Baaa- Studs 2009

The Christmas knitting was finished and on the head of the recipient on Christmas Day. My mother admired my hat from the pattern Gretel, and so I knitted one for her for Christmas. She seemed to truly enjoy it. I was relieved to see that it fit. Unfortunately I did not get a decent photo of it.

Today I had Christmas dinner at home with my kids (Saturday). My son baked bread (his form of relaxation) and made a lovely salad. We had turkey and all the fixings. Simple and very satisfying. Turkey leftovers, turkey sandwiches, and turkey soup are on the menu for the coming week.

I came across this fun poem - it is the knitter's version of "T'was the Night Before Christmas".

Christmas knitting is almost finished.

I don't buy myself presents for the holidays, just for the 'kids' (now young adults). But I felt I happened across a delightful "present". I found the 4 Agatha Christie movies starring Margaret Rutherford on YouTube. Yesterday while doing Christmas knitting I watched one of the movies. In "Murder She Said" Jane Marple knits while she waits for the murderer to come to her room so she can confront him. In "Murder Most Foul" Miss Marple knits while sitting in the jury box during a murder trial. I am having fun knitting along with Miss Marple. (It's the little things in life ...)

Christmas memories....

• It was evening and cold. My mother and I were downtown and she was doing Christmas errands. I was holding her hand, skipping, and counting to myself. I remember the Salvation Army with the red kettles ringing bells for donations in front of the stores. I think there was Christmas music playing downtown and of course the city had Christmas decorations on the main streets. I remember the Christmas spirit was palpable among the people shopping.
  
• The red house on the top of our hill had a live manger scene in their front yard for a few days surrounding Christmas. My parents would pile us in our little VW and we would slowly drive up the hill and around their circular driveway. There was often a line of cars looking at the manger with the cow, sheep, donkey, and occasionally actors portraying the manger scene. The sound of the donkey braying was heard down at our house as I stood in my front yard at night. I looked forward to it every year. The lovely red house is gone now like so many things from my childhood memories.
  
• The first Christmas being a single parent. It was a difficult time when I realized that I would never again spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my children, and that I must get used to the idea of Christmas falling on days other than the 25th in my home. But that first year turned out to be one of my fondest Christmas memories. The kids and I made Christmas all month long up to the 24th. We made Christmas cards, Christmas candles, and Christmas cookies. We decorated and attended Christmas programs. If I felt down when the kids left to stay with their dad and his girlfriend I don't remember it. Now I know wholeheartedly that Christmas is not one specific day.
  

A day when she had a lot to say about a little

The temperature had dropped to about 15 degrees F (about -8 C) and I could not find my mitts. I am very fond of these mitts, probably more than is rational. Knit out of Australian Merino 6-ply, my hands felt caccooned in soft, cushy warmth. I assumed I had left them behind somewhere and could only hope someone was enjoying them.


I needed another pair of mitts that would go with my jackets, so I pulled out the last of my Memories sock yarn. I bought this on clearance a long time ago. It was a bold red, white, and blue - not a combination I typically wear although I like the colors separately. I put it in a blue dye bath. It toned down the red, turned the white light blue, and added depth to the blues already present.

These mitts look rather silly. But when I put them on...


they are custom fit. The merino feels lovely. I made a long stretch of ribbing at the end so it would hug my fingers to keep them warm.

The ribbing also folds back nicely when I need to use my fingers.

AND I found my first pair of mitts buried underneath the pillows. Yay! Now I have 2 pairs. I guess I should do some Christmas knitting.

Dickens "A Christmas Carol" has been drawing me in. Over the last couple of weeks I have watched several versions on YouTube:
1935 with Seymour Hicks
1938 by MGM
1951 with Alastair Sim
1984 with George C. Scott
1999 with Patrick Stewart (bought the DVD)
and today I watched Mickey's Christmas Carol (why not?!)

Each one shows a slightly different facet to the story. For some reason I don't get bored with it.

ETA: The YarnGeek just reminded me about the Muppet Christmas Carol. Thanks!! I am going to dig through my VHS tapes. I know it is here somewhere......

This is for those who are celebrating Hanukkah



Thank you Mason-Dixon Knitting.

meeee.me.me.meeee




Thank you, Reenie, for sharing this.

No knitting content.

I am observing the state of politics. I just thought this was interesting -
politics expounded on here. Honestly, I have only researched bits and pieces of this, so I don't have much to say and will keep opinions to myself.

It has been many years since I've put on my rose-colored glasses when regarding politicians.

One of the observations I have made over these many years:

• No matter what political face is drawn in the satirical cartoons, there will always be another to take its place.

Done. finished. done.
It was fun.



This is the blanket that I knit out of leftovers of Encore brand yarn. A friend donated some of the yarn for this project. It would not have been nearly this big or as colorful if I had used only my leftovers. This is stretched across my sofa.


Trying to get the whole thing in the picture, but still can't get the whole thing...
There is a gray border around the outside edge.

I find weaving in ends a bit tedious. I had fun finishing the yarn tails on this, though. I played with sewing little chain stitches with the yarn tails on the back side.

Just in time for keeping cozy in the freezing temperatures.

I took my Lacy Baktus for its first outing.


Ack!!...

I like wearing it with point and tails in front while wearing a jacket over it.


This was knit out of fingering weight Posh Yarn. This scarf is already a favorite. When I gaze at it I think of the U.K. and a lovely person named Susan who helped pick out the yarn for me.

A little luxury in my everyday world.

Toe-up socks knit magic-loop style in Regia sock yarn. A bit of a yawn, I know. But for me it was a milestone. I can now successfully knit myself toe-up socks that I like as much as my top-down socks. I did a slip-stitch heel flap on the bottome of the heel...

and then continued the slipped stitches up the back of the heel as high as the gusset....
The slipped stitches aren't that noticeable. Only time will tell if this helps the bottom of the heels last longer.

Notes: cast on 25% of stitches using Judy's magic caston, knit until foot is 7-1/2 inches, do a 2-1/2 flap, continue slip-stitch pattern as the heel is turned, knit leg until the cows come home. Got it.

The sock needles are empty now, so time to cast on another pair. I need to focus on blues and purples to balance the colors in my sock drawer.

Jaywalkers that look to me like snow-covered mountain peaks..