The Christmas presents

Here they are, in all their glory. Some of these have been blogged previously, but in the interests of not having a pages-long post, I've included more notes on the Flickr pages for those of you who are interested.

Ironman's socks

Crofter's Cowl #1

Brambler for Nana

Socks originally meant for Ironman, but reallocated to my lovely brother-in-law, who had no problems with the color

Diamond Waffle socks for my brother

Red Velvet handspun for my SIL

Another Crofter's Cowl for Koala

Sunflower hat for Mermaid

Not pictured are the Jacques Cousteau hat I made for my Dad (maybe someone will email me a picture perhaps?), and the super-secret project for Aquaphilic that will be going in the mail tomorrow. Just in time for her birthday. And no, it's not yarn this year.

Here's the last Christmas present, and it's not one that I made. This is one that my mother made for Ironman and me, to go with the beautiful cherry bed he made about four years ago.

This is the Mariner's Compass quilt* that she's been working on for the last while. It is absolutely gorgeous. She wanted to make us a quilt, and asked for colors. I said "blues and purples", and this is what she came back with. It is truly stunning, and I can't wait for it to arrive and get put on the bed (even if the edges aren't yet done).

So that's it for the Christmas knitting. Up next will be some thoughts about projects for 2009. 

* Many of the pictures in this post were taken with my Christmas present. Hooray for Ironman!

Thursday mishmash

It's grey and "cold" and I'm up to my ears in secret knitting projects, so I don't have much of interest to show you. I am in love with this pattern and am considering making them for every single person I know. I have finished the sock in my last post, and am hoping that I can cast on for the second one on the bus tonight without screwing up too badly. I am two bobbins (of three) in to the November Fiber Club offering (picture here) which is lovely, but which I seem to be chronically underspinning - I think I may have to graduate to the fast flyer for "everyday" spinning (yikes!). I have two presents left on The List 2008, plus finishing off Boo's Tomten, which still has only half an arm (and no hood). One of the last two presents has been chosen (Rav link here) and I think the other will be a bias knit Eye of Partridge stitch scarf with garter edging that I've had percolating in my brain for a while now, using the yarn I spun at Yarn School. Assuming I have enough of it that is...methinks I might have to add some plying twist to that second skein.

What else is going on...Devil is still not convinced about the necessity for clothes in December. To be fair, she wears clothes, it's coats and pants that she's not so excited about. Occasionally I can convince her that the dress-over-pants look is a good one, and hopefully on those days, her classmates' parents don't wonder about my parenting skills (Why is that girl never dressed appropriately?). Boo has embraced the joys of verbal communication: (in the car on the way to daycare) "Mama. Mama! MAMA!!!!!" "What is it Boo?" (A beatific look through the roof of the car) "Eh-plane!" She has also finally stopped using "Daddy" to refer both to Ironman and her sister. However, she only occasionally makes any really distinction between "No" and "Nyah" (which means affirmative). Grandparents, consider yourselves warned.

Thankfully, tonight is Knit Night, so tomorrow I should have something reasonable and/or entertaining to discuss. Like Tartanic. Failing that, if I get my act in gear, I have a candidate for Fiber Friday that I really should blog about. It's been spun for a month now!

*****************************************************

Ah! I almost forgot. Progress for November:

Knitting:
Devil's Tomten
Christmas Present #5

Other:
Dyeing 2 lbs of wool for a coat for me. With the girls. Fun times. And a purple driveway.

Autumnal socks

It seems to have settled into "Fall" weather for good down here in Space City. But there's something missing that I can't quite put my finger on...

Oh yeah...that whole fall leaves thing. Thankfully I've got this to make up for not being in New England.

This is the last in this year's series of Man Socks for my family for Christmas. Three of the four men in my family have feet more-or-less the same size, and conveniently enough, that size is more-or-less the same size as my feet. Makes sock knitting very easy.

These are a version of the Spiraling Coriolis, worked with a larger band containing a little cable action. Trekking XXL continues to be a favorite sock yarn, in spite of the fact that it splits like a MoFo. This colorway (#76 I think?) (checks Rav...yes, #76) is just gorgeous. I'm wishing I had some more for myself.

More then that, I'm wishing they were done already! Not that I'm not enjoying them, but there are a bunch more things on the list to take care of.

Speaking of which, let's recap:

TX: Ironman, Devil and Boo
The Massholes: Nana, Grandpa, Uncle J and Auntie Walrus
The DC contingent: Bro and Auntie J
Those VT hippies: Mermaid and Koala

Grandpa is the unfortunate male whose feet do not resemble mine in size, therefore he will have to make do with last year's Christmas socks. What he is actually receiving remains to be determined. Koala's present was finished last night and is currently drying on my towel bar. Boo's Tomten has half of one arm, so that's coming along nicely. The last two ladies are up in the air (and will remain so since I know they come to visit on occasion). I'll just throw out teasers for them from time to time.

Look at that: December 1st and only 3.5 presents left to knit? Who am I forgetting?

The dreaded C word

That would be "Countdown" of course. Given the topsy turvey nature of the economy these days (and the fact that our retirement accounts have a -28% rate of return for the year - ugh!), we're toning down Christmas this year, family-wide (except for the kiddos of course - hell hath no fury like a 3 year old without her Disney Princess TM stuff). However, handmade gifts seem to be kosher, so my load hasn't toned down at all. It's time to take stock and decide whether I need to start panicking now, or if I can hold off for a couple of weeks before flying into a frenzy.

The cast of family characters who might potentially receive handmade gifts if they keep their noses out of trouble:

TX: Ironman, Devil and Boo
The Massholes: Nana, Grandpa, Uncle J and Auntie Walrus
The DC contingent: Bro and Auntie J
Those VT hippies: Mermaid and Koala

Okay...thats eleven people. Hmmmm...lets dig around back here in the stash cupboard and see what I've got.

One, two, three, number four is on the needles, number 5 is barely on the needles, six needs finishing, seven is a knitter and, as such, can knit her own present. Ooooo, and that thing I finished knitting almost two years ago and never put together can go there, so...

...I only need to come up with three brand-new completed gifties in the next five weeks. That's not too bad. Although if I give Boo that, Devil is going to want one too. And Boo needs a Tomten as well (thank Bob those are fast to knit!). Plus finishing number four is going to be a slog. Hmmmm...

Since I love the strikethrough, let's take another look at the list:

TX: Ironman, Devil and Boo
The Massholes: Nana, Grandpa, Uncle J and Auntie Walrus
The DC contingent: Bro and Auntie J
Those VT hippies: Mermaid and Koala

So, four definitely finished, four in various stages of doneness, and three as yet un-cast-on (or identified in some cases). I think it's fair to say that panic can be postponed until at least after Turkey Day.

I also think it's fair to say that my grand plans for gifties for WHMU(WHSKAL) will have to be put on hold. But hey, I think the gifts will still go over well in, oh let's say, March. You ladies won't turn down yarn, right? Stupid question.