Some Christmas Knitting

I finished a few things that are holiday gifts for my family. Here's The Big Guy's Scarf.

Caron Simply Soft Heather in Charcol Heather (Dark Grey)
Pattern: Scrunchable Scarf (here's the Ravelry Link)
It's so soft and squishy and I made it a bit long so he can wrap if he needs to.
I just finished weaving in the ends today. I started a hat with the left over yarn, but it's a big question mark if that gets done.

Here are Miss J's fingerless mitts:

Dream In Color Classy Blue Lagoon
Pattern: Malabrigo Hand Thingies
(My pictures are SO terrible! I'll try to get some when they have them on after Christmas).
I used size 5 DPN's instead of 7's to size them down for my daughter.
I did make a mistake on one of them but that just gives them character, right?
The good thing is I have plenty of yarn left over to make another one. There's always a bright side.

These are Miss C's fingerless mitts.

French 75 - Sport Weight yarn -Color Angelina Jolie

Pattern: Mitt Envy
Size 1 DPN's - sized down to 40 sts for her tiny hands.

This yarn has almost no stretch, it's like knitting with cotton (although it says it's superwash merino wool) and was painful for my hands and arms. I tried making a sock out of it a couple of summers ago and couldn't get my foot into it. Using it this way at least makes me feel like it wasn't a total wasted purchase though.

The past few weeks have been stressful and painful but I'm glad I got these projects done. The holidays seems to creep up on me faster and faster for some reason. We managed to get the rest of our Christmas shopping done this weekend so that's a big load off of my mind. The Big Guy and I ditched the kids and even went to breakfast in between shopping! It was sure nice to not have to hear "are we DONE yet?" (They're not big shoppers, they take after their Dad). The crowds are definitely out there, which for once was kind of a relief when all we seem to hear is how terrible and downhill things are right now. But still, I don't want to be out there with them all if I can help it!

Of course, when I feel stressed - I hurt. I hurt BAD! Knitting is going to have to take a back seat for a bit until I get rested up and to where I'm not in so much pain. You gotta do what you gotta do. I see a new Rhuematologist next Monday so I'm hoping I can get some answers about what's causing it all. Keeping my fingers crossed for a decent doctor.

Now I have to go try to dig a hole into the closet to get things ready to wrap. At least this year I'll have help since the girls bought things for each other and us as well. There are always things to be thankful for, I'm tickled pink I won't be doing it all by myself on Christmas Eve!

Gretel #2

She's done!

Gretel
Caron Simply Soft Heathers in Gray
Size 4 needle for the ribbing
Size 7 for the rest
Regular Size

I used my cable needle this time instead of working it without one. To be honest, it just "flows" better for me WITH it than without it. I don't dig cabling without a cable needle for some reason. (Probably because this works cables back/front in same rows at times. It took me more time to look up the directions again and again for each than to just use my needle.)

It wasn't blocked in these pictures. I washed it tonight in All Clear since my cousin is very allergic to detergents, then stuck it in a plastic bag (loosely) to finish blocking on a plate since she's also very allergic to cat dander. (And that's ALL over my house!) I'm praying that it's okay for her and I'm going to tell her to wash it herself when she gets it to make sure no stray kitty hairs are on it. I don't want to be the cause of a bad reaction! Gulp!

Again, I have to say I love knitting this pattern, it's fast & really fun to make. This is actually my third one but #2 was made out of Red Heart Soft in a pretty purple color and came out too snug, (I was experimenting with needle sizes) and too "shaggy-fuzzy-frizzy-pilly" (eww!) It's buried somewhere around here....

Today was spent clothes shopping for my girls, cleaning (blah), laundry (blah blah), and cooking, so no fibery things were worked on (yet!-that baby blanket is bugging me). The seasons are changing around here slowly but surely, so my girls were hinting lately that the need for longer pants was arising. It feels like school just started and we just finished clothes shopping for capri's and shorts...where does the time go?

It's slowly been getting darker a little earlier each day and the terrible heat & humidity went bye-bye a couple of days after Hurricane Ike passed by (whew!). Can you see autumn? I sure can. The "sunshine" during the day has a whole different look and glow to me. Amazing.

Here's an early"Happy Autumn" to everyone.

Gretel

She's done. Whew. I thought those cables would never end! Still...a very quick knit! I love it!

While "showing off" my knitting on Ravelry during the last visit with my in-laws, my SIL noted that I had never knit her anything. So we browsed thru some patterns and she really liked this beret. I purchased the pattern from Ysolda and picked up some Caron Simply Soft Heathers in the Sage colorway. My SIL is one of those that doesn't like wool (too itchy for her), and her color choice was tough, since "Sage" can vary GREATLY between so many different yarns out there. I liked this colorway when I saw it, and I like Simply Soft yarns - so here it is.

My Gretel turned out "large" (my SIL told me she has a big head!) but I made the "slouchy" version so I kind of expected that. I just hope after her wash she keeps around the same dimensions or I may have to redo it. What I may do is work some elastic in the band like others have had to do to their own berets so it'll be okay. We had a lot of laughs trying this hat on as well. It can fit kind of funny until you get it situated on your head just right. What great entertainment!
If I make it again, I'll do the "regular" version and probably go down a needle size on the ribbing. This is why I'm so glad I skipped the "tubular" cast on. My gut instinct was "don't make it too stretchy" and I was right. A regular long tail cast on was perfect. I highly recommend this pattern, it's easy to read, easy to make, and FUN to watch evolve. 2 Thumbs Up Ysolda!