Christmas Knitting.

The last week before December 25, I was  knitting  a hat and scarf for son #2's girlfriend.  You might remember that I was given specific instructions. Black hat.  Slouchy tam style.  Not a toque, not a  beret  with a sharply-folded crease.  Scarf to be purple. Whew!

 I had purchased two skeins of  deep purple Fresco at Ewe Knit, a lovely, new, yarn store on Markham Street in Toronto.  Very fine weight and a luscious combo of merino, alpaca and angora.  Once the knitting commenced, I soon realized that two skeins would not  a one foot by  seven foot scarf make. 

My first alternative was to toss the Fresco and haul out my purple Lamb's Pride Worsted,  leftover from Vignette.  Only 3 or 4 starts later, did I realize that nothing I was knitting spoke to me.  Nothing I tried seemed 'haute' enough for son #2's  lovely Lady of Spain.

Ravelry to the rescue.  There I spotted Ridge & Furrow Scarf.  It appealed to me   - a lot.  But not being totally purple, would it appeal to the Lady of Spain?  The pattern suggested using 19 colours in addition to the main colour.  Main colour, in my case, to be purple.   In my vast stash, I could only find 14 colours that appealed to me and looked good with the purple.  So 14 it was.  The scarf is gorgeous.

 

 It is one of those stitch patterns that look good on both the right and wrong sides.

The hat was opened first and was declared to be "Just what I wanted."  Then came the scarf.  My pre-amble to the opening was that if she didn't like it, my feelings would not be hurt.  But Lady of Spain loved it!  Of course, my camera was buried at the bottom of my suitcase.  Peter did take a couple of shots  with Lady wearing the scarf and if he remembers to send me one, I'll post it on ravelry.

PS - Peter loved his Nifty Shade of Grey scarf too.  He, Lady and I  went for a post-dinner, late-night walk along Toronto's harbour front, all wearing Brenda-knit scarves and hats. A great Christmas gift to me.

Boxing Day

Many thanks to all of you  who emailed or commented to express your concerns  and best wishes for my Dad's health.  After a week in the hospital, he is now home and - IMO- recovering nicely.  Dad, however, is much more impatient to return to his former life and if asked how he feels will answer
" Not very damn good."   But to Fred and I he seems stronger each day.

We are just home now from spending a few days with him over Christmas.  It was the most relaxed and stress-free Christmas I have ever had.  Dad napped, Fred read and I knit.  Salmon fillets and salad for dinner.  We did have a Christmas Cake Contest for our Christmas Dinner Dessert.  Unlabelled, on each person's plate, were two pieces of cake:  One piece of my fruit cake and one  piece from  my friend Marie's  fruit cake.  Two out of three voted for Marie's cake.  Guess I gotta' get that recipe.

Here  is Dad, in his own home where he still lives by himself, this morning emptying the dishwasher for the first time, post attack.

 I see by this picture that he relocated the hand towel.  Guess I didn't put it where it belongs.

And here he is at the table with Fred.

On the mend, I'd say.  He figures he will never again  walk from Union Station to the Rex on Queen St and never again cross the border.  But he said "That's OK.  30 or 40 trips to New Orleans is enough."

He has already asked about going to a Jays game next summer and thinks he might enjoy a trip to the Magdelene Islands with his friend.  And as we said good bye this morning, he was settling  in to read a book about President Andrew Jackson on his Kobo.  Go Dad!

Thanks again to all of you for your kind attention.  A belated Merry Christmas to you all.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

Last knit group of 2012.  Where did that time go?  By all appearances, I am the only knitter of the group with yet unfinished Christmas gifts to knit. 

Carol finished this wonderful tunic for her daughter. 

 

 Knit with King Cole Riot, it is a fun and very  current piece that will look great with leotards.

Wilma gave up on the lace tam she was ripping last week (it was one of those lace patterns that has a different stitch count on every row in the repeat.  A bit much to try to knit during the pre-Christmas rush.)   Instead she knit these.

 

 A hat and mittens combo she will gift to her daughter.  Knit in a fancy,  acrylic for the laundry- challenged offspring, they  look lovely. 

Sharon's knitting life has been filled with felting, she said.  This was the only piece that was dry enough to bring to knitting today. 

So cute!  This is the Felted Gift Bag from  One Skein Wonders.

 Next door to our knitting room at the library there was a young girl sewing.  Apparently - in their spare time, I'm sure - the librarians run a 'crafts' club for kids.  This term the topic was sewing.  Here is a 13 year old with her first sewing project.  This, I think,  is called a rag quilt.  The seams are left on the outside and the quilt is washed before use to fluff up the unfinished edges.  First project!  Very impressive.

 

Several at knit group today, including Gail who left a sick husband,  had left sick loved ones at home.  Part way through the afternoon, Gail got chilled.  Wanting to stay as healthy as possible so as not to catch  whatever might be ailing her hubby, she wrapped up in her scarf and mitts.  Thank goodness for hand knits!

Hard to knit that way, though, Gail.

Jean was sporting a great curly scarf. 

A 'teach myself to crochet' project she said.  I'd say you are a quick study, Jean.  Beginning with a chain, she kept increasing the number of stitches, changed colours a couple of times and even added a bit of sparkle to the outside edge.  Very nice.

With the library closed next Thursday, it will be 2013 when knit group reconvenes.  I wonder what wonders - one skein or otherwise -  we will see then.