Perfect time for an afghan

I'm not sure why it is but don't you find that you usually work on something like an afghan in the heat of summer?  Maybe you started it when it was cool but somehow they always seem to end up being finished in the summer and the whole big fat hot pile of wool is plopped right in your lap.

Well, not this time.  It's been freezing and raining and snowing for several days now and I've started my full-size version of the Amish Center Diamond afghan.  Here's what I've got so far:

The center panel is done in seed stitch, from corner to corner.  It's 144 stitches at the widest point which is a whole lotta seed stitch, I can tell you.  The corners are working up much more quickly (108 stitches picked up along the side) in stockinette stitch and the borders will be in a chocolate brown garter stitch.  The 108 stitches, if you saw the previous post, is because you pick up the number of stitches equaling 75% of the number of stitches at the widest point of the diamond.

Yarn?  It's Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, thanks for asking.  I know I've said this before but I LOVE this yarn.  I've used it for a number of projects and always have a supply of it on hand.  I love how easy it is to knit with and how it softens more and more as it's washed and how economical it is.  465 yards for $9.  Can't beat that with a big ole stick.

Cutie Pie Elf

A lady at work is pregnant.  Back in the summer, I asked her what she wanted for her knitted item and she decided on an elf outfit.  She's due December 14th and wanted something to dress the baby in for Christmas.  Do you know how many knitted baby elf outfit patterns there are?  Neither do I but I'm guessing not many.  I had a think about it over the summer, decided on my basic pattern and found some yarn while I was out and about - I think it was in Tulsa that I found it.  DreamBaby D.K. by Plymouth Yarns.  So soft and stretchy and not at all splitty like this type of yarn can sometimes be. 

So here's my vision come to life!

(click on pictures to see a larger version)

The main thing she wanted was the curly toes.  I decided on doing the white knitted-in i-cord down the top of the foot which allowed me to continue it on after I'd bound off the red to make the curly at the end of the toe.  I don't know if you can see it but there are little jingle bells at the end of the curly.  You can see it better here in this close-up.

At first I finished it without the fringe around the hood but it all looked so plain.  I took it with me to JoAnn's and got some other ladies to give me their thoughts.  Someone suggested the candy cane button for the chest but that wasn't quite enough.  I had originally put the white fringe on the cuffs of the sleeves but since the sleeves were too short, I took them out and redid the sleeves as you see them.

This is the fringe that I learned while doing the 1860's Spanish Opera Hood and it works a treat for this purpose, don't you think?  Very handy technique.