Far too long

It has been far too long, dear knitting blog, since I spent time with you. I have excuses, I promise! I've been swamped with work. (That one's old.) I've been knitting secret projects that cannot be revealed until a later time. (Valid point, I suppose.) I've been traveling and away from my computer. (Ever heard of a laptop or e-mail, genius?)

In any case, the Valentine's Day gift for my beloved was a lovely Besotted Scarf (Ravelry Link). It's a lovely green flecked with yellows and browns and blues. I'll have to ask him to take a picture of himself in it. My camera is still broken and I forgot to ask to use his. I apologize!

My big pink, fluffy prayer shawl is close to being done. The knitting group has completed 5 already! We're blessing them in worship on Sunday. :-)

The remaining monkey sock is hibernating for being ornery.

For now, that's all the knitting news I've got.

Happy New Year (a month into 2009)!!!

I didn't fall off the face of the earth - I promise! I've just been knitting a lot more than I've been blogging. I suppose that's what happens when your fiancee lends you all of his Star Trek DVDs (ie - all of TOS and TNG). As much as I hate to admit it, I've been pretty glued to the TV for the past month and a half - but it has produced a lot of knitted goodness! One monkey sock is complete, and the other is fast approaching the heel. A Valentine's Day gift for my beloved is also complete, but since he reads this blog every so often you'll have to wait until next week to see it!

A new prayer shawl ministry is up and running at church. I had to start my shawl over when I discovered it was too narrow, but one of our knitting converts, my dear friend Deb, has already completed hers! I'll be showing her how to weave in ends at our meeting on Tuesday!

Well, that's all my publishable knitting news for now! See Ravelry for more details!

On the Way

The projects for Chris' family are all done! I mailed them on Tuesday. I sent washcloths to his parents and this cabled scarf to his grandmom.


I think the blue will compliment her eyes beautifully! Ravelry Link.

In other knitting news, we've started a prayer shawl ministry at the church. My dear friend Deb is even getting into knitting! I'm so excited to be sharing my love of yarn with her.

Life in general has been incredibly busy. Advent will do that to you, I suppose. I'm looking forward to this time next week when I will have a couple of actual days off!

Meme from Spinnerknitter (a Ravelry friend)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love getting creative with wrapping paper, but sometimes bags are better for strangely shaped gifts
2. Real tree or Artificial? I'd much prefer a real tree, but since I live in an apartment with my cat we've got a little artificial one that a friend is loaning us.
3. When do you put up the tree? Normally, Christmas Eve. But I needed some cheering up since I've been sick this week so I put it up a couple days ago.
4. When do you take the tree down? Jan 6 - Epiphany!
5. Do you like eggnog? I don't think I've ever had it
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Tough call! Either the dollhouse my grandpa and I put together or my big stuffed dog, Spot!
7. Hardest person to buy for? Dad. Hands down.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Mom or my fiance
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! Olive wood from Bethlehem.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if I do them.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Carol (don't make me pick a version!)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I make most of my gifts, but I keep my eyes open for things all year round.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Grandma's Pumpkin pie!
16. Lights on the tree? Yep!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh man oh man... don't make me choose! Infant Holy, Infant Lowly; O Holy Night; Silent Night; Angels We Have Heard on High; There's a Star in the East...
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually I travel to see family, but this year family is coming to me!
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen and (of course) Rudolph!
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The fact that it starts after Halloween and ends on the 25 of December. The world forgets Advent and the actual season of Christmas (Dec. 25-Jan. 5)
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? My Aunt Dee who is also my godmother has given me an ornament every year for Christmas and those are my favorites.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? I've got a long list of books (many of which are about yarn...)
24. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel, one I made as a kid
25. Favorite Christmas dinner? We usually have ham and turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans, pumpkin pie... yum!

Project Overload

It happens every few months.

I think Ravelry is part of the problem, but its not the only thing contributing to my plight.

Yes, I've overloaded my project capacity again. There are just too many wonderful things to knit! I've got so much on the needles that nothing is being done (okay... just washcloths... did you really think I could not knit anything??) The Fir Shawl is hibernating by the couch; the monkey socks are napping in my travel bag; the lace scarf has hidden itself in the stash due to neglect; my poor herringbone mitt sits forlornly on my coffee table, begging for its mate to be completed; and I can't even find the gumption to choose a pattern for the sweater I want to make for my fiancee as a wedding gift. (Though, to my credit, I did finally take his measurements so when I do finally pick something it will fit him!)

Then there are the Christmas things I'd like to make time for; and the birthday gifts as well...

I hope people like washcloths.

Staying Warm

Fingerless Mitts by Ann Budd
Ravelry Project Links: Neckwarmer and Mitts

My friend and co-worker, Deb, requested some fingerless mitts to keep her hands warm at the office. She bought this lovely, soft bamboo yarn and I had enough left over to make a neck warmer as well! I loved raiding my button box for the funky buttons. She loved them so much that she showed them off at our staff meeting, which prompted the organist to request some mitts as well because the sanctuary where she practices the organ is always so cold during the week. I finished those this week and gave them to her today. I've been pretty cold at my computer the last few days so I'm probably going to make some for myself soon since I can't seem to find my old pair.

I've been working on more socks and trying to make time to work on the Fir, but life has been pretty busy. Advent is almost here! The intern's life is starting to get busy!

Carpenter's Star

Here's the center star! It still needs borders, but those will have to wait for another Saturday. I'm loving this project! The colors are so bright and cheerful!