And the holiday gift knitalong gifties go to:

Calmer to Stephanie
Atacama to Liesel
Woolarina handpainted to Karen
stitch markers to Emily
KidSilk Haze to Ruth

(Winners were chosen using an online random number generator. Winners, please contact me by email with your address, so I can send you your prezzie!)

Thanks to everyone for making the knitalong such an enjoyable experience! It was a real pleasure to check in each day and see so many wonderful gifts being knit.

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Sockapaloooza sock sisters needed!

In order to keep up with the updates this time, I'm asking for four or five VERY RELIABLE gals to "watch" a certain number of blogs, take update emails, and send me a weekly round-up for my tuesday post.

Meanwhile, my sock savior socks are finally underway:

And the tech guys are brainstorming about sign-ups. More info next week!

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And I am so ready to kick it! I got my yarn for my boots picked out and am excited to start drilling! Look, Johanna even loaned me some goggles.

Let the fun begin!

Are you all done with your holiday knit gifts?

jump for joy!

It's time for the holiday knitalong contest! There are five gifties to give away to the generous knitters who participated in the knitalong and made so many incredible gifts for their friends and families.

1) 1 ball Calmer in white (great for the Aura cap or Shedir from last fall's Knitty surprise issue)
2) 1 skein Atacama alpaca in variegated pinks - this would make such a fabulous hat!
3) 1 skein handpainted worsted from Woolarina - 160 yards of beautiful blues
4) set of beautiful stitch markers made and donated by Raellyn
5) Rowan's Froth gift pack, including two skeins Kid Silk Haze and scarf pattern, donated by Stephanie

So get your final number in to me today, get your gold star, and I'll pull names over the weekend!

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And on the thirteenth day of Christmas, my UPS man gave to me... (sing along now)

Two capezio shoes. And I'm ready to make the knit boots!

Last night, before the ball dropped, I finished my last holiday knit gift, the too big tech guy sock (read the sad saga here). I even managed to add a fun embroidered design before the countdown began. I don't have any pictures, as the recipient was with us for New Year's Eve and wore the socks home. I'm sure I'll see them again though and they'll have their moment in front of the camera.

For now, I'm as proud of my gold star as a grade-schooler with her first graded homework assignment. And I can ring in the new year by knitting something new and exciting for me!

Happy happy.

Here it is, my Knitorama accidental project.

I was really diggin' the funky shrug in the Knitorama book that is made with sampler squares all sewn together into a big rectangle. But Lord knows I'm not ever going to knit sampler squares! Large rectangles of stockinette, however, I can do. In fact, I have done it: in my melvilla poncho. I actually rediscovered my poncho when I was pulling the Christmas decorations out of the back of the hall closet earlier this month and have been admiring the poor neglected thing for some weeks now. I mean the colors are so fun and the Manos much too nice to merely decorate the closet. But the whole thing didn't end up being very wearable. It wasn't really warm enough to wear as outerwear on a cold day, but there was way too much fabric for me to just wear it to keep me warm at night while knitting. All I needed was a brilliant idea of how to rework it so it would be more functional. Enter the funky shrug.

On Christmas Eve, I pulled out the poncho, took some measurements and realized that the two rectangles of the poncho could be resewn together to make one long rectangle approximately the size of the Knitorama shrug. So, I took apart all the seams, then reseamed it and stitched together armholes. I nixed the buttons, as my shrug doesn't have the exact same proportions as the pattern calls for and would be too constricting if it was closed (picture Tyrannosaurus Rex arms and you'll get the idea). But even without the buttons, it stays on just as well as any shawl would. And check out how those blue stripes came together in the back.

I freaking love it and have been wearing it since Christmas!

Okay, I'm not technically finished yet, but I'm so close to being done I couldn't help but start planning for after.

Yes, I finished the Hannukah socks! And the last tech guy sock is back on the needles. (The yarn I need to finish the turtleneck shrug is being slow to arrive, so I don't think it should count against me.) That puts me at 11.5 of 12 gifts finished and close enough to start making post-holiday knitting to-do lists.

1. Begin sock savior socks. I've got a sock class starting next week and hope to complete these with my students and have them ready for mailing mid-January.

2. Make fabby knitted boots. The shoes are on my Amazon wish list. I didn't get them for Christmas, so time for me to go ahead and order them myself!

3. Make Hermione mittens. My hands are cold.

4. Begin a new sweater FOR ME! There are so many that I had planned to make this fall and winter that it's going to be hard to choose. Current possibilities are: this pullover in red Mission Falls wool, Rowan's Bless cardigan in blue Cork, Ella Rae t-shirt sweater in purple cotton angora, Knit & Tonic's not a cowl in something from my stash.... What should my first sweater of the new year be??

5. Begin sweater for hubby: the man's zip raglan cardigan from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I've already got the yarn and since at least two other Knitsmiths are making this one for their man, we can all knit it together!

6. Start organizing sockapaloooza three and planning what projects-gone-wrong to rip out for the new year's rip-along!

7. Get a full night's sleep. Right, like that's going to happen. Not with all this new knitting to do.

look at me, I'm giving out stars!

Teacher says, every time a bell rings, a gift knitter gets her star. I've been passing out stars at the holiday knitalong all weekend. There are now over 50 knitters who have completed their holiday gift knitting! I too am inching closer, having finished mom's Koigu socks, just in time for her to take them home with her after her visit.

happy feet

The boys love their new slippers too. Can you tell? They're sitting in their new favorite chair, the Ikea Lomsk chair. They were so excited about the chair they even wanted to help daddy put it together. Good tip on drill use from my son S. (especially for all of us planning on making those Knitty Gritty knit boots):

the drill as a knitting tool - I love it!

"We have to be careful and stand back because if it touches us, it will hurt us and we will screw ourselves."

smile for the... oh, forget it

Before going downstairs to open the presents, the boys and I pulled on our weasley sweaters. I'm thinking of keeping it as a new tradition for Christmas - wearing weasley sweaters, or handknit sweaters to open gifts.

and eat giant Christmas lollipops

And under the tree were a few fabby knitterly things.

A blue sheep mug for my blue blog from Rebecca.

carribean sky under the tree

Beautiful blue hand-painted yarn from Dani. I'd been coveting this yarn in her online store and she saved some for me!

Super-funky book, Knitorama, from Lisa (I love this book so much I've already kinda made something from it! More later this week, when I get some buttons to finish it off.)

And the boys were very excited to be able to tell me that there was "yarn for mommy" in their new, big Lego crane set.

see it?

Well, I guess that's what you get when you put yarn on the boys' wish list.

God bless us, every one.

Only two more days 'til Christmas and the elves are doing their best to wrap things up.

The Kersti socks are finished and ready for gifting! Unfortunately, the wrapping elves also uncovered a small quality control problem in the knitting factory. As they were packing up one pair of tech guy socks, they discovered that one sock was significantly larger than the other. Santa had a tough call to make, but the elves responsible have been dealt with and one tech guy sock has been sent back to the factory for reknitting.

In the meantime, the elves managed to crank out one complete Koigu sock, but since no Cash Iroha has arrived, the turtleneck shrug is still awaiting its turtleneck. And the second Hannukah sock will most likely be neglected entirely until it's actually Hannukah and the elves have finished the Christmas gifts and had a little egg nog at the factory holiday party.

Yup, this year's Christmas knittng is going into overtime. The elves are asking for holiday pay.

A last minute substitution in the race to the holiday knits finish line. Since reallocating the black and gray socks to a Hannukah gift, I was left in need of new yarn and a new plan for the original pair for Christmas. Exit classic, neutral socks and enter color, color, color.

It's Koigu Kersti in gorgeous purple and orange shades (color #121). I wouldn't have ever picked out these colors for myself, but now that I'm knitting with it, even I, anti-variegation girl, have started coveting this sock. The colors are so bright and complement each other so well.

And the Kersti is all soft and squooshy just like a great yarn should be. Which made it easy to knit the first sock in one day.

Another pair of sock savior socks to make us all feel good about knitters and swaps and things like that:

Betsy's new Jaywalker socks from Anita

And a big thank you to whoever it was that sent me sock savior yarn from Maine (there wasn't a note in the package and I forgot who it was who was sending a yarn donation). The donated yarn has been sent out to two sock savior knitters to knit make up socks!

And I'll be making a pair of sock savior socks too. Just something I felt like I had to do. These are on the post-holiday to-knit list.

Koigu #805

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And an update on my race to finish the holiday knits. There is lots of holiday cheering, because one black/gray sock is done!

Unfortunately, there's also some holiday jeering, because it's just not right for the recipient. The size, the colors, the ribbing - they're all fine but not really for the person I had in mind. But I think they might work for another person whose socks were pushed from the Christmas to the hey-Hannukah's-after-Christmas-this-year list. So I'm ahead on his gift! That makes me 9 of 13 now. Thankfully, most of the remaining recipients don't mind getting their gifts with the needles still in them!

Check out more details on my progress and all the general holiday knitting madness at the knitalong!

Another pair of socks underway.

These are for mom. She picked out the yarn (Koigu) on my summer trip to Purl. I wasn't so impressed by the colors in the hank, but they are knitting up so much nicer than I expected. Each color is really rich and the variegation isn't pooling or swirling or looking muddy. Everyone who has seen this sock has been quite impressed. Nice eye, mom!

And with this project all of my holiday knits are either done or on the needles. Here we go!

click here for the HUGE picture

The elves have completed another pair of socks! With the blue Shepherd Sport socks finished, the elves are celebrating by catching up on their sleep. Then they'll be catching a break from holiday knitting and will most likely work on the Hermione hat. All the remaining items on the holiday list (2 pairs of socks and 2 scarves) are for folks who we'll see on Christmas Day or later, so we've decided they can risk it. Anything to keep the elves happy. We're all S.P.E.W. supporters here, don't you know!

Just because I haven't finished the blue ones yet, doesn't mean I can't start another pair, right? I've got three more pairs to make here, and I don't want to fall into a sock slump.

I'm knitting these socks from the leftovers of the Shepherd Sport I used for the two pairs of tech guy socks. I had about 3/4 of a ball extra in each color and am hoping that it's enough to make two socks. Pretty please?

I wonder what sort of sacrifice I can offer to the yarn gods....

Sockapaltwoza sock savior socks you have to see....

Anna's socks for Judy
Brynne's socks for Pam
Joan's socks for Kristel
Kim's socks for Alison (scroll down to Dec. 1)
Regina's socks for Lindsey

A big thank you to these generous knitters and to my other sock saviors, including Carry, Jody, Judy, Julie, and Katherine.

Last call for sock saviors! I've got seven names left on the list (one of whom needs a sock savior for their sock savior). Dare I ask if there are more generous knitters still out there?

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In keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, fellow holiday knit-alonger, Raellyn, has donated a little pressie for the post-holiday contest. (Shhhh, I think it might be stitch markers, like these beauties that she sent me!) If you recall, everyone in the holiday knitalong who finishes all their gift knitting will be entered in a contest to win some little knitterly gifties. I've got a hank of some fabulous Atacama alpaca ready for gifting and, well who knows what else....

So remember to keep me updated on your gift count and get that gold star!

So before they started talking to Michael Moore, I gave them a day off from holiday knitting and let them have some fun. They made a pompom for my funky handspun hat.

I kept thinking how that crazy fringe is really what makes the scarf so cool and as I still had some leftovers from the fabulous misshawklet bulky yarn I'd used for it, I decided the hat really needed a matching pompom. I tried out one of those little ring pompom maker things (because I am crap at making pompoms!) and it worked so well, I'm now wondering if the boys' kool-aid hats don't maybe need pompoms too.

And since I used up all my misshawklet yarn, I had a friend pick me up some more of her funky handspun at Boston's Bazaar Bizarre this weekend. It's crazy cool!

Visions of funky scarves are dancing in my head....

Second blue sock begun.

Gray tech guy socks done.

It's a war on holiday knits!

After hours of knitting on that tiny circular needle (which I've forgiven for being so fiddly now that I'm on a 24 inch circ), the turtleneck shrug has two sleeves and the beginnings of an actual turtleneck.

But now I'm out of yarn. Ooops! Well, that's what happens when you substitute. Another thing that happens: the yarn store sells its last skeins while you're knitting. Double oops. So it's on order. No worries, though, it's not discontinued (although that is the third thing that usually happens). I should have it in time for Christmas.

Did I just jinx myself?

Progress on the blue socks.

I finished the first one last night, but still have to kitchener up the toe. I think I've overestimated the recipient's foot size, so I'll probably rip out the toe and go back an inch before reknitting it. I want these to be really nice. They are a holiday thank you gift for a friend of my mom's who always sends the boys great Xmas gifts, even though he's never even met them. Almost every gift he's sent is something the boys love and use everyday - some cool chairs, fun umbrellas, their favorite puzzles, the comforters on their beds...

You know, there are some good people out there. And they deserve handknitted socks.

Speaking of thank yous and blue socks, this is some beautiful blue sock yarn that Bliss sent me as a Sockapaltwoza thank you gift. She is a sock goddess! She made great socks for her pal and a pair of sock savior socks and now she's sent me this awesome sock yarn from Jocelyn's Fiber Farm. Yup, lots of good people out there.

UPDATE: And just two hours after posting this, the Christmas packages for the boys arrived from Mr. Blue Socks. I'm so glad I'm making these socks!

Sock knitting induced ennui has set in.

The elves finished gray sock #1 but got bored with the gray.

So they started a blue sock (Shepherd Sport in denim) with ribbing.

Oh yeah. Can you feel the excitement?

I woke up this morning to choruses of 'do you remember this game from yesterday?', 'can we play this game again?'. As a matter of fact, yes, I do vaguely remember something about a three an a half hour game marathon yesterday. After a few more games of Kinder of Catan this morning (one which was pretty heavily thrown B's way), SpongeBob has finally relieved me of my duties. So I can get back to cleaning, blogging, laundry and, if I'm lucky, knitting.

The holiday gifts are still top priority. The first gray sock is past the heel and I've updated my progress over at the knitalong. If I can't get all these gifts knitted, it may just have to be Kinder of Catan for everyone on the list this year!

Scarf Style, that is. They're working away on the turtleneck shrug and have just finished the first sleeve.

This scarf will be for my mom's friend who I recently made the ruffles scarf for. She saw the pattern pic for this scarf and said she'd love it. And she's such an appreciative recipient that I couldn't say no. She asked for black and after searching a bit for the most fabulous possible yarn, I settled on Noro Cash Iroha in this awesome jet black color. The yarn feels so great with the cashmere and the silk gives it a beautiful sheen. It's going to be wonderful to wear.

The elves would like me to mention, however, that they are not so much enjoying the tiny little 11 inch circular needle that you need to use to knit the shrug according to pattern. I'd asked others who've made this pattern or worked with the wee needles before if it was a nightmare, and everyone seemed to suggest that it was fine, so I thought I'd give it a try. After about foot of knitting, I sort of got the hang of it, but I'm still not liking it. I can't help but think that this would be SO much faster if I simply knit it flat and then sewed the seam up the inner arm. I'm determined, however, not to give up. I may be a seamer, but I'm not a quitter! Plus, the elves are planning on making holiday cookies.

The day after Thanksgiving and you know what that means: time for the elves to get their little sock-knitting patooties in gear!

At last, the first of six pairs on the holiday knit list is on the needles.

And speaking of Christmas lists, the boys started making theirs when we went to FAO Schwarz this afternoon.

Judging from their reaction, what the boys would most like for Christmas is another taxi ride through Manhattan!

a big yellow taxi took my heart away

Have you been over to the holiday gift knit-along recently?! There's so much incredible knitting going on, I can't keep up! Every day there are like 20 new posts, most with finished projects! (This sort of blog is exactly why we've got Bloglines notifier, people.) Seeing so many projects finished makes me feel like my gift knitting is moving at a glacial pace. Only one new knitgift to show you today.

A scarf-sized clapotis, also in Kosmos yarn, also knit in two days, for my other Great Aunt. I'm afraid that the quick and frugal gifts are at an end though. The next gift scarf is the turtleneck shrug from the cover of Scarf Styles in some rather pricey but fabulous Cash Iroha. 3x3 rib in black for miles. This one is definitely going to take a while.

And then it'll be time to get down to the socks.

Here's my sock pot, full of yarn for holiday socks. There's six pairs in there - one Koigu, two Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, and three in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport (so glad that I went sport weight for at least half of these babies!) - all waiting for the elves to dig out the dpn's and work up their courage.

If I can only get them to stop surfing the holiday knit-along!

Speaking of socks, I'll be working on some final sockapaltwoza details (checking in with sock saviors and those still waiting for socks). Let me know if you still haven't received socks and have given up on your pal and I'll get you on the final sock savior list.

One weekend on the job and the elves have already finished one holiday knitgift. And yes, this one is really done, not merely almost done, like the boys lining-less hats or hubby's still plain tech guy socks!

This is a scarf for one of my great aunts (and just because I love misleading the folks doing tacky google searches, I'll say it again, these are the aunts for whom I knit the hotties). I like to try to knit something for them every year and this year mom suggested scarves. I scoured the store for just the right yarn - soft, washable, chunky, and not too expensive - and Marks & Kattens' Kosmos yarn fit the bill perfectly. With the acrylic content it's soft and washable, on US10's it only took two days to knit, and it cost a mere $10 for the whole scarf. I picked a lovely pink for the other aunt and her scarf is already blocking!

The elves are back and they're on a mission.

Almost another weasley!

Doesn't it look done that way? This is how it really looks though. Still the last sleeve to finish and sew in and the bottom edging to complete.

After going back, adding a couple more inches to the bottom, and watching it roll even higher, I decided to hem the bottom edge. It's a nice, clean look and the sweater is the perfect length now. I wasn't 100% sure what to do at the neck however. Ribbed cuffs, hemmed bottom edge of body, and a roll neck seemed like too many styles for just one sweater. So I did the same stockinette hem on the neck as at the bottom edge and I'm giving it a day to see how I like it.

Other weasley knitters trying to make the deadline:

Aimee has 13 bars finished on her scarf
Jen also has only one stripe left on her scarf
and Karlie is almost done with her PoA scarf too
MA has finished her Hufflescarf
Ruth has finished a House glove - you gotta see it, it has all the House colors on it! - and is knitting away on her Ravenclaw scarf

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It's almost time to close the door on the sockapal-2-za! There are lots of make-up socks underway and a couple more socks have made their way to pals:

Beth got some fabby mermaid socks
MeBeth received some supercool superhero socks
and Nanette loves her new socks (check out her post and see how much!)

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In the holiday knitalong, we've got over 80 participants and even more in the queue to be invited. There are some really fabulous projects over there! I love the fact that people can post their pics there for us all to see without the gift recipients seeing them on their normal blog. It's so fun being in on everyone's gifts!

My holiday list of 7 pairs of socks, 1 scarf, and 2 hats has a half a checkmark on it, as B's kool-aid hat is all knitted but still needs a lining. S's red hat is underway, so that's like a quarter checkmark. Woo hoo, that's 3/4 of a checkmark all together! Of course, I've just added 2 more scarves to the list, so I'm actually 1 1/4 checkmarks down now. Hmmm, maybe this keeping track thing isn't such a good idea after all. (Heh, heh.)

...there's a new knitalong all ready for, well, knitting along.

I set up a group blog at whowouldntloveahandknittedgift.blogspot.com so everyone can post about all their progress. Just leave a comment to this post or send an email and I'll send you the invite to join the group!

...I love IKEA.

There's FINALLY an IKEA in the Boston area! We skipped the craziness of the grand opening on Wednesday, but one day was as long as I could go before visiting. So we drove over yesterday to check it out. The boys had a blast playing in the playroom and the showrooms and even got balloon animals!

....the boys loved their Thing costumes. Last week, before the Stoughton IKEA opened, we went to the New Haven IKEA (we just went to meet up with grandma!) and the boys wore these for the two-hour car ride.