spirit of giving
This year I knit exactly two Christmas presents and they were finished so long ago they hardly count: slippers for Jerry and Mag.
But I have recently finished two really, really wonderful projects that I wish I could keep but I’m giving away. The first is a hat.
This is my Two by One hat pattern (available here). I knit this as a store sample for Gate City Yarns. They are now selling my pattern in the store (yay!) and I will also be teaching an Intro to Stranded Knitting class there using my pattern.
I used two wonderful yarns. The solid main color is Brown Sheep Lanaloft Worsted in Thunder Bay. The contrasting, self-striping yarn is Wooly Stripes from Nashua Handknits. The yarns are both singles and both 100% wool. The hat is very thick and woolly and surprisingly soft. I need to knit another one with these yarns that I can keep!
I am having a minor love affair with Brown Sheep lately. But I digress. That’s a whole other post I will save for another day.
Naturally, I added a pompom.
Pretty, huh?
The other project I’m giving away has been a long time in the making. The wedding afghan is finished and wrapped and boxed and waiting to be taken to the post office. To say it turned out great is an understatement.
You can’t really understand unless you wrap yourself in this heavy thing and feel it’s warmth. I keep trying to get my head around how many hours were put into this thing….it’s a lot. I spent about 6 hours on the edging. It took at least 10 or more hours to sew up. And surely each person spent at an hour, probably more, on each square. There are 49 squares!
If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I also want to show you the backside.
Can I get a hells, yea?
My favorite square was knit by the groom’s sister, Andrea.
She twisted her stitches, and I don’t think on purpose. It is full of texture and beauty and sweetness.
The whole blanket is full of love. I can only hope the newlyweds will feel that when they use their new blanket.
Off I go to the post office to send the blanket to it’s new home!!
blanket update:
Maggie has her “new” blanket. Her “old” blanket is supposed to stay in her bed for nap time and bedtime use only. She does not like following that rule, but she does without much trouble. For the most part, I think she likes the new one. So far, so good!
Wow, the wedding afghan is a-MAY-zing! Wow. I agree with the twisted stitches…very pretty! And I love the hat (I’m also a Brown Sheep fan) and so happy the Mags likes her new blanket. What a happy post!
i like that hat a lot?? is it corrugated rib?? and beautiful spacing of the decreases!!!
and the wedding afghan is of course very lovely. beautiful choice of colours and such a sweet idea.
good she likes her new blanket.
The wedding blanket is incredible!
Blanket looks great. They will love it. As I told you before, it might not be their favorite gift on the day they open the presents, but 20 years from that day, it will be YOUR gift they remember and cherish the most. It will have held them, comforted their children, warmed her on the cold night when she nursed a baby, and hold a million memories. Just think of Mag’s blanket times a families worth of memories and love! What a tremendous gift.
that hat rocks! and wow that is a lot of seaming for that afghan
you already finished maggie’s blanket?! you’re fast! i’m so glad she likes it
Both are beautiful! As someone who twisted her stitches unintentionally for well over a year, I can really appreciate that square! You should knit something for yourself over the holidays – you deserve it!
The afghan is lovely! The “accidental” square is as well – I love it. Glad the blankie saga is going okay.
HELLS. YEA. for everything.
i think that i NEED new pics of maggie’s blanket.
Wow! It’s amazing.
hells yea, again.
I’m blown away by the afghan. A work of time and love! And the colours of the hat are glorious.
The afghan is AMAZING! You did a beautiful job putting it together (the not so fun part!!!)
Those are both fantastic!!