yarn along

I started a couple of new projects this week because you know one is never enough! ;0)  I joined my first knit a long, and it is a mystery shawl!  I have never participated in a mystery anything, and this pattern gives you two options to pick from for five weeks!  I am so excited to see where this shawl goes!  If you would like to make one too, go sign up and join in!  I have a bit knitted up but no picture yet.  I am not really a purple person, but I really like this combo of purple and dark gray and think it is going to work well.

Of course, in anticipation of my shawl project I made a new little project bag.  I follow Bonnie on Instagram, and she is always posting pictures of really fun patchwork boxy bags.  She put up a tutorial for how she she makes them, and I quickly dove into some precious Heather Ross scraps and made one. I showed my husband and explained I was going to be using it for my new knitting project.  "You made a project for your project?!?"  I think he got it! ;0)

I am also working on a sweater for Felicity.  I made one for Juliana back in September, and I promised to make one for her too.  She picked out the bright pink, and I decided to make a Kina.  We are having the warmest, driest winter ever, so it seemed silly to make her a long sleeve sweater.  

This hasn't been a week for reading unless you are interested in dropping two sizes (like me! haha.), in which case you can check out this weight lifting book.  The only reading I have been doing. ;0)

Linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along.

gray droplets

Sharing my Gray Droplets shawl today.  Love how this shawl turned out overall.  It is a Christmas present for my grandma.  I just had some ends to weave in when I saw her, and I promised to finish and send it off to her. Eep.  Nothing like a not quite completed gift. ;0)  I love the texture and ruffles in this shawl.  I did find it a little tedious to knit towards the end because of the long, long seemingly endless rows. I did also find my edges were a bit tight, which I tried and tried to knit as loosely as I could.  So when you lay it out it puckers a bit.  However, when you drape it, you can't tell.

I have more notes on this shawl on my Ravelry.

Christmas to New Year's

The week between Christmas and New Year's is such a deliciously different week.  I feel like there is so much prep and anticipation for Christmas.  Then it ARRIVES, and everyone is allowed to take a bit of a breath, relax, and enjoy.  There was a lot of sickness for us, but we made it through.  In some ways it forced us to slow down even more.  We did a lot of reading, crafting (Hello, Rainbow Loom!!  Where have you been all my life?), and board game playing.  New Year's Day is our anniversary.  It was a simple day- recovering from staying up too late the night before. ;0)  But we got to mass, took the kids out for a special lunch, and made some yummy Cornish game hens for dinner.  We will have a more elaborate celebration next week, I think.  2013 was a challenging year.  However, I am becoming more aware that challenges are not necessarily bad.  That through the difficulties one can change and grow in ways you never thought you could through the grace of God.  The God part is essential though.  I see Him working on me- on all of us- and I see hope, and I hold on ever tighter. 

I am not ready for this Christmas break to be over.  I could use one more week.  Only a couple more days until the routine and school and everything else starts all over again.  So, I am going to go sew while my kids play with neighbor kids outside and enjoy and dream  about all the blessings I have been given.

   

Yarn Along

I have been working on some mason jar cozies this past week.  I finished the shawl I showed last time.  It has a few ends to be weaved in, and I will take some pictures to share.  It was a lovely project, but I was glad to see it done.  Those looooonnng rows.  I needed something quick and fast, and these fit the bill perfectly!  This pattern comes with a "his and hers" versions.  I made the her version first with yarn leftover from Samantha's birthday sweater.  I love this color!  Then I grabbed some leftover yarn from a vest I made last January to make a "his", which has more of a herringbone effect.  This is a dk weight and seems to work just as well.  Just a little shorter and a tighter fit.  I bought some cuppows, and I can't wait to use these!  I think I am going to be doing some more leftover yarn digging and making some of these as gifts to have on hand.   I have been reading "No Name" by Wilkie Collins this break.  It is a fun read.  I have read (and enjoyed) both "Woman in White" and "The Moonstone", and this is shaping up to be just as good.

Linking up to Ginny's Yarn Along!

-Christmas Bunny-

I finished up Samantha's Christmas bunny.  I have been working on this project on and off for several weeks, and it was really enjoyable.  I ordered the kit because I wanted the felt colors to be just right, and I love the Liberty print for the dress.  Doesn't she look like such a respectable and well groomed bunny?

There are such lovely little details- like the cute little knitted cape.

The boots were the most fiddly part to put together.  I have to be careful with hand sewing because I seem to get tendonitis in my thumb of all places if I do too much.  I made one boot and had to wait a week to make the other since my thumb started bugging me again!  Who knew crafting could be so dangerous? ;0)

I dipped the whiskers in liquid starch to help them stand up better, and I put a little bit of creamy blush on her cheeks.

Now, of course, my older girls are asking for their own bunny.  Maybe for Easter...

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and have finished your own Christmas crafting! xoxo

-last week-

Finishing up some school work.  Ah...math.

Jesse Tree Ornaments (from this etsy shop). I purchased the multi color set, and they are so lovely!

Ornament crafting.  I found this cute little ornament craft at Target for $3. My kids loved it, and we attached them to our cookie gifts for neighbors.

Lots and lots of cookie baking.  I think I gained three pounds over the past three days.  Shouldn't Christmas baking be calorie free? *sigh*

Special Christmas toy playing.

This has inevitably all led up to the annual Christmas sickies.  We all have horrible coughs.  Pooh.

-shawls-

I thought I would share a few things I have completed this year- starting with these shawls.  My crafting time is mostly spent knitting vs. sewing now.  It is easier to pick up here and there.  I knit while we do school and while watching T.V. at night.  I find knitting a good way for me to slow down.  I am always looking to the next project, but I do also enjoy the slower pace it takes to finish.

The first shawl is a pattern called "Windward".  I started this back in May while on a trip, and I was plugging away at it until I came to a point where I kept miscounting and making mistakes.  Ripping and re-ripping.  So frustrated- I put it aside.  Then I picked it back up in November and finished it in no time.  Funny how projects go like that.  Sometimes you need a little breathing space.  This was a fun pattern overall because it keeps changing and gives a lot of variety instead of the same six rows over and over again like the project I am working on now. ;0)  I  used Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in a pretty teal color.  I liked this yarn.  It has a nice sheen to it because of the silk, and I would definitely use it again.

The second shawl is "Ellison Bay".  This was the first shawl that I attempted, and I wanted a beginner pattern.  I loved the mock cable edging on this shawl, and it was a simple and easy construction.  I used Andean Treasure (an alpaca yarn) in a kind of orangey gold color, and I like how soft this shawl turned out.  However, the joins in the yarn kind of made some awkward lumps, so eh...the yarn was kind of a disappointment.