Where Did June Go?

There are still a few days left of June, but I feel that it both flew by and went slowly. Oddly enough, only half of these projects were knit amidst this past month's whirlwind of activity and the others were completed long before and never had their pictures taken (if you live in the area, you'll know that's because we've had a lot of rain recently).

I present my finished Ana Bandanna, which was my present to myself for finishing graduate school:



Pattern: Ana by Adrienne Thomas
Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Silk Maiden, 1 skein in colorway Nova Scotia
Source: A kit from Knit Purl in Portland, Oregon (ordered online)
Needles: US Size 6 29" circular and US Size 6 Brittany Birch dpns
Modifications: None.


Close up of the interesting back detail:


The silk and wool yarn is absolutely delicious and the hand-dyed colors are amazing. The pattern is very easy except for the joining part at the end, and even that isn't difficult if you just sit and follow the directions exactly (not always easy, I know!).



And another hat:



Pattern: School Colors Hat by Betsy Lee McCarthy (Fibertrends)
Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush Paint and Plymouth Baby Alpaca Worsted Solid, 1 skein each
Source: A graduation gift from my wonderful Aunt Carol!
Needles: US Size 7 16" circular needle and US Size 7 Brittany Birch dpns
Modifications: None.

I love the colors so much, and the rolled brim is made with a neat technique. Again, follow the directions and don't assume that you know how to do it, the way I almost did ;)



And yes, there is another hat:


Pattern: Kittyville Hat by Kitty Schmidt from Stitch'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool, 2 skeins black
Source: Patternworks originally, but I frogged the first version of this hat and reknit it
Needles: US Size 7 16" circular needles and US Size 7 Brittany Birch dpns
Modifications: I knit the i-cords and earflaps first and then cast on for the brim of the hat with the earflaps spaced evenly apart.

I think this hat is totally adorable and I'm proud of myself for frogging and reworking my shoddy knitting job (it was done when I was still a beginner and didn't know how to make pompoms or finish items properly).



And now for something completely different!



Another Super-Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, less than one skein each green, white, and blue
Source: Stash, but originally from A.C. Moore (I just used the leftovers from this one)
Needles: US Size 5 and US Size 7 29" circular needles, US Size 5 and US Size 7 dpns
Modifications: None. I made the newborn size for both, and there was still yarn leftover and these sweaters are on the large size for newborns, which is great.

This is a very easy baby sweater to knit and I was very happy to be able to use up the leftovers from the last one (see link above). As I've said before, this is a perfect four-season yarn because of the cotton and acrylic content, and it is machine washable. Now if only I could remember to stop decreasing for the v-neck where the directions tell me to!

There are lots of other things that have been made that have yet to see blog time, and of course I'm planning several new projects in my head. This summer is shaping up to be a crazy one though, so it might be on the quiet side here!