Knit Fast Die Warm!

I finished my third askew (since I had resolved to finish it before starting any other projects-ugh). And I am so so irritated with the resulting item. THIRD time knitting this. It's official-I hate this project. I don't like how it looks. I hate the straps, they curl even with aggressive blocking (also, full disclosure, owning my error and not the pattern-the straps were too long, but still, that's easily dealt with, the curling is not) I'm going to post the unflattering pictures only because shitty pictures are the mainstay of my blog. UGH.

Anyway, I'm never making Askew again, and I only finished it so I could move on to other projects! YAY!  Maize version 2.0! Knit with Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Camel heather (neutrals, how I love thee!)
Started with one lovely cake!

Turned into these lovely, mittens that fit my hands perfectly, and have a long enough cuff to protect my wrists from those nasty, freezing winds that go up your sleeve (it's been cold here-polar vortex'ing all up in this biatch). Started watching the latest season of American Horror Story: Freak Show, while knitting Maize 2.0-I'm not super impressed tbh. Except for Angela Bassett; she just blows everyone away. She should be starring in a show about Marie Laveau; none of this freak show nonsense. Anywhoooo:

Mitten leftovers. (shitty pic making camel look grey)

This was a satisfying project; quick, easy and will be worn! Mittens never ever end up in the Drawer Of Knitted Unwearables. (Which is totally where Askew the third ended up)
I'm thinking of getting some thin fleece or flannel and sewing a lining to the inside of the mittens and make them extra toasty. I'm not a sewer (wait, is that the correct term?) but I think I can manage something that simple. Next time I make myself mittens, I'm getting some roving and doing thrummed mitts. There seems to be a lot of really great tutorials on thrumming, that i've bookmarked if and when I get my hands on some roving. (I've never noticed any roving at my lys)

BOOM. it got really. fucking. cold. Apparently, according to the Weather Network, it was colder than Mars. That is pretty damn cold. Brr. Luckily for me, I stayed inside all day. However, my downstairs neighbors are never home and never heat, combined with how poorly insulated our flat is-it was pretty chilly inside as well. HydroQuebec (ask me why I detest HQ someday) put out notice that even though it was the coldest day ever, you really shouldn't crank your heat or like, use electricity at all if possible *biggest eye roll ever*. Anywhoo, I wore my knitted V-neck, but then my neck was cold so I also wore an infinity scarf, and then knit socks and knit slippers plus some finger-less gloves because my hands were cold. I was swathed in wool and kind of sad that I forgot I knit legwarmers a couple of years ago.

Here's me keeping warm in my cold flat:

KNIT FAST DIE WARM!

And then, I started a hat. Using the second cake of WOTA in Camel heather (and my new Karbonz interchangeables in sz 8) Because I like the matchy matchy of hat and mitts in same colour (won't go as far as a matching scarf/cowl though; that seems a little toooo much for me)

I'd like to share the link for this pattern, but I can't find it. The hat is called Twist, and from the print out, it seems to be a Malabrigo pattern. Seems kind of small...but maybe it'll be stretchy?

It was a good week for getting packages. I love packages. Packages are not bills. Lovely packages <3
Especially the packages I received this week...the first was from Chapters/Indigo book store : socks a la carte 2 by Jonelle Raffino and Katherine Cade. There are some super awesome patterns in the book and even if I don't actually sit down and learn to knit socks from the toe up, I can still use the patterns for socks made from the top.
The second package was from Etsy shop OtterburnPQ! *Squeeeeal*

Love, love, loooove it! Perfect for taking along that one sock. I really want to get the larger sized pouch as well. The workmanship on the pouch is great, lots of great little details. It even shipped faster than expected.

Hey, next week is my one year blogiversary!