All the updates and pictures I promised

Tons of stuff to post this time. I'm finished with my planned holiday gifts. Well, some still need to be washed and blocked, but the knitting is done!

Here's Lori's Shrug:


Here's Dale's hat, I had to dye the orange and I screwed up which blue to use, but it's a fun hat nonetheless.

Yarn:


Hat:


Sarah's Birthday Scarf:


This purple yarn is knitpicks gloss in cosmos, which I used for Mom's Shawl:


Nathan's Cardigan is coming along nicely. It's not finished, but I preemptively decided it wouldn't be done before Christmas, so hopefully it can be snuck in.


I also decided I would throw in some mug cozies for the kids' teachers, mugs still have to be purchased!


And I also made my first handspun!


Made myself a Bucket Hat which is the most fabulous thing ever! I wear it all the time and I've never itched once. I'm completely in love with malabrigio. Must buy more when I can!


I also made my first Thanksgiving meal last week. After 9 years of marriage I finally made a damn turkey.


And I started the shawl for Lori for her wedding gift. I have been busy. Keeps my brain busy so I don't have to think about all the other stressful things. Everyone's brain needs a break sometimes.

I've been a good knitter, but a horrible blogger

In fact, I'm honestly surprised that I've done this well at all. Blogging has never been in my nature and I only have a twitter account to see Casey's updates. I've been chugging along trying to get Christmas knitting done because it's going to be a hell of a tight holiday with things the way they are and the way they seem to be tanking around us. Everyone seems to be getting laid off which certainly isn't helping me find a job considering the last time I had one was four years ago. I don't seem to be too employable at the moment.

That being said, I'm still diligently working on Nathan's Cardigan. I really want to get it done before Christmas, but it's at the end of the list because Nathan's mommy knows my knitting list and will be happy to accept it even if it's not under the tree on the 25th.

I'm also working on a shawl for my mom made from Knitpicks Gloss Sock Yarn in Cosmos. It's just a plain garter stitch triangular shawl, but I do plan on running ribbon through the eyelets along the increases to make it prettier. I'm making her boyfriend a striped hat, like last year, but in the team colors he likes. I had to dye the "pumpkin" color to make it more orange-y (it was a darker paler orange) and it didn't take too well, so I'm going to have to give it another go tomorrow. The original color in the yarn came out some in the water, which I've never had a knitpicks yarn do, but I don't know if that affected anything at all.

I'm making my mother in law a shrug and am really keeping my fingers crossed that I can do both sides the same as I made some changes to the pattern. It is quite beautiful and I really want it to work out.

I also started a scarf for my sister in law, not necessarily a Christmas present, but I thought it would be something she would like and she does have a birthday just 5 days after Christmas.

I will hopefully get some pictures up soon. I've been lazy with the camera since my kitchen is kind of a wreck and that's where I get the best lighting. Once I give the batteries a charge tomorrow and get my counters all back in order, I have a lot of making up to do.

I think I am doing Christmas Knitting this year.

I just can't avoid it. I have more gifts I want to give than my budget really allows for, and there are people that I really do want to make special gifts for. So, since none of them are readers of my blog (and anyone that would read my blog won't find their details here, silly). I really really really really wanted to make stockings for Christmas but I really think it is just going to have to wait. I want to do gifts first and if I can then crank out stockings, I'll be a super hero.

D wants a hat with Denver Broncos colors and I think that is completely doable with Cascade 220. I am a bit nervous ordering since I will only see it how my computer shows it, but I will perhaps get some Ravelry input.

I want to make Mia for M and maybe L, but I'm really not sure what yarn to go with yet. I'd like to use some DIC smooshy, but I worry about how much I'll need because I really can't go over 1 hank each.

For A, I want to make legwarmers and a hat that I have in a magazine (and I just can't remember which one right now!)

And little M loves toys, so he'll probably get some of those.

And I'd really like to make S and super chunky cabled scarf and hat, but we'll have to see, that may be a bday present.

and I do have super pictures to show, including Nathan's Cardigan, but I need to scoot for now!