Knitting Content...

Last post of 2007! What a crazy year. But I digress...onto the knitting content...



I had a few goals for holiday knitting and I'm pretty pleased with what I was able to accomplish. Mind you, we weren't swamped with a busy holiday schedule, so I was able to kind of take my time. First up were a pair of felted clogs for the constable. This is the very first thing he's ever agreed to or asked for in terms of knitted items from me. I've made him a couple of pairs of socks, which he likes well enough but doesn't wear all that often. Apparently I make the cuffs too short and he just doesn't understand my aversion to knitting miles of ribbing or gargantuan cuffs, so we agree to disagree on that point. I decided to felt one clog before knitting up the other for the sake of sizing. Despite still being soaked, he sort of tried it on and gave the go ahead for the second clog. They're both felted now, and still waaaay too big. I may give them one more turn in the wash to see if they might shrink up a little bit more, but I'm not overly optimistic. Has anyone else encountered sizing problems with their felted clogs? The ones I knit for my mom were way to big as well. Mine are admittedly a little big on my feet, but I mostly wear them with socks, so I don't notice as much. I'm not sure where the problem lays, whether it's with my washer and it's felting abilities or my gauge or what. In any case, as they're already done, the hubby has agreed to wear them anyway. We shall see how it goes. And as an aside, after picking out the colours and knitting them up, I've realized that I've inadvertantly made very Griffindor-y felted clogs (all Patons classic wool by the way...don't know the colourways. I never pay attention to that anyway).



I also finished my warm and wooly socks, and they get the Hank seal of approval. Not surprisingly, (as his name is Hank after all) he really digs the hand knits. He likes to bite my alpaca fingerless gloves and always seems to snag my big blue cardigan. He thinks it's great fun. I...do not. Anyhow, these socks are awesome and exactly what I was looking for. They're big enough that I can wear a pair of cotton socks underneath, thereby making my feet totally and completely warm...finally. These are knit out of the Briggs and Little Tuffy, teal and lilac I do believe, and they aren't kidding when they call this wool Tuffy! It didn't bother my wrists so much but it wasn't the most luscious yarn to handle. At least my socks should be nice and durable. I plan to knit another pair doing the reverse colouring, with MC lilac and the toes and heels in teal. The Harlot just posted not too long about about afterthought heels, which I've done on this pair, and how she's not a huge fan, but sees the value in that particular technique. I have to say, I think I may be an afterthought convert. I like the look much better than the common heel and I find that the fit is much better as well. I especially like it for doing different colours in the toe and heel too.



Last night I started on one of the Three Tams from the winter issue of Knitty. I am doing Tam C, if you're at all curious. It's sitting there on top of some work that I need to do from home today, as a little prize for when I get that done! I really, really dig the idea of doing Fair Isle/stranded knitting with a variegated yarn...too clever. No ends to weave and lots of interesting colour changes. As I haven't quite mastered the art of lots of bobbins of different yarns, this is a good place to start with the whole Fair Isle business. Oh yeah, and the hat is for me!



Here was my knitty-related haul for Christmas, two lovely books from the constables ma and pa. Debbie Bliss Simply Baby and Nickey Epstein's Knitting Over the Edge. I love the photography in the Debbie Bliss books just as much as I like her designs. I could just sit here and thumb through them again and again! With my Christmas funds, I ordered four more books (and lets face it, I doubt I will stop there) which are as follows: Son of Stitch n' Bitch (Debbie Stoller); Essential Baby and Junior Knits (Debbie Bliss) and Cables Untangled (Melissa Leapman). I was trying to wait until the hubby and I had time to drive into the city and spend like crazy people, which we had planned, but I got too antsy and figured that Chapters wouldn't have everything I was looking for anyway. There are still a few that I'd like to get and I'm pretty sure I will, but I have a birthday coming up, so I might hold out until then. In reading all of the Knit Nite blogs, our next meeting should be quite the show and tell!



And for tonights festivities, I have a pulled pork in the crock pot and it smells some good in here, I'll tell 'ya! Cooking this all day makes me half crazed when it's ready to eat. It's delightful. I have a couple of other treats to whip up, but as the weather here positively sucks today, I'm sure it won't be much of a hassle to spend a little time in the kitchen.

Y'all have a safe and happy New Year! Catch up with ya in '08!