Happy New Year !!

 Happy New Year!  It is a beautiful day here in
Western New York...cold though. And snowy!

We have had an ultra busy week. Too busy. Today
is my first day home since Christmas.

The JFY4 is coming along, though very slow.
I will be done in a day or two. It is very very big.

Here is progress as of Thursday. I sat by the fireplace
all afternoon when we were away and knit.

 Here is progress today. I am on Clue 10 of 12.

Click here J4Y4 to see some finished ones...
A lot of knitters used the same colors as I did.

I started a sock. Was looking for a pattern, but my brain
was tired so everything I found was too involved. Finally
started a sock in yarn from Martha this Rhinebeck and I am
making up a pattern.  The lively colors make me happy.

I also started a totally brainless shawl from Moorehouse Merino
yarn kit, purchased at Rhinebeck. I did not realize how brainless...
Garter stitch for  50 rows increasing each side, then at 100 stitches
decrease at each side in 2nd color. It will be fun when done if I
don't expire from boredom first. Oh and its a size 13 needle.  This
is a weird pic...the needle is curling.

 Ruth is making great progress on her pretty sweater.
Anne Hanson's Violet pattern. Brooks Farm Yarn.

 Martha has blocked the body of her sweater and has a
perfect fit!

 In other news...

Did I mention it's pretty

Mickey thinks because I'm home he gets his dinner early...NOT!

 I've taken down all of the decorations except the trees.
Watching the Buffalo Bills game at 4:30. I hope it's a good
game, and by a miracle they win.  If not, I just hope it's a good
game.

Joe and I are staying in and making a shrimp dinner. So glad
to just be home.  I'll make it fun!!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Well, it's finally here. Christmas Eve.  Am I ready?

As ready as I will ever be I guess.  Personally,
Christmas Eve and Day are let downs for me. I love
all of the entertaining, and music and baking and
family that leads up to it.

 I have just a couple of rows to finish up on the 2nd sock.
Guess I will wrap it up unblocked....
Morning Hugs pattern on the leg.  I did two elongated
stitches on each side of the foot....morning hugs was too thick for
 the foot I think. 

I think Joe will like them.

I am way behind on the mystery JFU4 pattern.  Thru Clue 6 and I think
 there are 12 or something.  I had to work on some boot socks this
week, plus the socks.  I'll work on it now. 

More of a maroon color than red.

Ruth is working on a new sweater, Violet by
Ann Hanson.  So pretty and feminine, huh!

Martha is making great progress on her sweater.
OMG she is really moving along. I could never make that sweater,
and this is her 2nd one. Ruth made it too, I think.  She has
3 more balls of yarn ordered. Look at the detail in it!

We have a white Christmas. So pretty when I woke up
 this morning.  Had the tree lights on, and music going,
and sipping tea and thinking how lucky I am.
Merry Christmas!

It Feels Personal

Well here we are, a week before Christmas Eve.  Yikes!
I still have 2 projects to finish them up...hopefully, it
will happen.

I didn't have much knitting time this week. We were getting
ready for a big party for Joe's family.  This is the 3rd Annual
Party since his parents died.

 This week I worked on Just For You 4...

 My knitting is thru Clue 4. I have Clue 5 yet to do, and tomorrow
another clue comes out! I am using Cascade 220 yarn, and like
it a lot.  Clue 5 joins it for a large cowl, rather than a shawl. It is
scrunched on the needles in this pic.

Finished up the Ghostwood Mittens.
Love them!

Kind of a weird pic...I have yarn leftover so may make her
ankle warmers if she wants after Christmas. She hates socks!

 Last week I mentioned that I blew holes thru two pairs
of socks that had already been patched.  But I still have them.
It feels so personal to throw them out. Hard to explain.
Am I weird or is this normal?

Ruth is back to knitting a lot again. Check out her
beautiful Andiron Cowl by Kerri Blumer. Yarn is Avalon Springs
 Farm Lancelot Wool. 100% merino wool.
The color in the photo is a little drab in the picture. I saw it in
person Thurs and it is totally amazing !

 She is also working on her socks.

Martha is working on her sweater.OMG she is working so
hard on her sweater...making sure it will fit correctly.
it will be a beauty when it's done...

In other news...
here are some pics from Joe's family party yesterday. .
personal to us, so you can just skip if you are so inclined.
But, this is part of who I am so here you go:

Liam is 2. This is the first time we have ever met him.

Sweet boy.

 The whole crew

 Little Jacqueline, who will be 2 in January.
Doesn't she look like Cindy Lou Who from Whoville in
The grinch movie?

She's already a computer expert...can run the mouse

Last week she crawled on the desk at home and proceeded to
decorate the monitor with a sharpee!  Yikes.

Here is big sister Faith, who was not so shy this year.
had so much fun with her.

No pics of the play area I set up with coloring and play
dough. 
Donna's family:

Note Charlie just had open heart surgery:

Jeanine's family:

Melinda's family:

Our family:

Some misc pictures:

Tiffany and Casey

Jenna, Brenton and Jeanine

Suzy and Faith

Jeremy and Miranda

Mindy and Joe

My kids and significant others

Nice pic of  Tiffany and Mark

I need to work on some knitting. After the party we have
picked up all day. I feel like a truck ran over me...
Only 4 more days to work this year..
I can do it I can do it I can do it

Touch Screen

 I kinda wish we had "touch screen" knitting.
These mittens feel sooo nice and soft.
Ghostwood Mittens.
One done, one 2/3 done.

This is the first time I've used an afterthought thumb, and I like it.

The plain gray yarn is very utilitarian, but the plymouth
Kid Gloss has darker and lighter colors, and makes it
interesting.
Notice the pop of pink in the thumb and ribbing.

That is because it is a set to go with the
Gnarled Entling warmer I just finished.

For Casey, who loves ear warmers,

and loves pink

and does not love hats or socks!  My son has a
girlfriend that does not wear socks, only when it's really
cold...LOL...hopefully she will like these.

Martha has worked on her sweater all weekend...
She has one more inch to go then split for the sleeves...

Reminder, this is Ann Hanson's Highlander Pattern.

Ruth is working on her socks, not enough new progress for
a new pic.

In other news
I had another pair of socks blow holes thru the bottom,
on both socks...I have already repaired them once, so I
guess I have to throw them out.  After Christmas knitting, I
really need to knit a pair for myself.


finally got the real tree decorated.

I wish Christmas trees photographed better.

And my friend Betty got me a cookie jar with a kitty
wearing a sign on his neck that says "I knocked the lights
off the Christmas tree".  LOL. I put it under the tree to see
what Mickey would do. I'm not sure if he is guarding his tree,
or the cookie jar kitty. what do you think?

 It's snowing here, so pretty and Christmasy.  I'm going to knit
until it's time to go to bed.  Have a great knitting week
dear blog readers...