The end of 2010 has come and gone and we are all launched on new projects, but I realized I hadn't shown any photos of all the 'secret' knitting and crafting I had done for Christmas presents, so this will be a "FO" post, instead of WIP Wednesday.
Dearest Granddaughter got the bulk of the grammie-made gifts this year...
This cute little coat is Knitting Pure and Simple #1010 (Ravelry link), and it is just adorable. I got the idea from Sharon, who made it for her granddaughter last summer, and for some reason it hasn't been 'discovered' on Ravelry yet... no other projects when I started, and I think I am the only one to list it as a FO! I used some nice superwash merino hand-dyed by the Lake Tahoe Yarn Company, and unfortunately there was less than a yard left when I finished... not sure if it was the yarn, the pattern, or me that was off!! Luckily I had already gotten concerned before the sleeves, and made the coat a bit shorter than called for! As I was sweating it out, I kept muttering to myself "This is why I hate Christmas knitting", but then turned around and made a few more gifts. Guess it really IS hard to teach an old dog new tricks! The little red hat was knitted up by a co-worker's mother, who made something like 50 hats as a benefit for our program (we sold most at the annual town Holiday Fair), and I had already selected the red buttons, so bought it instead of making one.
Here's a photo of Odessa modeling her new Victorian coat, along with several of the rest of us on Christmas Eve... I am the one right behind her, she is walking towards her Daddy (dear youngest son), and Mommy, to his right, and DD is pointing the way.
Odessa also got a handknitted dolly from Grammie B. for Christmas... her name is Flora and I found her as a kit this summer. The pattern is available here on Ravelry. I am saying this moment that I will never make such a fussy little project again, but have been known for making lots of toys in the past... she was quite a bit fussier than average and took an unexpectedly large amount of time to knit, felt, finish, construct, and especially to sew on the hair! And I'm not even sure Odessa liked her! There were definitely more appealing things under the tree... time will tell if a true fondness develops.
The next photo is of a 'beanie' I knitted for step-grandson, Mason... on Thanksgiving, it was a big, giggling secret to ask if I would make him one, and he was so delighted with it, and with the fact that it was red (the color he asked for!), that he promptly pulled it on and wore it the rest of Christmas Eve! Now that really IS heart-warming to a knitting grammie! In the photo, he is handing a small package to DH; turns out he had one for each of us and they contained balsawood pre-cut ornaments that DD had gotten for him so that he could join in the gift-making process at a young age. Can you tell she's my grrl?!
I really DO make a point to avoid the stressed-out, last-minute Christmas gift-knitting trap that I used to fall into consistently for decades, so that is the end... of the knitting.
However, since I have begun working with jewelry-making again, though heading in a new direction of wirework, stamping, steampunk, and precious metal firing (well, the last is a new interest I am studying up on...), I spent the last few days before our gathering turning out a special gift for DD and DDIL.
The silver necklace was a Family Tree of Life for DD, with her birthstone (peridot), BF's, two colors of tourmaline, and pearly bead flowers to represent Mason's birthday.
The bronze one is for DIL, a Family Tree of Life with amethyst for son Jesse, aquamarine for Dawn, and sapphire-blue flowers of crystal beads for baby grrl, Odessa.
I was pleased with them both, and even happier when eldest son, after seeing the photos, got me orders for three similar pendants!
There has been work on new projects since the flurry of gift-making subsided. The one continuing to occupy my time the most currently has been my Sweetheart crocheted mittens. They proceed rather slowly, in part because I don't crochet quite as fast as I knit, but mainly because the Frog Tree alpaca yarn is pretty dang splitty! I love how the mitten is customized to fit the hand very well, including curving around the base of the thumb. I promise a WIP post with photos soon, to show off mitten progress, the lovely Fairwind (which has been sadly neglected through the holiday season) and to let you in on a new lace project, not yet photographed. Stay with me as a whole new decade unfolds... onward and upward!
Oh, and if I haven't replied to recent comments, please blame Typepad. I noticed that since the first of the year, I wasn't getting comments forwarded, despite the fact that I hadn't changed my preferences. I sent in a help ticket this morning and am awaiting word... though not on baited breath!
