Handmade Christmas: Finishing up!

I thought I'd share my Christmas handmades again as I'm getting closer to the end! I finally crossed the finish line on Kernel about 2 weeks ago and I'm pretty close to finishing the boys' requested sweaters.

Kernel Scarf:

Pattern: Kernel

Yarn: Maggi's Linen [Rav link]

Needles: US size 6

Once I got the hang of the repeat and could "read" it well it went pretty quickly. I feel like I'm a lot more confident in my lace skills after this project, and I hope that I continue to gain confidence as I work more and more lace. I also learned to graft with even tension for this project. I've grafted sock toes before, but this was harder grafting work for me personally. Trying to maintain the same tension as I had knit with was a little bit of an adventure (read: I may have had to graft a few times)

This scarf measured 55" long and 7" wide before blocking and after blocking grew to 67" long and 9 1/2" wide.

Also in the Christmas queue:

 Ender's sweater:

I'm following Elizabeth Simmerman's EPS for the measurement here and I'm through the first decrease on the yoke. Another good evening of knitting and I'll be finished with this! I know it's just plain stockinette, but that is as requested.

Yarn: Cascade 220 wool [Rav link]

Needles: US size 8

Ezra's Vest:

Pattern: Diamond Back argyle Vest [Rav link]

Yarn: Hobby Lobby I love This Yarn [Rav link]

Needles: Size 8

 This has been a nice little intro to intarsia for me! I was able to complete the front in about 3 hours one night and didn't get too tangled up in all the loose threads on the back.

All that is left is to weave in 50 gazillion ends, stitch up the sides and shoulders, and add the ribbing at the neck and arms. It won't take long, it's just getting up the gumption to take care of all the loose ends!

Additional Christmas gifts:

1. A requested prayer shawl for my mom: in progress, 13 repeats to go of an 8 row repeat across 300 stitches. I'm finishing a repeat in about 90 minutes, but I've been really working at finishing the sweaters first.

2. Slippers for each of the boys. I have to grab yarn for this on Friday and I've made a goal for myself of being finished with Ender's sweater and Ezra's vest by then, as well as being another repeat or two farther in on the prayer shawl. I'm planning to use the Elf Shoes pattern by Pamela Wynn. [Rav link]

3. And maybe more? I might be crazy. We had our drawing for the 2 people we'll be buying for on my side of the family so now that I know who we're gifting I kind of want to knit them each something. Yeah... I don't know about that either. Totally depends on how fast those Elf Shoes go. Oh yeah- and did I mention that these 2 gifts would have to be ready for the 18th? We'll see what happens here...