Another year has rolled around...

 Every year my dad would preface our annual Christmas letter to Santa with a Dear Santa, another year has rolled around.... Seems to me there would be a recounting of our yearly high and maybe not so high points, and of course our annual pledge to endeavour to be better children. My brother and sister were much older than I so I am sure they got a few chuckles and a few gentle admonishments from the annual Christmas letter. It's funny how somethings just pop in your head at the least expected times, My dad is in a nursing home now and most of his memories have faded or are very dim but I will have to see if he remembers our Christmas letters. Sometimes he will remember an event or a person so clearly it really makes me pause to wonder. Both my father and my elderly wonder cat are on their 100 or 1000th lives right now and I am very grateful to see another year roll around again.

Christmas is quickly approaching and I find I have to remind myself to not get too wound up about getting everything and more done perfectly or done at all. It is all good. I did do a little gift knitting but not nearly as much as in other years- and that's ok too. I have a few pics of somethings and a few others are all wrapped up.

I knit and then felted these Sock Monkey Slippers for my daughter-they are so cute!! She is quite a glam girl but adores anything sock money-ish. I stitched on some suede slipper bottoms too.This will help extend the lifetime of the slippers.

I knit a scarf for my daughter's partner. I knit him a hat out of the same yarn for his birthday and he really liked it-yay!! It is a simple 2x2 rib pattern. It is a great pattern for a manly type of scarf but not as exciting to knit as sock monkey slippers!! I have a few other things but I will have to take a pic post Christmas

Meet Frizzoff the Penguin. I just could not not knit this pattern-he is soo cute.

Such a face! And check out thoses feet! I really like knitting socks,lace...etc. but it is fun to do whimsical things also. I hope he doesn't get in a suitcase destined for Alberta after Christmas.

I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking -it was really hard not to lick my fingers or take sample tastes of this concoction.Good thing too..

It is hand cream. I got the recipe and the ingredients from a local pharmacy-where I get my dad's and my cat's meds-go figure! It is the nicest hand/body cream and it is unscented-if you so choose. And it has lanolin in it! I love it! It is so knitterly. I knew I would use all those jars someday!! And to think I almost recycled them a month ago-heh heh.

  I used to bake lots of Christmas cookies and little squares and goodies, now as the kids have grown up (sigh) requests are quite different now. I have made lots of Bits and Bites, brownies, biscotti and cheese cake tarts with blueberries on top and  a new fav- chocolate covered pretzels (so good and so easy). No more mincemeat tarts or apple or pumpkin pie or shortbread....I still like the old traditionals. I might have to hit my favourite local bakery to indulge in those, but then I probably shouldn't!


 Cathy, one of the talented women I work with made us all one of these little ornaments. It is so sweet. Thank you Cathy.

I hope all of you take a little time to sit down, grab a cuppa and some of your favourite Christmas goodies and have a little knit time !

Warm hats for colder climes

I recently sent some hats to Alberta to our BC transplants. There was a birthday involved and both hats were quite a hit! I had a mailing deadline so the pictures were taken in a hurry-that's my excuse anyways! It sure is a lot easier to take pictures in the summer-more light and prettier backdrops. These are not the greatest pics but they are great hats knit with good patterns and wonderful yarn.

 This hat is knit with Malabrigo Rios in the colourway Purple Mystery. It is very pretty. The pattern can be found here . I have knit several things with Sweet Georgia Yarns and they are all wonderful. This is the first time I have tried one of her patterns. It is a nice pattern to knit and the hat has a nice bit of slouch,

I have used this pattern. it is a great pattern for guys. It fits well and knits up fast.

It is knit with Louet Gems in the Light Worsted weight- colourway Indigo. I like this wool as it is a super wash and can go in the dryer. Great choice if your gift recipients aren't too wool care savvy. It is nice to knit with too.

 I am finished my gift knitting for this year, I scaled back a lot compared to other years, easier on the arms wrists and hands. I still have the urge to do some more as there are 10 days left before Christmas. I might have to slip in one more thing heh heh!!!

Rrred and Rrrrufffly

 Earlier this fall I got a super good deal on a new grey winter coat. So I got this idea in my head that a red scarf would be look great with my coat. I had a few patterns that I wanted to use at some point in time but I hadn't found the right yarn for the right project. Art of Yarn, where I teach classes, had recently brought in some Malabrigo Rios in the Ravelry Red colourway. It is such a beautiful red and is in the bluey-red end of the spectrum. I can't wear orangey-reds at all. Anyways I was looking for a pattern for a friend who likes all things ruffly and I rediscovered Just Enough Ruffles. It can be found here. I remember seeing it a few years ago but never got around to knitting it-what was I thinking!! It is a quick and easy knit and it is such a great scarf.

 We found this ebony shawl pin in the shop. It suits it perfectly. I don't often think of using pins,but I should. There are so many different styles of shawl pins available now and there are some absolutely beautiful ones. They are truly knit jewellery. I think this swirly pin really adds some punch to my scarf. Now I am giving all my scarves a second look!