Since I’m neither a fast knitter nor a focused knitter, I’m afraid my next few posts will be progress reports rather than FOs. I did update my 2021 Knitting Plan status and I’m very happy with myself for the year. I had planned 41 “points” worth of knitting and I have completed 46.5 “points” so far. I think the annual plan and daily knitting calendar are helping me be focused. My “points” system is roughly based on stitches required for a project and complexity of the project. A goal for 2022 will be to do a better job of determining the stitches needed for each project so that I more accurately plan how long each project will take.
CHRISTMAS SOCKS
I am loving Cinnamon’s Say Yes To Pie pattern on my self striping Christmas yarn socks. Turn’s out I am a fan of 9″ circulars if I’m not worried about the pattern matching between the 2 socks. (I’ve already made a mistake in the pattern). Also it does need to be a near vanilla pattern at least for my skill level. I find it hard to manipulate the needles for stitches other than knit. But I’m liking the project compactness of knitting a single sock. I am going to soak the first sock before starting the heel to see if I like the feel of the sock yarn before doing any more. If I don’t like it, I’ll frog it and use the yarn for ornaments/garland.
BABY BLANKET
I alternate between the Christmas socks and the baby blanket. This has the benefit of giving my hands different needle sizes as well as a tight round knitting versus a long straight knitting. Practicing my Continental knitting is much easier on the baby blanket too. Added bonus is my daughter-in-law will get to see me knitting with the yarn she gave me for Christmas on the baby blanket when we stop for a visit the end of the month.
HELDIG TANK #2
I did cast-on this week my second Heldig Tank. This will be gifted to my oldest stepson’s wife as she said she’d like one after seeing the first one I knit for my youngest son’s girlfriend. I might be it done by the end of the year.
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS
Because we are going to Florida a month earlier, my Christmas activities have also moved up a month. Never in my life have I wrapped a Christmas present before Thanksgiving. Usually it’s literally Christmas Eve and I’m cursing that they will be opened anyway the next day so why don’t I just put bags under the tree!! This year I needed to wrap early as we will drop off Christmas presents as we travel first to Evansville, IN on Tuesday (looking unlikely – stepdaughter just informed us we should have gotten the t-dap vaccine updated within the last 3 years even though normal vaccination is every 10 years. Hubby and I are past the 3 yr cut-off) and then in Charleston, SC and Orlando, FL (fingers crossed because DIL has informed us she wants a negative Covid test before seeing us. I was able to score free self test kits!!) the following week. Plus I’ve gotten presents for my youngest son and his girlfriend prior to our leaving and have wrapped them so hopefully a little less stress during our short visit home at Christmas. Christmas cards are usually something I’m lucky to get out by the middle of December. This year they are ready to be dropped into the mail on the 27th. Thanks to slow mail delivery, I’m hoping they won’t arrive to anyone before Dec 1. I am usually a last minute person, drives hubby crazy, so this feels very weird. At least our cold weather and snow flurries has helped make it feel like Christmas. Here’s the chocolates, nuts, teas, and hot cocoa garland I made as an Advent Calendar for my daughter and her husband.
FINAL FALL PHOTO
Yarn did arrive this week but I wrapped it as a Christmas present to myself so I won’t share until Christmas. Since it is not Christmas/advent yet, I leave you with a last shot of fall on the driveway. I am thankful the original owner of the property planted oak trees along the entrance of the driveway. He planted them too close together stunting many of them but they still make a beautiful and amazing canopy of trees. The oaks turn red and then brown and hold the brown leaves until spring. Makes it kinda dangerous when we get snow but oak tree branches are strong. We do have to have a tree trimmer clear the interior branches as fire code requires clear space in case a fire truck has to get back to our house.
This is a year of projects (YOP) 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 is in it’s 11th year. It’s my second in the group.
Knitting Is So Fun 