Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone. All of my Christmas knitting is complete, and I also finished up a cowl for each of Joe's three sisters. I am now knitting a pair of socks for me!

A Visit from the Sock Whisperer

As you know, I'm making my latest pair of socks for Joe from Austerman Step yarn. The yarn in the ball looks very camo like. The yarn knit up does not. I'm not crazy about the yarn, but bought it, its soft and lovely on the foot. Yesterday when I was knitting on the sock the sweater I knit for mom two years ago was laying there, and I thought, wow, these socks would go with mom's sweater...and then that's when it happened....I had a visit from the Sock Whisperer who told me "you dummy - you should be making the socks for your mother!" Joe has a small foot, and mom has a wide foot so they essentially would wear the same size (I tried a pair of his on her foot this summer, so that is a for sure not a guess statement). After that little visit from the whisperer, I am feeling much better about making these socks. She will love them. I will, however, only have two pair to give Joe for Christmas, and I wanted to make him three. But he will not care. I'm turning the heel so should be done this week.


I whipped up a little cowl called "Ellen" - a free Ravelry download - only took a couple of hours. I used Classic Al Chunky yarn. it is a very classic look and yarn. not sure who will get it - maybe Aunt Charlotte or one of Joe's sisters.





Martha finished up her sweater. It is stunning! She used a pattern by Barbara Wiseman, a small privately published pattern, published in about 1998, her friend had given her a copy. She did some minor changes with the guage to make it work with the yarn she had, and made it one block longer and wishes she made in one block longer still. She was running out of the variagated yarn by the last sleeve and that is why there is only a few blocks of it that show, and the front bind off has green and the variagated. She did start this and rip it all out as you know.




We had our annual Christmas dinner at our house last ngiht . I only took a few pictures :











Magic loves the Christmas tree as much as I do! Have a wonderful, safe week.

Christmas Gigglefest 2008

Here are some pictures of the first annual Christmas Gigglefest.

I had "the girls" over on Saturday for a fun crafty afternoon.

Kathy is working on a crocheted afghan. This picture is one she made a while ago.
We (well I ) called it an heirloom afghan because that's what it reminded me of.






Roberta is crocheting a shawl. Well, she was working on a shawl, but she finished
it while at the gigglefest and then started a poncho for her niece.



Sue is hooking a rug with a horse pattern on it. She is doing a lovely job !




Kathy is working on a crocheted scarf. The colors are stunninig. She showed us some of
her work and it is quite lovely. She is making bookmarks that are really adorable.



Marcia is making socks. She has turned into quite the sock knitter! These are her first two-colored pair.



Ruth brought her spinning wheel and gave us all a lesson. He spinning is quite lovely - and
very relaxing to watch!



Tiffany is making a scarf for her dear friend Mary. Hopefully! it will be done for Christmas.


The space was a little cramped, but no one (seemed to) care. The giggles just kept flowing.










We had lots and lots of good food to eat - everyone brought something - and thanks Joe for the homemade wine.

I was able to get my sock finished. One more to go and I'll be done with Christmas knitting.


We went out in blizzard conditions today and got our tree. Joe was like Paul Bunyan hauling it on his shoulders and carrying it thru the woods. This picture does not show how cute it is with the lights on. It is much smaller than usual, but much more manageable.


This is our fake tree that is quite cute - I screwed up these pictures and the lights are not showing up.



Merry Christmas - have a good, safe week!

Finished!

Thanksgiving morning, I finished the Timesucker project, aka Towel for a Christmas present. I was sweating bullets that I would not be done by Christmas.



Specs:
Cast on 160 stitches
Finished product: 35 inches across, 75 inches long
20 skeins of Chenille cotton yarn purchased on line at Numei Yarn.
10 skeins Oil Green / 10 skeins Teal.

I am so glad I decided to make it two colors instead of one, never would have finished if
it was all one color. It washed up very nice and very soft. He is one lucky guy!

This is another project I finished up on Thanksgiving day. A Carolina Blue furry scarf.
Hated it the whole time I was making it. It was at the request of someone very special,
so that made the pain of making it more bearable :).



I have a little bit done on Joe's sock being made with Austerman Step. Not much else to report (not much else I can report for a couple more weeks).

My friends are coming over on Saturday for a knitting/crafting/giggling afternoon. I am crossing my fingers that the weather will behave!

Have a good week! Stay warm.

The End is in Site

The End is in site for the timesucker project. I have started skein #19 out of 20 today.
Yahoo! I still question my sanity for starting this project.




I finished the EZ hat - very easy indeed. Made from Green Mt Spinnery yarn purchased whenin Mass when I went to Martha's house w/Ruth in April. The hat is very very nice, and I have enough yarn left to make one more. This one is for Joey for Christmas. You've gotta love the model!


Of course, Magic has been my constant companion during all of this knitting.


I had to get a cortosone shot in my elbow last week. The first three days the pain was horrid, but after that its been great. I can use the stapler, and knit without pain. yah00!

I started a pair of socks for Joe tonight. The color is a camo-color. Originally purchased for Joey, but he does not like my socks, so Joe will get them. Austerman Step yarn made with jojoba and aloe. He has one pair that he loves, and confirmed he would like this color comb ok.


Martha is making progress on her vest. Don't ya luv the colors? Notice also this is a different version than the first one.



Ruth has been taking a spinning class and has made her kitty Lucy a catnip "rat" with her homespun yarn. she is liking the classes very much, and will bring her spinning wheel to the
giggle party at my house on December 6th.



I'm taking Wednesday off of work, and I'm so excited I can hardly sleep. Thanksgiving is at mom's as usual. Friday Tiffany and I are going shopping. We go with the only expectation of having fun...and we always do. We are meeting two really hot guys for breakfast afterwards!
Saturday is our annual shopping trip with mom and dad. Joe and Joey are busy processing the deer they shot. Joey is unstoppable - with 2 more shot on Saturday.

Have a wonderful week. Joe and I ALWAYS reflect on how thankful and lucky we are....
I hope the same for you and yours.

Distractions

I did not get much knitting done this week, I've had distractions.

We've been watching Tyson, the grandpug for Tiffany this week. He is a character, and likes lots of luvin. Requires as much time as a real baby it seems! He does not like it when I knit.


Joey got yet another deer with his bow...awesome!


Joe got a nice 8-point buck on opening day of shotgun season.





Look what I found in mid-November:


Martha sent me some pictures of Emma-Louise's sweater. Its Martha's first sweater in 10 or so years so she is quite happy with the results. I don't remember the pattern or the yarn. I believe she made a few modifications to the pattern,whatever it is.





Emma Louise is nice eye candy, isn't she!

And to answer the burning question on all of your minds: "Will I finish the Time-Sucker project by Christmas???" Definitely! Maybe even before Thanksgiving. Two and one-half skeins left to go and it will be done. When I realized I was so close I started knitting almost exclusively on it to get it done and out of the way.

Have a good week....Tyson is quiet and that is not good, have to go find him.
Toodles.

w. t. f.

w.t.f.


My favorite socks have holes in the heels! I have worn them twice, and they were handwashed in between and laid flat to dry. Yarn purchased at Ellen Half Pint. Jeannine and girls at class told me to call the lady and tell her about it. I am sick. BOTH heels. Enough said. w.t.f. !!!!!

I have finished my Socks of Kindness and really like they way they turned out.: Wildfire Luxury yarn.


I'll have to show pictures on the feet when they're dry, quite wet right now.
Ruth made some for Ray that turned out wonderful as well. On the foot really
shows off the pattern.


I have a modest start to mom's sweater, but I think it might be a Valentine's present instead of Christmas...we'll see how things go. This week Tiffany has requested a pair of wristwarmers, which are a fairly quick knit.

Abbey has not been feeling well today, not sure what's up. We are giving her lots of TLC



Have a safe week.