Welcome 2005!

In preparation for a brand new year, I have erased the projects in my sidebar.  It is time to start with a brand new slate.  It is time to revisit and re-examine all of those unfinished projects and on hold projects and determine whether or not to abandon them completely or keep them.  In some cases, it is an easy decision.  Maybe the garment was coming out too small, or too big, or it just didn't look quite like I envisioned it.  In some cases, it is not as easy a decision.  Maybe I like the garment, but it has some bad memories or "bad karma" associated with it.  It is hard sometimes to make that decision to abandon something that has so much time and effort and "me" into it.  But sometimes it is necessary.  If I want to be honest with myself, then I need to admit when I know something isn't working, for whatever reason, and call it quits and go on.  Life is like that, too.  As 2004 comes to a close tonight, I for one will not be sad to see it go.  It has without a doubt been a very bad year for me.  And as 2005 begins in just a little over 5 hours, I have decided not to make a bunch of resolutions, but instead make a bunch of re-evaluations.  Like those knitting projects, it is time to re-evaluate and re-examine those things in my life that are no longer working or no longer turning out quite like I anticipated.  I will salvage what I can and say goodbye to what I cannot.  I am reminded at this very moment of The Serenity Prayer which pretty accurately sums it all up for me at this moment in my life --"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."  Here's to 2005.  May it be the best yet for us all!

"Some Assembly Required!"

Well, Christmas Day 2004 is now a memory, but what a fun memory!  I thought I would start out by showing you a picture of my 2 sisters and I that was taken last night.  And as promised, the Mystery Shawl story is revealed!  The shawl was actually a "Merry Cruisemas" gift for my best friend Debbie, also known as "Other Sister Debbie" (so as not to be confused with the "Original Sister Debbie" pictured above).  Debbie is taking her 2 sons on a Carribean cruise as her Christmas present to them.  They leave Florida tomorrow.  This is Debbie's first cruise, so I had to make her something extra special to wear to the Captain's Ball, and the Trellis shawl seemed just perfect for the occasion!  She was thrilled!  Also as previously promised, there are pictures of some of the fast and easy scarves that I made as well as a couple of the seafarer's scarves.  There is a funny story that happened yesterday that I just have to share!  I was supposed to be off from work Christmas Eve, but ended up working unexpectedly due to a coworker's family emergency.  Consequently, I did not finish my nephew Keith's seafarer's scarf.  Undaunted, I put the balls of yarn into a gift bag along with the instructions "Some Assembly Required."  Well, Keith thought that was absolutely hysterical and laughed about it all day long.  I think that he enjoyed opening that present more than he would have the finished product!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and that you have lots of great memories of your Christmas Day 2004!  And now I must go finish Keith's "Some Assembly Required" scarf!   :)

Christmas Party!

Last Wednesday we had our annual Dayshift Lab Christmas Party Luncheon at work.  Just about everyone showed up, including most all of the off duty personnel.  We exchanged our Pollyanna gifts, ate lots of delicious food and had a really good time.  You will recognize the Pollyanna Poncho and the Ribbon Scarf, which Lisa hired me to knit for her to give as her Pollyanna gift.  The last picture shows about half of the lab standing out in the hall exchanging gifts.  I could not get everyone in the picture, but one of these people in this picture will be the recipient of the "Mystery Shawl" which I will take to work with me on Thursday, the last day I work before Christmas.  I can't wait!  In the meantime, I am still busily knitting away.  I have finished 6 of those fast and easy Homespun/Fun Fur scarves.  I knit them with 1 strand of Homespun and 2 strands of  Fun Fur.  I cast on 10 stitches on size 35 needles and knit until I run out of Fun Fur.  The result is a nice warm snuggly scarf ready in just about an hour!  They really came out pretty!  Talk about a great idea for a last minute gift!  My favorite combination was Homespun Modern and Fun Fur Peacock and Sapphire.  I will take pictures of them all and post them later.  Right now, I am off to knit, knit, KNIT!

A Few "Finished Objects!"

I have finished the "Mystery Shawl!"  Whew!  Have I mentioned lately how much I dislike adding fringe to anything!?!?!?!?  Oh well, the effort was definitely worth it as it really made the shawl.  I wish I could have taken a better picture of it -- one that really shows just how gorgeous this shawl is!  It is drapey and satiny and it has a wonderful lustrous sheen to it.  I really liked working with this yarn.  At first, I wasn't sure as it is very slippery and my needles kept getting stuck in between the two strands of yarn.  It didn't help that I was using telephone poles to knit with -- size 19's!  But once I got the hang of it, it worked up very fast. I hope to get a better picture of this shawl -- I am hoping the recipient will oblige us with a picture when she opens the gift.  The second picture shows the 6 little knitted gifts for the Christmas baskets.  It is a tradition at work that those that do not have to work Christmas day fix up baskets for those that do have to work.  The baskets are usually filled with homemade cookies and candy and ornaments and luxury items, etc.  This year, I made these to add to the baskets.  Each basket will have its own Christmas theme like angels or Santas or Christmas trees, etc.  The blue one will be for the Snowman themed basket.  Also, I have finished one of Joyce's scarves and I am about half done on the other.  I have to have those scarves and the 2 hats done by Wednesday when I see Joyce at the lab Christmas party.  Shouldn't be a problem though since I am knitting these for a 9 yr. old and a 5 yr. old.  So, I am off to run errands and then get back to that knitting!!!!

The Annual Christmas Knit-A-Thon Continues!

I have finished and delivered Tracey's raspberry pink scarf.  It was really gorgeous!  Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of it before I delivered it.  I am halfway through #5 of the gift basket knitted items, and last night got a long way on the spectacular "Mystery Shawl!"  Only 24 more rows, and it should be off the needles and ready to fringe.  I think it is going to be absolutely gorgeous!  I really like that Trellis yarn.  The shawl will be perfect for a certain special occasion!  More on that later after the person opens the gift!  :)  I am off for the next 3 days, so I plan to really get going on the knitting.  I want to finish that shawl, finish the 2 hats and scarves for Joyce, and finish, wash and block the 6 little knitted gifts.  Then start on some of the other "fast scarves."  Whew!  That ought to be enough to do by then.  Wish me luck!

"Tis The Season To Be Knitting!"

I am still busily knitting away on several Christmas projects all at once.  There is the "Mystery Shawl," the 6 little gifts for the Christmas baskets, and 3 scarves and 2 hats that I have been hired to knit for others to give as Christmas presents.  That is just what I am actively knitting right now!  There are still several other Christmas gifts awaiting their turn to be knit.  But not to worry, most of what is left are scarves, and some of them will be knit on larger needles with bulky yarns or mulitple strands of lighter weight yarns.  Two of the scarves will even be knit on size 35 needles, so they will go very, very quickly.  So it is not as bad as it sounds!  Besides, I am having a ball!  I love knitting Christmas presents!  It is part of what makes the season special to me.  Now if only the weather would cooperate!  I took my 5 mile walk on the bike trail this afternoon dressed in shorts and a short sleeve t-shirt!  It is in the upper 60's today -- way unseasonable for this time of year.  I doesn't feel much like the Christmas season when you are wearing shorts and t-shirts and the bugs are flying around again!  Last year we had already had our first snow by now.  Go figure!

 

Ponchos and Presents!

My Unikat poncho is finally finished!  Actually, I finished knitting it a couple of weeks ago, but just recently got around to adding the fringe.  I love it!  It is warm and wonderful!  I tried the picture in the bathroom mirror thing, but the lighting was so bad that the poncho looked like a blue and gray blob -- not to mention what I looked like!  I won't go there!  Sooooooo, I had to settle for taking its picture on a hanger in front of the closet door.  At least you can see its color here.  I am still working on multiple Christmas presents, including a last minute addition -- a shawl that is going to be awesome!  I had this idea earlier this week, so I made another trip to Michael's and found the perfect yarn.  It is Lion Brand Yarn's new Trellis in the color "Night Life."  Trellis looks very much like Bernat's Matrix.  I was so excited about the new gift that I had to start knitting it that same night (I know you are surprised about that!)  It is coming along quickly as it is being knit on size 19 knitting needles.  If you want to see the pattern, go to Lion Brand Yarn's website and look for the free pattern for the Trellis knitted triangular shawl.  I will tell the story of how this shawl idea came about later on.  The recipient may be lurking here, and I know she would recognize the story instantly!  Aren't surprises fun??!!!!!  :)