Auld Lang Syne

As 2012 begins, and 2011 is in our rear view mirror, I'm happy to remember all the knitterly blessings I have enjoyed in 2011. The best knitting friends, ever, as they are creative, fun and the best friends one can hope for ~ I am very blessed!I picked up the Yarnia socks, for Auld Lang Syne, so I can get them finished. Seems like the sparkles would be a good New Year's project, right? Another blessing was being able to knit and finish 25 projects in 2011. Several of them were shawls, and I'm very happy about that! What new knitting projects await us in the new year!! What knitting resolutions should we be making!?

Knitting buddies ~

There are others in our household that needed a few more days to finish Christmas gifts. Last night, I was presented with a hand made "knitting buddy" from my very talented sweetie. He made it out of maple, and it twirls on a roller blade wheel from his old pair that had been living in the attic. Very clever construction, and they sell for $40 in our local yarn shop. Lucky me to get a hand made one, and the promise of more to come! I thought it was a perfect reason to cast on another lovely knitting gift, Shibui sock yarn in the Zinnia colorway.
I cast on for the Trillian shawl, as it is written directions - not a chart as the original shawl I wanted to cast on... so someday I need to be more comfortable with charts... someday is not today...So far, this shawl looks lovely, and I have to remember to, "save 7% of the yarn" for the edging since I only have 400 yards, and not the 580 yards called for in the full shawl pattern. I think the zinnia yarn and the maple knitting buddy look like they are enjoying themselves!

Christmas gift cast off ~

I would have only needed a few more days to finish all the Christmas gifts, as I cast off mum's lovely alpaca socks last night. Here they are earlier this week, with my peppermint mocha!Since her birthday is in February (leap day!) I will send them as birthday gifts! The socks are lovely and soft, and she will love them!

Christmas gift cast on ~

I was very lucky to have some yarn as one of my gifts under our Christmas tree. My youngest was very clever in finding a way to get me some lovely yarn for Christmas, with the extra bonus that she knows I'll knit her socks out of this lovely yarn.The yarn company is Frolicking Feet, color "Pot 'O Gold"~ and I love it! I had to cast on almost immediately, the day after Christmas...

Holiday ply ~

I finished plying the lovely mango while on holiday. It is looking so beautiful, and I'm excited to knit something lovely with it!First I'll give it a wash, then I'll measure how much lovely yarn I have....Then I'll find a pattern, and cast on! What a great adventure!

Holiday feet ~

I am so very happy to say that both daughters loved their hand knit socks. I think they were both surprised, the youngest one had forgotten about these beauties as once I cast off, they were hidden...and the oldest daughter was surprised I had finished them in time to block and wrap them. Double bonus for me that they loved them! Here's the youngest, modeling her lovely new hand knit socks!

Peppermint mocha ~

I am an eggnog gal. Once the holidays begin, I begin looking for that first coffee shop that will provide me with a perfect eggnog latte... there is nothing better to ring in the holiday season that an eggnog latte and Christmas knitting. I happened to be at Starbucks tonight, by a serendipitous set of events, and was happy to be able to be knitting after a crazy day-after-Christmas-at-the-mall. Going with serendipity, I announced to my barista that, "I'm going on a limb here, and ordering a tall peppermint mocha." She smiled, knowing I am an eggnog gal and said, "Do not be afraid, as you will love this."I did....wow....major yum....no one told me it has chocolate melty thingys on top too.....plus knitting on the last holiday gift.... many bonus points tonight!