Christmas is Coming!

(N.B. To keep this post to a decent length, and also because it is Babs' blog, I will limit the projects I mention to those using Babs' yarn.)

I am one of those ambitious knitters who always likes to knit most of her Christmas (and other) gifts. This is partially because I like knitting, and partially because I often express love through yarn, and Christmas is all about love.

This year's line-up is, as always, extensive and impossible. Here are some of the projects I have in mind for gifts:

[caption id="attachment_1273" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Whovian Mittens in 2-ply Toes[/caption]

This first one is probably my favorite. A pair of Whovian Mittens for an English cousin. As a lover both of Doctor Who and stranded knitting, these were an absolute joy to knit! And the Yummy 2-ply Toes were more than enough for this pair- I can probably get another pair out of my share of the set of Toes I split with Carmen for these mittens-- if I can bring myself to deal with that many ends in such a small space again!

[caption id="attachment_1274" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Lots of ends here, still...[/caption]

Next up is a pair of convertible-gloves-in-progress for another of my English cousins- since the international Priority Mail deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery has passed, I really need to get a move on with these! Knit out of our new Heartland Worsted, they knit up fairly quickly and are gorgeously soft, while still manly.

[caption id="attachment_1275" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Unblocked lace... soon to become beautiful![/caption]

While counting inventory last summer, I ran across this color, Scarlet Ibis, which immediately reminded me of three of my cousins-- a family of sisters. I thought it would be fun to knit three scarves out of the same color, using different patterns. I have finished two, and am part way done the third. The Yet is knitting up beautifully, and is nice and soft, so I'm hoping these will get a lot of use as decorative/indoor scarves.

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="aligncenter" width="300"] LOOOOOOONG scarf in Yummy 2-ply![/caption]

For my older sister, I thought I would knit several shawlettes and scarves this year. I have one finished, Christata by Susanna IC. It was designed in DK, but I wanted to use this particular color of Yummy 2-ply. I knit it twice- once with 300+ stitches, when I decided it was too small. Then again with 600+ stitches-- it is now amazingly long, but she's going to have to deal, because I am not frogging again!!

[caption id="attachment_1277" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Precious Metals-- soon to be frogged.[/caption]

I have also started Precious Metals, a quick shawl, one would think, but it is knit sideways, and I have discovered a dislike for sideways shawls while starting this. I may frog it and do something else, because I love the color!

[caption id="attachment_1282" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Oak Hills in Yummy 2-ply[/caption]

For this sister I have also another scarf in progress, Oak Park in Yummy 2-ply mostly scavenged from the to-become-samples bin one weekend when most of our yarn was at a show and I really wanted a garter stitch project. It'll still be gorgeous, though!

[caption id="attachment_1278" align="aligncenter" width="174"] Coos Bay in Sojourn IV... now to find a pattern![/caption]

Then, because my younger sister is getting some cashmere gifts, I thought it only right to knit some cashmere for my older sister as well. This yarn wants to become a simply patterned scarf. The color will look great on her, and the Sojourn IV will make this a sure favorite!

[caption id="attachment_1279" align="aligncenter" width="273"] Sojourn IV in Vlads for Fingerless Mitts[/caption]

For my younger sister, I have several pairs of fingerless/ short-fingered mitts planned. I want to knit the Warm Hearts, Warm Hands mitts out of Sojourn IV in Vlads, and another pair out of Sojourn IV that I have yet to decide upon.

[caption id="attachment_1280" align="aligncenter" width="269"] Platypus-to-be in Yummy 2-ply[/caption]

This to-be-knit project was serendipitous... Babs had just dyed the gorgeous Wheel of Time color, which I was coveting. Then I saw the pattern Platypus on Ravelry, and knew it was meant to be!

[caption id="attachment_1281" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Stealth Daleks in Heartland[/caption]

This sister is also a fan of Doctor Who, and so I cast on for a Stealth Dalek hat last night when I needed a break from mittens. The pattern is geometric enough that non-Whovians will think it's just pretty, but to those of us in the know, it's a pretty awesome pattern!

[caption id="attachment_1283" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Awesome Cupcake Hat in 3-ply Toes[/caption]

A co-worker has an almost-one-year-old girl-- the perfect knitting victim! I have picked out a super-cute hat to knit for her, the Awesome Cupcake Hat, out of a few Yummy 3-ply Toes.

I've also asked Babs do dye me a dark-green-ish color for a scarf for an uncle in Yummy 3-ply. The men in my family, besides my father, are very hard to knit for, so when this uncle said last Christmas, "I wouldn't mind a scarf," (while fingering the Poodle Scarf I had knit for another aunt), I knew I had to knit him one!

Well, with that written, I can see I have a lot of knitting to do! I'd better get cracking! I never finish everything I'd like to do, but I always enjoy the process, and everyone enjoys their "eventually" gifts, so it all works out.

Happy Christmas, everyone!

Helen@MissBabs

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