Inspiration

You may wonder where my inspiration comes from... It hits me suddenly when I see something new and exciting, often when I am not looking.  I would find them in magazines, or stores or on people on the street.  The most thrilling inspirational tool in the last few years, for me, has been Pinterest.   If you have not hopped on that site and got lost (for hours) you do not know what you are missing.  Most mornings, I have a quick look.  When I say quick, it is often longer than I should, and I end up running and rushing to get out of the house on time!  This morning I "pinned" this lovely sweater.  It speaks to me of Christmas, and of my darling daughter.  Makes me smile as any new inspiration should.  Will I knit this?  Maybe, but without the cap, and maybe not.  I may just look at it from time to time.

 The next pin fascinated me.  I am always looking for ways to close my knitted and felted shawls.  So I looked further and found a WHOLE SITE of unbelievably wonderful nuno felting!  Takes my breath away and makes me want to run to my felting table and immerse myself in wet soapy wool! But no, I must do more Christmas preparations, must stick to the plan, must not get sidetracked by yummy woolly fabric! (well, maybe if I rush around I could find time???)   Stay focused!  Check out the LINK to see if you do not fall in love with felting again!

So now, I leave and begin my busy day, with visions of wet felting and robin sweaters dancing in my head!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

On a steady pace

I have been chugging along with my Christmas gift quests... Knitting, sewing, shopping.  I am pleased that most of my shopping has been accomplished on-line, and the gals at work have seen a steady flow of packages delivered to the office.  I hate crowds.  The Internet is the single most convenient device that has made my life easy.  I think of a gift... I research the availability, price, options, patterns, colours, shipping methods... all from the comfort of my desk chair.  Life is good.

 Here is just one of the many socks....

 This is an almost-done sweater in red silk.  A new pattern soon to be posted in several sizes (yay) and knit with minimal seams!  Get your circular needles out, folks, here is comes.  (in a week or so after the rush has settled and the chocolates and wine have gone!)

For now, you get a peak at the tree.  I finally squeezed out the time to put it up.  Not bad, over a week before the big day.  I have about 50 nutcrackers on my tree like the little red guy in the photo.  They make me very happy.