What!?

Did someone say that it's only 25 days until Christmas!? Where have I been? What have I been doing?

Oh.....ya....I've been knitting sweaters for ME instead of knitting Christmas gifts. In fact I just finished #3 yesterday. I don't have pictures yet because it is still drying. I will try to post some later this week. I love it!! I got the yarn to make two more sweaters, for me, last week. Unfortunately, I probably better put the breaks on this "sweater making" spree and get busy making gifts.

These silly sweaters are just so much fun.............and they're for me............and I need some warm sweaters because it's December and it's cold...............I wonder if anyone will notice that I didn't knit anyone Christmas gifts this year?

Socks, Socks, Socks

With the end of November right around the corner my November Sockamania design will be going on sale in my etsy store. The pattern is called, "The Outdoorsman".

The sock features an optional "boot cuff" for keeping thistles and critters out of your hunting/hiking boots. The sock is made with sport weight yarn and the patterning is really simple! Making this sock a quick and easy Christmas gift for the outdoor enthusiast on your list.

Also, the December sock pattern will be posted and available on the Google group for Sockamania on December 1st. But since I can't wait another minute to unveil it.........

It's called "Peppermint Stick". I couldn't resist putting a double braid on there! I love braids! I got the inspiration for the sock when we went to a living history museum gift shop and they had jars and jars of the old fashioned penny candy sticks. There was licorice, watermelon, peppermint, cinnamon, cherry, black raspberry, etc. I thought that the twisted candy would look cool as a sock. So, if you don't like peppermint make them in any flavor you like! Black and white for licorice, red and pink for cinnamon, pink and apple green for watermelon, dark purple and pink for black raspberry, etc.

It will be fun to see what everyone comes up with in December!! If you aren't a member of Sockamania and would like to join click on over there and check it out. We will be issuing new memberships starting January 2010.

Happy Knitting!

The Mittens and An Anniversary Present for Me

Ok, as promised, here are the mittens I made for HB.

Aren't they cool? HB LOVES them. I am so glad. I made some cashmere fingerless mitts to wear over them or inside of them so that he can use them for ice fishing. Unfortunately when I told him that is what I made the mittens and liners for he gave me a horrified look and said, "I will NOT wear these ice fishing! It would ruin them! I will wear them for driving. And when I am not wearing them for driving they should be framed and put on the wall for art." He is so silly!

The pattern is one I bought on Ravelry. They are called "Fisherman's Mittens". The Son put in his order for a pair as soon as he saw his dad's. So, I will be making more--sometime.

I have learned two valuable lessons while making these mittens.

1. Always keep the finished mitten with you when you go to make the second mitten. This will hopefully keep you from making two "Right Hand" mittens. (Hege will appreciate this info.) I made the mistake of leaving the first "Right Hand" mitten at home while I worked on the other one in the car, at appointments, etc. BIG MISTAKE! Only after completely finishing the second mitten and presenting them to HB did I realize I had made two "Right Hand" mittens. Swearing and name calling (at the, and of the mittens) ensued. I WAS SO MAD (insanely angry) at myself. I recovered though and managed to make a "Left Hand" mitten.

2. Use the best possible short "finger" knitting needles you can buy! I have tried several different types and brands. Finally, I found some made by Skacel--Addi the other day in Blazing Needles. THE BEST! Making the thumb is my least favorite knitting thing to do--even less favorite than hand sewing, and you all know how much I hate that! These needles were PERFECT, even better than all of the wooden and bamboo ones I have tried. As a result, I may make that second pair for The Son.

Anyway, with that said, this was my anniversary present:

I realize that most of you out there are saying, "Oh boy" (heavy sarcastic inflection here). Actually, if you look closely at the second picture you will see why HB bought them for me. See the selection of washing cycles? "Washable Wool" is on there. HB, knowing that I love superwash wool so much that I have actually written a poem called, "Ode to Superwash Wool", he thought that I would find that cycle especially wonderful. And he was right!! Someone at GE obviously has a knitter in their life! Who else, besides a knitter or someone close to a knitter, would think to put a "Washable Wool" cyle in a washing machine. The dryer also has a retractable rack that you can lay various (meaning socks, sweaters, etc) on to "air dry" quickly without felting them. YEAH ME! He also bought me a whole bucket (basket, huge bag, barrel, whatever large container you can think of) of some of my favorite yarns. Ya, that's why I married him.

Well, now that I have made all of you knitters jealous.......Happy knitting!

Misc.

LOVING our new place! We are almost completely unpacked.

HB bought some new furniture for the living room. Our old couch weighs just slightly more than a grand piano and it takes 4 really buff football players or 6 regular people to move it. (It was a double lazy boy couch with a table top island in the center. 8 feet long and three feet deep!) We have moved it three times and that was that! I am only one little girl and HB can't help at all because of his back. So it was time for the couch to find a new home! The one we replaced it with is very nice and the money from the old one paid for the new one (YEAH! I like when that works out!). Plus we got a LOVELY chair to match. HB said I needed a really good "knitting" chair. He is so wonderful! He is also looking a coffee table to match that, as he descibed it to me, has "two big drawers under the table top for storing yarn". (Don't you wish your husband would shop for things with your yarn habit in mind? I am really spoiled!)

I got his mittens finished. Unfortunately I still don't have a picture of them. I promise to post one of them this week. They turned out really nice! Wait til you see them! HB was thrilled! He shows them off everywhere we go.

I will try to get some pictures of the new house and furniture to post with the mittens for next time.

Gotta go for now.
Happy knitting!