All This By Hand

Christmas Knitting

I wasn't going to do any Christmas knitting this year, but then I found myself all caught up in wanting to do some, so if you're not my mom, you can click here.  It's made from Wool of the Andes and the picture is pre-blocking.  The stitches evened out a lot with a good soak and it's now slowly drying in the humid Houston air.  I've started on another present already and what ever gets finished will be gifts for this year.  Whatever isn't finished will be gifts for next year.  Smart, huh?

Random TV

I'll admit I watch the Martha show, but today they just weren't fair to the knitter who was their phone in guest.  She knit a dog sweater for Francesca and Martha chose her as the viewer of the day and had her live on the phone.  Previous callers have received nice things, like a complete set of All Clad cookware.  What do they give this lady?  A giant basket of Lion Brand, mostly Homespun.  Martha was raving about how pretty the yarn was.  Harumph.  She's always talking about the best and most perfect things, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find the knitter who thinks that Lion Brand is the best thing out there.  I do knit with it, but come on Martha!

Blog, I missed you!

Back to blogging after my week-long break!  First and foremost is the latest package from my secret pal.  Before:

After:

I love the way my SP wraps presents with tissue paper.  They're just so pretty it's almost hard to open them.  Almost.  There's a little Beefeater bear (John has decided it is his -- I guess I can share.), two types of old-fashioned candy from Marks & Spencer (one of which should have a 12-step program -- I'm a pear drops addict and I'm trying to ration them out), a little book about knitting and wonderful lotion.  Thank you, secret pal!

Break Time

I'm taking a week long break from blogging and knitting while I do one of those things that has to be done by hand -- homemaking.  We've crossed the line from disorganized to pigsty and I'm going to make things right.  When I get all of that done, I can blog all about the fabulous time we had in Illinois over the weekend.  Sewing marathons!  Time alone with my husband!  Cold weather!  Yarn from The Fold!  More food than you could possibly imagine!

ETA: Here's the yarn from The Fold on my unvacuumed floor.  Worsted Wear in Fire on the Mountain, Socks That Rock in Marbles and Queen Rock, Sock Candy in Key West and Cherries Jubilee.  I was hoping to find Socks That Rock in Fire on the Mountain, but the recent fiber festivals had cleared them out of some colors.  Since Christian had specifically asked for that color, I figured I shouldn't leave empty handed.  And then the other four skeins needed a home so desperately that they had to come home, too. 

Secret Pal strikes again!

I have the greatest secret pal this time around.  I almost didn't join up, since my pal last time dropped out after sending me lots of emails saying things would be late, so it made me too late for SP angels, too.  I know it's not all about the stuff, but it is an exchange and I felt a teeny bit burnt.  Still, I got caught up in the SP signup mania and I'm SO glad I did.  My pal this time is thoughtful and clever and I STILL don't know who she is.  Here's the latest wrapped so nicely

and unwrapped.

Yeah, I know there's a big flashy glare, but would you have tried again while you were waiting to eat chocolate?  I didn't think so.  My SP is from London and sent postcard and a double decker bus magnet which John is now obsessed with.  There's a beautiful little notebook and matching pencils, perfect for keeping in my knitting bag.  And then there's chocolate.  Oh, the chocolate.  Two were for me and two were for John.  I know, isn't my pal so thoughtful?  Minstrels are kind of like giant M&M's without the color.  Dairy Milk is just plain awesome.  The Buttons for John in both white chocolate and milk chocolate actually have a lot of dried milk in them.  Healthy chocolate!  He really likes them. 

Thanks again, secret pal.  What a way to make my day!

Sockapalooza Saved!

Yes, I saved Sockapalooza.  These are for my new sock pal, who never got her socks from her original pal.  I hope she likes them!

They are the Dresser Scarf socks from the Spring 2003 IK, knit in Elann Sock It To Me Esprit.

Hooray!

It's cooler!  YEAH YEAH YEAH!  I'm wearing black tights!

And since we're heading up north soon to visit family, I knit John some mittens.  He won't wear them.  I'm hoping the cold weather will change his mind.

I used some leftover Encore I had and the Grand Plan mitten pattern. 

If you'd like to her about the latest in the ticket saga, read on. 

What's the word?

No, it's not thunderbird.  It's Spork!  There are two finished Sporks this week. 

Renata's finished Spork is good to go.

Chrissy was glad to clear a 98% finished Spork out of her in progress list. 

Thanks for the inspiration -- I'm really going to have to sew my buckles on now. 

Wonderful Things

I haven't organized much more of the stash, so there goes stash Monday.  But yesterday was just plain wonderful. 

It was the 33rd Sunday in ordinary time, year A, so it had the best old testament reading of the year.  Here are the key parts: "She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands" and "She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle."  How wonderful is that?  I always joke that it's scriptural justification of going to the yarn store. 

I will always be a Chicago girl at heart and yesterday's Bears game had the most incredible play.  A 108 yard long touchdown run!  I taped Sportscenter so I could watch it over and over again.  Apparently my dad was literally doing a little dance when this happened.  GO BEARS!  YEAH YEAH YEAH!

My husband and I have a long-standing argument about what is a good temperature for the house.  The only way we reach a compromise is for him to walk around in his boxers and for me to wear socks and a sweater.  Being the incredible wife I am, I decided to knit the Log Cabin socks from Handknit Holidays for myself so that maybe I could give him another degree on the thermostat or maybe run the ceiling fan.  I ripped out the weird capelet I'd made with the Rowan gift Cork from last year that I'd never actually worn.  I think hot pink socks will be better than a lacy hot pink capelet.

Isn't the clash between the yarn and needles hideous? 

Once in a lifetime

Okay, maybe more than once, but how often does a toddler decide to take a nap in the middle of a knitting group at a bagel shop?  This is my idea of a perfect morning.

I'm almost done with the dresser scarf socks!  I will be so happy to take a break from stretchy cotton knitting. 

Before he fell asleep, John was all about the yarn Martha was learning to spin.  See the confused lady behind him?  She's probably not a blogger.

Here's my find from the Happy Hearts craft fair at church this morning.  It's a group of people over 55.  Most of the crafts were what you'd expect to see there, your standard crocheted baby blankets and what not, but this rattle was very, very cool. 

This is a one-of-a-kind toy.  I like that about handmade things.