

Project:  Horseshoe Cap
Yarn:  Mirasol Nuna
Colorway:  Fuchsia
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles #5 and #7 circular
Made for:  Ann
Date Started:  7/24/10
Date Finished:  7/24/10
Yays:  This yarn is impossibly soft, and I'm crazy about the bright cheerful colors.  I think it took me about four hours to knit this hat, using maybe 1/3 of the skein.
Nays:  None!

Project:  Blue Lace Cap (no pattern)
Yarn:  Mirasol Nuna
Colorway:  Ocean Blue
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #5 and #7 circular
Made for:  Ann
Date Started:  7/24/10
Date Completed:  7/24/10
Yays:  I think this is Ann's favorite hat, and it's mine, too.  I picked a random pattern out of one of my Barbara Walker books and just started knitting.  It took me maybe two hours to make this, and used a little over 1/4 of the skein.  I love the stitch definition with this yarn.
Nays:  None!

Project:  Peace Out Hat (no pattern)
Yarn:  Mirasol Nuna
Colorway(s):  Fuchsia and Ocean Blue
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #5 and #7
Made for:  Ann
Date Started:  7/25/10
Date Completed:  7/25/10
Yays:  Ann loves this hat.  I thought it would be fun to do the peace symbols and also use up the rest of the yarn.  I still have enough of both skeins left to do maybe 3/4 of another hat.  I like the rolled brim and the color contrast on the crown.
Nays:  The peace medallions were really difficult to figure out.  I used a pattern in Volume 3 of the Barbara Walker Treasury, and the cabling instructions were pretty murky to me, but I did my best.  I'd like to make more of these but need to perfect that before I do.

Happy weekend, and happy knitting!!!