Mermaid or Loch Ness Monster ~ You be the judge.

One should know all the facts before embarking on a knitting project.  I confess to spontaneously asking Thing #1 and #2 if they would like mermaid blankets for the holidays (2016) -- before getting all the facts or thinking it through. Thankfully, Thing #2 did not want one.

I did not heed my friend, Eileen, who had knit one for her (adult) daughter and warned me.

This was a HUGE amount of knitting. The thing is girnormous! Even though it was intended as a holiday gift, I admit it sat on the back burner more than once.

Finally, at long last, IT. IS.DONE.

I took several pictures of it before Thing #1 got hold of it. This mermaid tail goes on, and on, and on.

It has to be six feet tall from the tip of the fins to the other end. I can understand why Ariel wanted to be where the people are.  Lugging this around was exhausting.  Every round was a physical test of strength as I maneuvered the freakin' tail.

She is a happy mermaid, who has been warned: I expect to see her in this daily.

AND, I had better not see a dog using it as a bed! 

Finished knitting ✓

Off the needles ✓ 

Moving on to smaller and better things. ✓✓

A Hand Knit Holiday

Bitemoji courtesy of Thing #2.

I feel it is my "knitterly duty" (to offer) to knit my family gifts for the holidays.  I would not be heartbroken if they said now.  This year everyone said yes.

My oldest let me know early enough in the year that she completely forgot about it and kept sending me other things to knit. Those were interesting conversations. Every time she sent me a picture I would gently remind her that I was knitting her a sweater already.  She would ask for a picture to remember and say, "Oh, yeah - I like that one".  Good answer wouldn't you say? Yarn: Berroco Cirrus (Bulky: 42% Mohair, 40% Nylon, 18% Wool - Merino, 114 yards).

Her boyfriend got a striped hat, a new version of my Flap Happy Hat that I am testing out.

Yarn: Cascade 128 Superwash (Bulky: 100% Superwash Merino Wool, 128 yards).

Joe got socks.  The socks I knit him in Berroco Comfort fit him like gym socks and he's a happy camper (Worsted: 50% Nylon, 50% Acrylic, 210 yards).

Thing #1 got a Tucker Hat  knit with Cascade Spuntaneous (Super Bulky: 100% Merino, 109 yards).

Then as a surprise a Mermaid Blanket in progress, knit with Caron Simply Soft Paints (Aran: 100% Acrylic, 200 yards). Yes, that's right, I wrapped it up (still on the needles). I couldn't finish it because she lives at home and every time she came into the room I had to hide it from her.  Once I measured her while she was sleeping for the length!

Thing #2 asked me for a bulky shrug about a week before the holidays. She prefaced the request with, "Is it too late to ask for something knit?". How could I say no?  At any rate, she knew it wouldn't be ready for the Holidays. The yarn is Cascade 128 Superwash.

As for me, my family and friends know me well.  My gifts encompassed a few of my favorite things: knitting bags/accessories, wine, the color purple, and dogs (and not necessarily in that order).

A few more of my favorites things.

The Gift Report

I am happy to report that I finished my gifts with a day to spare. I even got them all wrapped with the exception of Joe's hat which was a spontaneous gift.

A. loved her hat and cowl set. It was exactly what she wanted. She wore them for the rest of the evening, always a good sign. The pattern is Super Cupcake and the yarn is Plymouth Select Superwash Merino (Worsted: 100% Merino, 218 yards). I would definitely make this again. It went quickly and I really like the yarn.

I knit Joe pair of socks out of Berroco Comfort Worsted (Worsted: 50% Nylon, 50% Acrylic, 210 yards). He liked the color combination: grey with black heel/toe.  He was gracious about the hat, but felt it was a bit too tight.  Ah well, best laid plans.  I'll take it off his hands. I LOVE this yarn (which I've since learned is being discontinued) Swans Island Organic Washable Aran (Aran: 100% Merino, 100 yards).  Both the socks and hat are personal patterns.  If you're interested in testing the hat, send me a comment.

Thing #2 wanted unadorned dorm socks with very specific fit instructions.  I modified Up North Slippers. Considering the source and the use, I used Loops & Thread yarn (Super Bulky: 50% Wool, 50% Acrylic, 90 yards).  These socks are going to get beaten up (hopefully).  I bought soles to sew on the soles.  Here's hoping I'll actually sew them on.

I made golf club covers for my daughter's boyfriend.  Also out of Berroco Comfort Worsted (Worsted: 50% Nylon, 50% Acrylic, 210 yards).

 

Thing #1 originally didn't want anything.  Then she saw a picture of a scarf she wanted me to make.

I think I did a pretty decent job of replicating it.  She was pleased. 

All in all my gift knitting was well received and that makes me happy. 

Hanukkah Knits

Hanukkah is the earliest I can ever remember it being!  Happily I finished right on time, literally, the day before.

My oldest got the Lucy Hat. When I sent her a picture of the hat and asked her if she would like it, she was very noncommittal.  I believe she said "if you want to". It's a good thing I really wanted to make it and thought it would look good on her.  She loved it so much, she kept it on the whole night. I knit it with Plymouth Worsted Merino Superwash Solids (Worsted: 100% superwash merino, 218 yards).

As an aside, I love the hat so much, that I made one for the store and put in a "flash" class for Saturday, December 7 & 14.  I'm also going to make myself one.  It's really adorable.

Her BF got a pair of socks.  He put them on immediately, over the socks he was wearing!  I love that! I knit a basic worsted weight sock, 2 @ time, toe up.  The yarn is Berroco Comfort Solids Worsted (Worsted: 50% Nylon, 50% Acrylic, 210 yards).

Thing #1 got her long awaited Black Lace Sweater ... in pieces.  With good reason though; I had questions about sleeve length and buttons.  She was constantly lamenting about the sweater I had promised her. I had lulled her into a false state of disappointment. Makes the gift giving that much sweeter.

Last year she got the blocked swatch.  This is the sweater she swears I promised her even though I know I would NEVER promise a black lace sweater to anyone.

Happily (for both of us) she was delighted and thought it was perfect.

There was one snide comment, she said "I didn't think I'd see this till 2022". I told her 2023 was not out of the question. Don't mess with Mama when she's knitting for you.  Word to the wise.

Thing #2 got the Cinder Scarf a beautiful, bulky, reversible cable scarf. I knit it with stash (yeah!) Berroco Vintage Chunky (Bulky: 50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon (Polyamide), 130 yards).  She loved it. I would definitely knit this again for myself or as a gift.

 Joe was positively exuberant over his socks.  Maybe a little over the top.  He's still stinging from the the 2 year period where one year he got yarn and the next year he got socks.

However, in all fairness to me, when I first started knitting socks - he didn't want a pair. It was only later when everyone around him was getting socks that he warmed to the idea.  Now he loves them. The yarn is Bergere Magic (Worsted: 50% Wool, 50% Acrylic, 87 yards).

Since Hanukkah fell over Thanksgiving we did a Secret Santa (or Secret Maccabees as it's now being called) for the whole family.   I got my cousin David who is a big New Jersey Devils fan.

The hat is my Simple & Easy Hat for the Whole Family. 

I did try doing Intarsia for the logo, it just wasn't coming out nicely.

I ended up buying a patch online and sewing it on. For the horns, I used a pattern I found on Ravelry. I added a penny to the bottom of each horn to give it stability and stuffed it with yarn as I didn't have any stuffing in the house. He loved it.  I did have a picture of him wearing it, but it was blurry. The yarn is Rowan Pure Wool Aran (Aran: 100% Superwash Wool, 186 yards).

And now the pressure is off, I can finish Thing #1's sweater out in the open.  You see I had all the knitting projects in one bag.  If the person who's gift I was knitting walked into the room, I quickly stuffed it in the bag and drew out another.  There were a few tangles and dropped stitches along the way, but it all got done.

Big sigh of relief here.

Holiday Knit Gifts

 Here my family sits with all their knitted (or to be knitted) finery.  Joe (finally) got his socks, the yarn is Berroco Comfort.  The pattern is designed just to suit his feet :).  I really milked those socks, I can tell you.  Last year he got yarn for socks.  I was grasping at yarn, literally.  He says I milked it over two years.  Could be, I can't remember.  The hat he's wearing is my Hurricane Watch Cap.

Then from left to right, we have a woven scarf and Skee Ball infinity scarf knit with Plymouth DeAire (super bulky if you need something in time for Christmas).

Lastly, there is the swatch.  Thing #1 had decided I promised her a sweater.  I do not make these promises lightly and have no memory of this.  However she persists and I will oblige. 

She saw a sweater while shopping a year ago and wants something like it. So at the 11th hour (because what fun is there in doing these things in a timely manner~ stress free) I swatched with Cascade Ultra Pima.  I'll design/knit it top down.  That's about as far as I've gotten with it.

 For my co-workers at Westport Yarns, I knit these cute little flap hat "ornaments".

I used leftover Koigu yarn in colors that each person liked.  Of course I forgot to take a picture of all of them.  Hey, it's what I do (or rather, don't do).

I knit Beth the Sev[en] circles necklace in Artyarns Silk Pearl in a lovely shade of green.  Use your imagination.  I forgot to take a picture of this as well.  I stopped at five circles.  She loved it.

Happy Holidays and may your fingers fly swiftly to finish those last few gifts.

I leave you with a sleeping puppy, because after all that Holiday knitting, he looks how I felt. ;)

Let's See Those Holiday Knit Gifts!

Michelle's nieces wearing their neck warmers and scarf.

Here is Elizabeth's daughter Jessica with her hat and fingerless mitts, 

which she loved and wore all day.

Matt wearing his hat, my new design, Kipp Cap. He also wore it out last night!

 Also Elizabeth's son, David and grandson with their matching socks.

Here is Elizabeth's daughter, Sarah with her scarf, which she finished Christmas morning!  

(A woman after my own heart.)

It does my knitting self good, to see hand-made gifts appreciated!

I did finish the honey cowl a day later.

 

The rest of my family got this card, personalized with what they are getting.  

I was pretty pleased with myself.  I'll be even more pleased when I knit up their gifts.

When Harry met Boris.

I have the best daughters ever!  They got me a dog for Hanukkah!  (Sadly we had to put our Golden down two months ago and they knew I wanted another dog.)

 What else do you name a dog given on Hanukkah, but Hanukkah Harry.  Harry for short.  He came complete with a singing dreidel.

Harry is a 5 month old, mostly pointer, rescue dog from North Carolina that found it's way to our local Humane Society.

He is a total love.  We do have to move all manner of things to high ground.  He tried to make off with a ball of yarn already.  We had a bit of a chat about that. 

He does cut into my knitting time, I'll have to work on that.  On a knitting note, I did manage to finish one Hanukkah present, Honey Cowl knit with Schaefer Nichole fingering weight yarn. You have to work 3 rows of reverse stockinette at the end before binding off and I made it with that little bit of yarn left. I hung it on her coat as a surprise.  Of course the weather isn't warm enough for a coat, so she didn't notice.  The little bugger!

The rest of the family got the promise of knits to come.  They were good with that.

Beads Galore!

This year I made crocheted, beaded bracelets for the women I work with.  I thought of the colors they liked and their styles while picking beads and crochet designs.  It was a lot of fun, and totally in the spirit of the season.

From left to right:  Fanone, Beth, Margaret, Julie, Laura, Giggles, Danni, Jackie, and Bridget.

Happily and gratefully, they liked them and they all fit!