DF KAL

This is my first successful lace project. Thank you Sivia and all who are participating in this KAL. I had plenty of false starts and most certainly would have quit, were it not for this generous group of lace knitters.
The lovely model is my dear mother, all 4'11" of her. Nothing is quite so satisfying as hearing the squeals of delight from the recipient of one of your finished projects.

I haven't been idle, just an idle blogger. I do have lots of finished object pics to post. Perhaps tomorrow.

Diamond Fantasy Shawl

Check Out Sivia's Other Designs

Yarn from ColorSong

 

ANONYMOUS

I guess the only way to answer anonymous comments is to post. So this info is for the most recent anonymous commenter. I didn't write a pattern for the cable purse, and yes 1 skein of Malabrigo is plenty.

TRADITIONAL TRADITION

WE ALWAYS MAKE SPRITZ COOKIES AND SAND TARTS. THE SAND TARTS ARE FROM A RECIPE FROM MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY. DEPENDING ON YOUR HERITAGE, YOU EITHER SLICE THESE COOKIES OR ROLL THEM OUT AND CUT THEM. AS YOU CAN SEE WE ARE THE SLICING KIND OF FAMILY. THE SPRITZ COOKIES AND GINGERBREAD ARE TRADITIONS WE STARTED WHEN OUR GIRLS WERE LITTLE.  

GINGERBREAD

THESE ARE OUR TRADITIONAL GINGERBREAD COOKIES. NOTICE THE CHRISTMAS DINOSAURS AND OUR HOLIDAY SHARKS. 

CHRISTMAS PREP

GIFTS MADE AND BOUGHT - 100%
GIFTS ORDERED AND DELIVERED - 99%
GIFTS WRAPPED - 99%
GIFTS MAILED - 100%
CHRISTMAS CARDS DONE - 100%
CHRISTMAS CARDS MAILED - 100%
CHRISTMAS TREE BOUGHT AND UP - 100%
CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATED - 100%
DOOR WREATHS - DONE AND UP - 100%
COOKIE DOUGHS MADE - 100%
COOKIES BAKED AND DECORATED - 100%
FOOD ORDERED, MENU PLANNED - 100%

I think I'm right about on schedule. By Monday, most of these will jump from 0 to 90. The only ones that concern me, are the ones over which I have no control. This year our family Christmas will be on Christmas Eve. Our youngest leaves with her "friendly boy" (my husband's name for him) for India on Christmas day to attend a wedding. Exciting stuff!
Our usual Christmas Eve is a raucous friends and family party, which I have loved in the past. I have to say that I am looking forward to a quiet Christmas Eve for the first time in almost 20 years. There will still be lots of wonderful food and drink, but no cooking and baking for days before, and no cleaning up until 2AM.edited 12/17/05, edited 12/21/05
I am almost to that glorious moment when I can put up my feet and just let Christmas come!

END OF THE LINE

From left to right: 6ft. long swirly scarf -Linie 102 Allegro,
4ft. long slip stitch scarf with fringe - K1C2 Tartelette, 4ft. + cabled scarf - Hand Maiden 12ply cashmere
Frogged the cashmere scarf. I actually unwrapped it because the more I thought about it, the more I detested it. I am half way through reknitting it. I'm using the boyfriend scarf pattern from Last Minute Gifts. Much nicer and much more appropriate for the yarn. edited 12/21/05

I can say truthfully that I am now officially working on non-holiday items.
Aran Sweater
Ribbed Turtleneck
Shrug/Bolero Sweater
Finish Black Purl Clapotis
Winter Scarf for James (a specific request)
Junior Bolero Sweater from Debbie Bliss
All previously mentioned items not done and not listed above, will officially be moved to pre-frog status.

THE KITCHEN

Spent lots of time playing in the kitchen yesterday. I should have been cranking out cookie doughs, but I couldn't resist trying a new recipe from the new Food & Wine.
Results:
1. lots of parts and lots of time involved
2. definitely a company dessert
3. grapefruit is not something I will put in
this dessert again
4. this dessert would be fantastic with
lemon, lime, or orange
Today is cookie dough day:
gingerbread, sand tarts, spritz,

Knitting:
Finished cashmere cabled scarf. Working on two clapotis that were started months ago. No deadline for either
Post Christmas Knitting Plans:
Finish Aran Sweater and Bolero
Start Mia's bolero sweater, cashmere silk wrap, merino/silk turtleneck and finally something for ME (something wonderful, don't know what yet)

 

THREE LITTLE MAIDS ALL IN A ROW

CABLED CLUTCHES DONE!
These were lots of fun to make. Even though I hate to sew, I didn't mind lining them and sewing them onto the handles. They remind me of the flowers in the nursery rhyme; Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary. I actually made four of these cuties. One is running around in Brooklyn on the arm of my youngest daughter.

Time to finish the cashmere scarf, which will be my last knitting project for Christmas. I need to get busy making cookie dough and wrapping presents. I enjoy doing both, now that I have the time. 

ALI'S HAT

This hat was done in about 4 hours. After speaking with my sister about a hat that my niece coveted, I feverishly created this pattern with the help of a few pics on the web. It is Knit on size 10 addis 16" and birch double pointed. Again, I used bits and pieces of Misti Alpaca, Malabrigo, Lorna's Lion and Lamb, and MCY silk/merino. I couldn't be more pleased. The final judge will be my adorable niece, Miss Ali. Have to wait for Christmas.

Almost done with my pared down Christmas list. Some things were moved to Birthday list. Having trouble with my hands and certain types of knitting. The Aran Sweater has become quite a challenge. My hands go numb after 10 rows or so. Thanks to a tip about WendyKnits, I've started using the "no cable needle" cable method. Not sure whether that helps with my hands, but it certainly helps with speed. I used to spend half my time losing and looking for the cable needle. 

BITS AND PIECES of BITS AND PIECES

First I want to thank everyone for the kind comments both on and off the blog.
I thought I would add a few details about the tote. First, I used the slip stitch method and just made up the design as I went according to what color scraps I had. I started by knitting a large rectangle, then picked up all of the stitches on four sides with a 24" circular and knit in the round changing yarn colors and never working with more than two colors at a time. I knit until I ran out of yarn, then felted the whole mess. Believe me, I wasn't sure that it would turn out to be anything useful. If you haven't tried color work using the slip stitch method, it is so easy and perfect for projects that you intend to felt.
As far as the leather strap goes, we have a fabric outlet that always has a large bin of scraps of beautiful leather. There are lots of different colors and the shapes of the pieces are irregular. My daughter pieced the handle together and used a walking foot on the sewing machine to sew the thing together. As for the grommets, they are industrial strength with teeth and a deep channel to hold soft fabric tight. I found that little grommets just pulled right out.
Hope this helps explain my accidental tote.
Good source for the slip stitch and color work is the Sally Melville color book, although I'm sure you can find sources on the web if you google "slip stitch".

CABLE CLUTCH - MALABRIGO

 

LOOP-D-LOOP CORRUGATED ASYMETRICAL IN REYNOLDS CABANA

 

RUFFLED SCARF -SILK AND KID SILK HAZE

 

MALABRIGO HAT DESIGN-AS-YOU-GO

 

BITS AND PIECS LARGE TOTE

 

KNITTING? WHAT KNITTING?

Believe it or not, I have finished a few things. That's the good thing. Most of what I've finished has nothing to do with the projects listed above as OTN. This is the bad thing.

Finished:
Boyfriend Scarf - Last Minute Gifts - Camel Colored Cashmere purchased from Ebay
3 Winter Hats - Designed as I knit - 1 Cashmere, 1 Malabrigo, 1 Koigu KPM
1 Large Tote Bag - Designed as I went along, felted - used up bits and pieces of leftover Galway
1 Cabled Clutch - My version of the now famous purse seen everywhere - This was an OTN!!!
6 Ruffled Scarves - Various yarns including 3 strands Kid Silk Mohair
2 Amelia Earhart Hats - one with added chin strap - Malabrigo
Man's Winter Skull Cap - Alpaca

Progress:
Aran Sweater - 6"
Bolero/Shoulder Shrug - Editors' Patterns from Interweave Knits Summer 2005 - 95%(have sew side seams and block)
Cabled Clutch - Second version of above- Home Dyed bulky Red Silk - 100%
Clapotis - Lion and Lamb - Black Purl - 70%
Clapotis - MCY Silk - 80%
Mixed Cable Scarf - Classic Elite Posh - Medium Celery Green - 25%
Dropped Loop Scarf - Royal silk - 80%
Lacey Ribbed Scarf - Ultra Merino - 10% (frogged)

No Progress:
No Comment!

As you can see, my list from last post has changed. Definitely ADD at work here. I'm trying to stay with the projects listed under Progress. There are three other projects I want to start and finish for the Holidays. Just have to wait and see. My new mantra is: "People have birthdays".
I'm not promising pictures, but I have every intention of taking some of a few of the finished items. Of course quite a few of them have already left my hands and are on the heads, around the necks, etc. of the people I love.

TOO MUCH TEMPTATION, TOO LITTLE WILLPOWER

Oh dear, oh dear. I just returned from a 4 day NYC trip. I had some really good reasons to take this little jaunt. First and foremost, I go every year at this time because my youngest daughter was born 27 years ago on October 28th at 5:32 PM. It was a beautiful sunny day, much like the past few days, only a touch warmer. Since she moved to NYC a few years ago, I have enjoyed celebrating her birthday with her in one of my favorite cities. I have to confess that while she was in college in Richmond, Indiana, I only made it once. Funny how that works.
Our first evening was spent in the hotel, ordering room service and watching "America's Next Top Model". Room service was almost as dreadful as ANTM, but I'm a doting mom, especially when it comes to birthdays.
We spent the next day shopping in midtown, then it was my turn to check out the new knitting shop and cafe downtown. Pictures are so deceiving. The Point is very small, not at all what I expected. I did manage to find some lovely alpaca that was a great bargain and some absolutely gorgeous blue ultramerino which was not. The owner is quite friendly and accomodating. She complimented me on my clapotis (the burgundy wool) and we chatted about the phenomenon of the clapotis pattern. My daughter and I were going to have lunch there but the offerings looked like breakfast or midmorning snack items, so we pushed on and had the most wonderful panini at INO with a lovely buttery Tuscan white wine.
We met up again for dinner after her class at NYU. I never would have chosen Mesa Grill, but it was so convenient and by 9PM, I was ravenous. It was such a lovely dinner. Like Mario Batali, Bobby Flay has managed to become a celebrity chef and maintain the quality of their respective restaurants. Wonderful tuna tartare, venison, and pudding like berry cheesecake. The service was attentive, unfussy, and friendly. We both thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
The next day was spent visiting MOMA. I suggested that we go back downtown. Let's see, could it be Sullivan Street? Although I have been to NYC at least 6 times in the last year, I had not made a return visit to Purl. Boy, oh boy, did my finances take a hit. While my daughter wandered through the ubiquitous small shops in the neighborhood, I gorged on the sites and feel of one of the most visually stimulating yarn shops on the east coast. A little of this and a little of that and a lot of one, and I walked out with two shopping bags. Some alpaca/silk, some silk/cashmere, some lobster pot cashmere, and some lovely merino. I also found two wonderful small enameled shawl pins at a great price. It doesn't matter what time of day, or what day of the week, this little shop is always busy. By the time I was done daughter #1 had arrived and met us just in time to find lunch. Jerry's diner is a great Soho spot and always packed, but we lucked out and got there between the early and late lunch crowd. Great burgers and beer.
Now it was time to let the girls get on with party prep for that evening. I begged off and happily hopped a cab back to midtown. Stopped at the Euro Deli for take out dinner in the room later and fell happily to inspecting my wonderful purchases. I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life, I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life, I will buy no more yarn for the rest of my life.