Final FOs of 2011

My final two FOs of 2011, a pair of ankle socks for a friend. The pattern is Traffic Island Socks, the yarn is Austerman Step with some leftover Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock for the heels and toes. Knit on 2.5mm needles, started December 27 and finished on the 31st, Ravelry details here.

And for another friend (ankle socks' fiance), I made my last Marsan Watchcap for the year. This one is made with Patons Classic Wool in dark grey mix. Started it on December 25, finished on the 27th. Ravelry details here.

Just having a house party with a few friends tonight. I hope whatever you are doing tonight you all have fun and stay safe!

Happy knitting!

Omitted!

In going over my list of FOs for 2011, I noticed that I missed posting a pair of vanilla ankle socks back in May. How'd I do that?! I've got it on Ravelry but not my blog. These were made for a friend, the yarn is Regia Nation Color, started May 23, finished May 27, 60sts on 2.5mm needles, Ravelry details here.

Happy knitting!

The Lo Down

There were two Christmas Eve gifts to open, one for each boy...

...cookies and vanilla egg nog for Santa, reindeer had special food outside...

...the dogs with their customary Christmas stocking (obviously Jewel was excited about it!)...

...stuffed Santa lasted the typical five minute life span of every stuffed toy with squeaky inside...

...then it was gift opening time for the rest of us...

...and the big gift was an XBox 360 with Kinect...

And lastly a picture of the work socks for BIL that were complete Christmas Eve day around 12:45pm. Thujas made with Briggs & Little Tuffy in oatmeal and greystone, 4.5mm needles, started December 20, finished the 24th, details here.

Happy knitting and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Knitting

Are you still doing it? Christmas knitting, that is. I finished up my last project at 12:45pm today. Didn't have time to block them (work socks), but that's life. Pictures to follow later, I haven't transferred them from the camera yet.

Here's what's been happening on the knitting front besides work socks:

Felted slippers for step-FIL. Fiber Trends Felted Clogs, Patons Classic Wool in forest and leaf green, Ravelry details here.




Three Marsan Watchcaps, all were knit with Kertzer Northern Worsted. Left to right is copper pot tweed, indigo, and cedar. I remember I gave the blue one to my brother, but I can't remember the other two, one was for Pa, the other for step-FIL. Ravelry details here.


Another pair of slippers to replace a worn out pair for the lady who gets me to knit oodles of these. They were supposed to be picked up last weekend, but I never heard from him, so they're in the closet til whenever he is in town again. Same details as the pair above but in dark grey mix and black. Ravelry details here.

A friend bought her daughter a striped hat in bright colors, red, blue, green, orange, yellow... She asked if I could knit her a scarf in colors to match. She picked the yarn up, I did the work. I told her it wouldn't stripe, but she didn't care as it was the closest colors to the hat. The yarn is Patons Canadiana in rainbow, I used three skeins including the fringe. The pattern is Warmest Winter Scarf, knit on 5.5mm circular needles and cast on 50sts, it measures approximately 7.5" wide and probably nearly 6' long excluding the fringe. A mindless knit, rather dull, but I really like the end result, the thickness of the scarf and the fact that there is no wrong side! Ravelry details here.

So that's catch up on FOs. Everyone have a Merry Christmas tomorrow! Hope Santa finds you all!!

Happy knitting!

Catch Up

Time is definitely running out for Christmas knitting. I haven't done a whole lot of it at all this year. So many things to do, so little time.

I did finish up a pair of socks, but these are probably going to get put away til next summer. I made them with BFF in mind. I made the cuff short in an effort to have enough left of the yarn (Austerman Step) to make a pair of ankle socks for another friends. However, when I wound the remaining yarn, counting stripes to figure it out, I am going to be just a wee bit short. So I guess I have to dig in the stash and find something to coordinate for heels and toes. The pattern in Traffic Island, ladies size 8, knit on 2.5mm needles, started November 3, finished on the 28th. Ravelry details here.

Last Saturday was the fire department kids' Christmas party. There was cookie decorating, as usual. This is one that the Littlest One made for me. I guess it's a good thiing I like sprinkles, lol.

Him with Santa, getting his treat bag.

The Oldest One with Santa. Neither of them sat on his lap, which I'm sure he was grateful for, lol.

Then after the party we went to tag our tree at the same lot we use every year. It was too weird, we were wandering around, looking for a tree, and Hubs saw a piece of paper laying on the ground, face down. He picked it up, and lo and behold it was a tag off of one of our previous trees! I have to go through my pictures and see if I can figure out if it's from last year or the year before. We found it on the opposite side of the lot from where our tree was last year, we think, but it could have blown across to where we found it. Too weird.

Our tree. We'll pick it up a week from tomorrow.

Then when we came home I got Hubs to help put some pine on our front railings. I bought some more led lights to wrap around the railings, but since they're narrow wrought iron I wanted some pine on there, too, to make it look better. Last thing I need is some lights for the two big bushes on either end of the house. I used to have net lights for them, but they don't work any more. I bought some led net lights last year, but the bushes are way too big, there wasn't enough to make them look good. I must say I like led lights on the power bill, but I still prefer the look of the old fashioned, energy inefficient bulbs.

I also finally got off my butt and finished painting the kitchen. When we moved in over 10 years ago the kitchen was wall panelled. I put flowered wallpaper (what was I thinking?) over it, then awhile back I hauled it all off. The white lines are the wall panel grooves that I put filler in before I papered.

The end going into the living room isn't wall panel, it's some kind of weird gyprock, but not normal gyprock.

After. The color is called Rosie's Gardenia, it's a light, kind of ivory color. It does look different on the wall with the living room doorway, it has more of a grey tinge to it than the walls with the panel. I'm hoping Santa brings me some new decorations for the walls, and a new computer desk. And new blinds for the kitchen windows. I have since put up some Christmas decorations, but I'll need some new things for after the holidays.

I'm hoping it doesn't chip too badly. Panel can be funky to paint. It was a rough kind of panel, so maybe it won't be so bad. I painted the hallway when we first moved in, but it's a really slick wall panel, so it has been all chipped to hell over the years from the kids beating things off the walls.

So that's the catch up for now. I'm trying to crank out some felted slippers for step FIL for Christmas. I also got a call from the lady who orders oodles of pairs of slippers from me, she needs a pair for next weekend, one of the family members wore his through, so he wants a new pair. I also told a friend I'd knit her daughter a scarf for Christmas, I was hoping to knit the Littlest One's two teachers something, and I know Hubs, the Littlest One, and the Oldest One all are looking for new knit socks. Plus I'd like to crank out some hats and mittens as well.... I guess I'll be keeping myself busy after Christmas!

Happy knitting!