Thursday, November 02, 2006

Countdown to Christmas: 52 days!

With Halloween officially past, Christmas will be here before we know it. That means I better get cranking on these gifts! The good news is that progress is being made. First, here's my newest addition to the craft room:

That's a folding cutting table purchased at Joann's with a 50% off coupon. Took a bit of work to get it put together, but it's great! Both sides can be brought up to make a nice big work surface and it has wheels so it can be shuttled out of the way easily. Perched on top is my new swift (another Joann's 50% off purchase -- online this time) holding a skein of luscious alpaca that's in the midst of being wound into a center pull yarn cake. That yarn is SO soft and pretty. I'll be casting on soon to make it into a very manly scarf for a Christmas gift. I should get to that soon because. . .


I finished the Homespun shawl. Here it is being blocked on the floor of the craft room. Sort of hard to see because of the beach towels it's pinned to, but you get the idea. Because it's acryllic, I steam-blocked it using my Scunci steamer. Hope it works so that it keeps its shape without the need to reblock after every washing. It's very soft and I like how the colorway worked out. I'll take a better picture when it gets dry. One thing, though, the pattern on Lionbrands website says only one skein of yarn is needed. I thought that was awfully optimistic and I was right. I used 1-1/2 skeins. If I was making this for myself, I'd use the full two skeins and make it bigger, but it should be perfect for its intended recipient. :)

I've also got another Spring shawl on the needles and progressing nicely. This time, I'm using some purple Debbie Bliss Cathay (50 % cotton, 35% Microfibre, 15% silk). It works up really nicely and is very soft. This time it will be shawl size. I'm almost through the first skein of yarn and hope that four skeins will be enough. Pics next time!

So it's one shawl down, one in the works, and a whole bunch of things left to do! The man-scarf is next, then there's a felted purse to do for a friend and I still have to figure out something for another friend. Once I get the gifts done, I'll go back to the shawl I have in progress on a loom and at least two others I have in mind for myself.

The weather here has finally turned into fall with our first heavy rains beginning last night. Great knitting weather! Altogether I'd be VERY happy if I could simply curl up in front of the fire with movies on the TV and knitting needles in my hands! But, alas, there's work to be done!

Happy November!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

(I found you via comments on Yarn Harlot.)

I was this close to selling my Scunci Steamer because it's been sitting around collecting dust. But you have just inspired me to keep it and use it for blocking! Thanks so much for the great idea!