Anya and the Seed Stitch Gang ...

Here we are, Heather! I know you've been patiently waiting to see the pictures of all of us in our Anya Sweater last night. (thanks for taking the pictures for us Reg.) I can't remember everybody's name tho ... but a small group of us from the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn Community Knitting group are pictured here left to right, well I can't remember her name in the lavender (sorry), then there's Victoria (the owner of Seed Stitch), Heather in blue (VERY HAPPY to be finished with Anya), Rhonda the Stitchingnut in green (Woohoo, it fits!), Carol with knitting needles in her hand as she continues to knit up Anya (you're too funny Carol) and I'm afraid I can't remember the person at the end with the variegated Anya. I'm really sorry that I can't remember everyone's name yet ... but We all had fun!!

Victoria says that about 30 knitters had bought the yarn & instructions to do Anya. I know at least one other (that's you, Darlene) that finished hers but wasn't able to be with us for the pictures. Darlene's is a beautiful plum and fits like a dream. Anyway, we missed you Darlene!

Oh ya, and Victoria is topping the hat tree with Santa's hat for the Circle of Love Project which ends December 21st. Look at all those beautiful hats they'll be giving away to patients at the Chemo Center...


BTW, the shop our group pictures were taken in ... is a new flower shop in Salem called the Fiddlehead. Jacqueline Albanese was so kind as to lend us the beautiful Christmas tree as the backdrop for our pictures. This is a very beautiful shop and I want to show you our surroundings there. So here are some pictures to enjoy.



Now we'll harass Carol until she finishes HER Anya!

Anya was done with encouragement ...

From my cheering section of knitty friends! Without you all cheering me on, I might not have done it. Well it's almost certain I wouldn't have. I might have whimped out and would have decided to stay home today you know. But NO ... I couldn't let my friends here or at Seed Stitch Fine Yarns down.

I got the last seaming stitch on Anya done last night and the final press this morning. (that's how close it was) Here it is laying out for tonight's picture. Yup, I'll be putting it on for pictures to be taken at the Seed Stitch with the Community Knitting group and all the other knitters that also finished their Anya sweater. I think a picture will then be sent to Jo Sharp also. So I hope this sweater still fits ... LOL, I did try it on last night at 10:00 pm and claimed it a fit and a "done deed!" Let's hope it wasn't just because I was tired and ready to go to bed.

I'm not wearing it today until I go down to Community Knitting tonight after work. I don't want anything to happen to this sucker. After tonight, the next time I wear it will be at M.I.T.'s S&B on Thursday. (So you'll get a look "up & personal" with Anya, Mafia.) (well not that personal, but you can get a good look, LOL)

Where did the weekend go?

Look what I got in the mail ...

Remember my friend, Sammie in Florida? Remember the quilted postcards she made and sent to me? Well besides the fact that she has since moved to Georgia, she sent me a Wall Hanging to put my collection of postcards on. I just pin them on since the postcards are also fabric. As you see, it goes really well with my winter comforter on my bed. So I might hang it in the bedroom ... or maybe in the Hall going to the bedrooms ... or maybe I'll think about it for a bit before I decide. But it is so nice. Thank you, thank you Sammie. BTW, I thought it was my Christmas present, but she's sending something else out this next week. M-m-m-m, I wonder what it could be? I know she must have MADE it. And whatever it is ... well I know I'm going to LOVE it!

And just so you know that I didn't slack off and didn't knit ... I got two more fingerless mitts done. The red ones look like just tubes don't they? Well they're for my granddaughter, Mersadese who is only 8 and of course has smaller hands.

So I knit Knitty's Voodoo Wrist Warmers.






The place for the thumb is just a button hole....

And one of the reasons I didn't knit another pair ... here's my on going sweater project from Jo Sharp's book the Gathering called Anya. It's just a blob right now that has to be done by this Thursday. So I worked on this today. Got the second sleeve done but had to frog back a half dozen rows on the back because it was too short before I started the shoulder shaping. Anyway, I now need to put it together & knit the collar BEFORE Thursday gets here.

Can I do it?

And the beat goes on ...

Christmas knitting under pressure and I'm getting results. Just 5 more to go? Here's two more fingerless mitts. Pink for Mom and Red/Brown Heather for Dad. It's not your imagination, the cuffs on my Mom's are longer.

So it's off to the Eucalan bath they go ...

The Count Down is On...

Two more wrist warmers done and
only 7 more pair to go. I just MIGHT get done in time but some have to go in the mail & the others have to be done for a family party the week BEFORE Christmas. Time is getting short!

And in between the knitting ... I'm learning to needle felt!
My first two projects:

Gotta have some fun too, huh?

Killing you with more cuteness!

Before I left for New Hampshire to see the grandchildren and have Thanksgiving dinner, I finished a pair of mittens. They'll go over a pair of fingerless mitts ... green ... and I have only 2 more pair to go. They're for the 3 middle granddaughters for Christmas.

I have a lot more to do, so I'm going to leave you now to go back to my knitting and in the mean time here's a lot of cuteness from Thanksgiving Day for you viewing pleasure ... hope you all had as nice of day as I did!

Warm hands to warm my heart ...

These are not mittens but "fingerless gloves or mitts" or also known as "wrist warmers" ... they are quick and very popular with friends & family on my guest list this year. At least with me they are. Every time some one sees me knitting one they say, "Gee, I hope I'm getting a pair of those also." Well I try not to disappoint them ... so I'm working on these two styles ...

Here are six more completed pair. Well the grey heathered set in the front isn't done in the picture, but believe me, this weekend they were completed also. I now have about nine (9) more pair to go. WHAT.you.say?

Yup, I can get one hand completed if I work on it in the morning for about 1 hour and on the train for 45 minutes, 30 minutes during lunch, and again for a 45 minute ride home on the train and then with the last 5 rows up to the finish while watching TV. So that nine pair will take another 18 days, right? Well maybe less or maybe a little more. Depending on the rest of my life getting in the way right?

So for your enjoyment, here's some close up pictures of what the mitts look like ... oh BTW, the cable ones are from Knitty.com called Fetching.



The other style is from Favorite Mittens: Best Traditional Patterns. I love this one for it's simplicity, good looks and easy knit. Perfect for the guys in your life too. Use the right yarn and either mittens OR gloves will fit right over it also. And the best part is that there's no right or left glove. They go on either hand. These are GREAT fingerless mitts.


Oh ya, I do have a pair of mittens to knit for November ... on the needles right now. For one of my granddaughters. Well I plan to knit three pair of mittens for granddaughters. I better start those soon ... November is almost over.



Thanksgiving will be up in New Hampshire this year. So that day will be knit free. (Can you BELiEVE that?) But I do have a few days off from work also and I'm NOt going out shopping if I can help it.

I'll be home knitting.

Stitching for the family ...

No time to write ... lot's of Christmas knitting to be done!


Here are some baby socks I knit from left over yarn after knitting a pair of sock for myself. Too small for Jayden tho, so I'm putting them aside for a baby gift. A neighbor of ours is having her first. It's a boy and these would be great for a boy.



Here's the red sweater I've been knitting for Jayden for Christmas for the past week. Got it done before I went up to see the kids on Saturday.




I love little girls. Well, I love knitting & dressing the girls. The boys are interesting in other ways but even they like my knitting. There's just fewer of them, hehe.

I have lot's of beautiful little girls in my life. Love them all. And here's Jayden in her new hat crocheted by Grammy. That's her big sister, Brandi holding her. I think the Munchkin is the cutest little girl I've ever seen. I'm sure you would agree, LOL.







And I don't want to forget her brother Cody and sister Samantha.







Well back to my knitting ...

Knitter`s Love to Knit for Others ...

And give from their hearts!

Are you looking for a reason to knit? Or do you like to knit small fast projects for instant gratification? But those small projects are piling up and you need someone to give 'em to? How about a hat? How about hats for chemo patients? Alpaca, Wool, Cotton and even Acrylic yarns (cotton & acrylic are good for indoor hats or a person allergic to animal fiber) are appreciated. The Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store in Salem, MA is collecting thru the month of November up to December 20, 2006, hand knitted or crocheted hats for Cancer Treatment Centers. They'll be displaying them on the hat trees in their store windows until it's time to deliver them for donation.

If you can't bring one in, but would like to donate your knitted or crocheted hat(s), mail to:

Seed Stitch Fine Yarn
10 Front Street
Salem, MA 01970

And watch the trees in the store's window grow Hats ...

Hey, even stop by the store and shop for a knitter this holiday! Or put in your wish list at the store for the person(s) shopping for YOU! I'm going right for the "gold" and asking for a gift certificate. Yahee.

Here's some of what Seed Stitch has to offer ...


And see that bag ... I so want that bag ... sooooo bad!







I love this place! But then I love to shop and I love to KNIT!




And the Seed Stitch is perfect for meeting new knitty people and just sitting and knitting or crocheting while taking a break from shopping . Need advise on crochet too don't ya?

Find it all here ...











It's a new store but it's becoming a community. One that I love being a part of. Can you tell?



Just one more thing ... I won't be posting again until next week. Friday I'm off from work so I'm planning to go up and see some of the grandchildren for the weekend.


Of course I'm taking my camera AND my knitting with me ... hope to get a lot done on the road but I won't be back to a computer for awhile. So until then ...


Not that I need any more sock yarn, but my Socks That Rock Club from Blue Moon came in last week and I can finally give you a peek ...





Rock on!



p.s. I got word that Henry the Navigator made it safely to Brookline, MA to Stash Monkey's house. And after all the walking Henry had to do around Salem, I think he had the best time with Rachel. He had wine! Now why didn't I think of that? Hehe, hope you had one for me!