Holiday FO's

Just wanted to show y'all a few finished objects . . . some of which are Christmas gifts, which haven't been given yet, and some are, well, holiday gifts that are gonna be given when they're finished.

Know any 3-handed monsters, cause I knitted 3 of these before I got it right. Actually, I ripped the first one (it only took a few hours to knit), cause it was huge. Don't remember how many I cast on initially, but the second time I casted on 36 stitches. If I'd only read the yarn label, I'd have seen that this yarn calls for a size 3-5 needle (and I was using a 2). It's a very heavy sportweight, and it's wonderful to work with. The yarn is NummaNumma TexasToasty in Sangria colorway. The pattern is Jasmine Fingerless Mitts (with many, many modifications) from Ravelry. Mostly I made the hand and thumb part longer. These were so easy and fun, made in 2 days, actually all 3 mitts were made in 2 days. These are going to my cousin.

This one is a little hat I whipped up out of Numma Numma TexasToasty sportweight in the "purple" color. (Sorry I'm too lazy to get up and look for the color name). It's for my precious little 2 year old great-nephew.

Now I'm gonna have to get up, cause I can't remember a thing about the yarn I used for these fingerless mitts for my Nanan. Be right back - talk amongst yourselves. Ok, I'm back. The yarn is sKnitches Big Tryst in Violin colorway. The pattern is Fine Cabled Mitt from Knitspot on size US 2 needles. This yarn has some cashmere in it, so they're so soft and squishy.

Oh, and the above-mentioned hat colorway is Empenadas de Fruta - like I said - purple.

Ok, just ignore this next picture, cause for some dumb reason, I downloaded it twice and didn't notice until later, and plus, I'm lazy.

I needed a simple sock for mindless knitting, so I casted on Gradience Sock in Unique Sheep's Verve sock yarn in Glee colorway. It's 4 little mini skeins that you gradually knit together to make these awesome color changes. I just loved it and couldn't put it down. I think I'm going to do the second sock in reverse colors. I'll probably keep these for me, cause they're so fun.

Save me from myself . . . my STR sock club socks . . . one is done!!! It's really not that bad, except 1) the yarn is very dark, 2) I'm doing the large size (72 sts), and 3) I'm making a size 13 for a male friend. I divided my yarn in half and knitted the foot until I ran out of yarn, then borrowed enough from TD's skein to do the toe. I'm gonna cast on the second one today, really. Really.

And TD finished her Girasole yesterday, or maybe day before yesterday. Here it is unblocked.

And here it is blocked, measuring a grand total of 44 inches across. There's a story behind this. I know, isn't there always a story. Anyway, she had 6 skeins of Numma Numma TexasToasty sportway in Ring of Fire colorway. She used a size 5 needle, at my recommendation. (Please note above where I said I didn't read the label on this yarn until later, and it is a heavy sportweight and on top of that TD knits very tight). Well, she ran out of yarn with just 31 stitches left to bind off, and guess who came through for us - NummaNumma - Allen - herself. She sent us a skein of yarn from the same dyelot so TD could finish her Girasole. Which, btw, she wanted blanket-size, not shawl size. It is now a lap blanket and she is contemplating making another one out of worsted weight on a much larger needle. Sorry, Sis. It's still beautiful though. Thanks, Allen, you rock!!!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Ours was great. It's always fun to have all 4 kids home for the holidays. Of course, there's always drama involved when your almost-grown children

(3 20-somethings) who live on their own come home and have to get along with each other, younger brother and parents. Well, you can only imagine. Add to the mix that we're Italian, and well, like I said, you can only imagine.

Hope everyone has a Happy, Safe. and Prosperous New Year!!

Drive By Post

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!!

Very, very busy with family and Christmasy things!!!

Didn't even knit yesterday!! Not a stitch!!

Lots of new yarn to show and some FO's too!! Later!!

What's up with all of those !!! ?!?

More, More, More

How do you like it? More Wollmeise. I seem to have a knack for hitting the Monday morning grab bag updates. This bag is called Think Pink. It contains the much sought after Tutu colorway (the one in the front). It is described as "Barbie Pink", and it definitely is. It is very slightly semi-solidy, if that makes sense. The one in the back is Dornroschen (means thorny rose).

This next one is a Gemischt bag of Dunkle Kirsche (black cherry) and a very dark Rhabarber (rhubarb).

Another Gemischt bag which contains Mistelzweig (mistletoe) and an almost all green with virtually no blue Skarabus (the colors of the Skarabus artefact). My camera is showing blue in it, but it really has none.

These next few skeins are trades and purchases from fellow Ravelers: first is Pfauenauge WD (peacock feather), love, love, love this one. Think it will become my next pair of socks in Kawkawesque.

And a beautiful Libelle WD (dragonfly).

A gorgeous Turkis & Karmeol WD(turquoise and cornelian), very bright and variegated.

A beautiful dark Dani.

At some point, I'm going to have to say "no" to the Wollmeise, just not now.

P.S. I just had a big birthday (5-0). I'm not happy, but I guess it's better than the alternative.

PPSS. I am totally stressed over the holidays, after I told myself I wasn't going to do that this year. Oh, well.

Have a great week.

More Numma Numma

It's probably a good thing that Allen - Numma Numma - decided not to have an update this week, because I've barely muddled through the beautiful stuff I got in her last 2 updates.



This is some great TexasToasty sport in Jalapenos Frescos colorway - 200 yds per skein. It is destined to become a Girasole for my hearth room. I also got some of this for TD in the red - Rings of Fire, I believe - for a Girasole, which she's already started. I'll get a picture for you when she comes home for Christmas.




More Texas Toasty sport in Sangria and Empanadas de Fruta. The one skein to the left there was made into a fingerless mitt yesterday, then frogged because it was waaaay too big. It will be reborn later today.

And . . . the coveted Ned's Ruby Trout in extra dark and medium in The Usual. This is so pretty with flecks of red. Will be great with jeans.

The Special is a laceweight with 700 yds per skein. Colors are Side Salad and Hari Omelette.

Last, but not least, Doppio It's Complicated. The colors in this are unbelievable. I can't wait to knit with it. It's so squishy with 20% cashmere.

The current bane of my existence - sorry, I mean wip - November Socks That Rock club kit. It doesn't help that it's dark, and I'm making the large size and am just gonna knit till I run out of yarn, and have I already said that it's dark. They're going to be for a family friend - a man - and I think he'll love them if I ever finish them. The HWWTM thinks he probably wears a size 12 or 13. Pray for me.

And my beautiful Girasole . . . it's coming along so pretty. It has just a hint of blue in it. It's for a very good friend's daughter who is expecting in February. I am on chart D, which doubles the stitches at the end of the chart to 640 stitches. Please pray some more. Thanks.

And to help get us into the Christmas spirit here in southeast Louisiana, we had a little dusting of snow last week. Nothing like last year, but it's always fun to get at least a little.

The weather has been so yucky this week, and I'm so sick of being cooped up in the house, I'm actually cooking, and baking (muffins from scratch), and - brace yourself - I even cleaned out my closet today.

Probably gonna knit the rest of the day . . .

Almost forgot - GO SAINTS!!!

Grab Bags!!!

My Wollmeise "We're Different" grab bags came today . . . Lovely!!!


Herbstfarben / autumn colors - L to R: Ebenholz (ebony), Feldmauschen (field mouse), Granatapfel (pomegranate), Spice Market and Kurbis (pumpkin).




Turkis / teal - Die Auster (the oyster), Neptun (neptune), Amazonas (the amazon), Minze (mint) and Skarabus (the colors of Scarab Artefact).





Gemischt / mixed harmonic shades - Versuchskaninchen (guinea pig - this usually means that Clauia is possibly creating a new color, and these are the trials), Blue Curacao (the liquer), Feldmaus (field mouse), Dani, and Ebenholz (ebony).

Kunterbunt / mixed colorways, not matching - Versuch, Red Hot Chili, Vergissmeinnicht (forget me not), Versuch (possibly the new Christmas colorway Oh, Tannenbaum), and Versuch (looks like the other Christmas colorway Zimtapfel, only darker).

A couple of skeins from Ravelry swaps - Barist"o" and Mon Cheri. All of my yarn today is 100% Merino Superwash.

Have a great weekend. I am in Wollmeise heaven.

Mostly Pictures!!!

We spent Thanksgiving at the beach. We actually went out for lunch and the HWWTM cooked a little something for dinner. This is at the dinner table at our new condo. I just love it. Sorry, dad, you're not in the picture, but somebody had to take it.
It was nice just having the 6 of us there. Here are the 4 kids, probably will end up being our Christmas card photo - note to self - better get on that.

This is me lovin' my new condo. Did I mention that I love my new condo?

This is what TD and I mostly did for a few days - knitting while wrapped in our Snuggies. Oh, and cuddling with our doggies too. That's Tiger. TD started a Girasole in some yummy Numma Numma sportweight in a beautiful red called Ring of Fire.

The boys played lots of PlayStation . . .

. . . and caught up on their sleep.

After coming home from the beach, we left the next day for the LSU - Arkansas game. We won in overtime - it was a great game. We did a little tailgating before with MS and his girlfriend, who are both students at LSU. Isn't she beautiful? And sweet too. I told MS he'd better be nice to her because I really like her. And she really wasn't as thrilled as she looks to be holding a pig.

Ok, on to some knitting . . . my Mini Mochi socks which will probably gifted to someone for Christmas. This yarn is a b*tch to knit with, but it sure makes a pretty pair of socks. I have more of this in my stash, but it'll be awhile before I knit with it again. (Kinda like childbirth - I'll have to forget what a pain it is before using it again.)

And some Numma Numma socks (the usual) in Eat Your Veggies colorway done on 2.25mm needles in a pattern that I got in a Woolgirl kit. Really, really enjoyed this yarn and this pattern. These are for a friend's teenage daughter who is a beautiful red-headed, blue-eyed sweetheart who asked if I would knit her some socks.

And finally, the STR baby blanket for my hairdresser's wife. I'm actually going to bring it to him today. I love the way it came out. The finished size turned out 27" x 30".

And I started my November STR sock kit. It's the last one of the year, and it's a Raven color called Blackbird - very hard to capture the color.

I also started a Girasole for one of my best friend's daughter who is expecting in February. It is being knit in Sweet Lace from the Sweet Sheep in Snow Squall colorway. It's mostly white with just a hint of blue in it. I'm knitting it held double on a size 5 needle. I want it to be a little tighter knit than a shawl.

And guess who's been staying with me for a couple of days - BEAU. He is a beautiful boy, and he has calmed down a lot, but still has a way to go. He went swimming at 7:30 this morning.

Have a great week.

Thankful Thursday

Ok, so I'm stealing this from some other blogs, but it seems to be the time of year, so here goes:

1) I'm thankful for my husband, you know, the HWWTM. He makes me crazy most of the time, but he loves me, he takes care of me and my children, and he is totally trustworthy and accountable. He allows me to live the lifestyle that I do, so that I can enjoy the life that I have with him, my children and my friends. So, thank you, you workaholic.

2) I'm thankful for my children, all 4 of them, ages 24, 22, 20 and 14. You'd think at those ages, I'd have all kinds of problems and would constantly be putting out fires. But they're great and only get into little minor altercations here and there. (Hope I didn't just jinx myself) The oldest, my only daughter - TD (teacher daughter) - is in her third year of teaching school, 3rd grade this year. She is also working on here Master's degree. The second, my oldest son (OS) is attending school fulltime working on his MBA and is considering going to law school next year. My middle son (MS) is a junior at LSU, is active in his fraternity and also plans to get his MBA after graduation. YS, my youngest son is a freshman in high school. He gets good grades (but could get better if he opened a book), plays football and pole vaults.

3) I'm thankful for my friends. I have a great group of friends that I play tennis with a few times a week. We get together and knit and play bridge once or twice a week. We have fun. We laugh. We cut up, and we're there for each other when one of us is going through something with our families. I could not make it without them.

I think this is the first post I've ever done without pictures. Ha. Have a great week.

It's Over!!!

Football season for OS is over. Over for good. Over forever. He's been playing since he was ten years old and played through college. This past Saturday was his last game. And guess how he went out. His very last play was to catch a touchdown pass. What a way to go out, huh? So proud of him and all that he's accomplished.













Finished Object: Just Enough Ruffles in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! Dragon Millipede colorway doubled on size 9 needles. This pattern was so fun and went so fast. I really enjoyed working with this pattern and yarn. I see more of these in my future. I think it took me about 5 days to make. I had enough yarn leftover to make another row or two on the ruffle.

Another FO: Mushroom hat from Purlbee.com on size 5 and 7 needle done in Yarntini True Love sportweight. It's supposed to be for my 5 y/o great-niece, but it fits an adult, so I guess I'll be making yet another hat. I thought 3rd time would be the charm, but . . .

Some nice Wollmeise yarns that I received in trades on Ravelry - top to bottom: Tiefer See Wild Thing, Maus Alt, Maus Alt WD, and Johannisbeer and Brennessel.

Some beautiful Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! in Sooty Dancer colorway. I see another Just Enough Ruffles in the future.

The Loopy Ewe November Sock Club Kit includes Numma Numma The Usual in Red Bartlett Pear colorway, a great pattern by Debbie O'Neill and some neat little knitting gadgets.

An upclose and personal shot of the yarn . . . very "fallish"

Yarntini's monthly offering called Drunken Pear - it looks like a beautiful Christmas color.

Oh, and a couple of beautiful Wollmeise skeins called Chim Chim Chimney, which was offered to those who purchased a calendar. Oh, yea, I forgot to tell you about the calendar. It's a great calendar filled with men and yarn and that's all I'm sayin'.

Hope you have a great week.