one hundred and sixty four.
yes indeedy it’s time to start planning for your 2009 holiday knit list! i dunno about you but for the past couple of weeks while cruising ravelry’s newly added patterns i’ve been eyeing the potential projects not only for me, but for what i might want to knit as christmas gifts this year. one thing i definitely want to do this year is knit each of my nieces and nephews a stocking (so technically that’s five things, hah!).
ideally i’d love it if people came right out and requested hand-knit items. but that’s not usually how it goes, so us knitters are left with the task of choosing the pattern, choosing the yarn, choosing the colour(s), guessing the size, casting on, frogging back, casting on again, scrapping one project for another, and so on and so on and so on. so hey i’m gonna go ahead put it out there: if you’re reading this and you usually get a gift from me, why not drop me a line and help a sister out? just sayin’…
there’s tons of options to choose from! socks, scarves, wraps, shawls, mitts, toques, dishclothes, pillowcases, toys, baby/toddler knits, berets, market bags, shrugs, cowls, legwarmers, slippers – is that enough for you? cause there’s probably way more that i’m forgetting to mention!!
i think my plan for this year will be to just knit away at patterns that i really want to try, use up all kinds of different yarns from my stash and hope that the resulting finished objects are suitable for everyone on my list. that way i’m not pressuring myself to ‘knit such-and-such for so-and-so by xx-date’. makes for more enjoyable knitting, doesn’t it? and if it doesn’t work out that everyone gets something, then i still had fun creating the item and chances are someone will claim it/them.
in the meantime, i really need to finish up my sweater. not that i’ll be wearing it anytime soon, but you know. and tonight? there’s just enough hours left in the day to complete my pair of ‘hospital socks’ (the waving lace pattern from favorite socks).
happy knitting!
note to self.
Malabrigo felts up good. Real good. And real quick too. I discovered this yesterday while felting what were supposed to be a lovely, lovely pair of mittens for loverboy. I’m lucky if they’ll fit my 4 year old nephew now.
On the plus side, working with this yarn is exquisite. Sooooo soft, colour knits up beautifully, clearly it felts well… You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be scooping up more of this yarn at any/all chance I get. Heard one of my LYS’s got a few skeins in… Might have to sneak on down there and nab some!
So have you finished your holiday knit list yet? I haven’t – these mittens were a slight detour (and being completely stubborn, I’ve cast on for round 2 of ‘me vs the felting’ already) which means the slippers I’d hoped to have started probably won’t be ready in time now. Still have one sock to do, plus an easy cabled toque. Seeing as there’s only what, 5 more days? Perhaps I should get moving on that… *whoosh*
a post past bedtime.
Lately I’ve been up late(r) than usual. Makes for really tough mornings. And excessive amounts of coffee.
It’s a busy time of year. Celebrations with family, friends, co-workers, knitting buddies – everyone. This makes me happy; sometimes I wish Christmas happened at least 4 times per year. Seeing people you rarely see, spreading good cheer, sharing laughter, and all those good things that make for happier moments in life. Except the crowds of shoppers – that part I could live without. I think we can all agree on that one…
Tonight the Wooly Bullies got together for a holiday potluck & gift swap. What could be better! Knitters, food, AND crafty-themed gifts? Heck yes. It was a lovely time. And a fabulous way to kick off Christmas va-cay.
Yep I’m work-free for the next 11 days. And that leaves ample time for last minute Christmas knittin’. (7 more days) Still feeling pretty good about the handknit items being packaged with care as this year’s gifts. The K.I.S.S. method really makes for relatively stress-free knitting. Just have a couple more things to finish up before the big day – a second artichoke sock, finish a cabled earflap toque, and one pair of slippers. Anything over and above those last items is gravy (and I loooooooove gravy!).
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. Andy Williams. That’s my most favourite-ist Christmas tune. I will sing aloud without a care to that one. Can’t help but have a big goofy smile on my face anytime I hear it. How about you? What’s your fave holiday tune? I’d love to hear, so drop me a comment aight?
And have a Merry Christmas, eh?
working on it.
Right. So I’m still fumbling my way around on this new blog. Patience please! Umm, can I interest you in some pretty progress pics while you wait?
On the left is xmas cowl #3 (Ridged Lace), and on the right are my Grassy Green Artichoke Socks.
Christmas knitting is coming along nicely. Except for xmas hat #3 which turned out to be a gift for me – oops! It’s a little loose on the ol’ noggin. But I love it, just not enough for it to have remained giftable, lol.
16 more days… tick tock tick tock
’tis the season…
‘Tis the season for decorating. Later today while loverboy watches his favourite football team (that’s European football people, aka soccer) hopefully win their match, I shall be unearthing our holiday decor. Yup, Christmas will explode upon our tiny living space in T-minus-4-hours. Scary stuff.
Back story: For the last 7 to 8 years we have been dining room table-less. Not to say that we didn’t have a dining room table, just that it’s been “otherwise occupied”. As a desk. As in our computer gear lives on it. That’s 7 to 8 years of eating on the couch in front of the boob tube. And oh how I’ve longed to eat at a table again. You know, like civilized folk do.
‘Tis the season for knitting marathons. Yup. Four gifts down, and two more on the needles. Xmas hat #3 is being knit with the most amazing yarn – Mirasol Miski. It’s 100% baby llama. Wow. Really really soft. It’s been hiding in my stash for over a year, and I simply cannot believe that I hadn’t used it up before now. It’s knitting up just brilliantly into a beret. Might have to stash more and knit one for myself too
‘Tis the season for countdowns. 25 more days…
cowls and slippers and hats – oh my!
We need to meet up soon
fifty four.
Today we flip over to a new month on our calendars.
It’s November 1st people.
That means only 54 more knittin’ (&/or shopping) days until THE BIG DAY.
How much progress has been made in my 2008 gift knitting since last week?
That’d be none.
O.o D’oh!
Time to get those sticks a-clickin’.
