Christmas Break

I haven't been around much because I'm at my family's place in Virginia where the internet is slow and people expect you to interact with them. Also it's been a pretty busy holiday so far.

Things are not going well in knitting land. I got 8 skeins of Socks that Rock from various people this Christmas (eight total, not, a whole bunch of people gave me 8 skeins each, which would have been both totally wicked and overwhelming.) Eight skeins total is pretty wicked and overwhelming actually - I am seized with the desire to stare at yarn all day. I am also completely consumed with the desire to knit knit knit all of my new yarn, when in progress right now I have:

• Sister-in-law's Christmas scarf (almost 2/3 finished)
• Mom's aborted Christmas mittens (have to finish, but on the 21st reason prevailed and I realized there was no way on this planet that I was going to be able to have them ready for Christmas.) I got her some china instead and showed her the mittens which she now eagerly anticipates. I'd like to finish them before I go home. Also I forgot the pattern and so am following the first mitten very closely to make sure I do the same thing.
  
• Uptown Boot Socks - started this fall after WI Sheep and Wool, very slow progress, just finished the first one and it is too small for me (because of the cables). Hope to finish and give to my mom, who has tiny little ankles.
  
• Brother Socks Round II. The replacements for the socks I lost in Door County. I'm just about finished with the gusset on the first one.
• Jonagold Socks - started for myself shortly before leaving WI.
• Gingerbread Girl Stockings - have finally done the math and am in process of knitting the legs.
  
• Mini-Moochi Stock Socks - I accidentally bought some Mini-Moochi yesterday and before I knew it had almost half of a sock. Oops.
  
• Heartwarmer. Of course.
  

I normally don't mind having a ton of things on the needles, but I'm really loving all of these projects and it's starting to be a little overwhelming. I need to just finish something (or four things) so I can cross them off. I got two skeins of Strange Brew Medium Weight STR, and it really wants to be the Bellatrix Socks.

The first three on the list are the ones closest to being finished, so I'm going to make those my top priority. And if I get tired, maybe a little Mini-Moochi to take the edge off.

Baby Blankets

Blocking . . .

Before you are the Cabbage Leaf Baby Blanket and the Jungle Baby Blanket, in that order. (Also my lumpy mattress.) The Cabbage Leaf has been done for weeks, but was unblocked and I just couldn't take a decent photo of it. The Jungle Baby was finished last night and shall be gifted tomorrow to my awesome boss on her last day before the holiday.

I really like how both turned out - the Cabbage Leaf bleed all over my socks and essentially ruined my Gingerbread Dude and Flamingo Pie Socks in the wash, but I'm over it because it's just so great. There is alpaca in it and it is just extremely soft and delightful. It also felted a teeny tiny bit, so I've stretched it quite a bit (and yes I know I could have pinned it out better.

The Jungle Baby did not shrink, it just got nice and soft and stretched out - perfect for a baby blanket for a non-knitter. I think it's going to hold up pretty well.

There are definitely more projects for me out of both Paca Peds (Cabbage Leaf) and Happy Feet (Jungle Baby) in my future. Although in the future I shall wash the Paca Peds by itself.

Beauty shots tomorrow in the natural light.

My Autumn Joy

Just finished my Heelless Sleeping Socks (with heels, with the spiral reversed on the second one, with a picot hemmed cuff) in Gail's Autumn Joy. I completely love them.



In progress right now I have:

• The Jungle Baby Blanket
• The Gingerbread Girl Stockings
• My Brother's socks
• Mom's Christmas Mittens
• Future Sister-in-Law's Scarf
• Here Comes the Sun Uptown Boot Socks

Really I've only been working on the Jungle Baby Blanket and the Future Sister-in-Law's scarf. I'm going to have to crack back onto my mom's Christmas mittens - I was trying to buy her something on Ebay she would love, but got outbid this morning, so it's back to the mitten board. I really want to cast on my Jonagold for some more socks just like the ones I just finished - so much so that I wound it up the other night. But I know I should finish these Christmas/Baby presents first. Rats.

Snow Day!

Pattern Up!

A couple of months ago my pattern Indian Corn Scarf was in Knitcircus (very exciting.) After three months the pattern rights revert to the designers, so I am finally listing this pattern for sale on Ravelry for $5.00.

I love this pattern. I have made quite a few of them in the past and they always turn out so fun, whether they are the same colorway listed in the pattern or not. Here's one I made for my sister:



I hope that everything goes right with the pattern and that I listed it correctly - it's my first for-pay pattern and I'm all excited and nervous. I hope you enjoy it!