Merry Christmas Eve

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring-not even a mouse:
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. 

Gifts are Flying off the Needles!!

I was not going to knit any gifts this year. I  know, what was I thinking. But last year I knitted rather large gifts for my mom and sisters. 

This year I had intension of felting soaps and then giving a wash cloth to go with it.

But I had done something similar a couple of years ago.

Then I thought I would just buy something. But alas, I just couldn't. It isn't hand made and seems not as personal.

Then I went on a hunt for something easy, fun, and useful. That's when I rediscovered The Ringwood Glove Pattern in the current Knitty and the rest is history.

I decided that I would knit a pair for my mom and if all went well and quickly I would add two more pairs for my sisters. Good news, these are fast, fun and the finished product is wonderful. Just the right ingredients for gift giving.

Here are mom's. (no worries, she doesn't read the blog). 

I used Caper, a cashmere/merino blend Dk yarn from String Theory.  I love love love this yarn. It is really nice, soft, and cushy to knit with and the color is wonderful. The finished project is just so nice. I still need buttons on the cuffs but I have one set done and 2 more to go. 

On to the second pair. These are for the sister that loves color. I used "Socks that Rock" light weight that I had in my stash. 

Since this yarn is fingering weight and not dk I am making the medium size. The "ringwood" stitch pattern is very stretchy so going up just the one size has worked perfect. Since my row gauge is smaller I am measuring against the other gloves for the length of different parts of the glove. That has worked out perfect. I have one done and the second on started.

The third pair will be a deep red color "tart" of madelinetosh dk that I got at Abuelita's here in South Pasadena. They have a lot of madelinetosh dk and fingering weight.
I Love this yarn too.

I have one more top secret present to knit.  I will be using  Jetterbug from Collinette in "Vatican Pie".       Fun fun fun!

I will let the secret out of the bag after christmas. Don't want to spoil the surprise. It is about as much knitting as the gloves so I feel I am in good shape. 

I have a lot of FO's that I need to take pictures of and post about.  But that will be another day. 

I want to leave you with one more picture. This is my street today. After the rain last night I have sidewalks full of leaves and the colors on the tress are just to die for. I keep looking out the window as I write this and smile. The colors make me so happy!!

I hope your knitting keeping you happy! 

FO Wednesday on Tuesday

I have been a busy christmas elf the last couple of weeks. I am going for fast, fun and easy projects this year and actually knitting for more people then I ever have before. I have made lots of presents for everyone over the years and I have been picky aboout who gets my knitting. But I have to say that I am having a blast knitting small things, even more multiples of the same thing, and being done in a few hours. Can you say "instant gratification" !

Here is what I have so far. I am about half done and still have a few weeks to go. Yeah!!

I have made 4 pairs of fetching.



All of the fetchings are being paired up with either the Dream Swatch Head Warp from knit and tonic,




or the Calorimetry from knitty.



I still have three pairs of Dashings and I am half way done with my second Montego Bay Scarf. I really love this colorway. I am not sure this one will make it out of thes house.



This is the one I have already finished. Both are done out of seasilk from handmaiden.



Merry Ho Ho Ho!!

January Quiet

I don't make resolutions for the New Year. It is such a set up for failure.
I do stop eating so much sugar. But that is because I am actually sick of it right now.

What happens to me this time of year is the overwhelming need to
de-clutter Everything!!

Right now it is a compulsion. Yes I have many compulsions, not just Knitting.

First I have to take down Christmas which I have so enjoyed over the last few weeks.







Yet it has worn out it's welcome and it is time for the feeling of space that resides in my living room when it has all been packed away. .

I am itching to get to the basement and clean it out so that there will be open space for items as I de-clutter the rest of the rooms and closets.





I couldn't wait to start this process (I told you it was a compulsion) so I spent New Years watching USC WIN!!! And going through all my knitting magazine and patterns.



See, lots of room for all the magazines and patterns of 2007!


But alas I have only two days before I am away for 10 days (for fun, family, snow, TNNA classes, and an overwhelming amount of Fondeling Yarn). I sure hope this feeling stays with me and the motivation will still be here when I get home on the 15th.

Farewell to a Wonderful Season and Welcome to January 2007 and the quiet and space this month always brings.