Merry Christmas 2009

It's been a good year and I am in my happy place! I hope to carry this feeling forward with me throughout the rest of the year, even if things don't go the way I want. I'll be able to remember the feeling and keep my spirits high!

I did decide to knit a few gifts this year for Christmas presents. I usually agree with the No Knitted Gifts movement, but sometimes I just can't help myself.

I made two pairs of slippers for the in-laws. These were for Nana.

These were for Bompa.

When I was first learning how to knit, a friend taught me this basic slipper pattern. I made a couple for family members at the time but haven't since that first year. My father-in-law made a special request for these this year, because they are just like the ones his mom used to make. I've heard that from other people too, I guess this used to be a pretty popular way to make slippers. They are a pretty quick knit and are really cozy. They don't look like much but they sure feel nice on when it's cold!

The other knitted gift I made was a pair of fingerless gloves for my sister. I drew her name for the family gift exchange and thought right away to make these.

I had found this yarn, Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Socka Mexiko Color and really liked the colors in it. Since the gloves didn't take a whole lot of yardage I think I may have enough to make myself a pair. They are a perfect purse project. I was actually able to knit on these while walking on a treadmill at the gym. Sure I got some funny looks but I think it was just something a lot of people don't see a lot. I feel pretty good walking and knitting. I just listen to an audiobook on my ipod, put the ball of yarn in the cupholder and start walking away. 45 minutes will go by before I get tired and notice the time. It's a fun way to stay fit if you ask me!

One little present I bought myself was a set of Signature needles. I had bought a Swirl Shawl kit from JoJoLand when I was at Stitches West in February. I had made one swirl just to see what it looked like. Then when I got home, it got put with the stash so I could finish my lace shawl for my sister's wedding. One of the reasons I hadn't picked it up yet was I didn't have size 6 double pointed needles. I had tried to do the swirl on circulars and it was just to much messing around. So I had made up my mind to look into getting some nice double points. One of my needle preferences is a super sharp tip. The sharper the better! That's why I love Knit Picks needles so much. I have some things I could say about their quality, but I won't because what they lack in quality they make up for in customer service. And that's an okay trade off for me. Anyone who says Addi Lace needles are just as sharp, hasn't compared them. They are obviously NOT as sharp, which is okay if you prefer bluntness. The more blunt the tip on my knitting needle, the more sloppy my work looks.

I have always been intrigued about these Signature needles, but have never had an excuse to buy them. They are very pricey and they don't make circulars which I use almost exclusively. So lucky me I had this project to have an excuse to buy them. I bought a set with 5 needles and it set me back $60. They are not slick but have the sharp point I like (I bought the stiletto point). Which is working out for this project perfectly! I can see myself sitting down and making a couple of these every day and having the shawl done in no time, because they are really fun to make.

One last thought I wanted to put down. Just because it's a nice thought and makes me think there is hope for all of us. In Christmas of 1923 Rudolf Steiner wrote this: "The regularity with which the Sun moves through the seasons, the regularity manifested in the growth of plants and in the life of animals - this regularity was once chaos. Harmony has been attained at the cost of great travail. Humanity stands today within the same kind of chaos, but out of the chaos, there will arise a harmony modeled in the likeness of the harmony in the universe."

Merry Christmas to Humanity!