Goodbye to 2007

Wow! I can't believe that when I wake up tomorrow it will be 2008! Hayden will turn 5 and start kindergarten, Lainey will (hopefully) potty train, I'll turn 38 and have my 8th wedding anniversary, and I'll have my 7th knitting anniversary! It does and doesn't seem like it's been that long. Most of the friends that I took the class with don't knit anymore, in fact, I think there's only one other out of the six of us. I have to say that I'm completely obsessed with it and can't understand why anyone would quit!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve and 2008! I doubt I'll be up until midnight, unless I'm knitting.

As for knitting progress, I'm still working on my SIL's socks in STR G-Rocks. The first is finished and the second is on the needles. I'm not sure that she'll like them, but we'll see. I stopped the sock progress to quickly knit two little hats for our friends that just had twins. They were early, but healthy and only in ICU one day! I didn't take pictures yet (I was knitting right up until we headed to the hospital to visit), but will hopefully get pictures of them on the babies next weekend. Both were from Itty Bitty Hats. I used Cotton Fleece and did the newborn size on each, but think they should come closer to fitting than the hats they had on yesterday.

I got together with several friends at a new coffee shop last week to knit! They had great chai (and other things from what I heard) AND they have a fireplace! I love fireplaces (not that you'd know it... we have two. A woodburning and a gas log and we rarely use either. I guess I worry too much with two little ones around.) Anyway, the fireplace was going and we sat at the back of the shop right by it on the leather furniture. It was fabulous! We're hoping to get together next week at the same place.

Well, here's to another year of knitting gone by and (hopfully) another to come! I'm on a yarn diet that I'm hoping to be faithful to for 2008. The only yarn I'm able to purchase is if I don't have enough for a project. I'm planning to make a vest like Hayden's for each of his cousins, but I don't think I have enough Cascade 220 (unless they want them to be pink and green striped!) I won't be knitting them until closer to their birthdays, so I won't need the yarn until June or so. I'm hoping to have a complete lack of yarn purchases from January 1 until June 1. Then we'll see if I am still knitting gifts, etc. My "carrot"is $20 a month that I don't purchase any yarn. That could be a nice amount of STR if I'm able to stick to it! I am planning to make a small purchase from Knitpicks sometime soon though (without yarn). I'm hoping to order the sock needle set. My bamboo DPNs are on their last leg.

See you in 2008!

Jenn

PIF Exchange

I've got two takers on the PIF exchange. You can check out Sydney and Stacie on their blogs. Sydney is new to my blog, but Stacie was my sock pal for Sockapalooza 4. Thanks to each of them for "signing" up! I still need one more person to complete my three.

Not much knitting this weekend. Hayden has had a stomach bug most of the day. I've been trying to keep Lainey out of his way. Guess we'll see if we all come down with it. I'm hoping it will be all over by Christmas Eve, if we do.

Hayden wore his vest to his school program last week. He looked so handsome and he's asked when he can wear it again. I told him that after Christmas Eve it's all up to him!

Well, off to knit!

Pay It Forward

I was reading Chrisknits blog recently and she decided to take part in a PIF exchange. She decided to send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who left a comment on her blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. (I actually got in on this!) She stated that she didn't know what the gifts would be and it may not be received tomorrow or next week, but it would be received within 365 days. The only thing you had to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. So, here I am making the promise! The first three people to respond with interest will receive a handmade gift from me sometime within the next year (I'm shooting more for sooner rather than later, but don't want to rush any presents I'm sending.) But, by responding and being chosen you also agree to pay it forward on your blog (if you don't have a blog you can do the same thing with a local charity or knitting group, etc.)

Now we'll see if anyone reads my blog! Thanks Chris!

Jenn

Christmas Knits

I started the red vest that Hayden requested on Monday night. I'm almost done with the front. I probably won't be knitting something like this again for a while. My arms and neck are killing me, so I'm headed to bed early tonight. I've been staying up late and L hasn't been sleeping well. BUT, I think the vest will fit well and Hayden seems to like it. I'll try to take some pictures soon, but we're supposed to have ice and freezing rain all weekend. I'm headed out to get a few things (milk, eggs, etc.) so that we can be stuck in the house all weekend. We're supposed to have a birthday party tonight, but we'll just see how the roads are around 4:30. I don't want to get caught out when it hits. I also don't want to disappoint the 3 year old having the party!

Look for a little pay it forward experience in my next post!

Jenn

New Leaf

As the new year approaches I'm trying to change things I'm not happy with. Here are a few new leaves I'm attempting to turn over...

1. I'm going to go on another yarn diet! I've made a couple of purchases lately when a shop in town was closing (50% off) so that I can make the Tangled Yoke Cardigan and Indigo Ripple skirt. These (along with all the sock yarn I have) will keep me busy for a long time! I do not need any yarn. As an incentive I will "pay" myself $20 a month for every month I stick to the diet. In December of 2008, if I've been a good girl, I should have $240 to spend on yarn. (This does include sock yarn! If I ever start knitting myself socks my drawer could be very full before I have to buy any new yarn.)

2. From above, I'm really going to knit a few things for myself. I love knitting for babies because it will eventually fit and they just look so darn cute in anything! However, it would be nice to benefit from my own needles. After the haze has lifted from my Christmas knitting I'll get more specific.

3. Learn new techniques. I made my first moebius this year and there are several other techniques I'm interested in trying... steeking is the first to come to mind.

4. I'd really like to knit for charity. My goal is to start a project after the first of the year and keep one charity knit on the needles at all times. I'm not sure if I'll go for one charity or several. I need to decide this.

5. Post on my blog in a much more regular manner! I've been a slacker and I need to get myself in gear. I'm shooting for at least 4 times a week. Hopefully, I'll have enough content to entertain anyone who happens to read this!

And, so I don't completely bore you with my list, here are some fo's!

Lainey's finished socks to go in her stocking. They're from Cascade 220. It's an easy pattern called Cabled Toddler Socks by Rosemary Waits.

There's also a pair for Hayden. I had to add two cables, but now it fits him great (with a little room to spare.) He also requested a red scarf. I used FrogTree Alpaca worsted and it's so soft!! A red vest was also on his list and I started one (designing my own) on Monday night. It's from Cascade 220 heathers in red, but not bright red like the socks and scarf. I'm about 6 inches or so into it and will take a picture if we ever have any decent light here. So far I like it AND think it might actually fit him! I need to have it washed and ready to wear by next Thursday for his Holiday program at preschool.

I've finished two pairs of Fiber Trends Felted Clogs... The grey pair is for my BIL and the "bright" pair is for my FIL (who requested an "absurd" color scheme. We'll see if this works for him.) I'm gifting them unfelted since I'll be there to help them felt.

Now, in addition to Hayden's vest I need to finish the second in a pair of socks, another pair of clogs and a pair of socks for my SIL. I see little sleep in my near future!

It is good knitting weather here though!