oh! square #2! ... how i love thee .....

even though the short row'd stitches sway and lean ....

i've been a bad, bad girl ....

but ... why should i resist such yumminess?! nikki says this is going to cost me body parts. she's right. but, body parts can be purchase in bulk discount or on sale, via various websites. WEBS offers a discount based on purchase. a $60 order yields a 20% discount, and a $120 order yields a 25% discount. kureyon is always discounted at this site. plus, if you check out either of these kal's for this project, there's always tips and links to other sales and opportunities on the net.

i never need any justification for knitting something i've fallen for. i am not opposed to eating beans & rice.

oops? oops. yep. i should be doing for others, but could not resist the temptation of lizard ridge anymore.


i got four little harmless balls of kureyon.


but, i will be good, and get started on some stupid sock creatures this afternoon. unless the lizard blankie calls ....

hooker online

well, most things are working now ... with the exception of my software for my camera. hmmm ... i was able to upload via my printer though.

as you can see, not much going on here. sometimes i feel like i should just give up on this christmas and say i'm making things for next christmas! that way, i won't feel so far behind, and might even feel a bit virtuous.

now that the computer works again, i need to stay away from it ... too much to do!


... yes, i do use my kitchenware for crocheting and knitting.

My computer seems to be on its death bed. No posting til it's resolved .

--

Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com

thank you all for the compliments on the stockings ... i hope the client likes them as much !

i guess i forgot to mention in the previous post the source of the pattern for the stocking. the inspiration was from nicky's knitted christmas stockings. the woman for whom i knited these stockings supplied everything, as it was an abandoned project. when i received the materials and book from her, she had begun knitting the basic stocking in the booklet, as instructed. her original intentions were for me to just finish the stockings.

but, after looking at the progress and construction, i contacted her and told her how it could be better, and she granted me carte blanche to proceed with my ideas.

i did not change the materials. she picked the yarns and colors. but, i did change the construction. the nicky epstein patterns are all written for 2 needles, and i made the stocking knitted in the round. i've knitted lots of socks, and i figured a stocking is just a giant sock. so, i loosely followed the nicky instructions regarding the finished size, but changed the rest.

i cast on at the top with a provisional cast on. i knitted the cuff separately from the bottom edge to the top, and then did a three needle bindoff with the stocking stitches. that gave a nice firm top edge that would not roll to either side, because i could not figure out how to get a nice turning ridge when knitting in the round and have the cuff in reverse stockinette and the stocking in stockinette.

so, i guess i did write the pattern.

oh, and the little crochet snowflakes at the top? those are a few of the ones i managed to starch when that project was abandoned a few years ago. they're all from this booklet.

finito !

yeah! i finished the stockings. i really wanted these finished by dec 1st, but just could not pull that off. i will drop them off at the yarn store on monday for the customer to pick up. i'm sure she's eager to hang them with care ....

all is knitted except for the snowflake motif. the snowflake is from a leisure arts book, white christmas in thread crochet. i actually made all the snowflakes in the book a few years ago, but kinda stalled on starching them. my idea was to make it winter in my living room and hang all the snowflakes from the ceiling.

so, yeah! i'm finished! and i so desperately want to work on something for myself now ... but i seem to have this crazy list of holiday gifts to make. hmmm ....

ps. stockings measure about 21" on the diagonal from the base of the hanging loop to the toe.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
egg nog … with extra rum!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
i like seeing wrapped presents under the tree … though as a child, some of the presents from “santa” were unwrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
colored lights. i don’t care for the pristine look of all white. ewww ….

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
no, only because i don’t go looking for a tree to snatch it out of.

5. When do you put up your decorations?
asap. i put mine up before i went home to my parent’s at thanksgiving … so i would have my lights and tree ready to go when i got back to my home.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
tamales ! and tenderlion cook med. rare with horseraddish mayo runs a close second.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
my dad is the worst shopper, and i think i follow in his footsteps. i remember him coming into our apartment one christmas eve, with brown paper bags, and i distinctly remember the rattle of cookie monster’s eyeballs!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
i don’t remember … mom? Can you help with this?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
YES! IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

10. What kind of decorations are on your Christmas Tree?
i have a tinsel tree from the 50’s, so it’s decorated with old balls from the flea market, some from my childhood, and some are “shiny brites”. the tree spins around on a revolving base, and has a color wheel shining on it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread?
i love snow … because i live in the south, where snow can still be a novelty. though, i cannot claim to love it when i'm hiking thru thigh-hi drifts with ice caked on the side of my face ... searching for the shelter.

12. Can you ice skate?
i’ve skated. i’ve fallen.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
no, i don’t. but, i do remember my first “big” gift … a sewing machine, when i was 10 yrs. my dad presented me with “the book” first! (forget unwrapping a big doll or something!)

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
i have very fond memories of a lazy day spent with gooooood friends on new years day. i just want to relax and enjoy. everything seems shinier and happier, (are those words?) … and i most enjoy the twinkling lights. it's a very emotional time of the year for me, probably because of my birthday ... and maybe hormones?

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
hmmm … no sweets for me, unless alcohol is involved. i’m a savory kind of gal.

16 What is your favorite holiday tradition?
i love watching Jodie Foster’s “Home For The Holidays” with my mom at thanksgiving. and last year’s “Family Stone” runs a good second!

17. What tops your tree?
a couple years ago, i had a pretty vintage glass topper, until someone broke it. now, i have a very heavy and oversized three-tiered snowman topper, that kinda makes the king branch lean (even with a size 3 susan bates knitting needle taped to it !!!)

18. What is your favourite holiday book?
i don’t have one.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
oh, i don’t know … i like all the classics, sung by the original artists. i’m not a big fan of the “new” tunes all jazzed up by pop artists.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yummy?
yuck. i liked them when i was a kid, until i lost my sweet tooth. now, that's a whole other story ....


ps. this meme, my first, was totally stolen from knotty mouse.