Post Christmas Post

One week into the holidays and I am already feeling it.  It, the need to stop, to slow down, to have a blank agenda for a day or three.  With T. in the house, we are whipped up into a frenzy getting him to the doctor, the dentist, the masseur, the clothes store, his favorite restaurant, the movies, etc., etc.
Now that most of the have tos have been looked after, this second week will bring time to get back in touch with the self.  Since November, I've been doing a little lot of knitting.  I have 5 pairs of Toast in my gift-giving drawer.  The yarn used is Classic Elite's Portland Tweed, a mixture of virgin wool and alpaca with a little viscose.  It knits up beautifully and I love the colors.  Here is a shot of the pile.  I just have to weave in a bunch of ends and they are ready to go.

I also made two of this lovely Marian cowl by Jane Richmond using Rowan's Splash (no longer available but you can try to get it on ebay or Ravelry). This colorway is called Seascape and I love the muted tones that remind me of the beach in Florence, Oregon.  One cowl for me, one for the darling girl who does my hair.

Once I get a pattern down, then I am not too stressed to make it for someone else.  I just have to get it down perfect pat  before I dare to offer it as a gift. I remember too many times I wanted my Mom to knit me this or that and she would always do her best but sometimes... it didn't turn out well for me and I felt guilty that I had her do all the hours of knitting required to get the thing done and badly about the money spent on the yarn.  That's the rub with all things hand made.  They CAN turn out not-so-good despite one's best efforts.

I am looking at making this caplet with a ball of yarn that has been hiding in the window seat for a couple of years.  The pattern is versatile, it can make a caplet or an infinity scarf, so popular nowadays.  This knitting thing, it's really good for me. It's a hobby that travels well and calms me.  I usually knit before I go to sleep, thus avoiding the ever present screen (TV, computer) that can sometimes overstimulate the mind and make sleeping even more of a challenge than it already is.

That being said, my three guys are waiting for me to watch a movie on Apple TV called Looper, starring Bruce Willis... 

...I am definitely bringing my knitting.

Bisous,

Stella