Christmas wrap-up

Christmas isn't completely over in these parts; we go to Vermont later this week to celebrate with my family.

But, I thought I'd post about those things I made for Christmas day in New Jersey.

First up, gifts for my boys.

I bought a bunch of Jets licensed fabric back in September/October, thinking I'd get something done for Hubby's birthday. Didn't happen. I did however make him a pair of shorts for sleeping in and pj pants for Billy, who barely wanted to put them on for a picture and will probably never wear them.

Next up was my father-in-law's gift.

He usually drapes on of M-i-L's aprons around his neck to protect his clothes when he carves, so I thought he should get his own manly apron. The pattern is simplicty and I cheated and used woven belting for the straps. He liked it a lot and wore it throughout Christmas dinner.

I was going to make my mother-in-law some potholders, but the plan was cursed from the get-go. The first fabric I wanted to use was 100% polyester so I had to pick something else. Then the layers of fabric and batting were too much for my machine. So those have been put aside and I decided to knit up some mittens. Originallly, I was going to use Thistle Mittens by Libby Guillard-Somers (rav link), but the pattern is top-down and I didn't want to be trying new techniques 3 days before Christmas. So, I modified, heavily.

I was able to get one finished for Christmas and gave her the completed pair at church yesterday, which she promptly showed off.

My mods were:

• Cast on 48 stitches and knit 2x2 ribbing for 1 1/2 inches (~15 rows). 
• On the next row k1, k in stitch below, p21, k2, k1 k in stitch below, k 23 (now 50 stitches). 
• then I started the chart, which was more of a guide than directions since I was working up instead of down. On row 20 of the chart I started my increases for thumb gusset. Followed pattern to last 2 stitches placed a marker, k 1, k in stitch below, k 1, k in stitch below, placed a marker, k to end of round every other round until 16 stitches for thumb. 
• I worked one round of chart before removing thumb stitches to waste yarn and casting on 4 stitches over thumb. 
• this meant there were 2 k stitches on one side before pattern and 3 stitches on the other side (I had a deadline, I didn’t have the time to make it perfectly symmetrical) 
• I followed the rest of the patter, decreasing (ssk, k2tog) where chart had M1s until 6 stitches on each needle, then I grafted. 
• I knit 20 rows for the thumb, k1 k2 tog around, k2 tog around to about 7 stitches cut yarn and pulled through.

I have most of the Vermont gifts done, done, done. Just Mom's left to sew and Dad's birthday sweater to finish. Lots of wrapping to do!

I'm going to need to hit a fabric store to re-stock on Christmas prints. M-i-L loved the gifts bags and I think I'll be out of stock by the time I get the VT gifts wrapped up!

K

Kelly,

blogger didn't send me your e-mail address with your comment and I can't access your profile.

Please e-mail me at byhookorpointedstick at yahoo dot com!

another sneak peek

Here's something else I'm working on for Christmas. Just cast on last night (you didn't see the other two cast-ons that were knit a few inches and ripped out, indecisiveness kills knitting).

I hope it works out to be the right size.

I plan on doing some sewing tonight. My main goal is to get my father-in-law's gift finished.

Tomorrow Hubby and I are going shopping. B's spending the day and night with his grandparents. We hope to get all of his gifts tomorrow.

tell me you like something, and I'll probably make it for you, eventually

My maternal grandmother was a great crafter. She knit, crocheted, sewed, beaded, braided rugs and made the best fudge and pies. Every year at Christmas we would all get a tin of fudge (although, since I live away I would get tupperware as the tin wouldn't get back to her for the next round of gift-giving) and she would bring out ornaments and garland she'd made throughout the year. I have some wonderful ornaments she made and the angel on top of our tree was made by her as well (she made sure everyone got a bead angel). I also have two garlands that she crocheted. The garlands usually adorn our bannisters (this year, in a break with tradition, one was in hung in the arch between dining room and living room instead of on the upper half of the staircase).

My mother-in-law has said she likes the garlands a number of times. So, I made her one for Christmas. I had left-over Christmas ombre from the tree skirt I crocheted my mother 8 or so years ago. I didn't have the pattern my grandmother used (even though I inherited her knitting and crocheting stuff), but it was easy enough to look at the ones I have and see that it was simply 3 dc in each stitch of the foundation chain.

I cast on what I thought was enough stitches Sunday after lunch, and by dinner time I was done.

teacher gifts

I finished the gifts for Billy's teachers this weekend.

Little zippered pouches to be filled with goodies like purell, hand lotion, tissues, lip balm.

Fabric was some in my stash. I love the kids on them. I used the tutorial on the Purl Bee. I fussy cut the pieces a little bit deeper and I frenched the seams instead of using bias tape.

Now to get to Walgreens for the stuff to go inside. I need to wrap the speech therapist's for tomorrow. Hanukkah starts Friday.

inching toward Christmas

I'd make a lot more progress if I could stop ripping back on this. After knitting at lunch, I'm 1/3 done.

Not much will get done tonight. Hubby's Christmas present was 1/2 price partial season tickets to the Devils and the first game is tonight. My first hockey game of the season!

sneak peek at the Christmas knitting

We had a wonderful thanksgiving. As is our tradition of the last 5 years, we drove to SC to spend it with my mother-in-law's parents. Long drive, long drive. Hubby outdid himself with the cooking. I ate too much chocolate, but got lots of knitting done. I didn't have to entertain B, since his Grandpa was there and he's his favorite playmate.

My goal was to finish this first Christmas gift before we got home Saturday, but I had to take a nap, not feeling well on the drive home and it just got too dark. So, I finished it last night. Yippee! I'm casting on for this second Christmas gift tonight. I had started it last night, but four rows in I realized I had the wrong number of stitches!

we have a waist

The body of Dad's sweater is nearly done. I started the ribbing last night.

Not bad for two weeks' work. I was very concerned Friday night that it was going to be too big. So I called my mom and had her measure my dad. I'll probably have 2" of ease around his widest part. Good enough for me.

When I asked mom to measure dad, she said "not worried about giving it away are you."

Give what away. In the last 6 years, I think I've given dad something other than a sweater twice. A hat once and a pair of socks last year, and the socks he specifically asked for. Were we expecting a surprise gift?

a little Christmas

I've had this wreath in my head for quite some time. I've been thinking about a Christmas version since I first saw it. I bought a wreath form a few months ago and have been hoarding Christmas-y ribbons. As we get closer and closer to the season, it's been harder and harder to get the wreath out of my head.

I decided to have a go Sunday.

I got my supplies together. I thought I had more ribbon, but B was yelling at me for being in front of the tv so I just grabbed these four.

Aren't they pretty?


I cut out my strips per the tutorial, deciding to hold off on the white one.


Wait a minute! That's all that those strips covered? I think I have a problem. Poor B was inter- rupted again as I rummaged some more.


Found a few more ribbons. (The red gingham with the stitching was a really long roll.)



After much fiddling, untying, re-tying, re-arranging and adding the white with metallic snowflakes, I have this. I need some more ribbon to fill in a few spots, but I can't wait to see how this looks against our black front door!

nearing armholes

I made some progress this weekend. I'm nearly to the point of separating the body from the sleeves. Things will go much more quickly then. Which is good, as I have lots of Christmas presents to make! I did wind one ball of yarn over the weekend. It would have been two, but I forgot one skein in my desk.

I'm going to DC tomorrow for work, coming back Wednesday evening. I hope to get lots done on this sweater on the train.

actual knittng post

As you can see, I've made some progress. It makes good tv knitting, being mostly stockinette with a few increases. It will be great tv knitting when I can separate for the torso. Then it will just be round and round and round.

I'm taking an overnight trip to DC next week. I'm looking forward to the train ride, 6 hours of prime knitting time!

In other knitting news, I broke my yarn fast today. Ruth had posted a teaser earlier this week and I knew I had to have the resulting yarn. I scooped up one of the 10% cashmere skeins. I figure if I was going to break my fast, it should be with something good. I can't wait to get it!

speech therapy in action

So, part of B's language delay is a problem with sequencing. We've done a lot of homework on doing first, next, last sequences (retelling stories, explaining how to do something). This morning, B took his bagel to the dining room table, then he told me what he had just done and walked through it again. He said he grabbed the plate like this (with both hands), then he walked around the table and put the plate on the table to sit down and eat.

I was so proud. It makes the work and money and stress worth it to see him acquire these new skills. We get feedback from school about how much he's improved (some of the staff's known him since he was 2), that he speaks more clearly and articulates better. Seeing him take this huge step, talking in long sentences, getting a sequence right, it blows me away.

He's getting there. One of the next big tasks is getting him to stop saying "I forget" and "I don't know." Those are his two big fallbacks when he doesn't know how to say what he's thinking.

He works so hard; we'll get there.

no sweater progress to report

I have no sweater progress to report. I did the math and cast on last night. I knit over an inch and realized that I'd used to small a measurement for the neck. Riiiiip goes the sweater. I will cast on again this evening.

A literary interlude for you while I tackle this problem.

"If I was a ghost I would go to a haundted house to see a witch." by Billy, age 5.

I was so proud when I saw this hanging up in the classroom. B's very anxious about doing pictures for school work or speech therapy and it was exciting to see him come up with something so narrative. I'm also quite chuffed by the way his penmanship is improving in leaps and bounds. I love that kid!

do the needful

My company started working closely with Indian firms five or six years ago. We often hear intersting, nonidiomatic phrases from our colleagues in India. One of my favorite phrases they use is "do the needful." Usually said in response to a request, "we will do the needful."

Apparently, this can be interpreted as a very racy phrase referring to onanism in parts of the UK, which makes it even funnier.

I started swatching for my dad's birthday sweater this weekend in Needful Yarns Australian Merino. Three swatches were needed because the first has a gauge way too small (on a US 5) and the second seemed a little too drapey (US 7). I swatched a third time with a US 6 and although I like the fabric, I'm worried I won't have enough yarn at this gauge (about 6 st to an inch). But, even with the 7s I didn't get recommended gauge of 21 st/4 in, but just over 22 st/4 in.

I called in reinforcements and my knitting friend at work reassured me that the swatch on the 7s is fine and I should just go ahead. An 8 would make fabric that felt holey.

I've decided to do a pullover with a neck placket, I'm going to use the Woolworks top-down raglan guidelines, tweaking the neckline to get the placket. Woo hoo for knitting in the round and being able to adjust length as I go along. I'll be casting on tonight.

trick or treat

I think we had a good halloween. B's class joined in the parade at school. Hubby went instead of me, as I'd been conflicted all week since their party was scheduled for that afternoon. I got there in the afternoon and the party was B and one other K kid in the Pre-K classroom just having snacks. Everyone else from Kindergarten had gone home sick. We left shortly after B finished his snack. We went home and made cookies.

Trick or treating was a bit spritzy, but we had fun. B's a two-block trick or treater. We went up our street and down one side street and home. He seems pretty happy with his candy haul and doesn't mind that we ration it pretty strictly.

He didn't feel too well yesterday complaining of a headache that would get better with tylenol but come back. He was better this morning and couldn't wait to get out of bed for picture day at school today. He insisted he had to wear his dress shirt and tie so he'd look handsome and sharp.

He scored a goal at soccer this weekend. It wasn't beautiful, but Hubby and I are always so proud of him for being one of the most focused kids on the field. He may not be fast or very coordinated, but when he's motivated, he's very focused.

I didn't do too much, knitting or sewing wise this weekend. I did finish my Halloween skirt last week. I'll post a picture tomorrow. I got lots of compliments on it. I did swatch for my dad's birthday sweater this weekend. I hope to cast-on tonight.




















Here's my progress on the brick socks. I probably will put this aside for Dad's sweater and the other gifts I'm making.

more socks, sewing, etsy?

I wore another new pair of socks today. My blackberry blackrose socks. I apolize the bad photo. It is raining here again and a flash is my only option to not have blurry pictures. They are a skosh too long. But, that just means any accidental machine washing and drying won't ruin them.

I had a fun time last night playing scrabble on facebook with my sisters. We don't see nearly enough of each other, what with me living 6 hrs away. It was nice to "spend some time" with them, even if virtually. Even if I got my keister handed to me on a plate in the second game.

I got my Halloween skirt 75% done last night. Actually, 75% is probably generous. I still have to do the waistband and hem. And unpick the side seams a bit so I can fit my hand into the pockets! I showed it to B this morning (I'd left the remnant of the fabric on the table last night) and he thinks it's great. I sure hope it fits.

It's probably very illogical to think that a custom pattern drafted from measurements of myself that I took myself wouldn't fit, but there you have it.

My mindless knitting these days has been some cowls from sweater leftovers. I'm thinking of listing them on Etsy. What do you think?

And, progress on the Brick socks. Two repeats done (and one added at lunch after this picture was taken). I'm really enjoying the pattern. I think I'm going to knit every pattern in the book!

new project, new socks, a gift

Here's the ribbing on my newest socks. The pattern is Rick by Cookie A. Yeah, I know it's a man's pattern. So what? I don't see any men in my life wearing socks with intentional holes in them. I'm nearly done the ribbing. Can't wait to start the leg chart. I'm thinking of casting on some simple socks for mindless knitting, but I do have a number of Christmas presents to get started on. I only have 2 months!

I wore my Wicked socks today. They're a little too wide in the leg, but the yarn feels wonderful! I'll definitely be investing in some more Knit Picks Imagination when I'm buying yarn again.

I also started a sewing project last night. I drafted a pattern for an A-line skirt with pockets to wear for Halloween. It's black cotton with neon green bats. I have to get it cut out tonight and start sewing or I won't have it done by Friday for B's Halloween party at school.

Here's a snap shot of a granny square I whipped up earlier this month. It's going to be a gift which is why I altered the image at picnik.com. That was fun. I need to do more crochet. It only took a few hours. Now I need to find the matching fabric and finish the whole project.

some things to remember about my son

Earlier this month, B brought home some Scholastic book club catalogs. He calls them his book magazines. We decided to buy him a few books. He picked out a bunch of Halloween books, one five-pack and two stand alones. They arrived last week. We were very excited to have new books and have read them ad nauseum this last week. What I wanted to remember was this, B walking into the house from the car with the books in his hands saying "I'm so happy."

Wednesday, B got a no homework card in his folder (which I think I've since misplaced) and I wasn't clear on the concept or why he had got it. He said he was nice, but couldn't provide details. So, I wrote his teacher a note asking her about how it worked and letting her know B couldn't explain why he got it. Seems that one of the pre-K classes had left over cupcakes and gave them to the Kindergarten class, but they only had 5 and B's class had 6 kids that day. B offered to share his cupcake without being asked, so that everyone could have some. His teacher gave him the card so he could skip math homework one night when he wanted to.

Saturday morning, I was lying on the couch with a blanket over my head fighting off a visual migraine when B brought over my glass and cuddled with me.

We took B to see "Where the Wild Things Are" Saturday as a consolation prize for soccer being cancelled again. The movie upset him, although he couldn't express that he was being a whiny brat because the movie bothered him and put him in a bad mood. But, since his nap Saturday put him in a better mood, he keeps drawing crowns and has learned how to write Max.

blackberry Wednesday

Except for the lens flare, the color looks excellent in this shot. Don't they really look like blackberries in the textured portion?

I've started the heel flap on sock two. Time to buckle down if I'm going to get this pair finished this week.

socktoberfest

That thing I was coming down with last Tuesday was a cold. I stayed home Wednesday and haven't been doing much since.

I've been quietly participating with socktoberfest this year. I finished those Wicked socks and cast on for blackrose. Sock one was completed in less than a week (although, I need to re-work the toe). With my cold last week, I didn't make much progress on sock two until this weekend. I'm half-way through the leg.
My goal is get them finished this week and cast on a pair from Cookie A's Sock Innovations. The pattern I'm going to use is the reason I bought the book.

Next month, which will be here before we know it, I need to cast on for Christmas presents and my dad's birthday sweater.

I've also started knitting up a few things to try to sell on etsy. I'm not planning on making profit or much of a sideline of it, but I figure it's one way to clear out stash.

light posting

I was away for the weekend, Hubby's 15th college reunion and now I seem to be coming down with something.

I hope I feel better tomorrow, I have a sock to show you.

you're not getting the next FO today

Sorry about the blog silence yesterday. I had meetings all day.

I've decided to hold the next two FOs to parcel out over the month. This is a particularly good strategy since my WIP pictures turned out horribly this morning. If I have that problem again, I'll just post an FO.

I do have a picture of a quick solution I had for a problem with my new WIP. Blackrose has a lace inset. The lace varies a lot from row to row, so I didn't think I'd be able to commit to to memory and needed to be able to have the chart handy. This is a problem with commuting. So a little hack.

I took an old name badge, cut the chart down to size, and can clip the chart to my bag in front of me on the train or the project bag next to me on a seat.... wherever I can quickly glance at it to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing. A piece of cardboard and a rubber band complete the hack and allow me to track the rows as I go. It's not beautiful, but it works!

the thing with a hiatus is

You have a lot to post about when you get back.

I started these socks back in May. Originally, they were going to be plain, then monkeys, and then something different because they were too narrow as monkeys. All I did was take my usual plain sock pattern and add a travelling garter bump (by occasionally purling in the round). I put them aside at the heel on sock two sometime in June. I just picked them back up knit the heel, gusset, foot and toe from last Friday on. I'm so glad these are finally done. I was really hating them when I had to rip and reknit the heel shaping.

I cast on some new socks this morning. I'm knitting Blackrose in Blackberry by Impulse of Delight. The skein is the last yarn I've purchased this year (I bought it in May). The dye lot I have is darker with less gray and more semi-solid. Pics tomorrow.

I have 2 pairs of socks to repair, so the new pair and those repairs are my Socktoberfest goals. I will be deliriously happy if I can cast-on another pair of socks by month's end. I'm not planning on knitting anything but socks this month.

I do have a few other FOs to share this week (MiL's birthday sweater and a baby shower gift)....

jumping back in with an FO

Wow, over three months without a post.

I'm jumping back into the blogpool with an FO.

Mom's birthday sweater. The second Ariann I've knit. It only took three weeks!




















When I started it, I didn't set a goal of completing in the three week span from cast-on to my parents' visit this past weekend. But, I got it done anyway.

MIA

I've been so very busy at work and home has been crazy, what with a work trip last week and going away two weekends in a row. I hope to post something soon, but who knows! I'm understaffed at least until June 30.

random

1. finished sewing a pair of pants for B. They're too big, but he likes them. I need to adjust the elastic in the waistband.

2. making progress on my revised sock plans. I wish I could work on it right now.

3. it's my wedding anniversary today. 9 years. We're not doing much to celebrate today; Hubby's taking me to Wicked in July.

4. going to vermont this weeknd. Baby sis graduates from college. B's just too excited (so am I)

um, please

Could people please take some ownership for their own projects, please? I know I'm the boss, but there are over 300 projects on my budget, I cannot know what is going on with all of them at any given moment!

In other news, the monkey socks are no more. I wanted to try it on to see if 5 repeats was good or if I should go 6 as per the pattern. Wouldn't go over my heel. I'm thinking about something else.

This is my mother's day gift. Hubby took B out shopping Saturday morning and this is what he picked. It's not something I would have picked out for myself, but I love it.


This was an impulse purchase. It's Imagination sock yarn by KnitPicks in the Wicked Witch color way. I was going to come up with a sock design from the 365 knitting stitches calendar like I did for Widow's Weeds, but last week I just couldn't wrap my mind around math. So, I started a pair of simple picot socks. But the yarn rebelled. It wanted to be something else.
It really wanted to be a flying monkey (which scared me nearly as much as the munchkins when I was a kid). So, Saturday, I printed out Monkey from knitty.com and cast on. I'm into the fourth repeat. So far so good.

plans

Here are my plans for this week:

tonight, re-start B's Yankee socks (too short and need to add an other color), finish sewing the jacket I started in March, if time mend my Yankee socks and widows weeds

wednesday, wash fabric for next sewing projects (clothes for B)

thursday, cutting party for those B clothes


That all depends on if I lose my mind over this stupid work situation that just won't die before then.

clean-up, clean-up, everybody clean-up

It took me nearly 5 hours and it could still use some work, but it was a pleasure to sew in here last night.

This is the "office" side.

This is the "sewing" side, it also houses the tv.

Office side cleaned up. Yes, I know the box in the left corner still needs to be cleaned up, but that's all hubby's stuff.
Sewing side after. All those boxes on the left, except for the one mostly out of the frame on the bottom contains my fabric stash. (The one mostly out of the frame contains 14 years of photos to be put in albums.)
I'm no Fly Lady. The room could still use a lot more organizing, but it's useable now and more than one person could be in here at a time.

Now, to get onto sewing up that stash

too much

Just spent the morning clearing out the office/sewing room. I have too much! I'm bringing three bags of yarn downstairs where the yarn stash is stored and there are boxes and boxes of fabric still in here. At least you can see the floor and I sorted the fabric a bit (for B in one box, quilting in another, lt apparel, hvy apparel, etc.). I'll post before and after pics on Monday.

B and Hubby are at soccer practice, although no coaches showed up. Least they could do is e-mail us if they're going to cancel. When they get back, we're heading to the neurologist for a work-up on B (language delay).

sad bargains

The Point Knit Cafe in the West Village is closing today. They lost their lease and the fire sale started on Monday. We weren't able to get there until today and the place was nearly cleared out.

I got 14 skeins of Classic Elite Solstice (cotton and wool) in orange peel, 2 skeins Kraemer Natural Skeins from Jeannie (420 yds fingering merino/nylon), and 1 skein Arucania Ranco in Pink (wool/polyamide).

The pink will become a scarf for my sister that likes pink. Something funky and not ordinary. She's not 2x2 rib scarf girl.

I'm not sure about the Kraemer. I may use it for M-i-L's birthday or hold onto it as sock blanks.

The Solstice will eventually become a summer cardi for me. That's why I got the buttons to match.

My friend Jen's been a more regular customer at The Point than I have, but we were both sad to so it go.

flashing

So, while B was out running around at soccer on Friday, I did this. I got a wee sunburn. Sunscreen next week.

I love how the heel flap on sock 2 is flashing.

In other news, my basement stairs are now safe again and we're well on our way to replacing the WC down there.

It's going to be a busy week. We've got game 7 of the Devils' playoff series tomorrow, Yankee tickets for Thursday (my first trip to the new stadium) and tickets to CDC's Peter Pan on Friday.

I had to bail on a work dinner for tonight. No way I can do dinner until 10 and the rest of this stuff in one week. Good thing it wasn't a mandatory work function.

Hubby and I put the bedroom air conditioners in this weekend. It was over 90 Saturday and Sunday and he just couldn't sleep.

bad mother award

I get the bad mother award this week. I do not know when my son said his first word or what it was. Hubby thinks it was Dada. I know he wasn't speaking at 13 months and that he had a small vocabulary at 18 months. I spent time this morning looking for his baby book and there's nothing in it. I've done a worse job filling in his baby book than my mother did mine.

Hubby does say that he remembers B started talking earlier than he did. (At least that's what his mom told him.)

This was prompted by the SLP asking for some of Billy's milestones. He crawled right before he turned 9 months and walked right before he turned 13 months. He gave up bottles before 15 months.

I know we were all concerned about the lack of speech. I blogged it. He pediatrician was worried about his vocabulary at 18 months, but he must have improved enough to appease her because we didn't do anything at the time about it.

Anyway, I'm home today. Mr. Handyman is fixing my basement stairs (very important as our tv room is down there) and this afternoon I'm taking B to soccer practice. It's going to be neraly 70 degrees. Woot woot.

I'm off to go sew now. Enough time on the Internet for today.

ikat

I finished my first Yankees Ikat Sunday night watching playoff hockey (Devils won in OT). Pretty quick sock for me 6 days or so.

My favorite thing about these socks is the way the colors flash at the gusset and toe.
The gauge seems really loose to me. When I put the sock on the stitches really separate, but it's just over 9 st to an inch. I guess I've got too much negative ease. Oh well, onto sock two, which is approaching the end of the hem.

You'll probably see more of this yarn. I'll be making a pair for B from the leftovers. He said he'd like a pair when I asked him.