While the weather, and as a result Travis’ mood, sucks, I’ve been making significant progress on my knitting and I’m feeling kinda smug about it. I hesitate to say as much because the knitting gods are easily angered and if they think I’m cocky, things will go right into the toilet. So, let’s just say I’m pleasantly surprised at the progress I’m making on my 2 outstanding projects.

First up is the long-standing Ombre. Ombre is looking quite lovely, as she now has eight completed stripes.

For those of you playing along at home, that’s 8 down, 3 to go. Personally, I couldn’t be happier about that because while I obviously love my mom and am pleased with how the blanket is turning out, I’m really tired of this project. There really should be a warning label on all blanket patterns - “Warning. Make really sure you love this pattern and are willing to dedicate months of your life and a bit of your sanity to it before you begin.” And by the way, Joelle Hoverson wasn’t kidding around when she said this pattern would take over 8 hours. Ya think? While I was aware it would be a long term commitment, I didn’t realize it was going to be a 3 month commitment. Anywho, I’m almost done and can hopefully get at least one more stripe done this weekend. If the gods are on my side, maybe one and a half.

Next up are the Sport Rib Socks. I finished the first one yesterday by grafting my very first ever toe. I had a bit of a problem yesterday because I got all of the decreases done and tried the sock on. Apparently I was under the impression my foot had grown 2 inches between the last pair of socks and these because the toe was 2 inches too long. Hello? So, I ripped out the toe and back a couple of inches into the foot and started over. I briefly considered taking a picture and then decided my stupidity really didn’t need to be documented to that extent. You’re just gonna have to trust me - it was stupid. However, despite my brief lapse, the first sock is finished.

This weekend we’re headed to my in-laws for Christmas with them and my mother-in-law wants to learn to knit socks. We should have a grand time with that. I hope to work on Ombre as much as possible and let’s all keep our fingers crossed for another completed stripe. Oh, for any of you who have Loop-d-Loop, what do you think of the Corrugated Rib Hat? I can’t really find a picture online (except for one posted in a comment on Claudia’s Blog) and I’m thinking I might want to make it. I’d have to order the book, so I’d love your opinions on it before I go and do that.

Here’s a picture of the sunrise on my way to work this morning.

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy New Year. See you in 2006!

I’ve been inspired by all of you reflecting on your 2005 knitting accomplishments and your goals for 2006. So, I’m jumping on the bandwagon (and I’m blatantly stealing Felicia’s format).

Top 5 for 2005

1. New Technique: I learned so much this year that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one technique. I guess my favorite was learning to knit socks. My first pair were top-down socks, and then I tried toe-up socks, ankle socks, and I’m now teaching another knitter to knit socks. I love having a portable project that you can so easily pick up and put down and the end result is so very functional and useful.

2. Favorite Finished Object: My Lotus Blossom Shawl. My first lace shawl experience and I find that I wear it fairly often. It’s in my office and it’s wonderful to have when it gets cold.

3. Favorite Knit Along: The Stitch Ya Neck Out scarf swap. I had such fun knitting a scarf for Blossom and got a wonderful scarf in return.

4. Favorite Shop: Knit Happens. I am warming up to my LYS, but they don’t stock a lot of the yarn I find you all using and that’s recommended in the patterns I’m knitting, so I find that I don’t buy a lot of yarn there. The customer service and selection at Knit Happens is wonderful and I find that I go there first.

5. Favorite Tool: My Holz & Stein circular needles. I love these needles. They’re ebony, so they are wonderful to hold and knit with and the points are nice and pointy. The joins are good and the cord is pretty flexible. I need to order more in additional sizes and I’m thinking of getting dpns to try too.

Resolutions for 2006

1. Fair Isle: I’m going to start my color career with the Vinternatt Nordic Mittens and move on to Butterfly. I can hardly wait. This is number one on my list of things to do.

2. Knitting for my husband: I want to knit him some socks and a sweater. I may have to modify an existing pattern to find something that he’ll actually wear, but he should have a beautiful, functional handknit sweater.

3. Learn to Spin: Next weekend I’m going to dedicate some time to my spindle - it’s time to try again. And if I don’t get a wheel for Christmas (we still have to go to Travis’ parents’ house, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed), I’ll be in the market for a spinning wheel. Then I’ll have to find some good books and maybe a class. It’s just something I think I want to learn to do.

4. Knit for Charity: I haven’t done any charity knitting, and I’d like to knit some blankets for the animal shelter and maybe some hats and booties for babies. I am so blessed in my life and I really need to do what I can to help those less fortunate.

5. Dyeing: I’m going to start with some Kool-Aid and go from there and I have a great book to use when I’m ready to branch out into acid dyes.

So, what are your goals for 2006, and what are you most proud of from 2005?

Travis and I had a lovely holiday, but now it’s back to work, and boy that doesn’t excite me at all. Santa, and my family was, as always, extremely generous. Travis bought me a lovely work table made out of recycled hundred year old pine - and it is awesome. So, I’m in the process of picking out some paint and converting my office into a craft room. I’m really excited to have a nice big place to spread all my stuff out without making a mess in the rest of the house. My mom bought me a kit for Mermaid! I’m really excited but it’s down on the list a bit - Butterfly is first. My dad and step-mom bought me a pot rack, which I’ve wanted since last year. I can hardly wait to get it up and free up some cupboard space. And my sister, well, she’s so sweet. She bought me an i-Pod Nano. And she had it engraved. It says, “Chance made us Sisters hearts made us friends!” Isn’t that just the sweetest thing?

Good news on the knitting front. Ronnie fit perfectly and my sister loved it. She wore it on Christmas! Isn’t that great? My mom loved Ombre, even though it wasn’t done. She was very understanding, but said that I couldn’t start Mermaid until I finished her blanket. Which I wouldn’t, even if Mermaid is very tempting. We had a nice long drive to my dad’s, so I got a lot of knitting done. I’m almost through the eighth stripe on Ombre and expect to have that stripe completely before we leave for Travis’ parents’ house this weekend. I knit a bit on Christmas, but worked on the Sport Rib Sock more than Ombre because it’s a lot more portable and my dad was really intrigued by the sock knitting thing. I’ll have to make him some socks one of these days. So, I turned the heel and finished the gusset shaping:

The yarn has behaved very well, the only pooling is around the heel when the rows were longer. It doesn’t even bother me, but I’m glad that the rest has turned out to be stipey.

Have a wonderful day, and happy knitting.

I received my lovely Turtleneck Shrug from Rosa more than a week ago and have been very negligent in taking a decent picture and posting about my scarf/shrug. I received my shrug as part of the SYNO scarf swap.

The shrug is made with Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Bark. I love how soft and tweedy it is and Rosa did a wonderful job. The sleeves are quite long, but I like long sleeves. Rosa ran out of yarn on the turntleneck, so it is 2 inches shorter than called for in the pattern. The Wool Shack has another ball of yarn in the same dye lot. What do you all think I should do? Leave the neck at the length it is, or add another 2 inches as per the pattern?

I’m going out of town for the weekend. I will try to post, but it may not happen. If I don’t talk to you all before, have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukah, and a wonderful time with friends and family. Be happy, healthy, and safe in whatever you do. I’ll leave you with a picture of my Christmas tree.

Last night at the most reasonable hour of 8:30 p.m. I finished weaving in the ends on the Thrum Mittens! Two completed Christmas projects, one to go. The mittens are snuggly and warm (maybe too warm, but it gets really cold in Wyoming) and oh so cute. What do you think?

Project Specs:
Pattern - Fleece Artist Thrum Mitten Kit - a gift from my lovely secret pal

Needles - US 4 (3.5 mm) Clover dpns

Modifications/Thoughts - I made the adult size medium and I think it will be a good fit. The second mitten is a bit tighter than the first because I used larger pieces of roving, which took up more space, but I don’t think it’s too noticable. Hopefully. I ran out of roving on the very last thrum row of the thumb, so I had to use a little bit of the pink roving Leanne sent me as a secret pal gift, and it worked just fine. I really liked knitting these mittens and hope the recipient will like them.