Handmade Christmas

I'm still hard at work over here knitting for Christmas.

This scarf has grown quite a bit thank goodness, but I've been a bit stalled for the last week. I was knitting 2-3 of the 16 row repeats every evening and feeling pretty good about that progress until I hit a serious snag on Thursday night. I would knit a lace row and end up off by 1 stitch every time. Fortunately I'm only knitting across 49 stitches so it isn't too bad to rip back, but when you have to repeat the same row 4 times before you can move on that gets REALLY old. I finished only half of a repeat that evening and ever since then I've been knitting on Ender's Christmas sweater.

The lace pattern really is pretty and when it's going well it's a fun and interesting knit. I returned to it last night and made it through 2 repeats without any trouble. Only 9 repeats left before finishing the edging and completing it!

I don't have current pictures of Ender's blue sweater, but I finished the body up to joining the sleeves and I cast the first sleeve on on Monday. I'm currently "ribbing like mad" as Elizabeth Zimmermann puts it in an attempt to keep him in the sweater all winter even if little boy growth spurts attack in the next few months.

Still to work on for Christmas?

:: A pair of slippers for each of the boys (knitting)

:: Ezra's vest (knitting)

:: new pajamas (sewing)

:: drawstring bags (sewing)

:: the prayer shawl for my mom (knitting, and also probably not going to be finished by Christmas, but she knows that)

The current plan is to cast on Ezra's vest as soon as either Ender's sweater or the Kernel scarf are finished and next after that is the slippers.

I have a few days off coming up and I've already blocked time to sew on those days. The sewing is pretty easy so it shouldn't take much time, but now that I've just written those words I'm sure it will take twice as long as I expect. Isn't that always the way?

~ Don't want to miss another post? You can subscribe using the button at the top of the sidebar!~