Caps To The Capital

Our knitting ministry at church, "Strands of Love," recently shipped off 137 baby hats in support of Save The Children and Warm Up America's national project, Caps To The Capital. Save The Children is collecting caps from all over the country and they will be shipped out around the world to places where infant mortality is high. Just keeping a newborn's head warm significantly increases his or her chances for survival. For more information about the program and the Save The Children organization, go here: www.savethechildren.org. The main force behind this project (for our group) was Connie, who brought it to our attention and crocheted the majority of the hats. She is an amazing woman and I am blessed to know her...:-) You'll hear more about Strands of Love in future posts - I may even give it it's own blog!

UFO Countdown

Socks were born at 9:14 am today. They will have their first Eucalan bath soon. I'm a bit disappointed that the toe tip color doesn't match, after I took the time to figure out the right spot to join yarn (I needed more than one ball for each). But now I suppose the wearer can name one 'Left' and one 'Right' and know the difference. The glass is always full...:-)

UFO #1 down. How many more to go?

Knit From My Stash 2007

In the past few weeks I've taken a hard look at my stash. Egads. Enough for eternity, it seems. I went so far as to take pictures of it all so I could keep track of it. It took up 60+ pics on my digital. I found things I forgot I had. Merry Christmas to me! Here are a few of my favorites.

Pic #1 is Cleckheaton Country Silk in sage. It wants to be a vest.

Pic #2 is Brooks Farm Harmony (mohair and silk) in earth tones (H30). It's not sure what it wants to be, but there should be enough for a shawl. There's Buster doing a good job of holding down the bed and guarding my yarn.

Pic #3 is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Watercolor. I can't wait to make these. But there is much ahead in the queue, alas.

Pic #4 is Rowan Tapestry which is having an identity crisis. It was purchased with the intent to be a moebius scarf. Since I haven't successfully mastered the moebius cast-on yet....we'll just see about that.

SO....the challenge is to knit from my stash in 2007 according to the rules posted here: http://wendyknits.net/stash2007.htm. I am determined to do it because

1) I have no more room for yarn in my house.

2) I have no money in my wallet for yarn.

3) I have some absolutely gorgeous yarn that would really make some people happy if it was in wearable form.

4) I really do want to enjoy the experience of knitting with this absolutely gorgeous yarn.

UFO's (unfinished objects) are of course, part of the stash. So let's start there.

1) Debie's Christmas socks: I am 10 rows from toe decrease on second sock - should finish today.

2) Nathan's fingerless gloves: ribbing started on second glove.

3) Heart blocks baby blanket: for a baby due in April.

4) Magic Loop socks: still haven't finished these from the class I took in October. I've decided I'm not crazy about the yarn - glad it was cheap.

5) The ever-present Aran project: Not sure how many years it will take to finish this sweater, but I thoroughly enjoy knitting it, whenever I can find a block of (undistracted) time.

SO, off I go! Happy New Year!!

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

Okay, Christmas may arrive - the tree is up! No lights on the house yet...not sure if that will happen. The one person in the family who likes to go up on the roof is recovering from shoulder surgery so.....we'll see. Christmas shopping is 95% done which is an amazing feat. Now comes the fun part - wrapping everything while I watch Christmas movies, saving "A Christmas Carol" (the one with George C. Scott, which I think is the best) for Christmas Eve.

Christmas knitting: aaackkkk!!! Will I get done? I'm thinking yes, if I don't get distracted with things like laundry, cleaning the toilet and feeding all creatures great and small. Progress on sock #2 (see previous post): about 3 inches done - should go pretty fast from here on out though, since I won't be making the heel three times - ha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Halfway to Christmas

I'm sooo happy to have finally finished the first sock of this pair. I did the heel flap and heel turn THREE times. Not because I screwed up, but because I was going to run out of yarn (I realized after heel turn #1). Okay I guess that's some version of screwing up. So I ripped back and knit flap and turn again, with a contrasting yarn....kind of liking it.....but in the meantime I had put a call out to socknitters everywhere (via socknitters.com forum), and an angel sent me more of this discontinued yarn (KnitPicks Landscapes in New England Foliage). My first preference was to not have contrasting heels and toes, so when the yarn arrived (and I confirmed that it was a beautiful perfect match) I ripped back heel #2 and thus began heel #3. Whew! When I got to the point of toe shaping, I gave the giftee the opportunity to see her sock in progress and try it on to make sure it was going to fit. She happily took me up on the offer and I am pleased to report that it's a perfect fit and she loves the yarn. It's also reassuring to know that my calculations do work! So without further ado, here is sock #1, which will now wait patiently for it's mate. Must get cracking, only 10 knitting days til Christmas!

Some sock specs: KnitPicks Landscapes in New England Foliage; standard heel flap & gusset; round toe shaping. This was the first time trying this toe shaping method and I love it. I think it's more attractive than the square-ish looking toe you get with the "k2tog/ssk decreasing at the sides" method, and there's the added mega bonus of no kitchener-ing!!! Plus, I think it looks really cool with the self-striping yarn - you end up with
a bullseye at the top...:-) Here's a close-up of the toe, just for kicks...:-)

Critters of the 2-legged and 4-legged Variety

A gratuitous picture of my son Nathan and the pup, Tatty....also affectionately known as Tattabrat, among other things. She does love her couch time.

No knitting pics today - I'm working on Christmas presents, so don't want to spoil the surprise...:-)