All I Want For Christmas...

(To the Tune of "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth")

Everybody stops and comments on my blog

My knitting mojo is quite a slog

I don't know who just to blame for this catastrophe

But my one wish on Christmas Eve is as plan as can be....

All I want for Christmas is my Mojo Back
My mojo back
See my knitting mojo back
Gee, if I could only have my mojo back
Then I could knit you a "Merry Christmas"

It seems so long since I could say
"Mommy is making many mittens"
Gosh, oh gee, how happy I'd be if I could only finish (something)

All I want for Christmas is my mojo back
My Mojo back
See my knitting mojo back
Gee, if I could only have my mojo back
Then I could knit you a "Merry Christmas"

It seems so long since I could say

"Lookie here what I am knitting!"

Gosh, oh gee, how happy I'd be, if I could only finish (something)

All I want for Christmas is my Mojo Back

My mojo back

See my knitting mojo back

Gee, if I could only have my mojo back

Then I could knit you a "Merry Christmas"

Oh.... also I think the kid wants a couple of teeth too....

*****************************************

Merry Christmas faithful blog readers... 'tis the season for being busy... but I did I have something to show you!  Guess what was finished ON TIME to be gifted on the 21st?

Pattern: Cuff is "Elise" by Johanne Landin and the rest of the mitten is "Nordic Style Mitten #2" by Shona Smith

Yarn: Cascade Yarn 200 Superwash Merino in "1" and "42"

Needles: US 3

Notes: I added a more detailed cuff from the Elise mitten and also a Latvian braid to spice this pattern up a bit.  Satisfying knit- would very much recommend the pattern.  

These ended up looking pretty great... so hat tip to me!

In total I had five pairs ready to gift this year (whew) but ultimately decided to hold the cable mittens back... worried someone would get missed, so I kept it to just teachers this time.

That's a whole bunch of mittens!

Now that the mittens are done... there are new, small, projects to indulge me for those lovely lazy days between Christmas and New Years where you find yourself being exceedingly lazy and time seems to be on your side for a change.  But we will discuss those on another day... 

In the mean time- HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Hoping all of our 2018's are productive ones!

Christmas Squeaker

Let's get it done right out the gate today- I have another finished mitten to show off!

Pattern: Zimushka by Olga Beckmann
Yarn: Rowan Pure Wool Superwash Worsted in 112 "Moonstone"
Needles: US 3
Notes: Lovely pattern and quite like how the cables decrease when it come to narrowing the hand. However- I found the mitten quite tight.  Next time I would go up a needle size... maybe even 2.

Because these knit up tightly (which thankfully stretched a bit after a wash) I'm a little concerned they can't really be gifted to anyone who doesn't have tiny hands.  So sister may find these in her stocking this year... just by default!  (I'm such a thoughtful gifter... haha)

Progress on the other mitten started quite strong.... but has fizzled.

For some reason I cannot motivate myself to finish up.  Nevermind that I have 8 days until I need to present this as a gift... 😵.. I'm having a hard time just sitting and knitting.  I forsee a few frantic nights in my future as I try to make up some lost time.

My days are busier than I'd like right now... with a million Christmas errands that need to be run- but I'm hoping Friday the weather is supposed to be somewhat "frightful" and I can potentially convince the kid a Christmas movie marathon is in order... while mommy knits like a speed demon!

To get you feeling "in the spirit" I leave you with this pic of my very excited kid meeting Santa.  There's a rumour at school that Santa "isn't real".  I know that it's going to happen at some point and I also have a bright and logical kid who is asking a lot of questions.  So, I'll enjoy this picture of him and "not the real Santa" as he informed me after.  {The Santa at the husband's Christmas party was deemed "the real deal" though... so am hoping that we get some mileage there.}

Wish me luck guys... I'm gonna need it this week!

Squeaker

I seem to always forget that Halloween-Christmas are my insanely busy months.  I had intended to post yesterday but there is only 24 hours in a day... and I could use about 36 in order to get everything done I want/need to.  Intentions are all well and good... but they're not substitute for an actual accomplishments.

I started November with some lofty goals.  2 faire isle mittens and one plain mitten.  To put it bluntly- I didn't get there.  I got close-ish?

I'm just barely squeaking by but fresh off the presses (and still a little damp in these photos 😕) are the sexily named "NORDIC STYLE #3" mittens.

Pattern: Nordic Style Mittens (#3) by Shona Smith 

Yarn: Cascade Yarn 220 8505 (White) & Diamond Luxury Pure Wool Superwash 930 (blue)

Needles: US 2.5

Notes: I don't really have much to add to this, except to compliment the pattern designer who wrote a very concise pattern.  So good... might do it again!

Faire Isle mitten #2- I've got nothing. Hoping to cast on something tonight and eek them out prior to school being done on the 21st.  Wish me luck... and a change in time to 36 hours a day.

The Zimushka mittens are close.... they just need thumbs.

I'm hoping to have these done by the end of the weekend.  These need some serious blocking.  If I were to knit these again I would go up a needle size.  These fit my hands (which are small) but they are tight.  I'm not sure I'm going to gift them to anyone other than my sister... who has teeeeeny tiiiiiiiiiny hands.  We'll see what happens after blocking.  They're good looking though!

And that's where we're at today.  I'd really like these mittens done because I want to move along to some easier projects... but gifts first.  Hopefully I'll have some good news to report soon!  Let's do this December!