Warm and Cozy

So, as some of you many know, I am not a fan of the Winter season. I have never been interested in skiing, snowboarding, throwing snowballs, and generally frolicking around in cold, wet stuff. I don't find the white, powdery precipitation to be particularly "beautiful", and I certainly don't enjoy scraping crusted snow and ice off of my windshield, or driving my car through barely plowed/salted roads. One thing I can agree on though, is that the Winter does provide me with plenty of opportunities to break out my favorite knitted and crocheted projects from years past, and it also gives me plenty of inspiration (and the need!) to create new and even better, cozy things.

This is a crocheted neck-warmer that I made a couple of weeks ago. I used a chunky cashmere-wool blend yarn and created it using a repeat of puff-stitches. I had begun the project with the intentions of making a full-size scarf, but I only had enough yarn to make a neck-warmer, so after finishing it off, I added two large, plastic black buttons to fasten the ends together. Overall I love the look of this, and the buttons seem to add that little "something extra".

This is my newest project. I have knitted a few things in the past here and there, but I never got a good grasp on it until recently when I took a few lessons and began to experiment with some stitches. I have always loved the way that knitted things come out, I find that there are a lot more options for creating lacey and intricate details when knitting, as opposed to crocheting. This is a scarf that I started and I am hoping to have it done within the next week or so, so I can give it to my Dad for his birthday. It is a basic basket-weave stitch and so far it seems to be turning out alright, but I have to admit that the repetetive nature of this stitch has started to become rather boring. I suppose it is great for practice though!

Wel, I hope you are all keeping warm in this frosty weather, check back for more updates soon!

K.