Sunday, December 28, 2008

Almost Finished!

Here I am, the Sunday after the holiday, and I finished almost everything. What a relief!! Susan loved her shawl, Lauren loved her bag, I think Carla liked hers.... The sock-monkey hats were a big hit, made everyone laugh, which was what I intended! Ian seemed to like his sweater, and to appreciate the I in lieu of B for Butthead. I, however, did not finish the slippers for UJ. He doesn't know about them, though, so no problem!! Roberta LOVED her stocking, and Brenda went nuts for her bag, both gratifying reactions.....
I look back, and I am pleased with the reactions. But I can't help saying, THAT was all the presents I made?? Seriously?! Since July??? It seems like a lot of obsessive knitting for such a short list. Maybe that is the anti-climatic after-holiday blues talking.... All in all, that just reinforces my vow to knit only for myself this coming year!
Now, we all know that probably isn't true.... I still have to finish the bag that Brenda commissioned. And I still have to sew Meredith's sweater together, though the knitting is done and it steam blocked beautifully! And I have the 2/3 done Nantucket jacket for Mom to finish. So, see, there will be knitting for others thrown in there.... I started off the vow right, though, by immediately knitting four blocks for my afghan. That makes me so happy!!!!
AND, Christmas presents from Mom, Susan, and UJ have done nothing but encourage me to knit for Me, Me, Me!! I got the fair isle bag kit that I wanted, and the yarn is great!! I can't wait to start that. I got the yarn for the Minimalist Cardigan for our knit-along, which I am also very excited about.... Though, since Mommy is making one for Anna, it may be a while before she wants to make another one....
That's ok, I have other stuff to work on!! Because I also got two, count 'em, two gift certificates to Webs!! Now I can finish my afghan and more.... It will require some strategy. I got 100$ in certificates, and I need four more skeins of Kureyon for the Lizard Ridge. That leaves me with bunches of certificate money left!! AND, it only makes sense to get at least 125$ worth in a single order, because they offer 25% off after that amount. So not only will I get 100$ worth of yarn, but I will get an EXTRA 25%.
What do I want the yarn for? The Sylvi? I am in love with that project, but I got discouraged by working the swatch... Hmmm.... Like I said, this will require some strategy!!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Eaten by a giant mound of knitting.

Of course, instead of finishing something that is already mostly ready to be delivered, I started a new project last night... I cast on the first of two felted slippers for UJ for Christmas. I am apparently allergic to finishing anything. Oh, well, at least the first one is going fast. I am very skeptical that this isn't going to be so very tiny that He Who Must Be Kept couldn't wear it, but we shall see. I am felting the first one before I cast on the second. (Or is that a mistake? Will that result in two radically different sized slippers? Hmmm, something to ponder.)

Does it seem weird that the only socks I have made have all been gigantic? The very first one was Roberta's stocking, and now giant socks for felting.... I seem to have a thing for gigantic socks.

Stephen (from work) and I coined a new term today, finding "second sock syndrome" to be a bit cumbersome. We have decided to call it Sock-holm Syndrome. I like it. I think it could catch on. You know you are a knitter when you have coined a phrase.... even if no-one else uses it!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Apparently I cannot knit and blog at the same time.



So, here I am again, all this time later. Now it is a perfectly good time to be obsessed with Christmas knitting! I have made it all the way to the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I still feel like there is a mountain of work to be done! Here is the Christmas list update:


1. Color Block Cardigans-done and delivered to Brenda the Friday before the holiday. They were adorable, and have cemented my hatred for tying in ends!


2. The sweater formerly known as Butthead- done but for tying in ends. Did I mention how I feel about tying in ends? I am not putting a picture here, because Butthead himself reads my blog. My one and only follower.... And he can't see his present until Christmas! (You thought I would slip up, didn't you??)


3. Lauren's bag- Changed this to a Brea bag. I still have to line it, but I found the BEST fabric for it! I got MONKEY fabric. It is so funny!! I am a little scared to start trying to line it, but I will have to bite the bullet soon....


4. Sock Monkey Hats- yes, that is right, hats! I decided that it was so funny that I had to make two. Uncle Jim, henceforth known as UJ, is lucky recipient number two. They still need their ears and their little faces embroidered on....


5. Susan's Clapotis- Oh, so beautiful. She has been copiously admiring my mom's version, so hopefully, she will be thrilled with hers. Now I want one made in the same yarn!
6. Vintage Bubble Bags- I ordered the Noro Silk Garden today to make one of these for Carla and one for Brenda from work. They work up quickly and I think they are very nice.
7. Stocking for Roberta- done but for tying in the ends and doing a hanger. (Those damned ends!!) My first large scale fair isle project and also my very first sock. It is not perfect but I am proud of the way that it turned out!
8. Hat for Chalmers- have to decide on something.... I will make this from yarn I already have, but I have to nail down a pattern this week! Very tempted to do fair isle again....
9. Brea Bag for Brenda's sister- I got Lion Brand Fisherman's wool in a beautiful taupe-y brown for this, and she is going to help me pick out the lining next week. I have one side done and can whip up the rest of it pretty quickly. I will use a belt for the handle, which I believe I found at a thrift store. I love this pattern!
10. Nantucket Jacket for Mom- finished the first front panel this morning. Since she knows about it, she is aware that it might not be done by the 25th. I am steaming away on it, though. I like this pattern, too. It is made form the Debbie Bliss Cashmarino that she bought on sale, that beautiful bright red. It is a very complicated, textured pattern, but very easy to knit somehow.... I hope it is as great as I think it will be.
11. Clogs for UJ- Don't know why I committed to knitting YET ANOTHER project before the holiday, but UJ is coming for Christmas (yeahhhh!) and we decided to beef up his present! Gotta get a pattern, will knit from stash.
Now it is clear why it has been months since I have posted, right? I haven't put the needles down for five minutes! (And Ian just fixed my wireless Internet over the weekend, thank you very much!!) I will be here... knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting, knitting......