Well, I did it!

This is my first post-Christmas article since I have spent much time with needles in hand since the last entry. I completed all of my Christmas knitting projects except one sock (note I said one sock, not one pair of socks) before Christmas. All of the gifts have been given, but few photographs to show for it. Comments on the gifts have been positive so far. The last package -- three sweaters, one pair of hand-knit socks, one pair of store-bought socks, and three personalized pillow cases -- was mailed out on Saturday after Christmas. This year I have competed 16 pairs of hand-knit socks, one lace scarf, three little boy sweaters, two sweaters for myself (blue-ribbon winners mind you), and just this morning a reversible hat for my husband. I started two other sweaters for myself which are my first projects for the new year -- I resolve.

Lovely friends who appreciate my knitting obsession, gifted me with cash for Christmas, which I promptly spent for some knitting items that have been on my wish list for awhile.

Now, as for 2009, I must find some way to get some exercise. I would like to do some gardening, but my space for growing things is limited. My tentative (very tentative -- as in, I have not shared them with anyone, yet) plans are to plant a few squash and cucumbers outside our fence in the alley, plow a plot in the back yard for beans and peas, and plant a few tomato plants, peppers, and eggplant in the front "flower bed." I am also looking at continuing education opportunities both for work and for personal growth. The Dallas/Fort Worth Fiber Fest in April looks enticing, especially Suzanne Thompson's "SEVENESS" class and her polymer clay buttons classes. I've also been toying with the idea of entering the Master Knitters program. It would be a challenge, but I just don't know if I want to get that academic with my knitting.

Enough for now!

Why! Why! Why!

I have done it again -- committed to myself to knit more than I can complete in the time allotted for the projects. I started with a seemingly managable project, making a pair of socks for each female coworker and family member on my Christmas gift list. I started back in March and I've made good progress toward the goal, having only two pairs or maybe three pairs of socks to complete. However, my daughter wants me to make each of my little grandsons a sweater for Christmas. I only found out about this a month ago. There are three little boys ages 4, 2 and 8 months. I started with the sweater for the oldest grandson, but it is taking longer than I estimated, so I'm afraid I won't finish by Christmas. My only hope is that the two smaller sweaters will not take as long as the first one. The first one is made in pieces, but I'm planning to make the other two with fewer seams. Actually, the first sweater is not the first sweater. I started with a sweater for the middle child, but it looks too small to layer over a shirt. That's okay, I can always gift it to a charitable organization since it is a perfectly darling sweater.

The most troubling aspect of running short on time to complete a task is that the process leaves me weary of knitting rather than excited and energized as I usually am. Oh well, I'll get over it when I complete the planned projects and get to knit what I want to knit.

Sh-sh-sh! Christmas gift socks

The photo above is a pair of socks I have knitted as a Christmas gift, one of eight pairs knitted so far since March. I won't say who they are for because I do want them to be a surprise. The leg of the socks is the maple seed spiral stitch pattern Angela Hahn used on a hat she created. I think the pattern comes from one of the Barbara Walker books; however, I haven't found it yet. I intended to continue the spiral onto the instep, but that does not work out. The maple seed spiral stitch pattern is a simple 4-row sequence that is very easy to memorize. On the left sock, the pattern spirals one direction and on the right sock, the pattern spirals the opposite direction.

Ravelympics Knitting

I have been neglectful about posting knitting in my blog; however, that does not mean I have not been knitting. This year, I decided it was about time I learned to knit socks. After knitting three pairs of socks for myself, I concluded that if I started right away, I will be able to knit a pair of socks for each female member of my family for Christmas. At this time I am well on my way to my goal having knit either nine or ten pairs. I will post photos of the socks soon.

This morning at 7:00 a.m. CDT, I cast on for my Ravelympics knitting. I have entered in two events: the Sweater Sprint and the Sock Put. My team is the Lone Star State Knitters. The sweater I have planned to knit and which I began this morning is a cardigan styled like the Minimalist Cardigan designed by Ruthie Nussbaum for the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits; however, I am using the stitch pattern combination from Hanover in Jean Frost Jackets. I have combined the two designs with a few changes of my own, run the whole thing through SweaterWizard so that the instructions conform to my yarn and stitch gauge, and modified the file to produce instructions for the knitting. The yarn is Lily Chin Park Avenue merino and alpaca, and I get 22 sts and 30 rows in Shadow Rib pattern on US size 7 needles.

My other Ravelympics project is the Spring Thaw socks designed by Cat Bordhi and published in the Summer 2008 issue of Knitter's Magazine. I will use apple green Essential sock yarn from Knit Picks, if my shipment arrives in time (ordered on July 16).