Loose Ends

Hello Dear Friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  It's hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone.  Our decorations have been packed away and the house returned to "normal".  After 4 weeks of having our halls decked, I'm always ready for things to be cleaned up and out to usher in the new year.

I decided at the last minute to knit Hubby some Christmas socks.  And I was able to get two pairs done in the week before Christmas.  I'm so lucky that his favorite type of socks knit up so quickly.  A sock-a-day, literally!

Candide Ragg Boot Socks

yarn:  Bernat Denim Style, Indigo

215 yds

needles:  sz 8

sz:  men's med

Candide Ragg Boot Socks

yarn:  misc worsted wt wool, Grey and Creme

approx 220 yds

needles:  sz 8

sz:  men's med

I received a lovely box of goodies from my dear friend Wendy Jo.  For my birthday she sent me a beautiful matching tissue holder and key fob which I put in my purse immediately (after the pic!)  And for my Christmas gift she sent me some fabulous hand scrubs she made and a darling cushion she stitched filled with crushed walnuts.  I think the cushion is the perfect size and weight to hold my knitting books open to my pattern page while I'm working :)  Thank you so much Wendy Jo for your kind friendship!

And this little goodie arrived from sweet Michele W.  We share many of the same weaknesses likes.  And what could be cuter than this little Demi-Starbucks mug pincushion???  Thank you so much Michele for always being so thoughtful!

 

I've been spending my post-Christmas time trying to figure this out...

Knitting on this...

 

And filling in this...

 

Thank you for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your kind comments!  Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine for your final week of 2011!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Hello Dear Friends!  6 more days til Christmas, it's truly upon us isn't it?  Wendy Jo has received the ornament I made her.  I first came across this pattern on someone else's blog and had to hunt it down.  I think it's so darn cute~~I had a good chuckle at the part where mr. whitey snowman has both carrots stuck in his head, lol.  No, it doesn't take much to amuse me, why do you ask???

A chenille bow and hanger and some of my mini-rusty bells.

Snowmen Photobooth

Bent Creek

32ct linen (included)

fibers: WDW, GAST, DMC

Some flannel for the back.

A last minute Picholine gift for a friend of Oldest's.  (It only takes a couple hours to knit one of these up!)

 

And another little sweater for an ornament exchange!  I think that makes 5 of these little sweaters this year.

Well, my dear friends.  That kind of wraps up things around here.  We're expecting a few flakes today, which I'm actually looking forward to!  There is grocery shopping to be done today.  And some cookie baking later this week.  And much wrapping to be done in the wee hours before Christmas morn.

Thank you for visiting me here.  I'm wishing each of you a Wonderful and Joyous Christmas, and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year!  May your Holidays be Happy and your Hearts be Full!

Aaahhh!

Much better!  Thank you all for you kind comments and get well wishes...I'm feeling back to normal today :)

Got the socks for Youngest done.  I swear I'm not playing favorites, he's the only one of the Kiddos who wears handknit socks daily.  The other two only wear them occasionally (not sure what the occasion has to be, but...)  And, since his socks are the same size as mine...I figure next winter they'll be in my drawer, lol! 

60st basic stockinette socks

Zwerger Garn Opal Zirkus/Circus

(gifted to me by Margaret clear back in 2008!)

2.5mm dpns

Because I finished those socks, I was able to cast on some new ones (for me of course!)  And these just seem to be zipping along (but maybe that's because I'm no longer in an achy, hazy fog.)

 

I saw these in the store this week and couldn't help myself.  I just got done telling Hubby last week that I am a total sucker for stuff with retro/vintage packaging :)

And finally, thank you everyone for leaving a comment on my giveaway post, I really wish I could send you each a little something.  Drumroll please!  The Random Number Generator picked #42:

Tea at Weasel's said...

Hi there! What a gorgeous blog you have here. Thank you for the kind comment you left on my post today :)
I would love to enter your givaway if you don't mind? The little jumper is just too cute!!
My email address is graytrips@hotmail.co.uk

Hope you are having a fab weekend,
Louise xx

Thank you everyone for stopping by my neck of the woods...your visits brighten my day!  Happy Friday!

Time!!!

Hello Dear Friends!

It's that time of year...
Time to say a big Thank-You for visiting me here...
Time to share a bit of Christmas Cheer...

Time for my annual Final Giveaway!!!

I have a lot of fun deciding on the ornament each year.
And this year it's one of the little sweater ornies :)

I LOVE this sequined yarn...

isn't it festive?

And of course,

there has to be other goodies too!

A handknit cotton dishcloth to help clean up after all the baking.

Two darling little melamine plates for your Christmas treats.

Handy little spools of colorful thread.

And some cute patterned cardboard bobbins.

(Not only useful for embroidery floss,

but they'd be awfully cute with a few yards of yarn wrapped around for repairs to include with handknitted gifts.)

So here's the drill:

Leave a comment on

This Post Only

and

please Include Your Email Address

if it isn't attached to your name.

A winner will be randomly drawn on

Friday, Dec 9th.

This is open to everyone!

Good Luck!

Busy, Busy!

Hello My Lovelies!  My how time does fly!  The Kiddos and Hubby were off all of Thanksgiving week and we've been very busy and my usual routines have been turned upside down, so things are really piling up blogging-wise ;)

My needles have been busy clicking away!  A pair of socks for me...

See the sparkles???

A pair of socks for Youngest...

I've been having the most fun knitting sweaters from leftover sock yarn for the tree!!!

Hubby even fashioned some miniature "hangers" out of paperclips...

Hubby and I also celebrated our 19th Anniversary the day after Thanksgiving.  And my dear friend Wendy Jo remembered our day with this sweet card and beautiful bracelet.  Thank you so much Wendy Jo for being such a thoughtful and generous friend!

There is actually more left to share with you, but I'll leave it for another day :)  All the knitty details can be found on my Ravelry page.

Thanks for stopping by my snowy neck of the woods!  Happy December!!!

It's that time of year...

Hello Dear Friends!  It's that time of year already, the time when gift-making is underway in my little world.  The days seem to pass extra fast, bringing the holidays ever-quicker.  Does it feel that way to you too?  I love making gifts.  I love the "slowness" of it in our hurry-scurry world.  But, admittedly, there is a ticking timeline that adds some pressure to the process.  So I've decided to pare down my annual Handmade-Holiday-Gift-List this year.

Waffle Knit Dishcloths

by Homespun Living

Peaches and Cream in ecru and red

sz 7 needles

The mitts I made for the teachers a few years ago were such a big hit, that I decided to make a pair for Youngest's teacher this year...

Those Mitts

by A Friend to Knit With

Alpaca Natural Blends by Bernat in Wheat

sz 7 needles

(cast on 36st instead of 40)

Well that does it for me today.  Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments.  Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Finished Knits

That I've been slow to blog about.  They're piling up behind the scenes...at least the photos are.  The knits themselves are already in use.  All details can be found on my Ravelry page...'cuz sometimes, I'm lazy like that ;)

Woodland Knee Highs

Palindrome

Irish Wellington Socks

Nantucket Throw

Chunkeanie

Picholine

Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comments, I sure appreciate it!  Hope your week is off to a fantastic start...Happy Monday!

Sailing Santa

Hello Dear Friends!  I have an honest-to-goodness, for-real cross stitch finish today!  I'm sure many of you thought I had lost my stitching needles, and no wonder since I haven't touched them in 9 months!  But unbelievably, I haven't lost them...I even remembered how to count and everything, lol :)

Santa Rides

The Prairie Schooler

book no. 47

32ct lambswool linen

recommended DMC

AND, I did some stitching over the weekend!  Thank you Sharon for designing this cutie!

Snow Hop

by Daffycat

28ct "staci-dyed" linen

DMC

I also finished stitching up this little turkey...

Thankful freebie

by primitivebettys

28ct "staci-dyed" linen

DMC 3371

Well!  That sums things up for me today!  Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods.  I hope your week is off to a great start, Happy Monday!

Grab Your Hat!

Hello Dear Friends!  I've been on a hat-knitting binge...6 hats in 7 days.  Oh my how I love instant gratification FO's!!!  And to really top it off, I was able to pair stash yarns with patterns off of Ravelry :)

For Oldest...

Scoops!

by Ashley Solley

needles: sz 10

yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Black, Dk Grey Mix and Aran

Cascade 220 #8401

For Youngest...

The Elusive Gentleman

by Alexandra Tinsley

needles: sz 8

yarn:  Lion Brand Wool Ease in Ranch Red,

Vanna's Choice in White

For Middle...

A Hat Fit For A Boyfriend

by Stephanie Nicole

needles: sz 9

yarn: Rowan Cork #036

For Hubby...

 

Bus Hat

by Kylie McDonnell-Wade

needles: sz 10

yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool

& misc sport wt wool

(one strand of each held together throughout)

For Hubby...

Men's Striped Hat and Scarf

from the book Holiday Knits

needles: sz 9

yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease in Oxford Grey

For Hubby...

exactly the same as Middle's

There's more snow in tonight/tomorrow's forecast.  5-10 inches.  So it's a good thing I've got everyone's head covered!  The only remnants remaining of last week's snow is broken tree branches (and trees.)  The kids have even worn shorts for a couple days since then.  Gosh, I love Colorado weather...always changing, always different!

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments!

PS.  Oldest makes the pom-poms.  I really think she makes the best ones I've ever seen :)

The Fourth

Hello Dear Friends!  I have quite a few knitty finishes that need blogging, but the one I'm going to show you today happens to be my most recent (this past weekend) one.  It's a skirt I started last spring.  You may remember I mentioned it here.  The skirt itself knitted up quickly and I enjoyed it immensely.  I fell in love with the yarn the more I knit...so soft and lovin' that muted mustard-y yellow with it's flecks of black and cream.  Then I blocked it.  And it grew 4 extra inches in width.  Which made me pretty unhappy since I had to figure out a Plan B.

But before I could worry about Plan B, I had to knit the lace-edging that peeks out at the hemline.  And it was fiddly knitting.  Lace knitting where the needles want to slip out every single stitch.  And I had a terrible time concentrating and keeping track of where I was...and there was a whole lot of tinking (knitting backwards) and possibly swearing.  And I really did consider that it would look Just Fine Without That Blasted Lace!  But I was saved by summer!  No need for an alpaca/wool skirt in the summer, so I set the whole thing aside with a clear conscience and moved on to lots of other knitting projects :)

But then of course, summer came to an end.  And I could no longer ignore something that was sooo close to being finished.  My brain and my hands and the pattern and needles and yarn were all on the same wavelength this time around, as I was able to knit the rest of the edging without any major mishaps.  And all the time while I was knitting and blocking the edging, and while I sewed up the side seam and sewed on the buttons, I was thinking of what to do about the waist.  I have elastic and thought that was the route I should go as it really seemed to be the best idea.  And on a whim, I decided to crochet a single chain and thread it through the waistband and see if it worked as well for this skirt as it has my others.

And you know what?  It works just fine :)  This is one of my absolute favorite knitting finishes.

Chelsea Skirt by

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

raveled here

Jennifer asked about the red pincushion in my last post.  The design is A Needleworker's Pocket by With My Needle from the 2003 JCS Christmas Ornaments issue.

Thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods and for your sweet comments.  Sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!

Autumn Knits

Hello Dear Friends!  Lack of blogging has become quite a theme around here, lol.  Perhaps after 3+ years my blog and it's content and focus needs a revamp :)

I finished this sweater on the first of September.  When summer begins to wind down and autumn begins to beckon, my head fills with romantic ideas of cable-y handknit sweaters, cozy scarves and woolly socks.

Brigid Jacket;

Vintage Modern Knits

My hubby made the buttons out of Linden, aren't they fab?  I love them so!  And I really love the way this sweater turned out.  It's lightweight, warm and comfy.  And it's neutral color makes it a versatile wardrobe staple.

Even though the nights are getting chilly, our days continue to be unusually warm bordering on hot.  So no chances to wear any of my woolly knee-highs yet...but that doesn't stop me from knitting them!!!  I had plenty of leftover wool from Brigid for these...

Wellington Boot Socks by

Madeline Weston,

Country Weekend Socks

See my bargain wellie-wanna-be's from Target ($12!)  Now I just hope I don't look like a dork when I wear them, lol!!!

Well, my dear friends, that wraps things up for me today.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by my neck of the woods.  Till next time, sending you all a little Colorado Sunshine!