Girl Who Knits

I know, I am a day late.  No real excuse, just too busy being festive I guess.   For those who celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a wonderful one.  For those who don't, I hope you had a great day too.  Mine was filled with lots of family, food, and gifting. 

If you have been reading you know I gifted some knit items this year.  Did I finish everything?...well, no.  But it turned out okay anyway.  First up, we have a scarf for Emma.

This is the Noro Striped Scarf made popular by Brooklyntweed.  For this little girl version I shortened it to 29 stitches and knit it about 4 feet long.  This was an impulse gift that came about when I recommended this scarf to a coworker who just learned to knit.  He would show me his progress and I became just as addicted as he did.  I had to knit this scarf.  Emma wears it beautifully.

This is a Log Cabin Sock (ravelry link) I knit for my Mom.  Kara and I decided to each knit one of our parents this sock so they could walk around in matchy socks and know we love them.  The other one still needs to be knit so I will give you all the project specs and take a better picture when it is completely done.

Finally, there is the project I was desperate to get finished but just didn't...My brother's Cobblestone Pullover.  When he pulled the sweater in progress out of the box it kind of looked like an 80's off the shoulder (a la Flash Dance) sweater and I believe he is still reserving his judgement.  But I think once it grows a yoke it is going to look great on him.  I already told him he is modeling it for the blog so you will see finished pics as soon as I can finish.

Well folks, blogging (almost) everyday has been fun.  Doing it has given me some thoughts on my blog and what I should be writing or not writing or want to write or not want to write.  I will share my thoughts will you all soon and get your feedback.  Thank you all for reading my blog and taking the time to comment and share a bit of yourselves with me.  Happy Holidays!

Christmas eve just might be my favorite part of the Christmas holiday.  Christmas eve is a day that in and of itself is full of fun and tradition but when it is over...it isn't over yet you know?  I am not sure if it is the thrill of what is to come the next day and the hugely anticipated family party the night of, but I love every second of it.  Tonight was no exception.  Great family party where we ate too much, shared talents and stories, sang our favorite songs, and laughed just the right amount.  

 The girls in the aprons my mom made.

Now that the evening festivities are over, I am starting to feel a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration.  Many thoughts are going through my head: I hope my family likes what I got them. Please let me stay up late enough to finish my knit gifts. Maybe I could go to sleep now and wake up early with enough time to finish.  Maybe...I'll report back tomorrow.  Merry Christmas everyone!

My mom hands down makes the best sugar cookies ever.  She also had the best cookie cutter ever: a gigantic pair of lips.  I don't know what it was about those huge sugar cookie, pink frosted lips but I would die of happiness whenever she made them.  Her kids have not yet perfected the art of the sugar cookie, but tonight, we tried.

 Not giant lips but our cookie cutters were of similarly impressive size.

 Our first batch came out a wee bit poofy.

Ryan decorating a HUGE snowman. 

I have to say, I did a nice job with this colorful lady.

So no, we are not experts.  But we sure had fun baking.  What is it about Christmas and cookies?  When did that tradition get started I wonder?  Not that I am complaining mind you.  Making cookies=fun. 

Of course, our afternoon activity has slowed my gift knitting progress.  Must. Finish.  Christmas eve allnighter anyone? 

Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I fell asleep before I had a chance to.  I guess travel and Christmas preparations are tuckering me out.  Tonight, I get to fly to Utah to spend the holidays with my family.  I can't wait!

I need to get packed right now but I am having some indecisiveness on what to bring.  Namely, what do I bring to knit?  I have two secret projects that are coming with me but if all goes according to plan those will be done by the 25th.  I am kind of in the accessories knitting mood lately and so I am thinking it would be fun to work on some socks or a new hat.  But maybe in a couple days I will be ready to tackle some of these bigger projects that have been looming in the back of my mind.  And what about my WIPs?...it might be nice to finish something before the new year.  So after some thought, here are my knitty plans for the holidays:

1. Finish Gifty Knits: More on these on the 25th.

2. Exchange Yarn for Autumn Rose Pullover: This project has been put on hold since I wasn't feeling the color selections.  While I am at my SLC LYS I can work on a perfecting my color selection.

3. Accessories knit of choice: Socks...Hat...gloves.  I am letting myself choose what I feel like working on.  So I will be bringing my Twisted Stitches Gloves and Eleanora socks just in case.

I am actually just dying to finish something.  I feel like I have tons in the works but nothing is getting accomplished.  It is starting to get to me.  This year has just not been as productive knitting wise.  I am itching to accomplish something big.  It will just have to wait for 2008 I guess.  

Well, that is all for now.  Talk to you again when I am on the other side of the Rockies and after I have had a chance to hug these little ones.  

 

I am the luckiest Aunt ever. 

I have to admit, there are some perks about my job I will never tire of.  Getting to try these socks on for instance.

I loves them.  I didn't want to take them off. These are the Tyrolean Stockings from IK Fall 07 and I think I need a pair of my own.

Oh, and for the record, I am not wearing gaucho pants. Those are normal length jeans pulled up so you can see the stockings.  Just in case you were wondering.

Dear Mr. Bloglines,

Why do you hate me so?  You have refused to pick up feeds from all my days of Christmas blogging posts so far.  Maybe it is Christmas you hate?  Or Christmas countdowns?  Perhaps you aren't fond of the knitting...no, that can't be it.  All my other knitting friends blogs seem to be working just fine.  Hmmm, I am at a loss.

Maybe blogspirit is the problem. Be honest, did they ask you to black-list me?  Do you think blogspirit knows I am planning on leaving it for another blog service in the new year--one that is a little less french perhaps?  I am not trying to be disloyal.  I just got to do what I feel is right.  

I will wait patiently for you to respond to my email of a few days ago.  In the mean time, I will keep posting despite you.  Someday I hope you will find my posts worthy of being read.

Sincerely,

Erin (girlwhoknits)

Anyone watching Clash of the Choirs?  From the first commercial I saw for this show, I knew it would be awesome.  After watching the first episode I feel that I was right.  Especially due to the presence of one choir leader in particular...

My crush started when Blake Shelton was a judge on Nashville Star last season.  Funny thing, I don't even like country music--I just really like the show.  After seeing him last night on Clash of the Choirs, I was reminded of my little crush.

Go Team Sheldon!

(And yes, I know this is kind of ridiculous, but it is honest.)

(Oh, and if I am being perfectly honest, Patti LaBelle's choir brought down the house and even--though I hate to say it--Nick Lachey's choir did a pretty amazing job.)

The other day, Mele Kalikimaka came on the radio.  I immediately teared up.  It was an unexpected reaction to a very simple song that I didn't realize I had such a strong connection to.  Throughout the song I was taken back to many a Christmas in Hawaii.  A childhood filled with tons of family-time and traditions.  I was born in Hawaii, lived there until I graduated from high school.  My Dad was born there as well which made it so I had cousins and grandparents that lived on the island near us.  We grew up close, our extended family spent every major holiday together and created many memorable memories and long lasting traditions--Christmas was far from the exception.

As I listened to the song play I remembered the smell of the water that ran down the rocks in Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The excitement of being "backstage" as the grand-kids prepared to act out the nativity.  Putting on Santa hats and singing "I'm Getting Nuttn' for Christmas" with our names subbed in.  Yearly words of wisdom and expressions of love from Grandpa.  Christmas morning brunch complete with scones and honey butter.  The year grandma made jams for all the boys and the year she made us all our own plates.  

The song ended and I left my walk down memory lane.  I am excited for new Christmas traditions with my family wherever I live in the future.  Although I have to admit, there is still a part of me that wishes for Christmas in "the land where palm trees sway". 

Miss you Hawaii.

Quick note: I don't know what is going on, bloglines...hates me.  It refuses to pick up my feed.  Grrr.  So if you missed the 1st and 2nd days of my Christmas blogging, just know that I have been faithfully posting.  Even if bloglines is making me look like a slacker.

I am not going to be in my apartment for the holidays so I opted not to get a tree this year.  But I still felt I had to do something to get me in the holiday spirit.  So a couple trips to target later, I have this:

I know, it isn't much.  But looking at it makes me happy.  The snowflakes are cheap ornaments that I tied to fishing wire and then tacked into the ceiling.  Here's a close up: 

A little holiday decor to brighten my day.  And it does.  It almost makes up for not having a tree.  Almost.

I don't know what is up with this last week.  Maybe it is the snow or the pretty lights or the homemade cookies everywhere but this week has made me want to knit EVERYTHING.  Mainly gifty type knits.  I want to knit a present for everyone I know.  I am feeling the Christmas gifting love.  Only problem, I don't have any time.  I already have several projects on the needles I have to finish in the next week.  Why didn't I feel this way a month ago? 

Then I saw The Golden Compass--which I loved by the way.  If there was nothing else to love about the movie, at the very least, there are the costumes.  Particularly, the hand knits.  The main character Lrya's sweater coat, gloves, vest, and hats made me want to rush home and do some knock off knitting.  For example this coat and hat.  You can sort of see her gloves here.  And mainly, this hat.  I can't stop thinking about it.

I am sure the hat would actually take like 5 minutes to make but the effort to work out a pattern and yarn selection is time I don't have--at least not for a couple weeks.  But I can so see one of my little nieces tromping around outside in this hat. 

If anyone has seen someone write up a pattern for the hat please let me know.  Or, if you want to figure it out, I wouldn't argue.  In the mean time, go see the Golden Compass.  It is beautifully filmed, visually stunning, perfectly casted, and a truly original story.  I read the books years ago and have been patiently awaiting the movie release.  As always, the books are better, but I was very pleased with what the movie was able to do in 2 hours.  So go see it.