Yarn-along: the first week of Advent and Christmas is coming fast …

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ Ginny at small things


Advent - Week 1

Advent – Week 1

It’s the first week of Advent … which this year started a bit late (12/1/13) … which means I’m feeling uber pressured to “get it all done”.

Which is NOT a good feeling …. at all …

But, we muster on through … arranging a date with my DH to work out Christmas plans and gifts and tree-getting and all the incidentals that make Christmas such fun every year.

So what are you knitting for the holidays?

I’ve started on some commissioned gifts … all in cashmere or cashmere blends (which are such a treat to knit) … Here’s the first, a gorgeous deep turquoise/teal scarf in Spring Gate’s cashmere/silk/merino blend:

Yarn-along - December 4, 2013

Yarn-along – December 4, 2013


I just finished a “baby blanket bag” for a dear friend’s first baby. I worked this one in Jarbo Garn’s Raggi, a worsted weight washable sock-yarn that self-stripes. These blanket bags are wonderful (and wish I had them when mine were little) … the bag is pulled up around the baby’s chest and they have room to kick … BUT can’t kick the blanket off. A great way for the little ones to stay cozy:
Baby Blanket Bag in Jarbo Garn's Raggi

Baby Blanket Bag in Jarbo Garn’s Raggi

And I was able to finish the poncho and shawl I was working in Rowan’s Felted Tweed and Kid Silk Haze Glamour. I’m often asked, when I design a shawl, “can you make it a poncho” or if I make a poncho, “can you make it a shawl”. This combination pattern will have both options. I’ll post pictures and pattern soon.

The Winter Wonderland Cape and Wild Berry Zinger capelet are now both available on Ravelry.

So, I guess I have been productive! It just seems like Christmas is soooooo soooooon this year. I’m not even reading anything, except to dip into my Lord Peter Wimsey books on Kindle … I have the whole series (15 books) and they’re such fun to read!

Hope you are having a less-stressed knit-gifting time … what are you knitting … and if you have time, reading?

Comments
6 Responses to “Yarn-along: the first week of Advent and Christmas is coming fast …”
  1. Paula says:

    When Ella was little Grandma made her little nighties just like I wore. They were smocked around the neck and extra long. There is a casing at the bottom for ties or elastic. Lots of wiggle room and keeps the toes covered.

    How do you figure out how much yarn you’ll need when designing? I like to put ‘stripes’ in the outer edges of shawls but never know how much yarn I’ll need. Unless I have unlimited yarn (rarely) it’s such a guess.

  2. Mary G says:

    Paula … I remember those nighties …

    There are lots of ways to scientifically decide if you have enough —
    1. knit a portion, rip out and measure how many yards used and multiply for the total needed
    2. knit a bit, weigh it, and est how many yards used and then multiply

    but I’ve been knitting for so long, I can usually make an educated guess (altho I’ve been known to be wrong … and have to rip out a round to have enough to BO). Oh to have an unlimited supply of yarn at my disposal!

  3. Jarka says:

    that’s a lovely color of yarn you’re using for the scarf – awesome! and I just adore the baby blanket-bag – that’s a really neat idea 🙂

  4. Mary G says:

    Thanks, Jarka .. the baby bag is a fun knit cuz it’s all in the round so goes pretty quickly ….

    Hugs and thanks for stopping by …

    Mary G.

  5. wow – cashmere AND Lord Peter? You’ve got it going on! 😀

  6. Mary G says:

    I’m definitely “livin’ the life” …

    thanks for stopping by …

    Mary G.

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