Legwarmers, Octopus and Owls, Oh My!

My knitting goal this winter was not to knit a scarf. When the temperature drops, and the knitting needles come out, I usually end up knitting a big ol' rectangle because:

a) I love scarves.

b) Complicated knitting patterns are intimidating.

While the former is still true, I decided to tackle the latter. I didn't choose complicated patterns by any means, but I tired to pick patterns that included some slightly-more-involved elements like increasing, decreasing, cabling, or knitting in the round. All methods that have previously made me think, "Hmm, not sure if I can do that... maybe I'll just make a scarf instead!" But this year: NO SCARVES.

I succeeded in my goal... and actually knit more this winter than any other year! I got mildly addicted to "just one more pattern"... Now I'm going to take a break from the needles for a while though. Between knitting and rock climbing several times a week, my fingers are in need of a break... though climbing is still on the schedule. Sorry, knitting, you'll start your annual hibernation now.

I'm really pleased with the fun non-scarf items I made. First off were my thick cabled legwarmers. You can read more about those in my post about them.

Next thing after legwarmers? More legwarmers, of course. I made a pair that I can wear when I go climbing and bouldering. They're off-white and yellow and a little retro sporty. They are definitely cozy to wear with my shorts or capris when in the climbing gym in the winter. Outdoor testdrive to come this Spring!

After all the legwarmers, I guess I was pretty obsessed with legs... cause I made an octopus.

I followed a pattern from the book, Little Knitted Creatures by Amy Gaines. It was surprisingly simple, and very satisfying to knit up curly little tentacles complete with wooly little suction cups.

Last but not least, I tackled a hat. I've been wanting to knit a cabled owl toque for a long time... and eventually want to make a cabled owl sweater one day. I used Sara Amoroso's "Who?" pattern on Ravelry, where there are many owl cable patterns to choose from. I had to adjust the number of repeats (ie. how many owls), as I was using a different yarn and needles that recommended. The cable is super easy, and oh-so-cute when you're done and have added buttons for eyes.

So all in all, not a bad winter of knitting for me, seeing as I'm not a serious knitter. And I accomplished my goal of a scarf-free season! As for the sore fingers, I did manage to find another string craft that wasn't so finger-intensive... more on that later!