Christmas is around the corner ...

Believe it or not I've finished with the Christmas gift knitting, but I've been busy with knitting for myself as well of course and wrapping, mailing and giving out gifts in person. So until I get my completed knitting pictures are put together ... here's some pictures of one family gathering with some of the grandchildren two weekends ago.

JD wearing her sweater that Grammy knit.

And showing us their dance steps while dinner was cooking.

Fingerless gifts for most everybody this year while the youngest above got the sweater. Goodness, it barely fits! I knit for a size 8 yr old and she's only 5 1/2 yrs old. She wondered "Where's my mitts?" So of course I knit her a pair when I got home.

Three of the girls loved their mitts of course ...

So now it's a matter of waiting until Saint Nick is here.

But wait ... I also got a beautiful gift from my Georgia friend that I must show you.

Front and back ... just so cute and USEFUL!

And I love the card I received from family in Florida ...

Have a Merry Christmas, one and All!!

Don't Stop Now ...

Another Beanstalk Wristwarmers ...



and if you're not comfortable with DPN's and still want some fingerless mitts try this super easy pattern called  Irish Hiking Armwarmers ...



Hey I love knitting these so much I've already cast on for some more.



How many more can I get done before Christmas?

Warm Hands will give you a warm ...

heart and fingers. Really.

Honestly, unless it's way below zero when you have your hands covered in wool or alpaca the warmth will extend into your fingers. Even if they're not completely covered. Such as when you wear Fingerless Mitts, Wristwarmers, or Armwarmers  ... or whatever you might know them to be called. I for one; absolutely LOVE them! I wear them all through the Fall, Winter and Spring. And if it's cold inside they get slipped on rather than putting up the heat and burning the oil. Yup, warm hands will help to make me warm all over.

Completed more Chtistmas gifts ...



Beanstalks
by Jo Bangles
from Jo-Bangles Ravelry Downloads

And more than one pair of Manly Fingerless Mitts. Two in the pattern:

Men's Fingerless Mitts by Kathy North from Piece by Piece and  Intercostal Mitts by Joseph Reinert from Zephyr's Patterns. One for a 13 year old grandson and the other two for college age grandsons. Now I need to make a pair for the DH. He has his eye on some blue yarn. Navy blue.

And then there are a few that I'm still working on ...

I'm trying to use up the left-over also  for wristwarmers ...

and there's still time to knit a few Owly Bookmarks ...

Waste not want not, right?

I'm a Knitting Machine!

The on-going supply of fingerless mitts for Christmas gifts continue ...

Men's Fingerless Mitts

Christmas Reading Mitts

Only 4 more pair to go and I've just cast on today for the next pair. Another pair of Susie's Reading Mitts and then back to the Men's Fingerless Mitts. Two more grandsons to go and of course I still need to take inventory to see where I stand and if I've forgotten anyone.

Maybe I'll knit one more pair for myself too. Why not, huh?

Keeping my hands warm by ...

continuing to knit up fingerless gloves/mitts handwarmers.

Not for me but for Christmas gifts. But ... I do want a few for myself so bad. Yes, I'll get a pair in there once I've finest with the gift knitting.

And this was an interesting pattern to work on too. You can purchase it on Ravelry. They're called the  Chalice Cable Handwarmers.

As for today ... this very moment,  I'm preparing for another Crochet class at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn ... in case you'd like to join me the class is called "How to Handle the Hot Stuff" ... and here's a sample:

A great way to use up the left-over stash and make useful items and "hostess" or Holiday gifts. This one is the Hot Grip and is a free download pattern. We're covering a few things in the "hot stuff" category.  Tips and tricks demonstrations included.

 Have fun using up the scraps!!

I'm a Retro kind of gal ...

And my purchases might also tell you that I have only one other subject on my mind most of the time.

Here it is:

Can you tell what it is made from?

Knitting Needle Chocker/Necklace and Bracelets, as well as old buttons made into Charms can be found for sale at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, MA. (I was there yesterday to teach a class and could I seriously walk away without buying something like this?) 

But how cool is that necklace & button, huh?

Manly sized handwarmers completed.

Another Christmas gift finished and others are clicking away on the needles hopefully to be completed in time ... the Manly Handwarmers pattern from Hugs for Your Head

They are even large on my sweet husband but they were made for a son in law with very large hands. My DH kind of hinted that he'd like a pair also but I know he has a pair somewhere in his drawers. I'll have to look for 'em. Men can't seem to find anything right in front of their noses. But I love this pattern so much I think I'll make them also for my other son in law but with a regular knit2, purl 1 ribbing in either black or gray. And yes, I'll get around to making a pair the DH. Navy blue maybe.

Ya, navy blue for the ole sailor!

Clickity, click, click, click ...

It's been one of those kind of weeks.

Starting with the New England Nor'easter last Saturday I stayed at home with my knitting most of the time working on the Christmas gifts.

Completed;

Handwarmers fit for a young man.

And finally finished the sweater for the 5 year old granddaughter which I had started last JULY.

And yes I'm still knitting more gifts only cast on the needles this week ...
 (don't ask me about the others waiting around for me to finish, okay?)

A shawl and more fingerless (handwarmer) gloves/mitts...

Seems like it never ends doesn't it? ... clickity, click, click, click.

Who's on my Christmas List?

Friends and Family of course ... but not everybody wants knitted items. Sometimes I'm told that and other times I notice the recipent has never been seen wearing what I knit. At least not by me. Some probably just don't want to hurt my feelings. Or maybe they don't wear hats or don't wear mittens. And sometimes I listen! Other times I hope to maybe make something that ONE person really, really WOULD like. I just love to knit so I always say, "If you don't like it ... it won't hurt my feelings if you give it back or tell me you would like another color." Honestly, I would rather donate it to someone in need if you don't want it. But as you see, I still have plenty to knit for ...

This is the year; handwarmers ... fingerless mitts ... wrist warmers ... flip top mittens.







I really want to knit for myself right now also. Those gray ones maybe? In another color?? And I really want a sweater or vest or ... maybe a hat for myself. I'm constently distracted as you see.

I swatched (don't snicker, I really do swatch once in awhile but only if it's to be worn & needs to fit right) for a sweater or vest or something like that ...

And yes, I cast on before stopping myself and refocusing on the Christmas gift knitting again.

 I did knit at least one scarf in the bunch.  (BTW, all patterns above are listed on my Ravelry page)

That's only because the one receiving it ASKED for a red scarf. You know what ... she's getting wrist warmers to go with it too because she obviously ... LOVES my knitting.

Ah ha!!



I haven't deserted you Blogger, honestly!

I've just been very busy working on my Christmas knitting, as well as a donation and completing something for myself that I had started ... like a year ago already.

Yup, this hat is for me. It was on the needles for a year (maybe longer), lanquishing away ... but now it's done and I'm so happy I finally got back to it and finishing it before it was totally forgotten. But that's one of the great things about Ravelry ... it doesn't really let me totally forget what I've started. It wasn't a difficult knit either ... it's just that other things distracted me from finishing it.

But this next hat (also from Twisted Woolly Toppers by Woolly Wormhead) only took me a couple of days. It's to be donated as a Cemo Hat for a friend's daughter. I knit faster when it's for someone else I think.



Then of course there's all the fingerless gloves and mittens that I'm still working on. The Christmas gifts!




The one without the picots is for a grandson and the other will be in various color combinations for the grand daughters. Also more of these to have their pictures taken or to come off the needles. Like these Flip Top Mitts I just finished today ...

Heaven knows that Christmas is just around the corner. And there's just too many to knit for. I think I should have taken a poll on who would like to be taken OFF my knitting list. Mmmmm?

But we all know ...


I have a problem!!