Handspun Success ~

Great news!  Jitteryknitter has found a pattern to knit with the handspun that I gave her for her birthday. She sent me these pictures to show the Esker Scarf for handspun yarn.

The pattern looks great, and her knitting looks lovely with this yarn!  This is what she says about the yarn, "It is pretty consistent and a true pleasure to knit! Wish I had a sweater's worth! It's got a great hand and feels awesome! I'm so happy to finally be knitting!"

I think that is great news for my first handspun yarn that I've given as a gift! Hurrah!

Only 2 ounces left ~

Having a blast spinning this "Alpine" colored 50/50 superwash merino/tencel that I found at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this year. The colors match perfectly with the same fiber blend in my Serenknity, so now I have eight ounces of the fiber instead of just four. Being home for the holidays has given me some additional time to spin!

Funny how the lower bobbin is showing the blues and the top bobbin is showing the lime green....I cannot wait to be done with spinning the singles so I can ply this into lovely yarn!  Just keep spinning, just keep spinning!!!

Christmas Cast on ~

Now that the Christmas gifts are knit....well, except that second sock, but the additional yarn is in the mail, so I will finish that knitting as soon as it arrives....I can cast on something for me!  How great is that!!!

I have wanted to knit this Deep V Tee since I saw this pattern in Knitwear.  I am using Hempathy yarn and my size 9 Signature Needles.  So far, so good!

Boxing Day Spinning ~

I need to look up the history and tradition of Boxing Day...my only remembrance of hearing the reference is in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, there is a mention of the kids feeling flat after the Yule Ball that was held on Christmas... I was able to do a bit of spinning on our day after Christmas, and it was great to get back to my Pocket Wheel.

Instead of spinning my natural fibers from Taylored Fibers, I went back to my lime green and turquiose 50/50 merino/tencel and had a great time spinning - right next to our Christmas tree, by the windows that look out to our front yard.  A lovely place for a lovely spin!

Christmas Blessings ~

Christmas blessings to you, from all of us.  I hope Santa is going to bring all of us More Yarn (please) and More Fiber, and More Patterns...and lots of time to knit with our friends and family....

I wish a super new year for all, and that our loved ones stay healthy and cozy, and enjoying all their knitted goodies! Here are some special scenes from our 1968 Christmas....classic, eh?

Here (below) are special scenes from our 1969 Christmas.....still classic, still wonderful, still great family memories! Our Christmas stockings were knit by Grandma Agnes, and mine is hanging above our fireplace right now - Grandma Agnes would be very proud of my knitting...I think of her so often when I knit!

Special love and hugs to my family, and thankfulness to all the holiday traditions we shared while growing up....I am so blessed by my family!

Santa is here!

Wishing you all the best of holidays!  I hope Santa is at your home soon! (He is in our neighborhood now, and we will send him on his way soon!)

Happy Holiday Knitting and Fiber Fun, and much blessings for good health, close family and friends, and prosperity for the new year! (Plus lots of great knitting and fiber Karma!)

Faux Knitting ~

As my youngest found this skein in my stash, she remarked that she gave it to me last year at Christmas so I could knit a flouncy scarf for her.  I had knit one in blues and greens in summer 2011 and she wore it a few times, but I thought she was no longer interested.   I was wrong!

I had to check the internet to remember how to knit with this strange tape like woven fabric, as it is not really what one would call true knitting. Very strange to just jam your needle into the woven bits, but that is what is called for. I agree with my previous jaunt that it feels like a backwards journey when I am used to such tiny needles and tiny stitch patterns..and this technique is just messy! To make it more fun for me, I used my rosewood needles ~ thankfully the skein is low yardage so the strangeness can be over soon!

Gingerbread Fun ~

The beginning of a neighborhood tradition, I hope, as we all gathered at our newest neighbor's home to create many amazing gingerbread houses.  I was not prepared for how great this event would be.  When we arrived there were already several families there, and homes were being built. There were ready-made "kits" of walls, and roofs for over 20 guests, and at least four different styles of homes.

How amazing is this?  This is the kids' table, and they were creative and crazy, with only a few roof cave in events...perhaps overloading with candy?

There was also an adult table where a few of us made homes with the help of some wise contractors and architects. Here is the final village of gingerbread...we can say that it takes a neighborhood to make a village...right?

Done and done ~

Today felt very good on the Christmas knitting front, as I cast off two projects tonight. The first was the linen stitch cowl out of Hazel Knits, one of my favorite yarns to work with, and I should really be knitting with the other skeins that I have......This cowl turned out really well and I love the look of the linen stitch. If I knit it again, I would use larger needles and perhaps add some stitches (more that the 101 that I cast on) so I could double it for wearing. The linen stitch is not as flexible and stretchy as other knits, so that is a good lesson.

 

I also cast off the Venezia Encompass. Lovely in yellow and I am happy that I added 10 stitches to that pattern as it is able to double for wearing...lessons learned previously that the Venezia is not as stretchy as the two alpaca blend Encompass cowls I have knit.

Only one, maybe two Christmas gifts left to knit..... tons of time, tons.... right?

That is not the question ~

...but the gauge is too different....(Lisa)
(that is not the question)...
...but it looks so different ... (Marion)
...the toe looks square.... (Kathy)
.. but it looks like a mitten... (Marion)
(hey, NOT the question)
...if you had more yarn you could knit another one with that gauge... (Debi)
...it will feel too stiff compared to the other sock... (Lisa)
...you could get more yarn and knit another pair (Patti)
(definitely NOT the question)
The question is, "Should I keep knitting this sock with size zero needles, or rip out and start over with size 2 needles?"

"I love it just the way it is, Mom, keep knitting!!!!"  (Hannah)

Christmas Encompass ~

Just when you think you are done with a pattern for awhile....someone asks for that same pattern... different yarn.... so I cast on the Encompass once again, this time in Venezia worsted in a bright yellow.

A bright and happy yarn for these rainy days of winter.

Linen Stitch Epiphany ~

At Fort Worden I thought I learned how to knit the linen stitch.  I was warned about the linen stitch.  I fell in love with the Churchmouse pattern for the linen stitch scarf.  I cast on that scarf at Fort Worden, over 300 stitches, and it took 30 minutes to knit one row. The yarn is Koigu and I love all of it.  As beautiful at the Koigu scarf looks, it does not appear to be the linen stitch pictured in the pattern. Odd...the Koigu is so beautiful...

This week, casting on the Chickadee cowl, (pictured above) and by the third round I had the Linen Stitch Epiphany.....THIS is what it looks like, THIS is the pattern, THIS is that woven look......I do have lots of Koigu to cast on another Chickadee....but I think I will keep knitting my sweet Koigu "not linen stitch" scarf.....because it is so beautiful.... 

College Exam knitting ~

My oldest has spent the last two Saturdays taking the SAT and ACT college entrance exams.  While she was taking the tests, I was madly knitting on this pink sock...since I only need to knit one...right?

It is looking good....I just need more knitting time before Christmas to finish this one sock!!!

Christmas Cowls ~

Here is a gem from the lovely White Violet Farms alpaca that I bought at the stash sale at Fort Worden. The pattern is a great one and I have knit it before, also out of alpaca.  The cowl is a perfect length as one can loop it twice and not be choked....

Love Love Love this yarn and this pattern!

Christmas Colors ~

This wool is from Michigan, and I bought it in Portland...and I am knitting it in Seattle...how fun is that?  These colors are perfect for my youngest, bright and wild and fun...what could be more fun than turquoise and orange for Christmas? I think she will like this hat!

Plus, I have enough left over to knit mittens or another hat...perhaps in a fair isle motif so it would be super warm from the double thick yarn!

Happy Birthday Dad ~

A happy birthday to my Dad!! I love this picture from 1969 and one of our trips to Alaska, and this is your big salmon catch! Hurrah!

Hope you are having a great day!!

Officially Christmas knitting ~

There was a rumor that December was coming quick, but I did not believe it.....but it came anyway, and with it came the rush of Christmas knitting ideas.  This one should be not-too-hard (which is different than easy...as often easy is a four letter word....just sayin') as I already have one sock knit by the Jitteryknitter and so I only have to knit the other sock.

So, cheers to the official start of Christmas knitting, with an eggnog latte and a new sock on the needles!
P.S. I think Jitteryknitter used size 2 needles, and all I have available are size zero....but they are only socks, right?