Bill's scarf

This scarf was going to be for Operation Red Scarf, but, again this year, I never got around to sending my packages (the gift card requirement seems to be insurmountable to my inertia). Not only that, but I didn't think it was right for Red Scarf. Then it hit me, my assistant manager is retiring and it's perfect for him. He's really tall and can carry off this kind of thing.

I gave it to him this afternoon. He seemed to really like it.

Today's my last day in the office until the 5th. I think I've got all the loose ends tied up. I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'm so happy all of my Christmas knitting isn't due until next week.

I do have Christmas sewing to do though. My red dress needs the sleeves put in and the hem done. Then I need to repair my choir robe (don't ask). Next year, we really need to see about fundraising for some new ones.

I think B wants to make cookies for Santa tomorrow. That will be fun.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'll try to post from home, but who knows!

not just another boring sock post

I've stuck the boring sock picture at the bottom. I got these lovely flowers from one of my editors. He sends them every year.

I'm taking tomorrow off. They're forecasting 4-6 inches of snow tomorrow, with heaviest fall in the afternoon. I figure if the weather people are even close to right, daycare might close early. I can never get there in the time allotted, so I figure I've got left over days, I'll just stay home. I expect to get some sewing and knitting done.

Mitts for giving

Susan's mittens are done. The color's more red and bright IRL, but it's overcast today.

I hope she likes them. I just got a huge gift box from her. In it are a Scrabble page a day calendar, a lindt chocolate snowman, ornaments, a yankee candle gift basket (which is cable-knit on the outside) and a gift card. Mittens are just not enough.

I wish I had known it was a gift for me. I would have waited to open it; we're going out to lunch today. I thought it was more goodies for the team (she works for one of our vendors and they always send us cookies and chocolate and stuff).

one done another started

I finished Susan's mittens last night, hand felted them and overdyed them. Pics tomorrow once they are dry.

Started Dad's second pair of birthday socks (I cannot give just one pair in place of a sweater). I really, really love this color.

Two more gifts to start and finish by 12/31 when we pack up for VT (yes, I know I still have some finishing to do on two others...).

knittin' mittens

Mittens for my friend. I'm so not in love with this color. I'll be overdying them.

I'd be finished but the first mitten got past the thumb gore Friday night before I realized they'd be too big.

I'm hoping these take less than 1 skein of Cascade 220. I'd like to return the other (and I'm concerned about yarn in-house for my remaining gifts).

I am so definitely making myself a pair of this in red and black.

holiday plans

I've nearly finished Dad's second sock. All that's left is grafting the toe and knitting the heel. Last night's commute was pretty long. The rain always slows down the busses. I should have the heel done before TV time tonight. Then, I hope to start the mitts for my colleague.

Then, I've got another pair of birthday socks (worsted weight and felted this time) and two b-i-l gifts to knit. Fortunately, I've got an extra week (we're celebrating Christmas in VT on New Year's). Good thing, too. I need to do a lot of finishing work on one of my sisters' gifts. I'd also like to sew up some gift bags. Oh, and I need to make the gift tags I've got plannd.

And B wants to make gingerbread cookies for Santa (thank goodness I took Christmas eve off).

I'd like to get some sewing for me done, too. I want to make this for Christmas Eve (B view with A's sleeves). In the red matte jersey below it. I cut out the fabric on Tuesday. I need to set aside some time for sewing it up.

something to blog about

A Christmas gift I can blog about. I ripped out the seam binding on Miss Jaime's little bag last night (very sharp embroidery scissors are a godsend) and re-sewed. Hubby thought it was cute. We're doing our shopping Saturday (Billy has ADVENTure at church and will go to the in-laws afterwards), so I'll pick up the toiletries and giftcard for it this weekend.

Then there are dad's socks. I am past the heel on sock two (well, I will have to go back and knit the heel). I figure about 40% done? I'd like to have these done tomorrow because I need to whip out some fingerless mitts for the woman who got this last year. We're having lunch on Wednesday. I have to knit her something because she wore the scarf yesterday.

a toe and a tree

If I hadn't screwed up the toe decreases, I could have spent yesterday finishing this sock instead of re-knitting the toe. Oh well. I'm sure I'll have this sock done and sock 2 started tonight.

I did start Billy's teacher's gift last night. Zipper install was lovely. The rest is awful. I'm going to rip out the seams and try again. I do not know how people manage to sew on really skinny binding tape.

We got the house decorated (well, at least the inside; we haven't had outside decorations since our giant inflatable snowman got a hole; oh, I did put up a wreath on the front door). Took the whole day Saturday. We started moving toys around after breakfast and I put up the last of the lights while Billy napped. Then we went out to dinner. I've told Billy, and I will keep telling him, that one day while we're on Christmas vacation, we're going through his toys and getting rid of some. My living room looks like a toy store exploded.

We do have about six feet of magazines to recycle. I'll take a pic when I've got them all tied up for the curb tomorrow.

sock it to me Friday

Dad's first birthday sock. These are sport weight. The piece on top is my swatch. I knitted it at lunch yesterday, soaked it in the bathroom sink and it dried on my old-fashioned radiator in less than an hour. I've got over 5" knitted up. The leg portion will be 7". Lucky for me, Dad's a short guy and he and I have about the same size feet!

If I manage to finish, Dad will also be getting a pair of worsted weight, felted sock things. He said a while back that he wanted socks like the mittens I made him a couple of years ago. Green, felted mittens. I'm trying.

In other news, all I want to do is sew. I found a bunch of fabric flower tutorials this morning.

gift for Billy's teacher

We've been a bit haphazard over the years with gifts for Billy's teachers. Mainly we'd give a card with cash; I know tres creative. This year, with my handmade holidays thing I've got going on for my sibs, I've been thinking about making something for his teacher this year. I was thinking of knitting some fingerless mitts, but, although I have 2 gifts with the knitting finished, I have 2 more Christmas gifts (brothers-in-law, although one's not married) and my dads birthday gifts to finish. I'm feeling a bit under the gun with the knitting, especially since I made a work friend a knitted gift last year and I feel like I should do something for her this year.*

I had a thought for Miss Jaimie today. A zippered bag a la this one. I'm going to mod it a bit. I'll make it deeper with rounded corners and a contrast binding tape inside. I'll fill it with a small hand cream, some purell and maybe tissues. I'll ask Hubby if he thinks we should add a gift card for DD or something (no starbucks in our town).

This is the fabric I'm going to use (you'll see it in another gift). I've got a yard and, since it's a home dec not quilting fabric, it's 54" wide. Plenty for lots of gifts.



*One sister's gift took 3 days to knit, with a migraine on Monday slowing me down. There's tons of finishing to do, but the knitting was cast on Monday morning and cast off last night.

finished jacket

The twerp wouldn't put it on until Friday. He liked it, just didn't want to wear it. He thought it made a great tunnel for his train. Now, that we're home, he can't wear it. Oh well, Spring and next Fall, hopefully.

This is his smart ass look.

Asking me how much knitting I got done. One project is complete. And I keep thinking of more people to knit for...