Last Year's Christmas Pillowcases

I decided to make pillowcases for the grandchildren for Christmas each year. These are the ones that were given to them for Christmas 2011. The pillowcases were a fun project that I hope they will use throughout the year and remember grandma while they use them.

I need to watch for Christmas prints as soon as they are available, so that I can make each one out of a different fabric/print. One family has three little ones and I don't want duplicate prints sent there.

This would be a fun project for birthday parties, baby showers, different holidays, and who knows what else. Have you done anything like this before? What would you give a custom pillowcase for?

Next time some knitting content. Happy knitting and spinning.

First FO of 2012

A week ago tomorrow Jim and I flew out to Washington state to visit with Ri. We then took Ri with us and went down to Oregon to visit M and B and their little one, JP. JP is nine months old yesterday and I haven't meet him in person until this past Saturday. It was good to visit a couple of our children in their own environments and to get out of town for a few days.

The first project into my carry-on was this scarf which I had started in November, then put aside until Christmas knitting was over with. I was determined to finish it and give it to one of the kids. Ri called dibs, so he got it. The pattern is the one row scarf pattern by the Yarn Harlot. I completed the scarf about an hour before dropping Ri off at the Ferry so he could complete his trip home.

Ri and M have put in requests for socks sometime this year. Don't know when that will be done, but it might just be Christmas 2012.

Well, off to get some more knitting and spinning done before returning to work next Monday.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Finished Damson

While on the trip to England I bought the book Whimsical Little Knits 2. There were a number of patterns that I really wanted to make. When L told me she was ready to quit working, I thought of making the Damson for her. I had some hand spun fiber that had been sitting in the stash for a while and I thought it would work up well in this pattern. I also thought it would look good on L.

I knit the Damson during my vacation time in July and then it sat, waiting to be blocked.

In October L was kind enough to take pictures for Jim and I. That gave me the perfect opportunity to present the shawl to her. I think she looks really good in the shawl and she will stay nice and toasty this winter.

I am definitely going to make this shawl again. I really like the construction of it and it's not like I don't have enough yarn sitting around around here. Who knows, maybe it will be a jumping off point and I will come up with something totally different.

Happy knitting and spinning.

Socktober

During the month of October, well I actually started the pink pair the end of September, I knit two pair of socks.
The pink pair is for a friend who we had asked to take some portraits for us. She appreciates handknit!

The brown striped pair I made for her husband. The last time I gave socks to L, her husband said he wished for a pair. I thought it wasn't fair to give L another pair without a pair for M also. I hope they fit and he gets much joy and warmth from wearing them.

The pink pair is Brown Sheep Wildfoote in the Acappella color. The brown pair is Austermann Step with Aloe in Coal(460). Both pair were knit toe up with a regular heel flap. The actual knitting time took about two weeks, but I had to wait until the photo shoot last Monday to present the socks to L. I also knit a shawl for L as an extra gift. Next time pictures of her in the shawl.

I am busily knitting away on Christmas projects and the spinning has not been left behind this time. I am spending about 20 minutes each day spinning. I even did some wool dyeing last Monday and have been spinning that up with a project in mind.

The end of this week my mom and aunt are coming to DC for a visit. They have both been to DC before, in fact my aunt lived here for a year, but they haven't been here since we moved here. It will be fun to show them our place. With that said, I have a lot to get ready for them.

Happy knitting and spinning.

What Happened the Year I was Born

I couldn't pass up doing this week's Ten on Tuesday and discovering what the headlines were in 1962. I definitely don't remember what happened then, but I have heard about some of them. Let's see what they were:

1. Polaroid introduces color film prints which develop in 60 seconds. Does anyone remember Polaroid?
   
2. 90% of Americans own a television set; ABC begins broadcasting in color.
   
3. The World's Fair is held in Seattle.
4. Maury Wills breaks Ty Cobb's single season stolen base record.
5. Industrial robots introduced to perform repetitive manufacturing tasks.
6. Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jr. becomes first American to achieve earth orbit; his Mercury 6 mission is followed by two other Mercury flights.
7. Telstar becomes the first communications satellite intended for regular service; relays television signals between North America and Europe.
8. Blowin’ in the Wind, Go Away Little Girl, Days of Wine and Roses, The Loco-Motion, Sherry, Monster Mash, Big Girls Don’t Cry where all released.
9. I’ve Got a Secret, Beverly Hillbillies, Route 66, The Flinstones, and the Price is Right were all broadcast.
10. And finally, Marilyn Monroe dies of barbituate overdose at the age of 36.

What happened the year you were born?

Happy knitting and spinning.

Well Traveled Shawl

I started this shawl on the trip to England in April and completed it once I was home in VA. It's been in the car as the commuter project. Long rows of purl stitches makes the four minute light cycles go faster. It's finally blocked and has now been gifted to a friend. Hope she'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

The hurricane didn't affect us very much. We were lucky and just had rain and wind. We still have electricity, water and our lives are normal (as close to normal as normal can be). There are others in our area who didn't fair as well. Our prayers are with them.

One of the kids is here for a short visit. She will spend the next year in Spain on a study abroad program. Now off to get her up to head downtown.

Happy knitting and spinning.

What I've Been up to This Past Summer

This past summer has been a busy one.
There has been visits with most of the grandsons.


Getting to see the youngest one for the first time.

There has also been knitting............... Mittens for the donation box and some shawls.

There was also a tie-dying evening which resulted in about 13 shirts getting a little bit of color. This was done with Corb. Some fun time with him before he heads back to be nearer his brothers in another month or so.

Now that summer is over, I might get back on the blogging bandwagon. Happy knitting and spinning.