Hey there, I’m popping in this afternoon to share some of the knitting projects that I’ve recently finished, am working on, or are on my mind. I’m exciting. You may need an extra cup of coffee.

After I finished up the big sweater project, I immediately cast on a sweater of my own, Wolf River. I love how this turned out and now have a case of sweater fever (there are so many good patterns out there!). I haven’t even worn this one yet and I’m already itching to start another sweater, but as you’ll read below, there are a few other little projects that I’m hoping to get out of the way first.

Wolf River is a boxy sweater – no waist shaping at all – and it got me thinking that this is a great characteristic to look for if you’re new to sweater knitting. Of course, this sweater’s lace pattern may not be the easiest thing for a new knitting, but there are other simple boxy designs out there.

This sweater was knit with less than two skeins of Cascade Ecological Wool, one of my favorites. I have two more skeins in my stash and am thinking that it would be fun to make a second Aidez since I wear my first all of the time.

Last year I designed and knit a fair isle hat for Alex and realized that it would be fun to knit the boys new hats every year. I made this one over the weekend (after knitting a sweater, little hats are a breeze!).

I originally thought that that one would be for Luc, but it turned out slightly bigger than expected. It fits Luc, but fits Alex even better. So I’m going to give that one to him and knit a smaller version for Luc – same colors, but a slightly different design… and only a mother would waste her time knitting a hat for a kid who is in the midst of a big hat-hating phase. Wait for it.

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un. grateful.

But at least he pretends to appreciate the workmanship. 

Before I start anything new, other than Luc’s hat, I’m hoping to finish a couple of projects that have been languishing. First up is this hat. I’m not sure of the original pattern, but it’s a simple winter hat that had earflaps and a strap that buttoned under the chin, looking sort of like an old pilot’s hat. I knit it well over five years ago and never wore it. I thought adding a pompom might help, but I made the pompom and never attached it. Finally, I’ve just admitted that I don’t love it.

I do love the variegated yarn (wish I knew what brand it was!), but not the flaps and the strap, so I have a plan to remove those parts and add a ribbed band to the bottom to finish it off. Then I’ll attach that funky pompom and wear it with glee (I hope).

And now, the mittens. Ugg. They are in the exact same state that they were over a year ago when I shared them. It was shortly after that post when I looked back at my first pair again and saw that I actually used a different technique to make the thumbs than is written in the original pattern.
Rather than just cut a hole and add on a thumb, I made a gusset, slowly increasing stitches in the mitten where my palm widens at the bottom of the thumb. Then I put those stitches on hold, knit the rest of the mitten and went back and finished the thumbs. It may be hard to understand without photos, but the bottom line is that I have to rip these back to the thumb area and knit them again. I’m so excited to have mittens that I love that I’m willing to do that. I just have to get on it!

So that’s what’s in my knitting basket right now, some successes and a couple of failures that I’m hoping to resurrect. How about you? working on anything exciting?