Pumpkin Sunrise

Today is Ginny's Yarn Along!   I really enjoy having a glimpse of everyone's projects and books.  It gives me many ideas for some of my future projects.  I have been on a lacy scarf knitting streak.  This week I started an Advent Calendar Scarf from Ravelry.  For some reason, I was making mistakes that required ripping out and redoing.  I finally figured out the problem was not sitting long enough and getting the pattern memorized.  I also did not want to print out the pattern, so I saved the directions into a pdf file and am reading it off of my ipod touch.  That could be the problem too!  My eyes deceive me even with correction lenses because the print is small. I started reading Fannie Flagg's book, Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man.   The beginning was a little slow going but now I am enjoying the story.  I have read all of the other books she has written.  I also just had to mention that the Knitting for Peace book in the photo I snagged at a thrift store for $1.99!!!

Another year has past and a new one has begun.  My knitting goals are pretty broad.  I want to knit a lot.  I want to knit projects that I like.  Of course I would love to knit through my yarn stash.  I usually do but I do own lots of yarn that is decades old (you read correctly).  I was successful at donating a box of it last year.  Maybe if I manage a box a year, then the 10 year old yarn might be gone! This month I am joining TwoKnitWit and her friends in knitting the Advent Calendar Scarf .  She will be posting her progress at her blog:   Girls in Sheep Clothing .  Last January I made this lovely scarf: For this month's scarf, I decided on lace weight yarn.  I also went into the yarn stash, as I was determined NOT to buy more yarn.  I have two and a half skeins of Knit Pick's Gloss Lace in a beautiful silver gray.  

The very best part of Christmas break is the lull after the official holiday.  I thoroughly enjoy having no pressing matters on my mind.  I think the week or two before Christmas gets hectic with all of the last minute items that need to be bought or wrap.  I am a very detailed list maker but every year I seem to forget to put something on my list and it usually happens very close to the due date.  Part of me wants to be a better list maker (as if!) and the more rational part of me wants to simplify my holiday.  This week after Christmas I am leaning towards simplifying. I have been dutifully working on the Purple Majesty sweater .  So far it is extremely easy because I am working on the body.  My son wanted a hemmed edge instead of a ribbed edge.  I am super excited at how nicely the edge turned out :D  I decided to do a contrast color for the inside hemmed edge.  Here is a picture: My Elderberry Wine Shawl is making some progress.  I am on Chart C.  I think I will always be

Well I guess mine are not hung as of yet.  Ginny, over at Small Things  hosts a Yarn Along on Wednesdays.  Everyone who likes to read and knit can link their blog post with their books and projects on the needles! I finished the Orange Green Socks ! Apparently I am a slow reader, I am still reading Drowning Ruth. This week I have been frantically making stocking ornaments for presents.  I am definitely giving one to our dog groomer and the others I like to have on hand just in case I need a present.  My mother made one before the 1980's.  I am guessing it was made in the '70s but it is just a guess.  Can you see where a little mouse nibbled on my heirloom ornament???  This was before I learned to store my Christmas decorations in a plastic bin. Six years ago I decided I wanted to make this little stocking but was too lazy to search for the original pattern that was somewhere stored in my many boxes.  So I invented my own pattern based on the original.  I decided

I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite old ornaments that I have hung up on our tree.  The first ornament is a wishbone (yes, the real thing) that my grandmother crocheted around and decorated with sequins.....it is from 1975! The next ornament is a plastic canvas sleigh that my mother made when I was a teenager, this is a broad estimation.  The little baby was my grandmother's and when my daughter was little she enjoyed putting the baby in the sleigh.  So now they always go together. I am pretty sure that the next ornament was made by my grandmother.  I do not have an exact year but I am guessing it is more than thirty years old. This doll ornament used to be my absolute favorite on our Christmas tree growing up.  My mother made many of them.  I have two or three hung and have saved a few for my son and daughter when they have their own Christmas trees. This is not an old ornament.  But it is based on one that my mother knitted more tha

I have been wanting to participate in Ginny's Yarn-a-Long for quite some time.  I think since it started many weeks ago. I have had lots of fun looking at what everyone is knitting and reading.  So today is my big day.  I actually remembered on the correct day and I have taken some pictures.....such progress. I am currently reading Drowning Ruth.   I am really enjoying this book.  I bought it at our local library's used book sale in the summer.  I'm more than half way through.  I think the story flows nicely and there is just enough information that makes me want to keep reading to find out what happens next.  I love plots like that! As for my knitting I have been working on two projects.  The Orange Green socks for my daughter that are in the "loud" colorway are more than half way finished.  That means one sock is done and one is left to complete.  My daughter loves them and cannot wait to wear them, it has been quite chilly here. My other project is

I am plugging away at a pair of socks for my daughter.  When I went to the PA Endless Mountain Fiber Festival she was my side kick for the day.  She loves a car ride and is always ready to choose a sock skein so that I make her a pair of socks.  This year, she picked an orange and green colorway that is just really out there.  The feel of the yarn is wonderful.  It is taking me a long time to accept the colors.  Now that I have more than half of one sock done I am liking the colors more. My fingerless gloves are completed as well.  The pattern is CanCans  and it was very well written.  I would definitely make these again but with a slightly heavier yarn.  I think more sock weight than fingering weight would be better. Almost ready for Christmas around here.  We are fortunate because we do not travel to visit any family during the Christmas break.  All of our family is five hours to nine hours out of town. When our son was born he used to scream on any car rides.

Today there is a little bit of snowing going on.  It is just beautiful!  Of course, it will not be measured in inches or feet because it is just a tiny amount of flurries.  It does put one in the holiday spirit.  When we returned from our trip from visiting family, I decorated the main floor for Christmas.  Let me tell you, I was sore from head to toe.  The next day I decorated the media room which is much easier because the tree is smaller and there are less knick knacks that get placed.  At the time I thought I was nuts decorating.  However this morning I am thoroughly enjoying the effort I exerted. On Ravelry I participated in a year long Lace Scarf KAL .  A clue was released once a month.  I saved the November and December clue for this week to complete.  I had already decided to NOT do a border since the scarf/shawl was wide enough for me.  So when I sat down to start the November clue I realized that I would probably have to ball up another skein of yarn, approximately 400 yar

Well I hand delivered a gift to my sister over the Thanksgiving holiday.  We exchange Christmas gifts and birthday gifts during this holiday and it is so much fun to open up an extra gift.  This year I decided to make her a special surprise.  I made another ruffle scarf  for her.  The only modification that I made was to increase to 55 stitches instead of 65 stitches.  I really wanted the scarf to be more narrow than the original one.  I also wanted to be done sooner (it is always about me!) and I had a tiny fear that I did not have enough yarn.  Here is a photo: I received a lovely yarn gift at the end of summer and recently decided what to make.   The Anthemion Wrap  looked like it would be just perfect with this wool.  Now for a picture of my Elderberry Wine Shawl :

The very last Christmas present is complete for my side of the family. Now I have to wrap up all of the presents sometime this weekend.  This scarf is for my aunt: My husband and I have been walking Frodo down a long dirt road at the bottom of our hill.  It is quite beautiful and serene.  The bonus is that there are very few cars if any that drive by us.  Frodo loves the walk.  Anyways, we remembered to take a camera on one of the walks.  All of the leaves have dropped and have turned brown but my husband spied these pretty mushrooms! Today is a sunny bright day which is really a nice change.  We were having cloudy days one to many in a row.  The only time I like a cloudy day is when it is snowing.  I would love a flake or two right now!  The TV music channels have already been playing holiday music so why not.  

Well, it has been some time since I posted.  I really really wanted to complete a pair of socks for my Dad for his Christmas present.  So that is what I have been focused on.  I am happy to report that I finished the socks!  Here is a photo of them: They are made from Trekking sock yarn.  I believe this yarn is the most durable of sock yarns.  I have two or three pairs that are still going strong without a hole or showing wear and tear.  My dad does like the color brown, so luckily this yarn was in my stash just waiting to be a pair of socks.  I only have one more present to make which is another scarf.  I started it today but forgot to photo it.  So next time I will have a picture. Last week while walking my dog around the property, I happened to snap a couple of photos. Last but not least here is Frodo basking in the sun on the pool cover! He is such a funny little character.