Eve eve

I think I'm almost ready. The to-do list* is done. Except for the cooking. But there is coffee and 7-Layer Cookie Bars so it isn't like anyone will starve.

The one thing that has given me the most trouble this season?

This timer......

I'm supposed to be able to set it and the little outdoor tree will turn on and off by itself. I remember I had trouble with it last year.

The online tutorial is of little help.

So far the only dusk-to-dawn thing around here is pajamas.

Take it easy and have a wonderful Christmas.

*Best to-do list I've seen.

Need a bow?

Updating my iPod this evening with a few podcasts, I ran across this link on CraftSanity (love that name) for making your own bows from recycled paper.

I'm not sure I'll get around to this for this season, but I can clearly see fun applications using old magazines, tax forms, take-out menus, and lots of other paper that floats into the house.

Speaking of podcasts, I've also really been enjoying Alana over at Never Not Knitting. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she's been talking about LACE lately.

Jane St. and 8th Ave

I don't like change. I know I'm not alone in this. This, I think, is part of the dichotomy of Christmas. On the one hand I (and many people) love the sameness of Christmas; the traditions, the music, the food. On the other there is CHANGE.

As much as I struggle to surround myself with all the same traditions that give me pleasure at Christmastime, I am constantly reminded all around of change. All very natural, of course. The older one gets the more change there is. Some family members are no longer with us, no need to visit Santa, children grow up, they remake classics. The list goes on.

Technology brings change as well, some of it quite welcome. Now I can rewatch some of my favorite movies on DVD and at times most convenient for me. If I fall asleep and miss the very tail end of "White Christmas", the good part where they fold back the big doors and you can see the snow and the horse and carriage, well I can just watch that bit the next day. I can't shop at small stores in small towns anymore, but I can sit in my pjs and order online.

I mentioned last year that one of my traditions is reading "Christmas on Jane Street". I love reading the description of the tree lot in such an urban setting. When I started reading that book years ago, I knew not a single soul in NYC. Since then, through knitting, I've met Mary. Well not really met, but you know what I mean.

Mary is not only thoughtful, she's quite creative as well as evidenced by the package that arrived here. She got the 10th anniversary copy of the book AND she and her camera headed to Jane St. to get Billy Romp to sign it and urge me to visit. (as if I needed urging)

Then in a separate package with a note reminding me to open the other one, the book, first, was a CD of photos. Photos of Jane Street, of Mr. Romp, of the TREES, the camper he lives in during the season, the shop across the street that lets him connect his electrical cord.

Suddenly I was there.
On Jane St.
With the trees.
Breathe in deeply.
Can't you just smell them!I can.

I'm no designer

Pattern: used only Small Bud portion of Swallowtail Shawl
by a true genius designer, Evelyn A. Clark

Yarn: Alpaca Sox by Classic Elite

60% alpaca/20% merino/20% nylon
450 yds/100 gr - color #1890 blue jeans

Needles: Size 6 KnitPicks Options

Mary is often encouraging me to try designing a shawl. Well I am here to tell you THAT is not going to be happening around here anytime soon. I couldn't even come up with an edging to this one and I puzzled over it many evenings.

The body of the shawl flew off the needles as Ms. Clark's small bud pattern was a delight to work. (No surprise there.) I didn't want to attempt the lovely Swallowtail edging, even without the nupps, in this busy colorway but for the life of me could not come up with any way to get a nice pointed edge to flow out of the small buds.

In the end I found a reference in Ravelry (from the lips - or keyboard at least of Ms. Clark) to just use a simple eyelet and garter edge and, with relief, that's what I did. You know for just a little scarf/shoulder warmer, I think it works fine.

I have no idea how this colorway would do worked at a finer gauge for socks or how it would wear, but it is really soft and nice for this use.

Now if only I didn't have to visit the post office to mail it off.

Criss-Cross Coasters

I seldom get out the sewing machine anymore. Knitting is just so dang relaxing and portable.

Setting up the sewing machine, pulling out and cutting fabrics, and, inevitably, ironing.......well, not always relaxing and certainly not portable.

But a few days ago I arrived home to find a gift from Kay hanging on my doorknob. That always brightens my day.

Kay is very busy this holiday season being a kind and thoughtful daughter-in-law/nurse. It is seldom an easy job, but I know that Kay is GOOD at it. Laughter is the best medicine and I've never been around Kay when I didn't laugh.

You may know that Kay has quite a few vintage sewing machines at her house and while technically portable, I'm not sure they are making the trek back and forth from her house to MIL's. She had plans to make lots of coasters. Luckily I got a set before she left town again. And of course I wanted to try out the pattern for myself. I thought they'd make good, quick gifts for my sisters-in-law.

The pattern was posted some time back on Allsorts blog. Jenny Harris is a very talented illustrator and I always enjoy her blog. She often posts fun holiday projects and tutorials.
While you're over there, be sure to check out this post about a very special project she did with her daughter.

(I'd post a picture of the fabulous coasters Kay made for me, but I don't want to spoil anyone's surprise. She may be visiting other doorknobs, too!)

Choose Your Own Adventure Socks

Pattern: Basic Adult Socks #12

an Ann Norling pattern by Deirdre Wallace
just basic 64-st, 2x2 rib cuffs with plain feet; heel flap, basic toe

Yarn: Regia 4 ply
Patch Antik color / #5754
210 m / 50 gr
2 balls with a little leftover in each

Needles: size 2 Inox dpns

A little over two years ago I started a pair of socks out of a ball of Lion Brand that Kay sent me. Because of the color I thought of them as lumberjack socks and decided to give them to a nephew who was heading off to college. Fortuitously they arrived the very day his rafting coach instructed him to get wool socks. Wool, as we know, maintains its warmth even when wet.

Turns out he likes handknit socks. I think most people do once they've experienced them. He mentioned to his mom that he'd like another pair and I was happy to oblige.

I wanted hardwearing, easily-laundered yarn and Regia fits the bill. After purchasing the yarn and getting along on the first sock, a second e-mail from the mom stated "As for colors, he will take anything but if you have not picked out any yet, he said the crazier the better." Hum. I may have spoiled him with that nutty toe solution on the lumberjack pair!

I don't think he'll consider these stripes very crazy, but hopefully they will serve. These were fast to knit. I think it was because there were only three colors and wide stripes. It was always easy to tell myself that I'd just knit to the next color or through the current sequence.

Choose Your Own Adventure books were fad reading for several months years ago when my daughter was in elementary school. For some reason that phrase was stuck in my head as I was knitting these and I thought of them as just that....socks for the adventurous. Luckily I was able to find a cartoon that I could use for the label.

Making labels may just be my favorite part of gifting handknits.

Hey, Santa. Nice Hat.

Santa Claus is coming to town. And the good news is he's a knitter!

Not only that, I think I recognize his hat. Looks like he's wearing a Thorpe on his head, too! Perhaps Mrs. Claus knitted it for him.

And that may be a Lantern Moon knitting bag.

Santa. He's in the know.

[This is Prairie Schooler's 2007 Santa.]

Evergreen Gift Bag

The Evergreen Gift Bag has been finished for some time, but weather and timing for the photo op never seemed to work out just right.

Besides that I'm not crazy about it. I think it looks OK, I'm just not sure how useful it is.

Ouch! That's pretty harsh from a total Bag Lover like me, isn't it?

I made the smaller size and, knit with different yarn and smaller needles, mine came out at 7-1/2" high with a 6" diameter bottom.

The size is fine. I ended up putting a lining in and will probably use it for my small projects bag during the holidays.

This pattern is billed as a gift bag. I'm not sure that a non-knitter would really appreciate it as a gift bag. Still it was fun to knit. Pattern and directions were perfect.

If I try it again, I'd like to try a different yarn and I'd do the top without the corrugated ribbing. I think it would draw together better with just plain knitting and it would certainly be quicker to work.

This is the first project I've made from the book "Handknit Holidays", a very nice hardback book published by Melanie Falick in 2005. It is a lovely book and I was thrilled to find it at a discount book store for only $10.99 when we were on vacation.

There are at least three more patterns that I hope to eventually knit: The Evergreen Shawl [see one here], The River Forest Gansey, and the Keefely Mittens, all by Jolene Treace.

So. It would seem that I am Big Fan of Ms. Treace. She's also the designer of the Wine & Roses Mitts from this year's IW Knits Holiday Gifts (also in their Winter 2006 issue). Very Cranford-ish. I'd love to make them.

The reds and greens of the season

Yesterday was an Elf Help day.

After getting most of the cards done, I headed out for some errands.

You know how it goes with Christmas shopping, you leave with some firm ideas and plans and those often get changed before you return.

So it was yesterday. I went to the nursery with one gift idea. It was not to be found and I left with something totally different and for a different person.

But how could I pass up this gorgeous cyclamen? The red so velvety, deep and intense.

"Mary took the opportunity to smuggle a beautiful pink cyclamen into her own bedroom and hide it behind the curtain on the windowsill. It had cost more than she could really afford, but she had decided to forego a new pair of winter gloves. The old ones could be mended, and who was to notice the much sewn seams in a little place like Shepherd's Cross?"

from "The Christmas Mouse" by Miss Read 1973
just one of the things I reread every Christmas

Tis the season

December. Lots of joy. Lots of celebration. Lots of things to do.

Today I'm home and I hope to get some cards addressed. This year I am determined to use up some leftovers I keep saving. Only that small box on the left with the snowy, woodsy scene is new.

Hopefully any recipient who receives the same card as last year will have as poor a memory as mine and not recall. It's the thought that counts, right?

There is some knitting to be done around here. There is a basic triangular shawl that is almost done and hasn't even made an appearance here yet. I'm puzzling over the edging just now.

And no sooner than I had mailed off the pair of zigzag socks, than I heard that a nephew would sure like a new pair of wool socks.

It's been over two years since I made him the first pair. Turns out he loves them. Well that is just the kind of thing that sends a knitter rushing to the LYS for yarn.

I came home with basic Regia. Hardwearing and washer/dryer safe. No way a college boy is going to bother with handwashing.

Cuff on sock one is complete and I can't tell you how much I'd rather be sitting and knitting the heel than addressing cards.

ZigZag Socks

Pattern: ZigZag Socks by Christine Walter
from Vogue Knitting "The Ultimate Sock Book"

Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy
100% superfine Australian merino superwash hand-dyed
color - Spring Tickle VS140

Needles: Size 2 Inox dpns (love 'em)

These are a gift - for no particular reason - to the person for whom I finished the pesky Lion Brand pair last month.

I've been wanting to try Smooshy sock yarn and it did not disappoint! It is yummy to knit with. I e-mailed Paige with a link to the Smooshy colors and let her choose. As much as I love greens, this Spring Tickle color would not have been my first choice. But I think it worked great with this pattern and the longer I knit with it, the more it grew on me.

This is a very straight-forward 64-stitch pattern and was quite enjoyable to knit. The only thing new to me was that the heel-turn section is also done in as a continuation of the slip-stitch pattern from the flap. I liked it and think it will be a bit of a heel cushion.

I did not work the round toe of the pattern and substituted my favorite toe shaping - which is from Evelyn A. Clark's Retro Rib Sock pattern.

This is basically a fancy rib and the sock is quite nice and stretchy. I think I could have gone down to the size 1 needles called for by the pattern, but I wanted to make sure they would fit and I tend to knit a bit tightly anyway. Didn't want to smoosh the Smooshy!

There is a nice bit of leftover yarn. I may try to get some wristwarmers or fingerless gloves to match. Can't wait to give them to Paige. I hope she enjoys wearing them as much as I enjoyed knitting them.

Thanksgiving Knitting

The day after Thanksgiving and I'm not out shopping and not intending to shop. Instead, I enjoyed sitting comfortably in my pjs reading through the blogs and seeing how others spent their Thanksgiving. It is a bountiful world out there in blogland and we are all most fortunate. I realize that not everyone was blessed with such warmth, abundance, and goodwill.

I'm thankful, too, for the relaxation and pleasure that learning to knit has brought me and the fun friends that blogging has introduced.

I knew there would be some sitting-around time after the big meal yesterday and I went prepared with a ball of cheap kitchen cotton and made myself two new holiday dishcloths.

I started with the old standby, Grandmother's Favorite, which is absolutely brainless and can be knitted in company and in between bites of pie even without fear of losing your place or getting off pattern.

Later in the day I turned to the Horizontal Dash and liked how the colors played out and how the purled dashes added some texture.

I may have still been on a pie buzz, but I think there are some errors in the Horizontal Dash pattern. I like my dishcloths on the small side. The pattern says to CO 42 or multiples of 10 plus 6. Thanks to the sugar rush, I didn't even realize that 42 is not a multiple of 10 plus 6! I started with 36 and when the main rows 1 and 5 didn't work out, I naturally assumed user error and returned several times to my computer screen to check and see if I jotted it down correctly.
In the end I just went with something that worked out for me. If you try this one, you may want to stick with 42 for the cast on OR correct it to be multiples of 10 plus TWO.

I love Lucy

The Lucy Bag that is. This is one well marinated project.

Pattern via my friend, Pat, was sent in 2005. I finished the knitting last summer and it sat around unfelted for a long time because who needs another visit with the washer?

It was clearly written and fun to knit. You start with Emily Ocker's circular beginning and 8 stitches and increase circularly for the base and then on up the sides.

I knit the small size and used two balls of Patons Classic Wool in Jade Heather. I've always found Patons to felt smoothly, easily, and predictably.

For the accessory, I found a fun fish at Joann's.

Right now I just have it sewn on for decoration, but I may change it and use it as a toggle button with a twisted cord loop to pull the two sides closed. But I'll carry it like it is for awhile before deciding.

This was really a fun felted bag. Thanks, Pat!

1 + 2 = 50!

1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs

It's no secret here that I love all things Norwegian. {I do, after all, share my name with the Queen!}

I was delighted to happen upon a podcast by Craft Sanity in which she interviews Trond Anfinnsen, author of this book and designer of the amazing hats.

The story of how he first to learn to knit (only about 3 years ago), then customized a basic hat pattern with over 50 variations, knit them, gave them, photographed them, and eventually got a book published (and not even in his native language!) was simply fascinating to me. And, by the way, he didn't stop at 50. He's knitted over 200!

Here's a link to his Flickr photostream showing some of his hats. Browse around while you're over there to see more. You might just spot the Queen and a bunad or two!

I haven't seen this book in the local bookstores yet, but I'm going to be on the lookout for it. In addition to designing each hat with the recipient in mind, Trond introduces each one as they model their hat and tells a bit about how he knows them.

If you'd like to make one, here's a pdf for his Silje pattern (two colors and shown on the book cover, lower right).

Very clever.

The Writer's Almanac

I usually check in to The Writer's Almanac, especially if I think I may miss hearing Garrison Keillor's broadcast at 11:00 am.

I was delighted this morning when, still half asleep, I learned it is the birthday of Helene Hanff. So delighted that I lifted the entire piece and pasted it here to encourage you to get to know Helene and this wonderful little book if you do not already.

It was on this day in 1949 that Helene Hanff wrote her third letter from New York City to a used bookshop at 84 Charing Cross Road, London. It was the beginning of a flirtatious epistolary friendship across the Atlantic that lasted for 20 years and revolved around classic literature. The letters were collected into 84, Charing Cross Road, a book Hanff published in 1970 and later adapted for the London stage, into a Broadway production, and into a film starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins (1987).

The correspondence began in early October 1949 when Miss Helene Hanff responded to an ad placed by London booksellers Marks & Co, whose bookshop was located at 84 Charing Cross Road. She wrote:

Gentlemen: Your ad in the Saturday Review of Literature says that you specialize in out-of-print books. The phrase "antiquarian booksellers" scares me somewhat, as I equate "antique" with expensive. I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble's grimy, marked-up schoolboy copies.

I enclose a list of my most pressing problems. If you have clean secondhand copies of any of the books on the list, for no more than $5.00 each, will you consider this a purchase order and send them to me?
Helene Hanff
(Miss) Helene Hanff

Over the 20 years, Helene Hanff ordered from 84 Charing Cross Road John Donne's Sermons, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Samuel Pepys's diary, Plato's Four Socratic Dialogues, Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy, Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, and volumes of essays and poetry. She once wrote, "I require a book of love poems with spring coming on. No Keats or Shelley, send me poets who can make love without slobbering — Wyatt or Jonson or somebody, use your own judgment. Just a nice book preferably small enough to stick in a slacks pocket and take to Central Park."

Her relationship with the book buyer, Frank Doel, expanded to a caring friendship filled with banter and repartee. She also corresponded with other employees of the bookshop. She sent over to the shop parcels full of dried eggs and nylons and things that were rationed and hard to find in post-World War II England.

Today, there's a plaque up at 84 Charing Cross Road, London, commemorating her correspondence with the bookshop that was there, and another plaque on the apartment building in New York City where she lived for three decades.

(I left out just a bit - in case you would like to read the book or watch the DVD. I don't want to spoil any part of it for you. And the movie - cover shown above - doesn't even list Judi Dench who perfectly portrays Frank's wife in a very small role. What you wanna bet I'm at the library today checking out that movie??)