'Tis the Season

To be merry and bright, fa-la-la and all that jazz. While I do love the holidays, it just means more busy time leading up to the actual holiday. Last week, I hardly got any knitting done. I had to send out my Christmas cards and that was at last count, about 95+. This is actually lighter than my usual Christmas card list in years past, but it's still a lot of cards. It took me 4 evenings working on those cards to get them out, so I was very glad to get that done. This past weekend, M's company had their holiday party and most of my knitting girls got together this weekend for a holiday exchange as well. Lots of holiday cheer and festivities which really helped to get me in the mood. A day off yesterday spent shopping for friends and loved ones really sealed the deal.

I've been knitting a lot, but mostly on a hoodie sweater for Chason that I did get finished in time for Christmas. I plan on making 2 more for two of M's younger nephews as well. Between knitting for babes, my other knitting has been on accessories. I declared December as the month of accessories, which started out well as I made a pair of handwarmers out of some Lorna's Laces Lion and Lambknitted tam, as with having locs, most hats don't fit over the humongous head of hair that I have! I haven't yet felt the desire to cross over to the dark side (of crochet) to learn to make myself a tam to hold all of my hair, so I found out about a tam pattern and thought I would use my LL's L&L (50/50 silk and wool) to make a tam, handwarmers and scarf.

As luck wouldn't have it, the LL pooled so badly and the pattern is for an aran weight yarn, so the LL wasn't quite thick enough for aran weight and I did not add stitches. The hat was too tight to fit over my head and the pooling was so awful that I wouldn't wear that had on my head, alone in a dark room, cause I would still know how bad it looked. I ripped it out. As I thought more and more about reknitting it, but alternating every two rows or so with 2 skeins, which is a practice I abhor, I decided to abandon that yarn for the hat and I picked up some new yarn yesterday, which I know I will love better. The Lion and Lamb is destined to be another Clapotis. I have just over 3 full skeins and some left from a fourth. Jeni finished one in the Black Purl colorway and it's so beautiful. I think I may live to Clap again. Although it may be a little while. The Lorna's Lion and Lamb is too special to not be used in something fabulous!

So below, I have a basic pair of handwarmers in Lion and Lamb in the colorway Vera, as well as a 1/2 pair of handwarmers using some recycled Koigu into handwarmers as I have 1 full ball and one half ball. Although I will still have probably half a ball when I'm done with the second handwarmer. Lastly, in the middle you will find a Spiral Rib Hat made from Araucaunia Nature Wool. Michelle made one for her hubby and a friend and it looked so nice as she was knitting it, that I had to make one too. I loved using the Nature Wool, especially as it has the subtle variegation of one color. It sure beat knitting a hat in solid navy. I went a little overboard in the Araucania love this weekend as I purchase 4 more skeins to make hats for other family members and friends. I obviously need help. And Stacey, don't be mad because I already finished mine! ;-)



And below is the finished hoodie sweater for Chason. I plan on making one for M's nephew in New York, who was featured on the blog last year, as he's obviously in need of more handknits. But I also need to make something for the slightly older nephew. I was going to make a cardigan for him, but thankfully I found another pattern through Knitting Pure & Simple, which is another hoodie pattern as a tunic and I think I would prefer that better.



Pattern: Child's Hooded Tunic sized 24 months
Project Length: 11/24-12/18 (really easy and I put this down a few times while working on other things too. I finally weaved in all the ends last night.)
Needle size: US 7
Yarn used: Good ol' Cotton-Ease in Blueberry, used a whopping 2 skeins!

I'm very pleased with this sweater and the cute factor rates highly! I think my sister will like this one very much for him as well!