Knitting Resolutions

It's been two years since I made any knitting resolutions - or at least since I publicly professed them. I'll come right out and say that I like making resolutions. I like the idea of starting the year off on the right foot with small, accomplish-able goals. Also, it involves making a list and I, like so many others, love writing lists.

2010 Knitting Resolutions

1. Knit less. I know! Sacrilegious! But I dearly love sewing and find that I only sew when a deadline looms. It's time to get in touch with the recreational sewer and finish a few quilts and make some clothes and toys for the girls.
2. Knit in color. Intarsia, Fair Isle, I'm gonna learn to love you this year, even if it means knitting slower than a snail in mud.
3. Finish Na Craga.
4. Finish the tea lights.
5. Finish the plain gray sweater.
6.  Knit more Christmas gifts. Socks and scarves all around!

 How about you? Any knitting resolutions or are such things verboten?

Happy Christmas to those who celebrate. Next week, the blog is on vacation but I promise to photograph Norah as knitting progresses.

Norah

Well, Tuesday certainly got away from me, didn't it? Nary a peep from this knitter.

Norah arrived safely last Wednesday and I cast on as soon as time permitted - i.e., Saturday. The first bit is cotton, which gets folded up and hemmed to the inside. Makes wearing the hat less itchy. And indeed, that's all I had time to complete. So imagine a ring of stockinette, 2 1/2 inches, in navy blue. Thrilling, no?

About that color - navy. Yeah, the blue is a bit more navy that I generally like, but it will still contrast nicely with the eggshell white. The end hat - if knit properly - will still be stunning. Plus, if all goes well, this will be just the first of many color-work projects.

And now for something completely different

A sea star! My folks visited over the summer and while browsing our local Barnes and Noble, my Mom stumbled across Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh. She thought it looked cute and brought it home. There are so many awesome things in this book - from an earthworm to a praying mantis, with a cucumber and carrot thrown in for health. I'm starting simple with the sea star.



This was a fast knit - about 4 days from cast on of the first arm to weaving in the last tail. There is an errata for the pattern - though it should be obvious to anyone who's comfortable with subtraction. I slightly modified the slipped stitch edges just to make 'em neater - and in the process made all the stitch picking up a whole lot easier. The last 2 rounds were terrible to knit - these are knit after stuffing the arms. Need to reconsider this for the next little star. I used leftover Cascade 220 in red and pink. This little sea star is headed to Florida and I think I'll call him Reginald. Reginald P. Star, III.

In mourning...

for the hole that has emerged in my dear, beloved Kittiwake.

Of all the hats in the world, this hat - my first Starmore project - was perfect. It was warm, not too scratchy and fit over any number of hair styles. I will miss this hat. True, I could darn the hole - though it emerged right on the edge of a cable. Instead, I decided to follow Teresa's example and knit a  hat as one of my first colorwork knitting projects. Late Saturday night (after a most satisfying round of Mario Galaxy), I ordered Norah from Bea Ellis:

Colors 0010 (white) and 5473 (deep teal). I am *so* excited. I do hope the kit arrives before I leave for MN - I really want to get started right away!

Are you pondering what I'm pondering?

I have 2 rows left on the Helleborus scarf (I know - 2 rows. Couldn't have sucked it up and finished it last night or even this morning? And sadly, no, no I couldn't). Which means... I'm overdue in the ponder department. What to work on next? Under consideration:

1. Toddler Monkeys. I daresay I have enough yarn from the original Monkeys to make a wee pair.
2. Arm/wrist mitts. But which pattern? Currently considering Cabled Wristers, Toast, and Endpaper Mitts. Leaning towards the Cabled Wristers as I think they'd be a quick knit - and portable for upcoming holiday travels.
3. Get back to work on the Simple Cardigan of excessive grayness. I have the cuff of one sleeve done - that's 1.9 sleeves left to knit!!
4. Various other UFO - including tea lights and Na Craga.
5. Avoid this decision altogether and sew new pajamas for myself as my last pair just hit the trash (4 years old and going strong until a large hole emerged in the shorts). I do have some fantastic sock monkey flannel fabric.
   

Decisions, decisions. And, with the end of Glee until, what April? I've got to reconfigure my tv watching - what will fill the void in the intervening months? Finally, in the immortal words of Pinky:
"Well, I think so, Brain, but if Jimmy cracks corn, and no one cares, why does he keep doing it?"

Not yet done

I'd hoped to complete the Helleborus scarf over the weekend. Alas, a few things came between me and the end.

Thing 1: Acadia, the cat. She is very fond of sitting on things that are or will become clothing.




Thing 2: a nasty stomach virus.

The outlook for this week is much better - complete with a predicted snowstorm that will keep us home bound for a few hours, at any rate. More and better content to come!

Two little monkeys jumped on the bed

And lucky for this story, none fell off or bumped their heads. Presenting a pair of monkeys, first cousins (once removed).







Certainly a fun knit. I can even see myself making a second pair. But not until after Christmas.

Christmas Stockings

These stockings represent 3 independent knitters. In 2006 and 2009, I knit the plain felted stockings - one for each girl.


In 1980, my paternal grandmother made my stocking which has an uncanny resemblance to Eric's stocking, knit around 1976 by his maternal grandmother and later embellished by Eric.


Quite a motley crew, eh? Now some would say aw, tradition or neat-o that your stockings match. But I'm starting to wonder if perhaps it's time to create a new tradition - new stockings for the entire family. Stockings that match, that are modern, that are distinctly ours. What do you think? And should the stockings be sewn/quilted or knit?!