can you believe it is almost a new year? i shudder to think of all of the projects i started this year that i have yet to complete, all of the promises i have yet to keep, all of the things i wanted to do and all of the sudden it’s time to make new commitments for next year-

a few of my completed project for 2011 that I have not shared...

my "i hate socks" socks. my most frogged item is by far is the sock. the day i started to give them another try i attempted 3 patterns and frogged them all. i like this one~ cant you tell by the name i gave them? at least it was easy to see where you are in the pattern and very easy to keep up with. my goal was to give socks for christmas this year.

i started them in july.

i did not give socks for christmas this year.

true pattern name: blueberry waffle socks by sandy turner
needles: us 5 
yarn: 2 skeins reynolds soft sea wool purchased from black sheep wool company

pattern notes:
1) 12 rows of rib
2) 8 pattern repeats before beginning heel
3) (oops) instead of decreasing every other round after picking up heel side stitches i decreased every round~ too far along to go back, will just have to make the second the same and hope they don't look like rejects.….
4) ended with 20 total pattern repeats before shaping for toe

what i actually gave for christmas this year was my 2010 cable and lace ornaments. knitting in the round, very much like a sock (small pat on the back) but without the dreaded gusset, heal flaps and other crazy unnatural knitting techniques and terms that sock knitters use. the pattern 'cables and lace christmas balls' came from patty mccallister.

i used louisa harding’s glisten in these beautiful jewel tones and plain 3.5in glass christmas ornaments.

i c/o 42 stitched and worked 4 cables with an additional 4 rows worked before the two decrease rows. they fit perfect, no need to measure anyone's feet.

i could not find a christmas red in glisten so found a substitute in berlinis new bejewel (looks exactly the same only a heavier weight). the red is beautiful and the ornaments cable details show up better with this yarn but on the first ornament into the skein i have found 3 knots and about 8 inches of frayed unusable yarn mid way through. because the gauge is different i kept the needle size the same and knit 4 cables and then jumped right into the decrease rows.



note if your interested in the yardage for purchase~ one skein bejewel makes 2 ornaments.
one skein glisten makes 2.5 ornaments

the newest project on my needles is to make a cosy for the beautiful tea pot leigh gave me for christmas. i have never knit a tea cosy but this little guy is small enough that i am pretty sure it wont be too painful to design one through trial and error. i am using shibui knits sock yarn (in seaweed) and us size 2 needles. when i get it worked out i will post the pattern. 

happy new year everyone!