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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
I know it's still in the middle of festivities for most, but I thought I'd better get a quick post up before the new year! We're in the midst of another move for another short term, and so we'll be celebrating much more when that's all done this time around and we can relax. But we did have four sweet days of merry-making and overeating (from lobster to cheesecake to brie to pumpkin pie), in which we were all thoroughly spoiled. I didn't manage to snap photos of absolutely everything I made (knit or otherwise), but I did take some . . . A summer dress done in time for Christmas: 
(Good thing it was red and white and therefore suited the season's color scheme.) A requested sock monkey: 
This was so much fun to make. No, I did NOT cut up any handknit socks for this. Just couldn't bring myself to do it. The socks are mostly cashmere, though, for snuggability. (Is that a word?) Oh, and she's stuffed with Briggs and Little's Country Roving, since I didn't have any carded wool on hand. And finally, the illusive pink jacket: 
Which really DOES exist, and JUST fits . . . so it's a good thing I actually got it done . . . 3 years after I started it. (Yipes.) It's not that I didn't enjoy the pattern or it was too much work or anything like that. It just happens to be the classic case of "the cobbler's children with no shoes", and kept getting shuffled off by other "higher priority" projects. I think I have at least one of this lovely Classic Elite leaflet left, so let me know if you'd like to purchase it! I love Kristin Nicholas designs, and this was a pleasure to knit, especially out of Montera, one of my all-time favorite yarns. And who can beat hot pink? 
I hope you've been enjoying yourselves these last few days and that the new year sees your dreams come true. Just a reminder that I am going to be an infrequent visitor to "computerland" over the next while, so thanks for your patience in advance. Happy New Year! |
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Friday, December 19, 2008 I wish I had some pictures to show you. We've been snow shoveling, tree decorating, cookie baking, hankie embroidering, sock knitting, dress sewing, and generally merry-making. But either it's late at night with secret, hush-hush projects that don't photograph well without daylight or (most often) I forget to take a picture. I promise to take photos soon and post some "eye candy", but in the meantime I wanted to be sure to post up about my holiday and moving (again) hours. I will be pretty much closed from Dec. 24 to well into January, as we celebrate the holidays and move house again. Since I don't know exactly how things will go and when exactly my computer will be up and running, I would like to keep it a bit open-ended for a date in January, but I wouldn't expect me back much before January 13th . . . although you never know! Please feel free to email me with orders, if you like, but just as fair warning, I will only be checking sporadically in the next 3 weeks or so. I will try to post a couple of times up here during the festivities, since my posts have been so lacking, lately, and I'm wishing you all the very best and lots of eggnog to go with the flurry of activity leading up to handmade gift-giving! Friday, December 12, 2008 Well, sort of merrily. I had this post all typed and ready, went to close out and managed to delete it. Take two. With parcels safely sent to family afar (which is pretty much everyone this year), I can now get down to brass tacks on gifts for the immediate family. Here's the photo I promised of the luverly Misti Alpaca socks I mentioned in my last post: 
I still have this super-soft yarn available if you'd like to treat yourself to some luxury (but affordable) knitting for the holidays . . . maybe for yourself or maybe to get a head start on gifts for next year! You can see the shades and particulars on my Sept. 23, 2008 post, and I used the color Marina. (Oh and the snow? Gone again.) And what else can you show this close to Christmas with little munchkins running all around during the daylight hours, when the light is good enough for photo-taking? I'm as pleased as punch with myself on a few things I've crafted this season, especially a cutie little striped sock monkey for someone who made an especial request. But alas, hidden in a cupboard for now. I think a glut of photos after the big day is definitely in order. Been doing scads of Christmas baking, but strangely, the variety doesn't seem to be increasing. Something to do with the goodies being eaten as quickly as they're made. Managed to get the fruitcake made and wrapped and safely stored until it's time to put on the almond paste. Then it'll get wrapped and stored until the actual holidays. No fear of it disappearing before then, as everyone knows it doesn't taste as good unless it's aged. What? Surprised? Fruitcake? There are four fruitcake lovers here in this family of four. Don't imply what that says about us. Off to knit on some not-so-mindless-socks and to watch a Christmas movie. Wishing you some similar fun and relaxation. Have a great weekend! (I'll be attending the opera!) Thursday, December 4, 2008 
What happened? I didn't realize how much time has gone by! We've experienced an Atlantic snowstorm, giving us a big dump of the heavy, wet snow that feels like cement to shovel, followed a week later by 16 degrees and sunshine that feels like spring. I even hung the laundry today . . . in December! And all of a sudden we're counting down to Christmas. The German advent calendars (the ones with the doors that open to pictures that are becoming virtually impossible to find but are so much more exciting than the ones with evenly-spaced, evenly-sized square doors that open to bad chocolate-like substances) are on the fridge and in use. And it's almost time to send out the parcels that are headed to family far away. Eeps. It's sort of coming together, but as usual, plans are always grander than the time or "steam" available. I did finish a pair of gorgeous Misti Alpaca socks for gifting. These feel like cashmere and are fabulous. I wish I had a pair of gloves in this yarn! Forgot to take a picture . . . next time! (How about a photo of some Christmas crafting by and for kids?) 
Oh, I did figure out blocking on hardwood floors, at least for smaller knitted pieces. It's called a hard plastic office chair mat, towels, and a foam camping mat. Worked great, but was only big enough to do 2 fronts and 2 sleeves. Still need to block a back and a hood, and better get going or this won't be done for Christmas! It's tricky to time the blocking when you're renting a house that's on the market (and the potential buyers maybe don't appreciate blocking sweater pieces), and when the stuff blocking is for a present and the door has to be closed on a room that has no heat in winter. Oy. It'll all come together. And then I'll actually have a picture to PROVE I've really been working on such a thing as a pink sweater jacket. And how's your holiday knitting coming along? |
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THE WOOLLEN EARTH, General Delivery, Summerville, NS B0N 2K0 Canada Phone: (902) 633-2727 Email: |