That looks beautiful! Whoever gets that is a very lucky person, and I hope they appreciate it sufficiently.

A few ends!!!!!
what a wonderful sock, your knitting inspires me to take on projects I would never have thought of... good luck with the speed knitting and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Fantastic!!!!! But the ends - just looking at them makes me want to cry!

Steph, The sock looks lovely from the public side. Thank you so much for writing to us when we know you are so busy.
Merry Christmas to your whole family from a devoted fan.

It's beautiful!!!! I do not envy you on all those ends... perhaps you can employ a daughter who just happens to be on vacation...

Did you get the manuscript done as well? You are a talent! Merry Christmas:)

I now want to knit Argyle Socks... Those are amazing, and you are a dreadfully bad good influence!
~x~

Don't weave in the ends. Tell the recipient that they're thrummed socks...extra warm.

Isn't argyle fun?! Of course, I have SSS on the Lime & Violet Arrrrgyle's for my father. Like, a year long SSS. Love the colours you chose!

Yay for you! Great, now I have to put argyles on my queue.

By the way, can I share something with you? My SIL called this morning (yes, Dec. 22, bless her heart), and asked what we'd like for Christmas. I told her yarn, don't know what hubby said. She asked from where, I said knitpicks.com or yarn.com. She called back a while later to ask how much angora I'd need for a sweater! ANGORA, BABY! Yes, caps, because I'm excited too. I said according to the yardage per ball, 3 would make a lovely shawl, but I'd need like 9 or 10 for a sweater. I guess they must like me or something. I think I'm getting an unmade angora sweater for Christmas!

Your argyle sock is inspirational! I'm knitting myself an argyle Christmas stocking. I haven't gotten to the diamond yet, so may have to make do with a normal size handknit sock for my Santa goodies.

You go Girl!!! you are on a circular(ie knitter talk for roll) keep on knittin' ;-)

I was speeding down the Knitting Highway ready to exit at the "Make an Argyle" exit until I saw all the ends to weave in. Jimminy Crickets!

oh I forgot...chocolate all lined up within reach??

That is gorgeous and you make it sound so easy...

Hmmm... http://www.socknitters.com/argyle/index.htm you say...

That nasty pile of ends is precisely why I will NEVER knit argyles. You enjoy. Apparently you have more sanity to spare than I. I'll use mine to find a house to move into within the next 5 weeks.

Yikes, those ends...Couldn't we pretend it's a variation on thrummed socks?
You inspire me, thank you!

baby, you ARE on fire! yee-ha!

Presbytera has it right - improvise, dude, improvise!

Yep, Sandra and Presbytera are correct - the ends...justify the means..(sorry).

What a lovely sock! I have faith that you'll finish everything before Christmas!

I'd also like to wish you and your entire family a very happy holiday season!!!!

See? It all comes out all right in the ends.

A few? The sock looks fabulous! You ARE on fire!! Good luck with those ends!

They look beautiful, on the outside.

You go girl. The annual Harlot Christmas marathon is on! You boldly go where no one dares to go. Don't know how you do it!

I feel you on the yarn ends.... I just wrote a book on intarsia and thus my last year revolved around weaving in ends! :)

WOW - you rock.
As for weaving in ends, does that HAVE to be done before Christmas? Maybe not.........

The ends would slow me down that is for sure. Looks great.

AUGH! Sweetie...you have a few ends to weave in!!!! (But I'm still in it with you...blocking? Has anyone heard of blocking? Nope...blocking seriously hinders my knitting time!)

The back of that argyle looks like I feel.

And while Rachel H and Presbytera and I may sometimes sound mean, I think that sock is on our side -- the ends justify the means.

[Credit to Toby at 5:25 -- warped application not T's fault.]

I'm so impressed. I'm reading knitting blogs instead of doing my Christmas knitting. Oh, and nothings wrapped that didn't already leave the house. I should probably stop now and go do something.

Awesome sock. Happy, Merry, Jolly!

that looks fantastic! Keep knitting only 3 days left. Wait, three days! it's not enough time!

Congradulations on all your knitting accomplishments for Christmas. Have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. (Can't wait for your new book!)

Yeeow, what a *gorgeous* sock! (Ends? Whoever it was up earlier was right. Don't the girls need to practice on properly weaving in ends?) Only a-- Well, however many gifties left! No, I can't remember, of course not. I'm back from a day of shopping for Christmas Eve dinner for myself and I can't remember my head right now. Although I did think of you while shopping, and sent wishes for any stores you may visit to be as only modestly crowded as mine was.

And just in case you do go down struggling under a pile of knitting and you don't manage to post again before The Day - Merry Christmas to you, Joe, the girls, Ken, and everyone else! ::hugs::

I sure know what I'd be doing whilst weaving in all those ends.

Cheers!

Eeek....I'm glad I was sitting down when the picture with all the ends rolled by. But the socks are sure gorgeous on the right side. Perhaps you could tell the new sock owner that the ends were left loose for extra insulation and not to worry, eventually they'll felt right down. What? The other socks not like that? Ummmmm....this one is experimental. Yeah, that'll work!

You awe me with your knitting skills.

Um, yeah, that's the major drawback with intarsia (grin).

That is impressive. I don't envy you weaving in the ends, put still a very impressive sock. Way to go!!!

I have no clue how the heck you do what you do. I am in awe.

looking at all those ends to be woven in makes me feel not nearly so bad about frogging the grandgirl's too-big ankle-length sock, even though i was already to the gusset.

merry christmas, happy new book and please visit indianapolis sometime in '08. you have LOTS of fans here!

Haha, yep, just a few ends. ;) It's a gorgeous sock! (Or, ya know, very manly if it's for a gentleman...) Good luck! =)

Don't you have three daughters old enough to weave ends in (I'd give my eye teeth and fleece artist stash to whoever can teach my 15 month old how to weave in the ends of mummy's knitting without stabbing someone!)? I'd be hiring or pressganging whoever's sitting around holding eggnog but no darning needle ...

go baby go! the faithful believe and after all, 'tis the season of miracles!

You know those ends can be left until the very last (like after they open the box). It totally counts as "done". Besides, what's Christmas without some finishing work to do after?

The Boy will be getting his gifts still on the needles. Wrapped of course. And the US postal service at the airport is open 7 days a week until 11pm...

yay!!! i love the argyle... weaving that many ends would make me crazy. keep up the good work!!

Weave as you go... Simple heh???

Just when I was thinking argyle would be a pretty nifty thing to try next, you had to burst the bubble of disillusionment with ends. I would knit it and let it sit for years, unable to bring myself to weave in the ends. *sigh* At least I know my weaknesses.

Thankfully, I know you're more dedicated to the cause.

Great progress! Keep us posted if you can spare the time to blog!

good job!!

i feel your excitement. i just finished my mom's present- a charlotte's web shawl- and i'm stoked. it's technically late, because i have to mail it out, but it's DONE. and that's what counts!

Gorgeous!
That's the first real argyle sock I've ever seen. You really are a star. Now I want to make one (ahem, two).

Wow! So thats what they look like on the inside. Whew! way too much weaving for me.
last two rows before cast off on the shawl and the yarn knots!!! big honking knot and I know knot how. UGHLY UGHLY! Hubby with lighted magnifier light, two sharp pointy things that look like dentist tools, 1 pair bamboo skewers 1 hr, some sweat and a few swear words later. No knot.
Did I mention I love the man?
It's blocking now

That looks far too complicated, but amazing, maybe next year :) I still have to knit cuffs on a pair of felted mitts, make a quilt out of my daughters BME t-shirts and make a leather hand bag. I did however find a turkey the right size and vacuum the house today! Ahh Christmas on the full moon sure makes for grumpy husbands! (don't ask)Maybe another glass of wine would help.

you are too funny! thanks!

I'd leave the ends loose and then snatch the sock away post-presentation to be finished. Then again, I'm far from a perfectionist and all hope of completed my own list of Christmas knits was all but abandoned last night. The colors in yours are gorgeous btw. My father has always loved argyle socks, which is strange because he's a farmer who is usually reserved with his clothing. Anyway, I think I'll start a pair this year to present to him next year... or the year after. Cheers!

Wow! Amazing! Could you show us and "after" pic with the ends weaved in? Is it a little bulky after? I just ask because I'm a terrible weaver/finisher, mine would be lumpy bumpy. That's just a work of art!
Happy Holidays to your Family Stephanie!!!! :)

Oops! sorry for the double post! I got an error message the first time! Now I know! LOL!

Wish you could have seen the look on my face when I saw those ends. But, you can do it!

“God is in the details.” - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

If you believe in such things. ;) Knit on!

OMG, those ends... Well, you can do it, dude, because you are ON FIRE!

You friggin' ROCK! I've never tried argyle, but I'm thinking with a beer or two, it's possible.

Yes, just a few ends. Or, you put the sock into a box with a note which reads:

"Dear Much-Loved Sock Recipient,

Here are your argyle socks. I hope that you like them and wear them often.

But not until you return them to me for a little spaghetting trimming.

After all, I had to put down your socks temporarily in order that someone else's Christmas present might become something more than a pile of yarn. You wouldn't have wanted to have been the reason that someone else's feet were left out in the cold, now would you?

All the best,

Steph"

WOW! I so don't see myself knitting those any time soon! I love them though, I'll have to learn intarsia.

Curse that weaving in!

Wow, Right on!!! That looks great!
I'm with the others that cringe at endweaving.....
I did an intarsia baby blanket for my firstborn. I'm still looking at the ends that need weaving and he's four years old......
You Go Girl!

Marvellous colours.

Wow...I wanted to try knitting argyles....until now.

I agree with the folks who suggested you gift the socks "as is" (ends not woven) with an IOU for the finish work!

I gave a former boyfriend a semi-finished sweater for his birthday. It was still on the needles!

Beautiful girl!! Aren't they fun-even on a deadline. I finished a criss cross sideways cabled hat today and it fits so I am on to the wavy felted purse. You inspire me-as does the thought that it is now Sunday and "the day" is Tuesday.

I was seriously contemplating making a pair of those until I saw the "wrong" side. Yikes! I would need a drink or two to tackle that mess.

The ends are on the inside. As long as the recipient pulls them on in a responsible (ie. slow and cautious) fashion, there should be no problem, and if there is, it is due to their irresponsible sock put-oning and no fault of yours. The ends add warmth - like wee skinny thrums.

Aaaaaieeee now I remember why I don't do intarsia. The right side of the sock, however, looks fabulous. Good luck with the rest of it (and your schedule)!

Aryle...intarsia...OY! Better you than me, you don't mind my saying. Sheesh. I admire the work on bended knee as usual - but I have to admit in all honesty, I don't like argyle. It's 'cause I'm a child of the '40s and got sick of argyle socks, argyle vests &c. Nope, I'll stick with les toques.

A few ends? Holy hell!!! Recruit some daughters for this task and crack the whip!

That is a gorgeous piece of knitting. Just beautiful.

And yeah, there's just a few ends there.

It is a spectacularly beautiful bit of knitting, just as art. Makes me want to try argyles.

I don't envy the ends... I usually need a friend chatting with me and a cup of tea by my side before the ends get done. Actually, I finished ends on a pair of socks today, that I finished knitting in October.

I might be drunk butI still thing you rock my world. Knitting marvel. I wanna grow up to be you.
Lise

Congratulations on the argyle milestone. Way to go.

Oh, and congratulations on affecting pop culture and changing the English language with your coining of a now-official new buzzword. Doubly way to go.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

OK, at first I was attracted to the argyle sock (reminds me of my teenage years). But now that I see the back, I don't know if I want to knit this. Great looking socks ghough ! I hope the recipient apreciates all this work.

The argyle sock is lovely. I thought I might want to knit some...until I saw all the ends that needed to be weaved in!

Merry Christmas! :)

ummm- let the ends felt up... and call them thrummed?

socks look great- keep knitting!

... and THAT'S why I don't tackle Argyle. In fact, I won't be tackling anything for a while. Almost 2 years ago, I had Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left hand. The right hand took less time to go. I am wearing my brace 24/7 and CAN'T KNIT! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Hey, you made the NYTIMES!!!! "Kinnear" as one of the best new words of 2007. WHOO-HOOO!!!!!

Are you THAT good, or did you steam block that little beauty before the photo?

The sock is truly lovely. Congrats on getting it this far. If the recipient doesn't truly appreciate it I think that you would be in your right to sit them down and explain in detail what exactly you went through to get it done. Restraining may be necessary.

Go go go! Woo hoo, you can do it! (Now I have to go check out the NYTimes and see Kinnear.)

They are beautiful indeed. But where can one find a pattern? I have wanted to do argyles for a while now but cannot find a pattern. Thanks.

Dude. There you are in my Sunday New York Times. I now have to call all my nears and dears and brag on you like a proud auntie.

(The argyle's pretty sweet, too.)

You can do it Stephanie! That sock looks amazing and I know you can finish your Christmas knitting! Just keep knitting, just keep knitting.

I laff & laff at you youong knitters and the Argyles! Those of us in our 80s and still knitting were making those for our boy friends back in the 1940s. And doing a pretty good job of it. It takes two sox, ya know! But we've never achieved anything NEAR what you have with those beautiful beaded lace work shawls and such. You do lovely work, but I'm too old to learn. Old dogs, you know! Love your blog. Now back to my old woman knitting. Animals and dolls for grandchildren.

You have done fantastically well with all your knitting AND a manuscript. If you don't finish all your projects, just finish them later and give them as after-Christmas gifts. I think its kind of nice to get something after the Christmas day madness is over, when there's more time to appreciate it. In my opinion, this special season is always over too quickly anyway, so let's make it last a little longer. If you need some chocolate, just come on over--there's plenty at my house.

you go, girl! I have the toe to do on one sock and an entire other sock for a big guy. Fortunately there's a football game on this afternoon. I seem to knit faster during football games or political debates. For some reason, yelling at the television makes my hands move faster.

Good luck with those ends, eh?

Merry Christmas to Stepanie, her Family and All of the Commenters!! Steph: your Argyle socks have made me look up a pattern (socknitters.com) for Argyles with detailed instructions that a novice like me can follow,now Hubby may be getting a pair for his B-day in Apri! Ty for the enabling and inspiration to try new things!

NY Times! - you're mentioned in the New York Times, (23 Dec 07, Week in Review, page 3) for the term kinnear. Full credit given to you. People are reading your blog, you are influencing the world. Well done! Now, go knit.

I logged on to congratulate you on the NYTimes, and of course people have beaten me to it. "Kinnear" is definitely part of my vocabulary now, but today I got to explain it to my husband.

These socks are gorgeous! Félicitations!

just turn those socks inside out and hang them on the tree...better than tinsel....chuckle

Isn't that sock a little, er, short?? Shouldn't you do another repeat of the argyle design??? ;)

That is totally wonderful, and you should express your joy in all caps.

However, looking at all those ends has put me off argyles.

Yay!! Congratulations. :)

Hey, did you see that "kinneared" made it into the NY Times list of new words for 2007? Congratulations! And on the sock too...

Crazy beautiful, those argyles! For the weaving task, you need the kind of chocolates with booze in them.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and thank you for keeping us inspired and laughing all year long.

Maybe someone will weave in ends instead of knitting on the communal scarf?

Well, it was just a thought....

[Rah, rah, rah, go knitting!]

A FEW?!? More like a frickin' buttload!!

And this reminds me, I've gotta get my butt moving on the shawl I'm knitting Mom for Christmas... (Can anyone say lazybones knitter?)

Gorgeous socks. Put those daughters to work. Assign them each a color to weave in so no one feels like child labor. Arrange a treat at the end.

Me? Moving on to only HALF of a sockweight vest for DH and 40% of a scarf ... total of 600 yards to knit in two days. Sweater for Mom is done. Minimal shopping this afternoon. Whole day tomorrow to wrap gifts, knit and eat chocolate.

Bye, gotta knit.

new words- new book- new year
happy for you and the blog
its been quite a year
i can not wait to see
what we all will be up
to in the comeing months

good night happy night caps to every one
please let santa cross the border

Holy cow! You made the New York Times!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html

Congratulations on making the New York Times Buzzwords 2007!

Or should we call you Butter because you are on a roll???

Yeah, I know. It's pretty bad, but I'm a little punchy from trying to catch up on my own Christmas knitting. Merry Merry!

The sock is lovely. Can't we consider the ends thrumming? Can I moan to you? You'll understand. It's about 1830 and I have one and a half Christmas stockings to go. People wanted them. I kept saying "sure I can" and I managed to supply the necessary amount of panic that had been missing from the season. I'm enjoying typing for these couple of minutes because it unclenches my hands. I was actually grateful for the ice storm today which made my driveway a luge, making it impossible to get out. I will finish in time. I will never do this again.

Yes I will. But I am at least for the moment among my kind.

Sorry to post something so long, and sorry if someone else posted this, but it seemed so appropo (I've looked and looked, but can find no author):

Knitter's Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
There was unfinished knitting not under the tree,
The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care
'Cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep---he was no help at all.
And the sweater for him was 6" too small.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash.
Tripped over my yarn and fell down in my stash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how far I still had to go.

When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,
I was sure it would wake up both Dad and the boys.
And although I was tired--my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment that it must be St Nick.

Yet what I heard left me very perplex-ed
For nothing I heard was what I expect-ed.
"Move Rowan! Move Patons! Move Koigu and Clover!
Move Shelridge! Move Starmore! Move Spinrite!
Move over!

Lopi, don't circle around, just stand there in line.
Pay attention you sheep and you'll work out just fine!
I know this is hard as it's just your first year
But I'd hate to go back to 8 tiny reindeer."

I peered over the sill. What I saw was amazing:
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing!
And then in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa's big boots stomping on the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet.
As I turned around, St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his heat to his toe
And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.

A bright Fair Isle sweater he wore on his back.
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His hat was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosey red face.

The scarf on his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
On the back of his mitts was an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I spotted a small label:

"S.C." in duplicate on the cuff.
So I asked, "Hey, Nick, did YOU knit all this stuff?"
He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to knit when I was just a kid."

He was chubby and plump, a well dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I'd thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked down in his lap
Where I had laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He began then to knit, first one cap then 2--
For the first time I thought I might really get through.

He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks,
While I sat back drinking a scotch on the rocks.
Quickly like magic his needles they flew,
Good Grief! He was finished by two!

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.
I heard him explain as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year, start your knitting sometime around JUNE!"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Stephanie and family!

Beautiful!

Blimey - I hope to goodness the recipient will appreciate the amount of work that will go into this!
Merry Christmas - in MANY knitting-hours from now. :)

OK, I saw the mentions on the Times article but here's the link, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html?ref=us

The sock looks quite nifty and I got pretty jazzed about your NY Times mention!

Holy Cow a few ends!!!! You are a better woman than I am because I hate sewing seams and weaving in ends. I'll do an awful lot to avoid them. You are an amazing knitter. I hope that you accomplish your goal with no loose ends. All puns intended LOL! Have a great Christmas Eve and hope all your knitting is done, or at least you're satisfied with what you have done!

Ah, your argyle (and your comment to me when you were signing your books for me a few months ago - I was wearing the YARRRRRN shirt in Virginia) finally got me off my arse to give the Arrrrgyle a shot. Though my husband laughed at me for being covered in tiny balls of yarn, the process is really fun and as easy as this sort of thing can be, really. I'll deal with socks later, this one will be a scarf for my brother-in-law, who already has a "We call them Pirates" skull skullcap and is apparently not adverse to having coordinating cold-weather gear.

Thanks for the continuing inspiration and good luck with finishing your holiday knitting!

Well, you know how I feel about the argyle, but my darling, you don't HAVE to leave all the ends lying about like that. I know it's good for the blog, but perhaps on the next one you can use small moments to weave them in?
Good Yule!

That looks like the beginnning and end of a good party. In the beginning people are all polite and pulled together. At the end when you finally get that last couple to leave, you turn around only to find the house is completely trashed.

Merry Christmas and thank you for so many laughes in 2007

In my house, you are more famous than Greg Kinnear. I had to remind the DH who Kinnear is, when he came across the "kinnear" in the NYT, but Yarn Harlot needs no explanation.

OMG. That looks totally sweet, but holy crap there are a lot of ends. I would probably not tuck them in and convince myself and the giftee that the loose ends make the sock warmer.

It's charming, really, how well denial works for you this time of year..

You know you're big time when the Sunday NYT cites you--so proud of you specifically and the collective influence of knitters generally!

Merry Christmas to you and yours--the virtual friends and relations of us all.

Oooh! It's the Flying Spaghetti Monster! While I'm not a big fan of weaving in ends, there is something special about intarsia ends. Maybe it's because weaving in the ends is like a voyage of discovery as you reveal a pattern that is almost as good from the reverse side as it is from the front.

Merry Christmas from chez yet another.

I've got an insurance rejection to resubmit, stollen to bake, a sock to start and a cape to finish.....at least two of those are not happening. OTOH, round about 6 I'll quit for the time being and wear my snowdrop shawl to services. Poor thing has never been out of the house yet and needs to debut.

Ahh, Presbytera makes an excellent suggestion about those ends on the argyle... thrumms. Definately.
Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Stephanie! You are an ongoing inspiration to me. (As is Lene, with her Knitting Plan. I am so doing that next year.) Thanks for all you do, and for sharing it with us even when you're busier than any human being should have to be.

P.S., I still haven't gotten the nerve to steek the too-long sleeves on the Giant Gray Aran Cardigan, but I blocked it. And finally measured the chest. 52 inches!! Knitterly denial is a wonderful thing. :-)(http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2007/09/16/from_a_moving_target.html)

Carol

Congrats on the sock, have a good time weaving them in. What you REALLY need is actually a friend that'll come over and help out. XD

those are the best socks ever... i love argyle... however, i'd probably just kill myself with the knitting needles before i'd weave all those ends in on socks! heck, it's only 50% of the time that i weave in the 2 that i do have with socks! LOL

good luck with your schedule!! :D

Merry Christmas to you and yours, Steph, from Waterloo, Ontario! (Plus I was at Lettuce Knit on Sunday)

Merry Christmas!

I say, wait on weaving the ends until the very last moment. That way you can have more knitting time with the rest of your projects. And if they don't get woven until after Christmas - at least they were given on time!!

Merry Christmas, dear Harlot. Have a wonderful day (and dinner - you did factor dinner-making in the schedule, right? lol)

Thank you for keeping us so entertained this year, and I'm so looking forward to another year to come!

Shelley.

I finished the second pair of socks for my brother at midnight last night (Christmas Eve). Unfortunately there was no way I could finish my mother's socks, so I put the finished one and the WIP in a gift bag (because I didn't know how I was going to wrap DPNs without punching a hole in the wrapping paper) and put them under the tree.

Just wanted you to know that there is someone else out here feeling your, um, pain. Wish I knew someone as organized as Lene!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!! Question is it a bad thing that I'm still knitting Christmas gifts on Christmas morning because everyone is still sleeping?:D

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Knit Year! I'd better not eat too much of this banana rum cake I'm making, or I'll have to find a way to weave in MY end!

Dear Stephanie and family--Have a wonderful and happy Christmas day . Enjoy family and friends that is the most important gift in our lives .

Just a note to say Merry Christmas, belated solstice, etc. I hope your day is filled with family, fun, food and chocolate. May all your yarn stay balled, your ends be woven and your needles in pairs.

Have a wonderful holiday. Take time to enjoy the day and your family and the world around you. Enjoy your New Year and may you meet it with a smile.

Q.

Merry Christmas =]

Merry Christmas, Steph, to you and to your family. Thank you for a year of learning and laughter. You have made a difference in my knitting life and in my thought life, too. Happy New Year.

Hey! I noticed that amazon.ca is taking pre-orders for your next book! I'm looking forward to reading it. Also, I won "Secret Lift of a Knitter" as a door prize at my knitters' group holiday party, which made me very happy because I gave my copy to my brother since I knew he'd love the squirrel essay. He does.

Have a very happy holiday with all of your family. Thanks for another year of entertaining and educational posts (which also extends to your guest bloggers).

Merry Christmas!!! I wrote and posted this on my blog, in your honour...

'twer the weeks before Christmas, when all through the land
the knitters were knitting, needles in hand.
The stockings were hung o'er the shower rod with care,
in hopes that that the wool would quickly dry in the air.

The sheep were nestled, all snug in their worlds,
while visions of shearing ruffled their curls.
And I with my sweater, all ready to tend,
had just settled down to weave in the ends.

When out on the 'net there came such a loud chatter,
that I opened my browser to see what was the matter,
flew through the bloglines, and quick as a flash,
surfed through to Ravelry and checked on my stash.

The light from the screen on my new fallen wool,
gave the lustre of midday to my stitches in full.
When what should appear quite suddenly in the inbox,
but a minature knitter, and eight tiny pairs of socks.

Her needles were shiny, so lovely and quick,
that I knew 'twas the Yarn Harlot doing the work of St. Nick,
More rapid than eagles her socks oh, they came,
And she whistled and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now worsted! now laceweight! Now Tiptoe and Monkey,"
"On Jaywalker, on slinky, on pooled and on funky!"
"To the top of the pile, and away from the mall,"
"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the laptop the coursers they flew,
With needles and stitches, and the Yarn Harlot, too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on my mouse wheel,
The prancing and pawing of each little heel.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the modem the Harlot came with a bound.

She was dressed all in wool, from her head to her foot,
And her clapotis was all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of skeins she had flung on her back,
all came Rhinebeck, all in her pack.

Her eyes-how they twinkled! her mittens how merry!
Her cheeks were like roses, her scarf red like cherry!
Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the yoke of her Bohus was all even, each row.

A shawl she had just knit with needles held tight in her grasp,
and the edges were already drawn together with a clasp,
it was made of Kidsilk haze in a dyelot of Jelly
though the wool was still damp (and a tiny bit smelly)

She was knitterly and knowledgeable, a right jolly elf
and I said 'I'll learn to knit' in spite of myself!
And a wink of her eye and a twist of her head
soon taught me that dropped stitches were nothing to dread.

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And knitted up stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying her finger aside of her nose,
And giving a nod, up the modem she rose!

She sprang to her bicycle, to her socks gave a whistle,
And all flew away like the down of a thistle.
But I heard her exclaim, 'ere she drove out of sight,
"Donate to MSF, happy holidays; I'm going to knit through the night!"

Happy holidays! Written in your honour...

Merry Christmas!!! I wrote and posted this on my blog, in your honour...

'twer the weeks before Christmas, when all through the land
the knitters were knitting, needles in hand.
The stockings were hung o'er the shower rod with care,
in hopes that that the wool would quickly dry in the air.

The sheep were nestled, all snug in their worlds,
while visions of shearing ruffled their curls.
And I with my sweater, all ready to tend,
had just settled down to weave in the ends.

When out on the 'net there came such a loud chatter,
that I opened my browser to see what was the matter,
flew through the bloglines, and quick as a flash,
surfed through to Ravelry and checked on my stash.

The light from the screen on my new fallen wool,
gave the lustre of midday to my stitches in full.
When what should appear quite suddenly in the inbox,
but a minature knitter, and eight tiny pairs of socks.

Her needles were shiny, so lovely and quick,
that I knew 'twas the Yarn Harlot doing the work of St. Nick,
More rapid than eagles her socks oh, they came,
And she whistled and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now worsted! now laceweight! Now Tiptoe and Monkey,"
"On Jaywalker, on slinky, on pooled and on funky!"
"To the top of the pile, and away from the mall,"
"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the laptop the coursers they flew,
With needles and stitches, and the Yarn Harlot, too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on my mouse wheel,
The prancing and pawing of each little heel.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the modem the Harlot came with a bound.

She was dressed all in wool, from her head to her foot,
And her clapotis was all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of skeins she had flung on her back,
all came Rhinebeck, all in her pack.

Her eyes-how they twinkled! her mittens how merry!
Her cheeks were like roses, her scarf red like cherry!
Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the yoke of her Bohus was all even, each row.

A shawl she had just knit with needles held tight in her grasp,
and the edges were already drawn together with a clasp,
it was made of Kidsilk haze in a dyelot of Jelly
though the wool was still damp (and a tiny bit smelly)

She was knitterly and knowledgeable, a right jolly elf
and I said 'I'll learn to knit' in spite of myself!
And a wink of her eye and a twist of her head
soon taught me that dropped stitches were nothing to dread.

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And knitted up stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying her finger aside of her nose,
And giving a nod, up the modem she rose!

She sprang to her bicycle, to her socks gave a whistle,
And all flew away like the down of a thistle.
But I heard her exclaim, 'ere she drove out of sight,
"Donate to MSF, happy holidays; I'm going to knit through the night!"

Oh, how embarrassing...I was so excited I posted that three times. I'm sorry!!! :o

Ohh that is so neat, I love the pattern..(I just wish to learn to to that)

I was working on my last holiday project, a pillow (with an intarsia Portuguese Water Dog) for my college roomate who I see on Thursday and over the New Year's weekend when I saw Heather's post. Bravo, Heather. It was not only clever, but captured the Yarn Harlot perfectly. Happy Holidays and happy knitting.

Merry Christmas Stephanie. I want to let you know that I knitted your Unoriginal Hat pattern for my 15 year old daughter in in Blue Moon's Leticia - in Blue Moonstone colorway (a almost solid ice-blue). This was one of her Christmas gifts. My daughter loves it. She plunked it on her head right away and wore it to Christmas dinner. Thank you for the wonderful pattern.
I also see in your comments that you are now starring in a Twas Night Before Christmas poem. Congratulations. What a cute poem.

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season. May it be one of the very best!

Who cares if you got everything done before the big day or not? You knit argyles! You are a crazy woman. Hope your Christmas was merry & bright, and that everything that needed to get knitted did.

I'm wondering if the seam up the back of the socks makes the socks more uncomfortable to wear. I'm trying to knit an argyle sock (inspired by your neat back - no I am not being sarcastic) but it has become a horrific, snarled mess. I just can't keep track of all the different little butterflies of yarn you need to use. Do you have any more helpful advice on argyle you could share?

Oh there's just a couple ends to weave in.

so...ummm... just wondering--- did ya finish? I did;) with enough time to spare going out to eat and shopping the day before Christmas eve! (That means most of the party prep had to be done too!)

Personally- I feel a little "vacant" without knitting on a deadline....it's weird. How long will it take for me to recover? To return to my knit obsessed norm?

what an awesome little sock. I hope you got xmas stuff finished. I have a rule, only one knit/crochet gift per christmas. i admire your fortitude though, wow. I'm such a lazy scared little geek, I haven't broken my sock cherry yet! maybe i'll be inspired to do that now. think sock. think sock..... =^)

Enquiring minds want to know, did the Big Secret Thing end up finished, or an IOU?

Hope your holidays were awesome! Thanks for all the LOLs this year; looking forward to many more.

The 'whole thing' appeared on my screen and --oh, wow!-- came from my lips... then appeared the closing photo. ---you're so funny!! Merry Christmas from Texas.

I did it! I managed to have 25 scarves knitted, bagged and tagged and given out to my family on Christmas Eve. Now all I have to do is get 2 baby afghans knitted by January 6...piece of cake!

Did the crazy do you in?

We need to hear about your seaming techniques on the sock, please. Are there pattern connecting issues? Does it lay flat? (Lie flat?) Just which method do you use?

Inquiring minds and all that.

Love that sock! I can remember your words on what you said about weaving in tails. Don't envy you at all!
ps. I was gifted ALL your books by my mom for Christmas, but sadly I have to wait till April for the 5th one. Can't wait!
Take care,
Michelle

what a beautiful sock! but those ends, yuck!

Just wanted to say thanks for your blog. It always makes me laugh. I'd also like to ask: what are your new year's (knitting) resolutions. I'm sure THE BLOG would like to know. And if you can't think of any, I have a few things you can finish for me if you'd like(think ends, seaming, blocking etc.) I live right across the "pond" from you in Rochester, NY.
Happy New Year,
Margaret
margchat on ravelry