2022: Wk of 10/16 – 22; Christmas Stocking Cast-on and Hubby’s Sweater Update

CHRISTMAS STOCKING CASTON

I did end up casting on a Christmas stocking for my granddaughter. So the winter colorwork sock goes on hold until I complete the stocking. I decided to go basic with the Christmas stocking. Kits are expensive and I didn’t want to buy more yarn. I had a skein of Christmas striped sock yarn in my stash. I bought 2 skeins last year and had already knit up one skein into a pair of Christmas socks for me. The yarn is kind of “wooly” so I didn’t want to make another pair of socks. It’s perfect for the Christmas socking. I’m using some stash yarn to make the white cuff. “Unfortunately” since it’s knit with sock yarn, I am not knitting it with a large needle to give my hands a break from the smallish (US 4) needles I’m also using on hubby’s sweater. I hope to add my granddaughter’s name with duplicate stitching down the leg. This should be fun and fast. I will have to line the sock as it’s not going to be strong enough fabric on it’s own.

HUBBY’S SWEATER

With the focus on the Christmas stocking, Hubby’s sweater is getting less love so not a lot of progress. Poor hubby, he always falls to the back of priorities. Good thing I love the yarn. I’ll be lucky if I get it done by Thanksgiving. More like Christmas. The progress keeper shows the progress I’ve made this week.

ADVENT CALENDAR

The first advent calendar has arrived. The others should arrive next month. This one is the Emma’s Yarn calendar. It will make a nice Christmas decoration. Apparently you just pick random ones to open versus being in a numbered order. It will be packed away to open in Florida. I’m thinking of making the Party Cardy with the mini skeins. The pink bag in the middle is a Christmas Day goody added by the yarn store that sold the calendar.

I also receive my autumn mini set that I will set aside for a Christmas in July ’23 opening.

COVID?? FLU??

Sadly I didn’t get to see my granddaughter and stepdaughter yesterday as she had to cancel the birthday party. My granddaughter has been running a fever for the past 5 days and my stepdaughter also came down with a fever, sore throat and body aches. Not sure if we will be able to squeeze in a visit in November before we head to Florida as my stepdaughter needs surgery for a “frozen shoulder”. I’ll have to mail the baby blanket for my grandson’s baby.

DEATH VISITS

Just when I thought things were bad enough with the loss of my childhood friend, “God” sends my family a sucker punch. My brother called me Wednesday evening with words I thought I’d never hear, “Derek is dead.”. Derek is my brother’s 35 year old son. It’s not clear exactly what happened other than he fell on his front steps and hit his head hard. He had a heart attack (?) either before or after the fall. I pray my brother and sister-in-law can survive the death of their son. I cannot image surviving the death of my child. So give your loved ones a special hug, call, or text this week.

This is a year of projects (YOP12) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts.  YOP started it’s 12th year in July and I’m starting my third year in the group. I’ve been knitting for six years.