Various projects

Ok, so this first pic isn't my project. It's a Christmas present from my hubby, who loosely based it on plans from New Yankee Workshop. Isn't it lovely? He does great work.






This is "The Blob", aka my hap shawl. Progress is all but stalled on it due to the recent rash of Christmas sock-knitting. This thing has me bored to tears. I don't like doing the pattern row (the yarn fights me on the k2togs), and the other rows are repetitive and tiresome. I have a feeling I'm going to be picking it up and putting it down a lot more over the coming year. I'm gonna try to keep plugging away at it, but more enticing, and quickly finished, projects keep beckoning.

Speaking of socks, here are Kevin's socks. I've knitted everyone else socks, so now he's got his, finally. They're Opal sock yarn, knitted on size 0s. He loves them, and they fit well.

There were, alas, two knots in one ball of yarn (none in the other), which threw the pattern off a bit, but that doesn't matter much since he'll be wearing them inside his boots.



And last but not least, here's the start to the Bicycle Socks I mentioned before. I've since ripped them back to the ribbing and started over with bigger needles, since the gauge is too tight. I'm not sure this will completely do the trick, but will just have to block again and find out...

Went to the local spinning & weaving group's annual holiday party, which is usually held in January since everyone is so busy in Nov/Dec. Lots of fun -- we have a gift exchange, the type where people pick numbers and can either take an unopened gift, or pick a gift that someone before them has already opened. This leads to lots of very amusing swapping and plotting, as people see something they want. I brought a decorative bowl with sheep on it (sheep-decorated objects are always popular, and this particular item did change hands; I had requests for more if I happen to see any while shopping), and got a book on Weaving Overshot that I've had my eye on for a while but hadn't gotten around to buying yet. Last year I got the Folk Shawls book, which was a pretty cool thing to get, so I've had pretty good luck at these gift exchanges.

I really ought to get to more of the group's meetings. I'm too busy most of the year, with reenacting events etc., and I miss seeing them.