Twenty of Fifty-Two

Pair 20 of 52, I finished these Austermann Step socks in color 13 for my Dad last night at 11:55! So they were technically finished on his birthday. (He's away working and won't be home til today sometime, so they were finished on time.) They are plain vanilla socks made a bit bigger and have an eye of partridge heel. The sock on the left looks bigger cuz that was the first one, and I had tried it on a couple of times to get a feel for the fit. The middle picture is pretty accurate on color. My last FO of 2007!

They match perfectly, right down to the tips of the toes!

We've started inventory at the store. Counting yarn is always fun -- NOT! There isn't as much of it this year just because our stock room isn't overflowing like it was last year. We've gotten a good jump on it. I marked down the Regia sock yarn. All of the 3ply (not much there) is now $3.50. The other Regias are marked down 20%, so they are $5.60, $6.40, and $7.20, depending on the kind. We have 4ply, cotton, solids, and jacquards. Doing inventory is a good way to find odd dye lots and one-ofs that get reduced by at least 25% and added to the discount bin. So far the book is way off from the actual count. It will be interesting to see how far the actual count is off from the computer. We won't be entering any of it into the computer until it's all counted first.

Sign ups are open for the Sock-A-Month KAL 5. I've been in all of them from the start and have never missed a month, so I see no reason to start now! I'm in.

So far we have a nasty end to the year. Today I woke up to snow and freezing rain. It seems to have stopped for now. I see a snow plow up on the corner widening out the intersection. Of course, it's supposed to rain now so it will get cold and everything turn to ice.

Started this post the other day, so the date is wrong. Have fun and be safe with whatever you have planned for this New Year's Eve! We are going to a house party then to the fire hall dance.

Happy New Year and Happy Knitting!

Christmas Recap

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! The boys had magic reindeer food to sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve.

They got to open big trucks from Daddy.
I couldn't get the cats their regular scratch post. (Usually just the cardboard catnip ones.) I got them this one that has a ball they can spin around, too. Simba seems to enjoy it, but the other two weren't overly impressed. Simba keeps getting the ball out somehow, then chases that all over the living room, usually in the middle of the night.

Pre-opened loot.

I swear the Oldest One isn't googly-eyed like he looks in this picture, and no he doesn't have eyeliner on! I hate posting pictures that I used red-eye correction on -- they look strange once transferred to my blog. They don't do that in Flickr. Irritating trucks from my brother -- they blare loud dance-type music. I must remember to thank him later...

The Oldest One got the rest of the Spongebob Lego he needed for his set. (The Chum Bucket and Mrs. Puff's Boating School.) The Littlest One got the rest of the Thomas the Tank Engine Lego he needed to complete his set. (Salty, Gordon's Express, and Spencer with Sir Topham Hatt.) Well, actually I see there's two new Spongebob set -- The Bikini Bottom Express and Rocket Ride. His birthday is January 7, and the Littlest One's is the 14th...

This little one will have lots of fun next year! (The nephew.)

The kids got lots of toys, lots of clothes from Nanny and Grampy, and they each got a 20" tv for their bedrooms. I will be ordering my yarn swift probably next week. I got a new cordless phone, an exercise ball, a Flameless Candle (from the boys), and a new hand-held mixer. My parents gave me money to buy a new winter coat and boots. Plus I got my standard bag with socks, underwear, shampoos and conditioners. And my brother gave me a Yankee Candle, my favorites!

I started a pair of socks for my Dad with Austermann Step in color 13. It was in my stash. His birthday is Sunday, so I'm hoping to have them finished in time. They're only vanilla socks. Fingers crossed!

We didn't have a White Christmas. It was almost +10C on Christmas Eve Day, and it rained. All we have left is piles of snow from the plows and such. We have a winter storm watch for tomorrow, snow changing to freezing rain then rain. Nice!

Off to watch the Simpsons movie that hubby got for Christmas. We got the new Harry Potter movie, too.

Happy knitting!

Pressure Off

The pressure is off. This is the first time in years that I've got my Christmas knitting done the day before Christmas Eve! I'm usually still knitting at midnight Christmas Eve. Not this year, unless it's something non-Christmas related.


Don't ask me why the pictures of these scarves look so crappy. I don't have time to figure it out. Pop on over here to my photos for a better look if you'd like. The first one is an Irish Hiking Scarf for my BIL. It's made with Patons Canadiana in Dark Periwinkle maybe, or Dark Wedgewood. I don't have the bands any more.

The next one is for his girlfriend. Click here to see a much better picture -- it's the one on the free tear-off. It's made with Patons Bohemian in Hypnotic Haze, a chenille yarn. I originally wanted to make her this, but I knew I didn't have the time to do it. Couldn't handle the stress, so I decided to change to this one.

Lastly are the Fiber Trends felted ballerina style slippers for my mother made with Patons Classic Wool in Peacock. I finished felting them last night about 11:30, stuffed them with plastic bags to shape them, and set them in front of the fan for the night. They don't have buttons here, but I did bring them to work this morning and added them. Now they're ready to go into the box with her pajamas.

Remember my felted clogs and how the first pair wore out in four months? They were made with Briggs & Little. I made another pair, this time out of Classic Wool. About two weeks ago I noticed that there are holes through the bottoms of both slippers. These ones lasted two months. Two months! It was consensus at Knit Nite last week that I must walk funny. It was also suggested that I go to Frenchy's and get a suede skirt to make soles for the next pair. I think I will follow their advice. I also have slippers to make for the kids, so they could use soles, too. We have hardwoood floors, and the felted slippers can be pretty slippery!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I may do a post between Christmas and New Year's, not sure.

Happy knitting!

Nineteen of Fifty-Two

Edit: I was allowed to order sock yarn today! I have ordered in more of the On Your Toes bright striping sock yarn, a variety bag of the brighter shades of Austermann, and the new On Your Toes Bamboo, a variety bag of that. Woo hoo! (And if I got it right the bamboo is going to be a really great price, and there's enough in one skein to do a pair of socks. The rep said it feels like silk.)

Finished pair 19 of 52 -- they are work socks for my step-FIL for Christmas. They're also my December socks for SAM4 KAL. I had actually made him one pair already with the Briggs & Little Tuffy (80% wool, 20% nylon) using their Heavy Sock pattern in what I thought was Smoke. Apparently I had a brain lapse and had gotten Oatmeal. So the second pair I bought Oatmeal, thinking I was making a pair in a different color. As I was knitting I was thinking, "Gee, this looks the same as the first pair."

(He'll love them anyways. He's always asking me to make him wool socks.)

I also blocked the Irish Hiking Scarf for SIL. It's made with Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed in Biscuit Tweed. I modified it to two cables since it's a chunky yarn. I have another one finished for my BIL, but no pictures yet.

We put our tree up the other night. Some of the ornaments are kinda clustered. I try to remind the boys to NOT put all the ornaments on a couple of branches. They did pretty good. I've moved a few things. The cats have moved a few things.

Last night was the last Knit Nite of 2007. (Thanks for pointing out my boo-boo, too much rushing lately!) A couple of weeks ago we were talking about hedgehogs. The next day the Littlest One's preschool class went to the museum. While we were waiting for them I browsed the gift shop and found this cute little guy. I had to get him for Heddy. I gave him to her last night (since I missed last week's Knit Nite), so now I can finally post a picture! (We had been talking about these kind of knit hedgehogs.)

One scarf left to knit, one pair of kids mittens, and one pair of felted ballerina slippers. (Those can wait til the very last -- it's no big deal if I don't get those finished in time.) I'm mostly worried about the scarf since I'm working today and tomorrow, Saturday I have to deliver gifts to my brother, nephew, and in-laws. I have to drive, and they all live 45+ minutes away. Cuts into knitting time. And I work Monday. Technically it will have to be finished Sunday night and ready for delivery Monday after work. I may have to switch to a less complicated venture. We talked about it last night at Knit Nite, and I figure I'll start it. If come Saturday I don't think I'll have it finished I will set it aside and make a different one for her. The other one is nice and very simple. I could have that one done in a couple of hours.

Good luck to everyone finishing up their Christmas knitting! It's snowing here today and quite windy. Wish I wasn't working at was at home knitting!

Happy knitting!

Technical Error

The Littlest One had his Christmas concert Thursday morning. I've been trying to upload one of the songs I videoed, but I keep getting errors. Have to try another time.

I have the second pair of work socks for step FIL finished, no picture yet. They look the same as the other ones, even though it's supposed to be a different main color. I can hardly see any difference. I thought I bought Briggs & Little Tuffy in smoke the first time and oatmeal the second time. I still have scarves to do for BIL and his girlfriend. That should be the majority of the knitting done. I'd also like to get a pair of felted slippers (not the clogs -- a different style) done for my mother, and I need two pairs of chunky kids mittens. They knit fast and can be done in a day. Anything else finished before Christmas is bonus knitting. (Pop on over here and see what kind of slippers I mean.)

Next post should contain at least one FO! Good luck to anyone else out there still working on Christmas knitting.

Happy knitting!

Hats

Six hats for Christmas! All made with Patons Canadiana. It's a nice twisted rib watch cap pattern. I did add ten rows of length to five of the hats, five rows of length to one hat.

Hard to photograph the top of your own head! This is what the top of the hats look like.

I've also finished a scarf for hubby's sister, but it isn't blocked yet. I am also to the heel on the first sock of the second pair of work socks for step FIL. I had hoped to have them finished by Sunday night, but there was too much on the go on the weekend and last week to reach my goal.

Every Tuesday we get a couple of young guys visit us from a local church that my husband's grandmother goes to. One of them is from Calgary and is a Flames fan. He told his mother that we are Flames fans, too. Apparently she goes overboard at Christmas and sent us all this stuff! We each now have a Flames stocking, hubby got a car window flag and hockey puck, the kids each got Flames gloves, a tree ornament, and a laser pointer that projects the flaming C. I got a Christmas dvd. Very nice from someone we've never met, I'd say!

Sunday was the Christmas party for the kids at the fire hall. They got to decorate some cookies.

They had a toy grab, and I think the Littlest One is going to be an arms dealer. He mostly grabbed water guns. He must have twenty. I put them away for the campground next summer.

One little guy at the party, about two years old, decorated these. I think he likes a little bit of cookie with his spinkles!

The Oldest One. This year they got a treat bag with an apple, orange, chocolate bar, bag of chips, candy cane, and loose foil-wrapped candies. They also got a bag with dollar store type toys and a package that had a coloring book, smaller"funpad" and a box of four crayons.

The Littlest One asked for Crunchits.

I tried to get a decent picture of the boys together so I can maybe have a couple of mugs or Christmas ornaments made for gifts. They don't co-operate very well. (There are more pictures in my Flickr album. Their eyes looked weird when I posted the pics here. Maybe it was the red eye correction. Boys 2 or Boys 3 will probably be the picture I'll use.)

And I think it's time to give up baking. The other day I made oatmeal cookies. Had them cooling on a wire rack which slipped off the counter when I was unloading a panful, so they all ended up on the floor except for about five. Just made peanut butter cookies. The first pan was fine, second pan burned and sent to the compost! (And I'm supposed to be making something for the gym's bake sale table this weekend!)

Happy knitting!

We Three Kings

Last night was the Oldest One's Christmas Concert. I used the video feature on my new camera to tape one of the songs they sang. (Mine is the king that can't stand still.) I didn't know if he'd actually sing since the first few lines are just the kings singing. He's kinda shy that way. But he did sing his lines and all of the other songs, too.

That time of evening his ADHD medication is wearing off, and with all those people he gets kind of nervous. When he gets nervous he rocks back and forth.

This was what it looked like Tuesday morning, the day after the winter storm. It warmed up through the night and rained, so there was no snow in the morning. School was cancelled, though, because most of the back roads weren't fit for the busses. Since then we've gotten some flurries and a very light dusting of snow. Rain is in the forecast for tonight, though, so that little bit will be gone.

I put out the Christmas decorations last weekend. I don't have a whole bunch, but these are my three most favorite cuz I painted them 10-12 years ago. These are the ones that I rant every year about not breaking or it won't be a pretty site. The Santa with the tree lights up, and the ear on the teddy had to be fixed. A long time ago when I had my first house Nala decided to bite the ear off the teddy for some reason. There are a couple of skinny Santas that you can kinda see on the entertainment centre that I painted as well. Nala decapitated one of them, and there's a piece out of a couple of others cuz she used to knock them down. (I should have taken that bucket out of the fireplace before I took the picture. We get a leak sometimes when it rains really hard. I usually just leave it in there unless I put a firelog on. Hopefully we'll be able to get the chimney fixed this spring.)

Currently knitting the last hat. I should get that done tonight. I doubt I'll make my goal of the other work socks and a scarf finished by the end of the weekend. Maybe I'll have to settle for just the scarf. Tomorrow night is the firemen's Christmas party, so there goes the entire evening. Also the firemen's kids Christmas party is Sunday afternoon. Just have to see what I can get done, I guess.

Happy knitting!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Edit: The new Magknits is up. I think this is going to be knit for my nephew. If not for Christmas it will be for Easter!

Our first true storm of the season is passing through today. Hubby won't get to work today, and the kids got out of school early. Will have to check in the morning and see if school is on or not. The Oldest One is supposed to have his Christmas concert tomorrow night. He just got home and said if school is cancelled they're having it Thursday. (As long as it's not Wednesday so I miss Knit Nite!!)

Got out the Christmas decorations yesterday. I don't have oodles. Got some stuff I painted that I lecture every year had better NOT get broken. There are also a couple of Santa hats kicking around for the cats.

Simba really didn't like it. He doesn't look too hateful, though. He was okay while he was laying down. As soon as he got up he started trying to get the hat off.

Pumba does NOT look impressed! (Nala was nowhere to be found. The boys tried to get her, but she was keen to what they were up to and took off at high speed.)

We went to tag our tree yesterday. It was quite chilly, but it has to be done when hubby is home. Last year this u-pick place was closed, so I bought a tree from a seller in the parking lot. All hubby did was make fun of it. He's fussy when it comes to the Christmas tree. We walked around for quite awhile, it's a fair-sized lot.

Finally found one. Hubby was trying to get the chocolate off of the Littlest One's face. (Made a trip through Tim's on the way for donuts and Timbits.) The Oldest One decided to be a kook.

Our tagged tree for Christmas 2007. We'll go pick it up on the 16th. (See the kids still wearing their hat and mittens sets from last year! Well, the Oldest One has gloves on, but he does still have the mittens, too.)

Someone got tired on the tree search and insisted on being carried back to the truck!

Christmas knitting is still progressing along as good as can be expected, I guess. Got three hats finished, but I will wait til they are all done (three more to go) before I take a picture since they're all the same just different colors. My goal for this week is to have the other three hats finished, at least one of the scarves finished, and the second pair of work socks. That's my goal, and I'm sticking to it! More would be nice, but I think this is a realistic goal.

The yarn department at work has been doing really well lately. M had a really good day Saturday. (That's usually a long and boring day.) She sold a pair of slippers I had there, so I got some dosh today when I stopped in to add up my time card. (Payday tomorrow!) I ended up buying two more skeins of yarn I had set aside for hats. Still have some money to boot. Now I can buy lunch Wednesday and Friday! I'm usually broke and have to take a bagel or something. (Got a toaster, coffee maker, hot water kettle, microwave, and fridge at the store. But I really like to get the pita wraps from the local deli. They're really good. Good price, too.)

Happy knitting!

PS Got some swifts I'm watching on eBay. Hubby said the other night that he thought about getting me one for Christmas but had no idea where to get one. He noticed them on my eBay watch list (since our Explorer home page is set to eBay) and says I should bid on one for myself for Christmas. Yay!