Hey, Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays dear blog readers!

I didn't realize it has been so long without a blog post. Lots has happened.

I was able to finish up Joe's 2nd pair of Christmas socks.
The yarn is Pattons bamboo, and Regia bamboo on the heels and toes.

The pattern is a mock cable every 4 rows, which made it nice and stretchy.
I wanted them nice and long, that is why I used the Regia to stretch the Patons
yarn. They are 9" long.





I started a new pair for Joe that is using up some Green Mt Spinnery
yarn I got when Ruth and I visited Martha a few years ago. I am also using
the Regia to stretch. To make Joe an 8" leg, I need 450 yards of yarn. The
Green Mt has just 400 yards.

We had our family Christmas dinner Saturday before Christmas which turned out
very nice.

Mom, dad and Tiffany:



Joel and Vicky:


Mom, dad and Aunt Edie. Aunt Edie is one year older than mom.
It was so nice to have her here with us.



My little family:





Little Mickey enjoyed the party!



Martha sent me a skein of sock yarn from the KangarooDyer
so so pretty. Ruth got one too!



Joe got me some Shelter yarn from Brooklyn Tweed - color Soot.
It is so so nice. I am going to make his Pattern Wayfarer with it.
Can't wait to start.



I finished the Stealth Project with a week to spare!
It was a Because of Love beret and Smocked Lace scarf for Tiffany.


The yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca Silk /Wool purchased
at the Loopy Ewe. Color fuscia. The colors in these
pictures are not very good.


The scarf is made up of two lace patterns - do two and
kitchner in the center. The first pattern is Smocked
Lace and the 2nd is Sawtooth. I changed the Sawtooth -
pattern called for knitting on the wrong side which would have
made garter stitch looking pattern, and was NOT soft.
I changed to Purl on wrong side so it was like stockinette
and very soft.


Tiffany has a cold and would not let me take any pictures, but
she did promise to model when she feels better. She really
liked the set.


This yarn blocked beautifully.

Martha finished up two cowls at the beginning of the month:
just one picture:
Simple Summer Lace Cowl,
http:/www.jananas.com, this out of alpaca and left over sock yarn Ruth
gave me about 5 years ago.



A few Christmas pictures:

Sandy and Dee came home for Christmas - both
looking quite lovely!\








so exhausted after all of the fun:



Some more exciting news: Ruth retired this month after 30+
years with the same company.

I attended a very nice HappyHour that her folks put on for her.
Look what they gave her:

A giant yarn ball!


I was in line getting some munchines and overheard this conversation:

Guy 1: What is she going to do with that yarn?
Guy 2: I heard she was making us all socks when she retires!

um...he was totally serious...get busy Ruth!



Abbey wishes everyone a relaxing funfilled - knitalicious Holiday!

Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas....almost!
The holidays are fast approaching, and there is a slim (very slim) chance
that I will get Joe's 2nd sock done. I hope I do, and if not, I'll wrap one
up for him. The stealth project is coming along nicely!!!

Ruth and I met for coffee yesterday, and she gave me two balls
of Louisa Harding Grace yarn.


This picture is more accurate of the color - teal - my FAVORITE!
Thank you thank you thank you.


She showed me the hat she knit for her grandson. It is so much
cuter in person.
Yarn is Debbie Bliss Rialto superwash yarn. Pattern is The Little
Flap Cap by Linda Gemmell


She is making Ray a pair of socks for Christmas our to Trekking:




More next week dear blog readers. Have a wonderful week!

Holidays are here...Already!

Gee, here is it Christmas, and I have very few presents to show for it.
I am done with one sock for Joe, and hopefully the 2nd sock will be
done for Christmas. The main yarn is Pattons, Bamboo / Nylon blend,
and the toe and heel are Regia, bamboo, nylon blend.



Pattern:

4 rows K2P2 Ribbing,
5th row: K thru back of 2nd knit stitch, keep stitch on needle, and K thru 1st
stitch, creating a mock cable effect. I like the look of this a lot. Even Joey commented
on how he liked the stitch, and how he liked the 2nd yarn for toe and heel.

Winner!






That is all the knitting I have to discuss. One stealth project that I really
really hope I will get done!


Other news:

Mickey is sooo fun! He is getting bad now though, and biting. I really
hope that is a kitten phase he is going thru. We have had him for 5
weeks already!


When he is quiet and cuddly he is oh so cute! He is getting sooo big!



He slept like this for an hour on Friday:




Joey got a very nice!! 8 point deer on Tuesday!
Way to go , Joe!



Tiffany and I went shopping Black Friday and had a nice time.

Last Sunday, we celebrated Dad's 76th birthday!
We are so lucky that he is here and in such good health.




Notice mom's cactus in the background!


tiffany and dad:




Joel and Vicky:

How do you knit with a kitty?

Answer: you don't !!
Not much to show for this week. Everytime I pick up the needles, wham!
Mickey strikes. He loves to bite the needles and the yarn.
I ripped out Joe's sock I started last week - did not like the pattern
at all, and started a new pattern that I am loving.
Ribbing K2 P2
every 5th row (4 regular ribbing in between)
K into the back loop of the 2nd knit stitch, bring right needle
to front of 1st knit stitch and knit, slip both stitches off of the
needle. Looks like a mock cable.


Working on the sleeves of the Seven Things Baby Sweater...have to
be done by Tuesday...gulp! It will be close.




Ruth traveled to MA to visit Martha this weeked so no updates
from either of them.


Our Mickey:




Have a good week dear blog readers.

A plan

I had to make a plan for knitting to get a few things done on schedule:

1. Seven Things Baby Sweater....taking a class with Jeannine going thru
this book. It is basic, but I am learning a lot. Who knew P2Together
could be so complicated....



2. I started a pair of socks for Joe, just because I always have
socks going. Plymouth Sox, bamboo blend. There is a little
pattern to it,but it does not show because of the yarn. I think I
will keep it up though, just for mental stimulation.



I have a couple of other things I want to get done before Christmas....
that I can't yet share.


Check this out: I made a Baby Surprise Sweater for Tiffany's friend
Meghan who had little Jerry in July. Meghan has been putting the
sweater on him and is apparently getting lots of compliments!
(Yes my head did swell a bit when I heard this).



Ruth is moving right along on her socks:
Liberty Fibers Yarn and my abbreviated version of the
Hopscotch pattern in Outside the Sox. The pattern is more obvious
in this picture than it was last week.



Here is a picture of a knitting skeleton bag and swift holder Ruth
purchased from Laura at Slipped Stitch Studios on Etsy.
Ruth said both are terrific quality and the fabrics are fun.



Martha has been busy working on two neck warmers:
Here is Ptarmigan Neckwarmer by Jared Flood. Knitted with On Line by Trend
collection Linie 19, which is wool, alpaca, and angora. It is a tad
itchy and she will probably like to wear it with a turtleneck. She ran
out of yarn and didn't get my last 2 rows in but ... who cares!?



The second is not blocked, it is Cite by Anne Hanson. It was made out
of the Yak and bamboo she bought at Rhinebeck this year. It is soft
enough to wear without a turtleneck. She made is 1/2 a repeat longer
too, to accomodate her long neck. She said it was pretty easy to make, but
Jared Flood's was easier.



Other stuff:

Mickey is growing - 2 1/2 lbs now. He is fun, and totally lively!
It is hard to knit when he is awake, he sits on my lap and chews the
yarn.





Made a mini-Thanksgiving dinner last night for who knows what reason!
Too much food but all good. The kids and mom and dad were both here.




Joey hit a deer last week and totaled his truck, luckily he was not hurt.



Here is his new ride. A 1995 Toyota 4Runner - from Texas


Abbey is getting used to Mickey. Mickey plays with Abbey's
tail and Abbey lets her! I think that may change as Mickey's
adult teeth come in.


Here are a couple pictures of a huge deer out behind the house that
I took on Saturday - look at that huge rack.



oh yea, Joey was hunting a few miles away when this thing
was in our backyard!



Here are a couple pictures of Ruth's cat, Lucy whom I think
is quite adorable. Mickey reminds me of her a little bit :




Have a nice week blog readers.