Holiday Travels + Knitting

I was going to post pictures of my latest stocking collection, took them, started to write about them, then got reminded that one if not both of the recipients read this! So that will have to wait for a hung-over new years kinda post instead of a pre Christmas. Instead I’ll show you my traveling knitted adventures. I’m heading home to Seattle, so there’s knitting to be done at the airport, on the plane, and of course when me and the family are just sitting around talking about life. So I’m bringing 2-3 projects. (Not sure about the yardage required for one, so it might only be 2) plus I’m only there for a week so there’s not a ton of time but last year we got snowed in and there was lots of time. I’ve started a rustic orange Christmas stocking (the last for this year) being made for the king of orange, Brandon. Next year I’ll make one for baby Bryce and it will be a full family collection. If this doesn’t eat up all the yarn I bought, I’m gonna make me a “Mark Hat” out of it. Mark (one of my friends at work) has a sense of style all his own, and he has a great collection of hats that he sometimes wears while sitting at his desk working, well as the winter has hit, and things have gotten incredibly cold, I realized that my previously knitted hat needs help. It’s a warm hat…but its for Seattle weathers, not for the heat required to stay warm in the single digits. So a new one needs to get made, and I’m even thinking ear flaps. This yarn is wool, its warm, its got a great color combination to it, it will remind Brandon all winter about his stocking, and most importantly, allow me to go to work in the winter without freezing my ears off. The last project I have is some gloves. Fingerless (or maybe full finger) gloves to wear around the office or wear outside, havent’ decided the usage, but I want to try and make them.

The last thing worth mentioning is a compliment I got at a friends Christmas party a few nights ago. I made a little shirt/sweater for their baby to keep her warm, and I gave it to them at the baby shower. One of the ladies was so impressed by the fact that I knitted it, so impressed by the fact that it didn’t give off that “oooh…you made this…how..um…sweet” feeling that you get when you get some ugly handmade thing. I was pleased that she remembered, that she liked it so much and that it didn’t look like an ugly gift. Sometimes people don’t understand why I am so hard on my self about being able to make things better. Its because I don’t want to give the ugly sweater gift, or the really looks homespun kinda thing. I know that handmade makes it nice, but really good quality, pretty, would pay for it hand made makes me really proud. Sometimes I just get down on what I produce and that’s why. Other times I get really excited over little things, because they turned out so wonderful (like Angie’s hats  ) Hopefully I’ll have some internet access over the next week and I’ll update with any finished projects, Until then, I have a collection of WIP, lots of stories to swap with friends and family, and two airplane rides to get things done. If I don’t get a chance, Merry Christmas and happy holidays!