Little to Big

After a peaceful Christmas holiday in Pennsylvania, I thought I should show some of my holiday/travel knitting. Although I got a few books for Christmas (and a WII Fit!), relaxation for me mostly meant knitting!

First off, I had a quick pair of Knucks to produce for Youngest Child when he vetoed the pair of mittens I'd started for him. I skipped the embroidery but I used a lovely bright shade of green yarn.

Originally, I'd picked up a great pattern for Felted Mittens by Nancy Lindberg over at Ingebretsens in Minneapolis but - once again - I'd mislaid the ball band so I wasn't entirely sure what yarn I had on hand. Could be wool, could be a blend. Since I wasn't going to waste time making and felting a swatch, I decided to make the knucks instead.



I think they make him feel like Ash from Pokemon! He wore them all the time in Pennsylvania - even on the coldest days. After that, I worked on a pair of moccasin slippers for him from Felted Knits. That was a fun pattern but I haven't photographed them yet. They are still a bit damp and need a little more shaping. I think I like them better than the ballet slippers from the same book. They just seem more tailored.



On the drive home today, I finally started on a pair of the Nancy Lindberg Felted Mittens. I don't have the full skeins of Brown Sheep Nature Spun as called for so these mittens will be a hodgepodge of colors. I do wish I'd brought a circular needle - I used every size 7 in my bag as well as a few size 8 dp needles to help hold on all the stitches.

I did have one knitting stop while on vacation - Wolf Creek Yarns in Grove City, Pa. I bought some needles and a gorgeous red skein of Cascade Yarns Eco Wool + yarn. It is shade 8450, a very rich red and 478 yards! This may be for my own felted mittens.

After these mittens, I have to start planning the New Year's knitting. Maybe a finish-a-thon of UFOs?

And the moms all say . . .

"Put some shoes on!"

Good bye skirts! Hello Yarn!

This weekend I did a round of "show and tell" with my skirts. I tried them on, "showed" them to my daughter and she "told" me if they looked good. The net results was six skirts and a belt. I think most of these were desperation skirts. You know, you've got to go to a funeral, a holiday dinner, an opera or a school function and you need a skirt NOW! They never go with any of your other stuff, they don't fit comfortably and they are going a-way. Good bye green skirt, black skirt, one plaid and three florals. Who actually looks good in a jungle print skirt?

I did keep three summer skirts, two black winter skirts, a corduroy skirt and one plaid one for Christmas. Knitting wise, I am taking on a pair of felted moccasins from "Felted Knits." Photos to follow.

Happy St. Lucia Day!

Saffron buns all around!




One present down - I'm sending them on unfelted but I'll felt them for her when I'm in PA for Christmas. Yes, she's got a top loading washing machine!

Friday Fun

Take a look - there's caroling going on my house tonight but not in Swedish. Latin carols only! Although the cold weather did put a damper on the singing . . .



Back to the knitting - Christmas is coming.

Sugar and an early release day

Happy Early Release Day!

Well, we made the cookies yesterday but Youngest Child decorated them today after he came home early from school. Can you tell which ones were decorated by a five year old? I think I have to go knit my sugar headache off.

Would it be greedy?

If I left this out for Santa on Christmas Eve? First of the set done - second one started.

Are you enjoying the snow?

Sunday - it's the new Saturday.

Yeah, I'm about a day behind on everything. I've been making fleece mittens for my church's Mitten Tree project - this week it's pink and next week is green - but I needed to take a picture before the final two pairs were finished. So, I tossed in two pairs I purchased from Kohl's (big, big sale there - about $2 per pair!) to make a complete Saturday Seven. On the side, I'm knitting a scarf and a pair of felted slippers. I've still got another pair of felted slippers (a small pair, thank goodness) and two pairs of fingerless gloves to go.

Luckily, I attended the No Coast Craft-o-Rama yesterday with GFMelissa and took care of a few Christmas presents. Love that show!

Today, it was decorating a Jesse Tree with the under-first-graders at my church and a Christmas choral concert at my daughters' school. Whew. I am looking forward to a little sitting down time right now.

Here Kitty, Kitty

Kitty is the color name of the fingering weight sock yarn that I got as part of my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 6 kit. This is from Unplanned Peacock Studio - the owner was my exchangee. I am liking it more and more as I work on this scarf pattern - the pattern is "The Road Not Taken" from A Fine Fleece.

I've been having internet problems recently so this will be a brief post. I really have to get back to the holiday knitting!

And since it's still Friday - perhaps this film will get you in the holiday mood:

Remember that little girl from "Signs?"

The one with the glasses of water everywhere? Well, that was me as I spilled a full glass of water into my laptop bag. And onto my knitting bag, too, but there were no electronics involved there . . .

Dear Mr. Daisy has done a lovely job getting things back online - I was very bummed out by the idea of losing the old lap top - but now, I'll need to get posting again.

New project clashing with the February Sweater. The Road Not Taken Scarf from "A Fine Fleece." Fun and easy so far - I am using the sock yarn I received as part of my HSKS gift.



That cute brown/gold/black yarn at the top of the photo. So far, I am wishing I hadn't wound it so tightly but the yarn is knitting up well. Don't let your angst-y teenager run your ball winder - it's bad for your yarn!

Now, back to knitting and sewing - photos to come later. I am still out here!