Baby it's Cold (and wet)(and super windy) Outside...

Happy 2012!  I hope the weather is better wherever you are than it is here.  It is cold. And wet. And crazy crazy windy.  I am going to make some tea, pull out some yarn, fire up Great Expectations (latest BBC adaptation) on the iPlayer and settle in for the day.  I can't imagine anything would convince me to venture out...

I was a knitting fiend while in Canada - I left with a couple of completed presents (go me!) and completed a few more while there and overall everyone seemed pleased.    I still owe my youngest niece a pair of socks (not a Christmas present - she's just never had any!) and hope to get to those this week.

Christmas knitting started with this red infinity scarf which Sarah made a special request for.  It's a simply 1 x 1 rib, worked in 2 yarns (alternating 2 rows):- Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Chunky (colour 07) and Rowan Chunky Colourscape in Cherry.  

Sarah liked it - but we all agreed that it seemed made for Fred (the cutest dog in the world).

My sister had hinted strongly for a sweater so when I arrived we began searching for patterns.  She said she liked the one I made from my Dad last year and wanted one like that.  So I searched in Ravelry and showed her a number of shawl collared cardigans, narrowed it down to one, bought some yarn (heathery green Patons Classic Wool)  but somehow it didn't seem right.  

The next day I woke up and realised I had missed the point - she didn't want a pattern LIKE the one I made for Dad - she wanted THAT pattern (Charcoal Rib Cardigan from Interweave Knits free Knitting for Men booklet).  I asked her at breakfast (before I cast on) and sure enough - that's what she wanted.

I started on Monday 19th and finished in the very early hours of Christmas day so was able to wrap it up finished!  Woo Hoo!

I made Dyl her annual mitts.  She's graduated from high school and is now a freshman at Ottawa University.  I made these Fiddlehead mitts in the University colours replacing the lower pattern on right mitt with '2012'.  I used Rowan Baby Alpaca DK (in Lincoln and Cherry) which was insanely soft and will be very warm.

While I was there we somehow got talking about headbands and it turned out that Dyl really wanted one.  I pulled out some of the leftover yarn and made this headband using a pattern from Interweave Knits Accessories magazine (found under the tree from Santa!).  Since then I've been struck with the need to make one in the Fiddlehead pattern and Sarah has put in an order so there will be a few more in my near future!

I rounded out the knitted gifts with socks for two of my nieces (forgot to take photos).

I got some lovely gifts (including The Office Season 7 - can't wait!; Modern Family Season 2; Raising Hope...my not very subtle hints that I can't watch these shows here worked!) and was surprised and delighted to get a yarn bowl from my younger sister!  

She confessed she didn't really know what it was but figured that I would.