More presents

Here are the rest of the Christmas presents I knit. I still can't believe that I finished them all on time.

Noro hat for my Father-in-Law

Pattern: Um, done enough hats that I just sort of did it
Yarn: Noro Kureyon
Needles: size 7

I actually made two pairs of Fetching, one for my mom, and one for my mother-in-law. I didn't photograph the ones for my mother-in-law. They were the same blue as my dad's gloves.

Pattern:Fetching
Yarn: Cascase 220
Needles: size 5

Scarf for my Sister-in-Law

Pattern: Falling Leaves
Yarn: Valley Yarn Stockbridge in "boy blue"
Needles: Size 7

Good gifts and bad

Santa didn't forget the furry members of the family this year.


Pattern: Mouse 1 and Mouse 2
Yarn: leftover Cascade 220
Needles: size 5

As you can see, they were a hit.

The next item is not a handknit, but a gift to my mom from one of her students. It has prompted me to provide this public service announcement:
Unless you know your child's teacher really really well and know for a fact that she likes to wear dickies, do NOT buy her a dickie as a Christmas present. Especially an extra large dickie with armholes and her name embroidered on the turtleneck. The embroidered name is especially evil as it limits the pool of candidates for regifting.

Warm feet

My husband David and sister Nicole were the recipients of handknit socks this year. I had already blogged about David's socks earlier, once I had finished my first short row heel, but here are the finished pair. I finished them about a week before Christmas, so plenty of time!



Pattern: I made these toe-up with the Figure-Eight Cast On and then followed Wendy's directions for short row heels. For the rest, I just did a manly 3x1 rib.
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential Tweed in Flint
Needles: size 1
Thoughts: The yarn is nice and soft, but the tweedy bits bothered me because they were so "loose". It looked better after a wash.


Nicole's socks were the first Christmas present I started back in August.


Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Regia 4 Ply (I think -- I can't find the label)
Needles: size 1
Thoughts: Jaywalker is a great pattern. I had fun knitting it.

Warm hands

We're back home from our Christmas travels. It was a very good Christmas, especially for Owen.
But my Mom and Dad did well too. Here are the mittens and gloves I made for them

Pattern: both patterns are from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
Yarn: Cascade 220
Needles: size 5 (so they would be extra dense and warm)

Note my dad is also wearing the seed stitch scarf my mom made for him!

Merry Christmas!

First of all, thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes to Owen. He had a fun birthday and now is on to exciting one-year-old things like learning to walk. (eep!)

We're off to the Garden State tomorrow for Christmas with my family. Before we leave, here's a final run through of my check list.

Christmas tree bought and decorated? check

Cookies baked? check


Presents bought and wrapped? check
Knitted gifts finished? check (as of 9:30 tonight!!!)

And here they are all wrapped up. Stay tuned for an exciting week of secrets revealed!
All is in readiness. Happy Holidays to everyone!

One year ago today...

...this sweet baby was born!And look at him now!

Happy Birthday, Owen!

Red hat revisited

The first day of my new resolve only to knit Christmas presents from now until they are finished, I knit a hat for Owen. But it was cold outside and his head already outgrew the red hat with the heart that I knit for him what only seemed like a few weeks ago.

Old hat and mittens set

New hat and mittens set

Pattern: Earflap Hat from Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas.
Yarn: Plymouth Encore bulky

Unfortunately, Owen doesn't seem very fond of this new hat though it looks cute on him the 2 seconds before he pulls it off. The important thing is that it is plenty big and covers his little ears so I expect he will learn to enjoy it once I take him outside!

Priorities

What I really want to work on now is the hoodie. I am so excited to see how everything will come together without seams. I've made some progress, but then had to do some ripping because the sleeves were threatening to finish before the v-neck. I don't know if I recommend combining patterns like this. Sigh.














Still, it's looking good. Check out the arm to body join!



















My thoughts also turn to my next big project for which I am now in the research stage. (Recognize that yarn I got at Rhinebeck?)













But I really need to be working on Christmas gifts. It's December now and no more fooling around. I must forget the hoodie.
Here is a Noro Kureyon hat I just started. I never knit with Noro before. I like it. I hope the recipient will too.