Wooly Inukshuk

OK. So sometimes I get weird ideas. I wondered if my gift knitting could be piled up to make an Inukshuk. I used finished AND as yet un-knit balls of yarn to make this.....

Next to the yarn pile is the old favourite knitted inukshuk that stands 11" tall. (You can find the pattern for him in the list on the right side of my blog!)

(clearly I am busy knitting things I cannot show you right now!)

Keep knitting, only 23 knitting days left....

Monkey Business

Inspired by Susan, who wanted a sock monkey to give to a special little person... I suggested we all make them together! Thus we had a monkey making evening last night. We got together and produced several monkeys, and we had some wine and decaf and lots of laughs.

They are cute and goofy, and each one is a bit different. One has button eyes, the other embroidered eyes (safe for babies). We may use left over sock yarn to knit hats and there is at least one tutu request to dress up the girly monkeys!

Here is a link to my tutorial for making sock monkeys. Just omit the black sock lining for the golf club and stuff full and sew shut.

I always have so much fun with my crafty friends!

Christmas Photos

Here are some photos that suggest Christmas is drawing near! The first is something NOT made by me. This little guy came from the Bay, and I love the home made look. It is not easy to find robins, but they hold a special place in my heart....
The second is my Christmas knitting, piled into a two foot high tower! Makes it look like I am making some headway on my gift knitting list!
In the last week, I have been to the golf club three times to work on the Christmas decorating. Today was the last installment, with the front entryway completed. We put up the last huge wreath over the big window, and plugged it in... no lights! We fussed with it, but no luck... So now we have booked another day, to remove the 500 lights, and re-string a new set. About two more hours of work! It made me wonder... how many other festive Christmas decorating moments are spiced with colourful words like the ones that raced through my mind today.
Fah la la la lah... la la la lahhhhh!

Busy, busy...

Here are a few of the Gift Knitting items I have produced in the last week.... I can only show some of the gifts, as they are requested by the favourite friends or family, and since I am making so many socks and slippers, they still may not know WHICH ones will appear under the tree!

The monkey slippers are the Patons pattern (here). They are really quite quick to make and took two full cycles in the hot - heavy duty wash cycle. Buttons for eyes and ultra suede on the soles to prevent slipping finish them off.

The socks are my own favourite pattern (here). Using self striping sock yarns, I have around 8 - 10 pairs to make this season! My tiny bamboo needles are getting a workout (I have to watch they don't catch fire!)

I have also finished a larger garment, and will post the pattern and photos after Christmas.... I hope all your knitting gifts are underway. We need to pace ourselves, no need to add knitting stress! Knitting should be the relaxation after a long stressful day! Kick up your feet and grab a glass of wine (or cocoa) and your needles. Best times!

update...

The next thing I want to make are these monkey slippers. They are from the Patons pattern site HERE. They look fast and fun, and may end up under someone's tree in December....
It is the time of year when my blog becomes more secretive. I apologize for this. I know you like to see all the knitting I am doing, but most of it is Christmas knitting now, and I cannot reveal the secrets! I will still talk knitting and to that end, I had to show you the fabulous pattern that I found from Knitterbees blog! Angry Birds is such a huge hit, and the simple little critters make for great knitting. It is on my list of "things to knit" in the near future.
She also has a golf club cover version AND other characters from the game.... check it out HERE.
I hope you are busy with your gift knitting and I will continue to show you what I can and talk about patterns I find out there in web-land.

Flat Stanley Comes to Visit

On Wednesday Nov 2, 2011, Flat Stanley came to visit. He was sent to me by my young friend Emily from Picton, Ontario. Stanley has been having quite a trip, and let me tell you, he is the perfect house guest. He eats very little, he never complains, he can fit under the guest room door, and loves doing whatever I like to do!

Here he is visiting Niagara Falls (the Canadian side of course because he doesn't have a passport).

Here he is at my knitting group meeting, learning the basics. He is a natural and finished a new hat for himself in just one evening.

Here he is at the golf club. He played a round of golf with me and Rick, and posted a sweet 84 (ok, there were a few gimmees, but it WAS his first game)

Here he is playing with Aspen, our Parrotlet. She was a bit jeolous of the attention Stanley was getting and tried to bite him. She had to have a time out.

Stanley will be staying until monday, when I will package him up and Expresspost (first class travel for the flat folks) him back to Emily along with his souveniers and photos of his fun adventure in Niagara.

I will miss the little guy.