As Kat Knits

Hello Everyone!

November is finished and December is all we have left in 2007. 

I don’t know about you but, to me, that hardly seems possible.

I need to get some Christmas decorations up – seriously, I need to crank it up a notch. 

I also need to put my family room back together – they just finished the “clean up” from the water down there – I had my carpets cleaned on Wednesday. 

I am a tad bit concerned about trees and cats.  Okay, maybe more than a tad bit concerned! 

I was going to post a photo of my carolers on my coffee table this morning – but, there was altogether too much interest from Noel and Maddie in being right in the midst of things.  I have a full day scheduled out of the house and common sense told me that there needs to be some cat supervision!!

Noel did not climb the tree last year at all – okay, she was rather small.  Her favorite thing was to sleep under the tree, hiding amongst the presents. 

I have a sinking feeling that she won’t be sleeping as much this year.

If any of you have any tried and true “cat proofing” techniques leave me a comment!!

On to something more interesting… like, perhaps, knitting!

Christmas knitting is rolling right along.  I got the heel turned last night on daughter #1’s sock.  Looking good!  I got the pattern figured out as well – well, the pattern in my head figured out – that is to say!  My “aha” knitting moment recently – I am more than capable of knitting socks without a pattern!!!  Okay – they are basic socks – and the basic sock recipe is an easy one to learn – but I have taken the basic sock and added some of my own unique twists to the pattern.   Thus, my new desire is to get some “stitch dictionaries” so I can expand my stitch knowledge!  I am putting these on my “wish list” for my children for Christmas!  

I showed off Anne Hanson’s “Snow on Cedars” Mitts at knitting last night – I absolutely love this pattern.  I am knitting a pair for my momma for Christmas as well.  I picked up some lovely INEXPENSIVE yarn from Friends of Wool – a great shade of heathered grey.  I have the pattern down almost to memory, and they are such a quick knit! 

Oh… and I was at Kim’s website this morning and I was so weak!!  I could not resist the lure buzz of the bees and before I knew it, this kit was on order!  Now, here is what I call some good karma – Kim and Anne Hanson have teamed up to create a truly gorgeous sock.  So, after my Christmas knitting is completed I shall soon be knitting me some french perfection for my feet!  I am sure that I will be in a “let them eat cake” mood sporting my Marie Antoinette Bee Socks! 

Okay, I better get moving on my day – have a great Friday everyone!!

Hello everyone!

Are you all getting in the spirit of the season?

Have you gotten out your Christmas music?

Is your tree up?

How about those Christmas cards???

Yesterday I focused on my Christmas knitting – and yes, I am knitting diligently away on my holiday projects! 

But, lest you all think that I am doing nothing else to prepare for the season – I have enlisted the assistance of Ann to help me create my holiday cards! 

As you can see, I have paper and stamps and I even have an idea of what I want to do…

All that is left is execution! 

So Ann, Blogless-Mary, and I will work on that part on Friday night!  I will even make a bit of dinner for us all. 

So, stay tuned for the creative genius to emerge!

And you should really go listen to Jingle Bells soon!  I know that Bing and Perry are coming to my house today! 

Hello Everyone!  Hope your Thanksgiving Holiday was filled with much to be thankful for!  

Now, with Christmas looming LARGE in front of me.  I have visions of knits dancing in my head!  Many visions of knits!!  You see, I have this stash that is coming in quite usefully right now! 

Who knew!! 

Hint to all knitters - don’t ever let anyone give you grief over the size of your stash. 

 Tell them that you are saving up for a “rainy day”. 

No job = stash knitting!  Very happy stash knitting too.

Now, on to the photo’s!

I did spin up some pencil roving I got from Friends of Wool.  This is some nice stuff!  Merino – and it is a dream to spin!  This was a crazy orange, red, yellow colorway – boy, this is just my colorway!   I got another bag of some great greens – this will become the Chevron Scarf from Weekend Knits – for me!!  My handspun, hand knit up!  This will not be started until after the Christmas knits are completed though!

Now, on to the Christmas knits!  Here is a simple sock pattern – very simple people!  Knit time – 2 days – not knitting all day either.  Maybe a total of 10 hours of knitting.  So, these will be for my son – I did an “eye of the partridge” heel for a little difference.  Nice?  I need to block them and they will be done.  Ends are all woven in as well!  Yarn:  Berrocco Ultra Alpaca, just over 1 skein.

Next up, daughter #2 socks!  She loves my socks – LOVES them!  Same basic sock pattern – with a small cable up the sides.  I will do a W/T heel on these to keep the cable pattern running smoothly along.  This is about an  hour of knitting time – just over 4 inches completed.  Yarn:  Berrocco Ultra Alpaca.  These are such nice cushy socks!  And, knitting on size 6’s is not all bad either. 

On to daughter #1 – daughter #2 saw this hat on the cover of IK Holiday Gifts – and promptly said – that hat looks like Rachel!  So, last night – I found the yarn online, ordered it, and I am hoping it arrives soon!  This will also be knit before Christmas! 

Other holiday knits on the horizon…

a “Holland” color hat for Sam…

socks for Rachel…

an assortment of mittens for Heidi, Sam, Rachel, and some of their friends who have placed their request…

The mitten book arrived yesterday at Friends of Wool. 

So, what are you all knitting for Christmas?????

Have a great day everyone!

Hello Everyone!

Are you traveling somewhere for Thanksgiving?  If you are – be careful in your travels, you will be traveling with the “masses” as all the news programs have told us. 

Also, as the newspaper informed me this morning, today is the “kick off” of the holiday party season – and the local police will be out in force tonight targeting druken drivers. 

Did you all know that Thanksgiving Eve was a night to party? 

It is one of the biggest nights for drunken driving. 

Really?!?

Okay, here is my question – aren’t they having Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow? 

Who is cooking? 

I can assure you that I cannot imagine heading to my local watering hole tonight – I have WAY to much work at home to do! 

Now, that is not saying I might not have a glass of wine as I talk with family while I am working on “turkey feast preparation”! 

I obviously live a sheltered life as I was clueless on this front page fact!

That being said – it is with a very thankful heart that I end today’s post with some of the things I am thankful for:

Rose and Ruby for being there and listening to me.  Also, for making me feel useful – it means more than you could ever know.

Mary and Ann for being such good friends. 

My children for the blessings they bring to my life.  And, they are blessings even with the challenges that teenagers bring! 

My parents – I am so very blessed that I still have my parents – many friends no longer do, and I am thankful I still have mine here.

This blogging community and the friends I have found through it. 

My faith – without it I am not certain I could get through the day. 

And last, but certainly not least, Kyle. 

So, as you work on preparing for your Thanksgiving feasts tomorrow – my wish to you is that you will find much to be thankful for in your day.  And, may you take those blessings with you in your days following, that your Thanksgiving may become Thanksliving.

You are all in my thoughts – Happy Thanksgiving everyone!