So last night, after everyone else was in bed, I wrote a blog entry. Then my computer froze, so I gave up and went to bed.
Don’t you hate that?
Yesterday was day one of the Christmas school holidays. Em decided to celebrate by burning toast and setting off the smoke alarm to wake me up. Only five weeks and four days to go until school goes back!
In knitting news, I started and finished Twinkletoes.

They don’t look like much in that picture, do they?
But they look much prettier on!


They’re a great knit. I knit them to gauge, and if I knit them again, I’d probably knit them a little tighter. The calmer has a nice stretch to it anyway, but they’re a little floppy for my taste. Em loves them though.
She went to a costume party last night, as a Fairy Princess.

And she would have worn the Twinkletoes if I’d let her – fortunately I didn’t as the party was out in the unfinished back yard. She has another party to go to tonight. If only I had half of her social life!
Then again, I’d probably just be tired.
The Lace Panel Sweater is inching along in it’s progress. I’ve seamed the shoulders and knit the neckband.

As soon as I get over the Nundle sweater, I’ll seam the shoulders and side seams!
I’ve gone back to working on the Spring Blossoms shawl. I’ve almost finished the eighth pattern repeat. If I was using Zephyr, I’d be almost done! But I’m using a finer yarn, and i really think it’s too small, and I still have plenty of yarn, so I’m going to resist the temptation to cast off and keep going for at least one more repeat. Two if I can stand it. I’m at 792 stitches right now. We’ll see how far I can get.
Twinkie hopes you’re all enjoying the Holiday Season.

Really though, she’s saying “I can’t believe what you people will do to me for blog fodder!”

So I finally got around to finishing the ZigZag sock pattern.

I really should have blocked those socks, shouldn’t I? And the light box that David created for me needed to be a bit bigger, but the pattern is done.
And it’s available here.
It’s in a pdf file. If that doesn’t work for you, email me, and I’ll send you a word doc. If you make them, don’t be shy! Send me a picture, I want to see them!
Merry Christmas, happy holidays 🙂

Things have been busy knitwise at Casa del Random.
The Lace Panel Sweater is in a lovely pile of blocked pieces.

Not seamed yet. It often takes me a while to work up the seaming bit. Like the Nundle Sweater. Yes, I finished knitting it on June 15. Well, while I was waiting for the LPS to dry, i finally decided that it was past time to finish the Nundle Sweater.
It took 2 hours on Tuesday night and all day Wednesday, but it’s done.

Six months later. Yes, I’m ashamed of myself. This is how many ends I got from just one side seam.

No wonder I put it off. Too hot for modelled shots yesterday, and no-one here to take pics today. I blocked all the pieces back in June when I finished it, but I think it needs to be blocked again. It went together beautifully, but there’s something funky going on in the top of the sleeve. See where it looks all puffy? It’s a drop shoulder sweater, so it looks funny to have the sleeves puffing up like that. I’m hoping a blocking will help.
And that’s not all.
P-p-p-p sock number one is up to the toe shaping!

And there’s one other thing that I’m saving for another blog entry. But here’s a hint. I love Calmer.
It’s raining here today again. But Twinkie still wanted to go play outside.

So she found the only dry spot in the yard.

Thanks to everyone who offered a ball of Calmer.
A prettily wrapped ball arrived today from a friend.

And look at the colour!

Perfect for a pair of ballet slippers! I’m itching to cast them on, I even raced off to block the Lace Panel Sweater. As soon as it’s done, I’m casting on for Twinkletoes. Or maybe earlier. It was 37C here yesterday, sticking hot, and today is cold and grey and drizzly. Bad day for blocking, so the Twinkletoes may hit the needles a little earlier, if I really can’t resist!
This arrived today as well, and has my fingers itching.

It’s a cashmere scarf kit from Rabbit Tree Farm. I first saw it on Kim’s blog, and she helped me track down the seller, as they don’t have a website. Wonderful service, with the whole transaction done by email, with just one quick phone call to provide my cc details.
The yarn is 80% cashmere and 20% silk, and just feels heavenly.
And we finally did it.

The tree is finally up.

Saturday again, they sure do come around quick, don’t they?

Another beautiful day, although it had started out gloomy and grey.
I have sleevage.

Two sleeves, knit exactly as the pattern said. They look very narrow, but I’m too lazy to adjust the pattern, and frankly, I’m already over this sweater. They go around my arm, but I don’t have skinny little arms anymore, and I think they’re going to be fairly fitted. I’m hoping they’ll loosen up a little with blocking.
After much consideration, I ripped the front back to the mistakes.

I have to admit that I was very tempted to just leave it as it was, but it would have driven me mad knowing the mistakes were there. It’s not too bad, I’m at the armhole shaping, so there’s not too much to be done.
I have a blocking question for everyone.
The back neck has some live stitches sitting on a stitch holder, waiting to do the neckband. Do you prefer to block it, live stitches and all, then seam and do the neckband, or do you seam, do the neckband, then block?
Usually I seam the shoulders, then do the neckband, then block it as one piece before puttng in the sleeves and doing the side seams, but I was interested to see what everyone else does.
New Knitty!
David loves this, but I think I’m too lazy.

For myself, I like the monkey socks. (There’s a surprise!)

And the Argosy scarf.

And Em likes the Piggle hat.

And I haven’t shown her Twinkletoes, but don’t they just have her name all over them?

And they were designed by Chloe, who was my lace swap pal!
However, I have no Calmer. I’ve never knit with Calmer before, though have heard all good things. I don’t suppose anyone has a lonely ball laying about in a girly colour that they want to offload? 😉
Is it worth buying just one ball for them? Like I’ve ever needed too much of an armtwisting when it comes to yarn buying!
A Twinkie photo. She’s found a new hiding place.

Still no green christmas tree, but I bought a new Christmas candle.

Pretty!