2006 Knitting Finishes

Seed Stitch Scarf – Kathmandu DK weight tweed yarn
Suki bag – Patons Classic Merino
Socks – Opal handpaint (yellow & brown)
Clapotis – Cherry Tree Hill Silk & Merino DK (Knitting Olympics)
Broadripple Socks – Opal yarn
(2) Viking Costumes – Yarns from Knit Picks, Berocco Suede and Lion Fun Fur
Divine Lace Scarf – Noro Silk Garden
Entrelac Felted tote bag – Lambs Pride Worsted
Socks – Opal; Tropical Fish
Socks – Claudia Handpaint; Red Wagon
French Market Bag – Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed
My So-called Scarf – Malabrigo kettle dyed wool
Cozy Socks – Lambs Pride
Socks – Lion, Magic Stripes
(4) Nauties – Caron Simply Soft
Socks – Trekking XXL
(2) Mrs. Beetons – Atacama Alpaca yarn & Hand painted yarn from LYS
Jaywalker Socks – Koigu KPPPM
Kitty Pi – Lambs Pride Bulky & Fun Fur
Muff – Rio de la Plata hand dyed yarn
Socks – Schaefer Anne
Maude Shawl – Great Adirondack Yarn Co
Socks – Rocks That Rock Medium Weight

That's a LOT of finishes. Naturally I have 3 sweaters in progress that I haven't touched in a while. I'm still working on the Lady Eleanor shawl and have decided to rip out the version I started in Lornas Laces Shephard's Worsted and finally make "Cozy" out of that.

10 pair of socks this year. I think I would have had more if it weren't for so many false starts on other projects.

I'll list my UFOs and project ideas I'd like to complete in 2007 in another post. I'm still compiling my preliminary list.

Hope Yours Was Very Happy!

First and most importantly… the Viking costumes were a big hit. I was a little bit disappointed because the jerkins are too big and they fall off the boys shoulders. I have to come up with a fix for that. They put them on immediately and took them right up to bed with them. So cute!!!

I got some wonderful presents; hand made ornaments from the nephews, a gift card for Borders (Stitchonary #3 is coming home with me soon!), my parents have funded my next yarn crawl with Jen, I got a cook book from my brother (signed by the author), 2 skeins of Koigu (!!!!!!) and a beautiful tape measure that matches my birthday knitting bag from Jen, and a swift. OK – the swift wasn’t part of my Christmas present, but it sure felt like it was since I neeeeeedddddded a swift desperately.

Katie even got a Christmas present from my nephews. I really get a kick out of her because she is more interested in how the toy does what it does than actually chasing the toy.

I spent Christmas morning knitting Lady Eleanor (color natural pink here) and watching the Yule Log. It was so relaxing. The only time I got up was when I needed another cup of coffee (with eggnog instead of cream). Then I was off to my brother’s who had a full house. By the end of dinner, I wasn’t feeling all that great so I left early.

It was a good thing I did because I am now harboring a cold. I was in bed early (9PM) and slept through the alarm this morning. I’ve been taking Airborne and hoping that this cold or whatever it is will be short lived.

I also finished the Socks that Rock socks because I want to wind up the Christmas Koigu and get knitting. What I should do is wait till the 31st for the 2007 Sock Knit-a-long to start and see what the theme for January will be. I don’t think I can stand it. Although I should just start my brother’s Viking helmet and get a jump on that.

Christmas Eve!

...and I'm done with the viking costumes! They are wrapped and gift cards that go with them are signed and taped to each package. The cooking of the dinner will take place at my brother's house, so I have plenty of time to do the last thing I wanted to get done before Christmas - dye my hair. I just don't want to go to church tomorrow with 1 1/2 inch roots.

And since you can't see the roots in this picture here is one of the Viking helmets. Not that you can see it so well - but you get the drift. My brother has already put in an order for one.

And here is my tree. Please ignore the messy cords.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!

T-minus 4 1/2 days and counting

I’ve not been sleeping well. My doctor changed some of my medications and “Buh Bye Mr. Sandman.” Sure I fall asleep OK, but I’m up every hour or so and even tho I fall asleep between 10:30 and 11, I’m wide awake at 5AM. So I’ve been walking through my days since last week like a zombie.

One of the guys I support just caught me staring at my desk. Blanked out totally. I am mortified. I’m usually busy with something or other and he walked into my office and I didn’t even hear him. He said “I’m not even going to ask what you’re doing.”

My parents were here visiting last week so all of my spare time was spent with them. I bought ONE Christmas gift while they were here. ONE. I’m planning on getting gift cards for my nephews and I was going to get another gift card for my brother & SIL to their favorite restaurant. But did I have anything for my Mom and Dad? No. Did I have anything to send back with them for my brother? No.

And the Viking costumes still aren’t finished. I sewed the horns on one of the hats last night. Should I worry that the damn thing fits my head? I could hear Katie thinking “What the hell is that thing on her head? Why does it have HORNS? What is WRONG with her?” Tonight I’ll do the other and then I just have to knit on some I-cord ties and sew some embellishments on the jerkins and hats. I hope they’ll be done for Christmas. Saturday may be nothing but knitting/finishing and laundry.

And maybe sleep…

…and I’m cooking Christmas Eve dinner. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through.

Most of my weekend knitting was spent on Lady Eleanor V2. I’m through 1 ½ skeins and I really love the way it’s coming out. I think when my Mom sees it she’ll claim it as hers. I don’t put it past her. She has taken jewelry I’ve made right off me, put it on and said “You know you’re not getting this back right?”

Last night while watching a re-run of House, I worked on the fun fur shoulders on the second Viking costume. I have one side done and the other side started so I should have the knitting done with tonight. Then I can sew the horns on the helmets, sew a little embellishment here and there and those can get marked off as D! O! N! E!

How much you wanna bet as soon as my nephews have them on their bodies they’re going to ask for me to make them something else?

And by the way… I hate fun fur. I used to think it was so much fun to knit with and it got me back into knitting like a fool again (after a brief resurgence in the 90s), but man! It doesn’t feel real nice at all.

I’ve joined this 2007 sock knit along. I have so much sock yarn that I need to knit up. There will be monthly themes and prizes and most importantly for me – support. The start date is December 31st. I’m so excited to get my sock yarn knitted up… so I can buy more.

Guess what we did yesterday?

Put the decorations on the tree! Katie was so helpful.

I re-started Lady Elenore with Patons SWS in Natural Pink. Why the re-start? Well, I was reading the Knitty Enablers Coffeeshop and some of the knitters were using the SWS and the shawls were coming out beautiful. So, I caved...

Great strides in Knitting History...

Check it out... One down

And the other just needs the fun fur bits. Then some sewing embelishments.

The helmets are felted and the horns stuffed and just need to be put together...

The socks I'm making out of one of the skeins of Socks that Rock. The color is "Mist"...

Katie is so unimpressed...