What a difference a week makes

First off -

Happy New Year! 

Like many other people, I  made a few knitting resolutions last January. Inspired by 14-in-2014 groups on Ravelry.com, I decided to participate in a variety of challenges. Walking/running more miles per month? Done. Swimming more miles? Didn't make it. Knitting 14 projects as gifts? Made it by one. 14 units of stash used up? Done.

If I had managed to blog about my last two projects of 2014 in 2014, I would have met my "14 posts about what I finished" goal. As it is, I totally spaced out on them.

This lovely pink and purple beauty was gift for Middle Daughter who - even though she's working and moved out - decided she needed a Christmas stocking. It's the same Cascade Christmas Stocking by Marji LaFreniere and Cascade Yarns that I've made before - all the patterns are interchangeable and they make a really cute, colorful stocking.

A great thing about this pattern is that it uses up a lot of odds and ends of yarn. As long as the gauge is the same from yarn to yarn, you can use almost anything.

I also finally finished my gray Cranberry Capelet. 

Really, this pattern is like knitting a sweater but without the pesky sleeves.

It's also very cosy and I wear it around the house quite a bit. The Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool Worsted is very soft and cozy as well. 

I guess I should have finished this up in time to keep me from catching a cold. I spent most of last weekend in bed, working on a few more Hexipuffs.

Being a few Hexipuffs short for my Beekeeper's Quilt, I think that I'll continuing this project into 2015 as well.

Hmm, what to do in 2015? I'm thinking the "15 Mixed Projects" challenge in the 15 in 2015 Ravelry Group. Those are new projects as well as old projects, new stash or old stash. Basically, we're just finishing up stuff as quickly as possible. Works for me!

I'm also joining the Love Your Library Challenge 2015 from Snapdragon crafts.  Like many of us crafters, Blogger Emily loves books. And for the last few years, she's been trying to actually use them. 

"It's still the same challenge to actually use the books, patterns, and magazines we've collected over the years!" she writes. She's specializing in a subset of her knitting books but I think I'm just going to work at least 15 patterns from books or pamphlets in my library. 

I know that my four unfinished works from 2014 will be on this list - they are all from books or patterns already in my library - my Upstairs, Downstairs cowl, the 2014 Advent Scarf,  the Green Socks (based on Wise Hilda's Basic Ribbed Socks) and the River Grass Gansey. The other ten will be coming from some combination of my library.

Halleluia! My knitting group at Lila and Claudines is going to be working on Ganseys this winter. Time to finish that pup up!

Let the New Year roll!

One month later - or - The Holiday Deluge

Once again, knitting survives the Holiday Deluge.

Cascade Christmas Stocking #1 of 2013

Cascade Christmas Stocking #2 of 2013

Secret Holiday Swap Cowl

And the still unfinished Advent Scarf . . . 

And the latest addition to my stash? Santa knew just what to put in my stocking!

Kauni Wool 8/2 Effektgarn in gray

Kauni Wool 8/2 Effektgarn in rainbow

I sense a two color shawl coming on . . .

Still here after all these years!

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I know I had a blogaversary back in November. Six years ago, in November of 2005, I started this blog to talk about knitting:

What's on the needles, what I wish I was working on and what I've learned in the process. Probably that there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I want - and still get a nap.

Well, that's still what's keeping me around the Internet. Still knitting, still swimming, still spinning, still reading and, now, still weaving. And still wishing for a nap.

I've had fun meeting some of you readers out there and still more fun following some of you on Twitter. 

Thanks for all the kind words and great suggestions over the years.

This week, I've been delving into the world of fruitcake - using the Fabulous Beekman Boys' recipe - and fulfilling a last minute request for a Christmas stocking.

Fruitcake photo from http://beekman1802.com

Their Generous Fruitcake recipe is full of the fruit and nuts you might like - no oddly colored cherries! - and is very easy. My edition made one large fruitcake and eight small loaves. All are currently wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth and mulling away in the refrigerator. All except for the one loaf Mr. Daisy and I ate on Friday! Very good but it could use a little sweet something -  icing perhaps? - to cut the rum. I'll let you know what I decide to do.

Merry Christmas Mr. Daisy!
Although this is not our traditional stocking placement . . .

Mr. Daisy reminded me that he never had a "real" Christmas stocking so I made him one! 

I used the free Cascade Christmas Stocking pattern and the odds and ends of either Cascade 220 or Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted  from my stash. It did take a bit of time - I took it here and there to work on - but it turned out very nicely and I would rate it as easy to medium.

 I may even decide to make another one - but after Christmas!

I did have time to round up a Saturday Seven. 

It was finally time to pull out all my winter skirts and try them on. Three of today's Saturday Seven were hand me downs from my mother in law from several years ago and it was time to let them go. One teeshirt from behind Youngest Daughter's bed, a set of note card dividers, a turtleneck and a bottle of floor cleaner. Goodbye, clutter!

I was roaming the interweb the other day and ran across this video over at Eating Out in Tokyo with Jon. Although I love holiday music and switch to the Christmas radio stations as soon as they show up on the dial, I've heard this holiday song from Slade. Enjoy!