Chantel is leaving for school on the 7th. I know it’s only a two hour drive, but it’s through Salt Lake, Ogden, canyons, etc, and just seems to go on and on! I am not excited to lose her. At all.  Our house is going to be at least 25% less fun. Sigh.  8 days until ickiness.  Sigh again!

So here I am trying not to think of that, but how can I? Last night we went to Blazing Needles in Salt Lake for the knit night. It’s so fun to go hang with other knitters, see their projects, and what’s in and what’s out, what they’ve tried and see how everyone helps each other. It’s lovely. Last night one knitter originally from Germany brought her mother, who only spoke German. That was fun.  It’s interesting to listen to them and still being able to basically compare notes with her when she doesn’t speak English.  I bought some yarn for some hospital socks for a friend who is going in for surgery again.  I’m trying to surprise her, but that means no fitting them, so I hope they’ll work. I’m making them from a pattern Stephanie Pearl-McPhee put on her website, but as I can’t wait for yarn to come by mail, I got a nice other yarn at Blazing Needles. So this is one of the things that I do with Chantel that will not be as fun without her. Can you hear the sigh I just let out?

This weekend I have some hat orders from my Sis and family and a friend. They are hats I’ve made quite a few times, so it’s something of a chore, but still, it’s knitting, right? Can’t complain, because, yes, I like knitting just about anything. Then I want to move on to something new though. I’m thinking a Baby Surprise Sweater.  Classic Pattern, and must be done by every knitter. Must. No question. So I’m up for it. The yarn I like it in though, it’s only available from Europe. Wonder how much shipping will be? It is called Adriafil Knitcol and it’s a self-striping that looks beautiful and fun.

But none of that matters when Chantel is leaving!! Ugh. I can’t even be happy enough to find a picture to post. Who cares?

Christmas Elves

So, I ended up able to take Thursday and Friday off…Thursday K and I went shopping for the last few things and then out to breakfast. It was nice. Then we spent the weekend with a lot of family and the kids and it was just fun as heck. My kids are awesome, and we just laughed so hard for so long.  Christmas was great, fun had by all.  My kids surprised me in the morning with these elf costumes. They were adorable. They seemed happy with their gifts, and got me nice things. We watched Warrior and K made a delicious breakfast, and then we went to my sisters for lunch.

Chantel is always trying to do the 12 days of

Tacky, not classy

Christmas sweaters, and this year she is up to 10.  Here is a pic of the best one with bells on….she wore it to our Christmas Eve party.  Yes, in public. Well, in someone else’s house anyway. I did some knitting. Finished my niece’s birthday hat, a pair of gloves for Jude, and started a pair for Kimball.  Jude’s match his scarf and they are the best gloves I’ve ever made. No holes by the fingers, tight knit, just good looking. Didn’t even block them. Forgot because they look so good.

I made a Christmas gift for Bronson. He likes the Ducks, so I did Green and Yellow. Yes, it’s for the University of Oregon Ducks, not the Packers. He liked it and wore it home this morning, so I guess that is good. I think it is kind of cute. Anyway, off to it, just checking in!

I guess I should just state the obvious….Chantel is not a blogger and never blogs for no good reason. Yeah, I know. She’s not that busy, so….she just doesn’t show the love. The other night I walked into her garbage disposal of a bedroom and asked her what she was doing and she said, “Nothing”.  So there. (Consider my restraint: I’d like a pic of her here, and the only one I have on my phone is this one from the other night that she told me to delete because it was bad and she looks mean.  But I am not doing it. Now that is discretion. A word hardly to be associated with me.)

Anyway, Thursday she and I are going to Blazing Needles for knit night, and I have some yarn and needles I need to buy and for some reason (possibly the utter desolation that is my job and etc right now) I am just dying. Thursday seems so far away. So very far away. I know, I could run to the local yarn store for a quick fix, but I don’t wanna! Like Kimball said last night, “Why would you buy yarn or anything anywhere else when you love Blazing Needles?” Why indeed? So I am trying to hold off.

Found a fabulous pattern for a surprise for my nephew, and need new yarn and needles for that.  Will probably start knitting it that night so I can finish by Christmas.

Christmas Cards are out. That’s making me happy. I have a box of treats here at work to distribute. Today I am having pizza lunch with friends and we are tying a quilt that is a present so that should be fun. Just moseying along I guess.

Don’t you hate when people say you are something you’re not? Like when they say you are upset when you’re not, or freaking out when you’re not, or whatever? Because when you’re not really upset and people start saying you are, it does upset you. Well, at least me. So then I am upset and they are right but they WEREN’T right. It’s utterly irritating.

So, one of my biggest issues with knitting, that one thing I just cannot seem to get down, that just bothers me more than Dean Winchester is fingers on mittens and

Gloves for an unamed person

gloves, and the holes I always get right at the base where you pick them up. Well, I am so excited to have figured it all out and to have a pair of gloves with four fingers on and nary a hole in sight.  I know, I know.  Knit awesomeness.

Yesterday I was so out of it, I guess, that I didn’t even mention that I got these gloves going. They are sort of a piece of cake now, really…but enough bragging. Between watching Eunny Jang on Knitting Daily giving tips about filling holes in socks when you finish the heel, and tips from Audriana in my Blazing Needle mitten class, I have got those fingers down to a science. I was so happy. And Kimball was even impressed. Of course he’s got two pairs of gloves with tiny little holes at the base of the fingers, so I’m sure he’s looking forward to a new, better pair.

Solid!

See that? Yeah, I know. Pretty much the best finger addition ever.  And it didn’t even take hours or nothin’. Wahoo!

Last night K insisted I get into bed after dinner and rest. My cold has been relatively quick and painless, but he was right–I was worn out. So I went ahead and started on some more of the cute little mitten ornaments. They are just adorable if you ask me. And took a little over an hour to get to this point. I do have to add another thumb and sew up the seams, but they are about good to go. Now only a few more to go!

Christmas Ornaments in the making

The kids are finishing up school now, so soon it will be all fun and games at our house. Right?!

I caught something this weekend…or rather, it caught me. You have to understand, I don’t get sick.  In the last 5 years I have had 2 colds, both on the first day of new jobs, so I call them stress related. I cannot remember the last time I had the flu. So Saturday when I started feeling stuffy, I was surprised. Well, my main mode of attack for colds is to immediately and constantly dose myself with cold medicine. I’ve been told by several doctors that if you keep the mucus under control, the chances of ear infections or sinus infections or any other infections go way down. So I dose myself. And I usually feel pretty darn good for a sicky. A bit tired, yes, but able to function. Or so I think.

This morning during my commute, I found myself in the HOV/commuter lane, (2 or more passengers required) about 5 miles after that lane started. Evidently, I was completely out of it and didn’t even notice the signs, or the lines on the road changing, or even realize where I was…since I leave that lane every day in the exact same spot as the regular passing lane ends. Jeez. The rest of the commute I was uber-paranoid and careful.

Then I realize that I finished several projects and have no pictures of any of them.  Not the cute hat I made my niece…one of a kind even. Not the pajamas I made for the nephews in North Dakota…which turned out really cute! Not even the hat that I finished the first stage of for Kiki. All I have to do now is add  JB in duplicate stitch (yes, for Justin Bieber).  So I was sick and knitting and even sewing and have proof of nothing. I know! I was out of it for sure.

Oh well, the pajamas and hat are wrapped and shipped, so it’s gone for good. Hopefully on Christmas Day I’ll get some pics and I can upload them then.

In other news, it is snowing here. I could complain at this point, because I know my commute will probably increase by an hour a day, but to tell the truth we’re lucky it stayed clear this long and this morning it was super pretty.  I’m going to try to just enjoy it for Christmas…I should give you a picture out my window, but it’s not snowing anymore so no prettiness, and it’s just a foggy haze of nothingness really. Maybe tomorrow.

So I finished K’s second pair of socks.  Ta Da!

K's Warm Feet

Socks are okay, and they are portable, but I’m not sure they’ll ever be my thing.  After the heel they just seem to go on and on and on….and on.  But he sure loves them. I guess it’ll be one of those things I do because I lub Kimball and he lubs homemade socks.

What’s funny is I generally lunch with a group here at work, and they always ask me about what I’m knitting. One of them had said when I finished the socks, she wanted to see them. Well, since I’ve finished them, I can’t get them off Kimball. Seriously. He hasn’t even let me weave in the yarn ends inside the toe! So I show up at lunch with a picture and evidently, this is not good enough.  They seem offended. It was fun.

I am working (again) on the cable mittens. Would like to finish those up quick so I can wear them. I sure like that yarn, Madelinetosh Vintage. Very fun to knit with and I think the Calligraphy colorway is gorgeous. So that’s on needles.

I also started a hat. Saw the idea for it on Ravelry of course…sort of using up scraps for a cute baby hat. Chantel thinks it looks weird because when you change yarns you pearl a row to make the little ridge, but I am sort of liking it. We’ll see.Doing it for my little niece

Baby Hat

in North Dakota.  Will send it for Christmas probably even though I said I wasn’t knitting Christmas presents. I mean, it’s December. If I send it, it’s for Christmas basically. Am I right?

Went to the Orem Knit Night last night at Barnes and Nobles. It’s funny how different groups of knitters are…you think we’re all little nerdy homebodies? Well, some are and some aren’t! So there!  Then, the group that I sat with in Salt Lake last week sent out a message. Some needles were found by the coffee shop owner. I wondered where my brand new 16″ US 3 needles were! I need those!! I have honestly been looking all over for the darn things and about to cry and spend another $10 on them.  You’d think I could keep track of my gear.  Guess that means I need a better knitting bag….

Tonight is our fav knitting group at Blazing Needles in Salt Lake.  Am picking Chantel up at 5:45 in Sandy so we can go together.  Can’t wait. Their group sits at a table in front of a nice fireplace, surrounded by yummy yarn. What could be more fun?