What To Knit Next

Now that my neckwarmers are finished, my needles are languishing. What should I knit next?

Christmas is a month today, but unlike many in blog land, I rarely knit for Christmas gifts.
This lesson, learned the hard way, was clearly expressed to me one year at Toronto's One Of A Kind show.

An exhibitor, with a booth filled with wonderful hand knit scarves and wraps talked to me about knitting. She asked if I knit for myself or others. That was many year ago and at that time, I knit almost exclusively for others. Not that anyone asked me to knit for them. Not that anyone truly appreciated what I knit for them. But my outlook on life, at that time, was to do for others and forget Brenda. Thankfully, that stage has passed. And the passing was due in no small part to that exhibitor.

When I told her that I knit for others, she told me the story of knitting her first sweater. She knit it for her Dad. It took months to finish and when she gave it to him, he looked at it and asked "What the H--- made you think I would ever wear something like that?"

A harsh lesson. Since that time, she informed me, she knit only for those that asked for something hand knit, or to sell. Her rationale was that if they paid for it, they wanted it.

Her words struck home. I have known first hand the disappointment of never seeing the gifted, hand knit article worn. Ever. So from then on, I have knit primarily for myself. At least I know the recipient - me - likes what I knit.

All of this is a long way of saying that I have no gift-giving knitting to do. So what should I knit next. Those waiting the longest in my queue are The Must Have Cardi.

The Waterloo Fairisle









from Knits From the North Country


EZ's seamless yoke sweater with Alpaca purchased at the 2008 Knitters Fair. Just to name a few.

Decisions. Decisions. Then of course, I could do some Christmas baking.

No Necks Shall Be Cold

Last week, at work, Karen asked me if we could come up with an idea for a pre-Christmas workshop that would help knitters with their Christmas knitting/gift-giving. Something current, trendy and that a knitter could accomplish in a couple of hours of knitting.

After mulling over ideas about scarves, mitts, hats - all the standard - we came up with Cowls. Cowls For Christmas. Call them neck warmers, or as I read on the 'net', Guy's Gaiters', or call them what they really are - short scarves. This year they seem to be hot, hot, hot. And as I've discovered this week, fun and fast to knit.

Look at what I've done in my spare time this week.

Most of these took 'a movie' to knit. Some took even less time. That thrilled me. Usually when the headline speaks about 'Last Minute Knitting' it's not minutes that I've ever experienced.

This one, in this colour, is for a guy.

Two toggles will finish it off and keep it in place around the neck. In a different colour, it could easily be a fussy and feminine cowl.

This too,is for a guy. An over-the-head, stockinet cowl. Done-before- dinner type of knitting.

This little one is my own creation.

A ruffle and to come, three large buttons across the end. Done in a lovely shade of lilac in yarn that has a bit of sparkle. None of which, unfortunately, was captured by my camera.

The green one is another ribbed cowl. Depending on colour, it could be either masculine or feminine. Many of these cowls have rows of increases (the increase I used here, is easily seen) near the bottom. This means they sit more comfortably around the bottom of the neck.

And last off the needles, this pretty, light-as-a-feather and fan cowl.

These were all such fun to make. Fast and so currently in vogue that I think I might have to make sure no neck in my family shall be cold this winter.

The Gift Made her Giggle

Today's post comes courtesy of Katie, my newly-legal niece.

You might remember that I knit her these mitts

with buttonholes in the thumbs so she can text and still keep her hands warm.

Here's what Katie had to say:

OH MY GOSH

those are the coolest mittens I HAVE EVER SEEN...I think you could mass market those and make a lot of money..thank you so much, that is the most thoughtful gift I received..

At first I didn't notice the little holes and I was SO confused..and then I noticed them and I was still really confused until about 2 hours later I realized it and my giggle was probably very loud

I showed them to all my friends and my friend ....... emailed her Nanny and asked her to make her a pair just like them..and my other friend ...... just cut little holes in the mittens she already had

Thank you!
Love Katie

How heartwarming is that?