Quiddity

Year End Wrap Up

And what a year it's been.  But first, Christmas Part Two.  Last night, we went to my son's house for dinner and a final exchange of presents.  His fiance was out of town with her family for the holidays, thus the late gifting.  Jim and I were both happy to get candy from our favorite little beach candy store.  Lots and lots of chocolate!  Yummy.  Laura is also a very crafty person and she made me two things.  The first is this lovely necklace.

She also likes to draw and do wood burning, so she combined the two to create this yarn box.

It says "I Can Knitz Too, by Scarfy."  (She knows I love the LOL Cats.)  It's hard to tell from the photo, but the box resembles a book.  She drilled a hole through the spine so a ball of yarn can be placed inside and the wip kept safe from curious cats.  Very thoughtful!

A gift of another kind arrived yesterday in a great big box.  Spinners among you might recognize the sender.

Inside - almost 8 pounds of blended Corriedale and Alpaca fleece, purchased at this year's New York Sheep and Wool Festival (aka Rhinebeck.) 

Oooh, soft and pretty!  Now I really do need to work on improving my knitting.  I'd love to spin this and knit a sweater to wear to Rhinebeck 2009.  (Yeah, good luck with that.)

It's been an eventful year, both good and bad.  For family:

• My mom became very ill and passed away in April.
• One week later, my husband started a new job. 
• My son started the Executive MBA Program at Emory University and became engaged. 
• I got to spend time with my cousin Gayle, who I haven't seen for years and years. 
• My cousin Pam was diagnosed with breast cancer, underwent treatment and surgery, and is now coming out the other side cancer free. 
• I had a fabulous vacation in Colorado with my best friend.    
• I started taking horse back riding lessons! 
• I met a long time blog friend and got to spend her 50th birthday with her.  Yay! 

On the knitting scene, finished things were:

• 3 bags / purses 
• 1 capelet 
• 11 hats 
• 2 cell phone cozies 
• 1 java jacket 
• 1 afghan square 
• 1 pair of thrummed mittens 
• 7 scarves (several of which were lace)
• 2 lace shawls 
• 19-1/2 pairs of socks (the 1/2 pair was from doing just one sock as a test knit) 
• 3 sweaters 
• 1 vest 

Spinning, well, let's not discuss that right now.  But I did manage to sew 46 yarn project bags, most of which have been given away as gifts.  I'm sure there will be many more of these in the new year.

And now I leave you with pictures of the cats enjoying their Christmas. 

Oooh, big fuzzy mouse!

 

Feather toy - oh bliss!

Decisions, decisions.

Is dis my toy?  No Mittens, that's my birdie.  (Jim got this for me and Mittens.  It's motion activated, singing and flapping its wings when anything around it moves.  Mittens was fascinated.)

Yeah, we're bad.  Take that, little house!

I win!

From Mittens, Socks, and all of the Quiddity family, have a happy, fun, and safe New Year.  May 2009 bring you joy, love, and peace.

Still Snuffling

My head cold is really hanging on, although I don't feel bad anymore, so I guess it will just gradually wither away.  At least my energy has returned, although a little late for all the Christmas festivities.

We had a very quiet Christmas.  For the first time ever, it was just Jim, Cory, and me.  Cory didn't come over until almost noon, which made the day go a lot faster.  We dug into our Santa stockings while the coffee cake was baking, and then had a nice breakfast.  Afterward, we tackled the presents.  Santa and the guys were very, very good to me this year.  My big gifts were a gift certificate to take drawing lessons (I can barely draw a stick figure, but I've always wanted to learn,) and a Lensbaby "Composer" for my camera.  The weather has been horrible ever since Christmas, so there hasn't been a good opportunity to try it out, but it's sunny today, and should be for a couple more days, so hopefully there will be a chance to do some shooting.  As for knitting gifts, I got two books - "Intertwined" and "Free Range Knitter."  But as much as we all enjoyed our presents, the cats enjoyed theirs more, I think.  They got a giant fuzzy mouse, a playhouse with crinkly floor, a laser pointer, and for Mittens, a felt toy with feathers on the end.  His favorite thing in the whole world is his feathers on a stick toy.  He gets so overwrought by it, that it has to be hidden away in the pantry.  He was overjoyed with the little portable version, and was barely without it all day.  They both went totally nuts for the laser, continuing to look for the little light long after it had been put away.  Very funny.  I have pictures, and will post them next time.

One of my other gifts was a knitted hat, made for me by my cousin's youngest daughter, Kari.  Kari is a gifted painter / photographer / actor, and I was thrilled to get something she made just for me.  It's very soft and very warm.

As for what I've made lately - socks, of course.

• Campfire Socks.  This is a mistake rib pattern, and thus makes a two-sided, very cushy fabric.  Originally designed for heavier yarn, I like how it worked up in regular sock weight.  (And there's a toe up version, too, for those of you who insist on making socks that way.)
• The yarn is Ball and Skein.  This was a new one to me, and came as a birthday gift from my friend, Alma.  It's a bit stiffer than other yarns I've used, but is still very pleasing to knit and wear.  I imagine it will soften in washing.  

Next up, a hat.

This is a lousy picture of a really cute hat.  See a better photo here - Katie's Beret (Rav link)  The yarn is Sheep Shop Yarn Company sheep number three, a blend of 30% silk and 70% wool.  Soft, soft, soft!  This took one skein, and since I have one more, I'm going to knit a neck cozy to match.  

Now, since the sun is finally out after too many days away, it's time to take a walk with my husband.  He's off for the rest of the week, and while I enjoy being lazy, he most definitely does not, so out I go.  But I'm bringing my knitting with me!

 

A Christmas Warning

Do not leave your knitting where the cats can reach.

Oops.  These were in my current sock-in progress, and fortunately I have just enough size 0's left to replace them.  

Somewhere in the madness of shopping, wrapping, decorating, and being just a bit sick (a cold in the head,) a project was actually finished.

• Primavera Socks.  This was another fun pattern.  And I think it worked well with the yarn, which is:
• Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock in the "Christmas Balls" colorway.  Because it is the mediumweight variety, I had to fudge the stitch count both overall, and at the cuff and heel, but that just made for a more interesting project.  These will be my Christmas Day socks, although it's barely cold enough here to wear them. (Sorry about that - I'd prefer at least a little of the snow some of you have been having.)

Last Sunday, we had a cookie swap at Knitch.  It was a great way to kick off the holidays, and be able to stock the pantry with lots of delicious cookies.

 

If you look closely, you'll see that some health nut managed to sneak in some carrots and tomatoes, too.  (Good thing - saved me from having sugar shock!)

Now, the stockings are hung.

The decorations are up (outside and in)

And it's time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  I hope Santa is good to you and yours, and if you don't celebrate, may the happiness and love of the season brighten your day, as well.  Ho!  Ho!  HO!

'Tis The Season

For lots of holiday parties.  Last Saturday was Jim's office party.  It was held at an "upscale bowling alley."  I couldn't imagine such a thing, but it turned out to be a nice place.  We didn't bowl or play pool, but it was fun watching those who did.  There was also some good food and plenty of beverages, adult and otherwise.  And I wouldn't mind going back some weekend to try the bowling - when I'm not all dressed up for a party, that is.

Yesterday (Sunday), we knitters gathered for our annual holiday party and gift swap.  It's one of those where you pull a number, and then when your turn comes around, you can either take a wrapped gift or "steal" one that has already been chosen and opened.  I was stolen from twice, but finally ended up with a really fabulous present.

Janice put this together, and the yarn is some of her handspun.  I'm really looking forward to creating something with it - a lace scarf, perhaps.  The chocolate won't last long, but I plan to savor the book.  Thanks, Janice! And thanks to Claudia and Jacquie for another really fun party.  I'm already looking forward to next year's bash.

This coming weekend I'll be attending the Spinner's Guild Christmas party on Saturday, and Sundy we are having a cookie swap at Knitch.  I haven't made Christmas cookies in quite a few years, but I'm looking forward to getting out the cookie press and reviving our old family tradition of spritz cookies. (That's not the recipe I use, but it gives an idea of what the final result is like.)  

There have been a lot of overcast days lately, but the sun came out long enough on Saturday for me to finally get pictures of my latest finished projects.

• Chevron Scarf - from the book, "Last-Minute Knitted Gifts"   However, in my case, this was anything but a last minute project because I only knitted on it now and then, and it took over a month to complete.  Nevertheless, it's not a difficult project and I'm happy with how it came out.
• The yarn is two different colorways of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Mediumweight - Jewel of the Nile and Watermelon Tourmaline.   
• One thing I would do differently the next time is to use colors that are not quite so tonally compatible so there would be more variation through the pattern.  

The next project was very fast, in fact taking only several hours to complete.

 

• Garter stitch scarf.  Ten stitches + size 10.5 needles = very fast project.
• Noro Silk Mountain colorway #8
• It's soft and warm and looks great with my black jacket.  

I've also been busy making more yarn bags, most of which went for birthday gifts.  Here's a sampling.

 

These are enjoyable to make, and I have a lot of fun picking out the fabrics for inside and out.  But now it's time to stop and concentrate on getting Christmas up and running around here.  Jim put up the outside lights, and for the first time, a real tree on the front porch.  The inside tree (fake, due to my allergies) has its lights and is waiting for me to get the ornaments on.  Then there's shopping and wrapping and cooking.  So much to do, and so little time left.  Hope your holiday preparations are going smoothly and that you are taking time to knit and/or spin.  I definitely plan to - after all, I have a special pair of socks to finish before Christmas day!

My Cousin is a Spinner

My cousin sent me a few more family photos, including this one of her.

It was taken in 1976, and the little girl at her knee is now in her early 30's.  Way back then, Gayle would buy a fleece, clean and card it, and spin it into yarn.  We all thought she was crazy.  Who ever heard of such a thing!  Hah, little did I know.  Well, I'm still not up for all that work with the fleece, but I do, from time to time, spin.  Gayle still has that wheel, which is hand made.  She has two others, also hand made.  I should have taken photos when I was with her in October, and will try to remember to do so when I see her next year

There are two finished projects on the table in front of me, but they didn't get blocked in time for photos, and now it's going to rain for the next couple of days.  Amazingly enough, I got over my distaste for scarf knitting long enough to make two of them.  And there's another pair of socks on the needles, too.  At the rate things are going around here, they will probably be my last project for 2008.

Christmas is bearing down and we have yet to start decorating or shopping.  Guess I know what I'll be occupied with for the next week.  That and finishing my socks.

My Grandma

My maternal grandmother raised ten kids (five boys, five girls) mostly on her own.  She cooked, cleaned, sewed the majority of their clothes (including wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses of her own design for all the girls, as well as many things for my dolls) worked as a legal secretary, and was, of course, a knitter.  It is because she taught my mom to knit that I know how.  She was Frances Claus Winholt, the heart of our family.  Smart, funny, and altogether talented, we all loved her very much.

 

Looks like a sweater to me.  By the time I was grown, her eyes had gotten bad enough that she no longer knit, and it's sad that we never talked about the things she made or what her favorite patterns were.  I'm even left to wonder if she was a sock knitter.  I'll have to ask my aunt.  

But I'm very happy that she was a knitter, because otherwise I don't know if I would ever have learned to do this.

• Mockery Socks - This is a fun pattern, but the next time I make it, I'll use a size 1 needle, instead of a 0.  They came out just a bit tight.
• Pagewood Farm yarn.  Denali hand-dyed sock yarn in the Fruit Freeze colorway.  It was a gift from my friend Meg.  My monitor shows it as more red, but really it's a nice, bright orange.   Lovely stuff.
  

 That's one of my three current projects done.  There are several other non-knitting things to be attended to today, then attention can be paid to knitting.  Hopefully, project #2 will make its appearance soon!