What was in the boxes

This post comes to you from the airport, because I feel a little guilty leaving without showing you at least some of the things I knit this Christmas.  You were all so good about the stealth knitting over the past little while that I couldn’t wee making you wait any longer. This was the Christmas of the accessory.  I don’t know how it happened, how it got out of control, but it turned out that there was a shortage in the family, and so in addition to the 12 pairs of socks that I turned out in the year leading up to the holiday,  the family was after mittens and hats and no end of bits and pieces.  For assorted daughters and nieces, it was quick pairs of fingerless mitts. (We cannot have clothing that interferes with texting.)  Three pairs (following the first a few weeks ago) quickly came together.

manypairs 2014-12-29

Pattern: Super-bulky Fingerless mitts. Needles: 8mm,  Yarn – Ushya Suya. (I loved that yarn, by the way. Soft and bulky, but not heavy.  Great stuff.)

samhands 2014-12-29

Sam’s already pressed hers into service.   Next up, I knit my mum a pair of socks – and no sooner had I done it than she announced that what she really needed was mittens and a hat.  I took a deep breath, and bang.  A pair of Cloisoneé mittens:

cloisoneedone 2014-12-29

The cuffs are just her colours. Lime, mustard and wild pink. I had odds and ends of Cascade 220 around for the cuffs, and that’s Galway for the hands, though any of the standard worsted yarns will do.

Mum wanted a hat too, and that was harder. She likes them big, but not too big, and loose, but it shouldn’t fall off, and it shouldn’t squash your hair too much, and it shouldn’t be too phallic.  I searched and searched and searched, and finally settled on a great hat.

lingafront 2014-12-30

It’s Linga, and the yarn was leftover Waterlily from ages ago.

lingaback 2014-12-30

While I was knitting with that yarn I was reminded of how sad it is when great yarns get discontinued.  I miss that one.  That hat used up the very last of it in the stash, though it was a worthy cause, because Mum loves her new hat- the other day when she ran by the house she was wearing it, and she’s not the type to pretend.  If it was on her head, she likes it.

There’s more – but in three minutes they’re calling this flight, and we’re off.   See you tomorrow.

80 thoughts on “What was in the boxes

  1. Accessories in our family, too, but since we’re in temperate Portland, it’s cowls rather than hats. But it seems fingerless mitts go everywhere.
    Happy New Year to you and yours.
    And thank you for all you did to brighten 2014.

  2. I feel the same way about discontinued yarn, particularly if I just found it. I bought up all of Trendsetter’s Kashmir that I could find and used a great pattern from Marji’s Yarncraft in CT.
    Enjoy your trip and Happy New Year.

  3. All the best for the new year in 2015 to you and yours. Enjoy your trip! By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, did your family have fun with the snowballs?

  4. Pingback: What was in the boxes | Yarn Buyer

  5. I managed a knitted table runner and a baby sweater… didn’t get started till November.
    I may have to gain more skills and learn how to make that hat, I reaalllly love it.
    Happy New Year, good luck on your flight!

  6. Lovely accessories – each one perfect. Love the hat.
    I can agree with geniaknitz – here in Portland OR it’s cowls. With the way the wind blows around here a scarf is long gone before you reach your destination.
    Enjoy your time away!

  7. have a safe trip…my lost luggage arrived today so my trip from *&#* just got better!!! Hope yours has no missteps – pack your projects in your carry on though – enjoy!!

  8. I hope your family all knows how lucky they are! Lovely knits, all around, and so thoughtfully tailored to their recipients. Have an excellent and relaxing trip with Joe!

  9. Mmmmm. All of it looks squishy. It was a hat year for my husband this year, too, and then two sweaters and a hand spun Greta the Captivating Cat (also for my husband). I’m glad your mom liked her hat – hope she liked the mittens, too!

    Katie =^..^=

  10. I always love the “post-christmas” haul I’ve been wondering about all month… I made your “foot ovens” for my mom for Christmas as a last minute gift and I’m still amazed how fast chunky yarn knits up!

  11. Accessories for my fam, too, but after a trip to Alaska mine were made of qiviut – best fiber on earth to knit with! Now I’m in serious trouble…

  12. How generous of you to be thinking of us as you head off on your trip-for-two, and satisfying our unending curiosity. If I didn’t like your posts so much, I’d say go away and don’t think about us until you get back. On the other hand, the pictures you share while away are interesting and we love to share in your adventures. But you said it was a wee trip, so really, forget about us for a while and have fun with just the two of you.

  13. Last year was a handsy Christmas for me, I knit probably a dozen pairs of mitts, fingerless and not. This year I knit sleeves for mason jars since everyone got cuppow last year. Also made Dorset buttons for ornament gifts, those were a big hit.

  14. Just a question: The pattern is written for Rowan 8-ply, and the yarn you used clearly says it is Aran 10-ply – how do you make it work?

    • Guestimate the difference and make a swatch to see what your gauge is with the yarn you are using. The pattern is pretty basic, so a small adjustment should do the trick.

        • I didn’t adjust it at all, I got gauge with the waterlily – it’s really more of a worsted weight, despite trying to pretend to be an aran. I ignored the label, and just swatched.

          • This is where I have a problem with regards to yarn. What is the difference between aran & worsted? What does worsted look like? Images I’ve seen show Redheart yarn, etc.

          • Thanks for the info! I went to the Classic Elite outlet store today and bought two different colors for this pattern! They didn’t have much left…just 10 skeins of pink. Did you need to break into a third skein for this hat or did two skeins work? Each skein is 100 yards but the pattern recommends 210 yards… Happy New Year!

  15. Your beautiful Linga is talking to me and I want to make multiple! The pattern calls for Rowan Pure Wool DK but you used Waterlily which is Aran weight. Can you explain what you did? Did you have to alter the pattern?

  16. Great accessories for your mom and your daughters, but didn’t you overlook Joe’s kilt hose????

    Hope those are one of the three or four knitting projects he “let” you bring on the “second honeymoon” without major complaints. Also, best wishes that you both enjoy — and reconnect on — your trip! (Hint: Don’t visit yarn shops. Visit shops with naughty lingerie.)

  17. I used to have some Waterlily myself.

    I met it one stormy day in the bowels of my favorite yarn store. Back in the corner, the darkest corner…I never got over that first touch….

    Ah Waterlily… where are you now???

    Sigh….

  18. Love those fingerless mitts. I’ve made several myself. I’m wondering whatever happened to Foxpaws? I hope you get back to it now that the holiday knitting is done.

  19. Lovely stuff. It was the year of the accessory at my house too. An also one very special shawl. I miss Water Lily too. A couple of years ago, I used my last half-ball of it on knee-high baby socks for a friend’s new little one, an made a bookmark with the bit left over.

  20. Dear Stephanie, I can’t think of anyone who deserves a holiday than you do. Thanks so much for keeping up the blog throughout the year in spite of a huge load of other commitments and being a great wife/mother/daughter/sister/aunt/friend to all those around you. Have a great mini-vacation with Joe. See you soon on the blog. Happy New Year.

  21. Great call making that hat in worsted weight. Looking at the other FO’s under that pattern, I never would have considered it. Yours is magnificent (as is the model!)

  22. I didn’t finish any Christmas knitting by Christmas this year… Pain killers and anti inflammatory meds screwed my brain up. I’m hoping to have them done by valentine’s day. Safe travels!

  23. I have 10 or 12 skeins of Waterlily in a dusky blue that I haven’t ever knit up. It has plans but if someone would like it, please shoot me an email.
    I hope that Steph and Joe have a great vacation.

  24. Thank you for all you brought and grew and nurtured for all of us, in 2014. BTW, the yarn-model is simply simply gorgeous, as always.

  25. HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s 2:11am in England on Thursday 1st January 2015, best wishes to all knitty bods out there and to Stephanie! Love the blog, looking forward to this year’s posts and many more!

  26. Your beautiful daughter modeling her gramma’s hat needs something of her own in that lovely persimmon color. Looks so good on her!

  27. Pingback: Out with the Old, In with the New (Eventually) | Maura Elizabeth Cunningham

  28. Have a nice trip and a happy New Year!
    By the way, I’m reading theYarn Harlot book and couldn’t agree more on your opinion about crochet.

    Is there anyway to sign up for updates to your blog?

    Betsy

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  31. I loved all the beautiful accessory pieces. I am a beginning knitter, having started taking weekly lessons about 2 months ago, and a new follower of your blog. Looking forward to following along with you as I grow my own skills. I am blogging about my own learning to knit journey and hoping that as 2015 passes I will see big improvements!

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