the trouble with Christmas knitting....

you're so busy trying to get it finished in time (and in some cases mailed to England) that you forget to take pictures! As well as the gifts I sent home to England, I knit a cowl and some mittens for my neighbor/friend, a golf club cover for my father-in-law to add to his stocking, and I forget to take pictures of them. I'm hoping that some of the recipients might send me some 'modeled' shots of their 'wears' but I don't know when that will be. In the mean time I do have a picture of my sweet Mam not quite modeling her shoulder wrap....

I mentioned on my daily blog that my dear Mam had her pacemaker replaced a few weeks ago but due to some complications she was in hospital for 3 weeks instead of just a few days. I thought she might not even get home for Christmas. And of course not being able to get to England and be with her just breaks my heart. She came home two weeks before Christmas and is still having some 'not so good' days. She spent all day Christmas Eve in bed, not feeling very well at all. The above picture was taken on Christmas day at my sisters. She's 84!

I mentioned in a previous post how 2010 would be all about ME when it comes to knitting.... can I be honest and say I think I've changed my mind! Honestly, I love knitting small gifts for others (and sometimes not so small when you think about the cabled throw) that I just don't want to stop. I've already cast on for this .... (haven't taken a pic yet, so this is from Ravelry)

It's the beautiful 'Fresco Basket Whip Cowl (Ravel it HERE) I'm using some Caron Simply Soft that I have in my stash in a lovely soft blue color. I'm just about finished, so in a few days I should be able to post pictures. I'm not even sure who it will be for yet, but there are plenty of gals I have in mind. I won't even say here who it's going to be when I decide (they might be reading!). I've got lots of little nephews and nieces I can knit for too (actually they're the kiddies of my nephew and nieces!) so I'm browsing all my knitting books and magazines to see what I fancy casting on next. If I knit for everyone in my family back home in England it should keep me busy for most of the year ;-)

and you thought I hadn't been knitting...

Back in October it looked like this.....

Today it looks like this.....

I finally finished the Cabled Throw, with not an inch of yarn to spare! I think my neighbors will love it though. I know hubby does, he keeps hinting how nice it would be if we had 'one of our own'. Guess I know what I'll be knitting in 2010!

I got lots of little knitted goodies out to my family this year, some just quick knits like cowls and mittens. I didn't take pics of them all though. Hopefully the recipients will mail me pictures after Christmas?

One of my favorite little knits this year was the Hedwig cowl and mittens I made for my nephew's wife. She's a huge Harry Potter fan and I know she'll love the owls on these. I wish I could see her face when she opens them....

I also knit my sweet Mam a shoulder wrap... she could probably use it right now, she's in hospital having some complications after her pacemaker was replaced. We're hoping she comes home this week, after 3 weeks in there!

Didn't get a good picture of this, so hopefully Mam can model it for me after Christmas :-)

Ravelry Pattern can be found HERE.

I'm already thinking ahead to what I can knit next year. I know I said I might knit just for me... but I'm just not sure anymore? I get so much pleasure knitting for others, I find it hard to stop. I'm already planning on knitting toys for the kids.... I bought Susan's new book 'Itty Bitty Toys' and can't wait to try some of those cute things out. I also plan on finishing my mystery socks, that sadly got left by the wayside while I was trying to finish up the throw, and lastly I still have one small gift on the needles for a sweet friend for next week ;-)

SO, what will be your first knit of 2010?

The Winner!

I just realized I didn't post the winner on this blog after I announced it on Friday night at my other blog!

The winner of my scarf give-away was Jessica of The Pelkey's Place Thanks for everyone that took part in it.

I'm behind on my mystery socks! Haven't even started with clue 4 from last week, but I should hopefully catch up and get them knit before the next clue is out, at least I think there is a next clue? I haven't really looked at this one but I'm assuming it doesn't include the toe finish yet?

My latest knit. . . . A Give-Away!

It's my birthday this weekend, so to celebrate I thought I would have a 'give-away'. It's also my way of saying thank you to you all for reading my blogs and taking the time to leave your sweet comments.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month I wanted to knit something pink.... and I wanted to give it away to a lucky winner on my blog :-) I chose this beautiful 'Breast Cancer Awareness Scarf from Ravelry.com. Knit with Patons Baby Bamboo, it is a mix of 45% bamboo and 55% acrylic and is super soft. I love it (might have to knit myself another one!).It's machine washable too :-)

For a chance to win, it's simple really. . . . just leave a comment here and your name will be entered in to the drawing. I will draw a winner next Friday (Oct 23).

For an extra entry post about this give-away on your blog and link back here so others can enter too. (leave a separate comment to say you've done this).

For another extra entry 'follow' my blog. (leave another comment to say you've done this).

That's 3 chances to win :-) Make sure I have a way of contacting you (email, blog site etc) if your contact info isn't in your profile).

I will draw a winner next Friday (Oct 23).

I'll also be posting this give-away on my Daily Blog but duplicate entries over there won't be counted - a maximum of 3 entries per person will be allowed. This give-away is open to non-USA residents.

I've gone a little crazy....

.....with the cast-ons this week! I got started on my mystery socks last Friday as soon as my yarn arrived. Here's my 'cake' all ready and waiting :-)

and here's my progress from week 1 (the next clue is out today and I haven't even had a chance to look at it yet! That's next on my list as soon as I've posted this). I'm not sure the pattern will show much with this variegated yarn, but I do love the colors, and I'm loving how the yarn feels as I knit with it.

As well as the socks I decided to cast on for a sweet little scarf (in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month), it's THIS pattern over at Ravelry. I'm using Paton's Baby Bamboo in a soft pink. And just yesterday I decided I'd carry on with some small Christmas knits so I've just cast on for THESE. I will have to make about 6 pairs for my 'niblings' (the kids of my nieces and nephews back in England). But they are small so I shouldn't think they'll take me long.

Just off the needles is a 'bed jacket/shoulder shrug' that I knit for my Mam in Lion Brand Homespun. I need to add a ribbon tie, then I'll take a picture of it.

With that said, I'm off to grab my next clue ;-)

i just wanna hold it!

LOL :-) . . . but if I did that, I'd never get a sock started! My Schaefer 'Nichole' arrived today. Oooh she's so soft and squishy, I just wanna hold her all night! I love the colors in this. It doesn't say on the label what they are but to me they range from olive green to teal to mustard. I can now get started on the mystery socks. Well first I have to wind this in to a ball, then I might just be a good girl and check my gauge. . . . or then again I might not!

I've been dying to check the forums and see a sneak peak of what the pattern looks like (I'm assuming some of you have posted pics already), but I shall wait until I've cast on and got the cuff done and some of the pattern before I do. Hopefully that will be tonight.

Enjoy your Friday evening..... I'm off to wind ;-)

Getting Antsy!

Kirsten's Soctoberfest Mystery Sock 09 starts today.... and I'm joining in :-) Only problem is, I haven't gotten my yarn yet! I bought a lovely skein of Schaefer 'Nichole' from a fellow Raveler's stash but it was only mailed to me on Tuesday. I am hoping it might arrive today, but I think that's wishful thinking. If I'm lucky it might arrive tomorrow, or perhaps not til Saturday. I'll be a day or two behind in that case, but that's ok. I have nothing else on my needles (that I'm working on) except this. . . .

It's the Cable Comfort Throw from Lion Brand. I fell in love with this when I first saw Leslie's HERE. The one I'm knitting will be a Christmas gift for my lovely neighbors. I've also thought I might make some pinecone firestarters to go with it. It doesn't get cold that often here in Austin Texas but there have been times when it's cold enough for us to light a fire and many times when the mornings are cooler that we like a blanket over our legs when we're sitting on the sofa. I think I'd like to make one for us once I've done this one. I can't stand the thought of seaming, so I'm knitting this on one big circular needle.

Also, I finally finished Woodland!! Can I hear a big 'hooray' from you all? It only took me about a year, make that a year and a half. Ravelry shows I cast on for this in April 2008!

It's off the needles but I'm still trying to sew it all up, it's already taken me 2 days! Urghhhh, I never realized I hated seaming so much, and after Summer's End cardigan, when I realized that no seams was so nice, I will be hesitant about knitting a cardigan in 4 pieces next time with a band that has nearly 300 stitches on too!! I still have to block and find buttons for her, but I will try to get some modeled shots soon ;-)

So, until my yarn turns up I will knit away at the cozy throw. Are you joining in with Socktoberfest?